WinConvers Release Notes

Features

FAQs

Programmers - WinConvers OCX

Changelog

Known Issues

Screen Shot

Web Site

Convers is a chat system (not dissimilar to Internet Relay Chat) operating using internet TCP/IP protocols on amateur packet radio and the internet. Packet radio is a form of wireless datacommunications enjoyed by licenced radio amateurs (or, in old terminology, "radio hams").

WinConvers was written and is maintained by me, Steve (g0lri). You can email me at steve@sdk-software.com and visit us on the web (and hopefully register!) at www.sdk-software.com. If you have used earlier versions of this software please note that these are new addresses. They should remain valid for all future versions.

You are welcome (encouraged even!) to distribute the shareware evaluation version on your ftp site, web site and packet radio. The shareware edition is not crippled in any way, it only differs from the registered copy in that it will nag you after 30 days use and it sends it's version number and URL when you sign onto a server. Other than that they are exactly the same. Whether or not you decide to register, I hope you enjoy the software and would appreciate your comments or a note in our guestbook.

Features

• Multiple connections at the same time, even at the same server (if the remote server allows multiple connections).

• "Memorised connections" - use the Connections tab in the Options dialog to store details of your most used connections (host, port and channel). You can then sign on with one mouse operation.

• OLE drag and drop. You can drag text with the mouse from other drag-and-drop capable windows (such as the WinConvers receive box, Microsoft Word, and many others) into the send-buffer box. Don't forget to click inside the send-buffer box after dragging and before pressing enter, so that the box has "focus". Conventional cut-n-paste is also available, just right-click on the mouse.

• Colour schemes. Yes, you too can have a VT100-lookalike window if you so desire :-)

• Fully configurable.

• The only Windows platform convers client I know of.

• Q) Does WinConvers include AX25 support? / How do I hook WinConvers up to the packet radio network?

  A) WinConvers is a lightweight TCP/IP client. It does not and will never have built-in AX25 support. Of course one of the strengths of TCP/IP is that the protocol is independent of the underlying transport mechanism; WinConvers will send and receive over any type of IP link including AX25. All it won't do is transmit the actual AX25 for you; that is the job of IP-equipped packet terminal (NOS) software. So, you can use WinConvers:

  • Over the internet, for example via a normal dial-up connection. I have used this approach myself using servers such as 199.164.139.130.

  • Over your local network to your Linux (or UNIX or Dos or...) box and beyond (if you have that luxury). Again, I have tested this myself and it works a treat.

  • Routed out onto the AX25 network via your Windows AX25/TCPIP network software. This is now possible thanks to the Agw Packet Engine written by Rossopulos George (SV2AGW - packet SV2AGW@SV2DXC.TSL.GR.EU). His software uses a special driver which redirects the MSTCPIP (Microsoft tcpip) used by WinConvers to the Packet Engine and from there onto the air and vice versa. I have confirmation that this approach also works. If you know of other software which does the same sort of thing please let me know and I'll add the info to this file.

• Q) How do I get rid of the text that WinConvers sends when signing onto a server?

  A) You have to register. I'll then email you a small executable which will allow you to turn the feature off. I am now asking people to register rather than leaving it an open issue as I have provided support to several users and had some positive feedback, but no paid registrations. Since I no longer use radio myself and I have a mouth to feed, I think it more than fair to ask for a small contribution from people who use the software. When deciding whether or not to register please remember what a modest outlay the registration fee is in comparison to the other costs of purchasing and maintaining your amateur radio station. I have also made it very easy for you to register by providing a link from the Help menu which can take you direct to the website for credit card registrations.

  If you can't afford to register please drop me a line anyway. Maybe we can do a trade or ultimately I'll probably give you a free registration. This has already happened so if you qualify try me :-)

• Q) WinConvers won't work under insert new version of Windows here, what the *&!% is going on?!

  A) Hmm... Well, hopefully this won't arise in the future. If you're not technically inclined, all you need to know is that I believe the problem is not of my making, I hope it has been resolved, but if you install Windows 2000 or some future edition of Windows or Internet Explorer and you get a weird error and WinConvers won't start please email me with the error and your operating system. If I have the OS myself I will run tests and if necessary recompile. Of course if it does happen again I will take further steps to try and rectify this extremely annoying and embarrassing behaviour once and for all.

  In the past, new versions of Windows and even Internet Explorer (which updates a lot of files on a Windows system, and is in effect an operating system upgrade) have resulted in WinConvers exiting with an Automation Error. Recompiling the WinConvers OCX and EXE files under the new OS/IE version has been successful and the newly compiled version then works without incident. Now, WinConvers doesn't attempt to do anything extraordinary with the component-based object orientated programming model, and I really cannot think of anything in my code which could cause this. It's clearly a component related issue (for those who have some knowledge of programming), but that's all I know. I've searched the Microsoft Knowledge Base and not found the answer. However, I have now upgraded to Service Pack 3 of Microsoft Visual Studio which fixes many control-related bugs and also (this could be the one) a Visual Basic bug relating to binary compatibility. Again, please email me if you have an idea about what might cause this. You can see what components WinConvers uses by delving into its zipfile or email me for the info.

  Addendum: This problem has not been reported to or observed by me since the release of Windows 98. Hopefully it has indeed been nailed by the Visual Studio Service Pack.

• Q) Where's the online help?

  A) I've built help support into WinConvers and will write a full help file once 10 registered users have requested one. The resulting help file will then be available for download by all users and will be included in future releases of the software. Because the help support is already built in users will only need to download the help file and not a new copy of WinConvers (unless there are upgrades or bug fixes by then).

  The logic behind this is simple - I have other projects on the go and only limited time, so I will only spend the time when it will benefit a sufficient number of registered users. That said, I believe WinConvers is pretty easy to use anyway.

• Q) Where's feature x?/I have a great idea for a feature...

  Please send me the idea. I don't promise to include it but may do if I have the time and I like the idea.

Changelog

For those who don't program but who are nonetheless interested in what has changed and the software's evolution, the "OCX" is the "engine" of WinConvers, the software that handles the connection and the display of data sent and received. The "EXE" is the executable file which you run when you use WinConvers; it implements the options, the menus, the toolbar, etc. Changes listed here were to the EXE unless otherwise indicated or the context suggests otherwise.

Our version numbers are constructed as follows: major.minor.build. So, 1.2.190 is Version 1.2 (build number 190).

[Problems reported under Win98 - recompiled under Win 98. See above].
[Fixed in OCX 1.1.0??: With some font/window size combinations the text doesn't quite fit].
Send buffer window font is always 8 point (this is a feature not a bug :-))
Open connection window to host which is unresolvable, and then open a local connection on the LAN (to a machine resolvable and instantly connectable) and the LAN connection isn't instantaneous. This would appear to be a Winsock (Windows TCP/IP stack) issue.

ToDo