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in, and can handle files of any size. It can proportional space (though not as well as PCIII), and it can microspace. It has a more comprehensive, context-sensitive help system, and its mail-merge capabilities are unparalleled by any other WP I've ever used. Its speller is MUCH more powerful, with a 50,000 word dictionary (which was compiled by WRITERS and actually has more useful words than, say, Timeworks' 100,000-word monster), and it can do word lookup and word suggestion. Although WordStar's column capabilities aren't as straight-forward and "editable" as PW3's, you are not limited as to size, amount, or placement of the columns you create. Biggest advantages, though: it is NOT copy-protected, and WordStar is EASILY customizable. The company that made it assumed the majority of its users are legitimate writers and NOT software theives, and included even a patching program, and a memory map. It can use any device CP/M can use, and the size of the files you create are only limited by the amount of free space on your document disk. The entire program can be loaded into a 1750 for lightning-fast operation that leaves IBM users green...not even a hard drive on a 486 goes as fast as a RAM disk on ANY system! CP/M's facilties for time and date stamping are also very useful if you are doing sizable writing projects. Ever had two versions of a single chapter on disk and wondered which one really DID come first? Under CP/M one command will tell you. PW3 does have some advantages, though, and I use it frequently as well: It is easier to learn, though more limited (somehow these two almost always go together). It is sometimes faster, especially cursor movement. Its column functions are simpler to use and easier to edit. The screen is more colorful and "prettier." The command structure is more mnemonic, and the most common commands are "mouse-able." You can edit two files at a time if they are <30K, which most files are. You can store your docs in CMD native-mode partitions of unlimited size. Macros are "learnable" and easier to get used to, though much more limited in scope. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but of the two, I boot WordStar far more often. ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 20 Tue Nov 24, 1992 J.PEEPLES [CPM Survivor] at 00:56 EST Uh... I just was reading in my buffer, and found out that the question I tried to answer above was not the question I was asked... OK, how do I compare WordStar 4 with PaperClip III? That's tougher to call. Above, I compared WS4 with Pocket Writer 3, where, in my humble opinion, WordStar comes out a pretty definative winner. But the comparison with PCIII is much closer. OK, here goes. One clear advantage of WordStar is that it is true WYSIWYG, capable of showing underlining, boldfacing, and italics onscreen, and using different colors for super and subscripts, strikethrough, etc... Both programs are not copy protected. WordStar is limited to using CP/M devices, so RAMLink in particular is not well supported. This is not true of PaperClip III, which runs from RAMLink, HD, 1541, 1571, 1581, and I am sure FD as well, with equal ease, in any type partition. PCIII from a RAMLink is lightning fast, and if you have a 1750 as well, you can load in the dictionary almost instantly for the real-time speller. Both programs have good spell checking support. I think WordStar has a little bit better dictionary, and some good file utilities...however, PCIII's is far better integrated into the program and easier for a novice to get used to. Also PCIII's real-time spell checking is unduplicated in WordStar (or any other 8-bit wp I know of). WordStar has the advantage of unlimited file length. This is one area in particular where I have found PCIII to be weak. Both programs have a good embedded command language. WordStar's mail merge capabilities are far more powerful, but PCIII's commands can be placed anywhere in text, even in the middle of a paragraph or word, where WS4's must be on a line of their own, one only per line. Also, PCIII has absolute margin and numeric tab setting. That means you don't have to recalculate margins if you change pitches or from fixed spacing to proportional or vice-versa. Speaking of proportionality, WordStar can do it, but shares the limitations of all WYSIWYG text-based wp's: spacing is calculated to make the printed page line length match that of the screen. PaperClip III does not share this limitation, and so its proportional output looks typeset, within the limitations of your printer. WordStar is easier to install for printers, but is limited to picking the closest of about 100 printer types. PaperCLip's drivers are harder to create, but allow you to fully customize hem for your printer. The proportional spacing features of PCIII is especially hard to install for your printer until you figure out just how it works. I'm pretty good at it now, but I tried for about a year before I got it working the first time on a Star NX-1000. My Epson AP5000 was easier to install. Both programs are powerful and well-supported. You can't go wrong with either one. I still seem to like WordStar a little better, especially for longer files, but I use PCIII very frequently as well. In my opinion, it's a coin-toss. ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 21 Tue Nov 24, 1992 C128.JBEE at 02:52 EST The 499 line limit (less if you are using lines greater than 80 characters) is probably the main weakness. I know I have some unique workarounds :) One thing I have noticed about PC3 is you can't redefine and place characters (hex) in your code that perform PC3 functions without choking it. All and all though, I would hate to give it ip :) I am amazed you got proportional printing to work, I gave up and just place text by the eyeball method :D ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 22 Tue Nov 24, 1992 J.PEEPLES [CPM Survivor] at 23:43 EST Well, getting the proportional to work is actually pretty straight- forward. The little addendum that describes how to make/modify a PCIII driver is one of the WORST peices of computer documentation I've ever had to work with. :( The only thing about PCIII printer drivers is the 5-chars and 1-sec. address limit. Lasers, for instance, usually use more than 5 char in a command, don't they? Also I have never been able to get a driver to properly *center* proportional text...but I think that's because of a disagreement between the how the computer thinks the microspace command (ESC "/") works and how the printer really interprets it... Other than that proportional works great for me. Took long enough to figure it out, though! ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 23 Wed Nov 25, 1992 C128.JBEE at 03:24 EST With the laser you have to send the code from within the text file because they are so long. After the code is sent to set up your fonts and what have you, you then issue a start at top of page command to the printer. ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 24 Wed Nov 25, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 04:32 EST ha! Hidden away in its manual, my ole (now tired) 9 pin Epson has its own internal proportional print. Works fine in all settings! Its main advantage tho is speed. Markedly faster than doing the same thing under PW3 control. Pre-redefined characters turn this feature on/off. However, after seeing everything that has been posted about PCIII, this too is now on my Christmas list, which I might add seems to be growing bigger and bigger, faster and faster... :) Howie P.S. When I say the Epson is tired, I cannot prove it, but it sure seems to be a lot slower printing than I remember. I was able to run three applications during the time the printer got fed the docs for RTCM! ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 25 Mon Jan 18, 1993 A.BURGER [Alex Burger] at 18:51 EST On Oct 30, 1991, M.MINNIG said that Elite V 3.0 would 'de-protect some of the Pocket 2 series and leave them as file-copyable programs.' I made a copy of Pocket Writer 2 128 to another 1541 disk with Elite V3.0, but the directory is the SAME as the original, so simply file copying the files will not work. In case you haven't noticed, the largest file on the disk is READ ME which is 15 blocks long. :) I haven't tried copying the C64 version because I already have a 'SnapShot' of it. Does it copy it differently on the 64? I then used MCOPY to copy the copy to a 1541 partition in my RamLink, but the program wouldn't boot. I also tried to have Elite copy from the 1571 to the RL by swapping the drives around. Elite won't recognize the RamLink! It won't even boot from the RL if I MCOPY it to it. Has anyone had ANY luck copying PW II 128 to the RL? Alex P.S. I must say, Digital Solutions is VERY good at copy protection! I must also say that I hate it because I am on my THIRD copy! ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 26 Mon Jan 18, 1993 C128.JBEE at 23:15 EST It is SLOW because it is compiled Basic and I never got around to doing the ML version but did you try my copier in the CMD library to put it in your Ramlink? I know this program works where MCOPY fails. I think Howie tried the Pocket series before and didn't have success? ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 27 Tue Jan 19, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] at 00:42 EST Pocket Writer protection is a major bear. I tried loading PW2 into the "alternate" 256K of my C512, but unfortunately it wouldn't run... must mess with memory location $D506, changing bits 5 and 6 (or 4 and 5, whatever the releavant ones are). So, the trick of rebooting to normal mode and saving a memory image of Bank 3 won't work :< -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 28 Wed Jan 20, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 02:17 EST Major bear, huh? Good description Rob! :) Alex, until a deprotected version gets released, it will not run from RAMLink. All three of the Pockets rely on burst load routines that require drive memory, and since RL's have none, they crash. Well, the one that I put into RL did. It was an imperfect duplicate that ran slow, and ocassionally crashed but it was copyable. Not really of much value but I was able to get it into RL to determine that it would not even begin to run from there. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 29 Wed Jan 27, 1993 A.BURGER [Alex Burger] at 21:11 EST Howie, what did you use to make a copy of Pocket Writer II 128? When I boot using the ELIVE V3.0 copy, it loads slower... Alex ------------ Category 3, Topic 4 Message 30 Fri Jan 29, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 02:13 EST Alex, Actually it was a copy of Planner2 that I put into RAMLink. Someone else had made the copy so not sure what was used. But it was not a good copy since things ran slower, and sometimes it would crash. That never happens with an original. I've kept it around mostly as a curiousity than anything else. And tried it out on RL to confirm everything I had already been told.... Howie ------------ ************ Topic 5 Wed Aug 11, 1993 J.BARBER9 [dan barber] (Forwarded) Sub: A C64 virus? I had read about a virus from germany that can infect a 64. Is this true? The file I read was 9756. Since I have a very large software libary I would like to know how to stop it. Thanks in advance. 5 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 1 Wed Aug 11, 1993 HOWIE-CBM (Forwarded) Dan, Yes. It is true. Someone did write a form of virus to infect C64 files. However, I also understand that this was written more as a challange to see if something like this is possible, rather than the actual spread of anything destructive. In other words, it was written, but never released to do its dastardly deed. There is little need for any concern. However, limiting the acquisition of programming to known reliable sources is always a good idea, most of the time anyway. The reason I say most of the time is that even reliable sources will do ridiculous things, such as the Trojan Horse in GEOS. While a Trojan Horse is not technically a virus, it is nevertheless equally as destructive, in my opinion. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 2 Thu Aug 12, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] (Forwarded) Hmm, the Trojan Horse is not quite as destructive as the classical virus such as is found on MS-DOS systems and so forth. You'll only see it if you try to make "other" boot disks than the one that comes with your system (e.g. with Jim Collette's 1581 bootmaker), and it will only do it's dastardly deed to that disk, it doesn't go and infect other disks and files. I view the Trojan Horse as more of a pain in the neck than as destructive, since it would only lose the files on the first page of the boot disk, and all the files I had on that page were BSW applications and system files that I had other places anyway. Still, it's enough of a pain that BSW should be severly pistol whipped for putting it in there, and it is well worth getting rid of it via Jim's TrojanKiller of whatever other method. -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 3 Thu Aug 12, 1993 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) There were more than a few reasons why I coined it "the software from hell" ;) ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 4 Fri Aug 13, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] (Forwarded) Heh. What _is_ software from hell is geoPublish... we NEED a 128 version of that puppy! Add a little snap and sizzle to it! -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 5 Message 5 Fri Aug 13, 1993 J.BARBER9 [dan barber] (Forwarded) Thanks for all the info! :) Dan ------------ ************ Topic 6 Sun Aug 15, 1993 M.ROCKOFF [Rocky1] (Forwarded) Sub: B8 Print Driver Printer drivers for Basic 8 19 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 1 Sun Aug 15, 1993 M.ROCKOFF [Rocky1] (Forwarded) I'm looking for a driver for a CITOH PROWRITER (8510). Can anyonr eelp? ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 2 Sun Aug 15, 1993 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) Does the CITOH PROWRITER (8510) emulate any type of printer? ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 3 Sun Aug 22, 1993 M.ROCKOFF [Rocky1] at 16:49 EDT Not at e CITOH dosent emulate I can set dip swites to use it on apple Apple II I ink it's i Imagewriter compatable is way. I can also set it fot r IBM, TRS80, ATARI, B but I don't know at printers ey emulate , if any. BTW I'm using a Super Xetec Su Super Grafix Sr. interface. anks, Mike ike (Rocky1) ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 4 Mon Aug 23, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] at 02:50 EDT Rockey- That last message was severly garbled. I think you might want to check your terminal configuration on GEnie, as it seems that the message editor is not doing what you think it is. A few tips: Before sending the message, type "*p" and hit RETURN at the beginning of a line. This will let you see what the message will look like to others. Depending on your terminal program, you might be able to edit a message offline in the terminal programs buffer. If you can do this, when replying to a message type "*up" at the "1>" prompt and then transmit your buffer to GEnie once you see "READY FOR INPUT." (You will need to consult your termianal program manual to figure out how to do this, or drop by an RTC and ask the folk there for help.) Send a break to GEnie (probably CTRL-C, but it varies depending on your setup), and then type "*s" when you get a "xx>" prompt back. -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 5 Mon Aug 23, 1993 C128.JBEE at 09:58 EDT > M.ROCKOFF Your message came out a bit mixed up. If you can set it to "IBM" mode, then either the IBM or FX-80 drivers should work. Your interface should be set to "transparent". Have you tried those? ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 6 Sun Oct 03, 1993 M.ROCKOFF [Rocky1] at 11:59 EDT To: JBEE I've tried both drives neither one worked. I'll have to try to write one. This will take a while and if it works I'll upload it. To: RKNOP Thanks for the info. If it works you'll be able to read this. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 7 Sun Oct 03, 1993 C128.JBEE at 17:03 EDT I would suggest NOT using the examples in the Basic 8 book and just writing a program that prints the data by reading the VDC memory since this is a lot faster. That is what I did for my HP PaintJet driver. Just find the beginning of the screen by reading the VDC registers. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 8 Sat Nov 13, 1993 R.KANE [edgarderby] at 09:54 EST You'e right, that's much faster than using the Basic 8 calls to print. But there should be one caution: If the program you're using such a driver with uses virtual screens, you'll need to be sure you're scroll to the top of the picture. Another caution: I don't know if this is the case for any Basic 8 paint program, but if it double-buffers-- displays one screen while drawing one another-- you'll get the image displayed during the printout (which could be different than the one you want to print). Again, I don't know if any Basic 8 program does this, but I Paint does when using a Basic 8 driver instead of an I Paint driver. There are a couple of memory locations that store the addresses of the draw- and view-screens; I'll have to look around a bit & pass'em along. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 9 Wed Dec 01, 1993 C128.JBEE at 18:59 EST Is there any place left selling Basic 8? ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 10 Thu Dec 02, 1993 H.HERMAN1 at 07:36 EST JBEE, Well, I've just received the latest Software Saupport International catalog. It lists *THOUSANDS* of Commodore software titles. Not exactly sure on the mumber of titles, but the listing is *HUGE*. However, I do not recall seeing Basic 8 in that list. It may have been there, and I could have miissed it. Just so many names. BTW, anyone wanting this catalog can request a copy by calling: 1-800-356- 1179. Be sure to ask for the Commodore edition of the Winter 1993 Catalog. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 11 Thu Dec 02, 1993 C128.JBEE at 19:02 EST I have not seen Basic 8 anywhere! ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 12 Sun Dec 05, 1993 F.OGLE [Color BBS] at 21:11 EST Isn't Briwall in business anymore? Seems I got a catalog from them last summer and B8 was there ... ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 13 Mon Dec 06, 1993 L.SCHONDER [Lou] at 00:07 EST I heard that briWall is out of business. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 14 Mon Dec 06, 1993 CMD-DOUG at 00:35 EST Briwall went out of business a few months ago. Before summer I believe. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 15 Mon Dec 06, 1993 H.HERMAN1 at 07:34 EST Doug, I am sorry to hear this. I was especially impressed with Janet's vigor and enthusiasm from the very first time I met her at a WOC. I always liked Briwall. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 16 Tue Dec 07, 1993 F.OGLE [Color BBS] at 01:42 EST I liked doing business with them. Sorry to see them bite the dust. :( ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 17 Fri Dec 10, 1993 D.TUOMI [Doctor] at 03:33 EST Is anyone going to pick up the distribution rights to their software? Doc. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 18 Sun Dec 12, 1993 L.SCHONDER [Lou] at 23:33 EST I've gotten the impression that Basic 8 is very hard to find. ------------ Category 3, Topic 6 Message 19 Mon Dec 13, 1993 C128.JBEE at 05:58 EST Impossible is more like it. ------------ ************ Topic 7 Sun Dec 27, 1992 G.HOYLE (Forwarded) Sub: Search for a Simple ARC Program Basically, I want an easy-to-use program to archive files for easy upload/download. Is there such a thing? You tell me! 45 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 1 Sun Dec 27, 1992 G.HOYLE (Forwarded) All the archival programs I've seen are pretty complex and confusing, and all I want to do is upload some files. Does anybody have any good advice? ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 2 Sun Dec 27, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] (Forwarded) The easiest thing to do is to learn how to use ARC. I don't mean that to sound condescending or snitty or anything. I know what you mean about learning it. I have been in CBM computers since 1982 and only learned to make SFX files within the last 4 months. GEOS is a prog I have never taken time to learn, thus can understand exactly what you are talking about. I simply do not want to learn GEOS and have no reason to learn it. Symbol Master is a symbolc disassembler I use which is quite complicated, but I have a great interest in it and need it frequently. See what I mean. You probably have little desire to learn ARC, but you do apparently have a reason to do it. There is a LOT of good help info here in the BB to use it and lots more for the asking. You didn't say whether you are using a 64 or 128. But once you learn, at least, what you need to archive the files it will seem very simple. Me, I plan on avoiding GEOS like the plague but I'm reasonable proficient with ARC, which is probably right up there on the 'confusing and hard to use' list. Ask away. We can help! ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 3 Sun Dec 27, 1992 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) BTW: we will have menu driven versions of ARC in 93 along with a Geos version. If you buffer and read the CS-DOS topic I am sure you will find just about every question you could ask already answered. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 4 Sat Jan 02, 1993 C.OGLE2 [breadstick] (Forwarded) While we're on the subject, I'm wondering if it'll ever be possible to to zip/unzip (as in the c64 version, not pkzip) and LYNX files in the CS-DOS environment. I can't think of how many times that would've come in handy while checking out a plethera of new downloads at one sitting. Just a thought. Breadstick ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 5 Sat Jan 02, 1993 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) We are starting on a geoARC for the C-64 and C-128 in a few days. It will be completely menu driven. After that we will do a non-Geos menu driven program for both the C-64 and C-128 that runs without the CS-DOS shell. The deARCer will be freeware. I have no plans on supporting C-64 style zips or Lynx files as I think they are terrible to work with and are an obsolete way of archiving files. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 6 Sat Jan 02, 1993 GULLIBLE [Jon] (Forwarded) Zip code is useful in archiving 1541 disks to 1581 format. But, the program is already menu driven and I don't see how it could be made simpler. Lynx is a useless program. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 7 Tue Jan 19, 1993 D.HUFFMAN1 (Forwarded) I am starting to look around on Internet. Anybody have any ideas as to the existence or the feasibility of .Z decompression for the C64 ? Barring that, does anybody know where to find specs or C source code that might be adapted ? ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 8 Tue Jan 19, 1993 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) If you mean C source code for .zip decompression it is in Lib#1 or #5 and was recently uploaded by B.Lucier1. I have found the ATARI ST or Orphan RT is packed with source code files for everything under the Sun. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 9 Tue Jan 19, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] (Forwarded) .Z files are produced by the Unix "Compress" command, and I'm pretty sure they're different from .zip files. Right now, I'm pretty sure there are no .Z decompressers for the 64, but I would expect that it probably can be done. (Making a .Z compressor, on the other hand, is probably a lot harder.) I will look around and see what I can find. Re: stuff that shows up on the ftp site I run, I try to rearchive it using a more "normal" C= archiver. Sometimes for whatever reason (e.g. you might want to read the file under Unix) I will leave the .Z version there. -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 10 Wed Jan 20, 1993 HOWIE-CBM (Forwarded) There is a perfectly fine un `.z' filer that runs in the 128's CP/M personality. I've used it many times. Most all of the CP/M programs today come with source code included. You might take a look at that file over in the CP/M RoundTable. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 11 Sat Feb 13, 1993 F.OGLE [Color 64 BBS] at 14:44 EST I disagree re: Zip being obsolete, it's very nice to back up copy-protected disks that have hidden directories, etc. I do prefer arc tho -- easier to use :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 12 Sun Feb 14, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] at 10:58 EST 3-7 Fred- Funny to hear you say that! I hear a lot of people say that arc is really hard to use. (Apparently arc on the 64 isn't as dependable or as easy to use as arc128 under CS-DOS? Dunno, I stick with arc128.) Meanwhile, they extol the virtues of zipcode.... A lot of people also greatly prefer Lynx to Arc, though I really don't know _what_ they are thinking :) . Maybe Lynx is faster, but I've only had trouble every time I've tried to use Lynx... and, anyway, I'm all for compression, and self-dearchiving archives whenever possible. -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 13 Wed Feb 17, 1993 F.OGLE [Color 64 BBS] at 23:11 EST The answers, as a SysOp, are simple -- Some folks are not inclined to be very technical-minded, and LYNX, being all menu driven, caters to their needs. There are some SDA modules that are menu-driven, so SDA doesn't have quite the rep that ARC64 has for being SLLLLLOOOWWW, and not being menu- driven (to those reading this who are of this opinion, ARD-AID adds menus to ARD230 or ARC250). Using Zip-Code is very easy and painless (although it doesn't like RAMLINK), and in some cases, is necessary. I use ARC128 as much as possible, but in the C= world, Zipcode will always be used, simply because it fills a huge need. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 14 Sat Feb 27, 1993 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 09:16 EST Howie: I got a reply from Kent, and I think Noel would know more. Not only that, but I think Noel is the more technical... he has tons of stuff in the old Transactors... he was one of the major contributors... Besides, I met him in 1990, and I believe it was him that is the genius behind the SwiftLink. I don't have access to Internet except for here, and that is a premium service isn't it? I'm going to work with it for awhile today and then if I can't get it to go I'm going to put it on the back burner for awhile. This Kermit you mention... is it object file or source file. If it is object file it would be more trouble than it is worth. Besides, you know what Kent told me... most people have had trouble getting a transmit buffer to work and ended up going without it. Go figure... I may be barking up the wrong tree ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 15 Sat Feb 27, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 13:46 EST Ed, I do not know about source vs: object. All I know is it is a program which runs fine. If you need (or want) something transmitted to Noel, I'll gladly do it for you thru my INet connection. Feel free to send me whatever you may want sent. However, I see that you are now close to getting this prob licked in any event. Quite an achievement considering how many others have tried. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 16 Thu May 13, 1993 B.MCCANN2 [Bridget] at 20:59 EDT I am having a little difficulty, I'm not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a try. If this is not the right place to ask, please direct me to the proper topic. I'm not sure if it is me and my machine (being an IBM), however, I recently downloaded a couple files for a friend of mine who works with a Commodore 64 and is not a member of GEnie, two of them were with the extension of .ARC. However, when I went in to unpack them I got an error in the archive. Is this because of a corrupted file or because I am attempting to unpack a Commodore ARC'd file with an IBM machine. Any and all assistance would be appreciated as I will have to explain what to do to my friend once I get the files. One last thing, two of the other files I downloaded showed as having two separate designates for file name, ie. QUICK SHEET and COLUMN CALC, however that is not allowable on my IBM, will my downloading these files with my machine and new file name cause a problem when he attempts use them on his machine? Once again, thanks for any and all assistance forthcoming from both me and my friend. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 17 Thu May 13, 1993 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 23:26 EDT Bridget: BM> however, I recently downloaded a couple files for a friend BM> of mine who works with a Commodore 64 and is not a member of BM> GEnie, two of them were with the extension of .ARC. BM> However, when I went in to unpack them I got an error in the BM> archive. Is this because of a corrupted file or because I BM> am attempting to unpack a Commodore ARC'd file with an IBM BM> machine. More than likely, you have a Commodore ARC'd file that is not compatible with the IBM ARC dissolve code. There *are* some Commodore ARChives that are compatible, and the kick is that the .arc extension is the same. But... BM> I downloaded showed as having two separate designates for BM> file name, ie. QUICK SHEET and COLUMN CALC, however that is BM> not allowable on my IBM, will my downloading these files BM> with my machine and new file name cause a problem when he BM> attempts use them on his machine? This will cause more of a problem for you than for him. However, you and your friend will have to figure out some way to get the files from your hardware to his/hers. This can be a simple as a null-modem or as involved as uploading to another BBS and downloading again (yuch!). ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 18 Fri May 14, 1993 B.MCCANN2 [Bridget] at 00:09 EDT -=-=-=- To: CBM-ED [e.g.bell] -=-=-=- > More than likely, you have a Commodore ARC'd file that is not > compatible with the IBM ARC dissolve code. There *are* some > Commodore ARChives that are compatible, and the kick is that the > .arc extension is the same. But... Okay, next question would be, I have the ARC. program, will my giving it to my friend by some means (re: your additional comments) enable him to unpack that file or will he need an ARC program specifically made for Commodores. If that is the case, what is the file number? > This will cause more of a problem for you than for him. > However, you and your friend will have to figure out some way > to get the files from your hardware to his/hers. This can be > a simple as a null-modem or as involved as uploading to > another BBS and downloading again (yuch!). Hmmmmm, this sounds as though it may be more complicated than I had originally thought since the computer that he uses is at his place of employment and I am not sure as to whether it has modem capabilities in order to allow him to access GEnie or any other BBS, nor do we have the flexibilty nor the knowledge to do a null-modem transfer. <sigh> Any suggestions as to where he might find a spreadsheet and/or database program that will work with his Com64 instead? Thank you for the assistance! ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 19 Fri May 14, 1993 G.NOGGLE [Greg] at 00:30 EDT Big blue reader to convert the files from ibm format to c= works good in my experience. except for sone the upper/lower case on letters(sometimes) I think there is a sharwhare or public domain utility that will do that also,don't becasue I just BBR Greg ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 20 Fri May 14, 1993 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 02:28 EDT Greg: That program, Big Blue Reader, will not solve her problem for 1, and perhaps 2, reasons. First, she is talking about executable files, which BBR does not convert unless I'm way off base. Second, since her friend has a C64, it us very likely that he also only has a 1541, which BBR does not support. Bridget: I am dialing in from work, and only at 1200, and on a Wang workstation, which is klunky at best. I'll try to give you better answers tomorrow when I get home and can manipulate things faster/ better. In the meantime someone else may provide some answers wrt database/spreadsheet programs. There are a lot of them available, mostly commercial as far as I know, but when available,they are far less expensive than their Big Blue counterparts. I will tell you this... you certainly posted your question in the right place. If you don't get an answer here within a short time, you may have a hard time finding it at all. ------------ Category 3, Topic 7 Message 21 Fri May 14, 1993 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 09:28 EDT