The PicLan-IP release for mvBase requires a rather novel interface to the Windows API. This is required because mvBase does not include built-in functions for Pick/BASIC code to call windows DLL (Dynamic Link Libraries).

The interface that PicLan-IP uses requires that the following proceedure be followed whenever the underlying version of Windows (either 95, 98, or NT) is upgraded. This includes the applying of service packs and other Windows patches.

Open a DOS command prompt windows

Change to the directory that contains the PicLan-IP PLIP.DLL, PLIPS.EXE, and PLIP.DAT files

Remove the read-only flag from the PLIP.DAT file:

attrib -r plip.dat

Delete the PLIP.DAT file:

del plip.dat

Recreate the PLIP.DAT file:

plips plip.dat

Set the PLIP.DAT file back to read-only:

attrib +r plip.dat

You can then boot mvBase and run the PLIP-LOAD command.

If you forget to follow these steps, the most likely error will be an "illegal opcode abort at 740." when you run the PLIP-LOAD program.