
IZL VERSION 2.0 IS NOW AVAILABLE
--------------------------------

Creating programs for GEOS based PDAs and desktop computers just got easier!

Version 2.0 of IZL, an easy-to-use application development language,
is now available.  Like its predecessor, the product allows rapid creation
of graphical, interactive applications directly on the GEOS platform.
Version 2.0 adds powerful new features and access to the wide variety of
hardware interfaces provided by GEOS.

IZL now comes in two flavors: a runtime environment that is distributed as
shareware, and a developer's package that allows you to create your own
applications for your GEOS desktop or PDA.  The developer's version produces
binary token files (*.IZT) that can be executed by the shareware version.

The registration fee for the shareware is $20.  Ordering information and
technical details about the developer's version are given below.

The shareware version bundled with this text file contains all that you
need to run IZL programs created by the developer package, and made available
as IZL token files.

The shareware package also contains four application programs written in the
IZL language, and distributed in both binary (*.IZT) and source (*.IZL)
forms.  Although the shareware version is incapable of interpreting
the source files directly (it runs the binary IZT files), the source is
provided to illustrate how GEOS applications can be created quickly and
easily.


INSTALLATION OF THE SHAREWARE PACKAGE
-------------------------------------

The following files are contained in this distribution:

README.TXT   - You are reading it.

IZL.GEO      - The shareware version of the IZL interpreter.
WAV.GEO      - The WAV file driver for GEOS.
STREAMC.GEO  - The C stream driver for GEOS.

DEMO.IZT     - IZL 2.0 Feature demonstration program token file.
FILEDEMO.IZT - File access demo program token file.
MATHFACT.IZT - Math fact quiz IZL program token file.
EVALCALC.IZT - Expression Evaluator demo program token file.

DEMO.IZL     - IZL 2.0 Feature demonstration program example source file.
FILEDEMO.IZL - File access demo program example source file.
MATHFACT.IZL - Math fact quiz IZL program example source file.
EVALCALC.IZL - Expression Evaluator demo program example source file.

HALIMSO.WAV  - WAV data files for DEMO IZL program.
THATSALL.WAV
COPIES.WAV
TERMINAT.WAV

To install IZL on your GEOS desktop computer or PDA, follow the instructions
below to place the indicated files into their appropriate directories.
On the Zoomer PDA, the files must be downloaded from your PC into the Zoomer
serially.

1. Put the IZL.GEO file into the \GEOWORKS\WORLD directory.

2. Put the WAV.GEO and STREAMC.GEO files into the \GEOWORKS\SYSTEM directory.

3. Put the .IZT files into the \GEOWORKS\DOCUMENT directory.

4. Put the .IZL files into the \GEOWORKS\DOCUMENT directory.

5. Put the .WAV files into the \GEOWORKS\DOCUMENT directory.


After installation of the files, the "IZL Interpreter" icon will appear
in the world view of the file manager.  Double clicking (double tapping
on the Zoomer) will invoke the interpreter.  The "Load Token File" option
of the "IZL Commands" menu will present a file selector containing the
.IZT files that have been installed.  Selecting one of these files (by
double click/tap or highlighting it and pressing the "OK" button) will
begin its execution by the shareware IZL interpreter.


CUSTOMIZING THE INSTALLATION
----------------------------

For added convenience, the IZL interpreter can be configured
to add the following two features:

  To be invoked by the file manager to run an IZT
  file that has been double clicked/tapped.

  To open a specific directory (other than GEOWORKS\DOCUMENT)
  in the "Load IZL Source" and "Load IZT Token" file selectors.

The following additions the the GEOS configuration file, GEOS.INI,
must be made for these features to take effect.

Add the following section to GEOS.INI on your PDA or GEOS desktop
in order to have IZL directly execute IZT files:

[file manager]
filenameTokens={
  *.IZT="IZLP",16418,"IZLP",16418
}

The following section can also be added to GEOS.INI to guide
the interpreter in where to initially look for its token and source
files:

[IZL]

IZL_DIR = C:\GEOWORKS\DOCUMENT\IZL



DEVELOPING IZL PROGRAMS
-----------------------

The ability to create new GEOS applications is provided by the developer's
package for IZL 2.0.  To program in IZL, all that is needed is a simple
ASCII text editor, and an idea of what the program should do.

For those not familiar with IZL, a short explanation is in order.

The language contains simple statements that allow anyone to describe the look
and feel of a program's user interface in terms of the visual objects (buttons,
menu items, file selectors, etc...) that it displays, and the actions to be
performed when the user causes events (button presses, files selected) to
be triggered on the display.  A user interface event like a button press
causes an associated IZL function to be executed.

An IZL function consists of a group of simple statements that are executed
sequentially, or in an order determined by control flow statements such
as IF or WHILE.  Among other things, simple statements can perform I/O (GET or
PUT) with visual display objects or files, control visual display objects
(HIDE/SHOW), and assign values (numeric or string) to variables.  All IZL
statements rely on the GEOS parse library to evaluate expression during the
interpretation process.

See the bundled example programs for details.


IZL 2.0 DEVELOPER'S PACKAGE
---------------------------

The above description covers the basic idea behind program development
in IZL, regardless of version.  Given below is a list of new features and
enhancements over version 1.0 that are provided in the IZL developer's
package for version 2.0:


  Ability to output binary token files for execution by the shareware
  version of the interpreter.

  Support of floating point numeric storage for variables rather
  than the fixed point binary used in version 1.0.

  Serial I/O on all COMM ports, including IR (COM2 on Zoomer).

  An EVAL function to allow the IZL programmer access to the
  parse library, so that string variables in an IZL program could
  be evaluated as expressions, yielding a value to be saved in   
  another string variable.

  Arrays of strings, version 1.0 only allowed arrays of
  floating point numeric variables.

  Enhanced expression handling, with expressions able to contain embedded
  quotes.  Strings read from text objects, files, or serial ports can also
  contain quotes.

  Arrays of bytes, which will allow File/Serial I/O of binary data.

  Arrays of objects, allowing one section of IZL object definition code
  to define a group of objects of the same type.  This, coupled with the
  object geometry and parental hierarchy approach provided by GEOS and IZL,
  allows grids of buttons or other visual objects to be created with only a
  few IZL statements.

  Access to GEOS graphics primitives (DRAW, FILL, SET) that work with
  the standard GEOS colors for line drawing and shape filling.

  Animation via X,Y manipulation of IZL objects (MOVE statement).

  File COPY, RENAME and DELETE statements.

  SETDIR statement to set current directory, and built-in variable
  CURDIR which contains the current directory as a string.

  File selector object to allow a file to be chosen from a 
  directory list for the purpose of opening.
  PUT sets the file filter mask, GET reads currently selected filename.

  Ability to schedule events to trigger at a future time (TIMER statement).

  Ability to play .WAV files on the Zoomer (PLAY statement)

  New APPEND statement to output text to the end of text objects.



ORDERING INFORMATION
--------------------

When you purchase the developer's package for IZL 2.0, you will receive a
3.5 inch diskette and an IZL user's manual.

The cost of the developer's package is $56.00, plus $3.00 shipping/handling.
To order your copy, send a $59.00 check or money order to:

    FERAS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
    315 Delaware Avenue        		(PA residents add 6% sales tax)
    Lansdale PA 19446

Please allow 2 - 4 weeks for delivery.


NOTES:
  IZL version 1.0 registered users are entitled to a 50% discount on their
  purchase of the IZL 2.0 developer's package.  These visionary pioneers
  (you know who you are) need only send $26 ($23 + $3 s/h).

  If you make use of the shareware token interpreter to run IZT files as
  they become available, but have no desire to develop IZL programs yourself,
  your $20 shareware registration fee will go a long way toward the creation
  of more GEOS applications in the future.  Please send a check or money
  order to the above address.

  Many thanks are extended to the IZL beta testing volunteers, with special
  mention of the contributions of both Jeremy Fiebert and Doug Taylor.

  Portions of this program are Copyright (c) Geoworks 1993, 1994
  and used by permission.


If you have any questions regarding IZL, send E-mail to:
	jferas@netaxs.com

