linksboks-0 99 rar

2005-04-16: version 0.99 "Marmitopter"

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This release features a major architecture change, the browser itself is now

packaged as a library (the "engine"); the actual app as you know it is simply

the first and only "host" application of this library (exluding the "Embedded

Sample" included in the source package). Apart from these "behind the scenes"

change, no major visual changes (sorry) for end users after this long idle

period, but anyways, here's the list, splitted into 2 groups to reflect the now

separated entities, the "engine" and the "host" application:



ENGINE:

- Rewrote the async DNS lookup system (no useless threads).

- Fixed a small bug in the graphics driver which happens not so often but leads

to a crash.

- Fixed some of the display glitches (thin non-redrawed lines) during scrolling.

- Slowed down the "normal" scrolling speed.

- Increased default text size in pages to 18. Can be changed in the Options.

- Restored the original, generic menu options.

- Included a patch by Vedran Ljubovic from links-list mailing list which fixes

minor bugs that prevented logging into Hotmail (but you can't do much in it

because it's full of unsupported Javascript).



APPLICATION:

- You now can specify your network settings (either static or DHCP) in the

Options Manager instead of relying on the dashboard (SEE NOTES BELOW).

- Basic Flash (.swf files) player with interaction (SEE NOTES BELOW).

- Slightly more useful help system (Help>About) with a brand new "Network Status

and Troubleshoot" page to help fixing connection issues.

- Improved Keyboard/mouse support.

- New option: deadzone for gamepad thumbsticks. Adjust if you have drifting

mouse pointer problems.

- Because of the now lacking menu entry, Video calibration can be accessed at

any time with the BACK button (text entry mode now only available with a left

thumbstick "click").



RELEASE NOTES:

- To reconfigure your network, go to the Options Manager, "Xbox-specific

options>Network settings, and change the first option to "Yes". There are

basic checks for the IP addresses values but you can easily make the program

crash on startup (during the splash screen) if you're not careful. In that

case just delete your "options" file or edit it manually. Remember you have a

Network Status and Troubleshoot page to help with network-related problems.

- The Flash player is basically the same as the one I released some time ago

("swfx"), I upgraded to the latest GPLFlash version though. However, A LOT OF

ANIMATIONS WON'T WORK WELL OR AT ALL, so you've been warned. And it loads the

entire movie in memory (no streaming), so you may experience crashes with big

files. Parsing can also be long, wait at least 20-30 seconds if it freezes on

load.

To test it, load a .swf file from your hard drive or a web page (usually as

"[EMBED]" hyperlinks), and choose "Open". The animation is displayed over the

LinksBoks window in a "separate" player, not directly in the page yet.

The key/button bindings while playing Flash are as follows:

=Gamepad= =Action= =USB mouse/kbd=

left stick/A Move pointer and click Mouse

B Exit Escape

Y Pause/unpause P

White Rewind R

Start Enter keypress Enter

Black Next Tab

D-pad Keyboard arrows Arrow keys





PLANNED FOR 1.0 RELEASE:

- Extending the library (more bindings and control over the engine).

- Making the engine free all its resources and be startable again after a stop,

and handling of several windows (make another sample application to test).

- Making the library thread-safe if it's not (make some tests).

- Sound in the Flash player :)

- IR remote support in the host app.

- Rewriting the internationalization system, making it available to the host

application, actually using it as much as possible, and updating the

translations (with your help).

- Writing a decent key/button binding page to display in the help system.

And maybe:

- Finally take care of the still unstable FTP protocol.

- Merge the many changes from main Links2 branch.

- Some more GUI improvements in the host app.

- ?...