CA-Clipper
Version 5.3 Build 319
Beta Release Notes
January 5, 1995


This file contains important information about the beta
release of CA-Clipper 5.3.  This file is provided as an
update to your printed CA-Clipper documentation.


CONTENTS

    1. READ ME FIRST!
    2. INSTALLING FROM A NETWORK DRIVE
    3. INSTALLING FROM DOS
    4. SYSTEM FILE CHANGES
    5. REBOOT AFTER INSTALLATION!
    6. OPERATING SYSTEMS
    7. COMPUSERVE FACILITIES
    8. WHAT'S NEW
    9. KNOWN PROBLEMS
   10. DOCUMENTATION NOTES
   11. COPYRIGHT NOTICE


1. READ ME FIRST!

After downloading the CA-Clipper .ZIP files from
CompuServe and prior to running the CA-Install program,
it is essential that you unzip the files using PKUNZIP.

CA-Clipper 5.3 may be installed from within Windows or
DOS.  To install from within Windows, use the INSTALL.EXE
on disk 1.  To install from DOS, use the INSTALL.EXE on
disk 5.


2. INSTALLING FROM A NETWORK DRIVE

If you have problems when attempting to run the
installation program from a network drive, copy the
contents of disk 1 to a floppy disk using XCOPY with
the /S option and install from the floppy drive.  Then,
when prompted for the location of the other disks,
enter the appropriate network drive and directory.

It is important that the installation procedure run
from beginning to end with no problems.  Therefore, if
your system locks up or suddenly exits from Windows to
the DOS prompt during installation, follow the advice
given above.  Otherwise, you cannot be sure that
CA-Clipper was installed successfully.


3. INSTALLING FROM DOS

If you have chosen the DOS install to install CA-Clipper
5.3, you must be aware that none of the files necessary
to run the CA-Clipper Workbench will be installed.  If
you would like to run CA-Clipper under Windows using the
Workbench, you must run the Windows installation from
disk 1.


Command Line Arguments

The following table shows the command line arguments for
the DOS installer:

   Argument     Description
   ------------------------------------------
   /NOSWAP      Do not swap to EMS or disk
   /BW          Monochrome for color display (for Laptops)
   /MONO        Force monochrome display


4. SYSTEM FILE CHANGES

Certain environment variables should be set for CA-Clipper
5.3.  If you elected to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file during
the installation process, your file should be up-to-date.
Otherwise, the appropriate settings are written to a file
called AUTOEXEC.NEW located in the root directory of the
boot drive.  In either case, it is important that your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file contain these additional settings so
that CA-Clipper 5.3 will find your files.  The required
settings are as follows:

          SET PATH=C:\CLIP53\BIN;%PATH%
          SET OBJ=C:\CLIP53\OBJ;%OBJ%
          SET LIB=C:\CLIP53\LIB;%LIB%
          SET INCLUDE=C:\CLIP53\INCLUDE;%INCLUDE%

The DOS installation program modifies CONFIG.SYS to:

          FILES=25
          BUFFERS=15

If you choose to retain your current CONFIG.SYS the
installation program creates a file named CONFIG.NEW and
places it in the root directory of your boot drive.


5. REBOOT AFTER INSTALLATION!

After CA-Clipper 5.3 has been installed, be sure to
reboot your computer for all of the system's changes
to take effect.


6. OPERATING SYSTEMS

CA-Clipper 5.3 currently supports DOS 3.3 or higher.  For
the CA-Clipper Workbench, MS-Windows 3.1x is required.


7. COMPUSERVE FACILITIES

As you already know, Computer Associates is conducting
this beta test via the CA Beta Forum on CompuServe.  This
section briefly describes the facilities available to you
on that forum.


New Product Builds

Each time a new build becomes available, it will be posted
in the library area, and you will be notified by the Beta
Program Coordinator in the messages area of the forum.  So
that you are always working with the most recent version of
the product, you should download and install each new build
as soon as possible.  The process for downloading and
installing new builds is identical to the process you have
already gone through for the original build.


Reporting Bugs

As you test CA-Clipper, you should report any problems you
encounter using the bug report posted on the forum.  To do
this, download the file entitled "zip file for bug report
form and dbf" dated August 2, 1994 (CISBUG.ZIP) from the
library area, unzip the file, and follow the instructions
in the BETABUG.TXT file.

When reporting a problem, please give as many details as
possible, including the version of DOS and Windows that you
are using.  Providing a sample .PRG to reproduce the bug is
extremely helpful.  You can post both the bug report and any
associated sample files directly to the library area of the
forum.

Please be sure to distinguish between a DAR, which is a
request for enhancement, and an actual bug.  Both are welcome
and appreciated, but bugs will be given higher priority.


Utilities, Sample Progs, Indiv. Fixes, and Doc. Updates

Computer Associates will also use the library area to post
files containing utilities, sample programs, individual fixes,
and documentation updates that you can download.  The Beta
Program Coordinator will notify you when new files from
Computer Associates are posted.  All files posted in the
library area will have an associated description letting you
know the purpose of the file.


Communicating with Other Beta Testers

The forum also provides a way for you to communicate with
the other beta testers and the Beta Program Coordinator.
Most of this communication will take place in the messages
area of the forum where you can exchange ideas and information.
Note, however, that you can also use the library area for this
purpose.  For instance, if you have a useful example to share
and the sample code seems too long to post in the messages
area, you can post it in the library area for others to
download.



8. WHAT'S NEW

Below is a very brief outline of the new features of CA-Clipper
5.3.  For a full description of all the features listed below,
please refer to your written CA-Clipper documentation.


Clipper Workbench

You may now define new applications quick and easy using the
new CA-Clipper Workbench.  This new component includes a source
code editor, form painter, menu painter, data server editor,
field spec editor, and new debugger.  Also, you may set
compiler and linker options through the use of easy-to-use
dialog boxes.

When using the form and menu editors, after the .PRG code has
been generated, any changes made to the source code files will
not be reflected in the form or menu editor.  If you make
changes to the source code files and then go back to the menu
or form editor, changes to your source code will be overwritten
when the form or menu is saved.


Additional PopUpMenu Instance Variable

In the PopUpMenu class, a Border instance variable has been
added.  The instance variable contains an optional string that
is used when drawing a border around the popup menu.  Its
default value is B_SINGLE + SEPARATOR_SINGLE.  The string must
contain zero or exactly eleven characters.  The first eight
characters represent the border of the popup menu beginning at
the upper left corner and rotating clockwise.  The final three
characters represent the left, middle, and right characters of
the menu separator.


Mouse Support

CA-Clipper 5.3 now has built-in mouse support for your DOS
applications.  This includes event detection using the INKEY()
function as well as several other detection and manipulation
function calls.


INKEY() Enhancement

A second parameter has been added to the INKEY() function.
The new syntax is as follows:

        INKEY ( [<nSeconds>] , [<lMouseActive>] )

If the lMouseActive parameter is supplied, and it evaluates to
.T., the INKEY() function will return all mouse events.  If this
parameter evaluates to .F., the INKEY() function will only
return events having to do with the keyboard and no mouse events
will be returned.  If the lMouseActive parameter is not supplied,
INKEY() will follow the rules set by SET MOUSE.


SET MOUSE ON/OFF and SET(_SET_MOUSE)

A new command has been added to allow mouse support to be turned
on or off at a global level.  The default value is OFF.  This
will allow your INKEY() function calls to remain the same from
CA-Clipper 5.2.  The SET(_SET_MOUSE) call will return .T. if
SET MOUSE is ON and will return .F. if SET MOUSE is OFF.


New Classes

There are several new predefined classes now supported in
CA-Clipper.  These include the following:  CheckBox class,
ListBox class, PushButton class, RadioButton class,
RadioGroup class, MenuItem class, TopBarMenu class, PopupMenu
class, and a ScrollBar class.


GET Object Enhancements

The GET objects in CA-Clipper have been enhanced to include
Caption, CapRow, and CapCol instance variables.  The
Get:ColorSpec instance variable has been modified.  A
Get:Message instance variable has been added as well.
Finally, for mouse support, the Get:HitTest() method has been
added as well.


TBrowse Enhancements

The TBrowse:ColorSpec class has been modified.  The following
instance variables have been added to the TBrowse class:
TBrowse:Border and TBrowse:mRowPos, mColPos.  Also, the
following methods have been added: TBrowse:HitTest(),
TBrowse:SetKey(), ApplyKey(), and TBrowse:SetStyle().


GET System Enhancements

In the CA-Clipper GET System, the following enhancements are
now available:  Mouse support, accelerator key support, a
message/status bar, TopBar menu integration, and several new
GETs.  These new GETs include: @ GET CHECKBOX, @ GET LISTBOX,
@ GET PUSHBUTTON, @ GET RADIOGROUP, and @ GET TBROWSE.


Upgraded C Library

CA-Clipper 5.3 has been upgraded to compile under Microsoft
C 8.0 (Microsoft Visual C/C++ 1.0).  Any routines written in
C need to be recompiled with the Microsoft C 8.x (Microsoft
Visual C/C++ 1.x) compiler.  At the same time, we have
changed the math support from alternate to emulator.  This
requires you to replace the /FPa C compiler command line
argument with /FPi.  Additionally, any references to
LLIBCA.LIB in your make/link scripts, need to be changed to
LLIBCE.LIB.


9. KNOWN PROBLEMS

CLD in Protected Mode

CLD.EXE (The CA-Clipper DOS Debugger) will not run with
protected mode applications.  To workaround this limitation,
simply link CLD.LIB as an OBJ file in your link script.

Mouse under CLD

The mouse is not working under the DOS debugger.


10. DOCUMENTATION NOTES

Because the CA-Clipper documentation is a work in progress,
you will undoubtedly find that it is not 100% accurate on
all points, a situation that will be resolved as both the
software and documentation come closer to GA.


On-line Help

The CA-Clipper reference guide is included as a Norton Guide
file with the latest build.  The file name is C53G01C.NG.

Windows help and other Norton Guide files are not yet
available.


Missing Documentation

The following manuals were not yet available at the time
of Beta printing:  "Quick Reference",  "Error Messages and
Appendices Guide", "Drivers Guide", "Getting Started", and
"Programming and Utilities Guide".

With few exceptions, all missing chapters and appendices
are listed in the appropriate table of contents and are
explicitly identified with text indicating that the material
is not available.


Footnotes

There are still outstanding issues that our technical
writers need to resolve.  These are sometimes tracked by
footnotes that are indicated in the text using superscript
numbers.  The footnotes themselves are not printed because
they are only of interest to the documentation writers.


Screen Shots

Due to the production lead time required for the printed
documentation, many of the screen shots are not up to date
with the software interface.


11. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

The installation program used to install CA-Clipper 5.3,
INSTALL, is based on licensed software provided by Knowledge
Dynamics Corp, PO Box 1558, Canyon Lake, Texas 78130-1558
(USA).  INSTALL is Copyrighted (c) 1987-1992 by Knowledge
Dynamics Corp. which reserves all copyright protection
worldwide.  INSTALL is provided to you for the exclusive
purpose of installing CA-Clipper 5.3.  Computer Associates
has made modifications to the software as provided by
Knowledge Dynamics Corp, and thus the performance and
behavior of the INSTALL program shipped with CA-Clipper 5.3
may not represent the performance and behavior of INSTALL as
shipped by Knowledge Dynamics Corp.  Computer Associates is
exclusively responsible for the support of CA-Clipper 5.3,
including support during the installation phase.  In no event
will Knowledge Dynamics Corp be able to provide any technical
support for CA-Clipper 5.3.

All trade names referenced herein are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
