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Document:	PCSA VAXmate Standalone Release Notes Version 2.1 Oct1988
Order Number:	AA-LB68B-TH
Revision:
Pages:	30
Original Filename:	http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vaxmate/AA-LB68B-TH_PCSA_VAXmate_Standalone_Release_Notes_Version_2.1_Oct1988.pdf

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PCSA
VAXmate Standalone Release Notes,
Version 2.1

Order Number AA-LB68B-TH

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October 1988

Revision/Update Information:

This infonnation supercedes Version 2.0,
order number AA-LB68A-TH.

Operating System and Version: VMS Versions 4.7, 5.0, or later
DOS, Versions 3.2, 3.3, or later
MS-DOS, Versions 3.2 and 3.3
Software Version:

digital equipment corporation
maynard, massachusetts

DECnet/PCSA Client, Version 2.1
VAXmate Services for MS-DOS,
Version 2.1
VAXNMS Services for MS-DOS,
Version 2.1
VAXmate Standalone, Version 2.1

First Published, October 1988

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should
not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation.
Digita] Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may
appear in thIS document.
The software, if any, described in this document is furnished under a Ucense and
may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. No
responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software or equipment that
is not suppUed by Digital Equipment Corporation or its affiliated companies.
Copyright ©1988 by Digital Equipment Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.
The Reader's Comments form on the last page of this document requests the
user's critical evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
DEC
DECnet
LA75
LA75 Companion
LK250

LN03
LN03 Plus
PCMAIL
RX33
SEDT

ThinWire

VAX
VAXmate

VMS
VT

mamaala'"
Pagemaker is a registered trademark of Aldus, Inc.
3Com is a trademark of 3Com Corporation.
COMPAQ is a registered trademark of COMPAQ Computer Corporation.
Epson is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc.
IBM is a registered trademark and NETBIOS, Personal Computer XT, Personal
Computer AT, and PS/2 are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
MICOM is a trademark of MICOM Systems, Inc.
MS is a registered trademark and MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft
Corporation.

\"-- /

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Contents
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DECnet/PCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

MS-DOS..............................................
New Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting an LA50 Printer to a PC Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . .
DRIVPARM= . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minimum Value for SHELL IE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FC /C ..............................................
KEYBRD and PS/2 Workstations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VT220 Terminal Emulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Closing the Command Window ..........................
Cut and Paste to an EDT Session ................. . . . . . . .
UDKs..............................................
Full Modem Control .................................. .
MS-Windows ......................................... .
Data Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ScriptlDialog Clipboard Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Screen Exchange Error ..............................
Desktop Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing Time in CALENDAR.EXE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CALENDAR.EXE and 24-Hour Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deleting a Current File When Running Calendar and Cardfile
Lowercase AM and PM in CONTROL.EXE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modal Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Text and Graphics Alignment Problem ..................
Notepad Save Error. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Notepad and CR,LF,CR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Contents

Display ............................................ .
MCGA Monitors and Umlauts ........................ .
No Support of Newest ISO Font Set ................... .
Cursor Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mouseless Version of MS-Windows Displays Mouse Cursor . . .
SUBST of Drive B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Size and Scale Problems .............................
Bad Font Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Standard Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Batch File and Program Information Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
File and Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Protected Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Notepad and File Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SUBST and Phantom Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Formatting a Data Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Updating Directories in Multiple Windows .............. .
Renaming a File ................................... .
MS-DOS Executive Window Make System Disk Command .. .
File Name Limitations .............................. .
COMMAND. COM and Class C+ Applications ............ .
Copying Files ..................................... .
Drive Letter Fails in COMMAND. COM ................. .
Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illogical Keyboard Messages ..........................
MS-Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing an MS-Paint Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dotted Line Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MS-Write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Text and Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Invalid Font List ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Incorrect Fonts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MS-Write and Text-Only Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PIF Files ...........................................
PIF File and RUN MODULE Must Have Same Name. . . . . . .

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Contents

Printing ........................................... .
Printing a Text File from the MS-DOS Executive Window. . . .
Printing From a Class A Application Using GDI . . . . . . . . . . .
Printer Fonts with Pagemaker and MS-Write . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LA50 Printer and Compressed Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing MS-Windows Screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LA210 Printer and MS-Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Text-Only Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINE.DRV and Paper Width and Length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LN03 Plus Printer Driver ............................
Running Special Applications ........................... .
Using MS-DOS Commands and Programs ............... .
CreateCompatibleDC(hDC) .......................... .
Setup Utility ....................................... .
Other ............................................. .
Starting SLAPJR with the Run Command ............... .
Starting MS-Windows and the DIGITAL Logo ............ .
Interrupt lOH Function 19 Subfunctions Disabled ......... .
The COPY command and Device Names ................ .
Repeating Key Allowed to Change Focus ................ .
PIF Program Parameters Incompatible with DOS ........ ; .
Incompatible C Libraries ............................ .
Multiple Class B or C Applications Stop MS-Windows ...... .
Testing Keyclick Volume ............................ .
Invalid Compose Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CloseComm Returns Error Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EPSONMX.DRV and Linefeed Character. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Renaming VAXmate Server Volume Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cancel MS-Windows Using CtrVC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drive Icons Not Connected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
File Viewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SYS Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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DECnet/PCSA V2.1 Standalone Release
Notes
This document contains the release notes for DECnetlPCSA Version 2.1
Standalone Client software. The release notes cover MS-DOS, the VT220
terminal emulator, and MS-Windows.

MS-DOS
New Modules
The following modules are new:

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•

The XONXOFF (XONXOFF.EXEIXONXOFF.PIF) utility, which fixes
the following:
Using VT220/SETHOST to set retries on the serial port and
finding that retries were also set on the communications port.
Using VT220/SETHOST to set retries on the communications port
and finding that nothing happened.
The two preceding problems are fixed by running the XONXOFF
command before you use VT220/SETHOST to set retries on the
serial port or on the communications port.

•

BACKLIST.EXEIBACKLIST.PIF displays a listing of the files that
were backed up using the native DOS V3.30 BACKUP command.

The BACKUP command now generates only two files on the
destination, BACKUP.XXX and CONTROL.XXX. These files are
highly efficient in storing the BACKUP information.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Connecting an LASO Printer to a PC Workstation
If you are connecting an LA50 to an IBM PCIXT/AT or some other

wc-rkstation, you must use the XONIXOFF protocol. If you use the
READYIBUSY protocol, the printer is likely to timeout. Using the
XONIXOFF protocol requires you to switch the printer into XONIXOFF
mode (see your LA50 printing guide). Mer switching the printer into this
mode you must run the XONXOFF program.

DRIVPARM=
DRIVPARM= is recognized in the CONFIG.SYS file.

Minimum Value for SHELL /E
The minimum value for the IE qualifier in the SHELL command for a
CONFIG.SYS files has changed from 526 to 512.

FC/C
The /C qualifier for the FC command now works on international files.

KEYBRD and PS/2 Workstations
The KEYBRD command will no longer hang a PS/2 workstation.

VT220 Terminal Emulator
Closing the Command Window
When the SYSTEM: command is used in a script, a window is created
that runs the COMMAND.COM application, which in tum executes the
DOS command and then terminates. The COMMAND window is not
closed upon exiting and script processing is suspended until the window
is closed.
There are two ways to close the window:
•

You can close the COMMAND window manually using its system
menu.

•

You can use the PIFEDIT MS-Windows application to create a .PIF
file that closes COMMAND upon exiting.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

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If you use this option, the COMMAND.PIF file should have the

following parameters:
Program Name:
Memory Requirements:

COMMAND. COM
32 required
32 desired
Program Switch:
Text
Screen Exchange:
Text
Close Window on exit: Yes

In addition to creating the COMMAND.PIF, you must delete the
following line, located under the [pifJ heading, in the user's WIN.lNI
file:
COMMAND.COM=32

NOTE

Due to the increased size of MS-Windows, there may not be
enough memory to spawn the system command.

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There must be 150 Kbytes of free memory to invoke the SYSTEM:
command from a script. Th determine the amount of free memory, select
the ABOUT option in the MS-DOS Executive System menu box.

Cut and Paste to an EDT Session
When pasting a large buffer to an EDT editing session, characters may
sometimes get lost. EDT is unable to receive and process the rapid firing
of characters while simultaneously updating the screen.
Th avoid this loss of characters, use the following VMS command:
$ SET TERM/HOSTSYNC

If characters are still being lost, either reduce the baud rate or place EDT

in line mode rather than command mode before pasting.

UDKs
Keys F6-F20 can be defined through the 7-bit and 8-bit device control
string (DECUDK). The key definition will be acknowledged in both the
shifted and unshifted state, depending upon the Set-Up selection.
In addition, keys F6-F20 can also be defined by the VMS DCL command
DEFINEIKEY. However, the key state is the inverse of the UDK SHIFT
selection in Set-Up.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

From whatever state the DECUDK-defined keys are invoked, the VMS
command-defined keys are invoked from the inverse state.

'",-_

There are 256 bytes available to program the 15 programmable function
keys. Space is supplied on a first-comelfirst-serve basis. Mer the 256
bytes are used, you cannot define additional keys or redefine existing keys
until the entire buffer is cleared. Keys are loaded sequentially, so once the
limit has been reached, the user is unable to load another key definition.
The tenninal emulator does not infonn the user when the buffer limit
is reached. In addition, due to the fact that these keys are saved in the
Set-Up file, the 256-byte limit exists from one session to the next until the
buffer is cleared.

Full Modem Control
The VAXmate VT220 terminal emulator does not support full modem
control.
The VAXmate VT220 does not confonn to DECSTD052. The MS-Windows
operating environment does not support preemptive scheduling; in other
words, the precise timings required for full modem control cannot be
guaranteed.
As an alternative, full modern control can be used in SETHOST. This
tenninal emulator will pass DBP's Telecom Approvals Authority.

MS-Windows
Data Exchange
ScrIpt/DIalog Clipboard Problem
When in a dialog box, the Tab key moves the cursor to the next field and,
if that field contains text, the text is highlighted. The ShiftJTab keys move
the cursor to the previous box. You can delete highlighted text to a buffer
using the period (Del) key on the numeric keypad. You can recover text
from that buffer using the 0 (Ins) key on the numeric keypad. However, if
the delete operation takes place directly after a ShiftlTab, Tab movement,
the text does not go into the buffer. An insert (Keypad 0) after that point
copies over the previous delete operation rather than the current delete
operation.

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DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

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Screen Exchange Error
The AltlPrt Sc key sequence does not perfonn a screen exchange from
a large C- application and, if the function is invoked, the default drive
is changed in the MS-DOS Executive window to the system drive from
which MS-Windows was started. This is a particular problem when the
system drive is read-only.

Desktop Applications
Changing Time In CALENDAR.EXE
If you run Calendar and select the Day Settings command from the
Options menu, the Starting Time cannot be changed. If you enter "9:00,"
Calendar displays the message "Time should look like 3:29 pm," even
though it does not accept any time like that. You can make Calendar
accept a new value by not entering the "am" or "pm," causing Calendar to
default to "am."
CALENDAR.EXE and 24-Hour Time
If you run Calendar, select the Day Settings command from the Options
menu, and then select 24 for the Hour Fonnat, you cannot specify a
number in the Starting Time larger than 12:00.
Deleting a Current File When Running Calendar and Cardfile
If, while running Calendar or Cardfile, a file running in MS-Windows and
is deleted in the MS Executive Window, and then the user tries to Save it,
the message "Change Disk-Insert (filename) disk in Drive ).1' is displayed
and the user cannot cancel out of the box, cannot save the file, and must
reboot to continue.

This occurs because Calendar and Cardfile use temporary files to keep
changes made by the user. When the user selects Save, the original file is
updated. If the original file is deleted, there are unexpected results.
Lowercase AM and PM In CONTROL.EXE
If you run the Control Panel and select the Country Settings command
from the Preferences menu, do not enter a lowercase "am" or "pm" in the
time fonnat.
Modal Dialog Boxes
MS-Windows displays a modal dialog box when you are required to take
some action, and MS-Windows will not continue until you do so. Because
of this single-task nature and use of modal dialog boxes, on-line help is
not offered with MS-Windows.

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DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Text and Graphics Alignment Problem
Because different output devices have different resolutions, text and
graphics that appear aligned on the display may not be aligned when
printed. This can be compounded by printers with device fonts because
these fonts are represented by other fonts on the display.

Most of the Cardfile information is text rather than graphics. Cardfile is
set up to handle text as a series of character cells rather than one large
bitmap.
Notepad Save Error
If the Save command in Notepad fails for any reason, try the Save As
command, using the same file name. When Notepad goes to save the
current edited file, it perlorms a Reopen. If the current file was previously
opened under the VAXNMS operating system, the Reopen always returns
an error.
Notepad and CR,LF,CR
Notepad assumes that each line in a data file is terminated by a carriage
return/linefeed/carriage return. If the file was not created with Notepad
or most recently edited by it, this may not be the case. If the carriage
return/linefeed/carriage return does not exist, the first character of the
subsequent line may be lost.

Display
MeGA Monitors and Umlauts
On an MCGA monitor, an umlaut over an "i" or "I" is displayed as a line
rather than two dots.
No Support of Newest ISO Font Set
Recently, the ISO character font was updated, adding the following:

•

The divide sign at location DTh

•

The multiplication sign at location F7h

These characters are missing in MS-Windows Version 2.0. A block
character is generated instead of the multiplication or divide sign.
Cursor Type
The DIGITAL adaptation of MS-Windows emulates the MS-DOS cursor
type and not the IBM DOS cursor type. The MS-DOS cursor type is a
block cursor with a start scan line of zero (0) and an end scan line of
seven (7).

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Mouseless Version of MS-Wlndows Displays Mouse Cursor
If you run a mouseless version of MS-Windows, and a system eITor
message box is displayed, a mouse cursor may appear in the center of the
display box.
SUBST of Drive B
If you use the SUBST command on drive B before you run MS-Windows,
the substitution is not carried into MS-Windows. The drive B icon is not
displayed in the MS-DOS Executive window and you cannot access it.
Size and Scale Problems
MS-Windows uses an internal "font mapper" to choose a font for display
or printing. There are two types of fonts, those that are resident in
the device or its driver (device fonts), and those that are maintained by
MS-Windows itself (GDI fonts).

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When an application asks for text to be printed, a font mapper is
employed to determine the best match for the request. First, the device
is queried for its best device font match given the characteristics of
the requested font, such as character set, height, width, weight, and so
on. The driver chooses its best match and passes the font back to MSWindows. MS-Windows then compares the selected device font with all
loaded GDI fonts. The resulting best match is the font that gets printed.
Because printer drivers vary with the display driver, the best font for one
device may not be the best font for another. Users may complain that
the resultant fonts are drastically different from those requested. Font
families may change as well as size, weight, and so on.
One item causing confusion is the Size menu in MS-Paint. It does not list
point sizes. It lists the height of the character in device units. Therefore,
the same font may look half the size on a 400-line video than it does on a
200-line video.
Bad Font Character
There is a problem when ALT 158 is displayed. The discrepancy between
Pts and Pt is a difference between MS-Windows STD font and DOS. MSWindows should be Pt, although it is not. The MS-Windows ISO font does
not contain this character and Pt (or Pts) will be mapped to the character
"P" when remapping from the STD character set to the ISO character set.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Working with Standard Applications
A standard application is an application (with a .EXE, .BAT, or .COM
extension) that can be used with MS-Windows, even though it was not
designed specifically to do so. (MS-Windows applications such as Notepad
and Clock are specifically designed to be used with MS-Windows.)
Batch File and Program Information Flies
If you run a batch file (an application with a .BAT extension) that
redirects input and output, you must set the Directly Modifies Screen
box in the PIF file for that batch file, and you must run the batch file
from the MS-DOS Executive window. For more information on changing
PIF files, see Chapter 10 of the Microsoft Windows User's Guide.
NOTE

You should not run a batch file from a COMMAND.COM window if
the file includes redirected 110 or piping.

File and Disk
Protected Flies
If a file has the System and/or Hidden attribute set, you cannot delete
it using the MS-DOS DEL command. However, you can delete the file
using the MS-Windows DELETE option under the MS-DOS Executive
File menu.

COMMAND.COM and the MS-DOS Executive are not consistent in the
way they determine whether a file can be deleted. The above situation
can occur only if the user has removed the read-only attribute of the
file. When the system is placed on a disk by either SYS or the MS-DOS
Executive, both IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS have attributes of System,
Hidden and Read-only. As long as the read-only attribute is set, the file
cannot be deleted using DOS or MS-Windows.
Notepad and File Handling
Notepad has known problems with its file handling. If the current file is
saved and an attempt is made to open a second large file, a problem may
occur. If the second file cannot be read because of its size, Notepad does
not return· to the previous file correctly. If the user should do more work
on the first file and save it, Notepad may overwrite the second file, even
though it was never read successfully.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

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SUBST and Phantom Drives
There is a problem with IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS and their use of a
phantom drive. The problem is exhibited under the following conditions:

1. Start MS-Windows.
2. Move to a directory with COMMAND.COM in it.
3. Start COMMAND.COM.
4. Enter the following with no diskette in drive A:
> SUBST B: A:\

5. Perform a directory of drive B:
> DIR B:

Although you get a series of error messages, they are appropriate and
the system recovers.
6. Enter the following to disable drive B:
> SUBST B: /D

7. Perform a directory of drive B with or without a diskette in drive A.
The result is a series of appropriate error messages and again the
system recovers.
8. Enter the following to exit COMMAND. COM:
> EXIT

9. Close the COMMAND application and bring up the MS-DOS
Executive window.
The result is that the drive B icon is still be displayed. If you click on
the icon, a series of messages indicate that the drive is bad.
If a similar operation is performed in MSDOS, an error message is

displayed indicating that drive B is a bad unit. If you persist and tell
DOS to ignore the problems, the bad unit B will eventually respond with
the desired directory and return to handling the missing diskette in the
normal "Insert a disk into drive A:" manner for all subsequent accesses.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Formatting a Data Disk
If you use the Fonnat Data Disk command in the Special menu of the
MS-DOS Executive window to fonnat a data disk, there are no prompts to
incert a blank diskette. If the diskette in the drive is not the diskette to
be fonnatted (and it is not write protected), you could lose the data on the
diskette.
Updating Directories in Multiple Windows
If you are displaying the same directory in multiple windows, only the
directory listing in the active window is updated when you create, rename,
delete, or copy a file. Th update the listing in an inactive window, move
the mouse to the inactive window and click on the highlighted drive icon.
Renaming a File
If you select the Rename command in the File menu of the MS-DOS
Executive window and the operation fails, no error message is displayed.
This cccurs when you attempt to rename a directory or leave the '''lb:'' box
in the dialog box blank.
MS-DOS Executive Window Make System Disk Command
The Make System Disk command in the Special menu of the MS-DOS
Executive window uses only the current drive as the source for system
files. If it does not find the system files on the current drive, the following
message is displayed:
Cannot find system files on current drive

File Name limitations
MS-DOS for the VAXmate limits file names to 7-bit ASCII characters.
Technically, 8-bit characters in a file name are invalid. If you use 8-bit
characters, various problems occur because MS-Windows "translates"
characters when switching between the ISO character set (Class
A applications) and the STD or IBM character set (Class Band C
applications).

The following problems could occur:
•

Using COMMAND.COM, files could be created with special characters
in their names. If the only difference in two file names is the special
character, the files will appear identical using the MS-DOS Executive.

•

A special character in the file name could prevent the file from being
accessed by MS-DOS Executive window commands, such as DELETE,
RENAME, and so on.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

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COMMAND. COM and Class C+ Applications
A Class C+ application, run from COMMAND. COM, does not run as
a true C+ application. That is, you cannot move in and out of the
application by pressing the AltJTab keys.
Copying Files
If you select more than one file from a given subdirectory and use the
Copy command from the File menu in the MS-DOS Executive window to
copy those files to a single file, the following error message is displayed:
Cannot copy multiple files to a single destination

However, if you select a directory or subdirectory as the source for the
copy procedure and a single file as the destination, the procedure appears
to work. The name of each of the files in the source directory is displayed
in the Copy dialog indicating it was read. Unfortunately, only the last file
of the set is present after the procedure is completed.
Drive Letter Fails in COMMAND.COM
If you type a new, valid drive letter while running COMMAND.COM in
an active window, no change occurs. If you type a new, valid drive letter a

second time, the change occurs.

Keyboard
In order for the LK250 keyboard to work correctly on an IBM XT, you
must press the AltJF17 combination while in DOS, then start MSWindows.
When the LK250 keyboard is used on an IBM PC or XT, the DCONTROL
utility is unable to detect the proper keyboard. Therefore, the Autorepeat
and Keyclick Volume options are not grayed out on the screen.
illogical Keyboard Messages
The following keyboard operations produce an illogical set of messages:

•

Ensure that the NumLock LED is on

•

Press and hold down the left Shift key

•

Press and release the "1" key on the numeric keypad

•

Release the left shift key

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes
/

MS-Windows transmits the following keyboard messages:

Message Type

Scan
Code
(hex)

Prey
Key
State

Virtual Key
State

Comments

WM_KEYDOWN

VK_SHIFI'

Left shift

*WM_KEYUP

Down

VlLSHIFI'

Illogical msg. (right
shift)

WM_KEYDOWN

VK_END

Keypad "1"

* WM_KEYDOWN

VK_SHIFI'

Illogical msg. (right
shift)

*WM_KEYUP

Down

VK_SHIFI'

Illogical msg. (right
shift.)

WM_KEYUP

Down

VK_END

Keypad "1"

* WM_KEYDOWN

VK_SHIFI'

Illogical msg. (right
shift)

WM_KEYUP

Down

VlLSHIFT

Left shift

If you press the right Shift key instead of the left Shift key, the number
of messages is the same. However, the two messages with a scan code of
2AH are changed to 36H.

The keys on the numeric keypad that exhibit this behavior are zero (0)
through nine (9), minus sign (VK_SUBTRACT), plus sign (VK_ADD), and
the period (.), which can be either VK_DEClMAL or VK_DELETE.

MS-Paint
Memory Requirements
MS-Paint cannot properly determine the amount of memory it requires.
For example, if you load three or four instances of MS-Paint, they will
interfere with each other. The background may be corrupted. The system
could stop. The occurrence of this problem depends on the amount of
available memory in the user's machine.
Printing an MS-Paint Screen
If you use MS-Paint to draw a picture on the screen or for a specific
type printer, the picture cannot be printed on another type printer. The
resolution of the new printer must be the same as the resolution in effect
when the picture was drawn.

>,-

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

When using MS-Paint, record the name of the output device for which a
file or picture was intended.
Dotted Line Selection
When the dotted line width is selected in the Line Widths command of the
Palette menu, no line can be drawn using any "snap draw" icons, such as
line, circle, arc, and so on.

MS-Write
Printing Text and Graphics
MS-Write cannot print a file containing text and graphics on a text-only
(line) printer. However, the Print menu item is not disabled, allowing the
user to print the text portion of the document. Similarly, MS-Write allows
the user to resize the picture. If you select the Size Picture command in
the Edit menu, the system changes to DOS or stops.

(

Invalid Font List
WRITE.EXE produces an invalid list of printer fonts when the printer is
changed and the new file is saved. The list of fonts may be cumulative
and include fonts from each printer as that printer is used in a
subsequent MS-Write document. The fonts are tied to the user, not to
the documents.
Incorrect Fonts
If you specify different size fonts of the same typeface in MS-Write, you
may not see the results you want. For example, if you request an 8-point
font, a 10-point font, and a 12-point font, all your output may be done
with the 8-point font. No changes will be made for the size of a font in
the same typeface.
MS-Write and Text-Only Files
MS-Write does not produce optional "text-only" output. Its normal data
files do not contain lines terminated with carriage returnllinefeed pairs.
It is, therefore, difficult to read MS-Write files with other editors in other
operating systems.

You can read the file with Notepad and reformat it manually. Similarly,
you can copy the file to the Clipboard and then paste it to another
application.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

PIF Files
The PIF files included in the Digital adaptation of MS-Windows Version
2.0 are supplied by Microsoft.
PIF File and RUN MODULE Must Have Same Name
To run a standard application in MS-Windows, a PIF file must exist for

that application. When invoking such an application from the MS-DOS
Executive window, it is possible to double-click on the PIF file rather
than the executable file (.EXE, .COM, or .BAT). The advantage of doubleclicking on the PIF file is that you can maintain multiple PIF files for the
same. application, thereby allowing you different ways of running a single
application.
The multiple PIF advantage is lost when an application is run from
COMMAND.COM or from a batch file within MS-Windows, because PIF
files cannot be run directly from these environments.

Printing
Printing a Text File from the MS-DOS Executive Window

Printing a text file using the MS-DOS Executive may take more time
than expected. This occurs because printing does not start until the
complete file has been sent to the Spooler. Therefore, the length of the
delay depends on the complexity and length of the file you are printing.
Printing From a Class A Application Using GDI

When printing from a Class A MS-Windows application, the program
must create a printer DC. Any necessary objects must be created and
selected. Normally in a DC, the selected objects, in other words Pen,
Brush, Font, and so on, remain selected until a replacement object is
selected. This is not the case when the DC is for a printer. In order
to print from GDI, the program must signal the first of the printout
(STARTDOC) and the end (END DOC) and between pages (NEWFRAME).
NEWFRAME signals the end of the GDI page and the beginning of the
next. Apparently, NEWFRAME causes the default brush to be reinstated.
Thus, if you wish to print with the same brush of your choice on two
pages, you must select it, print the first, issue the NEWFRAME to end
the page, then select the brush again and draw the second page.

(
i

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Printer Fonts with Pagemaker and MS-Wrlte
The font infonnation recorded in a user's WIN.INI file by Pagemaker and
MS-Write may conflict with each other.
LA50 Printer and Compressed Mode
The LA50 printer driver cannot print in compressed mode.
Printing MS-Wlndows Screens
You must load and run the GRAPHICS command before you try to print
an MS-Windows screen. For more infonnation, see the MS-DOS Reference
Manual.
LA210 Printer and MS·Palnt
When printing U.S. letters, DIN A4, or Euro Fanfold .MSP files (from
MS-Paint), the LA210 printer does not print the rightmost column of
pixels.
Text-Only Printer Driver
The Digital Generic Text-Only Hne printer driver, LINE.DRV, tries to
print graphics, although it is unable to do so. This occurs when you try to
use MS-Write to print a document with text and graphics. The first page
may be printed before the driver displays a message indicating it cannot
print the document. LINE.DRV should print only the graphics portion of
the document as the Microsoft printer driver TTY.DRV does.
LlNE.DRV and Paper Width and Length
The line printer driver, LINE.DRV, does not check the paper width and
length fields for valid numbers. There are also roundoff errors in the
English-to-metric unit conversion.
LN03 Plus Printer Driver
The LN03 Plus printer driver, LN03PLUS.DRV, does not work correctly
with Pagemaker. It does not print GDI fonts correctly in some documents.
If this problem occurs, use nondevice fonts.

The LN03 Plus printer driver, LN03PLUS.DRV cannot draw on the
bottom of a page. You actually get two pages of output. The second page
contains approximately 15 scan lines worth of pixel data that should have
been on the previous page.

DECneVPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Running Special Applications
Special applications, sometimes called "terminate and stay resident"
programs, remain in memory after you exit them.
You must load special applications before you start MS-Windows.
You run special applications from MS DOS outside MS-Windows. You can
also run special applications while using standard applications that both:
•

Do not run in a window

•

Have Directly Modifies Memory set in the PIFs

You cannot run special applications from COMMAND.COM in
MS-Windows.
NOTE

The PIF for a special application should have the Directly
Modifies Memory option enabled. If you then try to run a special
application, a system warning displays. Select CANCEL. If you
select OK, the special application can cause system problems.
Some special applications prevent you from switching back to
MS-Windows. 1b return to MS-Windows, enter EXIT and press the
Return key.
Using MS-DOS Commands and Programs
MS DOS commands are divided into three groups:

•

Commands you must use outside of MS-Windows

•

Commands you run from MS-Windows with COMMAND.COM

•

Commands you run from the MS-DOS Executive window

Those commands that run outside MS-Windows can run from the
MS-DOS operating system prompt. Or, you can put these commands in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, which runs automatically before MS-Windows
starts. For more information on MS-DOS commands and programs, see
the MS-DOS Reference Guide or refer to the DOS reference manual
that comes with your DOS software.
You must run the following commands outside MS-Windows (an asterisk
indicates commands that have an MS-Windows equivalent:
APPEND
ASSIGN
CHKDSK

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

(

CITY

FONT

GRAFTABL

GRAPHICS

JOIN

DECKEYB

LCOUNTRY

MODE

NET START

PRINT*

RECOVER

SELECT*

SORT

You can run the following MS-DOS commands from the Command
window in MS-Windows (an asterisk indicates commands that have
an MS-Windows equivalent):

(

BREAK

CHDIR*

CLS

COPY*

DATE*

DEL*

DIR*

ECHO

ERASE*

EXIT

FOR

GOTO

MKDIR*

MODE

PATH

PAUSE

PROMPT

REM

REN*

RMDIR*

SET

SHIFT

TIME*

TYPE

VER*

VERIFY

VOL*

You can run the following MS-DOS commands from the
MS-DOS Executive window (an asterisk indicates commands that have an
MS-Windows equivalent:
ATTRIB

BACKUP

COMMAND

DEBUG

DISKCOPY

EDLIN

EXE2BIN

FDISK

FIND

FORMAT*

LABEL

LINK

NET

PERMIT

RESTORE

SUBST

SYS*

CreateCompatibleDC(hDC)

CreateCompatibleDC(hDC) creates a memory display context that is
compatible with the DEVICE specified by hDC (and automatically
selects a monochrome stock bitmap for it). The memory DC created is
compatible with the device only, not with any other characteristics of the
DC passed as an argument. Any attributes must be specifically set by the
application.

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

The CreateCompatibleDC function does not copy mapping mode, windows
extents and origins, or viewport extents and origins from the old DC into
the newly created compatible DC.

Setup Utility
If the PCSA INSTALL utility is used to instal] PCSA Version 2.1, the
MS-Windows Setup utility may not run. Setup requires 512 Kbytes
of available memory. INSTALL is not deallocating memory correctly.
The only option is to reboot the workstation and run the Setup utility.
Depending on their sizes, other terminate and stay resident programs
may cause a similar problem.

Other
Starting SLAPJR with the Run Command
You cannot start SLAPJR using the Run command of the MS-DOS
Executive window. You must go to the directory where SLAPJR is located
and select the file to start it.
Starting MS-Wlndows and the DIGITAL Logo
If you start MS-Windows by entering "WIN" plus an argwnent, the
DIGITAL logo is not displayed.
Interrupt 10H Function 19 Subfunctions Disabled
The Int 10h, function 19, subfunctions 0, 1, 2, and 3 have been disabled.
Any program accessing these features will be returned to with no registers
changed.
The COpy command and Device Names
When copying to a logical device, do not include the conventional colon (:)
following the device name.
Repeating Key Allowed to Change Focus
When two or more copies of the same MS-Windows application program
are loaded, it is possible to change the input focus of a repeating key. To
create the condition, two or more copies of the applications program must
have autorepeat enabled.

Select the first copy by moving the cursor to its window and pressing
the left mouse button, which gives the first copy the input focus. Press
and hold the A key. Mter the required delay, the MS-Windows displays
multiple instances of the A key. While the key is automatically repeating,
move the mouse cursor to another copy of the application and press the
left mouse button. This gives the second copy the input focus. When the

~-/

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

(

focus shifts to the second copy, the repeating key follows the input focus,
and the second copy displays the repeating key.
If the program monitors only the translated (WM_CHAR or WM_
SYSCHAR) messages, the problem is not apparent. However, if the
program monitors the KEYDOWN and KEYUP messages, there are at
least two problems:
•

The first copy of the program does not receive a KEYUP message.

•

The second copy of the program receives a KEYDOWN message with
a previous state of key down. The second copy should have received a
KEYDOWN message with a previous state of key up.

PIF Program Parameters Incompatible with DOS
Program parameters let you pass information to an application when you
start it. In the Program Parameters text box, you can type either of the
following:

•

Question mark
If you type a question mark, MS-Windows prompts you with a dialog

box for application parameters when you start the application. You
can enter up to 126 characters in the dialog box. If you enter more
than 126 characters, MS-Windows does not beep to indicate an error.
However, MS-Windows interprets no more than 126 characters.

(
•

Specific program parameters
If you type specific parameters, those application parameter values

are used every time the application is started. You can enter up to 37
characters in the Program Parameters text box.
You should not redirect input and output or use piping.
If your application requires no parameters, or if you are uncertain,

leave this option blank.
Incompatible C libraries
Calloc(O,O) returns:

•

A non-NULL pointer when resolved by linking with "slibc"

•

A NULL pointer when resolved by linking with "slibw"

In other words, slibw{calloc(O,O)} != sIibc{calloc(O,O)}. The same
inconsistency may exist for "malloc" and "realloc" as well as for other
libraries.

(

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Multiple Class B or C Applications Stop MS-Wlndows
If you run multiple Class Band C programs, MS-Windows can stop. This
occurs because of memory requirement miscalculations.

\ ..-.

Testing Keyclick Volume
You cannot test keyclick volume until you exit DCONTROL.
Invalid Compose Sequences
Function keys used as accelerators are not valid in a compose sequence
and should be sent to MS-Windows as WM_DEADCHAR.
CloseComm Returns Error Message
The Microsoft serial communications driver, CloseComm, returns the
following output:
8000h

Invalid device

-2

Output queue timeout

All other instances

The CloseComm terminate routine will not close the communications port
until either the output queue is flushed or until it fails to transmit any
characters over a I-second period. If the latter occurs, an output queue
timeout error code (-2) is returned.
EPSONMX.DRV and Llnefeed Character
The LA2I0Graftrax printer driver (EPSONMX.DRV) does not respond to
linefeed characters when printing from the MS-DOS Executive window.
Renaming VAXmate Server Volume Name
You can rename a VAXmate server volume name. For example:
1. Set the volume name to all blanks.

2. Delete the volume name.
3. Set the volume name to its new name.
Cancel MS-Wlndows Using Ctri/C
If you start MS-Windows and press CtrllC to cancel out of MS-Windows,
the video is left in a graphics mode.

_./

DECnetlPCSA V2.1 Standalone Release Notes

Drive Icons Not Connected
In the MS-DOS Executive window, the drive C, E, and F icons are
displayed even if you have made no connection to them. If you click
on one of these icons, the system error dialog box appears with the error
message "Cannot read from drive n" as though a connection had been lost.
File Viewing
When run, certain DOS utilities may cause the type of selected file
viewing to change in the MS-DOS Executive window. For example, if
you select the By Kind command in the View menu, the list remains
sorted by kind or, in some cases, reverts to just an alphabetized listing.
The DECKEYB and GRAPHICS commands reset file viewing. The
COMMAND and TREE commands do not reset file viewing.
SYS Command
The VAXmate SYS command, both in MS-DOS and in MS-Windows,
does not copy the boot sector and does not follow the recommendations
of Microsoft. System administrators with both PC-DOS and MS-DOS
systems must consider this because swapping media can be a problem.

(

VAXmate Standalone
Release Notes
Version 2.1
AA-LB68B-TH

(
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