History for the NetWare DOS Shell April 16, 1992 The following is a history of the major changes that have occurred in the NetWare DOS shell v3.01 and higher. This document is updated with each additional release of the NetWare DOS shell. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. A 5-8-90 XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. A 5-8-90 EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. A 5-8-90 þ Initial Release of the 3.01 shell. Beginning of the DOS Shell History file. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. B 6-6-90 XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. B 6-6-90 EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. B 6-6-90 þ Loading SiteLock by Briteworks would fail, causing the DOS workstation to hang. This problem was corrected with the 3.01 rev B shell. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. C * Not released XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. C * Not released EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. C * Not released þ Using the Preferred Server option caused the network response time to be functionally slower than if the user did not use this option. The 3.01 rev C shell corrected this problem. þ When using DOS 4.0 with EMSNETx and XMSNETx shells the DOS directories would not display correctly under Windows. This was corrected with the 3.01 rev C shell. þ The enhanced memory shells were not sending header information when using job configurations that included escape codes. For example, a job that should print landscape would print using the default mode (portrait). þ When printing to a captured LPT device an error message "Device not ready" would appear. A retry would allow the job to continue. The 3.01 rev C shell corrected this problem. þ Fake roots were being deleted on paths with volume names before the path was determined valid. ie. CD PRN: would delete the fake root. This was fixed with the 3.01 rev C shell. þ On 286-based servers the Dynamic Memory Pool (DMP) 1 was not being released properly with the XMSNETx and EMSNETx shells causing the server to hang eventually. With the 3.01 rev C shell the memory is released when exiting the Windows DOS Prompt. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. D 9-7-90 XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. D 9-7-90 EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. D 9-7-90 * The NetWare DOS Shells Rev. C was made available to NetWare Developers only. The NetWare DOS shells v3.01 rev D was released to all users and contains all the 3.01 rev C changes. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. D 9-18-90 XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. D 9-18-90 EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. D 9-18-90 þ When running the 3.01 rev D shell on a NetWare V2.15 or less operating system, external program execution (using the #) from the login script does not work unless the user has open privileges at the volume root. This has been corrected in the shells dated 9/18/90 or later. þ Nver will return Rev. C instead of Rev. D. This has been corrected in the shells dated 9/18/90 or later. Netx.COM 3.01 Rev. E 11-27-90 XMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. E 11-27-90 EMSNetx.EXE 3.01 Rev. E 11-27-90 þ When using the DOS 4.0 "TrueName" (undocumented DOS command) command invalid data was returned to the shell. This invalid data causes Emerald's System's backup to not function properly. The 3.01 rev E shell corrects this problem. þ Microsoft Link was reporting a scratched file error when linking a large number of files. This was corrected in 3.01 rev E of the NetWare DOS shell. þ Added support for Version.exe utility. This support was not present in earlier releases of the shell. þ Corrected a problem with the rename function where the wrong error code would be returned to applications such as Platinum Accounting by Advanced Business Microsystems. This error was also exhibited with the NETGEN message: Cannot find DRVRDATA.DAT. þ Corrected a problem where the shell was not correctly maintaining the default server after logout when an X.25 bridge is used. þ On ELS NetWare servers you would get one less connection than the maximum when using remote boot. The 3.01 rev E shell corrected this problem allowing the user to get all connections to the server. þ Enabled file caching in EMSNETx and XMSNETx shells. File caching was not enabled in earlier releases of the enhanced memory shells. þ Added the /? option to the command line which displays version and usage information. þ Added a feature in the 3.01 rev E shell that tells the user that a TSR is loaded when trying to unload the shell. Netx.COM 3.02 2-06-91 XMSNetx.EXE 3.02 2-06-91 EMSNetx.EXE 3.02 2-06-91 þ Corrected a problem with file caching that was introduced with the NetWare Shell v3.01E. Users were experiencing problems when running Paradox, Quattro, and Lotus 123 with the extended memory shells. þ Enhanced the speed of file caching which improves the speed of file read and writes. þ Some applications such as DESQview, NetRemote, etc. that use EMS, or XMS would occasionally hang when using the enhanced memory shells. This was corrected in the 3.02 shells. þ Unloading the shell now relinquishes all connections (previously retained one connection.) þ When setting parameter Cache Buffers = 0 in NET.CFG the shell caching is turned off. þ Corrected a problem where capturing to a file would result in truncated print files. These files are now created and printed correctly. þ Added two new NET.CFG parameters, DOS NAME and ENVIRONMENT PAD: DOS NAME = name This option specifies the name of the DOS version used by the workstation. This should correspond to the %OS name in the login script and the name of the DOS directory. This could be MSDOS, PCDOS, DRDOS, etc., and cannot be longer than 5 characters. ENVIRONMENT PAD = number This option specifies the number of bytes that can be added to the environment space for storing search drive path names. If you are specifying many long path names for search drives with the MAP command, you may need to add extra environment space to hold those names. This can be any number from 17 to 512; 17 is the default. We recommend that you leave this option at the default value unless you are encountering environment space problems. NetX.COM 3.21 7-18-91 XMSNetX.EXE 3.21 7-18-91 EMSNetX.EXE 3.21 7-18-91 þ Generic Shell--NETX.COM works with DOS 3.x, 4.x, and 5.x. þ Using the Preferred Server function caused some machines to hang randomly. This problem was fixed with the release of the NETX shell. þ The /c = option was added to allow flexible naming of the shell configuration file (ie. NET.CFG). þ Added a date code to the shell. When you run "NETX i" the shell will display the shell version, date of creation, and copyright information. þ The shell was enhanced to be able to locate the Master environment regardless of its location. þ The /f option was added to allow the shell to be unloaded after it had been loaded high. þ Added support for EMS memory handle names. þ Added support for international date and time formats. þ Fixed a problem with being denied simultaneous access to a shared file. þ Corrected "call 5" functions for programs ported from CPM to DOS. þ Added feature to display the version of DOS that is currently running when the shell is loaded. þ Resolved a problem where Btrieve files were being corrupted when the server was downed improperly. þ Fixed cache problem which was causing a WordPerfect diskfull error. þ Fixed the DOS NAME parameter problem with the EMS and XMS shell. The EMS and XMS shells would hang when loading if the DOS NAME was used. þ Fixed the problem with "P_STATION" returning bad information in the Login script. This problem only occurred with the v3.2 shell.) þ DOS 5.0 "Load High" was not working properly with NET5.COM. NETX.COM v3.21 will work with the DOS 5.0 "Load High" command. þ DOS 5.0 MEM program was not displaying program names properly after the shell was loaded. This functionality works with this release of the shell. þ DOS ATTRIB command was unable to find hidden directories on network drives. This functionality works with this release of the shell. þ Fixed a problem with remote boot on workstations with hard drives. NetX.COM 3.22 7-31-91 XMSNetX.EXE 3.22 7-31-91 EMSNetX.EXE 3.22 7-31-91 þ Corrected a problem with remote boot and DOS 5.0. Previously, the shell would look to the F: drive rather then the A: (virtual) drive. NetX.COM 3.26 2-11-92 BNetX.COM 3.26 2-11-92 XMSNetX.EXE 3.26 2-11-92 EMSNetX.EXE 3.26 2-11-92 þ Corrected a problem with certain database applications which issue the commit file command, the file was not properly updated on the file server disk. þ Corrected a problem with the MS-DOS DOSNAME function not working properly with EMSNETX.EXE and XMSNETX.EXE. þ Enhanced the shell such that memory display applications such as the MS-DOS MEM program display the name of the shell as well as its size and location. þ Corrected a problem where Capture would return "garbage" characters to the screen when capturing without specifying a queue name. þ Corrected a problem when the shell was unloaded with COMSPEC set to a network drive, the COMSPEC was not being reset to the local drive. þ Corrected network errors due to packet size negotiation problem when using the Preferred Server option on a workstation with a packet size greater than that of the preferred server when the initial server also had a packet size greater than the preferred server. þ Added a procedure to check if the total of FILE HANDLES= in the NET.CFG and FILES= in the CONFIG.SYS exceeds 254. If so, an error is returned and the shell is not loaded. þ Added two new NET.CFG parameters, SEARCH DIR FIRST and NCP TIMEOUT FLAG: SEARCH DIR FIRST=ON/OFF This option deterimines the order in which the shell searches files and directories on a NetWare file server. This only applies to handle-oriented directory searches such as Windows File Manager, not FCB directory searches, such as DOS's DIR command. If SEARCH DIR FIRST=ON, then the shell searches for directories first. If SEARCH DIR FIRST=OFF, then the shell searches for files first. The default is OFF. NCP TIMEOUT FLAG=ON/OFF NOTE: This option was added for unusual circumstances and may cause unpredictable results when used incorrectly! This option adds the ability to change the default timeout value of the shell. To enable this option, three options need to be set: NCP TIMEOUT FLAG=ON, NCP TIMEOUT BASE=n where n=some value, NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER=n where n=some value. The default is: NCP TIMEOUT FLAG=OFF The values equivalent to the default are: NCP TIMEOUT FLAG=ON NCP TIMEOUT BASE=10 NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER=4 If only the NCP TIMEOUT FLAG=ON is set, the shell uses the default values for NCP TIMEOUT BASE and NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER. Setting the NCP TIMEOUT BASE and NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER lower than these numbers reduces the shell's timeout. Increasing the BASE by increments of 1 increases the timeout by 1 tick. The NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER multiplies the NCP TIMEOUT BASE number by the value set for NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER. OPTION DEFAULT MINIMUM MAXIMUM NCP TIMEOUT BASE 10 1 255 NCP TIMEOUT BASE MULTIPLIER 4 1 255 The NCP TIMEOUT BASE multiplied by the NCP TIMEOUT MULTIPLIER should NOT exceed 255. Setting the values too low will cause an excessive number of network errors. It is recommended that these values not be changed from the default except in special circumstances.