MacWise 11.29 Released

May 20, 2008 MacWise version 11 was released in early March 2008 It is the universal version that runs natively on Intel Macs and PowerPC Macs. The program was converted from Basic to C during an intensive 7-month long project. After a couple months of bug squashing, MacWise is currently at version 11.29 with no outstanding bugs being reported. Click here to download the latest version of MacWise. Here are the most recent version fixes. Version 11.29 Fix - Terminal type may have not been recognized by the host with telnet connections. The terminal type you enter in the Telnet Connection... window may have been ignored on some Macs. This problem surfaced in MacWise version 11 because it is faster than version 10 and was sending the telnet environment commands to the Mac unix shell too fast before opening the connection. Version 11.27 Feature - More VT220 keys supported - Insert, Del, Home and End. The help key is used as the Insert key or you can use Option i. (Help keys on some keyboards are labeled ins / help). Note: the Page Up/Down keys in this group of keys were already supported by VT220. Wyse 60 /370 emulation has always supported all of these keys. Fix - After opening a new serial connection, the emulation window was not active until you clicked on it. Fix - If preferences were set to "Mouse click sends column,row to host", then clicking the mouse was sending row 11 to the host instead of the actual row. Fix - ESC ~a~ not working to run an Applescript under host control. You would get an error because the AppleScript folder could not be found. Version 11.25 Feature / Fix - Sped up event timing to make keystrokes faster. Auto key repeat is now faster. Fix - When the host switched to 132 column mode, it was possible that text would not appear on the screen to the right of the 80th column in some rare cases. Fix - When you switch to 24 point window, the 132 column font will now change to 12 automatically, Also when you switch to 16 point window, it will change 132 column font to 9 automatically. Fix - Now supports Origin Mode for VT100 / VT220 Fix - Allow Control O to be used with telnet when the "Use TC Shell" option is disabled. Fix - Possible array bounds error if textwrap was turned off. Entire version history is here.

MacWise 11.21 fixes VT100 / VT220 problems

MacWise version 11.21
If you recently upgraded to MacWise 11.19 or 11.2 and are using VT100 or VT220 emulation, this upgrade applies to you:

Fix - VT100 / VT220 emulation. When capturing text to a file or the clipboard or printing, it could be possible to output a blank line if the line was longer than the standard width and textwrap was off. The line of text would appear on the screen but not in the text output to the file, clipboard or printer. This problem was only in MacWise versions 11.19 and 11.2
Since this problem could be intermittent depending on line lengths and the status of textwrap, it is highly recommended that you upgrade to MacWise 11.21 if you are currently running 11.19 or 11.2 and are using VT100 or VT220 emulation.

NOTE: MacWise 11.2 fixed VT100 / VT220 top and bottom margin problems. Those fixes are in this version also.

The current version history is at:
http://www.macwise.com/MacWiseXVersions.html


Rich Love

MacWise Version 11 Function Keys Highlighted by Tab Key

If your MacWise function keys highlight each time you press the tab key, It's a feature, not a bug :-)
This is actually a feature of OS X, not MacWise. But you can disable it.

In the Keyboard & Mouse Preferences, in System Preferences, there is an option for full keyboard access.
If it is set to All Controls, it will cause the tab key to select the MacWise function keys. Each time you press the tab key, the next function key will be highlighted.
This can inadvertently be turned on by mistake by hitting Control F7.
To fix this problem, Open the Keyboard & Mouse Preference window and click on the Keyboard Shortcuts tab and select "Text boxes and lists only".
Then uncheck the option to "Move between controls or text boxes and lists".
See attached screen shot.

MacWise Version 11 Released

This is the new universal version of MacWise and runs natively on Intel and Power PC Macs. Previous versions ran under Rosetta on Intel Macs. This version is much faster.

New Features:

• SPEED! Runs natively on Intel and PPC Macs. No more Rosetta. This was accomplished by converting the entire MacWise project from Basic to C.

• Added an option to enable or disable raw Unix mode for telnet, secure shell and the Mac Unix shell. This provides more compatibility options for connecting to host computers via the Mac Unix shell. This was always enabled for previous versions of MacWise. Turning off this option may let you log into hosts that would not respond to keystrokes.

• Added a "?" icon to several dialog boxes, which links to a "Help" pop-up, and added "Help" to many dialog box items, which appears when you hover the mouse over the text.

• Cleaned up the MacWise 11 folder by creating more folders and moving all help files inside.

• Connection Scripts... is located under the Connection Menu now instead of the File Menu.

• The standard Apple installer is now used.

http://www.macwise.com/MacWise_11_WhatsNew.html

Developed with FutureBasic and converted to C by Rich Love.
Special thanks to Robert Purves, Brian Stevens, Bernie and other members of the FBtoC team who made it possible for me to convert MacWise from FutureBasic to a universal Carbon C application with their free FBtoC software as well as their great support.
This was a seven-month long project.

Fixes:

Fix - None of the document icons were working in Leopard.
Now, the Phone icon, QuickDial icon, Fkey icon and Settings icons work.

Fix - Print scroll back buffer was printing blank pages if you tried printing selected pages 2 to 5 or 2 to 2, etc. Same problem existed for normal printing also. If you started printing from page one you were OK, but could not start printing from any other page number.

Fix - Mouse Click Delimiter window was returning back to emulation window when closed. Now returns back to preferences window, as it should.

MacWise and Leopard

MacWise 10.9.25 was released November 7, 2007 and is compatible with the final release of Leopard 10.5
If you are using an earlier MacWise 10.9 version, you will have problems.
You could not open a telnet connection on an Intel Mac with versions prior to 10.9.25

If you are using a MacWise version prior to 10.9, it will not run at all with Leopard.

The current version of MacWise as of February 5, 2008 is 10.9.37 and is fully compatible with Leopard.
This version of MacWise runs under Rosetta.
A universal version of MacWise has been in development for 6 months and is nearing completion.
This new version will run natively on Intel and PowerPC Macs and will not require Rosetta.
It will run faster also.
There will be no charge to upgrade from MacWise 10.9 to the new universal version.
(exception will be site licenses older than 60 days. Then there is a small fee).

MacWise version 11 beta is here

MacWise and OS X Toolbox Error

You may get an error message when you run MacWise that says, "The following toolbox items are not available on this computer."

This is caused by a problem with the StdCLib file located at

/System/Library/CFMSupport/StdCLib

To fix this problem, refer to the following web page:

http://www.carnationsoftware.com/carnation/RSS/Standard_C_Lib_Problem.html

MacWise 10.9 Compatible with Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5)

Problem: All versions prior to MacWise 10.9 will crash trying to open a telnet session when running under Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5). You might also see the following error message flash on the screen when trying to open a connection to the Mac unix shell:
"tcgetattr failed in SetupPseudoTTYToChild".

Also, the Splash Screen is blank when starting up MacWise in Leopard.

These problems have been fixed and MacWise 10.9 is now compatible with Leopard and earlier versions of OS X.

The latest version of MacWise can always be found at
http://www.macwise.com

NOTE: Only beta versions of Leopard are available as of the date of this posting. The final release of Leopard is scheduled for "this Spring" according to Apple.

New in this version, MacWise now installs it's fonts at the root level Library instead of the user level (Fonts are now in HardDrive:Library:Fonts instead of HardDrive:Users:UserName:Library:Fonts)

Another fix that was actually implemented in MacWise 10.7.998...
Telnet term type was not recognized by some host computers. Now, when you enter the terminal type in the Telnet Connection... window, it should set up the Mac unix environment properly so the term type can be read by all hosts.

NOTE: there is an upgrade fee for MacWise 10.9. $49.00 per user to upgrade from earlier MacWise 10 versions (it's been 2.5 years since we have charged for an upgrade). This version creates a folder in your applications folder called MacWise 10.9. It will not overwrite older versions of MacWise that were in the folder called MacWise 10.7
This will allow you to continue using your older MacWise version 10.7 if you choose not to upgrade to 10.9

Using MacWise with Modems

You are able to dial and connect using MacWise and your modem.
After you are connected, if you cannot type any characters or the modem hangs up on you, it could be that you have an incorrect modem init string. The init string that seems to work with most modems is AT&F%C1. That is a command to reset your modem to factory defaults and then set it to MNP5 error correction. That option was added to MacWise version 10.7.995 as a button you can click to enable the option. (Dialer Menu / Modem Initialization Strings / MNP5 Data Compession.
If you have a previous version, you can just click on the Custom button and type the string in as AT&F%C1

For more information about modem troubleshooting, see the page at
http://www.macwise.com/Modem_Problems.html

Slave Printing - Print Dialog Box Delay

MacWise version 10.7.996 fixes a problem with slave printing (or aux printing).
The symptom was that the print dialog box was taking too long to appear after the print job stopped. Sometimes it would never appear until you manually unchecked "Printer On" under the File Menu. This problem started with version 10.7.99 and is fixed with 10.7.996

The timeout is now set to 5 seconds. MacWise will wait 5 seconds for the host to stop sending print data before displaying the print dialog box.

Recent Versions of MacWise Terminal Emulation for Mac

2/08/2007

10.7.995

Fix - VT100 and VT220 emulation - graphics mode was not returning back to text mode when Replacement mode was selected by the host. Symtom was that you could see graphic characters on the screen instead of normal text characters.

Fix - VT100 and VT220 emulation - Allow the host to send cursor positioning to row 255 and column 255. Some hosts use this as a dummy position and then request the actual cursor position from MacWise. Previous versions of MacWise worked when in SCO ANSI mode only. Now works if SCO ANSI is on or off.

Feature - Added MNP5 data compression to the list of available modem init strings.

Fix - If you typed in your own modem init string, it would not be remembered unless you had the "Custom String" button enabled. Instead, it would revert back to the preset button you had enabled. Now, when you enter your own modem init string and click OK, the string will be remembered and the "Custom String" button will be enabled.

2/07/2007

10.7.994

Feature/Fix - Window size was not being remembered when you opened a settings file.
Now all saved settings files will save the window size and position.
(Older settings files saved prior to this version will need to be re-saved to take advantage this feature).
You also need to enable an option in Preferences, "Remember Window Positions and Size". By default, this option is disabled to make windows open at standard window sizes.

1/16/2007

10.7.993

Feature - Added the option to move forward and backward through open windows using Next Window and Previous Window under the Window Menu.
Can also use keyboard shortcuts, Command ] and Command [

Fix - Re-sizing a window while in the "vi" editor, would cause an exit to the unix prompt.

Aux Printing with MacWise

If you use slave printing (or aux printing) under host control, you may have had problems with the Print Dialog box popping up for every line of print.

Starting with version 10.7.99, MacWise will now print an entire job without the Print Dialog box popping up after every line of print. (Some host computers issued Printer On / Printer Off commands for every line of print instead of waiting for the whole print job to finish.)

Previous versions of MacWise got around this problem with an option to ignore the Printer Off command from the host and then the user would manually toggle printing off to get the print dialog box to appear. You should no longer need to use that option (Priner Setup under the File Menu / Ignore Printer-Off Commands from Host)


You can always get the latest version history for MacWise at
http://www.carnationsoftware.com/carnation/MacWiseXVersions.html

VT100 / VT220 Emulation Fixes with MacWise 10.7.91

MacWise version 10.7.91 now supports C1 Control Characters converted from 8-bits to 7-bits in VT100 and VT220 emulations. If your host uses these codes, previous versions of MacWise would display the screen incorrectly. The symptoms were garbage characters on the screen and incorrect cursor positioning. In this mode, you can enable Strip 8th bit in MacWise but it allows special 8-bit characters to pass through and are converted to 7-bits. It also works with Strip 8th bit unchecked.

This version also fixes the left arrow key when Reverse Line Wrap is enabled.
Also, Insert Character mode is now supported in VT100 / VT220. This mode will shift all characters to the right when a character is inserted anywhere in a line (controlled by the host).


SOLUTION: Upgrade to MacWise 10.7.91 if you are having emulation problems with VT100 or VT200 terminal emulation.

SetWindowAlpha Errors When Trying to Run MacWise

MacWise would not run on OS X 10.2.8 or older. You would get a SetWindowAlpha error and it would quit.
This problem was introduced in MacWise 10.7.87.
MacWise now works with OS X 10.1.2 through the current OS X.

SOLUTION: Upgrade to MacWise 10.7.90 or later.
http://www.carnationsoftware.com/carnation/ftp/MacWiseX_Demo.hqx

Alert Messages Corrupted When Closing Windows

If you are having problems with Alert Windows getting corrupted when you close a MacWise window, upgrade to MacWise 10.7.88 or later.

The alert window asks if it is OK to close the window or save settings.
The problem was caused by some recent version of OS X
(worked OK with OS X 10.4.1 and earlier).
Now works with all versions of OS X.

Double-Clicking to load MacWise Settings Files and Other Files

Double-clicking on any file in the Finder that should load into MacWise was not working (fkey files, settings files, text files, and dialer files). This broke with one of the OS X updates and is now working again with MacWise 10.7.82

MacWise for Macs with Intel and Power PC Processors

MacWise Terminal Emulation for Macintosh
Compatible With New Intel Macs

Updated February 24th, 2006

MACWISE FOR MACS WITH INTEL AND POWER PC PROCESSORS

Recently, the first two Macs with Intel processors were released
(The new iMac and the MacBook Pro).

MacWise has been tested with an Intel Pentium processor running OS X. It supports the built-in serial ports, telnet, ssh connections and USB to Serial adaptors. You will need to upgrade to MacWise verison 10.7.80 or later for full compatibility. (Prior versions may give you AppleScript errors and cause problems getting a login prompt in the Mac unix shell.) If you have MacWise 10.6 or later, there is no charge to upgrade. Prior versions are a $49.00 upgrade.
http://www.MacWise.com
MacWise will also continue to work with the standard Mac Power PC processors.

If you want to use a USB to Serial adaptor with the new Intel Macs, you will need to update the driver. (The adaptor that works with a PowerPC Mac will also work with an Intel Mac but you will need a software driver update from the adaptor manufacturer.) If you use a Keyspan USB to Serial adaptor, visit www.keyspan.com for a driver update.

Rosetta is part of the Intel version of the Mac OS and allows software written for PowerPC chips to run with Intel Chips. Rosetta is an invisible layer of the Mac OS. Unlike classic mode, Rosetta is not a separate OS to boot up. The current version of MacWise runs under Rosetta and is very fast.

OS 9 classic mode will no longer be supported with MacIntel Macs. The older MacWise version 4 will no longer work on these new Macs. However, MacWise version 10 will run just fine.

Window Colors and Transparency

You can change the colors in your MacWise window by selecting Colors... from the Window Menu.
There are a few preset color combinations you can select by clicking on the buttons (Gray, Blue, Green or Black Transparent sets). Reset to Defaults, returns the screen back to black text on a white background. You can customize the colors by selecting attribute colors. For instance, when Inverse video appears on the screen, you can select the color that will appear from the pop-up menu.

If you select "Use Ansi Colors", you will only be able select the Normal Text and Background colors. In this mode, the host controls the colors. Normally, you do not want to turn this option on. There is a preference under the File Menu in Preferences... "Allow Host to Enable Ansi Colors". If that option is enabled, Ansi colors will automatically be enabled when MacWise receives ansi color codes from the host.

Transparency is a really cool option. It allows you to see through the MacWise window to the windows behind it.
This is useful if you need to monitor another application behind the MacWise window (maybe you want to see what mail arrives in your Mail application).
You can change the transparency by selecting Transparency... from the Window Menu.

Wyse and Viewoint Emulation

SYMPTOM:
Characters appear to be shifted to the right or left incorrectly.
Cursor may be flashing at the wrong position on the screen.
Lines may be wrapping to the next line when they should not.

SOLUTION:
Hidden attributes need to be enabled or disabled.
Emulate / Video Attribute... Options


Note: If you select Wyse 50 emulation, hidden attributes is enabled. If you select Wyse 60 or 370 emulation, hidden attributes is disabled. After you make your selection, you can always change the hidden attribute setting. But if you ever change emulation types again, the hidden attribute setting will also change back to it's default.

When hidden attributes are not enabled, a space is generated on the screen each time a video attribute is processed from the host (attributes such as bold, inverse video, underline etc)

Telnet Connections

Possible causes for no connection

1. Incorrect Host IP address

2. The host requires an answerback message from you during login.
If so, find out what it is and use MacWise Connection Scripts under the File Menu.

3. The host requires that your client ID be entered in the TCP Network preferences for OS X.

4. You are not using the correct port. Port 23 is standard but yours might be different.

5. The host requires that your Mac be in a range of valid IP addresses.

6. You have not opened the connection.

7. Your Mac is not connected to a network or Internet.

MacWise Support Blog

10/10/2005 Welcome to the new MacWise support blog.
This new interactive support page allows users to comment on support issues.
It is my hope that this will be a useful method for MacWise users to share technical information with other users.

I will try to answer any questions posted here.
Currently, the only way to start a new topic is to contact me at riclove@carnationsoftware.com and suggest a new topic.

To see archived support issues, click on "Posts Older than 10/10/2005".

Rich Love
MacWise author