README file for NewPop v4.1: Added checks and fallback mode if not running under OS3.0+. Really fixed TIMEOUT == 0 bug. LJR Sun Apr 18 22:09:20 1993 README file for NewPop v4.0AGA: This is a recompile for the AGA chipset. We still open a one bit screen, but now allow 24 bit colors. This is a quick hack to allow NewPop users that have upgraded to OS-3.0 and AGA machines to take advantage of the new color abilities: it doesn't check to make sure the correct version of the OS is under it. Please use v4.0 if this fact concerns you... Also, the included .newpoprc file is the one I use on the A4000. Thanks, Loren J. Rittle Fri Nov 20 00:44:54 1992 OLD README file for NewPop v4.0: Please read all the notes in this file BEFORE starting up NewPop v4.0! Thanks to all the beta testers; Ed, Ken, Aris, Chris, Thomas [ordered from smallest name to biggest]. Lots of things have changed [again] for this release. The NewPop manual, NewPop.doc, has not changed drastically since the v3.0 release. If you have not read the v3.x manual, I suggest that you do so now. The most important new feature [since pre-v3.0] is the user configuration file, [s:].newpoprc. All configurable features are listed in .newpoprc. *NOTE*: Be sure to look at .newpoprc before running the new version of NewPop! Copy it to s: and then edit it to taste. Please pass the unmodified version of .newpoprc to other users. New notes for NewPop 4.0: Some things have changed, most have to be enabled by the user by setting options in [s:].newpoprc. This release works better with 2.0 by using the System() call instead of Execute(), if available, to startup a new shell. In conjunction with the use of 2.0's System() call, where available, I have decided to junk the auto-detach `feature' of NewPop (was done by linking with with cback.o), this will allow more information to be copied to the pop'd shell --- this is most desirable. This means you will want to use one of the following command lines to start NewPop up now: run newpop newpop nil: & (for those blessed with the WShell) run nil: newpop run null: newpop (for those blessed with the null: device) runback null: newpop (for those with runback...) Some of these command lines will cause NewPop to keep a lock on the console window from which it is started. Under 1.3.2+, `run nil: newpop' should run fine and detach NewPop from the starting window with no problem. If you don't have WB 1.3.2+ and thus can't get NewPop to detach, then I don't feel sorry for you... Life is moving on and NewPop will most likely be 2.0 only within months of the official release from Commodore... 'newpop -q' is considered to be obsolete, and `break [cli number of NewPop]' is now the official way to stop a running NewPop from the cli. In fact, NewPop now takes NO command line options ('-q', the last command line option, has been removed). From the WorkBench, a double click on the NewPop icon will start NewPop if not currently running or stop a running NewPop. Those blessed with 2.0 can just copy NewPop over to their WBStartUp directory and copy .newpoprc to s: (and then edit it!) and everything will magically work the next time you boot. [Note: NewPop has been runnable from the WorkBench for some time, I just never bothered to tell anyone, as it seemed kind of silly that you would want to... With the 2.0 WBStartUp directory, it makes sense to explain that NewPop is Workbench friendly.] Be sure to use your old version of NewPop to halt an old version that is running, as the 'quit' mechanism has changed quite a bit in recent releases. Actually, as some have found out, there was a problem with past releases of NewPop that could cause a system crash if NewPop was stopped on an A3000 (while running 2.0) machine (or, it appears, any machine with a C= SCSI controller) under some circumstances. This problem has been found and fixed, but it may cause you trouble while stopping an old version to install this new one. Thanks to the above listed beta testers, NewPop is quite stable, just be careful getting rid of an old version if you fall into the class described above (i.e. you may want to reboot to get rid of a running NewPop, sorry...). This version can now be compiled with 2.0 includes (and must be as it uses some of the new features if it finds you are running AmigaOS 2.0). Please see [s:].newpop and ChangeLog for more details and the full list of new features. Currently NewPop just quits with no error message if it encounters any error condition at startup time. The one exception is a parse error on the [s:].newpoprc file; these are pointed out as stated in .newpoprc. No errer messages of any kind are emitted if NewPop is started up from the WorkBench. Better error reporting is slated for a future upgrade as are some other neat things I don't want to reveal just yet... :-0 It makes me happy just to know you use and like NewPop. I would like to hear from everyone who uses NewPop (and from people who see it, but decide not to use it). This is not guiltware, this is totally free software (see NewPop.doc for more information). If you decide you want to do something nice for me and you live in the ChicagoLand area, you could take me out for a pizza sometime. :-) Thanks, Loren J. Rittle Sat Apr 27 07:13:31 1991