Re: NB 8 and U2

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from Harry Binswanger  on Thu, 29 Dec 2005
23:25:29 -0500


> When you hit the key that has &c loaded on it,
> it does a CD to what's on the command line.

Which key is this assigned to? Alt-C is a reserved Windows keystroke. You
can't use Alt key combos freely in a Windows program -- unless they are
unassigned to a Windows function. You WILL get very wierd results, as NB tries
to execute both the Windows function AND your program. (Why are you running a
file-based rendition of IDKEY? IDKEY is part of U2, and should be run with the
Helpkey. It is extremely delicate code.)

> I note also that CLIPW (this is for U2 v. 117) produces in NB 8 an error
> box saying: Specify filename.

CLIPW works perfectly with NBWin in v119.

> Of course, I can use the regular Windows copy facility under the Edit menu.
> I guess this is what I'm supposed to do: goodbye DOS!

Humbug.

> After such crashes, I sometimes have trouble re-launching NB.

The problem is that an iteration of NB is *still running*! Win16 programs do
this *all the time* under Win32 -- leave a zombie task! (!!!!!) TaskManager
may, or may not, show it as running, but believe me, it IS running. Do
yourself a favor: chuck TaskMan, it stinks. Get a copy of Process Explorer
(SysInternals.com), and keep ProcExp.exe running while you experiment with NB
or at least until you learn how NB works. You will probably find NBEDITOR.EXE
listed (in ProcExp's lower pane) as a DLL under an iteration of NTVDM.EXE -- it
will be the sole iteration of NTVDM that has WOW32.DLL running in it (since
there can only be one instance of WOW32.DLL at a time, notwithstanding M$'s
phony baloney option to run individual programs in separate sessions -- that
doesn't apply to Win3.x apps). So KILL that instance of NTVDM.EXE! Then NB
will start right up normally. Do NOT run any other Win16 programs while you're
experimenting with NB - none! (Xy4-DOS is not a Win16 app.)

> whenever I try to SAve or STore the .kbd file. tried
> having NB CAll the XyWrite .kbd file (which is slightly different from the
> NB .kbd I have been using) and SToring it. Same crash.

You have an illegal character -- possibly an illegal  command -- in your
KBD file. Send your KBD file to me privately, if you can't figure out what's
wrong. Note that NBWin will _load_ a file with a true 1-byte Ascii-0 in it,
but it will crash if you try to SAve such a file. Which is a problem for U2,
although not a problem which ordinary users should ever encounter (3-byte
Ascii-zeroes are fine).

> For instance
> I just tried now to re-launch NB (after killing NB via hitting the Windows
> "x" box), and only got a "file error" dialogue box, that says it can't find
> GDI.DLL. I don't in fact have that file on my system...

Maybe not, but you certainly have a Graphics Device Interface, otherwise you
don't have a computer. You certainly have GDI32.DLL. And it's loaded in your
VDM, for sure -- otherwise nothing runs. It draws the screen, loads all
drivers, makes white white and black black, etc etc etc. More zombie thread
stuff!

> Another interesting thing: when I run IDKEY.PM, it does a lot of flashing
> around, for about 3 seconds, as if I'd pressed a lot of keys. Then it
> settles down and works normally.

It's initializing. Not all that interesting, but necessary. NB is slow in
expanded mode, wicked fast in graphic mode.

> Let me list some other anomalies--maybe this should be sent to the NB list?

I'd hold off on that, myself. Read that list for a few weeks/months to get a
sense of who knows what. I've been reading it for years and years. I can tell
you, first, they're not going to recognize anything that you're doing. Second,
they report and ruminate about problems with considerable eloquence, but few
(almost none) of them have any clue what's going on under the hood. Look at
the terms of discussion! They never ever describe what is actually happening.
They just talk about the keystrokes to push. As if everybody had the same
keyboard!
 I gave up on them a long time ago.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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