Q83245: New Features in Windows 3.1
Article: Q83245
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 3.1
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): win31
Last Modified: 06-FEB-2002
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 3.1
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SUMMARY
=======
For Windows version 3.1, Microsoft significantly enhanced the usability of the
Windows operating system based on extensive feedback from users of Windows
version 3.0. Dozens of improvements will be noticeable immediately, while
hundreds of others work behind the scenes to support new features. Microsoft
made more than 1000 changes in Windows 3.1, changes that contribute to a
smoother, more responsive interaction between the user and Windows.
MORE INFORMATION
================
IMPROVED INSTALLATION
---------------------
The Windows version 3.1 Setup program can detect even more hardware and software
configurations than its version 3.0 predecessor. Therefore, Windows 3.1
configures itself optimally for the computer on which it is installed. The Setup
program also detects a wide variety of terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR)
programs and hardware devices known to cause problems; it then notifies you of a
problem, or corrects the problem without your involvement.
Windows 3.1 will be easier for novice users to install because of the Express
Install feature. This is the default setup method for Windows 3.1 and requires
minimal user input. For more advanced users, there is a Custom Installation
option that gives you a high degree of control over the setup process, so you
can customize the installation to fit your needs. For PC coordinators, Windows
3.1 installation provides the Batch Install option and better network setup
features for network installations.
FILE MANAGER IMPROVEMENTS
-------------------------
The Windows 3.1 File Manager has been completely redesigned for improved
usability and performance. You can now display the directory tree and directory
contents side by side in a window. The File Manager now supports multiple
"panes" for easy browsing of different drives. The File Manager also allows the
display of more file attributes than before and can even display filenames and
folder names in a choice of fonts.
Another significant improvement is the quick format capability, which allows you
to format floppy disks in much less time than before.
The File Manager also supports an easier, more intuitive "drag-and- drop" model
for manipulating files. For example, to print a file, you drag the file's icon
with the mouse and "drop" the icon onto the Print Manager icon. You can also
drop an icon on a running application or the application's title bar; the
application will then automatically open that file. This drag-and-drop
functionality is controlled by the new Registration Database, which stores
information on how applications open and print files and how file types are
associated with specific applications.
PROGRAM MANAGER IMPROVEMENTS
----------------------------
Improvements to the Program Manager include "wrappable" icon titles that sit
neatly under each icon in multiple lines, instead of a single long line that may
overlap with other icon titles. The Program Manager also provides the new
Startup group, which allows you to launch any group of applications
automatically when the Windows operating system is started. Adding programs to
the Startup group is done by simply dragging and dropping an icon.
CONTEXT-SENSITIVE HELP
----------------------
The Windows 3.1 help system has also been enhanced; it now provides
context-sensitive help information. By highlighting a command or procedure and
pressing the F1 key, you will be greeted with help screens containing specific
information about the command, as well as any associated information.
PRINTING IMPROVEMENTS
---------------------
The Windows 3.1 Print Manager can now resume stalled print jobs without user
intervention. For example, if a printer runs out of paper, the print job will be
automatically resumed after the paper tray is restocked.
Another printing improvement introduced with Windows 3.1 is the universal printer
driver (UNIDRV). This software offers a single, printer-independent driver for
which specific printer drivers can be built rapidly. The universal printer
driver makes it easier for printer manufacturers to write or update printer
drivers, because the driver encapsulates all the major features of a printer
driver in a single piece of software. Vendors simply provide a table of printer-
specific parameters for each printer. Instead of using dozens of monolithic
printer drivers, the Windows operating system needs only a single driver and a
small support table for each printer. Nearly 250 printers are supported in
Windows 3.1, with the majority supported through UNIDRV.
BETTER SUPPORT FOR NETWORKS
---------------------------
Microsoft has made Windows 3.1 easier to use on a computer that is attached to a
network. Network administrators will find setup is easier with Windows 3.1,
especially for complex system configurations. Network problems are also easier
to trace and correct because network error messages contain more information
regarding the type and source of the problem.
Windows also maintains persistent network connections, meaning that information
about a remote disk drive or printer is maintained by the Windows operating
system after a network session is terminated. When Windows is restarted, it will
reconnect automatically to the same network connections present when it was
closed. Windows will even prompt the user for passwords if needed.
APPLICATION SUPPORT: INTEGRATION
--------------------------------
Windows 3.1 provides the most sophisticated platform yet for application
integration, making it easier for users to exchange data between documents and
for programmers to build data-exchange capabilities into applications for
Windows. Application integration is supported by several features of version
3.1, as discussed below in detail.
Object Linking and Embedding:
An important technology for the 1990s, object linking and embedding (OLE) creates
an environment in which applications can share information seamlessly. With OLE,
all data can be thought of as objects. A spreadsheet chart, an illustration, a
table, and even a paragraph of text are all examples of objects. OLE provides
the information necessary for applications to share these objects easily.
Windows 3.1 supports OLE by providing standard libraries, interfaces, and
protocols that applications use to exchange data objects. As developers
implement OLE capabilities within programs, you will see a new generation of
applications that work together.
Microsoft has added OLE capabilities to new versions of the Windows Write, Paint,
and Cardfile accessories, all of which are provided with Windows 3.1. You can,
for example, create an illustration using the Paint program and embed the
graphic in a Write document. If the illustration must be updated, you can
double-click its icon within the Write document, which launches Paint
automatically so you can edit the drawing. Since the original graphics file is
embedded in the Write document, there is no need to store or update multiple
copies of the image, and the file can be updated on any PC with Paintbrush.
Better Support for Dynamic Data Exchange:
In the Windows operating system, the standard way of sharing data between
applications is through a mechanism known as dynamic data exchange (DDE). OLE
and other forms of data exchange use DDE as their primary means of sharing
data.
Windows 3.1 provides developers with a new Dynamic Data Exchange Manager Library
(DDEML), which offers a higher-level programming model and makes it easier for
developers to implement DDE capabilities in an application designed for
Windows.
Better Support for MS-DOS Applications:
Windows 3.1 provides improved support for existing MS-DOS applications within the
Windows operating system. In particular, performance of MS- DOS-based
applications is enhanced when Windows 3.1 is used in conjunction with MS-DOS
version 5.0, because MS-DOS 5.0 can significantly increase the amount of
conventional memory available. In addition, Windows 3.1:
- Supports MS-DOS applications running in VGA graphics mode in a window or
running in the background.
- Allows mouse support for MS-DOS-based applications when running in a full
screen or in a window.
- Includes more prewritten program information files (PIFs), which tell Windows
how to run a specific MS-DOS-based application; this results in even greater
MS-DOS-based application support.
- Offers disk-paging, which will allow you to concurrently run more
applications for MS-DOS than you can under Windows 3.0.
IMPROVED APPLICATION SUPPORT: TRUETYPE(TM)
------------------------------------------
Windows 3.1 includes the new TrueType scalable-font technology. TrueType provides
outline fonts, giving you instant access to fonts in any point size, and
allowing high-quality output on any monitor or printer supported by Windows.
TrueType was designed and developed to meet the requirements of type
professionals and graphic designers and offers the following benefits.
Complete Integration with the Operating System:
TrueType is an integrated component of Windows 3.1. For the Windows customer,
this means there is nothing to buy or install. All the benefits of scalable-font
technology are built into the operating system, so existing applications can
take advantage of the benefits immediately. TrueType fonts can be used in
Windows applications and in the system itself. For example, you can now choose
your own fonts for File Manager. Four TrueType scalable-font families will ship
with all copies of Windows 3.1: Arial (alternative to Helvetica), Times New
Roman, Courier, and Symbol.
Cross-Platform Compatibility:
TrueType is also offered on the Apple Macintosh, and TrueType fonts can be ported
between Windows and the Macintosh without conversion. Therefore, documents using
TrueType fonts can be exchanged between a PC running Windows and a Macintosh
without changes in character set, font metrics, or line endings. TrueType is
also available in Macintosh- compatible laser printers and in TrueImage
printers, and has been licensed to numerous printer vendors for use in future
products.
Dynamic Font Downloading:
TrueType fonts are automatically converted to bitmap images or outlines,
depending on the printer being used, and then downloaded to the printer. For
PostScript printers, both bitmaps and outlines are used. For printers using
Printer-Control Language (PCL), bitmap images are used. TrueType uses dynamic
downloading, sending only the characters requested rather than the entire
character set, resulting in faster, more efficient printing.
Open Technology:
To make it easy for vendors to support TrueType, Microsoft has published the
complete specification for the TrueType font format. This specification details
every aspect of the font format, including the outlines, metrics, font names,
and all technical information associated with the font. Public availability of
the TrueType font specification will make it easier and less expensive for
vendors to support TrueType fonts with their products.
SYSTEM ROBUSTNESS AND PERFORMANCE
---------------------------------
Since its shipment in May 1990, Windows version 3.0 has proven to be a remarkably
stable product. In fact, Microsoft implemented only one update release (version
3.0a) to accommodate minor corrections. Like any mature operating system,
Windows works in cooperation with a vast number of hardware platforms,
applications, and peripherals. With the countless permutations of software and
hardware, occasional conflicts are inevitable, and approximately 1 to 2 percent
of the calls to Microsoft Product Support Services about Windows 3.0 are
regarding unrecoverable application errors (UAEs).
Through Microsoft's communication with Windows users and developers, Microsoft
has gained a detailed understanding of how applications generate and handle
errors. Most UAE questions pertaining to Windows 3.0 have been resolved by
helping users remove misbehaving TSR programs, by answering questions on drivers
or software, by removing unnecessary lines in CONFIG.SYS files, or by installing
later versions of the applications that are causing problems.
Reducing UAEs and enhancing system robustness were primary goals for the
designers of Windows 3.1. Microsoft's accumulated knowledge serves as the basis
for the following design focal points:
- Developing better diagnostics to pinpoint the cause of application errors
- Providing tools and information to help developers write error-free
applications
- Protecting the system from application errors
- Graceful handling of application errors if they do occur (so the application
causing the error doesn't stop the system)
The following are several examples of how these design goals are implemented in
the Windows operating system version 3.1.
Error Diagnostics and Reporting:
If an application generates an error running with Windows 3.1, you will receive
an error dialog box with specific information about the type of error that
occurred and which application generated the error. (The Windows 3.0 dialog box
simply says
Unrecoverable Application Error
This allows problems to be traced and corrected much more quickly than before.)
Additionally, Windows 3.1 ships with a diagnostic tool called Dr. Watson that
logs information about an application error, should one occur. This logged data
provides feedback on the error that can be used by a support technician to
determine the solution to the error and help developers solve the application
error.
Error Recovery:
Windows 3.1 includes a number of improvements designed to handle application
errors more effectively.
One of these improvements is the use of parameter validation--the same type of
parameter validation that developers use also works in the retail version of
Windows 3.1. This validation monitors application calls to ensure that
applications do not violate system integrity.
An errant application may still cause problems, such as stopping so that your
computer no longer responds to input. Under version 3.1, if an application
stops, you can press the CTRL+ALT+DEL restart key sequence, and Windows will ask
whether the application should be continued or closed. If you choose to close
the application, Windows will reset the environment to a stable state that will
allow you to continue working within the Windows operating system. You no longer
have to exit and restart Windows. This gives you better control over your
system.
The sum of all these efforts is a system with significantly enhanced reliability,
in which application errors are far less likely to cause you to stop working and
shut down the application or restart the system.
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
--------------------
Many performance improvements have been achieved throughout Windows 3.1. These
include:
- Faster, more responsive user shell components (notably, File Manager and
Program Manager).
- Faster disk caching. The Windows SMARTDrive disk-caching utility has been
completely redesigned for Windows 3.1. It installs automatically during setup
and significantly boosts performance by caching read and write disk
operations.
- Faster paging in 386 enhanced mode. Version 3.1 includes a 32-Bit-
Disk-Access driver that allows Windows to bypass MS-DOS and the BIOS to
access the Windows virtual memory paging file.
- Increased display driver performance (for example, the VGA and 8514 drivers).
- Better printing performance. The overall printing speed is improved; but,
more significantly, Windows also gives control back to the application more
quickly after the Print command is invoked.
MULTIMEDIA
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Audio services and Media Control Interface (MCI) support have also been added to
Windows 3.1. The audio application programming interfaces (APIs), which are
identical to those found in Multimedia Extensions 1.0, specifically support
waveform or PCM audio and Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
synthesized audio. Additionally, any application for Windows that supports OLE
can take advantage of the audio capabilities in Windows 3.1 with no additional
development required by the independent software vendor (ISV). From an
application's perspective, audio becomes just another object type.
The MCI architecture supports control of media devices such as video discs and
videotape. Using drivers provided by third-party peripheral vendors, this
support provides greater flexibility to the standard computing environment and
meets another growing market need, especially in the areas of corporate
presentations, training, and education.
For those who require full multimedia support, Microsoft offers a CD- ROM version
of Windows 3.1 with the multimedia extensions and drivers. This product includes
Music Box, an accessory for playing CD audio disks, and HyperGuide, an online
Help program. The addition of audio services and media control support to
Windows 3.1 is yet another evolutionary step toward bringing multimedia
functionality into the mainstream of desktop computing.
Windows 3.1 works seamlessly with Multimedia Extensions 1.0. These extensions
allow you to embed new objects such as audio, animation, and full-motion video
in existing applications. The objects also allow you to create a whole new class
of multimedia documents, such as encyclopedias enhanced with video and audio
clips, or catalogs that display animated illustrations. The extensible
architecture of Windows makes it possible for multimedia computing to span
low-cost systems for home and education to sophisticated multimedia authoring
platforms for the higher end of the market.
An important enabling technology for multimedia computing is the OLE protocol
described above. With OLE and Windows 3.1 or Multimedia Extensions 1.0, you can
embed a multimedia object, such as an audio clip, in an existing application for
Windows, just as you can embed a chart or text file.
LAPTOP SUPPORT
--------------
Many vendors of today's popular 286- and 386-based laptop computers ship Windows
version 3.0. Laptop users will appreciate a feature in Windows 3.1 called mouse
trail, which makes it easier to find the cursor on a laptop display. In
addition, Windows 3.1 supports the Advanced Power Management (APM)
specification, which allows Windows to support the native power management of a
laptop PC for longer battery life.
CONCLUSION
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The Windows operating system version 3.1 is an important next step in Microsoft's
core systems strategy--an evolutionary strategy that spans 286-based laptops to
high-end workstations or servers. Today, Windows runs with MS-DOS, the operating
system that spawned the PC industry and is currently in use by tens of millions
of people. Windows also runs the thousands of existing MS-DOS and Windows-based
applications. Extended versions of Windows--multimedia or pens, for
example--allow you to run all these applications as well, plus unique new
applications developed with pens or multimedia in mind.
Microsoft's vision of computing in the 1990s and beyond is that computers will
empower individuals and organizations. With its scalable implementations, the
investments of Microsoft, and the commitment of third parties, the Windows
operating system will be the foundation for realizing this vision.
Additional query words: 3.10 drwatson
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Keywords : win31
Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310
Version : :3.1
Issue type : kbinfo
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