README.08d

                         Regina 0.08d
                         26 March 1998


Changes in this release (from 0.08c)
------------------------------------

o Rexx programs are now searched for, using a combination of the
  REGINA_MACROS environment variable and the addition of filename
  extensions.  This rule applies to both external function calls
  and operating system command line arguments.
  Assume you have a call to an external function, and it is coded as
  follows:
     Call myextfunc arg1, arg2
  First, Regina looks for a file called "myextfunc" in the current
  directory. If it can't find that file, it looks in each directory
  specified in the REGINA_MACROS environment variable for a file called
  "myextfunc". If the file is not found, Regina then attempts to find a
  file called "myextfunc.rexx" in the current directory, then in each
  directory in REGINA_MACROS.  Regina continues, next by appending
  ".rex" to the supplied external function name, and lastly by appending
  ".cmd".
  Only if a file does not exist in either the current directory, or
  any directory in REGINA_MACROS, either with the supplied filename or
  with that filename appended with ".rexx", ".rex" or ".cmd" does Regina
  complain that the external function is unknown.
o External function names with embedded spaces would be truncated at
  the first space. This has now been corrected.
o Applied some patches from Bernard Antoine to reduce memory leaks.
o Fixed a couple of memory leaks and a couple of crash situations.
o Added support for the "strict" operators >>, <<, >>=, <<=, \>> and
  \<<.
o Added support in the API for system exits for subcommands.
o The configure script has been changed in this release to better
  work out how to build shared libraries.
o Another change in the configure script is the --enable-tracemem
  switch.  This enables the internal memory tracing of Regina.
o Fixed a problem with calling external routines from within an
  internally called routine. See the test suite of of
  goober/IDIOT/TESTFUNC (courtesy of Chuck Moore).
o Added the "QUERY" commands for the STREAM() BIF.
o Added the "OPEN" commands for the STREAM() BIF.
o The DOS and OS/2 ports of Regina can now use operating system commands
  in function calls. eg rc = fred('parm1')  where fred.exe is an
  executable somewhere in the PATH.
o A bug has been fixed when pushing lines > 512 characters in length
  onto the stack from an external program running under OS/2, DOS or
  win32.
o Some progress has been made on displaying more detailed error messages
  (as per the ANSI standard) after the "normal" Rexx error messages.
o One of the header files that Regina uses (sys/stat.h) has been broken
  on RedHat Linux 5.0. The only effects, hopefully, that you should see
  are some compilation warnings when compiling files.c.
o A change has been made in the API function RexxVariablePool(). The
  SAA API documentation specifies the following when fetching the
  value of a variable from the interpreter:
  "On return, shvvalue.strlength will be set to the length of the
   returned value; shvvaluelen will be unchanged."
  In previous version of Regina the above condition was met, but the
  actual situation with IBM OS/2 REXX, is the reverse; shvvaluelen is
  changed, but shvalue.strlength remains the same.  Quercus Systems
  Personal Rexx and Enterprise Rexx follows the IBM OS/2 REXX behaviour.
  IBM's Object Rexx however, changes both values.  Regina now follows
  Object Rexx's behaviour, as this will allow programs written to the
  OS/2 REXX behaviour to work with Regina.
o Several changes in the API have been made that will require any
  programs linked to previous versions of Regina to be rebuilt. The
  main change was in the number indicating how the interpreter is
  invoked.  These changes were done to bring Regina in line with other
  interpreters.
o The curses interface for Regina has been enhanced, to include support
  for colour (that's how I spell it!) and support for creation of curses
  windows.  This release will be the last to include the curses
  interface as part of the Regina distribution; I will be distributing
  it as a seperate product in future.  See the updated version of
  hanoi.rexx for examples of some of the new features.
o Some corrections were made to the DATE() BIF, particularly in the
  day of the week conversion, and Y2K changes.
  This release of Regina should now be fully Y2K compliant.
  See additions to the demo program; dateconv.rexx, for Y2K examples.
o Addition of RexxSetHalt() API function.
o Several API changes to enable Regina to be used with JP Software's
  4NT and TCMD32 products.  You will require a version of 4NT > 3.01
  or a version of TCMD32 > 2.01 for the Regina support.  See
  http://www.jpsoft.com for further details.

Please report any bugs with this release of Regina to me, NOT to Anders.
Most likely the bugs are of my origin, so I will attempt to fix them.
As with previous bugs fixed by me, I will pass these fixes on to Anders.

Cheers, Mark.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mark Hessling                 Email:             M.Hessling@qut.edu.au
 PO Box 203                    Phone:                    +617 3802 0800
 Bellara                          http://www.lightlink.com/hessling/
 QLD 4507                      **** Maintainer PDCurses & REXX/SQL ****
 Australia                     ************* Author of THE ************
+------------------------------------------------------------------------