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Text File  |  1997-05-31  |  18KB  |  254 lines
  1.  ---------                                                           ----------
  2.   History                      Hiper Help 2.00                        FREEWARE
  3.  ---------                     ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯                       ----------
  4.                               by Andrew Hunter
  5. ================================================================================
  6.  
  7. If you want to find out whats new, go straight to the end. Note that at the time
  8. of writing, Hiper v1.15 was the last public release: v1.16a was used in Buttons
  9. to provide support for talking help, and v1.17 was completed just before I
  10. started work on v2.00.
  11.  
  12. If you find any bugs, or have any ideas as to things that may be added (don't
  13. think that others must have noticed it too, and DON'T think that I might have
  14. noticed it, unless you have very strong evidence) - write to me!
  15.  
  16. All versions of Hiper Help read the same file format, although they may display
  17. one file slightly differently. No file should cause 'Address exception' errors
  18. - tell me if you have one that does. Files designed for newer versions should
  19. display (with missing features) on older versions.
  20.  
  21. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  22.  
  23. +-- v0.02 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  24. |                                                                              |
  25. | Updates since 0.01:                                                          |
  26. |                                                                              |
  27. |  - 'HotSpot files' - allows 'hotspots' on sprites or drawfiles, which you    |
  28. |    can click on to go to the appropriate subject.                            |
  29. |  - The mouse pointer changes to a hand when it is over a link                |
  30. |  - I've discovered that I can distribute the DrawFile module with the prog.  |
  31. |  - There is now a history button                                             |
  32. |  - Lots of bug fixes & speed improvements                                    |
  33. |  - Can now read articles in from file only as it needs them (add '-file' to  |
  34. |    the end of the !Run file - CASE SENSITIVE). This keeps any articles in    |
  35. |    memory as they are loaded.                                                |
  36. |  - text alignment commands added                                             |
  37. |                                                                              |
  38. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  39.  
  40. +-- v0.03 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  41. |                                                                              |
  42. | Bug fixes since 0.02:                                                        |
  43. |                                                                              |
  44. |  - Fixed nasty bug which happens when a link is on the end of a line         |
  45. |  - Fixed bug in 'read from file' code which makes the thing go 'bleagh'      |
  46. |    if you try to read the last article. This will attempt to fix old         |
  47. |    files, but I recommend that you recompile to take full advantage of       |
  48. |    the fix.                                                                  |
  49. |  - Fixed 'multiple fonts on a line' bug                                      |
  50. |  - Fixed bug that prevents sprites & drawfiles from being links              |
  51. |  - (maybe not a bug...) if a font cannot be found, it automatically replaces |
  52. |    it with Trinity.Medium, and if THAT can't be found, it reports an error   |
  53. |    and gives up.                                                             |
  54. |                                                                              |
  55. | Updates since 0.02:                                                          |
  56. |                                                                              |
  57. |  - LINK can now use article names as well as numbers                         |
  58. |  - Now features 'minimum memory' mode (add '-min' to the end of the !Run     |
  59. |    file - last line should read '<Hiper$Dir>.!RunImage *%*0 -file -min')     |
  60. |    This keeps all but the page you are viewing on the disc.                  |
  61. |  - ability to use *-commands in the help file                                |
  62. |  - XPOS and INDENT added                                                     |
  63. |  - top panes added (MerkySoft eat yer heart out...)                          |
  64. |  - ability to run *-commands added                                           |
  65. |                                                                              |
  66. | To be done:                                                                  |
  67. |                                                                              |
  68. |  - icon bar installation                                                     |
  69. |  - 'articles in more than one file' support (you could do it yourself now    |
  70. |  that I've provided some uncompressed source code)                           |
  71. |  - multiple files in memory support                                          |
  72. |                                                                              |
  73. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  74.  
  75. |-- v1.01 - RSDFS door --------------------------------------------------------|
  76.  
  77. +-- v1.02 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  78. |                                                                              |
  79. | Bug fixes since 0.03:                                                        |
  80. |                                                                              |
  81. | Er, none.                                                                    |
  82. |                                                                              |
  83. | Updates sinces 0.03:                                                         |
  84. |                                                                              |
  85. |  - new-style user interface (ergonomic!) Designed by Chris Claydon of ARMed  |
  86. |    Forces.                                                                   |
  87. |  - 'door' support for help file conversion                                   |
  88. |  - hopefully, icon bar business.                                             |
  89. |  - context sensitive messages                                                |
  90. |  - reduced memory consumption (64k!)                                         |
  91. |                                                                              |
  92. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  93.  
  94. +-- v1.10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  95. |                                                                              |
  96. | Bug fixes since 1.02:                                                        |
  97. |                                                                              |
  98. |  - Bug on RISC PC now definately fixed                                       |
  99. |  - Desquashing compressed help files now works slightly better...            |
  100. |  - RISC OS 3.60 SpriteExtension (bug?) workaround added                      |
  101. |                                                                              |
  102. | Updates since 1.02:                                                          |
  103. |                                                                              |
  104. |  - Compressed file format 2 introduced (Run HelpSplat2 to compress HelpOut in|
  105. |    this new format) - this allows more efficient use of memory, as articles  |
  106. |    can be loaded in individually.                                            |
  107. |  - Help compiler now works in hi-res modes (if available)                    |
  108. |  - Help compiler has quite a few new features. (Styles...)                   |
  109. |  - Better handling of history list                                           |
  110. |  - Colours in fonts handled in a much nicer manner... (the end of the attack |
  111. |      of the multicoloured text?)                                             |
  112. |                                                                              |
  113. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  114.  
  115. +-- v1.15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  116. |                                                                              |
  117. | Bug fixes since 1.10:                                                        |
  118. |                                                                              |
  119. |  - None really                                                               |
  120. |                                                                              |
  121. | Updates since 1.10:                                                          |
  122. |                                                                              |
  123. |  - Improved handling of a few things (less chance of desquashing messing up) |
  124. |  - Hi-res/lo-res sprites added (I haven't had time to document this in the   |
  125. |    compiler reference. Basically the format is 'SPRITEHI <arthi> <artlo>     |
  126. |    <name>', where <arthi> is the hi-res sprite and <artlo> is the lo-res     |
  127. |    sprite. I'm sure you'll work it all out eventually.                       |
  128. |  - Official filetype (&13a) and message block (&4d5c0) are now in operation! |
  129. |    So now you have no excuse not to use Hiper in your own productions. Yes,  |
  130. |    all names are registered as well.                                         |
  131. |  - Printing now works across more than one page (at the request of Lindis    |
  132. |    International...)                                                         |
  133. |                                                                              |
  134. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  135.  
  136. +-- v1.16a --------------------------------------------------------------------+
  137. |                                                                              |
  138. | (Speaking version for talking Buttons)                                       |
  139. |                                                                              |
  140. | Bug fixes since 1.15:                                                        |
  141. |                                                                              |
  142. |  - Help boxes made less annoying                                             |
  143. |  - Bug in hotspot files fixed (Sprites not working properly)                 |
  144. |                                                                              |
  145. | Updates since 1.15                                                           |
  146. |                                                                              |
  147. |  - Speech (unique to this version)                                           |
  148. |                                                                              |
  149. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  150.  
  151. +-- v1.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  152. |                                                                              |
  153. | Bug fixes since 1.16                                                         |
  154. |                                                                              |
  155. |  - No longer crashes if there is any data before the first article (data is  |
  156. |    removed by the help compiler)                                             |
  157. |  - Drawfiles print out correctly                                             |
  158. |  - Sprites look better in-line                                               |
  159. |  - Links work correctly over move than one line                              |
  160. |  - Changing font sizes works better                                          |
  161. |  - HC works with long help files                                             |
  162. |  - Links work correctly if in a pane                                         |
  163. |  - Sprites generally can use masks                                           |
  164. |                                                                              |
  165. | Updates since 1.16                                                           |
  166. |                                                                              |
  167. |  - Ability to wrap text around graphic files                                 |
  168. |  - Background sprites                                                        |
  169. |  - HC can refer to styles as {<name>} rather than {STYLE <name>}             |
  170. |                                                                              |
  171. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  172.  
  173. +-- v2.00 --------------------------------------------------- Total re-write --+
  174. |                                                                              |
  175. | Bug fixes since 1.17                                                         |
  176. |                                                                              |
  177. |  - Well, it's really a bit difficult to tell. All my test help files work,   |
  178. |    so it should work as well as v1.17...                                     |
  179. |  - Help compiler inserts sprite codes properly (before, it inserted some     |
  180. |    garbage before the sprite data, which slowed down displaying sprites.     |
  181. |                                                                              |
  182. | Updates since 1.17                                                           |
  183. |                                                                              |
  184. |  - Rewritten in C++ (at last!). Better error handling, only one program need |
  185. |    be loaded at once, much faster, more reliable, etc...                     |
  186. |  - Search facility                                                           |
  187. |  - 'Help on Help' file has been updated (since it had got, er, _slightly_    |
  188. |    out of date...                                                            |
  189. |  - Ability to change default link colours                                    |
  190. |  - Ability to change window title with {TITLE ...} command                   |
  191. |  - Much more reliable formatting of pages                                    |
  192. |  - Faster rendering of sprites                                               |
  193. |  - Help compiler written in C: much faster, and now has nice front end       |
  194. |  - Help compiler supports throwback                                          |
  195. |  - Help compiler can compress files itself (no need for extra utilities :-)  |
  196. |  - Indexed searching - speeds searching compressed files                     |
  197. |                                                                              |
  198. | Removals since 1.17 (or things I didn't implement)                           |
  199. |                                                                              |
  200. |  - no longer any support for 'doors'                                         |
  201. |  - some messages which only really applied to seperate hiper tasks have been |
  202. |    removed, as they are no longer needed, or, in some cases, practical to    |
  203. |    implement                                                                 |
  204. |  - {HOTSPOT ...} type commands (use hotspot files instead)                   |
  205. |                                                                              |
  206. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  207.  
  208. +-- v2.01 --------------------------------------------------- Latest version --+
  209. |                                                                              |
  210. | Bug fixes since 2.00                                                         |
  211. |                                                                              |
  212. | - help boxes now work correctly (some help messages aren't 0-terminated like |
  213. |   they should be, making Hiper Help produce gobbledegook when it assumes     |
  214. |   that they are)                                                             |
  215. | - font/colour changes that occur just after a line wrap don't mess up any    |
  216. |   more.                                                                      |
  217. | - !HC compiles files using sprites properly (before it was adding all sorts  |
  218. |   of guff into the file and making Hiper Help chugg just a bit...)           |
  219. |                                                                              |
  220. | Updates since 2.00                                                           |
  221. |                                                                              |
  222. | - help compiler help file upadated to read slightly better                   |
  223. | - linking to article -2 or -3 links to the previous or next article          |
  224. |   respectively                                                               |
  225. | - !HC now uses a better memory management routine (and a dynamic area on the |
  226. |   RISC PC                                                                    |
  227. |                                                                              |
  228. | Known bugs                                                                   |
  229. |                                                                              |
  230. | - Exception handling seems to fail in !HC meaning that errors tend to kill   |
  231. |   it.                                                                        |
  232. | - Errors while printing cause the machine to crash (very hard to trap the    |
  233. |   error) - most notable if you try to press escape to abort printing.        |
  234. |                                                                              |
  235. +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  236.  
  237. === What next? =================================================================
  238.  
  239.  If there is demand I might (so if you want it, write):
  240.  
  241.    - Reimplement help doors
  242.    - Write a converter for StrongHelp manuals (I have some limited code for
  243.      this already)
  244.    - Add the ability to highlight the words that are found for the search mode
  245.    - Write a colourful Zap mode for help files
  246.    - Write a proper WYSIWYG editor
  247.  
  248.  If you have any ideas for Hiper Help, or for other, new programs, write to me,
  249.  and you might just get a result ;-)
  250.  
  251. ================================================================================
  252.  
  253. Andrew Hunter, May '97
  254.