README for DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4

DIGITAL FX!32 lets you install and run x86 Win32 applications on your Windows NT Alpha system. This file provides the following installation and other release-specific information for DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4:

Please see the DIGITAL FX!32 website for information about technical support and additions to information contained in this document:

http://www.digital.com/amt/fx32/

Refer to the on-line help for complete information about DIGITAL FX!32, and to answer any questions you may have about topics described in this file. You can access the on-line help from the Start>Programs>Fx!32 menu.

1. What's New in DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4

DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4 provides broader application compatibility and enhanced performance. DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4 also includes the following features and enhancements:

2. Installing DIGITAL FX!32 and Win32 x86 Applications

Perform the following steps to install DIGITAL FX!32 and then install and run your Win32 x86 applications on Alpha Windows NT 4.0.

To upgrade a previous version of FX!32 to FX!32 V1.4, you only need to install FX!32 V1.4. You do not need to uninstall or disable the previous version of FX!32, nor do you need to uninstall or reinstall x86 applications.

2.1 Prerequisites

DIGITAL FX!32 requires Alpha Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later. Service Packs correct a number of problems that you can experience when using Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. You can obtain the latest Service Packs from the following URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/default.htm

You must reinstall DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4 after you reinstall Alpha Windows NT but you do not need to reinstall FX!32 after you install a Windows NT Service Pack.

2.2 Installing DIGITAL FX!32

Use the following procedure to install DIGITAL FX!32:

1. Log into the system as Administrator. Ensure that you have at least 20MB free disk space in the directory in which you are installing FX!32.
2. Install DIGITAL FX!32 as follows:
At the end of the installation procedure, the system prompts you to restart your system to complete the installation.
By default, the installer places the DIGITAL FX!32 files and a set of sample files in the \fx32 directory. The sample files are Win32 x86 applications that you can run under DIGITAL FX!32 to verify your installation.

That's it! You are now running DIGITAL FX!32 and you can install and run Win32 x86 applications on your Alpha Windows NT system. Refer to the section about Installing Win32 x86 Applications for information about installing x86 applications.

NOTE: If you intend to install FX!32 V1.4 and then completely uninstall it to run a version of FX!32 released before V1.3, you need to back up any existing optimized code with the pre-V1.3 version of FX!32 before you install FX!32 V1.4. You can restore that optimized code after you uninstall V1.4.

2.3 Uninstalling DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4

You must completely uninstall V1.4 before you attempt to install a version of FX!32 released before V1.3. For example, if FX!32 V1.4 is currently installed on your system, you need to uninstall V1.4 before installing V1.2. When you uninstall FX!32 V1.4, ensure that you select (check) all of the following options in the FX!32 Uninstaller dialog box:

If you do not uninstall FX!32 V1.4 before installing an earlier version of FX!32, you need to reinstall V1.4 and then uninstall V1.4 completely to ensure that the correct registry modifications are made. After you uninstall V1.4, you can then install previous versions of FX!32.

If you completely uninstall FX!32 V1.4 and install a version of FX!32 released before V1.3, you need to restore backed up optimized code.

2.4 Installing Win32 x86 Applications

Use one of the following methods to install Win32 x86 applications:

The utilities Add/Remove x86 Programs and Install X86 Application install only x86 applications. If you receive a message that indicates you are running the wrong version of Windows, the corresponding application is native Alpha and you can install it without the FX!32 installer utility.

After you install your applications, they run transparently under DIGITAL FX!32. Refer to the on-line help index for Application installation for additional information.

3. General Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to DIGITAL FX!32 V1.4:

In general, compiler IDE's (such as those for various C, C++, and FORTRAN compilers) are hard-coded for a particular architecture and access the system in ways that are not supported by DIGITAL FX!32. This restriction does not apply to interpreters, such as Microsoft Visual Basic.

4. General Application Information

This section provides general information about applications as well as the interaction between DIGITAL FX!32 and Windows NT.

Common Shared Files Directories
On Windows NT 4.0, installers typically install applications in the \Program Files directory and shared components in the subdirectory, \Program Files\Common Files. DIGITAL FX!32 redirects x86 applications to the directory, \Program Files (x86), and x86 shared components to the subdirectory, \Program Files (x86)\Common Files. This segregation avoids conflicts between similarly named Alpha and x86 files and prevents applications from attempting to use shared components of the opposite architecture, which is not supported.
Components that cannot be successfully shared across architectures are segregated and operate correctly. Components that can be successfully shared across architectures, such as OLE objects, continue to function in their correct cross-architectural manner.

Control Panels

InstallSHIELD
As a workaround, rename the existing uninst.exe to uninst_alpha.exe and then reinstall your x86 application. Retain both versions of the file uninst.exe for future use.
At this point the system can display an error message if you subsequently attempt to uninstall an Alpha application. To uninstall an Alpha application that requires the file uninst.exe, rename the x86 version of this file to uninst_x86.exe and rename the Alpha version to uninst.exe.

Multiple Architecture Distributions

Editing Images
Problems have been reported for both the x86 and native Alpha versions of the image editor. It can fail regardless of the application from which it is invoked, and errors occur when DIGITAL FX!32 is not involved.
The general workaround is to delete an empty image display and reinsert the desired image into the application.

5. Configuring DIGITAL FX!32 to Enhance System Performance

DIGITAL FX!32 can consume a significant amount of a system's resources while performing code optimization. You can use several techniques to enhance system performance by modifying scheduled optimization times as well as optimizing code on a host system and making that code available to other, target, systems.

Refer to the on-line help for additional information about Scheduling FX!32 Optimizations and Making Optimized Code from a Host System Available to Target Systems.

6. Specific Application Information

This section provides information about specific applications that have been tested with FX!32 V1.4. The release notes for Windows NT 4.0 also contain specific application information and you should look there for other information about applications in which you are interested.

Adobe Acrobat Capture 2.0
In addition, ensure that you run the last known Sentinal Driver from Rainbow (http://www.rainbow.com).

Adobe Photoshop 5.0

Autodesk AutoCAD LT 97

Autodesk AutoCAD R14
When native Alpha Active Movie is installed, and you attempt to install the AutoCAD Learning Assistant CD, the system displays the following error message: "Setup was not able to register active movie control." This error message refers to the Intel version of Active Movie which is included in the distribution. When you click on the OK button to dismiss that error message, the installation is successfully completed.

Corel Ventura 8.0

Lotus 1-2-3 97

Lotus Approach 97

Lotus Freelance Graphics 97

Lotus SmartSuite 97
After performing these steps, you can use the utility Add/Remove x86 Programs to successfully uninstall Lotus SmartSuite 97.

Lotus WordPro 97

Macromedia Authorware 4.0

Macromedia Backstage 2.0

Macromedia Director 6.0

Matlab 5.2

Microsoft Binder 97

Microsoft Excel 97
You can now add and remove recipients from the template routing list after using the Template wizard.

Microsoft FrontPage 98
After you rename all versions of the file Mfc42.dll, you can successfully install FrontPage 98.
If you do not rename all versions of the file Mfc42.dll on the local drive before you attempt to install FrontPage 98, the system displays the following message: "FrontPage 98 setup has updated a shared system file to a more recent version. This newer version is required to install FrontPage. To complete the installation of this file, please restart your computer and then restart FrontPage 98 setup." Do not choose to restart the computer, but instead exit the FrontPage 98 Setup, rename the files, and reinvoke Setup.
After you install FrontPage 98, rename the file %SystemRoot%\System 32\Mfc42.old back to Mfc42.dll. Note that you only need to do so for the Alpha version of this file which is in the folder \System 32.
If you receive this error message with a reference to the folder Sys32x86 in the path name, click on the Yes button to overwrite the file. If you receive this error message with a reference to the folder System32 in the path name, click on the No button to avoid overwriting the file.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Active Desktop

Microsoft Office 97

Microsoft Outlook 97

Microsoft Outlook 98

Microsoft PowerPoint 97

Microsoft Publisher 98
As a workaround, to insert data from another file, use the menu option Insert>Object and select the option Create from File in the Insert object dialog box. Then, you can browse for the file, click on the Link button and then click on the OK button. You can modify the inserted file by selecting the menu option Edit Links, selecting the object, and clicking on the option Change Source.

Microsoft Word 97

7. Trademarks

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