SIMPL Changes in Version 3.3.4

SIMPLv3.3.4 is a minor change release

• surrogate children no longer produce zombies on exit

SIMPLv3.3.3 is a minor change release

• replaces PAGE_SIZE with POSIX _SC_PAGESIZE

SIMPLv3.3.2 is a minor change release

• adds two new functions whatsMyRecvPtr() and whatsMyReplyPtr()

SIMPLv3.3.0 is a restructuring release

• continues with the Makefiles makeover to conform more closely with Debian standards
• implements an integral version number with the top level subdirectory
• relocates the tclSurrogate into the main SIMPL tree under surrogates
• allows a default of /var/tmp to be used for SIMPL sandbox if FIFO_PATH is not defined
• fixes a bug which prevented multiple users from sharing a SIMPL sandbox
• integrates C++ hooks into SIMPL core and trace logger libraries

SIMPLv3.2.2 is a minor bug fix release

• reworks several of the Makefiles to conform more closely with Debian standards

SIMPLv3.2.1 is a minor bug fix release

• fixes some build problems with sandboxRelay and rs232 surrogate

SIMPLv3.2.0 is a significant release

• adds the rs232 surrogate to the package
• defaults the TCP/IP surrogate intersurrogate headers to byte order independent text format

SIMPLv3.1.2 is a minor bug fix release

• removes some debug simpl_log messages to avoid unnecessary filling of log

SIMPLv3.1.1 is a minor bug fix release

• fixed possible runaway condition on network failure in TCP/IP surrogate

SIMPLv3.1.0 is a minor release

• added a Relay() function to the main SIMPL API
• removed the Tcl/Tk and Python hooks to separate tarballs

SIMPLv3.0.3 is a minor bug fix release

• added a b_port option to the surrogateTcp
• added a proxy to the test stubs for surrogateTcp

SIMPLv3.0.2 is a minor bug fix release

• some tweeks to the Tcl surrogate Tcl/Tk libraries and C code

• some files where missed

• a remerging of the tcp and tcp_x code base
• a significant simplification of the surrogate/protocol router interface

• a check for the existence of the local receiver/sender by the appropriate surrogate child during keepalive was added

• the keepalive message bug has been fixed
• a buffered streaming mode has been added as an option

• the surrogateTcp_x can now coexist with the surrogateTcp at the same time

• the new surrogate stuff is under ~/tcp_x
• the new surrogate executable is $SIMPL_HOME/bin/surrogateTcp_x
• other changes to enable co-compilation with older surrogate version

• fixes Trigger error on name_detach() which resulted from 2.3.5 patches

• fixes proxy errors which result from shmid=0

• fixes some error reporting and possible buffer overflow in remote name_locate()

• fixes a problem with Trigger() when proxyID is 0.   TCP/IP surrogates use proxyID to kick off proper cleanup.

• fixes a problem with proxy Trigger().   You can now use the proxy ID properly.

• fixes a problem with name_locate() which results in SIMPL names with common root part (eg. BOB and BOB1) getting confused

• fixes a problem with senders being able to detect receivers who have gone away since the last name_locate()
• fixes more issues in the Tcl/Tk shared library

• fixes a problem in the Tcl/Tk shared library

• fixes a problem in the duplicate name detection algorithm

• adds a shared memory detach to the child_detach() function

• fixes problems associated with Python version detection in the build

• fixes a bug in tclSurrogate which could result in lost Reply() message in cases of heavy load

• enables Python scripts to interact via SIMPL messaging

• enables SIMPL on a Mac
• introduces byte order neutral intersurrogate messages

• fixes some typos in error messages
• fixes an unnecessary dependancy on hostname in case of local name_locate()

• most of these are described in detail on the online docs at simpl/docs
• the highlights are that the
• slot table has been eliminated
• API has been simplified and the FCID has been eliminated
• networking surrogates have been significantly rewritten
• "shells" directory becomes "scripts"

• added full path to createIPCtable in buildsimpl script
• name_locate() bug fixed in Tcl/Tk SIMPL shared library (fctclx.so)
• minor bug fixed in benchmark suite
• centralized all IPCtable utilities into a simplUtils directory
• completed the migration to the new simpl_fcipc compatibility layer for all internal SIMPL utils
• completed cleanup of source tree and reduced tarball back under 100k
• added a simpl_fcipc.c compatibility layer as a prelude to rationalizing the entire SIMPL source tree
• nameloc and surrogates get keep alive functionality
• v1.5.0 is identical to v1.4.17

The following items have been changed between Base version 1.4 and 1.4.17

• bug fix in shared memory allocation
• bug fixes in Tcl/Tk package fcsocket.tcl and check_n_mkdir utility script
• addition of msync calls to force resync of IPC table
• additional logic to help with tclSurrogate backout from socket failure
• the IPC table is now locked for write between name_attach and name_detach points
• increased error trapping and reporting
• some code reorganization to limit timing issues
• efficiency improvements with inline functions etc.
• the surrogates (nameloc and tclSurrogate) now accept port overrides on command line
• small bug fix in simplipc/src/simpl.c
• added the simplipc stuff to the benchmark programs
• made the debugger (-g) flag an option with a debug Makefile target
• repaired some naming collisions and header files to allow compilation under Linux 2.4.x
• repaired the duplicate nameloc process name in vc and simplipc Makefiles,   the vc one now produces a old_nameloc
• repaired return check on name_attach() in simplipc/src/nameAttach.c
• created new simpllog trace logger library to interface existing trace logger with code written to the simplipc library
• split qnx compatibility library to create simplmisc library
• some header reorganization to simplify "porting" between fcipc and simplipc
• fixed a particularly nasty bug which affected simplipc/src based processes that employed forked process spawning
• cleaned up a top level compilation order dependence that was introduced with simplmisc library
• added cksum function to top level simplmisc library
• added dynamic library capabilities to simplipc/src library

• FCID structure now includes "pid" to help with error detection on SIMPL over TCP/IP networks
• tclSurrogate process added to enable tclets to participate in SIMPL messaging
• added fcUtils directory containing useful utilities for viewing and killing SIMPL processes
• some bug fixes and reorganization of tarball contents and Makefiles
• bug fixes in tclSurrogate
• new name attach return logic to enable tclets to adopt surrogate name and pid
• simplification of surroMsgs.h message structures
• check for and handle condition in tclSurrogate where client on socket crashes
• vc_logit call no longer requires reply on socket
• a number of warnings have been cleaned up for those with 2.2 systems
• a non blocking socket send has been added to fcsocket.tcl library and to tclSurrogate
• addition of SRR wrapper and SRR compatibility libraries (compat library not yet completed)
• enhanced benchmark code which can be compiled against FIFO, SRR, SIPC or QNX
• all code now under LGPL licence
• all code now under "simpl" top directory ( previous versions went from "fc" top directory)
• new SIMPL IPC library with transparent integrated TCP/IP networking
• support for Tcl/Tk enhanced to include Tcl/Tk cgi-bin scripts

• an experimental API with "x" after the normal function name has been added.
• Eventually this API will roll back into the previous one so please use these function calls

to minimize code changes later on.
• a TCP/IP based network wide name locate process has been added