[ANN] BBC BASIC for Windows version 5.94a released

[ne...@rtrussell.co.uk]

I'm pleased to announce the release of BBC BASIC for Windows version
5.94a. This is a maintenance release primarily to fix a few minor bugs
in version 5.93a, but I have taken the opportunity to implement the
following new features as an added incentive to upgrade:

1. The Program Editor can now handle Unicode (and bi-directional)
literal strings, under control of a new Unicode selection in the
Options menu. This improves support for non-ANSI languages.

2. The Program Editor now supports CTRL+Backspace (delete previous
word) and CTRL+Delete (delete next word), to provide improved
compatibility with some other editors.

3. A command-line switch '-c' has been provided for BBCWIN.EXE, to
activate the Compile dialogue automatically. This would be useful for
somebody wishing to write a replacement IDE.

4. It is now possible to switch SOUND channel 0 from 'noise' to a
'tone' channel, allowing 'four voice' music to be generated. This is
achieved by adding 128 to the *TEMPO value.

5. A new *TIMER command has been added to change the periodicity of
the ON TIME interrupt in a non-OS-specific way. It takes a parameter
in milliseconds.

6. When outputting to the printer (using VDU 2 or *OUTPUT 15) an
automatic 'eject' (when the page is full) is not treated as the start
of a new document. This is useful with a 'PDF printer'.

7. The GET#file% TO term% function may now specify that either CR or
the required terminator be accepted, by adding &8000 to the terminator
character code. E.g. GET #file% TO &802C.

Windows 95, 98 and Me do not support the Unicode extensions to the
program editor, and it may be necessary to upgrade Internet Explorer
on those systems for correct operation of BBC BASIC for Windows
version 5.94a. A suitable copy of IE 5.5 may be downloaded from:

http://www.oldapps.com/internet_explorer.php?old_internet_explorer=13

Other components of BBC BASIC for Windows changed with this release
are as follows:

1. A new Cross Reference utility, which reports which variables are
used in which functions, and warns of some possible program errors
(e.g. unused variables). This replaces 'Paste Unicode'.

2. Updated Differences utility which correctly uses the preferred
background colour and defaults to loading the 'comparison' file from
the same directory as the current program.

3. Updated COMLIB, GDIPLIB, MULTIWIN, SOCKLIB, SPRITELIB, WINLIB,
WINLIB2 and WINLIB3 libraries; WINLIB and SPRITELIB incorporate
additional capabilities. CLASSLIB and EVENTLIB are included.

4. Unicode (UTF-8) libraries WINLIBU, WINLIB2U, WINLIB4U, WINLIB5U.

5. Updated example programs plus new FLASHING.BBC (illustrating
flashing colours), SKATERS.BBC (illustrating 4-voice music) and
SLIDERULE.BBC (illustrating the new capabilities of SPRITELIB).

To upgrade your copy of BBC BASIC for Windows to version 5.94a, and at
the same time update your libraries, utilities, example programs and
manual, download and install UPGRADE.EXE from here:

http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/bbcwin/download.html

For those who don't yet have the full version of BBC BASIC for
Windows, a free non-time-limited trial version can be downloaded from
the same address.

Richard.