This is a binary release of Octave 3.2.4 for Windows platform using 
mingw32/gcc build tools. It has been tested on Windows XP.

Octave-3.2.4_i686-pc-mingw32_gcc-4.4.0_setup.exe

This package contains Octave 3.2.4 and a set of octave-forge packages.
Some packages are missing because external dependency libraries have not 
been built using mingw32/gcc yet.

This package includes notepad++ as text editor and gnuplot as graphical 
engine. It is bundled with the version of GCC used to compile this package 
and a MSYS environment to install octave-forge packages.

This package has been built using GCC-4.4.0 from http://www.mingw.org

The installer can be installed side-by-side with previous versions of
octave/mingw32 and thus does not uninstall any previously installed version 
of octave/mingw32.

Using the Java interface packages
=================================

The "java" and "jhandles" packages are marked "noauto" as they require a Java
Runtime Environment (JRE) installed when loaded in octave.
The JRE is *not* included in the octave/mingw32 installer. You can get a JRE for 
windows at http://www.java.com. 
To use these packages in octave execute "pkg load java".
To mark them as autoload execute "pkg rebuild -auto java".

Using the xls/ods scripts in the io package
===========================================

The io package now includes read/write access scripts for Excel/xls and 
OpenOffice/ods spreadsheet files. Depending on the interface chosen, these
scripts depend on additional software.

Accessing Excel/xls files can be done using either the Excel/COM interface or
a Java interface (ApachePOI or JExcelAPI). Access to OpenOffice/ods files is 
implemented using a java interface (either JOpenDocument or odfdom/xerces).

The Excel/COM Interface additionally requires:
   * the windows-1.0.8+ package from the octave/mingw32 installer 
   * An installed version of Excel
   
The Java interface additionally requires:
   * the java-1.2.7+ package from the octave/mingw32 installer
   * a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) >1.6.0 installed

All necessary .jar files for the java interface (except for the JRE) are 
included in the installer.

Please also refer to the documentation of the io package located at
   <path-to-octave>\share\octave\packages\io-1.0.11\doc
specifically the notes on Java memory usage in READ-XLS.html!

Octave/mingw32 3.2.4 new features, changes and bugfixes (from 3.2.3-2)
====================================================================

*) CHG: add the following packages from octave forge to the installer:
            jhandles-0.3.5+   (noauto)
            java-1.2.7+       (noauto)
            video-1.0.2
            msh-1.0.0
            fpl-1.0.0
            actuarial-1.1.0
            bim-1.0.10
            fenv-0.1.0
            generate_html-0.1.2
            gnuplot-1.0.1
            gpc-0.1.7
            nlwing2-1.1.1
            nurbs-1.0.3
            ocs-0.0.4
            oct2mat-1.0.7
            octgpr-1.1.5
            simp-1.1.0
            spline-gcvspl-1.0.8
            symband-1.0.10

*) NOTE: The following packages are marked "noauto" as they require a Java
         Runtime Environment (JRE) installed when loaded.
            java
            jhandles
         To use these packages execute "pkg load java". Make sure to have a JRE 
         installed.
         To mark them as autoload execute "pkg rebuild -auto java"

*) CHG: updated the following octave forge packages
            windows  1.0.8  -> 1.0.8+    (noauto)
            octcdf   1.0.13 -> 1.0.17+   (noauto)
            optim    1.0.6  -> 1.0.12
            general  1.1.3  -> 1.2.0
            io       1.0.9  -> 1.0.11
            odepkg   0.6.7  -> 0.6.10
        
*) CHG: update gnuplot to 4.4.0
*) CHG: revert PS1 to octave's default (of not including the pwd)
*) CHG: add necessary jars for ods/xls support in the io package

*) NOTE: for reading/writing xls files you can use either:
           - Execl/COM Interface: requires the windows package and Excel 
                                  installed on your cmputer
           - Java Interface: requires the java package and a JRE > 1.6.0 
                             installed on your computer

*) NOTE: reading/writing ods files uses a:
           - Java Interface: requires the java package and a JRE > 1.6.0 
                             installed on your computer

*) NOTE: The JRE is *not* included in the octave/mingw32 installer. You can get 
        a JRE for windows at http://www.java.com.


Known Issues with octave/mingw32 3.2.4:
--------------------------------------

*) The command "clear all" results in a segfault.
   This is currently triggered by the following octave-forge packages:
      windows
      octcdf
      communications
      ga (depends on communications)
      
   The error occurs only if any of these packages is marked "-auto" 
   i.e. is loaded at startup.
   
*) Installing octave respectively running octave from a path which contains
   spaces breaks the installation of octave-forge packages using octave's
   package manager pkg.m.
   It this therefore highly recommended to install octave to a path WITHOUT
   spaces. Octave will work if installed to a path including spaces, and all 
   packages added at the installation will work if installed into a path 
   containing spaces, HOWEVER you will currently NOT be able to install 
   packages using octave's package manager at a later time if Octave was 
   installed to a directory containing spaces.

*) "make check" results:

   Summary:
   
    PASS   5754
    FAIL      3
   
   octave-3.2.4\src\data.cc  PASS  506/509  FAIL 3