                          Generic STOS Fixer v0.98
                          ========================


Contents:
---------

    + Introduction.
    + Usage instructions.
       - drag & drop.
       - command line.
       - GEM based.
    + Limitiations.
    + Falcon Compatibility.
    + Known Bugs/problems.
    + Legal stuff.
    + Credits.
    + Contact info.
    + Advertisements.




Introduction:
-------------

When STOS was  written,  it was  decided that  to improve  the speed  of  some
commands  the addresses  of certain  routines in  the Operating  System  could
be stored  in a  table at the beginning of the program to  prevent them having
to be  looked up each  time it  is run.  However,  as these  addresses  change
with  every  new  release  of  the  Operating  System STOS  had to be updated.
While  Mandarin  still supported  STOS this  was OK,  as they  simply released
a new  version  with  the  updated  table,  along with any bug fixes. However,
as  Mandarin  no  longer  support  STOS  there have  been no official releases
containing  new  tables  for  any version  of TOS  greater  than  TOS 1.62. To
get  around this  problem,  any compiled  STOS program  can be  'fixed'  which
simply  means  replacing the  table with a  suitable table for  the OS version
- this is essentially what Mandarin would have done.

At this  time,  there are  two STOS fixers available (with numorous versions),
the latest  version of each  is called  STOS Fix 3. However,  neither of these
is perfect.  One, by  Robert  Quezada,  only fixes  the STOS  program for  the
CURRENT version of  TOS, thus  making it  necessary for  the end  user of  the
program, not the author to fix the program - this seems rather unprofessional.
The  other  (so  I am  told - I  don't have  it), from  Goodmans PDL, is  only
available  from Goodmans, and  is not available via FTP on the internet. Also,
it places an advert for Goodmans PDL on any STOS program fixed with it -again,
not very professional.

So, the solution is the Generic STOS Fixer. This fixes a  STOS program for any
10 versions of TOS  (unfortunately,  at this time  there are 14  versions, not
including  MagiC).  Which  versions  are used is determined by the DEFxxxx.DAT
files in  the same  directory as  GENFIX.PRG,  where xxxx  is the  TOS version
number, and also the settings if you have used the GEM interface.

Supplied with this program are DEFxxxx.DAT files for all existing TOS versions
from TOS 1.0 through to 4.92 except TOS 3.05 and 3.06 (if anyone has a TT, and
has a joystick, please get in touch - I would  like to obtain these versions.)
Which files are ommitted is up to the person fixing  the program (I  recommend
authors do this before releasing software..) but I would recommend leaving out
TOS 1.1, as  this is  very rare  (I didn't  even know 1.1  existed!), and also 
TOS 2.05 and 3.05 as these versions have been superceeded by updated versions.
The same goes for 4.01 (which is very buggy, and  should be replaced with 4.04
imediately).  TOS 4.92 is only  available on disk, so  this can be safely left
out, as someone with this version will also have another 4.0x version.

One interesting point is that if a STOS program is fixed for TOS 2.06, then it
appears to work under GEMulator - the ST emulator  for the PC made by BraSoft.
I am currently in the process  of trying to  establish if STOS  will run under
STonX - the ST emulator for Unix machines (eg Linux, SGI's, Sun's etc.)  After
the success under GEMulator, I suspect that it will work.


Usage instructions:
-------------------

This program will work in a number of ways -

1) Drag a file to the program  icon (TOS 2.06 or  greater required). This will
   start up the fixer, which will attempt  to fix the program. The DEFxxxx.DAT
   files will be taken from the CURRENT directory - ie. the top window if this
   option is set (or the applications directory, otherwise).

   This does  NOT start a  GEM based version,  and may well corrupt the screen
   if running under MultiTOS. (Hmmm.... I'll have to check this...)

2) Enter the filename on the command line.This is very similar to the previous
   method. Once again,  this is not  a GEM based  method, and is  suitable for
   running from a command shell (eg BASH/KSH/CSH under MiNT).

3) Double  click on  the program icon. This will  start up  the program  as it
   would any other.  A GEM based  shell is provided,  which eases  use of  the
   program.  Note that  it will be  difficult (if not  impossible) to use this
   method in a resolution with < 640 pixels horizontally.

   Simply select 'Fix' to fix a STOS file - select the file to be fixed in the
   file selector, and let the fixer do its stuff.

   On selecting the 'OS Versions' button, the dialog will change to enable you
   to  select  which  OS  versions will  be used  when fixing programs in this
   session - note that this info is not stored, and so you  may need to set it
   every time. The scrolling list on the left contains the names of all of the
   DEFxxxx.DAT files that were  found. Those that  are highlighted (ie. black)
   will be used when patching.  The 'default'  file is the one  that STOS will
   use if the OS version found is not one of those given  in the table. To set
   the default, simply click  on the arrow  pointing right. This  will set the
   default to the version imediately next to the arrow.



Limitations.
------------

This program will not  necessarily fix a program  which has already been fixed
by either this fixer, or either of the other two fixers available - always fix
straight after compilation to solve problems of this kind.

Also, programs which have been packed will not be fixable - use NewDepack from
Sinister Developments to decompress the program. (this program is no longer in
development as SD. have left the Atari scene. However, Mike Watson of Sinister
Developments is prepaired to try and answer any questions via email.)

Programs which use extensions may still not work after being fixed - check the
Falcon compatibility section below for more details.

I cannot garauntee that all programs can be fixed. However, if after fixing it
successfully  works on your  machine, it probably works  under all OS versions
that you have specified. If STOS Fix 3 by R.Quezada does not fix a program, it
is highly unlikely that this program will have any more luck.




Falcon Compatibility.
---------------------

The Falcon has a number of major changes  from the ST -  this causes  programs
which have been writen  without considering  these changes  likely to  cause a
crash.  However,  it is  possible to  write a  program in STOS  that will work
without problems on the Falcon.

The things to consider with regard to the Falcon are:

1) Dont pack your program with the 'Atomic Packer' as this crashes the Falcon.
   - use  PACK ICE  instead.  (Interesting note:  in Top Notch's  Missing Link
   Extension  documention they say that the Falcon is very  compatible - guess
   which packer they used to pack the install program!)

2) Run the  Falcon with a clean  setup - hold down control while booting. This
   will start the Falcon in ST-Low  resolution, with  no desk accessories/auto
   boot programs but with the hard-drive active. Holding down 'Alternate' will
   also disable the hard-drive.

3) Rename your program from PRG to TOS - This will cause the graphics commands
   to work better. Always do this as there is no advantage to being a PRG file
   (unless  its a  GEM  program, which  is currently  impossible  for  a  STOS
   program). 

4) When using extensions, try and use Falcon tested commands -  some extension
   authors have done some nasty things which  crash the Falcon. The  following
   extensions have been tested on the Falcon, and work without problems:

     Maestro, Control, Extra, Ninja Tracker, Falcon (obviously), Compact,
     Blitter and Compiler.

   The Missing Link works, although a couple of commands do not  - namely  the
   music/sample playing routines.

   The STE Extension, and any other STE extension probably work on the Falcon,
   although there are slight differences in the way hardware  scrolling works,
   and also  the lowest frequency  provided on the STE DMA  hardware (8khz) is
   not valid, and will not generate any sound.

   The  following extensions  do  NOT  work on  the Falcon,  and so  should be
   avoided.

     STOS Tracker (the one that uses .ABK files).

If at  all  possible you  should try  and get  your STOS programs  tested on a
Falcon before releasing it. However, if you cannot it is still worth doing the
above so that you have a higher chance of it working correctly.


Known bugs:
-----------

Under AES 4.1 (and probably under MagiC)  when the  program is  'un-iconified'
the window may not be the correct size, and the dialog incorectly positioned.

I have noticed that sometimes under a  multitasking GEM AES  when a window  is
moved  which already  covers the  Generic Fixer it sometimes redraws the fixer
dialog over the top of the window.

The entire program is  loaded into memory - thus  making it  difficult to  fix
BIG programs on a 520 (or maybe  even 1040). [Thats fine with me - I have 4mb,
and may soon have more! :-)]



Legal stuff:
------------

This program is released as FREEWARE. As such, this program may be distributed
in any form (PD libaries, electronic  file transfer, coverdisks etc.)  so long
as none of the files enclosed are modified, or omitted. 

Also, there is no waranty that this program will  work - explicit or  implied.
This program directly modifies  program files - thus  there is a potential for
programs to  be damaged - you  fix  programs  AT  YOUR  OWN  RISK.  Always run
this program on a backup.

Although this program is Freeware,  any donations  are welcome,  and would  be
greatfully recieved. :-) 



Credits:
--------

Original fixer code:    Les Greenhalgh
          (in STOS)

C implementation:       Anthony Jacques

DEFxxxx.DAT files
       created by:      STOS Fix 3, by Robert Quezada

Thanks to everyone who sent me the DEFxxxx.DAT files so that I  could build up
a complete collection... (excluding TT Tos).



Contact info:
-------------

Anthony Jacques:

      70 West Avenue,
      Oldfield Park
      Bath
      Avon  BA2 3QD
      England

  term-time 95/96:  
      25 Balleratt Street
      Levenshulme
      Manchester
      England

  email: jacquesa@cs.man.ac.uk
  WWW:   http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~jacquesa/

Les Greenhalgh:
      24 Park Avenue
      Rudloe Manor
      Corsham
      Wiltshire
      SN13 0JT
      England

Robert Quezada:

   I have no contact address for Robert - the email address in his
   STOS Fix 3 documentation is no longer valid.



Well, thats about all you need to know....

Anthony Jacques, 11/2/96


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STOS Falcon Extension v1.2b - shareware (5 pounds registration)

  +  true colour sprite routines.
  +  DSP playback of 4-32 channel modules at 50khz 16-bit stereo.
  +  full access to the sound system (including dsp processing).
  +  4 to 65536 colour graphics routines.
  +  Playback of FLI and FLC animations in truecolour.

For more information, contact:

Anthony Jacques, 70 West Avenue, Oldfield Park, Bath. BA2 3QD
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~jacquesa/  or  jacquesa@cs.man.ac.uk



STOS Mailing list.

Are you a STOS user who is online? Well, if you have internet access, then you
can join the STOS mailing list and take part in STOS discussions/ask questions
to some  of the  best STOS  programmers  around -  Tony Greenwood  of  STOSSER
Software, Martin Cubitt author of the Extra Extension, ()rm of Digi Tallis and
Anthony Jacques  author of the STOS Falcon Extension, as well as many others.

For more information, email: jacquesa@cs.man.ac.uk

To subscribe send a mail to: stos-request@man.ac.uk with the word subscribe in
the body of the email.



STOS FTP site.

The biggest FTP site on the  InterNET for STOS  software is ftp.uni-kl.de STOS
stuff can be found  in the pub/Atari/programming/STOS/ directory.  If you  are
using a WWW-browser such as Netscape, then the address is:-
ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/Atari/programming/STOS/



STOSSER WWW pages.

The biggest STOS related World Wide Web pages  on the STOSSER homepage and can
be found at  http://www.airtime.co.uk/stosser/  and contain links to all other
STOS related pages, and has lots of information about STOS products.



Bad Mood.

This is an  internet project to create a Falcon  (and perhaps TT/Eagle/Medusa)
version of Doom.  At the moment this is in its early stages, but it is already
possible to wander around texture-mapped Doom, Doom 2 and Heretic levels. This
is a game which ALL Falcon owners will be interested in...  It has been tested
on both the BlowUP-FX card, and also on the Afterburner040.

for more information, visit: http://rand.thn.htu.se/~johan/bad_mood.html or to
join the  Bad Mood mailing list, email  bad_mood@rand.thn.htu.se with the word
subscribe in the subject line.

8<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
