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**************************************************************************
* *
* Falcon - STOS Basic Extensions Suite Update Disk. *
* *
* 14/04/98 *
* *
**************************************************************************
This disk contains the following files:
Path/File Size File Info
A:\UPDATES\STOS\*.*
STARS .EXH 7,158 ST(e)/TT/Falcon STARS extension.
3D_MENU .EXU 15,553 ST(e)/TT/Falcon 3D Menu & Alerts extension.
GEM_TXT .EXL 14,407 ST(e)/TT/Falcon Gemtext extension.
SYS_CTRL.EXW 35,572 ST(e)/TT/Falcon SYSTEM CONTROL extension.
FALC_VID.EXX 15,462 Falcon 030 VIDEO (III) extension.
FALCGFX3.EXV 12,913 Falcon 030 GRAFIX (III) extension [this ext-
ensions 'multipen' commands are compatible
with ST's].
FALC_FLI.EXQ 2,712 Falcon 030 FLI/FLC Player Extension v0.25
FALC_SND.EXY 6,691 Falcon 030 DMA SOUND Extension V2.2
FALC_MOD.EXZ 11,730 Falcon 030 DSP Tracker Extension v2.87
SPRIT101.BIN 59,431 A specially patched version of the SPRITE
manager interpreter library file [contains
vital support routines for the SYSTEM
CONTROL, 3D Menu & Alerts, VIDEO (III) and
GRAFIX (III) extensions].
WINDO102.BIN 22,942 A specially patched version of the WINDOW
manager interpreter library file [contains
vital support routines for the SYSTEM
CONTROL and 3D Menu & Alerts extensions].
MUSIC101.BIN 11,946 A specially patched version of the MUSIC
manager interpreter library file [contains
vital support routines for the DSP Tracker
Player extension].
A:\UPDATES\COMPILER\*.*
STARS .ECH 7,415 ST(e)/TT/Falcon STARS extension.
3D_MENU .ECU 1,264 ST(e)/TT/Falcon 3D Menu & Alerts extension.
GEM_TXT .ECL 5,820 ST(e)/TT/Falcon Gemtext extension.
SYS_CTRL.ECW 7,282 ST(e)/TT/Falcon SYSTEM CONTROL extension.
FALC_VID.ECX 22,329 Falcon 030 VIDEO (III) extension.
FALCGFX3.ECV 12,750 Falcon 030 GRAFIX (III) extension [this ext-
ensions 'multipen' commands are compatible
with ST's].
FALC_FLI.ECQ 2,888 Falcon 030 FLI/FLC Player Extension v0.25
FALC_SND.ECY 4,780 Falcon 030 DMA SOUND Extension V2.2
FALC_MOD.ECZ 10,532 Falcon 030 DSP Tracker Extension v2.87
SPRIT101.LIB 58,955 A specially patched version of the SPRITE
manager compiler library file [contains
vital support routines for the SYSTEM
CONTROL, 3D Menu & Alerts, VIDEO (III) and
GRAFIX (III) extensions].
WINDO102.LIB 28,186 A specially patched version of the WINDOW
manager compiler library file [contains
vital support routines for the SYSTEM
CONTROL and 3D Menu & Alerts extensions].
MUSIC101.LIB 18,049 A specially patched version of the MUSIC
manager compiler library file [contains
vital support routines for the DSP Tracker
Player extension].
As far as I can find, those were the last registered versions of the extensions I received.
The thing is, the STOS DRAW commands would not work reliably on the Falcon (or at all) so AH wrote replacement DRAW commands into his extensions which remained backward compatible with the ST. So any programs using the STOS DRAW commands, should simply use the AH extension ones instead. The problem here is, it makes STOS itself a lot larger as it has to be shipped with the entire extension suite and patched STOS files.
The ST one is really a cut down "simple" version without all the patches. Ideally STOS itself should be fixed to work on the Falcon, but that would be a task for someone else. At least that way. the STOS DRAW commands could be used on ST or falcon, without having to ship the entire extension pack along with it. It seems a little pointless shipping the Falcon extensions along with larger files, if the intention is to only use ST related commands.
So there is a choice to be made..
1) Someone will have to patch STOS to fix the DRAW functions, this way there can just be one version of STOS which will work on ST or Falcon, and the Falcon extensions go separately.
2) The whole Falcon updates get shipped with STOS making it larger, and people will have to use the new DRAW commands in the extension. Then this version of STOS becomes the same copy for ST and Falcon.
3) Both from above. STOS gets fixed, the updated STOS libs get shipped, but not the extensions by default. This would render the extensions draw commands pointless, but would be easier for coders to use the STOS commands rather than having to use extensions.
IMHO, there should just be one version of STOS. That will work on ST and Falcon. Though IIRC, the entire pack is to large to fit on a single 720K floppy. So if the Falcon way becomes standard, then it may need 1.44 floppy, or to be installed on Hard Drive. This will cause problems for ST uses who only have 720K drives.
I really want to add all the extensions like missing link along in a final version of STOS. Though this will make running STOS impossible to run from floppy anymore. The ST version is small enough to run from floppy, but after falcon updates, not so much.
So there is also a choice if we really need STOS to fit on floppy or not..
I will start with the falcon version, its all I can do. Then I will see what the total size is. Then if there is space, I will add some other extensions like missing link. Really I want to keep this as simple as possible but its not so simple
.
Though I think such source code should be kept as source code. STOS is of course creating games not just playing them 
