loss of views using Plato Ver 4.51

Paul,

I have been using Plato Ver 4.51 on Windows 7 Enterprise, Service Pack 1. The window is sized (not maximised) and I have 4 (multiple) .f95 files open, but no project defined. (screen resolution is 1920x1200) If I minimise the Plato window, then move the mouse to the Taskbar, over the Plato icon, then the 4 mini-view screens pop up, but are clear. If I select one of these, then Plato comes up, but the code section of the window is shaded the colour tone of a file tab, while the menu options are not shown and also the tabs are not shown. If I move the mouse over the menu, then the menu becomes repainted. If I go back to the taskbar and select another file window, then the file tabs become visable, then selecting another tab, the file text becomes visable. Alternatively, I can open another file, which activates the file tabs. This has been happening for about a week, although I might not have been minimising Plato before that.

Are you aware of this behaviour ? ( I could email a screen shot, if that helps)

However, if I open Plato ver 4.4.0 on my notebook, then when hovering over the taskbar, only one file window is displayed, as apposed to the 4 windows for Ver 4.51. This multiple window pop-up from the task-bar is like when there are multiple tabs open in Internet Explorer or multiple files open using notebook.

John

I am aware of this behaviour and aim to provide a fix for the next release.

Paul,

Thanks. I'll look forward to the update. This problem is becoming more noticeable lately. Not sure if it is because I have Ver 4.4.0 on my notebook and had been doing more deveopment on it. Learning how to deal with it in the short term, so a manageable feature.

I have been using Plato more recently. Becoming a convert ! I am finding the integration between the edit screen and the compiler error output very useful. I am still persisting with an external make.bat file, which starts by deleting all .mod and .obj files, so no projects.

I would look forward to some audit feature, being able to review changes between different versions of the code. Initially the compare does not need to be too smart, as stepping through only minor changes gives a good review for a day's work.

Some management options of old versions would help, say:

• keep previous version (update each Compile) or
• keep previous version before opening the file in Plato session, ie don't update backup each time you select Compile (Ctl F7) or
• keep previous day's version ( only update if new day in local time zone) I prefer only one backup. I remember (1981) an old ICL machine which kept all old versions, ended up with 150 copies of a code which wasn't a lot of help.

Version auditing is a significant part of my software development process. I have tools to compare directories and then list all differences in the changed files. My way of minimising regressions !

Thanks again for all your help.

John

John

I have noted your request but realistically I don't think that I can provide this kind of functionality in the short term because of the pressures of other work.

Quoted from JohnCampbell

I have been using Plato more recently. Becoming a convert !

OMG 😃

Have you tried using TortoiseSVN (its free) for version control of your source files?

Quoted from JohnCampbell

Version auditing is a significant part of my software development process. I have tools to compare directories and then list all differences in the changed files. My way of minimising regressions !

I currently use Reliable Software's Code Co-op and Scooter Software's Beyond Compare for my version-control needs.

I still prefer using ISPF-style editor for editing source files. I use IDE only for compiling and building projects.

Paul,

As a minimal change, could changing the file name extension to .bak for the original file (the first time it is updated in a Plato session, or while open ?), deleting an earlier version of the .bak file, if it exists. It would be good that the backup is not changed each time I select Ctrl+F7. I have used another IDE, which treated old .bak files as disposable and not suffered any problems. They are easy to sort in Windows Explorer and delete when no longer needed. This could be a tick box in Tools > Options

John

John

As you will probably be aware, with the option 'Automatically save backup files', filename.f95 is backed up as ~filename.f95 until the end of the session when the backup is deleted.

Instead of deleting the file I can get Plato to save the backup as filename.f95.bak. This can be added as an option. Is this what you have in mind?

Paul,

My understanding is that: filename.f95 is the last version to be saved, while ~filename.f95 is a backed up version of the new changed file that is being edited/changed. Once a compile (or save) is selected, filename.f95 is updated and ~filename.f95 is deleted. It is at this 'first' update, that the backup needs to be made.

What I want is that the version of the file, prior to any changes should be stored, so that for the first time that filename.f95 is updated, the origional file filename.f95 is changed to filename.f95.bak. Once this has been done, then it is not done again, during the edit session.

I see some ambiguity in defining an 'edit session', as this could be based on either:

• when PLATO was started or (my preference)
• when the file was opened. If you close a file in PLATO then open it again, should the backup restart ? Manageing this would require keeping track of file date/time (in local time) or track of files that have been opened.

My suggestion is looking less minimal with every post !

By the way, is there any work-around for the loss of screen status ? Is it linked to the colour of the tabs ?

John

Yes, I realised this shortly after my last reply. I will aim to do something like this and see how people respond.

If by 'loss of screen status' you mean the original problem in this thread then I don't know of a work-around.

I have fixed the problem and hopefully it won't be too long before the next release.

Paul,

I have now tested Plato Ver 4.61 for the loss of screen display problem. This new version which is with FTN95 Ver 6.35 > 6.36 still appears to have the loss of screen info problem.

If I open two .f95 files in plato, then minimise plato then hover over the plato icon and select one of the files from the task bar pop up display, the screen can come up as one colour and the code is not displayed. If I go to the bottom task bar, hover and select the other file, then it displays ok. Now the file tabs above the files display are available and I can switch between files in Plato, with all file text displayed.

John

It is OK for me both for Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Paul,

I am using Windows 7 Enterprise Service Pack 1. I previously had FTN95 Ver 6.10 / Plato Ver 4.4.0 I have now installed FTN95 Ver 6.35 then the 6.36 patch for export_image@.

If I: start plato from the link on my desktop open one file open a second file minimise plato hover over the task bar and select a file (one on the left) { while hovering on the task bar, plato pops up two file images with the text being displayed in both images. If I hover over a file image. The full plato screen is displayed with text. However when I click the pop-up image of the file, Plato now comes up with the screen all yellow and no file tabs. } If I now go to the task bar and hover again, the file selected is yellow in the pop-up, but the other file is displayed as text. Now the full size preview has yellow for the file previously select or text for the other file. Selecting the other file and Plato display is now ok with text and the 2 file tabs. { when hovering over the file icons, the full size preview shows either yellow and no file tabs or the text file but only 1 file tab. selecting this other file brings up the file text and then 2 file tabs are displayed }

If I use Plato 4.4.0 with 2 files open, hovering on the task bar only shows one pop-up file.

This behaviour is reproduceable. I have not deleted the plato.ini file; not sure where they all are. I will do that and see what happens.

John

I found the following .ini files: c:\Users\jcampbell\AppData\Roaming\SilverFrost\FTN95/Plato.ini 16-Apr-13 7:30 c:\Program Files (x86)\Silverfrost\FTN95/plato3.ini 15-Apr-13 21:24 (times are UTC +10hr)

Also, resize on the Plato window fixes the display.

The problem is still occurring, but is temporary.

John

Plato is independent of all other Silverfrost software and the behaviour described will not be affected by Plato ini or Plato registry data.

I understand what you are describing because this was a bug that required a substantial amount of coding for me to 'fix'. For the moment I can no longer reproduce the bug on my Windows 7 & 8 64 bit operating systems. I also have Service Pack 1. If you are also using a 64 bit OS then I am stuck for the moment.

Paul,

I have Win7_64 Service Pack 1. I can easily reproduce the error.

I am puzzled by your comments about plato.ini, although I do compile within plato. The date/time stamp for plato.ini is changing during a plato session. I will track it more closely and determine when it changes.

I had the impression that Plato3.ini changed when running plato3.exe

I was thinking that bad data in plato.ini could be a problem, as sdbg.ini can be for the sdbg screen not showing up some times.

I'll review and get back to you

John

Paul,

The problem of screen layout is still occuring with Plato Version 4.61. The latest has the screen dimension being confused and teh 'bottom' task bar occuring a third up the screen. After: openiong 2 files for editing, minimising, then using the small view pop-up to select between files, when I select a file, the menu bar takes the top 15% of the screen and the file display area is all yellow. restore down / maximise gets rid of the yellow screen problem, but the menu layout remains. This menu size problem has been occuring all day, but not on other days ? Plato could be loosing some screen dimension info.

The latest copy of Plato.ini I can find is: c:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Roaming\SilverFrost\FTN95/Plato.ini

it's contents are:

[Settings]
ConfigComboSel=1
CompareShowTiled=1
BuildBarWasVisible=1
[Output]
Span=185
[OpenFiles]
Index=0
0='C:\\Sim\\xxxxx_Channel\\Channel_14.2\\Channel_profile.f95',274,0,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,2,20,1918,805
M=2,3,-1,-1,-1,-1,481,16,1743,941

It only lists 1 file name, although ther have been times with more files open.

John

ps : I just exited from plato and it updated the .ini file, which now has:

[Settings]
ConfigComboSel=1
CompareShowTiled=1
BuildBarWasVisible=1
[Output]
Span=185
[OpenFiles]
0='C:\\Sim\\xxxxx_Channel\\Channel_14.2\\read_parameters.f95',0,0,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,2,20,1918,864
Index=1
1='C:\\Sim\\xxxxx_Channel\\Channel_14.2\\Channel_profile.f95',0,0,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,2,20,1918,864
M=2,3,-32000,-32000,-1,-1,481,16,1743,941

This is very strange.

I suggest that you scan for and delete all plato.ini files on your machine. Also (for good measure) all plato3.ini files.

Also run regedit.exe and find and delete all subkeys for HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Salford Software\Plato3. This is the more likely culprit.

Paul,

This has opened up an area of information I never knew existed. On one of my PC's there are 12 sections of information. Top levels are: BasePanes Filters Find Folders MFCToolBars Panes Recent File List Recent Project List Settings

My Notebook, it has many more: Bars-Bar0 ... Bars-Bar11 Bars-Summary BasePanes Explorer Filters Find Folders MFCToolBars Output Panes Recent File List Recent Project List Settings

I'm not sure what to delete. Any Ideas. Is this used by Plato or the old plato3 or both ?

Also, I did not know this functionality was available. Presumeably this can be used to store parameter settings between sucessive runs of a program. This would be very useful, as I have previously used an .ini file in c:\windows, which is now a problem in Windows 7. Is this functionality easily available when developing software in FTN95 ? Potentially accessing named parameters would be easier than reproducing this functionality in my program, which I have to a much less effective way.

John

Plato stores data in the registry under its old name Plato3. You can safely delete the whole of the subkey Plato3. The relevant data will be lost but the inconvenience of repositioning the windows etc. is not serious.

You can use the registry for your own programs. The header files have set_register_value@ and get_register_value@ but I don't think they are documented.

Here is the library function

__set_register_value(void* root,char* key,char* vname,char* value)

and the relevant API call

    ans=RegSetValueEx(han,vname,0,REG_SZ,(unsigned char*)value,strlen(value));

Also

__get_register_value(void* root,char* key,char* vname,char* value)

and

    unsigned long int typ=REG_SZ;
    ans=RegQueryValueEx(han,vname,0,&typ,(unsigned char*)value,&size);

This might be sufficient for you to work out what to do. If not then I will see if I can put together a simple example.