1607 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
1607 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
|||||Zmagazine||
|
|
July 19, 1986
|
|
Ron Kovacs-Publisher/Editor
|
|
Walt Drummond-Assistant Editor
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|||||Contents||
|
|
|
|
<*> Zmag Notes
|
|
<*> New Format
|
|
<*> ZPRINT4.OBJ
|
|
<*> Basic Programming Help
|
|
<*> Zmag Information Network
|
|
<*> Editor Column
|
|
<*> Zmag Chicago
|
|
<*> CompuServe Watch
|
|
<*> Antic's Gigi Bisson Report
|
|
<*> Zmag Contest
|
|
<*> CToday Report
|
|
<*> and more........
|
|
<*> BBS:Express!
|
|
<*> Conversation with Mike of SIG*
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|||||Gigi's_Report||
|
|
===================================
|
|
ANTIC Report By: Gigi Bisson
|
|
|
|
ANTIC PUBLISHING, INC., COPYRIGHT
|
|
1986. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION FROM
|
|
ANTIC ONLINE ON COMPUSERVE.
|
|
===================================
|
|
Xx INDUS IS OUT
|
|
|
|
Prospective Indus disk drive owners
|
|
be warned; the Chatsworth, CA-based
|
|
peripherals manufacturer is no
|
|
longer in business. A company
|
|
called National Logic took over the
|
|
new Indus MIDI sequencer product
|
|
line, and Future Systems, Inc.
|
|
purchased the rights to the Indus
|
|
GT Atari and Commodore-compatible
|
|
floppy disk drive line.
|
|
|
|
Future Systems has notified
|
|
registered Indus owners that their
|
|
Indus warranties are no longer
|
|
valid. A service contract can be
|
|
purchased from Future Systems for
|
|
$24.95.
|
|
|
|
According to Future Systems
|
|
President Gary Grewal, the company
|
|
intends to release several products
|
|
Indus had in the works before the
|
|
reorganization, including a
|
|
CPM/BIOS RAM charger that plugs
|
|
into existing disk drives. The new
|
|
address is:
|
|
Future Systems
|
|
9811 Owensmouth
|
|
Suite 9,
|
|
Chatsworth, CA 91311. (818)407-1647.
|
|
|
|
Xx MIRAGE FILES CHAPTER 11:
|
|
|
|
Mirage Concepts, makers of the H &
|
|
D Base database and other ST
|
|
products in the Holmes & Duckworth
|
|
Micronomists software line, have
|
|
filed for Chapter 11 protection.
|
|
|
|
Due to their inability to fulfill a
|
|
$175,000 business loan, their bank
|
|
-physically appropriated the
|
|
company's assets on May 21-, Mirage
|
|
Vice President Michael Reinhold
|
|
said in a prepared statement mailed
|
|
to creditors. As their Fresno, CA
|
|
offices have been shut down,company
|
|
officials were not available for
|
|
comment.
|
|
|
|
Xx ACTIVISION/INFOCOM MERGE
|
|
|
|
Activision, the Mountain View, CA
|
|
entertainment software company, has
|
|
reached an agreement to merge with
|
|
Infocom, the Cambridge, Mass.
|
|
interactive fiction game developer.
|
|
|
|
Activision Chairman and Chief
|
|
Executive Officer James Levy said
|
|
that Activision will exchange 2.0
|
|
million shares of Activision common
|
|
stock, valued at $7.5 million, for
|
|
all outstanding shares of Infocom
|
|
stock.
|
|
|
|
Infocom will maintain separate
|
|
product development and marketing
|
|
operations in Cambridge. The
|
|
merger will not be official until a
|
|
final agreement is signed on June
|
|
30, 1986.
|
|
|
|
Activision has also recently
|
|
acquired Gamestar, creator of
|
|
Championship Golf, and GBA
|
|
Championship Basketball, two ST
|
|
games slated for Fall release; and
|
|
Creative Software, a productivity
|
|
software company. Activision was
|
|
founded in 1979 when five
|
|
dissatified employees left Atari
|
|
Inc. to form their own VCS game
|
|
cartridge company.
|
|
|
|
Xx ATARI MORALITY
|
|
|
|
A man in Georgia reportedly
|
|
programmed his Atari 800 and modem
|
|
to call the Jerry Falwell toll-free
|
|
fund collection number every 38
|
|
seconds. Apparently he was
|
|
attempting to prevent the Moral
|
|
Majority from getting tax-free
|
|
contributions which, the
|
|
computerist contended in an
|
|
interview with Cable News Network,
|
|
is, itself, immoral.
|
|
|
|
Southern Bell/AT&T traced the
|
|
offending calls and ordered the
|
|
anti-Fawell Atarian to cease and
|
|
desist, threatening to discontinue
|
|
his telephone service. (Credit for
|
|
this morsel of Atari trivia goes to
|
|
the Jersey Atari Computer Group
|
|
newsletter.)
|
|
|
|
Xx REMOTE CONTROL PETSTERS?
|
|
|
|
Nolan Bushnell, Atari Inc. founder,
|
|
and current President of Axlon Inc.
|
|
the company responsible for Petsers
|
|
those adorable fur-covered robots,
|
|
is rumored to be considering a
|
|
merger with Steve Wozniak's CL-9
|
|
company. Axlon would acquire Woz's
|
|
remote control interface venture
|
|
in a stock swap that would involve
|
|
no cash. Teddy Ruxpin, watch out.
|
|
|
|
Xx MORE PEOPLE USING ATARIS
|
|
|
|
Judith Cohn is conducting Cell
|
|
Image Analysis research at NASA
|
|
with the aid of an Atari ST
|
|
computer and the DEGAS graphics
|
|
program from Batteries Included.
|
|
Cohn is currently writing an ST
|
|
program which will she hopes will
|
|
help her partition digitial images
|
|
of human reticulocytes
|
|
(individual cells which form a
|
|
network of cellular tissue in the
|
|
human body) into two groups.
|
|
|
|
Xx FREE PUBLICITY
|
|
|
|
Trying to sell your product to the
|
|
education market? Put it aboard the
|
|
Teacher Resource and Computer
|
|
Training Center, a roving computer
|
|
-mobile unit- equipped with Atari
|
|
ST and Apple II computers,
|
|
textbooks, software, comfortable
|
|
couches and, of course, hot coffee.
|
|
The mobile unit cruises the parking
|
|
lots of 25 school districts in the
|
|
Wayne-Finger Lakes area of upstate
|
|
New York, giving 2700 teachers
|
|
hands-on experience with
|
|
educational software and computers.
|
|
|
|
To get your Atari ST educational
|
|
product on the bus, send a
|
|
complimentary sample of software
|
|
conspicuously marked with the name
|
|
and address of your sales
|
|
representative, to:
|
|
J.C. Crawford,
|
|
Wayne-Finger Lakes Area
|
|
Teacher Resource and Computer
|
|
Training Center
|
|
3501 County Road 20
|
|
Stanley, NY 14561
|
|
(716)526-6431.
|
|
|
|
Xx MIDI MAGIC
|
|
|
|
Sweet symphonies drifted through
|
|
the Antic offices when Carl Bacani
|
|
of Computer Support, our friendly,
|
|
neighborhood Atari dealer, popped
|
|
in to show off his MIDI musical
|
|
compositions.
|
|
|
|
It sounded better than live music
|
|
or any recording--sharp, clear,
|
|
each note distinct. Yes, you too
|
|
can create stunning music with
|
|
Activision's $49 Music Studio
|
|
program and $5,000 worth of
|
|
hardware.
|
|
|
|
Bacani's MIDI set-up included an
|
|
Atari 1040ST computer hooked up to
|
|
a Roland TR-727 Rhythm Composer,
|
|
Casio CZ-101 synthesizer, Yamaha RX
|
|
15 Digital Rhythm Programmer,
|
|
Yamaha TX 7 FM expander, Casio TB-1
|
|
MIDI Thru Box, and a BOSS BX 600
|
|
6-Channel Stereo Mixer. An FM
|
|
stereo reciever and two speakers
|
|
amplified the sound.
|
|
|
|
Bacani will help Atari Corp.
|
|
-unofficially- display the ST's
|
|
MIDI prowess at The Bay Area Music
|
|
Fair, sponsored by Electronic
|
|
Musician Magazine, Windham Hill
|
|
Productions, and several of big
|
|
stereo dealerships and synthesizer
|
|
companies.
|
|
|
|
Xx WHY DVORAK LEFT
|
|
|
|
Don't turn to the last page and
|
|
expect to find that familiar
|
|
bold-faced type in InfoWorld. John
|
|
Dvorak, long-time InfoWorld
|
|
institution and once editor of the
|
|
publication no longer graces the
|
|
pages of the weekly microcomputer
|
|
industry tabloid.
|
|
|
|
Sources close to InfoWorld say
|
|
Dvorak was unhappy with the
|
|
publication's recent emphasis on
|
|
the dull business market in an
|
|
attempt to woo the MIS (Manager of
|
|
Information Services) reader. MISs
|
|
make major microcomputer purchases
|
|
within corporations.
|
|
|
|
Dvorak continues his controversial
|
|
column in Computer Currents, a
|
|
California weekly tabloid, and
|
|
writes a non-computer column for
|
|
the San Francisco Examiner.
|
|
|
|
Xx AND YOU THOUGHT $699 WAS A DEAL.
|
|
|
|
During a 10-day Father's Day
|
|
promotion, Atari has slashed the
|
|
price of the monochrome 520ST to
|
|
$499! Will it ever end?
|
|
|
|
Xx WHICH WILL YOU BUY?
|
|
|
|
This Christmas, Commodore will sell
|
|
the re-designed Commodore 64 for
|
|
$200 while Atari Corp. delivers the
|
|
65XE for under $100.
|
|
|
|
Xx JACK'S A TOYS R US KID:
|
|
|
|
The Atari invasion in the nationwide
|
|
Toys R Us retail toy store chain
|
|
seems to finally have taken effect.
|
|
Our roving shopper reports seeing
|
|
an entire shelf in a local Toys R
|
|
Us store dominated by 8 and 16-bit
|
|
Atari hardware and software.
|
|
|
|
Xx DID YOU KNOW:
|
|
|
|
* -Hackers- author Steve Levy is
|
|
rumored to be working on a Broadway
|
|
musical based on the MIT
|
|
programmers of the 60's called
|
|
-Leader of the Hack.- Rather than
|
|
act, the actors will sit around
|
|
eating Chinese food and discuss
|
|
different ways to make the
|
|
theatre's sound system better.
|
|
|
|
* Chris Crawfords' latest game:
|
|
-Balance of Checkbook-
|
|
|
|
* The plan to stop software pirates
|
|
by joining forces with National
|
|
Child Watch, the folks who print
|
|
those messages on milk cartons.
|
|
|
|
* Or how about buying software at
|
|
7-11? -I can't wait to get
|
|
technical support from the
|
|
convenience store staff...Give me
|
|
four twinkies, two of those Beef &
|
|
Bran burritos, and tell me, when
|
|
I'm doing an asynchronous download
|
|
in XMODEM, do I have to adjust the
|
|
parity bit to Odd or Even?- writes
|
|
Frank Simon, in a parody editorial.
|
|
|
|
These and other humorous, high-tech
|
|
pseudo-news stories can be found in
|
|
Comedy By Wire: The Computer/Comedy
|
|
Newsletter. A one year
|
|
subscription to the monthly, four
|
|
-page, publication is available for
|
|
$9 from: Comedy By:
|
|
Wire
|
|
431 West 45th Street
|
|
New York, NY 10036.
|
|
|
|
Xx KNOW SOMETHING WE DON'T?
|
|
|
|
Publicize your Atari-oriented
|
|
computer show, seminar, class, swap
|
|
meet or event (no users group
|
|
meetings, please) in the new Events
|
|
section of Antic Online.
|
|
|
|
Just send us a message in the
|
|
Online Feedback section noting the
|
|
date, time, location, cost, sponsor
|
|
and highlights of the event.
|
|
|
|
===================================
|
|
|||||Classified||
|
|
|
|
From: Chuck Steinman
|
|
To: Atari User's
|
|
Subj: Atari National Technical
|
|
News
|
|
|
|
I have been using computers for
|
|
over a decade now, and the last 7
|
|
I have owned Atari's. I feel the
|
|
Atari computers are the best value,
|
|
even when I payed over $700 for my
|
|
first 800 with 16k or RAM. I
|
|
currently own the following:
|
|
|
|
2-800 with 288k RAM
|
|
5-400 with 64k RAM
|
|
1-800xl with 256k RAM
|
|
1-600xl with 64k RAM
|
|
2-1050 drives with U.S. Doublers
|
|
1-1030 modem
|
|
1-850 interface module
|
|
1-410 program recorder
|
|
and several hundred programs.
|
|
|
|
I program in BASIC, Forth, -C-,
|
|
pascal, and several assembly
|
|
languages, that include the 6502.
|
|
|
|
I used to enjoy the occasional
|
|
technical utilities and articles
|
|
that were published in ANALOG, and
|
|
ANTIC. I probably still would, if
|
|
there were any, but they have been
|
|
so sparse in the last year that my
|
|
apetite for -input- is growing too
|
|
intolerable.
|
|
|
|
What I would like to do would is
|
|
form an ATARI newsletter, which
|
|
would be nationally available for
|
|
the technical Atari user. I feel
|
|
there is a demand for this info.
|
|
from the requests of such at user
|
|
group meets that I have attended.
|
|
|
|
How I would like to arrange the
|
|
newsletter, would be to have, on
|
|
a national basis, all interrested
|
|
partys to contact me. If you can
|
|
write programs, or design circuits
|
|
you have what I need. If you can't
|
|
but would like to learn, then you
|
|
have the source now. If you are not
|
|
personally interrested, but think
|
|
the idea is in-line, then talk to
|
|
your fellow Atarians, or have your
|
|
local user group mention it at
|
|
their next meeting,or better in
|
|
their next club newsletter.
|
|
|
|
Anyone interrested in submitting a
|
|
program or other material, can do
|
|
so by any one of several ways: by
|
|
mail using the standard submission
|
|
style of most magazines (programs
|
|
on disk or cassette, with
|
|
instructions, and if possible a
|
|
program listing), also available is
|
|
direct tele-communicatons, either
|
|
by my own BBS (info later),
|
|
Compuserve, or Delphi.Of course the
|
|
fastest is by my BBS.
|
|
|
|
Initially the submissions would be
|
|
donations, but if there is enough
|
|
support, some advertising, or a
|
|
monetary donation, I would begin
|
|
paying accepted submitters at fair
|
|
rates.
|
|
|
|
Also,I will need several technical
|
|
minded people to support me in the
|
|
constructon, and formatting of the
|
|
newsletter. If you are interrested
|
|
please contact me.
|
|
|
|
Subscription to the newsletter will
|
|
be minimal. It will begin at a rate
|
|
of $10.00/year. This is just about
|
|
what contruction and postage for
|
|
12 issues would cost. This would
|
|
be a good bargain at this price, if
|
|
there is good technical support.
|
|
|
|
To inquire for more information you
|
|
can write me at:
|
|
|
|
Chuck Steinman
|
|
3308 Park Ave. West
|
|
P.O. Box 134
|
|
Ontario, Ohio 44862
|
|
(419) 529-2478
|
|
|
|
after August 1, 1986 you will be
|
|
able to call my BBS at the same
|
|
number at only the times listed
|
|
below.
|
|
Mon-Fri 9:00pm - 4:00am [EDT]
|
|
Sat-Sun 12:00pm -12:00am [EDT]
|
|
|
|
Compuserve User Id: 77717,3223
|
|
Delphi User Name: Master-800
|
|
|
|
I hope that the many Atari users
|
|
will join to construct -their-
|
|
magazine in the format that THEY
|
|
want.
|
|
Chuck
|
|
|
|
===================================
|
|
|||||Zmag_Help||
|
|
***********************************
|
|
* *
|
|
* <>Zmag<> Basic Programming Help *
|
|
* *
|
|
***********************************
|
|
|
|
In this column we will explain a
|
|
few subjects pertaining to Basic.
|
|
Each week we will cover another
|
|
subject and hopefully get answers
|
|
to your questions.
|
|
|
|
This week question is:
|
|
|
|
What is a DIM error??
|
|
|
|
This is Error 9 in Basic and I am
|
|
sure many of you have seen this
|
|
come up from time to time.
|
|
|
|
Error 9:
|
|
This error occurs when the program
|
|
refrences an array or string which
|
|
has not been DIMensioned. This
|
|
error also occurs when a DIM state-
|
|
ment includes a string or array
|
|
that was previously DIMensioned. Or
|
|
also, if an attempt was made to DIM
|
|
a string of length zero or a length
|
|
greater than 32767.
|
|
|
|
Now we will explain a bit further
|
|
what is happening in a DIM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARRAY:VARIABLE
|
|
|
|
ARRAY:
|
|
A variable is designed to hold a
|
|
single data item, either string or
|
|
numeric. However, some pregrams
|
|
require that hundreds or even
|
|
thousands of variable names be used.
|
|
A list is kept of the variable names
|
|
used in the program in it's
|
|
variable name table. A max of 128
|
|
names can be stored in the name
|
|
table. An array variable names
|
|
counts as only 1 name in the name
|
|
table, regardless of the number of
|
|
elements with in the array.
|
|
Every time a new variable is entered
|
|
that name is added to the name table.
|
|
In the program mode, variables are
|
|
added to the name table as they are
|
|
encountered in the program.
|
|
These names are stored in the name
|
|
table until a NEW command is issued.
|
|
When you save a program to disk,
|
|
the variable name table is saved
|
|
along with the program.
|
|
|
|
Arrays have up to two dimensions.
|
|
Two-dimensional arrays are also
|
|
known as tables.
|
|
|
|
Before an array variable can be
|
|
used in a program, an area in
|
|
memory must be reserved to store
|
|
its elements. This is know as
|
|
dimensioning the array and is
|
|
accomplished with the DIM statement.
|
|
|
|
The DIM statement defines the max
|
|
subscript value that can be used
|
|
for an array. For example:
|
|
|
|
DIM A(20)
|
|
|
|
This statement would define a one-
|
|
dimensional array consisting of 21
|
|
elements ranging from A(0) to A(20)
|
|
inclusive. Two-dimensional arrays
|
|
are dimensioned as follows:
|
|
|
|
DIM A(4,7)
|
|
|
|
This statement would dimension an
|
|
array consisting of 5 rows with
|
|
eight columns each. General good
|
|
programming would group all DIM
|
|
statements at the beginning of the
|
|
program. This prevents an array
|
|
variable from being refrenced
|
|
before it has been dimensioned.
|
|
Refrencing any array before is has
|
|
been dimensioned will result in an
|
|
error.
|
|
|
|
When an array is no longer needed
|
|
in a program, the DIM statement can
|
|
be reversed with a CLR statement.
|
|
|
|
Type in the following program to
|
|
see this in action:
|
|
|
|
10 PRINT FRE(0)
|
|
20 DIM A(25,25)
|
|
30 PRINT FRE(0)
|
|
40 CLR
|
|
50 PRINT FRE(0)
|
|
60 END
|
|
|
|
In line 10, the number of available
|
|
free memory is displayed. FRE is a
|
|
function which displays free memory
|
|
in your computer, We will discuss
|
|
this in the weeks ahead.
|
|
|
|
In line 20, the DIM statement
|
|
reserves an area in memory for a
|
|
table consisting of 676 elements.
|
|
From line 30, it is evident that
|
|
the number of free memory has
|
|
decreased. This is due to the fact
|
|
that an area of memory has been
|
|
reserved for the elements in Table
|
|
A. In line 40, the CLR statement
|
|
reverses the DIM statement and
|
|
frees the memory previously required
|
|
for the elements in table A.
|
|
|
|
***********************************
|
|
If you have a question you would
|
|
like explained, please let us know
|
|
by leaving a message on this BBS
|
|
system or writing to us.
|
|
Zmagazine NJ
|
|
PO BOX 74
|
|
Middlesex, NJ 08846-0074
|
|
***********************************
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||Zmag_CompuServe_Watch||
|
|
|
|
Messages and information from the
|
|
CIS SIG*Atari Base
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: SYSTEM II BBS
|
|
Fm: STUART CHANG 76317,1523
|
|
To: ALL
|
|
|
|
Well folks, there is a BBS in
|
|
Florida that is absolutely great.
|
|
It is run off an XM301 modem 24
|
|
hours a day. at (813)371-2322 and
|
|
leave Feedback to the SYSOP telling
|
|
him you heard about it off
|
|
Compuserve, and he will give you a
|
|
special access. Well remember the
|
|
number is (813)-371-2322. Call
|
|
SYSTEM II
|
|
|
|
Sb: IT'S WORKING!!
|
|
Fm: BOB WOOLLEY 75126,3446
|
|
To: ALL
|
|
|
|
After many months of nothing but
|
|
timeouts, I actually copied a file
|
|
from my 1050 to my screen without
|
|
using SIO.... I want to yell and
|
|
scream, but my family has been too
|
|
patient already. All those little
|
|
bits marching along side by side,
|
|
eight at a time...... WEEEEEEE!!!
|
|
All you hardware types out there,
|
|
look in DL3 in a week or two for
|
|
P1050.XMO and P1050.DOC.
|
|
Bob Woolley
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162828-MONITOR HOOKUP???
|
|
Fm: BOB WOOLLEY 75126,3446
|
|
To: - JAMES D.BAKER 72337,2270
|
|
|
|
You must solder more parts inside
|
|
the computer - not worth the
|
|
effort. Use a TV or buy an 800XL
|
|
for $60 or so. Not to be so
|
|
negative on 400, but it really
|
|
does not lend itself to that
|
|
option.
|
|
Bob Woolley
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162827-800XL+
|
|
Fm: BOB WOOLLEY 75126,3446
|
|
To: Andrew Karl Heller 72327,3160
|
|
|
|
Karl: I ordered mine over two
|
|
months ago... I'm still waiting.
|
|
Their reply to my letter last month
|
|
(postmarked 6/16) said they would
|
|
ship on 6/13..... Still
|
|
waiting........ You save maybe
|
|
five bucks for all that hassle?? I
|
|
can't even get them on their
|
|
non-800 number. The 256K chips are
|
|
less than $3 almost everywhere out
|
|
here. Black Patch is a bad deal!
|
|
Bob Woolley
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162988-modem?
|
|
Fm: BOB WOOLLEY 75126,3446
|
|
To: Peter Seiler 72267,2224
|
|
|
|
Peter: Forget the 835....
|
|
Electronic One has the 1030 for
|
|
about $45. It has built in software
|
|
(no disk or tape required) and will
|
|
run EXPRESS when you do get a 1050.
|
|
If you take a look through ANTIC or
|
|
ANALOG magazine, you may find a
|
|
1030 for less than that -- BUT --
|
|
forget Black Patch. They are bad
|
|
news...... for now, anyway. A
|
|
thermistor is a temperature
|
|
sensitive resistor - it's
|
|
resistance changes with
|
|
temperature. You want a value of
|
|
100K or so, at room temp. The POT
|
|
function in the 400 will produce a
|
|
number that is proportional to the
|
|
temperature of the thermistor.
|
|
Works great!! Find an AtariLab kit
|
|
- it has one in it.
|
|
Bob Woolley
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162679-PSF
|
|
Fm: SAM NEAL 72337,361
|
|
To: PAUL R. WIENCKOWSKI 72747,625
|
|
|
|
Yes, there is a conversion program
|
|
also in the dl4 library named
|
|
SHOPTOOL. It will convert DOS
|
|
files into Printshop files and
|
|
back. One o --Marvin the Paranoid
|
|
Android
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162843-400 question
|
|
Fm: BOB WOOLLEY 75126,3446
|
|
To: Peter Seiler 72267,2224
|
|
|
|
Peter: Try Computer Mail Order for
|
|
a deal on an old 400. They had some
|
|
for $20, or so and have always been
|
|
easy to deal with. A 1050 will be
|
|
over $100 right now - that is a lot
|
|
of money compared to the 400, but
|
|
you just can't do much without one.
|
|
The price may go down if the 3.5
|
|
inch drive comes out and then it
|
|
may not. Probably the best deal in
|
|
town for a modem is the 1030. Check
|
|
with your local user groups. I have
|
|
seen some good buys from people
|
|
switching to ST. Even better buys
|
|
are around swap meets where not
|
|
much Atari activity goes on - some
|
|
of those sellers think Atari stuff
|
|
is dead, like the TI and ADAM. All
|
|
the better for you!!
|
|
Bob Woolley
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162738-LAZY LOAER
|
|
Fm: PETER NICHOLLS 71777,3640
|
|
To: FREDERIC LEWIS 71445,564
|
|
|
|
Fred - the reason the screen freaks
|
|
is fairly straight forward! The
|
|
problem is that KYAN PASCAL uses a
|
|
custom O/S for its compiler. In
|
|
other words, what's happening is
|
|
that, when the KYAN compiler loads
|
|
it is placed in part of the RAM
|
|
underneath the XE's O/S. Therefore,
|
|
when the compiler loads for the
|
|
first time, the character set has
|
|
to be copied down into the RAM area
|
|
from $C000 to $FFFF (somewhere!).
|
|
Deoending on the copydown code you
|
|
use, this will occsionally cause a
|
|
temporary screen blitz. However,
|
|
the problem should _not_ be
|
|
permanent! If it is, you either
|
|
have a problem with the compiler,
|
|
or the loader. The first is very
|
|
unlikely (you paid for it!) but
|
|
the second is highly possible with
|
|
a bad DL from CompUServe - check it
|
|
out and let me know! By the way,
|
|
sorry for the long reply time, but
|
|
I just got an ST and Personal
|
|
Pascal -- AMAZING! [pn]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162953-ACTION
|
|
Fm: SYSOP*Keith Ledbetter
|
|
To: JOHN LECHMANIK 73217,422
|
|
|
|
John,
|
|
I'm not real sure what you mean
|
|
exactly, but here goes. If you
|
|
want a string to be 20 bytes long
|
|
max, just do the following: Byte
|
|
Array Your_String (21) (mustn't
|
|
forget the length byte!). With that
|
|
statement, Your_String will ALWAYS
|
|
have 21 bytes allocated, whether
|
|
you are using them all or not.
|
|
About the concatenation, you have
|
|
to use the SAssign proc. Let's say
|
|
that you have the following two
|
|
strings, one containing a file
|
|
name, and the other an extender:
|
|
Byte Array Filename (12), Extender
|
|
(4) and a long string to concat
|
|
into Byte Array LongName (20) Now,
|
|
here is the code to concat the
|
|
filename:
|
|
|
|
SCopy (LongName,Filename)
|
|
SAssign (LongName,-.-,
|
|
LongName(0)+1,
|
|
LongName(0)+1))
|
|
SAssign (LongName,Extender,
|
|
LongName(0)+1,
|
|
LongName(0)+Extender(0))
|
|
|
|
Whew!! As you notice above, you
|
|
must use the length byte to control
|
|
your concat positions.
|
|
Keith
|
|
|
|
Sb: DIGSND.XMO
|
|
Fm: ELIOT STEIN 76703,305
|
|
To: 74766,2154
|
|
|
|
Dominick, I loaded up DIGSND.XMO
|
|
and have downloaded it to verify
|
|
that it works. I noticed that you
|
|
were having some problems with it
|
|
and wish I could help you. There is
|
|
not a .DOC file with it, but by the
|
|
large number of downloads it and
|
|
the accompanying .DIG files have
|
|
had, I assume that it is working
|
|
for most people. After you download
|
|
it, rename it as AUTORUN.SYS on any
|
|
disk containing a standard Atari
|
|
Dos. Then place up to two .DIG
|
|
files on the same disk. (place
|
|
other .DIG files on separate disks)
|
|
It should auto-boot and a menu of
|
|
any .DIG files on the disk will be
|
|
displayed. Press your choice, that
|
|
file will load, then enter a speed
|
|
(54 is normal) and hit start. I
|
|
really don't know what else to tell
|
|
you. I hope that it works this time
|
|
around for you. Many people are
|
|
having much fun with it. If you
|
|
really have problems, maybe I'll
|
|
have to send you a disk containing
|
|
the public domain player and a few
|
|
sample files. I know what it's like
|
|
to not be able to get something to
|
|
run on here that looks exciting.
|
|
Please let me know if you finally
|
|
get it to work or what. Eliot Stein
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162560-XMODEM ON MPP
|
|
Fm: KEN WHITE 76157,21
|
|
To: RON CHUSID 74756,3150
|
|
|
|
Ron....
|
|
Fortunately I never had the
|
|
problem of incompatibility with the
|
|
DOS - otherwise, I probably would
|
|
have just cried.....but you mean to
|
|
say you've never had any real
|
|
problems with X-modem downloads?
|
|
Lucky guy....after half a dozen
|
|
that didn't produce anything but
|
|
frustration, I gave up on Smarterm
|
|
for downloading (still love the
|
|
huge buffer for general use) and
|
|
switched to Amodem 7.1 and later
|
|
7.2 (and now MPP Express) when I
|
|
planned to do some downloading.....
|
|
Ken
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #modem?
|
|
Fm: Peter Seiler 72267,2224
|
|
To: 75126,3446 (X)
|
|
|
|
Bob, I like to ask again for your
|
|
opinion. Now that I got the At-400
|
|
on order, I need a modem. the 835
|
|
can be gotten for $ 30.-, but no
|
|
software. They recommand Telelink
|
|
2. Is there anything (simple) on
|
|
file, comuserve or magazine, to
|
|
replace telelink 2 or otherwise
|
|
work together with At-835 ? On my
|
|
last note to you I goofed on the
|
|
hardware description. 600 XE I
|
|
meant to say. You mentioned
|
|
'thermistor' in your message. Any
|
|
specifics in mind? I keep you
|
|
posted on my solar-computer
|
|
interfacing. Right now I am still
|
|
getting the hardware up on the roof
|
|
(Oh my back!!)
|
|
Peter Seiler
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162985-MPPFOREM
|
|
Fm: SYSOP*Dave Groves 76703,4223
|
|
To: JACKIE HEATH JR. 72637,264
|
|
|
|
Sure, I don't have an alpha list of
|
|
everybody's id# (ppn) so I could
|
|
not give you John's. When you read
|
|
the description file for the
|
|
program it had the ppn up in the
|
|
top section, if you go back and get
|
|
that number (like yours is
|
|
72637,264) and make sure to include
|
|
it in the To: line, then when John
|
|
signs on, the message will be
|
|
flagged to him like this one was
|
|
flagged to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sb: #162926-#MPPFOREM
|
|
Fm: JACKIE HEATH JR. 72637,264
|
|
To: SYSOP*Dave Groves 76703,4223
|
|
|
|
THANKS ALOT,I'LL TRY THAT AS SOON
|
|
AS I CAN. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
|
|
YOU MEANT ABOUT THE PPN WITH THE
|
|
FILE(?)CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? THANKS **JACKIE HEATH
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|||||Conversation||
|
|
Here is a short transcript of
|
|
my conversation with Mike
|
|
Shoenback, the new sysop on SIG*
|
|
Atari.
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) Hi.
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Hi Ron. I've been
|
|
meaning to send you a message about
|
|
Zmag. And I have a suggestion if
|
|
you dont mind?
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) Sure, Go Ahead
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) We'd appreciate it
|
|
if you upload it in ASCII instead
|
|
of BINARY. This way members can
|
|
<R>ead it on-line without XMODEM
|
|
downloading it.
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) NO PROBLEM. I WAS
|
|
WONDERING IF I WAS UPLOADING IT
|
|
RIGHT.....GLAD YOU GUYS LIKE IT!
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) It will reach more
|
|
people in ASCII mode. Actually, I
|
|
speak from personal experience. I
|
|
usually like <R>eading text files
|
|
on-line without XMODEM downloading
|
|
it, and I've discovered many other
|
|
people do the same.
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) THANKS FOR LETTING
|
|
ME KNOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER
|
|
SUGGESTIONS FOR ZMAG. HMMM PERHAPS
|
|
I COULD INTERVIEW YOU SOME TIME FOR
|
|
ZMAG.. WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Yes. Leave me a
|
|
message one day and we'll try to
|
|
get something together in the
|
|
future; at least after I get
|
|
-settled- in my new home.
|
|
(my new home being SIG*Atari)
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) SURE.!! I WOULD
|
|
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Everything is going
|
|
well with me. I'm learning the
|
|
ropes around here these days.
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) Well again Good
|
|
Luck, By the way....We have a few
|
|
Star Trek groupies here and they
|
|
are looking for more of your pics??
|
|
Any new ones??
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Yes, I still have a
|
|
whole bunch more but I am putting
|
|
uploading them off until I learn
|
|
how to merge my own files.
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) We will be waiting.
|
|
Well, Take care, Hope to chat with
|
|
you again soon!
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Take care, Ron. Looking forward to the next ZMAG!
|
|
|
|
(30,Ron Kovacs) Thanks. BYE
|
|
|
|
(30,SYSOP*Mike) Bye.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|||||Zmag_Notes||
|
|
|
|
Subject :ZMAG
|
|
To :RON KOVACS (REC)
|
|
Sent by :CLINTON SMITH
|
|
Zmag Editor Chicago
|
|
|
|
RON,CONGRATS ON THE SOON TO BE
|
|
BLESSED EVENT.I UNDERSTAND AND
|
|
I WILL WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE
|
|
SB TEXT.I HOPE IT DOES WELL IN
|
|
THE U.K.(IT'S KIND OF OUR WEDDING
|
|
PRESENT FOR THE ROYAL KIDS.HA.HA.)
|
|
50+ DOWNLOADS!SOMEBODY IS VERY
|
|
DEFINATELY INTERESTED IN ZMAG
|
|
SOMEWHERE.GOOD WORK ON PASSING
|
|
ZMAG TO THE SOURCE AND NEXT DELPHI
|
|
.I'LL GET SOMEBODY ON THE
|
|
CLEVELAND LEADS.NEWS ON ZMAG HERE:
|
|
ZMAG IS GOING TO BE PASSED ALONG
|
|
TO THE GENIE SERVICE BOB
|
|
RETELLE(THE ATARI SYSOP THERE)
|
|
WAS INTERESTED IN IT WHEN I TALKED
|
|
TO HIM AT THE CLAUG MEETING JUNE
|
|
3RD.A BOARD IN GEORGIA IS GOING
|
|
TO START CARRYING ZMAG.I JUST
|
|
FINISHED WRITING ZREAD16,THE
|
|
LATEST ZREAD PROGRAM.IT'S GOT SOME
|
|
NIFTY FEATURES.THANKS FOR THE NEWS
|
|
AND CONGRATS AGAIN ON THE UPCOMING
|
|
BUNDLE.
|
|
CLINTON SMITH
|
|
ZMAG EDITOR
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|||||Zmag_Update||
|
|
|
|
Please call the Hospital BBS
|
|
(201)721-1901
|
|
|
|
This BBS will now include Zmag
|
|
in their download section.
|
|
Here is their Main Menu
|
|
|
|
S=SKIP, Ctrl. <X or C>=ABORT
|
|
|
|
The Hospital BBS Functions
|
|
|
|
<A>-Atascii/Ascii <B>-Bulletin
|
|
<D>-Download <E>-Enter Msg
|
|
<F>-File Directory <G>-Goodbye
|
|
<H>-Docs Database <I>-Input Style
|
|
<K>-Kill Msg <L>-Msg toSysop
|
|
<M>-E-Mail <O>-BBS List
|
|
<P>-Your Profile <R>-Read Msgs
|
|
<S>-Summary of Msgs <T>-BBS Rules
|
|
<U>-Upload <W>-Caller No.
|
|
<Y>-Yell for Sysop <?>-This List
|
|
|
|
<*>-Read msgs from Newest-Oldest
|
|
<Z>-Message Bases (A-F for Base)
|
|
(Type 'Z'-'?' for Base Listing)
|
|
|
|
===================================
|
|
|
|
|||||C-Today||
|
|
|
|
The Following file is a series of
|
|
excerpts of information contained
|
|
in Computing Today, the online
|
|
magazine on Genie. It is reproduced
|
|
here with the permission of Hartley
|
|
and Pattie Lesser.
|
|
|
|
Apple Computer continues to carry
|
|
most of the rumormonger attention.
|
|
Now, beta test sight users have
|
|
leaked word of the Apple Johnathan,
|
|
the alleged high-end Mac, that
|
|
sports a 68020 CPU AND a 68881 math
|
|
coprocessor, a large (possibly 14-
|
|
inch) black and white screen, and
|
|
two 800 K internal drives. This
|
|
certainly has all the appearances
|
|
of an extremely powerful machine
|
|
and paves the way for the 32-bit
|
|
machine to be for Apple what the
|
|
IBM RT COULD be for IBM. More in
|
|
the Apple rumor department finds
|
|
that the new Japanese Macintosh
|
|
Plus could have not only MacWrite,
|
|
MacDraw and MacProject
|
|
compatibility, but also the likes
|
|
of Excel, all functioning with the
|
|
unit's Kanji/Talk system.
|
|
|
|
Watch for an OEM deal between Atari
|
|
Corp. and Microsoft.
|
|
Immediate thoughts of the ST
|
|
running DOS come to mind...and
|
|
possibly GW BASIC as well. From
|
|
reliable sources, this is
|
|
apparently the usual MS contract,
|
|
and is either currently en-route
|
|
to, or has arrived at, Atari for
|
|
final signatures. PCDOS 2.25 and
|
|
GW BASIC will run on the ST's yet-
|
|
to-be-released 8088 PC emulator
|
|
that Atari is planning to release
|
|
for their ST family late in the
|
|
third quarter of this year. The
|
|
release could certainly spark
|
|
additional interest in the ST, as
|
|
IBM compatibility becomes the
|
|
overall standard for both
|
|
cooperative and included processing
|
|
features for most systems.
|
|
|
|
Naturally, when there's an Apple
|
|
rumor, one of the companies most
|
|
likely to leak something to counter
|
|
that publicity is Commodore, who,
|
|
most of the time, has problems with
|
|
their right hand knowing what the
|
|
left hand is up to. Now, the
|
|
company is expected to debut an
|
|
enhanced C64 machine, called the
|
|
C-64C (a sparkler of a name), that
|
|
will initially sell for under $300
|
|
and will be bundled with
|
|
productivity software (unnamed).
|
|
Two main features are said to be an
|
|
enhanced memory board and an
|
|
upgraded power supply. This new
|
|
machine was officially intro'd at
|
|
the Consumer Electronics Show.
|
|
|
|
Soon, users of Commodore 128,
|
|
Macintosh, IBM PC and PCjr, Amiga
|
|
and Atari ST systems will have
|
|
access to Alternate Reality - The
|
|
City for those machines. Alternate
|
|
Reality is a fantasy/role-playing
|
|
game that is the first of several
|
|
scenarios, all using the characters
|
|
created with The City. The next
|
|
episode, The Dungeon, is also
|
|
currently being worked on. The
|
|
Dungeon will take the player to a
|
|
world beneath The City, one
|
|
shrouded in mystery, where rounding
|
|
a corner could result in a
|
|
confrontation with the things of
|
|
which nightmares are made. The
|
|
Dungeon, played either as a stand-
|
|
alone game or in conjunction with
|
|
The City, allows the player to
|
|
create and develop his or her
|
|
character in The Dungeon and take
|
|
the character back to The City, or
|
|
vice-versa. The Dungeon will be
|
|
ready for a Christmas 1986 release.
|
|
Five additional scenarios are
|
|
planned: The Arena, The Palace,
|
|
The Wilderness, Revelation and
|
|
Destiny. Datasoft, the producing
|
|
company purchased by
|
|
IntelliCreations, is going to be
|
|
extremely busy with these projects.
|
|
They are located in Chatsworth,
|
|
California.
|
|
|
|
VERSION 2.1 OF DBMAN HAS LOWER
|
|
PRICE (note: there is a version for
|
|
the STwhich sells for $99, hehehe,
|
|
just another reason to buy an ST
|
|
'stead of a big blue machine, Dave
|
|
Flory)
|
|
|
|
VersaSoft (408/268-6033) has
|
|
released an enhanced version of
|
|
dBMAN that affords uses greater
|
|
performance and a retail price
|
|
reduction of nearly 50 percent.
|
|
dBMAN, a dBASE III PLUS compatible
|
|
database manager, is available for
|
|
IBM micros and compatibles, Novell
|
|
NetWare and the IBM PC-NET. The
|
|
program's low price includes run-
|
|
time with no license fees. dBMAN is
|
|
$695 for the network version and
|
|
$295 for the single user version.
|
|
Both offerings include the dBMAN
|
|
run-time package at no additional
|
|
charge and there are no per user
|
|
fees or other additional charges.
|
|
|
|
dBMAN Version 2.1 adds records up
|
|
to 40 times faster than dBASE III
|
|
PLUS, according to the company, and
|
|
offers an -assist- style front end,
|
|
pulldown menus, use of up to 640 K
|
|
of memory for caching of data and
|
|
program files, 128 fields and 4000
|
|
bytes per record, more global
|
|
memory variables, and support for
|
|
up to 2 billion records per
|
|
database. Free network evaluation
|
|
disks are available at no charge
|
|
through authorized resellers.
|
|
|
|
Silver Reed America, Inc.
|
|
(213/516-7008) has introduced a
|
|
low-end daisy wheel printer, the
|
|
EXP420, and an automatic dual bin
|
|
cut sheet feeder with envelope
|
|
capability. The EXP420 is targeted
|
|
primarily at home markets and is
|
|
offered at the suggested retail
|
|
price of $299.95. The unit prints
|
|
at 12 cps and offers super and
|
|
subscripts, bold and shadow print,
|
|
auto-underline, 10 and 12 pitch
|
|
selection.
|
|
|
|
The CF231 sheet feeder, designed
|
|
for use with Silver Reed's EXP600
|
|
and EXP800 daisy wheel printers,
|
|
automatically collates, and has a
|
|
manual feed slot to insert single
|
|
sheets by hand without removing the
|
|
unit from the printer. The CF231
|
|
also accepts a variety of paper
|
|
widths, and has built-in eject
|
|
rollers to avoid paper jams. The
|
|
CF231 can hold up to 200 sheets of
|
|
paper in each of its two bins. This
|
|
allows the operator to use letter-
|
|
head and second sheet stationary
|
|
for collated output. Up to 150
|
|
printed sheets can be accommodated
|
|
by an attached paper stacker. The
|
|
suggested retail price is under
|
|
$400.
|
|
|
|
===================================
|
|
|
|
|||||Zprint_IV||
|
|
|
|
As a new edition to the Zprint
|
|
Series, I came up with Zprint IV!
|
|
LOADed from DOS, WITHOUT Basic, it
|
|
works just like Zprint III. It
|
|
still uses the original Zprint
|
|
format: ZMAGxxx.TXT.
|
|
Enjoy!!!
|
|
Walt
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|||||Editor's_Column||
|
|
|
|
A few weeks ago I sent some disks
|
|
to England and hopefully soon,
|
|
we will get some feedback. We are
|
|
hoping to get Zmag on their systems
|
|
there.
|
|
|
|
Two more systems have joined Zmag.
|
|
Mega Systems in Cleveland and,
|
|
The Hospital BBS in Fort Lee, NJ.
|
|
See Zmag list for their numbers.
|
|
|
|
Walt has taken the job as Zmag
|
|
Associate Editor.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|||||Zmag_Contest||
|
|
|
|
Details on this contest will appear
|
|
in the August 2nd Issue of Zmag.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||BBS:Express!||
|
|
|
|
|
|
BBS:Express! is ready to ship. At
|
|
this time, all pre-orders will be
|
|
shipped out with the highest
|
|
priority.
|
|
|
|
If you would like to pre-order
|
|
the 850 version of the software,
|
|
you can send $39.95 + $4
|
|
shipping/handling to
|
|
|
|
Orion Micro Systems
|
|
Attn: 850 BBS
|
|
2919 Ennismore Court
|
|
Richmond, VA 23224
|
|
|
|
(Virginia residents add 4% tax)
|
|
PLEASE! include a note indicating
|
|
that this is a pre-order for the
|
|
850 version of the software!
|
|
|
|
The XM301/1030/835 version is
|
|
available NOW At the same address.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||Documentation||
|
|
|
|
MASTER RENUMBER by Gary Heitz,
|
|
and his CIS PPN is: 75676,556
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of the nicer features of Atari
|
|
BASIC is that it allows variables
|
|
to be used in place of line
|
|
numbers. It is easier to type GOTO
|
|
MENU rather than searching through
|
|
a program for the line on which the
|
|
menu begins. Debugging of a
|
|
program is made easier, too, when
|
|
you can see where a subroutine is
|
|
going because a real word, with
|
|
special meaning, was used instead
|
|
of a number. Also, replacing a
|
|
line number with a variable usually
|
|
saves memory if the same line is
|
|
referenced more than a few times.
|
|
|
|
A real problem, though, with using
|
|
variables in this manner occurs
|
|
when you need to renumber a
|
|
program. Most renumber utilities
|
|
cannot handle variables and others
|
|
will only work on a variable the
|
|
first time it appears in a program.
|
|
Therefore, if you use variables to
|
|
replace line numbers, you either
|
|
lose the ability to renumber or you
|
|
have to make sure that you never
|
|
change their values.
|
|
|
|
Because of this, I created Master
|
|
Renumber. Master Renumber
|
|
recalculates both line numbers and
|
|
those variables that reference line
|
|
numbers. For example, if you
|
|
program that the variable LINE
|
|
equals a certain line number and
|
|
later change it to equal a
|
|
different line number, even if you
|
|
do this a hundred times, each and
|
|
every one will be renumbered.
|
|
|
|
To get Master Renumber working,
|
|
load the BASIC program and RUN it.
|
|
You will be asked whether you want
|
|
the program stored on cassette or
|
|
disk. Make sure that your cassette
|
|
or disk is ready and press -C- for
|
|
cassette or -D- for disk.
|
|
|
|
The BASIC program will produce a
|
|
boot load file for cassette users
|
|
or an AUTORUN.SYS file for those
|
|
with disk drives.
|
|
|
|
Power down and reboot your
|
|
computer. You will see the title
|
|
screen for Master Renumber. Load
|
|
in any BASIC program and use the
|
|
following command to renumber it.
|
|
Simply replace the S and I values
|
|
with numbers.
|
|
|
|
1. REN
|
|
This will assign the first line
|
|
number of your BASIC program the
|
|
value of ten. Each successive line
|
|
number will be incremented by ten.
|
|
|
|
2. REN S
|
|
You choose the starting line number
|
|
and the default increment of ten is
|
|
used thereafter.
|
|
|
|
3. REN S,I
|
|
You define the starting line number
|
|
and the increment. The starting
|
|
line number and the increment may
|
|
be any number from zero through
|
|
32767. The only exception is that
|
|
if you select an increment of zero,
|
|
all of your program's line numbers
|
|
would be the same. Therefore, an
|
|
increment of zero is not permitted.
|
|
|
|
If you typed the command correctly,
|
|
the screen will clear and the title
|
|
screen will again be displayed
|
|
along with the command you typed.
|
|
Master Renumber will signal that it
|
|
is working and the cursor will
|
|
blink. If your program contains no
|
|
line referencing errors , the word
|
|
-Done- will soon appear and you
|
|
will be back in BASIC. Your
|
|
program will have been completely
|
|
renumbered.
|
|
|
|
The following are some of the
|
|
checks that Master Renumber makes
|
|
while working. First, it checks to
|
|
see if you typed REN. If not, it
|
|
assumes that you are typing
|
|
something for BASIC and turns the
|
|
line over to BASIC for processing.
|
|
If you did type REN, then a check
|
|
is made to verify that you typed
|
|
the rest of the command properly.
|
|
The words -Syntax error- will be
|
|
displayed if you did not.
|
|
|
|
The next test that must be made is
|
|
to ensure that BASIC will not erase
|
|
any of your program. Atari BASIC
|
|
will only accept line numbers
|
|
through 32767. A line number
|
|
higher than that will be erased.
|
|
To make sure that this does not
|
|
happen, Master Renumber takes the
|
|
starting line number and the
|
|
increment from your command and
|
|
calculates what the last line
|
|
number will be. If the number is
|
|
32768 or greater, you will see the
|
|
phrase -Exceeds maximum allowed-
|
|
and no renumbering will take place.
|
|
|
|
While renumbering, if a bug in the
|
|
BASIC program's line referencing
|
|
statements exists, Master Renumber
|
|
will display -Check line(s):- and
|
|
show the offending line number(s).
|
|
The line number shown is the line
|
|
to examine after renumbering is
|
|
complete. It is the new number -
|
|
not the original.
|
|
|
|
One type of BASIC statement that
|
|
you are warned to check is a GOTO
|
|
(or any other line referencing
|
|
statement) that points to a line
|
|
that does not exist.
|
|
|
|
For a reason only you would be
|
|
aware of, you may have
|
|
intentionally programmed the
|
|
statement knowing full well that
|
|
the referenced line was
|
|
nonexistant. That is why Master
|
|
Renumber merely suggests that you
|
|
check the line. Any statement like
|
|
GOTO 200*K, or any line referencing
|
|
statement that contains a
|
|
mathematical operation, will be
|
|
renumber if the first numeral is
|
|
that of an existing line. But,
|
|
that is all that would be done. To
|
|
do more would have required much
|
|
more memory.
|
|
|
|
If you have a statement similar to
|
|
GOTO LINE and somewhere in your
|
|
program you equate the variable
|
|
LINE to another variable (LINE=
|
|
DATA), Master Renumber will advise
|
|
you to check the line with the
|
|
variable.
|
|
|
|
These may not actually be errors.
|
|
It depends on your intentions when
|
|
you created the program. Therefore,
|
|
simply check the line and decide.
|
|
|
|
Another fact that you should know
|
|
about Master Renumber is that page
|
|
six is not used. Leaving this
|
|
highly used area of memory alone
|
|
will allow you to use many more of
|
|
your programs while Master Renumber
|
|
is also in memory.
|
|
|
|
Master Renumber does load into
|
|
memory just above DOS. This means
|
|
that it is overwritten if DUP.SYS
|
|
is loaded. You should use a
|
|
MEM.SAV file if you wish to go to
|
|
DOS. Then, when you return to
|
|
BASIC, press the SYSTEM RESET
|
|
button and Master Renumber will be
|
|
reactivated.
|
|
|
|
Lastly, although this article only
|
|
mentions the GOTO statement, Master
|
|
Renumber will renumber all of the
|
|
following: GOTO, GOSUB, LIST, TRAP,
|
|
ON GOTO, ON GOSUB and RESTORE.
|
|
With these statements, you may use
|
|
numbers, variables, or any
|
|
combination of numbers and
|
|
variables.
|
|
|
|
That's about it. I hope Master
|
|
Renumber allows you to more fully
|
|
take advantage of the way Atari
|
|
BASIC permits variables to be used
|
|
in place of line numbers. After
|
|
all, the more features you can use,
|
|
the more time you should save and
|
|
the better your programs should be.
|
|
|
|
Gary Heitz 75676,556
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
Zmag BBS Systems
|
|
----------------
|
|
/Zmag Information Network\
|
|
New Jersey/New York
|
|
California
|
|
|
|
E.C.Syndicate-201-968-8148
|
|
down>New York City-718-604-3323
|
|
Backstage BBS-201-944-1196
|
|
W.C.Syndicate-415-825-2952
|
|
Elec.Shop BBS-212-547-4871
|
|
M.J.A.C. BBS-201-469-4474
|
|
Valhalla BBS -212-598-0243
|
|
E.B.B.B.S. -201-254-6449
|
|
Hospital BBS -201-721-1901
|
|
Mega Vision -216-228-7335
|
|
Funhouse BBS -212-828-7658
|
|
CompuServe -DL 7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicago Systems
|
|
|
|
Windy City Atari-(312)775-2970
|
|
Runequest-(312)430-4234
|
|
Enchanted Castle-(312)525-0688
|
|
Centari-(312)668-0984
|
|
Blue Moon-(312)457-2219
|
|
C.L.A.U.G.-(312)889-1240
|
|
Skid Row-(312)439-5873
|
|
M-Club1-(312)730-1846
|
|
M-Club2-(312)349-8686
|
|
M-Club4-(312)458-8260
|
|
Generic-(312)275-2894
|
|
Software Plus-(312)520-1780
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you have a question about Zmag
|
|
Windy City-Clinton Smith
|
|
Runequest-Jim Dobleski,Rune Master
|
|
Enchanted Castle-Clinton Smith,
|
|
Wizard
|
|
Centari-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Blue Moon-Clinton Smith,Gerry Feid
|
|
Claug-Clinton Smith
|
|
M-Club 1,2,or 4-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Enchanted Castle-Clinton Smith,
|
|
Wizard
|
|
Centari-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Blue Moon-Clinton Smith,Gerry Feid
|
|
Claug-Clinton Smith
|
|
M-Club 1,2,or 4-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Skid Row-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Generic-Wizard
|
|
Software Plus-Jeff Williams
|
|
East Coast Syndicate-Ron Kovacs,
|
|
Walt Drummond
|
|
Compuserve-Ron Kovacs,Tim Orosz
|
|
Walt Drummond
|
|
New York City-Ron Kovacs,The Mayor
|
|
Electronic Shop-Jim
|
|
MJAC BBS-Steve Godun,Walt Drummond
|
|
EBBBS-Ron Kovacs
|
|
West Coast Syndicate-The Magician,
|
|
Ron Kovacs
|
|
Backstage BBS-The Director,Walt
|
|
Drummond
|
|
Valhalla BBS-Woden
|
|
Funhouse BBS-Ron Kovacs
|
|
Mega Vision-Ron Kovacs
|
|
Hospital BBS-Ron Kovacs
|
|
===================================
|
|
Zmagazine July 19, 1986 #8
|
|
Please contribute!!!!
|
|
===================================
|
|
|
|
(c)1986 Ron Kovacs
|
|
(c)1988 SPC/Ron Kovacs
|