**********************************************************************
* README.TXT
**********************************************************************
*   VisualWorks Smalltalk Plugin
*
*   Copyright (C) 1999-2009 Cincom Systems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
*
*   This software distribution contains copyrighted material and trade
*   secrets of Cincom Systems, Inc.  It is furnished subject
*   to a source license agreement and may not be used, distributed or
*   disclosed except as permitted by that agreement.
**********************************************************************


Purpose of this README

This file contains specific release notes for the VisualWorks Plugin.



Compatibility

The VisualWorks Plugin for this release is an ActiveX Control only.
Therefore the VisualWorks Plugin can only run in Internet Explorer.
It has not been tested with any other browsers, but it is likely 
to work with another browser which fully supports ActiveX.

In addition, the new Plugin parcel is not backward compatible with
the original Plugin and PluginBase parcels.  The PluginBase parcel
is now obsolete.  If you have an existing custom Plugin image you 
must rebuild the image with the new parcel.  You must also compile 
and test your application parcel, even if you are using the generic
image.  The API internal to the AppletModel class has changed very 
little, so it is likely your application will not need modification
except if you make significant use of GET/POST, especially if you
POST directly from a file, which is no longer supported.

Note also that the Plugin requires Unicode support.  The Plugin will
not run in a browser on those platforms which do not provide Unicode
support (Windows 95/Me/98).  If your Plugin Applet must support a
browser client on one of these platforms please consult the Microsoft
documentation concerning the Microsoft Layer for Unicode, and the
instructions for including this translation layer in an ActiveX Control.



Quick Start Instructions

In Internet Explorer, simply open the file 
				plugin/examples/index.html 
from your VisualWorks installation directory and follow the simple 
instructions on the page to install and run the plugin examples.



Sample Applications

The HTML files in
     plugin/examples
     plugin/deploy
contain various examples of the syntax required for the OBJECT tag.
     
Please see the various sample parcels in 
     plugin/examples/pcl
     plugin/examples/steroids/pcl
     plugin/examples/xonix/pcl
for examples of various ways to construct a Plugin application.



Digital Signing and Control Safety

The generic VisualWorks Plugin is not a signed control, and because
any Smalltalk parcel may be loaded into its image, it cannot be 
marked safe for either initialization or scripting.  If the browser
has very strict security configured, the Plugin will not be installed.
Depending on your browser settings, you may need to respond to one or 
more warning dialog boxes before the Plugin will install and execute.

We do not have plans to digitally sign the control.  If you need a
signed control you must build your own custom Plugin, using your own
CLASSID GUID, and include your digital signature in your CAB file.
You may not add a digital signature to the generic VisualWorks Plugin
ActiveX Control.  You will need to strictly control parcel loading
and rigorously test your control for initialization and scripting 
safety before you mark the control safe or sign it.



Internationalization

The C/C++ code is compiled with the Unicode Character Set option.  The
messages used by the C/C++ code are provided in a separate resource-only
DLL and they can be translated and recompiled to suit your requirements.
Instructions and references to relevant Microsoft documentation is 
included with our Plugin C/C++ source code.



Obtaining the Plugin Source Code

Note that the C/C++ code will only be available on an "as needed" basis 
until we complete the various porting projects we have planned.  If you 
need it, you can request it from support through the normal channels.
This code will continue to change significantly at each release until
the refactoring is complete.



:: KNOWN ISSUES ::


GUI Refresh Performance

We are aware of GUI refresh performance issues which result in a slow
repainting of the VisualWorks Applet after resizing or scrolling a
browser window.  This is a more serious problem in WindowsXP, but it
is also visible with Windows 2000.  
This is AR#47820.

HTML Widget Tab Ordering

A VisualWorks Plugin applet should cooperate better with other widgets
which may be on the HTML page.  Once inside a VisualWorks applet window,
you cannot tab out of it.
This is AR#48092.


7/30/2009   - slm