

                                FPaint Release Notes
                                    Version 4.08
      
                                      13-APR-88
      
      
         This document describes the  major  changes  to  FPaint since its first
         release (version 3.12).
      
      
         FPaint Editor Changes (MakScr.exe)
      
           Typing control Y  spawns  a  subprocess  to  the operating system. To
           resume editing, LOGOUT is typed on the VAX; EXIT is typed on the PC.
      
           Array fields are  now  supported.  An  array  is  specified simply by
           including a subscript on the field name (e.g. FieldOneName(1) ).
      
           The "put" operation  now  allows  the  user  to  edit  the field name
           without entering the  field  definition  screen.  In addition, if the
           "picked" name was  subscripted,  the  subscript  is incremented by 1.
           This facilitates the creation of array field groups.
      
           The VAX hosted editor now uses the SMG runtime library. This provides
           device independence and improves performance.  FPaint will now run on
           all terminals supported by  VAX  SMG.  Functionality  has not (to our
           knowledge) changed.
      
      
         Interface Considerations
      
           An obvious irritation of FPaint Version  3.12 was lack of support for
           arrays. Hence calls of the form
      
             call TestDataDsp( 1, 1, First, Last, V(1), V(2), V(3), V(4) ).
      
           Version 4 allows the definition of  array fields in the FPaint editor
           by including a subscript in the field  name. In the case of the above
           example, if the fields were specified  as array fields in the editor,
           the call would become
      
             call TestDataDsp( 1, 1, First, Last, V ).
      
           When array fields are specified, it will be necessary to refer to the
           auxillary file to determine the order of parameters.



         Impact of FPaint Version 4.08 on existing applications
      
           TTYinit now clears the screen. In addition, the PC version places the
           display in 80 column text mode.
      
           Because of conflicts with  the  C runtime/object library, GetChar has
           been changed to FPGetChar.
      
             ATTENTION C USERS!
      
               Old version FPaint  applications  that  call  GetChar, if rebuilt
               with the new version FPaint library and the VAX C runtime library
               (perhaps by  default)  will  link  and  run(?),  but  not without
               strange happenings.
      
      
      
         New Library Routines
      
           subroutine EnablScreenHelpLine
      
             Enables the display of the  FPaint  screen help line during an edit
             operation (Default).
      
      
           subroutine DisablScreenHelpLine
      
             Disables the display of the FPaint  screen help line during an edit
             operation.
      
      
           subroutine EnablHelpText
      
             Enables the display of the  FPaint  field  help text during an edit
             operation (Default).
      
      
           subroutine DisablHelpText
      
             Disables the display of the  FPaint  field help text during an edit
             operation.
      
      
           subroutine ReadChangeFlag( logical*1 Flag )
      
             ReadChangeFlag may be called  immediately  after an edit operation.
             If the user has changed the value of any field, Flag will be true.



         Optional SMG library
      
           Applications may be linked  with SMG_FPaint.olb instead of FPaint.olb
           to gain the advantages of the  VAX SMG runtime library. The following
           routines provide control of SMG buffering and non-SMG I/O.
      
      
           subroutine FPStartBuffer
      
             Turns on buffering of screen output.
      
      
           subroutine FPStopBuffer
      
             Turns off screen output buffering and updates the screen.
      
      
           subroutine FPFlushBuffer
      
             Updates screen during buffering.
      
      
           logical*1 function FPBuffer( integer*2 Dummy )
      
             Returns .true. if buffering is on.
      
      
           subroutine FPRawMode
      
             Call this routine prior to sending device specific formatted escape
             sequences to the  terminal  with  routines  in SMG_FPaint.olb (e.g.
             OutString, TTYO ).
      
      
           subroutine FPCookedMode
      
             Call this routine after FPRawMode to return SMG to the default mode
             of trapping formatted escape sequences.
      
      
      
           NOTES:
      
                 Before  doing  non-SMG  I/O  (e.g.  FORTRAN  reads  or prints),
                 buffering should be turned off.
      
                 Since  the  SMG  routines  trap  escape  sequences,  the escape
                 character cannot be read by FPGetChar.

