PowerViews 2.3

Host System Requirements:

The following host computer requirements and recommendations apply:
 1. An Intel 386DX, Intel 486, or Intel Pentium(tm)-based PC or 100%
    compatible system.
 2. At least 6 Megabytes of RAM.
 3. 4.4 Megabytes of available disk space.
 4. VGA or Super VGA graphics card and color monitor (A graphics
    accelerator card will boost performance, and a monitor capable
    of at least 800x600 operation is highly recommended).
 5. Mouse.
 6. Serial port for connection to emulator.
 7. MSDOS 3.3, 5.0, or 6.x.
 8. Windows 3.1 running in 386-enhanced mode.
 9. 4 Megabytes or greater swap file (permanent swap file recommended).
10. Minimum: Files=30  Buffers=30


Windows/PowerViews Configuration Guidelines:

  * Use a disk cache such as smartdrive for improved Windows performance.

  * Be sure you have a swap file of at least 4 Megabytes (a permanent
    swap file is recommended).

  * PowerViews requires a minimum of 5 Megabytes of free memory after
    Windows is loaded.  More memory is better, especially if you run
    other applications at the same time.  If memory is low, close other
    applications to regain memory.

  * While the emulator runs, status messages are sent from the chassis to
    the host PC.  This adds serial communication overhead to your PC.
    If you are running a DOS shell at the same time, give it a low
    priority via the .PIF file settings, or stop the emulator.

  * One GP fault that showed up in PowerViews was traced to a
    faulty video device driver of the Diamond Stealth ISA 1M VRAM card
    (version 2.31) in 1024 X 768 mode.  The problem went away by
    reducing the resolution to 800 X 600.  Another problem exists with
    the Genoa 256-color small font driver.  The symptom is the load-progress
    indicator is not updated completely at the completion of a load.
    If you encounter a fault in a driver file (*.DRV), try installing a 
    more current device driver.

  * If an error occurs, forcing you to exit PowerViews or restart Windows,
    you should reset the PowerPack base before restarting PowerViews.

Known limitations in version 2.3:

  * Extremely long or looping include files can generate an "Out of Object
    Pointers" error message and PowerViews will exit. 

  * Modules with multiple code segments are not supported.

  * Metaware's C language extensions are not supported.

  * Floating point variables are not supported.
  
  * Variable inspection (double clicking on a variable in the source
    window) does not work in Mixed mode, only in Source mode. (9778)

  * Bitfield support is not working properly. (9891)

  * Memory window copy/fill/search commands do not support SMM memory
    space. (9990)

  * Commands to provide formatted display of IDT/GDT/TSS, etc. are not
    yet implemented.
    
  * The shell command AddressOf does not support #module#staticVar lookup
    if #module is not the current execution context.  (9626,9896)

  * "GoTo address" does not work properly for some addresses in
    the DMA peripheral. (9900)

  * The Variable window does not display UNIONs correctly. (9909)

  * Trace Save As... does not save the correct frame range in bus mode. (9942)

  * When the source window is displaying in assembly mode, the window
    elevator is pulled to the bottom, and the down arrow clicked, then
    the address jumps to a random location. (9945)

  * No warning is given if a source file is newer than the OMF. (9953)

  * The last instruction in the trace buffer is occasionally incorrect,
    showing an instruction executed when in fact it was not. (9956)
    
Notes:

  * Supported toolchains

    PowerViews supports OMF86 and OMF386 file formats.  Testing has
    confirmed, however, that there are numerous interpretations
    of the OMF file specifications.  PowerViews 2.3 has been tested
    with these toolchains:

    OMF86:  Microsoft C v7 & SSI Link&Locate-86, v7.2f
    OMF86:  Microsoft C v7 & PharLap Asm/LinkLoc v4.0
    OMF386: Metaware High C v3.21 & SSI Xlink386 v1.5o
    OMF386: Metaware High C v3.21 & PharLap Asm/LinkLoc v4.0

  * PowerViews-386 does not currently support C++. (9863)
  
  * Toolchain Notes

    Using Metaware High C and PharLap LinkLoc, variable void * types
    are displayed as signed short int *.  PharLap does not generate
    the void types; these types default to signed short ints.

    Using Metaware High C and PharLap LinkLoc, variable enumeration types
    show as signed char.  PharLap does not generate the enumerated types.
    These default to signed char.

    Using Metaware High C and PharLap LinkLoc, when the linker generates
    the warning "Cannot process all of the debug information in module",
    PowerViews might not have all the debug information for the module.

    Using Metaware High C, type "unsigned int" is converted to "unsigned
    long".

    Enumerated types do not display symbolic values.
    
  * Initialization Script

    PowerViews can be set up to run an auto-initialization script.  The
    script sets up the emulator to your requirements each time you
    run PowerViews.  The product is shipped with an include file that
    describes how to do this.  The file is named "include.me".  To create
    your own script file, create a file with the commands you want for
    initialization.  BE SURE TO END EACH COMMAND WITH A SEMICOLON.
    Edit the pwrviews.ini file (in your windows directory), and change
    the "script=include.me" line, replacing "include.me" with your
    initialization file.  Be sure to include the full path, including
    drive letter if necessary.  For example:

           script=c:\pwrviews\reset.inc

    You can also run the same initialization file in the Shell window.
    For example:

           include "c:\pwrviews\reset.inc";

  * Run Access

    Several operations are available while the target is running if
    runaccess is enabled.  Enable runaccess from the Toolbar Options
    menu or with the Shell command "runaccess on".  To disable target
    access while the target is running, disable runaccess from the
    Toolbar Options menu or issue the Shell command "runaccess off"
    (the initial default).  Memory can be read or written with a small
    amount of processor time taken from the target; a memory read
    reports the current values in target memory or on-chip peripherals.
    However, the CPU registers cannot be accessed during emulation;
    the register display is updated only when emulation halts.  Files
    can be loaded while the emulator is running; you should ensure
    they are loaded at a different location than the program you are
    running.  The PowerPack trace operates independently of the emulator,
    so it can be stopped and started without affecting emulation
    (this is sometimes referred to as logic analyzer mode).

  * Serial Communications with 16550

    If you have a communications port with a 16550 FIFO enabled,
    rebooting without properly closing Windows may result in an inability
    to reestablish communications with the emulator.  You can avoid this
    problem by including the default address of the COM port in your
    system.ini file.  Edit the [386Enh] section of system.ini to include
    one of the following addresses corresponding to the COM port used for
    communication with the PowerPack or PowerScope:

        COM1Base=3f8h
        COM2Base=2f8h
        COM3Base=3e8h
        COM4Base=2e8h

  * Shell command history

    You can access the Shell command history with Ctrl-uparrow
    and Ctrl-downarrow keys.


Diagnosing Fatal PowerViews Errors

  * GP Faults

    If you have received a GP fault, our ability to find and fix it is
    increased if you run the Dr. Watson recorder, which captures
    information at the point of the GP fault.  The Dr. Watson program
    is shipped with Windows and is located in your windows directory.

    To start Windows with Dr. Watson enabled, use the File Manager to
    drag and drop the drwatson.exe icon (in your windows directory) into
    the Windows StartUp Group.  Another way to do this is to add the path
    and filename to the load= line of your win.ini file.  Example:

          load=c:\windows\drwatson.exe

    After a GP fault, the drwatson.log file in your Windows directory
    holds the information.  Fax or e-mail this file, along with any other
    information that led up to the GP fault, to Microtek International.  

         Fax: 1-503-629-8460.         E-mail: csupport@microtekintl.com

  * PV.DMP

    Under some conditions, an error can occur which produces a message box
    indicating that information about a problem has been placed in the file
    pv.dmp in your PowerViews directory.  This file gets written over each
    time an error occurs, so we recommend that you rename the file, then
    fax or e-mail it to Microtek International.
