LX-Lite

───────────────────────── lxLite revision history ───────────────────────── [;] Comment [*] Modified [+] Added feature [-] Removed feature [!] Bug fix 1.1.8 ───── 01-Mar-97; well, its THE time for a new release :-) [!] Fixed a serious bug in run-length packing method: the kernel decompressor expects two zeros at the end of packed data and lxLite didn`t put them there. The bug is since first lxlite release, so if you previously encountered problems (especially using /C:Ver2x switch) you should try to re-pack damaged modules (lxLite will correctly unpack even "incorrect" modules, then will correctly pack them). Big thanks to Vallat Christophe for pointing out this bug. [+] Now to reply to any question you can instead of pressing simply [L]etter press <Alt>+[L]etter which will set the default reply for all following similar questions. [+] Added the /MF3 fixup packing method which will find the best alternative for each page between /MF1 and /MF2. However this is a bit slow and does not give too much gain, so default is still /MF1. [!] Fixed a serious bug in /MF2 packing method. Lucky for you, previous version was not public. [*] Now you cannot proceed module along with displaying module structure (i.e. /V option has priority over any other). 1.1.8g ───── 15-Feb-97, a year from first public release :-) [+] Added some extra gain since now all fixed-up locations are filled with zeros before packing. For modules with pre-applied fixups this operation is not performed. [+] Added fixup packing method for Warp 4.0 (3.0 with fixpack #17) and above (/MF2). This option is still at beta-test stage, so use with care (by default it is disabled now). Anyway, this method has proven to be less effective sometimes than /MF1 with above correction. And note that on most executables this method will have absolutely no effect: it is primarily intended for DLLs. Also note that when fixup packing is enabled, the /U{+|-} option is ignored - module is always unpacked first. The /MF2 option is ignored for modules with pre-applied fixups (for example DOSCALL1.DLL). 1.1.8b ───── 25-Jan-97, my birthday :-) [;] WARNING: This is a PUBLIC BETA version; it still contains bugs, especially in NE->LX conversion routines. USE WITH CARE. I tested it for about a month, and found THREE executables on which lxLite fails to convert (i.e. didn`t convert right from NE format into LX): please avoid them: - OS2DASD.DMD with beta support for HPFS on removable drives (other versions converts OK): halt on reboot with a "Unable to operate your hard drive" message. - RESOURCE.SYS from Warp 4.0 GA: Trap 0D on first keypress after it is loaded. - ES1688.SYS driver for ESS-1688 soundcard; trap when loading. I do not understand why this is happening; everything seems ok, but something is wrong :-( That`s why I`m releasing this public beta version: PLEASE REPORT ME ANY CASES WHEN LXLITE FAILS. Contact information is available at the end of LXLITE.ENG file. [*] Changed configuration file format: now it is Unix-alike, i.e. configuration option is defined using square brakets, for example [default]; next lines are interpreted as command-line options that are loaded when loading specific section. [!] Fixed two bugs in NE fixups conversion routine: this possibly caused most of failures when converting NE modules before. [+] Added exclusions and additional-options-based-on-filemasks needed to entirely compress Watcom C subdirectory without losing functionality of any executable. [*] Added the /NR switch; now lxLite will fail to convert NE files that contains resources; use the /NR option with care, especially on DLLs since you must know what executables uses that DLL and which function (Dos16GetResource or Dos16GetResource2) they`re using to load resources. 1.1.7b ───── internal release [;] Now lxLite converts NE executables into LX. Uhhh! Lots`o`work done. Lots'o'things changed. Lots'o'options added. Some options has been renamed, some merged into one, so read at least following info before trying new version. [*] IMPORTANT: Now all options that can be followed by a string (i.e. file name, configuration ID) must have a semicolon before string, i.e. /C:default, /L:mylog etc. [*] IMPORTANT: I changed a lot of options to make them more mnemonic: The /D option now is called /E ([E]xclude); /E option has been renamed into /R ([R]ecursive); /R option has been added to /A option (which still works in old way (say /APS); you also can directly specify new page shift count i.e. /A:4; you can use them both ways i.e. /APS:4); [*] Changed a lot of internals so it it possible for some bugs to appear. [*] If you choose to load a specific configuration, and configuration file contains more than one line that matches that config ID, lxLite will load all such lines, not only the first as before, so you can split very long configurations into some number of lines. [*] Removed from configuration file options /C:failSafe, /C:fast, /C:fast2 because they`re useless: experience shows that executables packed with /C:default loads and works faster. [!] Increased stack space: small stack space is very like to cause all those strange crashes of lxLite on deep directory trees. [!] Some minor memory leaks has been fixed [+] Added functionality to VERBOSE mode: now you can specify what kind of information you want to see. lxLite can serve as an replacement for EXEMAP and EXEHDR programs :-) More detailed descrition you can find in documentaion (English only, the German docs refers to version 1.1.5). For displaying exported entry points, fixups and forwarders, lxLite now knows a lot of API functions by name. Today lxLite knows by name all documented API functions in all base OS/2 dynamic-link libraries. You can add your own - see the resources in API\ subdirectory. [+] When displaying long texts (i.e. /V{...} option, help text) lxLite will use a kind of 'MORE' prompt. [+] Bundles of entry points now are re-packed although seems that in most cases they are packed well. [+] Fixup records now are also re-packed, although in most cases they are already compressed. If you run lxLite on a previously packed file (with earlier versions) and you get some gain, it means that fixup records (or entry points bundles) has not been packed at the maximum possible level. If you got BIGGER files, please let me know :-) [!] Corrected a bug which leaded to loss of non-resident name table (usually it contains executable description) with a message 'LX file contains extra bytes' when it isn`t. [+] Improved a bit 'already-compressed' executables detection. [+] Added the /J option to change executable type: use it for converted NE drivers since NE drivers are marked as DLLs; LX drivers always must be marked as Device Drivers, otherwise they will not load successfully. [+] Added the ability to use some specific configuration options for filenames that matches specific filemask. For example, if in configuration file you`ll specify the entry: @a*z.c?$: /B this will enable backups for files that matches the "a*z.c?$" filemask, i.e. aaaz.cc$, abcdefgz.ca$ but not for the bcde.cc$. A side effect of this is that you can encounter a option syntax error in the middle of the process, not only at the start. [+] Improved a bit the /L option: now you can choose which types of events you want to log; be careful: now the log filename MUST BE SEPARATED BY A COLON from /L{...}, i.e. /L:"log file" [+] Improved the /B option: now you can choose to backup only in the cases when module contains e[X]tra or [D]ebug data. Also you can choose to place backups in a certain directory; for example with the /B:bak option lxLite will place all backed up files into the \BAK\ directory on the current drive, recreating the same directory structure as the original file was placed in. [*] The /G option has been merged with the /O option; the /G option now is gone. [+] Modified the /W option: in the /WS+ state lxLite will perform just like always, except that it won`t write output file (and will display compression rate too unlike in the /W- state). [*] lxLite utlity pack: version of utilites now will be the same as for lxLite. So all enclosed utilites (chCase, noEA etc) now have version 1.1.7 [*] Options in utilites changed according to changes in lxLite: recursive search changed from /E to /R etc. [+] ChCase: The option /C{...} has been extended: now you can define separate rules for [F]iles and for [D]irectories: The /CF{...} switch will define case conversion rules for [F]iles and /CD{...} switch will define them for [D]irectories. If used in old fashion (i.e. /C{...}) it will work both for files and directories. [!] Both chCase and lxLite when processing a file with no attributes (i.e. attrib -a-h-s-r) will set the Archive flag. [-] Removed ColMng from lxLite utility pack because of its usefulness and excessive complexity for most users :-) [+] Added/changed a whole lot of other things I don`t remember now. 1.1.6 ───── internal release [-] Removed sources from base distribution. The sources are still available on request (see docs for "how to contact" information). This was done since they grow in size very fast (they use some of my external libraries - a function-two from each) and not too much people really needs them. [!] Fixed a bug - the /GX{#} option worked only in /OX+ state [*] Improved a bit help on /O{G|D|X} option [!] Fixed a number of minor bugs in error-correction logic [*] Changed default option in unLock from /V+ to /V- [*] Changed default option in chCase from /V+ to /V- [*] Before unlocking file all utilites saves now file date/time; after unlocking they`re restoring date & time, although this is an overkill (?). 1.1.5 ───── 19-Jun-96 another bug fix :-) [!] AT LAST! The famous `cannot open configuration file` bug fixed :-) The problem was that CMD.EXE puts in environment the command line that you used to start lxLite AS-IS while 4OS2 replaced it by fully-qualified lxLite filename followed by its command-line parameters. I used it to compute lxLite`s source path; however program`s environment contains ANOTHER fully-qualified filename path which I use now :-) and which is ALWAYS fully-qualified. [+] Because nobody understands how the /G switch works (I got a lot of e-mail regarding this) I added a new switch: /O{X|D|S}{+|-}. If it is disabled (/O-, default state) the /G switch works as before, i.e. the data is written only if discarded from source file. If the /O+ option is used, the data is written always (if filemask is specified by /G option). [!] Fixed an non-serious bug in CRT.PAS - now lxLite works as expected even if it is redirected into a device other than CON (i.e. /dev/nul), not only into files or pipes. [+] After a lot of thougts I added into lxLite utility pack my first PM program for OS/2 - SysIcons. It is an simple program which allow you to change system pointers (including but not limiting to mouse pointers, as System Setup->Mouse->Pointer does). Also I included three of my best sets of pointers - one which I partially designed myself, partialy aquired from different sources, second is the B&W version of first and third (white gloves) which I got from somewhere and converted to B&W (because on my Cirrus Logic B&W pointers are supported by hardware and does not flicker). Sorry to the author of White Gloves set, but I lost original archive and copyright notice; I hope you`ll excuse me. [!] Improved a bit error checking; previous versions sometimes (seldom) failed on almost-good-exe-files (specifically GVPM.EXE which had one of non-mandatory internal table beyond the limits of EXE files which caused lxLite to fail with an runtime error). 1.1.4 ───── 14-Jun-96 minor fixes & additions [!] Fixed displaying the question about extra LX data - I forgot to add an carriage return after it. Also I removed the warning about the possibility that resulting file will become non-functional. [!] Fixed a stupid bug (sizeOf(F) instead of fileSize(F)) which sometimes forced lxLite to discard debug info even if you specify to leave it in resulting file. In such cases lxLite displayed that file has X bytes of extra data and the same amount of debug info. [+] Added an sub-option for /G[X|D|S]{#} - the /GX option now specifies the filemask for files where to store stubs (even if lxlite won`t remove them). [!] Fixed a minor bug in lxLite - when file was already processed but stored with debug info and you process it again and choose to discard debug info it refused to do it because `file was already processed`. [!] Fixed a serious bug - the /G option in version 1.1.3 DOES NOT DO WHAT YOU PRESUME :-) It stored garbage instead of debug/extra data. [*] The option /GX*.$x$ is used by default. This was done for those executables which failed to run after packing because the extra data has been stripped. Use COPY /B {file}.exe+{file}.x {newfile}.exe command to append extra LX data back - in most cases this will restore the functionality of LX files. Note that now lxLite leaves those *.$x$ files as garbage, so don`t forget to test the executable functionality and to delete them if executable still works. [*] Improved performance of ChCase - now when computed filename will be the same as initial file will be simply skipped. 1.1.3 ───── 28-May-96 fixes & changes [*] Modified lxLite to redraw its progress bar only when it really changes. This may improve its execution speed when running it in windowed sessions (however I don`t use them :-) [+] Added option /G[X|D] which specifies an file mask for files where to store the e[X]tra LX data and [D]ebug info when encountered and if user chooses to discard it. [+] The /S switch now displays the status of the /I switch also. This is done for those who don`t believe that it always works (you know who you are :-) [-] Removed the /O{#} option which has proven to be useless. [-] Removed the old /D{+|-} switch (debug info remove on/off). Now lxLite prompts the user if the debug info is encountered; however the default behavior is to discard debug info (/YDD) as before. Now /D switch have other meaning (see below). [+] Added (other) /D switch to set exclusion filemasks. Filemasks uses the same rule as OS/2 does (in fact, lxLite uses OS/2 API to do that). For example, /Dex*re.??e:*.zip:*.pas:*.obj will exclude these files from lxLite`s field of view. The default configuration now includes the [exclude] configuration which excludes all known executables on which packing cannot be performed (such as PMJPEG, Watcom C etc). Masks should be separated by ':'; the ',' and ';' symbols can be present in HPFS long filenames, so they aren`t taken into account. [+] The /Y switch is modified (expanded). Now you can specify answers for each type of possible questions separately. The /Y switch must be followed by a letter - ID of answered question, then a letter - what do you want answer to be to that question. The possible IDs for now are: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Module is in [U]se (answers: [R]eplace, [S]kip or [A]bort); File contains [D]ebug info ([D]iscard, [L]eave, [S]kip or [A]bort); File contains e[X]tra data ([D]iscard, [L]eave, [S]kip or [A]bort); .[B]AK file already exists ([O]verwrite, [N]o backup, [S]kip or [A]bort); Confirmation (/P+) ([P]rocess, [S]kip or [A]bort); ----------------------------------------------------------------------- For example, the /YUR switch will instruct lxLite always to replace modules which are in use. The defaults are: /YBN /YDD and /YXD. [+] Added /L{#} switch to specify an [L]og file name. If no filename is specified, the log file will be created as lxLite.log in the same directory as lxLite.exe. The log file contains a list of processed files, their initial and final sizes, and also all problems (if any) which have been encountered when processing the file. 1.1.2 ───── 22-May-96 minor additions and changes [;] The BOXER for OS/2 APAR is closed now :-) At last I downloaded it from hobbes and it works packed absolutely without any problems. This is due to the effect of `overlayed data` for which support has been added in version 1.1.1. [+] Added an alternative [D]iscard choice when prompting for an action when data out of LX structure is detected. Some DLL`s (even from \OS2\DLL) seems to contain some garbage after end of LX file. [*] Changed memory allocation strategy - now memory manager allocate memory in 64K chunks which can fix the problem of slow performance on low-memory machines (8mb and less) when processing large files (i.e. TUTORMRI.DLL). I can`t check this - please mail me if it works. [*] Changed backup strategy - now lxLite always make .BAK file even if backups are disabled (/B-). If operation succeeds and backups are disabled it is then removed. No more `$lxlite$.tmp` file. [*] Now lxLite says '(very!)' in phrase 'It is (very!) possible that resulting file will be non-functional' only if the size of data out of LX structure is bigger than 256 bytes (this can be changed by /O{#} option /see below/). If overlay size is bigger and /Y+ switch is specified file is skipped otherwise overlayed data is [D]iscarded. [+] Added /O{#} option which allows to specify threshold size for overlay data. All overlays less than this value are discarded with /Y+ switch. For more information please refer to english documentation. [*] Modified defaults - now lxLite by default doesn`t pack using run-length method AT ALL (i.e. as if you specified /MRN switch). That is because I hadn`t found even a case when using this method lxLite produced packed files by at least A BYTE less in size. Instead it compresses now A LOT faster. 1.1.1 ───── 07-May-96 bugfix [!] noEA and chCase v1.0.0 does not work on directories - they says that the module is in use. Version 1.0.1 is fixed. [!] lxLite, noEA, unLock and chCase leaves sometimes garbage on screen especially when processing long subdirectories. Fixed. 1.1.0 ───── 06-May-96 some additions + minor bugfix [*] Change in version numeration: Now version numbers conforms to GNU standards. The first is major release number; second is minor release ordinal and third is incremented only on bug-fixes. [!] Now lxLite checks for a valid MZ header in DOS executable stub. [!] Fixed: lxLite stops sometimes after trying to `pack` locked files (i.e. swapper.dat) with a runtime error. The cause was a bug (sic!) in DosEnumAttribute - when you issue it on a locked file it trashes memory AFTER buffer passed to it (in my cause this trashed the stack). [+] Now lxLite understands quoted long complex filenames on the command line like most OS/2 commands do. I.e. you can write lxLite "my own subdirectory\my executable file.exe" /cmax [+] Added option /Q - query list of configurations. [+] Added option /I{+|-} - Run/don`t run at idle priority [+] Added detection of `overlayed` executables (usually from Watcom) - for more information see English documentation. [+] Added `lxLite utility pack` which now consists of: - unLock which allow to unlock `locked` executables - chCase which allow to automatically change case of individual filenames as well as of groups of filenames - colMng is a simple utility to manage your WPS color palettes - noEA which allow to remove extended attributes from files and directories 1.01 ──── 23-Feb-96 minor bugfix [!] Bugfix :-) in v1.00 docs I erroneously stated that Alice was born at 13-Feb-96; however the real date is 12-Feb-1996 :-) [!] Now lxLite preserves not only timestamp but also file attributes. The version 1.00 erroneously stated that file is used by another process in the case lxLite failed to access it because of read-only or system attribute. [!] Fixed: lxLite preserves now extended attributes of the file. Sometimes EAs are useful, although mostly occupies disk space :-) [!] Fixed: lxLite now COPIES file into/from backup copies instead of renaming them: this caused the WorkPlace Shell to track such operations and to change the `program filename` field in program object. [*] Now /R{#} option can be used to re-align pages even on 1 (byte) boundary. This will get some extra bytes, however LINK386 does not allow this value to be less than 4 (but OS/2 eats it) - use at your own risk. [-] Removed `Switch-to-foreground-when-asking` feature. This was implemented rather as a lab work than a useful feature :-) On the other hand, the version with this feature must use PMSHAPI.DLL which is not always available (in particular when booting from OS/2 repair/installation diskettes). 1.00 ──── 15-Feb-96 first release version [!] When an invalid page is encountered don`t exit with an error but check first if this page is used. (Encountered on npswpsri.dll 1.81). This is an invalid executable; however error is not fatal because page isn`t used and OS/2 loads that DLL without problems. [!] Now lxLite keeps and restores original executable timestamp. [!] Fixed an error when OS/2 locks up on some DOS executables because it contained a 0 at offset 3Ch in DOS EXE header. [*] Changed format of .CFG file. Now it is a plain ASCII text file. For details refer to documentation, section about options. [-] Removed /D# option - use a text editor to add new cfgs. [+] Added /D{+|-} option allowing to remove debug information. [+] Added ability to recognize files packed with ABSOLUTELY THE SAME options, so lxLite will not proceed the same file twice. "The same" means that files will be recognized as packed ONLY if it has been processed with the same switch(-es) which influence resulting file size. Use /F+ (see below) switch to bypass this detection if you want to process file anyway - for example if it has been already packed, but not so good as it can be, i.e. by LINK386 or REPACK. [+] Added /F{+|-} option allowing to force repacking even if lxLite thinks that it is not needed. Use to bypass autodetection (`already processed' message). [+] Added /T{#} option allowing to replace DOS stubs. Use /T alone to completely remove DOS stubs - useful for DLLs `cause they cannot be run from DOS session at all. [+] Added ability to replace even USED! i.e. `active` .DLL`s and executables. Now you can repack entire \os2\*\*.* subdirectory without having to do a clean boot. Note that you better reboot after such operations because OS/2 will throw away all its internal cache buffers for this module and it (i.e. its old copy) will be kept entirely in memory/swapfile. [+] Now lxLite runs at the idle:16 priority so it won`t overload your CPU. [+] Now when lxLite encounters a problem to which he needs your answer he brings itself to the foreground. The only thing to say about it is: because of that lxLite uses now PMSHAPI & PMWIN.DLL, so it most likely will not run under T-Shell. Because of that there are TWO supplied versions of lxLite: lxLite-T.exe and lxLite.exe. Delete first if you will not need lxLite with a clean boot. [+] Added /Z{#} option which defines the threshold for lxLite to separate programs with `functional` stubs such as dual-mode executables from 'dummy' stubs. Default size is 1024 bytes, i.e. on all executables with stub size bigger than 1024 bytes the /T{#} option will have no effect. 0.99b ───── 07-Feb-96 beta-test version [;] What`s new? Nice question :-)