8bitfiles.net/archives/archives.tar/archives/compuserve-file-archive/15 Orphan Computers/VKY.DOC

Text File | 2019-04-13 | 17KB | 374 lines

   INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING:
        VKYDOW.SEQ
        VKYTOK.SEQ
      AND OTHER VKY???.* FILES


   20   REM THESE TWO PROGRAMS WILL TAKE A BASIC PROGRAM LISTING
   30   REM (IE ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS PROGRAM) AND WILL COPY
   40   REM IT ONTO THE DATASETTE RECORDER AS DATA. THE TOKEN PROGRAM
   50   REM WILL TAKE THE DATA FROM THE VIC20 DATASETTE RECORDER AND
   60   REM CONVERT THE DATA TO A PROGRAM (INSIDE THE VIC20).
   70   NREM FOR THE DWNLOD PROGRAM::: THE FUNCTION KEYS PERFORM AS
   80   REM FOLLOWS- F1:CONTROL C     F3:CONTROL P     F5 CONTROL Q
   90   REM F7:CONTROL S       F6:START SAVING EVERYTHING ONTO THE
  100   REM DATASETTE RECORDER.    F8:STOP SAVING ON DATASETTE.
  110   REM THE TOKEN PROGRAM WORKS AS FOLLOWS---
  120   REM IT WILL LOOK FOR THE DATA THAT WAS SAVED ON THE
  130   REM DATASETTE RECORDER.IT WILL THEN PRINT EACH LINE ON THE
  140   REM SCREEN. AFTER PRINTING EACH LINE,
  150   REM IT WILL ASK YOU IF YOU WANT TO SAVE
  160   REM IT OR SKIP OVER IT.THAT WAY ANY GARBELED LINES YOU
  170   REM CAN SKIP AND ENTER THEM YOURSELF LATER
  180   REM BASICALLY, ANY LINE IS ENTERED,AND GARBAGE(LIKE MISC
  190   REM CARRIAGE RETURNS,PHONELINE GARBAGE,ETC.)CAN BE ELIMINATED
  200   AFTER TOKEN HAS LOADED ALL OF PROGRAM/DATA FROM THE RECORDER
  210   REM IT WILL THEN ERASE ITSELF,LEAVING ONLY THE CONVERTED
  220   REM PROGRAM IN THE VIC20:(IE-MAKE SURE YOU MADE COPIES BEFORE
  230   MEM YOU RUN IT SINCE IT WILL ERASE ITSELF
  240   REM A NOTE TO THOSE WHO USE THIS PROGRAM. IF YOU LIKE IT,
  250   REM OR EVEN IF YOU DON'T, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS
  260   REM THESE PROGRAMS WERE WRITTEN AND TESTED ON AN UNEXPANDED
  270   REM VIC20.THE ONLY TIME I USED ANY EXPANSION WAS FOR THE
  280   REM UPLOADING PROGRAM I WROTE TO UPLOAD THESE 3 PROGRAMS
***************************************


 this is a list of many different items. you should find most of them useful.

 1. for better operation of dwnlod.vky :
    a. change line 330 to
      'a=f%(asc(a$)):printk$;chr$(a);:ifa=ethenpokey,d'
    b. change line 340 to
       'ifmthenprint#1,chr$(a);:ifpeek(t)=>lthen500'
    c. change line 430 to
       'i=peek(t):print#1,chr$(31);:ifpeek(t)>ithen430'
    d. basically,you are  changing from < a=asc(a$) >
       to  a=f%(asc(a$)) >,changing from
       < chr$(f%(a)) > to < chr$(a) > and
       changing from < chr$(10) > to < chr$(31) >
 2.there are basically 2 types of programs
   in the database.sequential and program. if
   it has 'img' after the program name, then
   it's a program file. when you use the 'read'
    command, if what you see looks like a program,
    (ie,looks like what you see when you type 'list' on your computer),
    then it is a sequential file,and can be downloaded by my program.if what
    you see looks like gibberish,then you cannot
   download it with my program (ie,it has 'img'
   after the program name).my program will only
   download sequential files (ie they look like a regular program
   listing).to download the other types,(ie
   program files,having 'img' extension),you
   need a program that uses compuserves protocols.
 3. method of downloading a file,program listing,
   data,messages,etc. with my 'dwnlod.vky program
    a. use 'read' command and see if it looks
       like a regular program listing. if it doesn't,
       my program won't download it.
    b. use the 'READ' command again, but do not-
       repeat, donnot push the return key.
    c. while hlding the shift key,push the f5
       function key(it's actually the f6 key since
       you pushed the shift).now you have activated
       the downloading function.
    d. now push the 'return' key so that the 'typ'
       command will be executed.
    e. you will notice that while the 'typ' is being executed,
       (ie the program listing is being listed on
       the screen),it keeps stopping every 7 to 15
       seconds.that's because the vic is saving it
       on the datasette recorder.
    f. when the screen is done listing,you will
       recieve the 'sig/acess:' prompt. at this time,
       push f8 (hold the shift and push f7 function key).
       this will deactivate the download function.
    g. if there is another program,file,message,
       or whatever that you want to download,just
       start againg at instruction a (using the
      'read' command).
    h. you can save continously as much as you
       want up to the end of the casette tape.
       (and even more if you turn the tape over).
 4. what you see on the screen is exactly what will be
    downloaded by my program.you can download
    messages from bulletin boards, etc.
    since you download what you see,special
    control cods [ie print quote clear/home endquote]
    won't work.this is why my programs are
    written using the 'chr$(xx)' commands to
    replace the special vic20 control codes
    (like the 'clear screen','reverse video','change
    character color',etc.
 6. after having been told by c64 owners that my programs
    work on their machines,i bought the c64
    programmers reference manual.since all the
    memory locations (that i used)are the same
    in the c64 as they are in the vic20,i have
   change my original opinion (that they
   wouldn't work in the c64).looks like they
   do work ok in both machines.if anybody has
   any opinions,comments,or additional info,
   it will be appreciated.
 7. if you downloaded messages,there is a program
    to allow you to just read back onto the
    screen what you downloaded. the program name
    is 'seedld.vky'.it should be on the
    database within a day or two of this.
 8. if you have a lot of lines,screen interference,etc.
    on your screen from the vic20,here's an easy
    method i used to eliminate about 95% of it.
    take the video cord that comes out of the
    vic20(and goes to the modulator box),
   and wrap it around your hand about 4 or 5 times
   (ie a circle of about 3 inch diameter of
    about 5 turns).i then taped this together
   to hold the loops together.since this shortened
   the cord to the tv,i used an eight foot audio
   cable to connect to the tv.if the audio
   cable lay in front of the tv,i still got some
   interference,so i moved the cable to the
   side of the tv.now it looksvery good.
 9. there is another program for uploading
    that i wrote.basically,it downloads the
    same as my downloading program,but it will
    also upload.that one needs additional
    memory to work though (i'm working on
    an upload program for the enexpanded vic20 now).
    the uplod program uploads a line of text in about
    4 seconds. i'm using the upload program
    to enter all this into the vic20 (with 16k expander)
    before i sign onto compuserve.
   there are a couple of minor bugs in it which i'll fix in
   another 'errata' file later).
   the uplod program has a couple of lines that
   need to be changed if your expansion is other
   then 16k,but that should be covered in the
   instructions that come with the upload
   program.again, any comments,questions,opinions,
   etc. are appreciated.(although it may take
   me several days to get back to you)


   terry [73465,1635]
***************************************

THIS IS A LIST OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS FROM
USERS.

Q1. I CAN'T GET THE PROGRAM TO WORK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

A1. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS.
FOR ME TO MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR
PROBLEM AND WHAT THINGS TO CHECK, I WOULD NEED MORE INFORMATION.
DOES YOUR SCREEN SAY 'READY'? DOES THE LIGHT ON YOUR MODEM
LIGHT UP (TO INDICATE THAT YOU HAVE DETECTED A COMPUTER) AT
THE PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU DIALED? ARE YOU ABLE TO GET ANY
PRINTING ON YOUR SCREEN? DO YOU ONLY HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN YOU
ARE TRYING TO DOWNLOAD? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THEN A
DATASETTE,1541 DISK DRIVE,OR 1525 PRINTER HOOKED UP TO YOUR
COMPUTER? IF YOU ARE NOT USING A VIC20, WHAT KIND OF COMPUTER
IS IT? DO YOU RECIEVE ANY PRINTED ERROR MESSAGES ON THE SCREEN?
(EXAMPLE-SYNTAX ERROR,SUBSCRIPT OUT OF RANGE,DEVICE NOT PRESENT,
TYPE MISMATCH,ETC.). IF YOU RECIEVED AN ERROR MESSAGE,WHAT LINE
NUMBER DID IT PRINT THAT THE ERROR WAS ON (THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT).
IS THE PROBLEM LATER ON WHEN YOU TRY USING ONE OF THE OTHER
PROGRAMS (LIKE TOKEN.VKY ETC.)?
*** IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME ENOUGH INFORMATION I CAN'T REALLY
HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOUR PROBLEM ACTUALLY IS RELEVANT
THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.(YOU CAN'T TELL ME TO MUCH)


Q2. I KEEP GETTING 'SYNTAX ERROR IN 340' WHEN USING 'DWNLOD.VKY'
ON MY UNEXPANDED VIC20.

A2. THIS APPEARS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS.
IT SEEMS THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE USE '?' AS AN ABBREVIATION FOR
'PRINT' WHEN TYPING IN PROGRAMS. WHILE '?' IS AN ABBREVIATION
FOR 'PRINT', IT IS NOT (REPEAT NOT) AN ABBREVIATION FOR 'PRINT#'.
FREQUENTLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS,PEOPLE THINK THAT THE ERROR IS IN
THE PART OF THE LINE WHICH SAYS 'IFMTHEN'. MOST PEOPLE ARE
USED TO HAVING ONE OR MORE OPERATORS (IE '=' OR '<' OR '>'  )
AND THEN ANOTHER NUMBER (OR VARIABLE) FOLLOWING THE VARIABLE.
EXAMPLE- 'IFM=0THEN'
THIS IS NOT NECESSARY. IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING AFTER
THE VARIABLE, THE COMPUTER TREATS IT AS THOUGH '<>0' (DOES NOT
EQUAL ZERO) FOLLOWS THE VARIABLE. 'IFMTHEN' IS IDENTICAL
TO 'IFM<>0THEN' EXCEPT THAT THE FORMER USES LESS MEMORY (VERY
IMPORTANT IF USING AN UNEXPANDED VIC) AND IT ALSO RUNS FASTER.


Q3. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO WORK OK BUT EVERYTIME I AM SAVING ONTO
CASETTE, I LOSE A COUPLE CHARACTERS, OR ELSE THEY BECOME GARBELED.

A3. THERE ARE SECTIONS IN EACH DOWNLOADING PROGRAM THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY FOR KEEPING YOU FROM LOSING AND GETTING GARBELED
CHARACTERS (ASSUMING THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT CAUSED BY PHONE
LINE NOISE). THESE ARE LINES 550 TO 690 IN DWNLOD.VKY
LINES 550 TO 610 AND LINE 990 IN UPLOD4.VKY
LINES 440 TO 510 IN PARTI6.VKY
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU CHECK THESE LINES AGAINST WHAT IS IN
THE FILE FOR ACCURACY.


Q4. I AM RATHER NEW TO COMPUTING AND NOT SURE OF MANY THINGS.
I AM NOT SURE HOW TO USE YOUR PROGRAM TO DOWNLOAD.

A4. PLEASE LOOK AT MY OTHER FILES (VKY???.*) FOR
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE THE PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE
WHAT DOWNLOADING OR UPLOAD MEANS,LOOK AT THE FILE 'HELP.HLP'
FOR A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DOWNLOADING AND UPLOADING AND WHERE TO FIND MORE
ONLINE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS SIG.


Q5. I AM NOT SURE HOW TO USE YOUR PROGRAM DWNLOD.VKY
DO I LOAD IT BEFORE OR AFTER I LOAD (INSERT THE NAME OF YOUR
FAVORITE PROGRAM HERE).

A5. NEITHER-YOUR COMPUTER CAN ONLY RUN ONE PROGRAM AT A TIME,
NOT TWO.MY PROGRAMS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE ADDED ONTO (OR WITH)
ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMPUTER.



Q6. IS THERE ANY WAY TO CHANGE YOUR PROGRAM(S) TO HAVE 40 COLUMNS
ON THE SCREEN? ALSO,HOW CAN I SET/CHANGE THE DEFAULT VALUES
FOR THE BAUD,PARITY,ETC.?

A6. THE ONLY WAY I KNOW OF TO GET 40 CHARACTERS PER LINE IS
THRU MACHINE LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING. BASICALLY,IF YOU KNOW
HOW TO DO MACHINE LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING,YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T
EVEN ASK THE QUESTION, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW MACHINE LANGUGE,
YOU'VE GOT QUITE A WAYS TO GO JUST TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
HOW FORMIDABLE A TASK YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT.
AS FAR AS CHANGING THE BAUD RATE, PARITY, ETC. THAT IS COVERED
IN DETAIL IN THE VIC PROGRAMMERS REFERENCE GUIDE UNDER THE
SECTION LABELED 'RS-232 INTERFACE'. AGAIN, IF YOU ARE A
PROGRAMMER,YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ASKING THAT QUESTION
(BECAUSE YOU'D PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK,READ IT, AND
WOULD ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT),AND IF YOU'RE NOT A PROGRAMMER,
THEN YOU WOULDPROBABLY MESS THINGS UP BY CHANGING
THINGS THE WRONG WAY. IT IS BEYOND MY SCOPE AT THIS POINT AND
TIME TO GIVE PROGRAMMING LESSONS. (IE. IT'S NOT A SIMPLE
MATTER). ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS IF YOU KNOW
ENOUGH PROGRAMMING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK UP THE INFORMATION IN
A BOOK TO FIND OUT HOW IT IS DONE, YOU WOULDN'T ASK
IF YOU HAVE TO ASK,THEN YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE
ANSWER.(IT'S A LITTLE LIKE ASKING HOW TO BUILD A HOUSE-
IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE AND DON'T KNOW HOW, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING SOMEBODY TO EXPLAIN TO YOU
HOW TO DO IT. (IT'S SOMETHING THAT TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN).
(IF THIS WERE A MAGAZINE ARTICLE,THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH
THE AUTHOR WOULD WRITE 'THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS ARTICLE).


Q7. HOW DO I MAKE YOUR PROGRAM WORK? I AM FAIRLY NEW TO
COMPUTERS AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE READ YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, I
NEED MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS.

A7. I'LL TRY TO MAKE THE INSTRUCTIONS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE::::
AND LEAVE NOTHING OUT-THIS IS AS EXPLICIT AS I CAN BE.....
     A. TURN ON YOUR COMPUTER
     B. LOAD THE PROGRAM (EXAMPLE-   LOAD"DWNLOD"    )
     C. TYPE IN 'RUN'
     D. DIAL YOUR COMPUSERVE PHONE NUMBER
     E. WHEN THE RED LIGHT ON THE SIDE OF YOUR MODEM TURNS ON
        (TO INDICATE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED UP TO COMPUSERVE)
        PUSH THE F1 KEY (YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PUSH IT MORE THEN ONCE)
     G. THE SCREEN SHOULD SAY '^C' AND THEN SHOULD SAY 'USER ID:'
        (IF YOU CALL THRU TYMNET, ETC. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT LOGON
        PROCEDURES-CONSULT COMPUSERVE AS TO HOW TO LOGON THRU OTHER
        NETWORKS TO COMPUSERVE)
     H. THAT IS BASICALLY IT- YOU ESSENTIALLY USE THE SAME TYPE OF
        CONNECTION PROCEDURE YOU USED TO LOGON TO READ THIS.
     I. TO DOWNLOAD SOMETHING,YOU USE THE F5 AND THE F7 KEY TO
        TURN ON AND OFF (RESPECTIVELY) THE DOWNLOADING FUNCTIONS.
        IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT DOWNLOADING MEANS, THEN PLEASE LOOK
        AT THE FILE NAMED 'HELP.HLP' FOR A SIMPLE EXPLANATION
        OF WHERE THE DOWNLOADING AND UPLOADING INSTRUCTIONS ARE.


Q8. THE SOFTWARE I AM USING SUPPORTS 40 COLUMNS. HOW CAN I
USE YOUR PROGRAMS (OR PARTS OF YOUR PROGRAMS) WITH THE
SOFTWARE I AM USING TO DOWNLOAD?

A8. I DON'T KNOW. THE PROGRAMS AS WRITTEN WILL RUN AS THEY ARE.
I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW TO MODIFY A PROGRAM I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT
AND THEREFORE HAVE NEVER USED AND THEREFORE REALLY KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT.


WQ9. WHEN I USE YOUR PROGRAMS TO TRY TO SEND PROGRAMS TO A
FRIEND OVER THE TELEPHONE LINES,THEY ONLY GET THE FIRST
(BEGINNING) PART OF WHAT I SEND-EVERYTHING ELSE IS LOST.

A9. SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT THAT LAST YEAR AND I GAVE THEM
A MODIFICATION TO THE PROGRAM FOR THAT. (I DON'T REMEMBER
OFFHAND IF THEY GOT BACK TO ME TO LET ME KNOW IF IT WORKED).
I'LL TRY TO LOOK UP (OR REWRITE) THOSE MODIFICATIONS AGAIN
AND THEN PUT THEM IN THE DATABASE.


Q10. THE PROGRAM WORKS FINE. THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT DOWNLOAD.

A10. YOU USE THE F5 AND THE F7 FUNCTION KEYS.
----NOTE---- I RECIEVE MANY QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE.
THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROGRAM.
IT WOULD APPEAR AS THOUGH SOME PEOPLE COPY THE DOWNLOAD
PROGRAM TO USE, BUT NEGLECT TO LOOK AT THE INSTRUCTION FILE
THAT EXPLAINS HOW TO USE IT. REMEMBER, IF ALL ELSE FAILS,
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. DO NOT ASSUME THAT ALL THE OTHER FILES
ARE PROGRAMS-THEY ARE NOT!!!!!!!!!
SOME ARE INSTRUCTIONS, SOME ARE TEXT FILES EXPLAINING THINGS.
WHAT I FIND "INTERESTING" IS THAT WHEN I CHECK MY FILES, IT
SEEMS THAT ABOUT TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE ACCESSED THE
PROGRAM FILE AS THE INSTRUCTIONS. THAT IMPLYS THAT ABOUT
HALF THE PEOPLE WHO READ THE PROGRAM FILE DID NOT LOOK AT
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING IT.


Q11. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN MODIFY YOUR PROGRAMS SO I CAN
DOWNLOAD TO DISK INSTEAD OF CASETTE?

A11. YES, BUT I'VE FOUND IT EASIER TO JUST WRITE ANOTHER
PROGRAM FOR THE DISK (WHEN YOU HAVE A DISK, YOU RARELY USE
THE CASETTE). I'VE MISPLACED MY COPY OF THAT MESSAGE (FROM
LAST YEAR) AND SO I CAN'T SEND THAT PERSON A MESSAGE BACK
THAT I NOW HAVE A PROGRAM TO DO THIS.


*********MISC. *******

I CAN ONLY ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING EQUIPMENT THAT I AM
FAMILAR WITH (AT THE TIME OF THAT LAST QUESTION, I DID NOT
HAVE A DISK DRIVE.) THE EQUIPMENT THAT I CURRENTLY (APRIL 1984)
HAVE IS-- VIC20,16K EXPANSION,1525 PRINTER,1541 DISK DRIVE,
DATASETTE RECORDER,1600 VICMODEM.
**********
IF THE PROGRAM YOU ARE TRYING TO USE HAS AN ERROR, PLEASE
GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FILE AGAIN. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT THE FIRST TIME, YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN
SOME PHONE LINE NOISE WHICH GARBELED THE PROGRAM LINE
(IE. YOU NOW HAVE AN INCORRECT LINE WITH ERROR(S) IN IT ).
COMPARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY THERE IN THE FILE.
THIS WILL CAUSE THE PROBLEM TO SHOW UP (IF IT WAS A PHONE
LINE NOISE PROBLEM.
*******************
FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED-----
I STARTED USING THE PROGRAM THAT CAME IN THE INSTRUCTION
BOOK WITH THE MODEM. AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT DOWNLOADING,
I DECIDED TO CHANGE IT FOR DOWNLOADING-IT TOOK ABOUT SIX MONTHS
OF TRIAL AND ERROR (LITTLE THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT) TO
GET IT TO WORK.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE WHO DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY
HELPED IT GET WRITTEN IN THE FIRST PLACE (THAT I KNOW ABOUT).
JOE BROWN
NEIL HARRIS
JEFF HAND
JIM BUTTERFIELD
IF I LEFT OUT ANYBODY PLEASE FORGIVE MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
THANK YOU
TERRY IMLER [73465,1635]
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