Page 1 of 2

Nconvert versions 4.57 / 4.55 / 3.87 & DOS

Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:15 am
by DOS386
..

What is the newest version of Nconvert ?

Download page offers 4.55, but it is in fact 4.57, dating from 7.3.2006.

I also tried to download a DOS version, but there was only a "MS-DOS"
("MS-DOS" died 1993) one, quite obsolete, v. 3.87, dating from 3.12.2002,
using DOS/4GW, terribly obsolete extender dating from 1995.

Would it be possible to compile the newest version for DOS, using
DOS/32A extender ?

--------------

Repost, previous try generated an invisible zombie post :(

Re: Nconvert versions 4.57 / 4.55 / 3.87 & DOS

Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:37 pm
by helmut
NTOSKRNL_VXE wrote:Repost, previous try generated an invisible zombie post :(
Our spam filter was a bit to eager and didn't like the word "dating" in your posts. Sorry for this inconvenience with zombie posts.

Re: Nconvert versions 4.57 / 4.55 / 3.87 & DOS

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 7:10 am
by xnview
NTOSKRNL_VXE wrote:..

What is the newest version of Nconvert ?

Download page offers 4.55, but it is in fact 4.57, dating from 7.3.2006.

I also tried to download a DOS version, but there was only a "MS-DOS"
("MS-DOS" died 1993) one, quite obsolete, v. 3.87, dating from 3.12.2002,
using DOS/4GW, terribly obsolete extender dating from 1995.

Would it be possible to compile the newest version for DOS, using
DOS/32A extender ?
You use the DOS version??? :-)

NCONVERT DOS version

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:47 pm
by DOS386
You use the DOS version???
Yeah. I am using DOS and it would be nice to have the newsest version
compiled to DOS also.

:)

Re: NCONVERT DOS version

Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:06 am
by xnview
NTOSKRNL_VXE wrote:
You use the DOS version???
Yeah. I am using DOS and it would be nice to have the newsest version
compiled to DOS also.

:)
Ok, i'll build a DOS version too with next version...

NCONVERT & DOS

Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:40 pm
by DOS386
Ok, i'll build a DOS version too with next version...
Thanks. Awaiting next version. :)

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:39 am
by TOOGAM
Sweet. I too prefer to use DOS applications when possible, and am glad to see this request intends to be fulfilled. I also support the idea of switching to DOS32a. The current DOS version seems to have DOS4GW built into NConvert.Exe, but NConvert.Exe doesn't recognize that fully. NConvert.Exe can be run from DOS4GW with DOS4GW NConvert.Exe or, since it seems to have DOS4GW built in, running NConvert.Exe NConvert.Exe works. I've certainly seen that with other DOS4GW apps, but I think DOS32a apps tend to be smarter about finding DOS32a. (Plus there may be other advantages too, although I'm not so sure if better sound device IRQ handling would really benefit this particular software much.)

DOS\4GW & DOS/32A & NCONVERT

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:06 pm
by DOS386
The current DOS version seems to have DOS4GW built into NConvert.Exe
WRONG. What it has built-in is ONLY the DOS\4GW LOADER (and this
piece of fool code occupies 12 KB :bug: ), and requires additionaly the
separate "DOS4GW.EXE" file adding 260 KB :bug: more of highly inefficient code.
I think DOS32a apps tend to be smarter about finding DOS32a
Maybe, but irrelevant. DOS/32A allows standalone executables, and the
complete extender occupies only 27KB. :)

Besides of this, it supports much more RAM (2 GB ?), while DOS\4GW is
limited to 32 MB, and DOS/32A is faster.

Re: NCONVERT DOS version

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:47 pm
by NTOS
I wrote:
Would it be possible to compile the newest version for DOS, using
DOS/32A extender ?
Quote:
You use the DOS version???
Yeah. I am using DOS and it would be nice to have the newsest version
compiled to DOS also.
Ok, i'll build a DOS version too with next version...
Any progress here ? :wink: What language is it written in (OK, sort of C probably ... but what exactly: C-89 C-99 C++ C-## ? ) ?

P.S. : Sorry for not logging in - there are reasons :-(

Re: NCONVERT DOS version

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:00 pm
by xnview
NTOS wrote: Any progress here ? :wink: What language is it written in (OK, sort of C probably ... but what exactly: C-89 C-99 C++ C-## ? ) ?

P.S. : Sorry for not logging in - there are reasons :-(
Houps i forgot... it's C-89

NCONVERT DOS

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:22 pm
by NTOS
it's C-89
:shock: Well, then I recommend the CC386 compiler (supports C-89 and C-99, but no C++ (yet ?)). OTOH, OpenWatcom is reported to be usable for DOS target again in 1.7 (unlike 1.5 :bug:).

Re: NCONVERT DOS

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:31 pm
by xnview
NTOS wrote:
it's C-89
:shock: Well, then I recommend the CC386 compiler (supports C-89 and C-99, but no C++ (yet ?)). OTOH, OpenWatcom is reported to be usable for DOS target again in 1.7 (unlike 1.5 :bug:).
Could you send me your email, i would like to send you a test version?

NC DOS test

Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:23 pm
by DOS386
> would like to send you a test version?

Got it, thanks :-) , and tested:

Image

Good things:

- It works
- DOS/32A used

Space for improvements:

- DOS/32A message displayed (1.) , can be disabled using DOS/32A's SS tool :idea:
- Critical bug (2.) : "Version for OS/2" -> "Version for DOS, using DOS/32A Extender"
- (3. , not specific to this DOS port, same bug in Windaube): image size limit, strange bug: upper attempt results in 29 MiB image data -> works , lower attempt 116 MiB -> failure. What is the limit of processed image size in NCONVERT ? Maybe set a fix limit and check it ? Of course I did have to test this - Obsolete DOS\4GW could never provide 116 MiB of RAM :mrgreen: , but DOS/32A definitely should ...

What compiler did you use ? Guessing OpenWATCOM 1.2 or 1.3, but not sure for exact :?:

Found out that some features are missing in the DOS port, probably the Win version handles them in a "non-native" way :-|

- EMF/WMF "Metafiles" - reason obvious, relevance ZERO :mrgreen:

- PS/PDF files - what external thing does the Win version use here ?

- all the "raw" formats - why ? What external thing here ?

- Well, the add text feature is missing - probably related to no "font API" in DOS. How does the Win version do ? Does NCONVERT receive the extracted, scaled (?) character bitmaps from the "API" ? If it handled the font files natively, it could be easily ported, one just would have to provide the font file :-|

add text

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:39 am
by DOS386
Well, I investigated :shock: NCONVERT Win version contains the DrawTextA and CreateFontIndirectA imports - adding text via those 2 means 100% API and 0% portability :-(

Re: NC DOS test

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:16 am
by xnview
NTOSKRNL_VXE wrote: - DOS/32A message displayed (1.) , can be disabled using DOS/32A's SS tool :idea:
- Critical bug (2.) : "Version for OS/2" -> "Version for DOS, using DOS/32A Extender"
Ok
- (3. , not specific to this DOS port, same bug in Windaube): image size limit, strange bug: upper attempt results in 29 MiB image data -> works , lower attempt 116 MiB -> failure. What is the limit of processed image size in NCONVERT ? Maybe set a fix limit and check it ? Of course I did have to test this - Obsolete DOS\4GW could never provide 116 MiB of RAM :mrgreen: , but DOS/32A definitely should ...
NConvert has no limit
What compiler did you use ? Guessing OpenWATCOM 1.2 or 1.3, but not sure for exact :?:
1.3
Found out that some features are missing in the DOS port, probably the Win version handles them in a "non-native" way :-|

- EMF/WMF "Metafiles" - reason obvious, relevance ZERO :mrgreen:

- PS/PDF files - what external thing does the Win version use here ?

- all the "raw" formats - why ? What external thing here ?

- Well, the add text feature is missing - probably related to no "font API" in DOS. How does the Win version do ? Does NCONVERT receive the extracted, scaled (?) character bitmaps from the "API" ? If it handled the font files natively, it could be easily ported, one just would have to provide the font file :-|
Yes, some formats & 'add text' can not be used in DOS