VMumps version 0.06 alpha Copyright (c) 2001 Aaron Tindall All Rights Reserved

Visual MUMPS is an ANSI standard implementation of the MUMPS programming language.  It differs from
conventional implementations primarily in that foreground jobs run on client machines rather than the
MUMPS server.  It will eventually also differ in that GUI applications will be able to be written in
the language.

See the Visual MUMPS homepage at: http://www.azstarnet.com/~aaront/VMumps.html
Visual MUMPS runs under Sun's Java JDK 1.4.0 beta2 which can be found
here: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/  Only the runtime environment is required.

Implemented features outside the ANSI standard:

1) Foreground processes are executed on the client machines and not the server.
2) $ZI - intrinsic variable with the value of the IP address of the machine of which the process is
running.  The value of $ZI cannot be changed.
3) Network sockets can be Opened, Used, and Closed just like file devices.  See manual for syntax.
4) GUI display of server status on GUI capable servers.
5) Platform and file system independence due to Java underpinnings.
6) $ZP - Works like $Order in reverse.
7) Psuedo compiler to increase execution speed.
8) Meaningful and contextual error messages.
9) Support for the exponentiation operator **.

Future features outside the ANSI standard:

1) Support for writing GUI event driven applications.
2) Applet based clients for connections to VMumps servers from inside browsers.
3) Extended global references for accessing multiple database servers.
4) Support for Jobbing background jobs on clients or non-default servers.
5) Privleged and non-privledged partitions for layered security.
6) Secured server access.

Current limitations from ANSI standard:

1) Parameter passing in Job commands and passing by reference in Do commands are not supported.
2) Anonymous subroutines are not supported.
3) The syntax for pattern match (the (?) operator) is slightly different.  See manual for syntax.
4) Naked global references are not supported.
5) Infix not (') is not supported (unary not IS supported.)
6) Read commands from the console can be line based only, not character based.  (This limitation does
not apply to files or network sockets.)
7) $Q is not supported.
8) Extrensic functions are not supported.
9) Merge is not supported.
10) Exclusive Kill and New are not supported.

Version information:

10/28/01: 0.07 alpha completed

Enhancements:
1) pass by value in Do command added (still no pass by reference or parameter passing in Job)
2) exponentiation operator ** added
3) $Ze system variable added.  $Ze is true if event trapping is turned on; false if off
4) ZEvent implemented
5) foundation for ZWindow laid

Bug fixes:
1) multiple parenthesis bug fixed
2) selective New bug fixed

No known bugs

9/22/01: 0.06 alpha completed

Enhancements:
1) added pattern match with a different syntax from ANSI standard
2) commands ZEvent and ZWindow are now recognized, but ignored, by the interpriter
3) server detects for GUI capability and only launches GUI if possible regardless of parameter
4) enabled File/Exit pull down menu option
5) foundation for printing directly to printers laid

Now requires JDK 1.4.0 beta2, not just 1.3.1.

No known bugs

5/2/01: 0.05 alpha completed

No previous version exists.

No known bugs.