MacGAP 3.2.2 This is release 2 of GAP 3.2 for the Macintosh ------------------------------------------------------------- New to MacGAP 3.2.2 ------------------------------------------------------------- I fixed a rather nasty bug (nasty, but easy to locate when you know it's there) whereby MacGAP 3.2 bombed the whole system when there was not enough memory initially. Thanks to Charles R.B. Wright for telling me about it. The initial memory allocated can now be a real number. Thus replacing 2M by 2.5M in the original dialog box allocates 2 1/2 Megs initially. The Transcript line length is limited to be between 10 (ridiculously low!) and 132. Replacing the 80 by anything less than 10 results in the default line length of 80. Replacing it by anything greater than 132 results in a line length of 132. Note that the Transcript line length does not influence the size of the transcript window--it remains at 80. For example, set the Transcript line length to 100 and run "2^1000;". To change the window correspondingly, you must drag it manually. Note also that the memory string in the opening dialog is not the memory limit of MacGAP---it is just how much memory is allocated initially. If more memory is needed later, and it's available, MacGAP will try to allocate it. Under System 6, the total memory available to MacGAP is determined by the total RAM in the computer. Under System 7.xx, the total memory available is determined by the Current Size box in the "Get Info" dialog for MacGAP as well. So, if you have an 8 Meg Mac and you want the maximum memory available, change the default Current Size of 4000K to 8000K. You will then get about 6 Meg available to MacGAP, because of what the system uses. The initial memory allocated limit is about 1.5 Meg less than the total available---if it's too big MacGAP will tell you it cannot allocate it and then quit. So, on an 8 Meg machine, its limited to about 4.5M. ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is the Read.Me from the MacGAP 3.2 distribution ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is an implementation of GAP 3.2 with a Macintosh interface. The timing is now in milliseconds. Times can now be compared directly with other machines. For example, on a Quadra 950, "combinat.tst" yields around 18,000 GAPStones. The Command Line has been replaced by a dialog. I have not implemented any options other than the ones that appear. The folders for the library and documentation can either be changed by typing the new folders in the text fields or by clicking on the buttons to their left. In the latter case you are presented with a "Get File" dialog. Navigate until the folder you want, open that folder, and then open any file (not necessarily the file you want) in that folder. The path to that folder is then selected---the file name part is discarded. As is built-in in the GAP library, any packages folders must be in the same folder as the lib folder---at the same level. GAP3.2 determines the location of the package folders by substituting into the path for 'lib'. The record of GAP interaction, shown in the "GAP Transcript" window, is now limited by your total memory size. When the memory usage is full, the screen will flash slightly and the first screenfull of record will be lost irretrievably. Although you can go on with the interaction, losing first screensfull as you go, it is probably safest to save any of the record to a file and then clear the interaction window, see below. To save this record, use one of the two first items in the "File" menu, "Save Transcript" to save the complete record, or "Save Selection" to save a highlighted part only. You can clear the interaction record by clicking on the close box of the "GAP Transcript" window. You are then presented with the opportunity to save the record to file or not, or to cancel the procedure. You can type anywhere in the "GAP Transcript" window, thereby changing the record. However, only what you type after the last "gap>" prompt is evaluated by GAP. Also, the last prompt cannot be deleted. Calling up help---?, now opens a new window which you can edit as you wish. You can copy from this window and paste into the "GAP Transcript" window---after the last "gap>" prompt if you want GAP to evaluate the result. This is an easy way to go through the tutorial. Command-D replaces the documentation's Control-D. Command-. replaces the documentation's Control-C. Command-D at toplevel does not quit the program, nor does hitting Command-. twice. To quit, either type "quit;", type Command-Q, or select Quit from the File menu. I have implemented a limited text edit, using the File menu's items New, Open, Close, Save, Save As, and Revert. Typing in any "Open"ed or "New" window is pure text edit. What you type is not sent to GAP. Don't overuse this text edit feature--it does not like low memory conditions. I have not implemented printing. If you want a hard copy of anything, save it to a file and use a regular text editor to print it. Finally, for ResEdit users, MacGAP 1.0 has a single STR# resource (with ID 128) that contains 5 strings (the value I set for each is in parentheses): String1: the stack size in K (200) String2: the default library folder (:lib) String3: the default help folder (:doc) String4: the initial memory allocated for GAP (2M) String5: the Transcript line length (80) These can be changed using ResEdit. If you get the dreaded System Error 28 (the stack clobbered the heap) you should increase the value (it's ASCII) in String1. Let me know of any problems, bombs, etc. Harry Lakser or