Patches are not used any more for current software.
They have been superceded by complete update downloads which can be accessed from within
each program by using "Help | Check for updates".
This information also appears in each patch zip file
Patches are a neat and efficient way of upgrading your registered SpanSoft
programs such as "Kith and Kin Pro", "Of that Ilk Pro" or "TreeDraw", without
having to download the whole program or request a new release disk.
SpanSoft patches are only issued for bug-fix releases.
You can tell whether an application has had a bug-fix issued by looking at
the version number. All our version numbers take the form A.BC, eg. 3.11
(if the C digit is zero it is normally omitted, as in version 3.1). Major
upgrades increment digit A, minor functional upgrades increment digit B.
Both of these types of release are chargeable. Digit C is incremented for
a bug-fix release where no functional changes have been implemented and it
is only this type of release for which patches are issued, eg. version
3.11 is a bug-fix release of version 3.1 but version 3.1 is a functional
upgrade over version 3.03.
Note that patches will only work with the registered versions of our
software.
Patches will only work with the correct version of the software. For
example, if you have version 3.1 installed then you must use the patch
which upgrades you from version 3.1 to version 3.11. If a patch from V3.11
to V3.12 is available you cannot use it until you have used the patch for
V3.1 to V3.11. Patches must be applied for the correct application, for
the correct version number, in the correct order.
When you have applied a patch your application is completely upgraded to
the next bug-fix version.
Applying a patch is very simple:
First, ensure that you have a copy of the existing release of your
application (the registered release disk should be sufficient) and copies
of any patches which you have already applied to that release.
Make sure that the application to be patched is not running!
Unzip the contents of the new patch zip file into the same directory as
your application's program file, eg. the directory where you keep
KITHKINP.EXE.
Run the patcher program PATCH.EXE from the File Manager or Windows
Explorer.
That's all there is to it!
If you are applying multiple consecutive patches to the same application,
unzip and then run each patch in turn. Do not unzip all the patches first.