JavaScript 1.4 Shell/Interpreter for OS/2 - 98/12/05


RELEASE
This is the first release of the standalone JavaScript 1.4 Shell/Interpreter for OS/2. It is available in two separate packages:
* js14-e.zip: standard build
* js14-et.zip: threadsafe build (requires Netscape Portable Runtime Library - nspr30-e.zip)

The binaries are optimized, not debug builds.


CONTENTS
Both packages contain the JavaScript interpreter/shell (bin/js.exe), runtime library (dll/js.dll), plus the headers and lib file required by developers, along with some documentation and samples.


INSTALLATION
Unzip to the location of your choice. Add the /dll subdirectory to your LIBPATH statement in config.sys, or just copy it into the same directory as js.exe. If you add the /bin subdirectory to your PATH, you'll be able to run js.exe from anywhere on your system. Or to avoid rebooting, simply copy js.exe into a directory already in your PATH, and js.dll into one in LIBPATH.

If you plan to use the JavaScript library for software development, also add /lib to your LIBRARY_PATH (emx) and /include to the C_INCLUDE_PATH (emx) statement.

If you've downloaded the threadsafe version, install NSPR by following the instructions in the nspr30-e.zip readme.

Finally, reboot (if necessary) for the new settings to kick in.


USAGE
See doc/jsshell.html for a sample interpreter session.


DOCUMENTATION
doc/readme.html contains some basic information on using the JavaScript API. The home page for Mozilla JavaScript is at http://www.mozilla.org/js/. Documentation can be found at Mozilla (http://www.mozilla.org/js/docs.html), Netscape (http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/javascript.html) and countless websites. JavaScript 1.4 has not yet been documented.


SOURCES
These binaries were built with the Mozilla sources as at 98/12/02. The latest sources for an OS/2 build can presently be obtained by cvs from joyce.eng.yale.edu and will soon be added as OS2_MERGE_BRANCH to the main tree at cvs-mirror@mozilla.org, then eventually merged with the main trunk. Check http://www.mozilla.org/ports/os2 or news://news.mozilla.org/netscape.public.mozilla.os2 for the latest information on the status of the Warpzilla code.


BUILDING
If you don't find a link to build instructions at a Warpzilla site, it means the required patches have not yet been added to the Warpzilla sources. In that case, email me and I'll send you the material. This standalone version is not the same as the JavaScript library built for the browser by running gmake in mozilla/js.


SAMPLES
The JS scripts in the samples subdirectory consist mainly of snippets I pasted together from the Netscape docs to test JavaScript in the Warpzilla browser. jscal.js and jsrandom.js come from http://javascriptsource.com.


PROBLEMS, BUGS, PATCHES
Please report any problems or bugs, as well as submit any patches (if you're a developer) to mozilla-os2@mozilla.org, the Warpzilla newsgroup.


TO DO
Build and add JSDebugger, Liveconnect and Perlconnect to the binary distribution.


LICENSE
Open-source freeware.


Henry Sobotka
sobotka@axess.com