Archive Magazine 1995/ARCHIVE95.iso/text/magazine/volume_04/issue_08

Text File | 1995-06-25 | 202KB | 4,654 lines

Archimedes viruses galore!?
4.8
Judging by some of the ridiculous scare-mongering in certain other
magazines, you would think that Archimedes viruses were an extremely
serious problem. There are a couple of Archimedes viruses around and
they can be a nuisance but letæs not get the whole thing out of
proportion. If you are swapping discs with other people and are worried
about viruses, there are a number of PD inoculator and watch-dog type
programs around Ö Iæll put something on the monthly program disc.
4.8
When a magazine puts a Ébenign virusæ on one of its program discs to
Émake a pointæ, it does make you wonder... It would be interesting to
know how the Computer Crimes Unit would view it (see page 19) as it is
now against the law to create or knowingly distribute a computer virus!
4.8
A540æs in stock
4.8
There is a distinct dearth of A540æs at the moment Ö well, thatæs been
true virtually ever since they first came on the market! We usually
manage to get hold of about one or sometimes two a month, so they go out
almost as soon as they come into stock. However, we have managed to get
a couple of extra A540æs from one of our distributors and we havenæt, at
the time of writing, got buyers for either of them. If you are inter
ested, you will need to get on the phone to us fairly quickly.
4.8
Autoloaders for sale
4.8
After considerable delay in getting them from the States, the Xpress
autoloaders are now becoming more freely available. If you are copying
large numbers of Archimedes discs (or are paying someone else to copy
them) itæs worth thinking about getting an autoloader. Itæs just an
external drive which attaches to your Archimedes and has a serial cable
down which you send messages to tell the mechanism to load a new disc
out of a 50-disc input hopper or throw the disc out into one of two
output bins (e.g. accept and reject). They cost ú2750 (inc VAT) which
may sound a lot but, believe me, for anyone copying the numbers of discs
that we are, they are worth every penny. If you want more details, let
us know.
4.8
Thatæs it for now. Happy reading!
4.8

4.8

4.8
Products Available
4.8
Å    Arachnid is a real-time programming environment from Paul Fray Ltd
(based on Spider for the BBC B). For ú100 +VAT, you get a detailed
manual with tutorial section plus a program which can be used to respond
to external events such as switch closures, perform various timing tasks
and control external events via whatever I/O ports you have installed on
your computer. (Paul Fray Ltdæs phone number was wrongly quoted  last
month Ö it should be 0223-441134.)
4.8
Å    Conform Ö NorthWest SEMERC have produced a concept keyboard overlay
generator. The main criterion of the software writers was that the
package should be easy to use so it should be ideal in the primary
sector of education. The price is ú15 +VAT.
4.8
Å    Freddy Teddyæs Adventure Ö Topologikaæs Freddy Teddy is off on his
adventures again. After his first trips released under the program name
öFreddy Teddyò, he is off again under the title, öFreddy Teddyæs
Adventureò. For ú19.95 +VAT (ú21 through Archive) you get a storybook
and a disc which provide counting games and puzzles that encourage
logical thought and help children gain confidence in using their
Archimedes computer.
4.8
Å    My World Ö This is an application produced by NorthWest SEMERC which
allows children to manipulate Draw files. It is said to be öunlike any
educational software on the marketò. It costs ú15 +VAT and comes with 20
example files to get users started. Simple Stuff Sampler (ú7.50 + VAT)
is also available and provides a further 17 screens to be used with My
World.
4.8
Å    Primary WP Ö NorthWest SEMERC have produced a RISC-OS word-processor
called Phases#2 aimed at primary schools. It comes with its own outline
fonts, various sample documents, a keystrip and a double-ended manual Ö
one end starts as the User Guide and the other end as Starting to Use
Phases#2 and the two books meet in the middle. The price is ú15 + ú2.50
p&p plus VAT. Also available at ú7.50 +VAT each are two Phases Support
packs Ö The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Phases Borders Disc 1.
4.8
Å    Shareware disc N║39 Ö this contains a number of items of educational
interest and also some utilities: Algorithms (sorts, pattern matching,
routing, etc), A-level Chemistry tutorial, Draw files summarising the
RISC-OS applications, Compound interest and RPI calculators, BASIC FNæs
to help plot graph axes, BASIC V mathematical FNæs, Depth of field and
flash calculators for photography, Desktop backdrop, Disc copier
(updated from S/w 2), Compacted screen sequence creator, Desktop file
utilities, Converter from IBM WFN to outline fonts, Floating point
calculator, SoundTracker -> Rhapsody converter, Desktop !Help provider.
4.8
Å    Speech! Ö Superior Software have given the Archimedes a voice called
Speech! for just ú19.95 (ú19 through Archive). It uses the standard
sound interface leaving the computer free to do other things. No extra
hardware is needed. You can vary the pitch, speed, volume and voice
either directly or through your own programs. You can even sing the
words over a 4 octave range! It also comes with a program that will
allow you to change the dictionary yourself.
4.8
Å    Speech!! Ö DT-Talk is an allophone based speech synthesizer which can
synthesise any word in the English language. It integrates with the
computeræs own sound system and can therefore be used alongside other
sounds and music. It is available for ú15 +VAT from Atomwide.
4.8
Å    Speech!!! Ö A third speech system is also now available from PEP
Associates. This again links in with the sound system and can be
programmed by the user. It uses phonemes to generate words (donæt ask me
if thatæs the same as being allophone based!) and is available for ú25.
It is called PEP Associates SpeechSystem but why they didnæt call it PEP
Talk, Iæll never know! They have given us a public domain demonstration
which we have put on this monthæs program disc.
4.8
(All three speech systems have been sent to a reviewer, so watch (or
listen to) this space..)
4.8
Å    Spreadsheet MkV Ö Contex Computing have released a low-priced RISC-OS
compatible spreadsheet for just ú15 +VAT. This is an initial price Ö
early purchasers will get a printed manual, while stocks last. Thereaf
ter, it will be available as a disc file.
4.8
Review software received...
4.8
We have received review copies of the following software and hardware:
Conform, MyWorld + Simple Stuff Sampler, Phases#2 + Borders + The Very
Hungry Caterpillar, Carewares 4 and 6, !Voice-Builder from MJD Software,
Freddy Teddyæs Adventure, Avisoft Fast Array Sorts, PRES A3000 5╝ö
interface & software, Viewpoints from Sherston Software.  A
4.8

4.8
Government Health Warning Ö Reading this could seriously affect your
spiritual health.
4.8
Did you listen to öAny questionsò on Radio Four when they had the
question, öDo you think that Christianity is relevant today?ò (It was
linked to a question about George Carey, the new Archbishop.) The answer
from all four panellists was basically, öWe need a moral code to live
by. Christianity gives one, therefore itæs OK.ò What a load of rubbish!
If I were not a Christian, my response would be, öWhy should we stick to
Christian morality? Says who? Why is that any more of an authority than
any other religion or indeed any other philosophy Ö like humanism for
example?ò As a Christian, my response is, öHow dare they try to pinch
the moral code and ignore the Person who gave it?!ò
4.8
If you donæt believe that Christianity is actually true, you cannot
claim the Christian moral code as any kind of authority. In my case, I
believe that what Jesus said and did shows us the truth about God and
allows us to know God personally and therefore I try to run this
business in the way I think that God, whom I know and love, wants me to
i.e. on Christian moral principles. I accept that I may be wrong in my
basic assumption that Jesus is the truth about God... but at least itæs
a logically consistent position!
4.8

4.8
Small Ads
4.8
Å    30 colour palettes Ö send ú4, or ú3 + formatted disc, to R C Melling,
80 Severn Road, Culcheth, Warrington WA3 5EB.
4.8
Å    A3000, 2Mbyte, improved sound output. Will offer 2 month guarantee.
ú550 o.n.o. Machine in Reading, but call Ian on Romsey (0794) 22086.
4.8
Å    A310, 20M HD approx 10M software inc PC emulator & PipeDream, Philips
monitor, CC podule, spare drive, books etc. (mouse sometimes sticks)
ú850. (Sale due to return to DOS. Sob!) P A Hughes, 081-840-5650 after 6
p.m.
4.8
Å    A310M base, 2-slot bp, software ú500. 40M internal hard disk ú250.
Phone [phone].
4.8
Å    A310M, 4M upgrade, 40M drive, 5╝ö drive, CC ROM/RAM podule lots of
software ú999. Phone Gordon Barker on 021-705-1611.
4.8
Å    Acorn DTP ú40, Genesis ú25, PC Emulator (DR-DOS) ú45, FWPlus II ú45.
All unopened. Phone Peter on 0923-675590.
4.8
Å    Apocalypse ú10; Interdictor (1) ú10; Conqueror ú8; CIS Minipack 5
(Fish, Fireball 2, Pon) ú16; Render Bender ú35. Ring Mark on 0285-654346
evenings.
4.8
Å    Apocalypse ú10; Arcade Soccer ú8; Chocks Away ú9; Conqueror ú3;
Corruption ú3; Drop Ship ú8; E-Type ú8; Holed Out ú8; Nevryon ú8;
Olympics ú8; Pysanki ú8; Quazer ú3; U.I.M. ú10. Ring John on 081-898-
0447.
4.8
Å    !DeskAAsm Ö Desktop front end for Acorn Assembler. Send ú5 to Darren
Sillett, 43 Kingfisher Walk, Ash, Aldershot GU12 6RF.
4.8
Å    Digitisation Ö Artwork or VHS tape images digitised. Call Ned Abel on
0292Ö2249. Prices by arrangement.
4.8
Å    Price reduction Ö Future Software are now offering a compilation of
their games Mindwarp and Cobra for ú5. Contact R Millican, Future
Software, 10 Stokesay, Bidston, Birkenhead, L43á7PV.
4.8
Å    SigmaSheet, very recent version (2.01) ú25 o.n.o. Phone Stuart Bell on
0273-304825.
4.8
Å    Taxan 770 Plus low radiation multisync monitor (never used) ú295 or
consider exchange for HP Deskjet. Phone Mick Cattell on 0742-745209.
4.8
Å    Wanted RISC-OS PRM. In exchange, I will give the following: Desktop
Games, Corruption, Graphic Writer, PC Emulator, Max Gammon and Quazer.
Phone Frode Myklebust on 010-47-71-65209 (Norway).
4.8
Å    Z88 with 128K RAM, charger, mains adaptor, Archimedes link, utils.
Unused present. ú200. Epson RX little used ú100. Phone Andy on 0278-751-
317 (Somerset).
4.8
Charity Sales Ö The following items are available for sale in aid of
charity. PLEASE do not just send money Ö ring us on 0603-766592 to check
if the items are still available. Thank you.
4.8
(If you have unwanted software or hardware for Archimedes computers,
please send it in to the Archive office. If you have larger items where
post would be expensive, just send us details of the item(s) and how the
purchaser can get hold of them.)
4.8
User Guides ú2 + ú3 postage, A3000 1M upgrade ú45, Interdictor 1 ú6,
Superior Golf ú8, Trivial Pursuit ú8, White Magic ú8, Battle Tank ú6,
Alien Invasion ú6, Terramex ú7, Repton ú6, Missile Control ú4, Orion ú6,
ArcWriter ú4, Conqueror ú6, Logistix ú30, Teletext adaptor ú20, Acorn I/
O podule ú45, Serial Interface/buffer for Epson FX80 ú15.  A
4.8

4.8
Ace Computing
4.8
New
4.8

4.8
Computer Concepts
4.8
New
4.8

4.8
Computer Concepts
4.8
New
4.8

4.8
Hints and Tips
4.8
Å    ARM code errata Ö The following is for all those who have an unshak
able faith in the integrity of Acornæs code:
4.8
The code given to return from SWI öOS_ BreakPtò on page 736 of the PRMs
is incorrect. The following works.
4.8
.backtobreak%
4.8
    SWI öOS_EnterOSò
4.8
    ADR R14,breaksave
4.8
    LDMIA R14,{r0-r14 }^
4.8
    LDR R14,[R14,#15*4]
4.8
    ADD R14,R14,#4
4.8
    MOVS PC,R14
4.8
The code given on page 231 of the old BASIC User Guide (under CALL) is
incorrect. For example, to use MATCH, the line tokenisation routine, the
following code will work. This has been corrected in the new BASIC User
Guide.
4.8
.tokenise
4.8
    STMFD R13!,{r14 }
4.8
    ADD R0,R14,#18*4
4.8
    ADR R1,source
4.8
    ADR R2,dest
4.8
    MOV R3,#1
4.8
    MOV R4,#0
4.8
    ADR R14,cominghome
4.8
    MOV PC,R0
4.8
.cominghome
4.8
    LDMFD R13!,{pc }
4.8
.source
4.8
    EQUS STRING$(90,CHR$(0))  ALIGN
4.8
.dest
4.8
    EQUS STRING$(90,CHR$(0))  ALIGN
4.8
J Heher, South Africa
4.8
Å    BASIC printing to a DeskJet Plus Ö The April issue of Archive
contained a Help!!! plea about printing from Archimedes BASIC to a
DeskJet 500. I have a DeskJet Plus and have successfully printed from
BASIC. For reference, my printer is normally set with the function
switches 6 and 8 in bank A and 2 in bank B up, all others are down.
4.8
To print, I use the command VDU 2,1,27,1,38, 1,107,1,49,1,71 (see Line
Termination in Appendix 8.19 of the Owneræs Manual). Here is an example
of how it can be used:
4.8
 10 REM >PrintTest
4.8
 20 VDU 2,1,27,1,38,1,107,1,49,1,71
4.8
 30 PRINT öTEST OF NORMAL PRINTINGò
4.8
 40 VDU 1,27,1,38,1,100,1,49,1,68
4.8
 50 PRINT öThis is underlinedò
4.8
 60 VDU 1,27,1,38,100,1,64
4.8
 70 VDU 1,27,1,40,1,115,1,51,1,66
4.8
 80 PRINT öThis is BOLD printingò
4.8
 90 VDU 1,27,1,40,1,115,1,48,1,66
4.8
100 VDU 1,27,1,40,1,115,1,50,1,48, 1,72
4.8
110 PRINT öThis is 20 PITCHò
4.8
120 VDU 1,27,1,69 :REM reset printer
4.8
130 VDU 3
4.8
140 END
4.8
A Kitchenside, Weybridge
4.8
Å    Big memory tips Ö As a footnote to my own article in last monthæs
Archive on making best use of machines with more than 1M memory, Iæd
like to add one more tip. I was reminded by a review of Protext, which
noted that the current version does not multi-task, that my eleventh tip
might have been, öboycott non multi-tasking packagesò. Since, with 1M,
you couldnæt really multi-task two significant applications, this was
not a problem. Now, itæs a real pain in the neck not to be able to have
several applications with simultaneously active windows, much of the
power and ease-of-use of RISC-OS is being un-used and itæs annoying
knowing that 3M of your upgrade is being wasted!
4.8
So, unless thereæs a really good reason such as a time-critical sound
sampler or video screen grabber, I suggest that we boycott such
packages. Then, software producers would have to bring them up to date
and not try to palm us off with öArthur programs with !Run and !Boot
filesò. In an ideal world, software sellers would refuse to stock them
but at least they could be marked as such, perhaps indicating their
antiquity by listing them in a suitable script? Stuart Bell, Brighton.
4.8
Å    C book Ö I was recommended a good C book which I used on a C short
course I attended: The Waite Groupæs öNew C Primer Plusò, First Edition
1990, editor Howard W Sams & Co, ISBN 0Ö672Ö22687Ö1. It covers ANSI C,
UNIX, Microsoft C and Turbo C.   S. Stel, Netherlands.
4.8
Å    ChangeFSI update Ö A new version of ChangeFSI v0.79 is available from
Acorn Direct for ú19.95. This will handle more image formats than would
v0.69: Degas PI1, PI2 & PI3, !Translator Clear, MacPaint 579x720x1 bit/
pixel, ZSoft .PCX, Windows3 .BMP, Pineapple 16 bit/pixel, UNIX rle, PC
TGA. Unfortunately it will not run from the desktop under !ChangeFSI
(Shareware Disc 21) as is. This is because version 0.79 is 94 Kbytes
long, compared with 74K for v0.69. The solution is to edit the !Run file
of !ChangeFSI and increase the WimpSlot from 128K to 160K. All is then
well. A Quayle, Chester
4.8
Å    C txt library Ö This idea was inspired by the article ÉIntroduction to
Cæ ù Part 5, in Archive 3.6. This gave a complete RISC-OS application
using the libraries supplied with Release 3 of Acorn C. In particular,
it used the Étxtæ library to provide a window to display text generated
by the sample program. This requires a minimum of effort by the
programmer since the library looks after most of the problems.
4.8
Although it works as described, it has two major disadvantages. The
first is the slow speed during text generation. The second is the
operation of the window controls. In particular, the cursor control keys
cannot be used to move the text through the window, the close icon has
no effect and the vertical scroll bars can only be dragged. Here are
some techniques which overcome these problems.
4.8
Improved text generation speed turns out to be a very simple modifi
cation since the cause of the slow operation is the redrawing of the
window for every item added to the text buffer using, for example, the
txt_insertstring function. Two extra lines are required; the first turns
off the display updates when text generation starts and the second turns
it back on when the operation is complete. The lines shown below should
be inserted immediately after the visdelay_begin() statement and
immediately before the visdelay_ end() statement in the original program
function sysvars_to_text().
4.8
/* turn off display update */
4.8
txt_setcharoptions(t, txt_DISPLAY, FALSE);
4.8

4.8
/* turn on display update */
4.8
txt_setcharoptions(t, txt_DISPLAY, TRUE);
4.8
Improving text window control requires rather more code but again the
principle is fairly straightforward. Firstly an event handler has to be
registered for the text window following its successful creation by the
txt_new() function using the following statement:
4.8
/* register the text window event handler */
4.8
txt_eventhandler(t, user_txevent, NULL);
4.8
This registers the function user_txevent which will be called to process
text window events.
4.8
The function itself has to process all the events which the user
requires. A sample function is given below which is commented to show
which events are being processed. The keyboard key macro definitions
given in Éakbd.hæ are used for consistency but, in addition, the ÉHomeæ
key must also be defined using a macro as this is omitted from Éakbd.hæ.
The actual key values required are defined in the PRM, page 1198 and the
macro definitions are given in file Éakbd.hæ. Note, however, that the
definitions given for both akbd_ PageUpK and akbd_PageDownK are wrong so
I have not used these but used their correct definition in the following
code. The value txt_ EXTRACODE is added to the key value to represent
the equivalent window operation. A full list of these is given on page
325 of the ANSI C Release 3.
4.8

4.8
#include öakbd.hò
4.8

4.8
#define HOME        (30)
4.8

4.8
/***********************************
4.8
user_txevent    text window event handler
4.8
        t            text object
4.8
        h            event handle
4.8
***********************************/
4.8
void user_txevent(txt t, void *h)
4.8
{lines ; /* number of lines in window */
4.8

4.8
 h = h;
4.8
 while (txt_queue(t) > 0)
4.8
 {number of lines visible in window */
4.8
  lines = txt_visiblelinecount(t);
4.8

4.8
  /* process the next user event code */
4.8
  switch (txt_get(t))
4.8
  {+ akbd_Fn+127:
4.8
    /* close window icon */
4.8
    txt_hide(t);
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   case akbd_UpK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_UpK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_Sh + akbd_Ctl + akbd_UpK:
4.8
    /* scroll up one line */
4.8
    txt_movevertical(t, ù1, TRUE);
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   case akbd_DownK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_DownK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_Sh + akbd_Ctl + akbd_DownK:
4.8
    /* scroll down one line */
4.8
    txt_movevertical(t, 1, TRUE);
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   case akbd_Sh + akbd_UpK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_Sh + akbd_UpK:
4.8
    /* scroll up one page */
4.8
    txt_movevertical(t, -lines, FALSE);
4.8
    break;
4.8
   case akbd_Sh + akbd_DownK:
4.8
   case txt_EXTRACODE + akbd_Sh + akbd_DownK:
4.8
    /* scroll down one page */
4.8
    txt_movevertical(t, lines, FALSE);
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   case akbd_Ctl + akbd_UpK:
4.8
   case HOME:
4.8
    /* move to start of text */
4.8
    txt_setdot(t, 0);
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   case akbd_Ctl + akbd_DownK:
4.8
   case akbd_Sh + akbd_CopyK:
4.8
    /* move to end of text */
4.8
    txt_setdot(t, txt_size(t));
4.8
    break;
4.8

4.8
   default:
4.8
    break;
4.8
  }
4.8
 }
4.8
 return;
4.8
}
4.8
David Scott, Stockport
4.8
Å    Connection problems Ö If you are having connection problems with RS423
connectors, or video or printer Ö or a dongle, it may be because the
plugs are not Égoing homeæ properly into the sockets on the back of the
computer. I have noticed this particularly on A540æs, but it could also
occur on other Archimedes computers. This may be because the fixing
pillars either side of the socket are too high. The solution it to take
a pair of pliers (or a box spanner if you have a suitable sized one) and
remove each of the pillars in turn, take off the washer and screw the
pillar back in. That extra millimetre can make all the difference.
4.8
Å    CPC monitor Ö When my multisync died on me suddenly and I was forced
to make do with what I had Ö a well worn Amstrad CPC green screen
monitor. In practice it was fairly easy to connect the six-pin CPC
connector to the nine-pin connector on the A3000:
4.8
    Archimedes        CPC
4.8
    1, 2 & 3    Ö    6
4.8
    6, 7, 8 & 9    Ö    5
4.8
    5    Ö    4
4.8
Naturally, it is impossible to use the multisync modes but it certainly
is almost as sharp a picture on the tube as on my multisync and much
cheaper. If your main interest is games I wouldnæt recommend it but for
most business uses it is perfectly all right. I guess you could get a
second hand green CPC monitor for next to nothing in the UK as many
owners have exchanged them for the new CPC monitors. Ask your local
dealer! A spare monitor could come in handy any day! Tord Eriksson,
Sweden.
4.8
Å    !Edit Ö For what seems like an eternity I have been wrestling with the
problem of importing text from a wordprocessor (in my case View). What I
wanted to do was free the text from newline characters in order that, on
loading it into Ovation, it could be formatted to new column width, in
whatever point size, without the newline control code producing extra
linefeeds. At the same time, it should retain the carriage returns
marking the paragraphs and multi-line spacing. This way I did not lose
all the style. What follows is how I do it . It might seem obvious but
it could help someone who is as thick as me. If I have missed the point
would some kind person tell me before I go mad.
4.8
After loading your text into !Edit, go through the text ensuring that
there are double returns at the end of each paragraph and on multiple
line text like program listings or poetry.
4.8
My technique is firstly to change double returns into something which is
unlikely to appear elsewhere in the text, thus:
4.8
Press <F4> to select Find
4.8
In the Find dialogue box enter  \n\n <return>
4.8
In the Replace dialogue box enter  ZCZC<return>
4.8
Click on the Magic Character box
4.8
Click on the Go box
4.8
Click on End of File Replace
4.8
Click on Stop
4.8
Press <ctrl-up> to move the cursor to the top
4.8
Now, to replace the single returns:
4.8
Press <F4> to select Find
4.8
In the Find dialogue box enter  \n <return>
4.8
In the Replace dialogue box press <space>
4.8
Click on Go
4.8
Click on End of File Replace
4.8
Click on Stop
4.8
Press <ctrl-up>
4.8
Then, to restore the double returns to single ones:
4.8
Press <F4> to select Find
4.8
In the Find dialogue box enter  ZCZC<return>
4.8
In the Replace dialogue box enter \n <return>
4.8
Click on Go
4.8
Click on End of File replace
4.8
Click on Stop
4.8
You should have your text with the paragraph and multi-line spacing
intact. (Simplified from a hint sent in by R Follett, Winnersh, Berks.)
4.8
Å    Improving sound quality Ö Further to the comments by Jeremy Mears
(Archive 4.7 p 21) there is no need, on the A3000, to actually solder to
the motherboard. You can make contact to the appropriate resistors using
micro test clips (Tandy Ö ú1.50 for four). This would, I suppose, still
invalidate the warranty but is less obvious than blobs of solder on the
p.c.b.! To get access to the resistors, you have to remove the disc
drive by unscrewing it from underneath. R86 is under the keyboard side
of the drive whereas R99 is under the middle of the drive. Pin 1 of the
expansion port is the furthest right (looking from the keyboard side of
the computer). Gerald Williams, Aldershot.
4.8
Å    Multiple height and width text printing Ö I know that the emphasis
these days is on programs which multi-task and use mode 12 on the
desktop but not every program is suitable for this and some of these
programs require larger than usual height characters.
4.8
I am (slowly) developing a word game for the Archimedes, from one I
wrote last year on my Model B. The öBò version uses mode 2, with double
height routines written in machine code for speed. The original version
of this code was quite öillegalò and would not work on a Master but it
was fast! With it, I could also have text printed 3 or even 4 times
normal height just as quickly. However, I am new to the Archimedes and
ARM code is currently beyond me, so after trying various routines in
BASIC I came across VDU23,17,7. This gives characters at any height and
any width and is very fast! I can even get half width which gives the
impression of mode 1 characters in mode 2. Also, it works in most Screen
modes (except 3, 6 & 7).
4.8
Iæve put together a short routine which demonstrates how easy and fast
this routine is. To use it, all you have to do is append the PROCedure
to your program and call it with the colour you wish it to appear in,
the X & Y positions, the height and width of the characters and the
Text$ Ö the routine will do the rest! One point to bear in mind,
however, is that text is printed using the graphic cursor, i.e. under
VDU 5 and MOVE or PLOT, rather than the text cursor and VDU 31, X%,Y%.
4.8
Even though this demonstration program is about 20 lines long, the only
bits you need are in PROCtext(colour, X_co_ord, Y_co_ord, Height, Width,
Text$). The function FNvdu simply returns the text width of the screen
mode window in use and this is used to check if lines are too long in
the first line of PROCtext. The second line in PROCtext is personal as I
like being able to centralise text without effort! To do so, just set X%
to -1. The %110 sets bits 1 and 2 so that both characters and spacing
are altered at the same time. %100 sets spacing, while %010 will alter
just character sizes. It is also possible to use 0.5 as Height or Width
but that works better in öchunkyò modes, like 2 rather than 12. When the
width is set to an odd number, the öauto-centralisingò is sometimes a
little off so you may prefer to set up the X co-ord manually.
4.8
REM >$.Height/Wid.!RunImage
4.8
:
4.8
DIM block% 12, output% 12
4.8
MODE12:COLOUR3
4.8
:
4.8
PROCtext(1,-1,1,2,3,öMulti Height & Width!ò)
4.8
PROCtext(2,-1,4,2,1,öDouble Height, Normal Widthò)
4.8
PROCtext(3,-1,7,1,2,öNormal Height, Double Widthò)
4.8
PROCtext(4,-1,10,3,3,ö3 * 3 Formatò)
4.8
PROCtext(5,-1,15,4,1,öRidiculous! 4 X 1 !!ò)
4.8
PROCtext(6,-1,20,1,1,öYou should reset the height & width
4.8
 before finishingò)
4.8
PROCtext(6,-1,21,1,1,öbut as it stands the PROCedure will
4.8
do this anywayò)
4.8
END
4.8
:
4.8
DEFPROCtext(C%,X%,Y%,H,W,T$)
4.8
F%=FNvdu
4.8
IF F%-(LENT$*W)<=0 THEN ERROR 300,öLine too longò
4.8
GCOL C%
4.8
Y%=1000-(Y%*32)
4.8
IF X%=-1 THEN X%=(F%-LENT$*2)/(W*2)
4.8
IF W=1 THEN X%=(F%-LENT$)/4
4.8
X%=X%*32
4.8
VDU 23,17,7,%110,W*8;H*8;0;
4.8
VDU 5,25,4,X%;Y%;
4.8
PRINT T$
4.8
VDU 4,23,17,7,%110,8;8;0;
4.8
ENDPROC
4.8
:
4.8
DEF FNvdu
4.8
!block%=256
4.8
block%!4=-1
4.8
SYSöOS_ReadVduVariablesò,block%,
4.8
output%
4.8
=!output%
4.8
Å    Off screen desktop windows Ö Normally, the filer and switcher windows
are forced to stay within the confines of the screen but, by altering
their template files, it is possible to make them move Éoff screenæ and
thus help to reduce window Éclutteræ.
4.8
To do this, you have to copy the window templates from the DeskFS to a
directory called Templates. First, create a directory called Templates
in the root directory of your harddisc or Éworkdiscæ and then type the
following:
4.8
*deskfs
4.8
*copy templates.filer  scsifs::scsidisc4.$.templates.filer
4.8
*copy templates.switcher  scsifs::scsidisc4.$.templates.filer
4.8
(You can also copy netfiler, palette and wimp windows across if
required.)
4.8
Load the window template data into !FormEd (Shareware Disc 20) and set
the Éno boundsæ option for each window. Then, edit your disc !boot file
to include the following line:
4.8
Set Wimp$Path scsifs::scsidisc4.
4.8
(or whatever your system is!) Donæt forget the full stop at the end.
This points Wimp$Path in the direction of the updated windows.
4.8
Finally re-boot your machine to see the result!  M Roscoe, Ealing
4.8
Å    PrinterDM with the Star LC24Ö10 Ö I was interested to see the note on
!PrinterDM and the LC24-10 in Marchæs edition of Archive. May I draw
your attention to the öHint and Tipò which I had published in the March
edition of Risc User on the same subject but concerning a different
problem. I was initially disappointed in the results I obtained with
Impression Junior (and from the Ovation test disc and, to a lesser
extent, !Draw printouts). This was due to some lines of text having a
marked öslewedò effect. After speaking to Star, and much sleuthing, I
tracked down the problem to the very same line in the PrData file of
!PrinterDM (version 1.12). There is apparently some incompatibility
between the Star and the Epson LQ800. The former does not like the özero
absolute tabò command used to obtain the CR without LF. The solution was
to substitute the commands used in the FX80 module, although modified to
use the correct line feed command for 24 pin printers. With my version
of !PrinterDM I have not experienced any squashed text with the 24/180
inch feed (could the writer have been in IBM mode where the command
gives n/216 inches rather than n/180 inches?) but the bigger feed
suggested in Marchæs tip could equally well be used. The modified line
is as follows:
4.8
line_epilogue ö<27>A<0><13><27>2<27>J<24>ò
4.8
Iæm surprised that this matter has not previously been commented on,
especially as I think it also applies to the XB24-10.  A.F. Taylor,
Poole
4.8
Å    Quattro to Schema transfer Ö To move data files from Quattro, first
save the file with a WKI extension. Then you can use Schemaæs !sch123 to
translate the file into Schema format. This method leaves all sorts of
spurious bits and pieces which have to be edited out by hand but it does
work.  M Green, Devon
4.8
Å    Quitting First Word Plus Ö If you quit First Word Plus (release 2)
from the task manager while a text file is loaded, you will be thrown
out of the desktop. If other applications are running that may object
e.g. Draw, Paint, etc, they will announce what is about to happen and
give you a chance to prevent it. Otherwise you will lose any files that
you may have been working on in First Word Plus.      R Bunnett,
Swanley
4.8
Å    Reading disc names Ö For those software writers who need to check that
the user has inserted an appropriate disc in the disc drive the
following function returns the name if the disc currently inserted:
4.8
DIM block% 5
4.8
:
4.8
DEF FNdiscname
4.8
SYS öOS_GBPBò,5,,block%
4.8
?(block%+?block% +1)=13
4.8
=$(block%+1)
4.8
M Sawle, Hampshire
4.8
Å    !Schema VAT rate Ö New spreadsheets are created with various user
names available, one of which is öVatò. To change this from 0.15 to
0.175, look in the !Schema directory and then in the Menu directory and
you should find a file called StartUp. This has a write-lock on it so
you will have to use ÉAccessæ off the filer menu to enable it to be
changed. At the end of this file are a number of lines that start with
Éputusnæ, the first of which is the Vat rate which simply needs to be
changed before the file is again saved and the write-lock access
restored. Ian Hamilton, Harrow.
4.8
Å    Spaced filenames Ö If you want a <space> in a disc or file name, use a
hard space. This is available by pressing either <alt><1><6><0> or
<alt><space>. You should note that if you do use it then you canæt use
the copy key on a catalogue because the Archimedes thinks that the
character is a normal space (which is illegal in a filename). E Hughes,
Derbyshire
4.8
Å    Twin World cheats Ö The file SavedGame can be edited using !Edit to
cheat. Byte values of interest include:
4.8
Byte 1 = Level (Maximum = 22 = &16)
4.8
Byte 4 = Red Spells (Maximum 99 = &63)
4.8
Byte 5 = Blue Spells (Maximum 99 = &63)
4.8
Byte 6 = Green Spells (Maximum 99 = &63)
4.8
Bytes 8-11 = Score, low byte first. (Maximum = 999999 = &F423F )
4.8
Byte 12 = Lives (Maximum = 9 or 10 = &9 or &0A)
4.8
Remember all value are in hex, so use the magic character option in
!Editæs Find.  Stuart Turgis
4.8
Å    TwinWorld hints
4.8
Ö Owls in the forest can be killed by jumping up and firing.
4.8
Ö Similarly, on some occasions you will have to jump, but fire on the
way down to hit denizens close to you.
4.8
Ö Jump between worlds whenever possible Ö if you loose a life, youære
taken back to the last time you changed worlds.
4.8
Ö Stamping your feet can reveal objects Ö either treasure or keys.
4.8
Ö Beware of calling the genie when you are already carrying two other
sorts of objects (remember the horn is one), because you wonæt be able
to buy an object which you donæt already hold.
4.8
Ö Beware when shooting the three-headed dragon. If you donæt shoot the
head furthest away from you, it flies away from you and fires an almost
continuous salvo.
4.8
Ö Watch out for extended jump Ö you can sometimes use it when you donæt
realise Ö on some screens itæs essential and you may only have a limited
amount.
4.8
Ö Watch out for the parachute Ö in the last few levels I found I
couldnæt get rid of it and it limited my objects to just two types.
4.8
Ö When firing at the bird Ö if you duck, it flies lower to avoid your
fire. Stand until the bird is fairly close, then crouch and fire.
4.8
Ö When the giant clam fires at you, or the Big eye, if you run so the
Ébulletæ is off the screen it will disappear.
4.8
Impression
4.8
Hints & Tips
4.8
Bruce Goatly (BG), who is busy writing a book about using Impression,
very kindly sent us some hints & tips (in return for permission to use
our H&T in his book!). Most of the rest of the H&T are from the editoræs
experiences with the unreleased version 2.09. (Version 2.10 is not ready
for release so 2.05 is still the latest officially available version.)
4.8
Å    Abbreviation expansion Ö Use it to correct common spelling errors or
to enforce house style (I often type Éansæ for Éandæ and Éthwæ for
Étheæ, and the house style for my book is Édiskæ whereas I almost always
spell it Édiscæ). BG.
4.8
Å    Date and time format Ö As I continually forget what day it is, I use
the Insert date option quite a lot. If you want to change the format of
the date (the default is in the form 6th April 1991), load the !Run file
into Edit and alter the definition of the variable Impression$DateFormat
(see pp. 337-339 of the User Guide, on using system variables).
Similarly, you can alter the time format by editing
Impression$TimeFormat. BG.
4.8
Å    Dongle connection problems Ö If you are having problems with a dongle
that keeps saying it is not present and you find that you need to wiggle
it (just a little bit!) to recognise its presence, go back and read the
hint above about ÉConnection problemsæ. Alternatively, CC themselves
offer a hint about it. They say that it is important to quit properly
from Impression and not just do a <ctrl-break>, otherwise the dongle
might need to be left for a couple of hours for a capacitor to discharge
before Impression can be loaded again.
4.8
Å    Line spacing and font changes Ö If a line in the middle of a paragraph
starts with a different font from the lines around it, the line spacing
may be upset for that one line because of the way Impression does its
calculations. The way round it is to put the cursor at the start of the
offending line, cancel the font change at that point and insert a Énullæ
character (such as Alt-131). This will be invisible but will correct the
line spacing. BG.
4.8
Å    Loading text files Ö If you want to load a text file into Impression,
there is no need to create a new document first Ö just drag the Edit
file onto the Impression icon and it will set up an untitled document
and load the text into a null frame.
4.8
Å    Marking a single character Ö If you are doing DTP in a lower resolu
tion screen mode, you may be finding it difficult to use the mouse to
drag-mark a single character e.g. the Élæ in Éwillæ. One way of doing it
is to move the cursor between two of the characters, click <select> but
firmly hold the mouse in place. Then you use the cursor left or right,
as appropriate, to move the cursor to the other side of the character to
be marked and finally press <adjust>. George Foot, Oxted.
4.8
My method of doing any of this kind of detailed work is to have two
windows open on the same document Ö which is extremely easy to do
(another advantage over PageMaker!) Ö one shows the full page and one
just an enlarged section of the text. Then you can flick backwards and
forwards between the two views enlarging and contracting the windows or
simply pushing them to the back when they are not wanted.
4.8
(However, have you noticed that Impression sometimes insists on going
back to the beginning of the document when you expand and contract the
window using the size switch icon in the top right hand corner of the
window? Has anyone worked out why it happens and, more importantly, how
to stop it?)
4.8
Å    Special characters Ö The list in Appendix 5 of the Impression II
manual gives a printout of all the characters. This is useful, but there
is some variation from one typeface to another, so it would be useful to
have an Impression file of it so that you could print it out in your
particular typeface. Iæll put a file of it on the monthly program disc,
but if you want to do it yourself, you can run the following program and
put the text into a multi-column Impression document.
4.8
10 REM > CHARLISTER
4.8
20 *SPOOL CHARS
4.8
30 @%=2
4.8
40 FOR N% = 32 TO 255
4.8
50 PRINT N%;CHR$(9);
4.8
ö{òöheadingòöon }{ò ;CHR$(N%); ö}ò
4.8
60 NEXT
4.8
70 *SPOOL
4.8
Å    Spell-checking Ö Not really a hint, but I was using the spelling
checker and it offered me the word öfaltnessò and told me that
öflatnessò was wrongly spelled. Also, while spell-checking, someone had
written öBeebugsæ policyò. The spelling checker knows Beebug but can you
guess what it offered me as an alternative for the accidental plural?
Yes, thatæs right, öBedbugsò! On the same theme, I spell-checked my
Factfile and came up with Motley Electronics, Mike Leecher of EMU Ltd,
ARM3æs from Aloof One and IDLE drives from Ian Copycats. Then I tried
some of our contributors and found Brain Cowman, Dim Parkland and last,
but not least, Pall Beggarly.
4.8
Å    Tickets please! Ö (The following saga gives, firstly, an unnecessarily
long method of doing a job but one which illustrates techniques which
might prove useful in other circumstances. It is followed by the easier,
smarter method!) I wanted to make some numbered tickets at A6 size so I
made up an A4 page with four copies of the ticket. I used a two column
master page so that I could just take a copy of the text on the page and
paste it 14 times to make my 60 tickets. Near the bottom of each ticket,
it said, öTicket number: ò with an appropriate blank space. Then I
created four guide frames on the master page at about the right place to
put in the ticket numbers and inserted four new frames on each page. I
then went through linking all the frames together. To create the text
for the numbers, I used PipeDream using the örowò command and copying it
down 60 rows. I then ösavedò this in tab format straight into the first
ticket number frame and, instantly, all the tickets were numbered.
Brilliant! The only real hassle was lining up the ticket number boxes
with the words on the ticket. The problem is that although you can have
both the text and the master page on screen at the same time and at the
same magnification (which helps), the main page is not updated until the
master page is closed so I changed the öpreferencesò to make the master
page come up at the right magnification.
4.8
(A similar technique of linked frames is used for the running heads on
the magazine Ö i.e. the articlesæ names at top outside corners of the
pages. The dummy Archive, before articles are inserted, has a whole
string of 60 öXòs, one on each page, alternately left and right aligned.
Then, when an article has been inserted, the running heads are altered
using selective search and replace to change, for example, öXò into
öHints & Tipsò. This is easier than using copy and paste because it
preserves the left and right alignment. But I digress... let me get back
to the tickets...)
4.8
Then I suddenly realised the easy way of doing it.... Create the ticket
at full A4 size on the master page using öTicket number: ò and then
inserting the page number. (Use <menu> Ö Misc Ö Insert Ö Current page
number Ö Numeric.) Then, all you do is to add 59 pages (click on öInsert
new pageò with <adjust>, not <select> so that the menu option stays on
the screen) and use öFit lotsò on the öPrintò dialogue box reducing the
scale to 50%. If you find that it still says, öFit lots (1)ò at 50% and
you have to go down to about 48% before it goes to (4), click on
öSetup...ò and select the option to öIgnore page boundaryò. If you donæt
do this but print out at 48%, you will find that the margins are
unequal. This is a much quicker way of doing it than the previous method
and also gives the possibility of deciding that you want the tickets
smaller after all so you just reduce the scale and, perhaps, change to
sideways printing.
4.8
Å    Widows & orphans Ö This is the technical term for where you get a
paragraph split so that a single line is on one page (or column) and the
rest is on the previous or next. If the first line is split off from the
rest, the solution is fairly obvious Ö use <ctrl-G> at the beginning of
the paragraph to push the line onto the next column. The odd line at the
end of a paragraph is less easy. If the text is left justified, you can
again use <ctrl-G> to push one more line to the next column to join the
lonely orphan. However, if you subsequently edit the paragraph so that
the layout of the lines changes, you have to edit out the <ctrl-G>.
Also, this doesnæt work at all if you are using full justification
because the <ctrl-G> causes the justification on the last line of the
column to be lost and it looks like the end of a paragraph without a
full stop. The only solution I can find is to create a new frame with
<ctrl-I> and lay it over the last line of the column. This forces that
line over to the next column without losing the justification.
4.8
SCSI Hints & Tips
4.8
Å    Removable drive problems Ö We are beginning to understand more about
the problems with removable drives. Let me explain... SCSI drives are
intelligent and they keep their own record of any duff sectors. However,
this record is not available to the user. If you tell the computer to
öformatò the disc, it deliberately ignores any sectors it already knows
are duff. If you get a ösoft errorò i.e. where the data gets corrupted
so that the CRC check shows up an error, reformatting will clear the
problem. However, if the disc surface is actually damaged, it may be
that reformatting clears the problem temporarily but, with time, the
problem may reappear and you will get the dreaded öDisc error 10 at... ò
or whatever. The solution to this is to use the *DEFECT command provided
by RISC-OS. If you get an error, *VERIFY the disc, note the addresses
which are thrown up as either suspect or actually having a disc error,
say, 7CEC00, 7CEE00 and 7CF000 and then type in
4.8
*DEFECT SCSI::5 7CEC00
4.8
*DEFECT SCSI::5 7CEE00
4.8
*DEFECT SCSI::5 7CF000
4.8
where SCSI::5 is the drive definition. It is worth recording these
addresses in case you need to format the disc again in the future. You
then need to enter the *DEFECT commands again. If *DEFECT finds that you
are trying to map out a sector that is allocated to a file or directory,
it will tell you so, in which case, you will have to copy the file or
directory and delete the one which it says is in the way.
4.8
Obviously, it is better if you can avoid getting hard errors in the
first place so, just as a reminder, (1) always dismount the drive
properly before switching off the power and (2) keep your drive cool by
not packing other hardware around it.
4.8
Å    Removable drive problems (Part 2) Ö Surely there canæt be any MORE
problems with the removable drives Ö they really wonæt be worth selling.
Yes, there are more problems but, yes, I still think they are worth
selling. If you try to use the MR45æs or the Atomwide equivalent on an
Acorn SCSI podule or on a TechnoSCSI (I have not tried any others), you
will find that occasionally they just hang up Ö usually when copying a
sequence of files. It is a timing problem which Acorn say they will look
into but they are not too optimistic. They say that Syquest, who make
the drive mechanisms, have interpreted the SCSI standards in a different
way from other drive manufacturers. The Acorn engineers have tried to
modify their software to accommodate Syquestæs idiosyncrasies but
although they have managed to make a version of their software that will
work when copying lots of files, they find that it does not format the
cartridges properly! It is not beyond the bounds of possibility to get
SCSI software to work on the Syquest drives Ö both Oak and Lingenuity
have done it successfully but, as yet, there is no satisfactory way of
running them on Acorn or TechnoSCSI cards.
4.8
I should say to A540 owners, that, although I am using a Syquest
removable drive on my A540, I am doing so on an Oak podule. I made the
change (before I realised there was any problem) purely on the basis
that (1) the Oak software is the easiest to use on the MR45æs because of
the ease of dismounting and re-mounting discs and (2) it is the fastest
that I have tried. (I have not yet tried the offerings from HCCS or The
Serial Port but unless they have specifically tailored their software
for the Syquest mechanisms, I doubt that they will work.)
4.8
Å    SCSI land speed record Ö Oak are claiming an Archimedes drive speed
record. Their 300M HS drive, on an A440 with a 20MHz ARM3, runs at 1939
/ 1761 / 1043  Kbytes/sec in modes 0, 15 and 21 respectively. Can anyone
beat that?  A
4.8

4.8
Oak
4.8
From 4.7 page 19
4.8

4.8
Help!!!!
4.8
Å    Beginners articles Ö Weære still getting requests for more articles
for beginners. Weæd love to oblige but such articles are more difficult
to write and, possibly, less interesting for the writer. Since all the
articles are offered freely by members of Archive, that may explain the
dearth of such articles. If anyone feels they could rectify this
deficiency, do get in touch with us. Thanks. Ed.
4.8
Å    Broken directory Ö Can anyone help me please? I need to retrieve a
small file off a disc with a öbroken directoryò. Please contact Peter
Baxter on 0772-651616 (day) 0524-701543 (evening) to discuss terms etc.
4.8
Å    Hi-res printouts Ö Would anybody be able to help by doing some
printouts of Draw files on a Laser Direct Hi-res? For money? David
Turner, London SW6.
4.8
Å    Integrex paper Ö Does anyone know of a supplier of good quality paper
for Integrex colour printers? Brian Hunter, Macclesfield.
4.8
Å    IOC memory mapping Ö On page 110 of the PRMæs is the memory mapping of
the IOC. Can anyone in the know reveal enough information to allow the
use of the free timers? i.e. the latch and go commands etc. Jonathan
Heher, S. Africa.
4.8
Å    Impression printing Ö Does anyone know of a firm that will output my
Impression documents on a Linotype typesetting machine, preferably
without converting it first into MS-DOS format? Christine Shield,
Stocksfield.
4.8
Å    Print bureau? Does any known of any printers in the Manchester area
who can print from an Archimedes Impression disc? Contact Torben Steeg
at 92 Shrewsbury Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 9AU or telephone
061-225-9706. (Or indeed, anywhere in the country! Weæll publish a list
of any that you send us. Any help on this subject will be appreciated by
many. Ed.)
4.8
Help offered
4.8
Å    Dynamic mouse resolution Ö In answer to Jochen Konietzkoæs query in
Archive 4.7 p60, Risc User published just such a program in volume 4,
issue 1.  A
4.8

4.8
Lindis
4.8
From 4.6 page 16
4.8

4.8
Comment Column
4.8
Å    Alan Highet replies Ö I would like to reply to Daniel Tamberg who
feels aggrieved by my review of Starfleet Encounter.
4.8
He must realise that the review was, like all reviews, only my own
personal views and other people must make up their own mind by trying to
read all the reviews available and speaking to other people who own the
game.
4.8
Let me deal with his points one by one. He says that it would be very
difficult to implement a computer opponent but surely that is a
programming challenge which he took on when he decided to write the
program. I have tried to write some simple programs myself and agree
that the computer opponent is the most difficult part but I wouldnæt
release it until Iæd mastered it.
4.8
As to it being a board game with the computer as a referee, that is what
I think it should have been but there is no board. I have played a few
wargames and think a computerised referee would be a good idea but I
wouldnæt dream of trying to transfer the whole game to computer as that
would ruin it.
4.8
Daniel says that you can pre-program macros prior to the game starting
which is true of general moves but as the game progresses you need to be
able to alter your plans and this would mean pre-planning a huge number
of macros making the game play unwieldy. Imagine trying to pre-judge all
the moves in a chess game and chess players do not have more than one
piece moving at any one time.
4.8
Daniel admits that the programming of the ships is very difficult and to
stick to the simple moves but whatæs the point of having all the other
features if not to use them. I admit that I was a bit harsh by saying
simultaneous use of the keyboard by two players doesnæt work but Daniel
admits itæs not ideal and I certainly donæt like the contortions I have
to go through for two people to gain access.
4.8
I reiterate my first point about this being a personal view but I still
think releasing the game into the Public Domain or as Shareware would be
Danielæs best bet and with the feedback, the game could be enhanced
greatly. As I said in the review, I think the programming is very good
and I hope he continues with some more games which I will look forward
to.
4.8
Å    Minervaæs Timetabler Ö Has anyone managed to use Timetabler to create
a complete timetable? I have tried it on a small section of a secondary
school timetable which I had previously created manually so I know it is
possible to timetable. The Minerva program does not create a fully
working timetable automatically Ö I was left with a number of parts to
try to fit manually.
4.8
I must say that once the elements are created, e.g. room designations,
staff and subject details, the program is reasonably straightforward and
potentially extremely valuable. I can also see that the time saving for
next year would be tremendous as the room details etc would not have to
be re-entered. However, unless it can create a fully working timetable,
it is not really very useful.
4.8
The program also does not seem to have followed the Acorn rules about
windows. You can only have one window open at a time Ö as soon as you
open one window, the current one closes. Peter Blenkinsop, Watford.
4.8
Å    Ovation versus Impression Ö Arenæt you taunting Risc User a little too
much? After all, Ovation is really öOvation 1ò and it surely compares
well with öImpression 1ò. I have both Ovation and Impression II and
always use the latter! I donæt know what that says, but Ovation really
is a good program and it does have some features lacking in Impression
(and vice versa, of course). Both Beebug and CC are working on bigger
and better DTP programs and it will be interesting to see the next
generation of programs. By the way, I donæt like the protection system
used by Beebug and much prefer a dongle. John Jordan.
4.8
Å    Ovation for Risc User? Ö Mike Williams, Risc Useræs editor writes...
From your recent editorials, it might be thought that you had some
vested interest in Computer Conceptsæ Impression II. And that from a
magazine which we all thought was independent! At the moment we donæt
happen to use Ovation for originating Risc User, though some of the
advertising copy is produced in this way, but then neither does it seem
very sensible to throw away all our Apple Macintoshes (purchased some
years ago at a not inconsiderable sum of money), and bear the cost of
purchasing replacement Archimedes systems. We thus keep costs down and
make the most efficient use of our resources, all of which has nothing
to do with the ability of Ovation or any other Archimedes based DTP
package to do the same job.
4.8
In fact, Ovation is widely used within Beebug for many tasks. All of the
Companyæs manuals are produced using Ovation, our book ÉFile Handling
for Allæ (reviewed in Archive 4.7) was entirely typeset using Ovation,
and it is routinely used by both technical and non-technical staff for a
variety of purposes.
4.8
We feel that our job is to produce the best possible magazine for
Archimedes users. We make the best use of the tools available to us, and
we try to be sensible and economical in the use of our resources. We may
not use Ovation, yet, but neither do we use Impression. End of Argument.
4.8
Archive Editor replies... No, we donæt have any vested interest in
Computer Concepts, though we did get a complimentary copy of Impression
to use for the magazine. We made an independent decision about which was
the best DTP to use for producing our magazine Ö this was based on
advice from various different independent people öin the knowò. What can
we say now, in the light of our experience? Well, not having used
Ovation, we cannot give a fair comparison between that and Impression
(but see the comment above) but we can make a fair comparison between
Impression on the Archimedes and PageMaker on the Macintosh. As a result
of that, my advice to Risc User would be that it is SO much easier to
produce an Archimedes magazine on Impression that, in the long run, they
would save money by selling their Macs, buying an A540 (which they get
at dealer prices, of course) and using Impression Ö Iæm sure Charles
Moir would give them a complementary copy, too.
4.8
Å    Powerband from 4th Dimension Ö I was surprised with the review of
Powerband (4th Dimension) in Archive 4.7. I found it very disappointing
and not up to the standards of Apocalypse (also by G. Key). I know
reviews are ultimately subjective and influenced by the revieweræs
experiences and expectations, but here are the comments I made about it
in a review I sent to Arcade BBS on the 14th January, 1991. It was
written before the second version of Powerband was released but my views
have not changed since.
4.8
I have been waiting for a decent driving/racing simulation for quite a
while, (to ween me off Revs) and when Powerband was rumored to have been
released, I rang 4th D and ordered it. My final evaluation of it is that
it does not approach the realism of Revs. No other micro-based simula
tion has, apart from ÉPower Drifteræ, which gave the same sort of ögut-
wrenchingò feeling when you go over a hill at speed. Another disappoint
ment is that there are no pits to change tyres, refuel, repair damage...
Variable weather might be nice as well. However, the most serious
deficiency of the game is that the racing is unrealistic; you can be
going flat-out at, say, 242 mph around a gentle curving bend and another
car comes hurtling past you about 50-60 mph faster Ö a bit improbable.
Also, during the World Championships, the same drivers get the same
positions in every race (mind you Iæve only done nine races so far).
Powerband is a lot better than his last effort, E-Type, so perhaps
G.Keysæ next driving game could carry on where Revs left off, about 6
years ago on an 8 bit 6502... Chun Wong, Sheffield.
4.8
Å    Schema Ö I was interested in the comments on Schema in the last
comment column.
4.8
I too have had a try at Schema and found it a great disappointment.
Having tried other spreadsheets in the past, I was expecting great
things. On the surface it looked fine but, when I tried to use it, I did
not find it at all intuitive.
4.8
There were a number of irritations: (a) It does not support the ^
function for raising to the power. The exponenial function, I find
clumsy. (b) There are no function keys for insert/delete columns or
rows. Using the mouse, I found irksome due to the number of menus
options. (c) Far too many menu options, which makes it difficult to
remember which menu option to use. (d) To insert a column to the far
left of the sheet requires adding a column to the right of column A and
copying A to B. Very untidy. (e) Schema cannot tell the difference
between text and numbers/formulae. Text has to be given quotation marks.
Most spreadsheets are far more intelligent than this. (f) Before
entering anything into the scratchpad, the cursor must be placed over
the required box and you can not move to another box after entering your
text in the scratchpad.
4.8
These are just some of the niggles I found and I will certainly not be
buying this product.
4.8
Come on Computer Concepts, letæs have a spreadsheet that links to your
superb Impression and Equasor. Eddie Lord, Crawley.  A
4.8

4.8
Matters Arising
4.8
Å    Archimedes viruses Ö We have received the following statement from the
Computer Crimes Unit in London... öThankfully the Archimedesæ youth and
overall responsibility of its users has ensured that very few Archimedes
viruses have been distributed. However, if the problem is going to be
tackled, it should be attempted early. Hence, anyone who has been
afflicted by a virus should send full written details and, if possible,
a disc containing an isolated copy of any files that have been affected.
Please clearly mark this disc Ö Archimedes Virus.
4.8
All suspect files should be in a directory called ÉInfectionæ and should
have their file types set to Text (FFF). Any other details, such as when
the infection took place (Date Stamp) or even the source of the
infection may help the Police at the Crime Unit to identify the virus
writer. Release of a virus is now illegal (Computer Misuse Act, 1990).
4.8
Any other comments or information which could lead to the identification
of a virus writer will also be appreciated. You may reserve the right to
remain anonymous.
4.8
Please send all discs marked ÉArchimedes Virusæ to: The Computer Crimes
Unit, 2 Richbell Place, London, WC1 8XD.ö Clive Gringas & Warren Burch
4.8
Å    ÉCo-Routines in Cæ errata (Archive 4.6 p 23) Ö The text immediately
after each left curly bracket ö{Écoroutines in Cæ disappeared in the
print. Here is a list of affected structures and missing text:
4.8
typedef    {okay!!! 4.8
input      {{ printf(öinput
4.8
output     {{ int
4.8
  while    {{ if
4.8
  if       {okay!!! 4.8
co_start   {{ int
4.8
  if
4.8
When text is imported into Impression, the text following a
ö{automatically stripped out. This is because Impression commands are
enclosed in curly brackets. Cy Booker has kindly sent us an application
which will convert C listings to text suitable to import into Impression
II v2.05. This has been put on this monthæs magazine disc. Ed
4.8
Å    Fan quieteners Ö Paul Skirrow had a fan quietener from Ray Maidstone
for review. Unfortunately, he found that it wouldnæt fit properly into
his computer. There wasnæt enough space next to the hard disc drive to
get it in. On investigation, it was found that he had one of Watford
Electronicsæ öfreeò hard discs Ö buy a 410 and you get it upgraded
öfreeò to 2M and a 20M drive. Unfortunately these öfreeò drives are
rather bigger than normal. Secondly, Paul found that even if he
disconnected the fan all together, it didnæt make much difference to the
noise level because the öfreeò disc was so noisy. Paul therefore
returned the fan quietener as he did not feel that he could give it a
fair review.
4.8
As a result of this experience, Ray has modified the fan quieteners so
that they do fit with these extra-large drives. He also found that they
are not all as noisy as Paulæs drive so it may still be worth using a
fan quietener even if you have got a Watford öfreeò hard drive.
4.8
Å    HawkV9 Utilities Ö The HawkV9 utilities mentioned in the Help Offered
section of Archive 4.7 p 60 are in fact HawkV10 utilities, the latter
being monochrome not colour. Apologies to Claus Birkner, the author, for
the mistake.
4.8
Å    HP DeskJet 500 with FWP Ö On this monthæs magazine disc there are two
First Word Plus printer drivers for the HP DeskJet 500. One uses the CG
Times font and the other Letter Gothic. Thanks to Dave Morrell who sent
them in.  A
4.8

4.8
Competition Corner
4.8
Colin Singleton
4.8
Another classic problem this month. In 1779 Leonard Euler proposed his
Officers Problem:
4.8
Thirty-six officers, of six different ranks and from six different
regiments, one of each rank from each regiment, are to form a square on
the parade ground such that each row and each file contains just one
officer of each rank and just one from each regiment.
4.8
Do not waste time on this one, there is no solution. Euler conjectured
that there is no solution for any oddly-even order, i.e. 2, 6, 10, 14
etc.
4.8
The order ten problem, however, was solved in 1959, barely into the
computer age. This, then, is your problem. Can Archimedes solve this
problem in less than 180 years? If so, how long does your program take
to find a solution? If no correct solution is received, the prize will
go to the one with the fewest errors (repetitions in a row or column).
4.8
To re-phrase the problem, place the two-digit numbers 00 to 99 in a ten-
by-ten grid so that no first digit occurs twice in any row or column,
nor does any second digit.
4.8
Solutions, and comments, either to N.C.S. or to me at 41 St Quentin
Drive, Sheffield S17 4PN.
4.8
Winners
4.8
Now, as promised, the winner of the December competition, which was to
find numbers which can be multiplied by an integer simply by a cyclic
rotation of their digits. You were asked to find the smallest such
number for each multiple, e.g. 076923 * 3 = 230769.
4.8
The winner is Joseph Seelig, of North Harrow, whose program has
investigated multiples up to at least 80000. It is good to see a new
name on the trophy. Josephæs spooled disc does not list a solution for
1757 but that is because he set a limit on the length of numbers to be
investigated. Given more time, his program (without modification) could
have found a solution. No contestant offered a solution for 1757.
4.8
Readers may be interested in the techniques used by the winners of this
and future competitions, so I will do my best to oblige. From the coding
of Josephæs program, his technique appears to be essentially the same as
mine, although his coding is neater.
4.8
I proved that the solution for a given multiple must be the first cycle
of the recurring decimal representation of the reciprocal of some
integer or, to put it another way, it must be a factor of some number
consisting of all nines. In the example above 1/13 = 0.076923 recurring,
and 13 * 076923 = 999999.
4.8
At least one contestant missed several solutions by considering only the
reciprocals of primes. Any number ending in 1, 3, 7 or 9 has a recurring
decimal reciprocal and must be considered.
4.8
All the cyclic rotations of such a number are multiples of it. Thus
769230, 692307, 923076, 230769 and 307692 are 076923 multiplied by 10,
9, 12, 3 and 4 respectively.
4.8
The numbers involved can be very large but multi-length arithmetic is
not needed. The sequence of multiples can be derived quite simply. If
the multiple, M is initially set to 1 and R is the reciprocal (13 in my
example), then successive multiples can be calculated by repetitive use
of the expression M = 10*M MOD R, until M returns to 1. The number of
repetitions indicates the length of the number.
4.8
The programming technique requires a list in memory (initially empty) of
the best solution found so far for each multiple. For ever-increasing
values of R, calculate the sequence of multiples for each R and check
whether this R provides a better solution than that already found (if
any) for each multiple. You need to remember the length of the solution
for each multiple as well as the value of R.
4.8
This does not guarantee to find the smallest solution for a given
multiple, since a higher value of R might give a shorter solution.
4.8
To be able to print the best solution (to date) for a given multiple, it
is necessary to hold the list of values of R on a file. The actual
solution (the reciprocal of R) can be generated by initially setting X
to 10 and repeating the calculation X = (X MOD R) * 10 until X returns
to 10. At each stage print the value of X DIV R, which will be a single
digit.
4.8
Incidentally, the best solution I have found for 1757 is derived from R
= 2377 and has 264 digits. It is...
4.8
0004206983592763988220445940260832982751
3672696676482961716449305847707193941943
6264198569625578460244005048380311316785
8645351283129995793016407236011779554059
7391670172486327303323517038283550694152
2928060580563735801430374421539755994951 619688683214135464871687  A
4.8

4.8
ArcScan III
4.8
Eric Ayers
4.8
Eric, who very kindly prepares the Arcscan data for Archive magazine
month by month now has a copy of the latest version of Arcscan and gives
us his comments....
4.8
Beebugæs ArcScan II is an easy-to-use system for quick retrieval of
magazine articles and other reference material, and is supplied complete
with index files for Beebug, Risc User and Acorn Manuals. It is simple
to adapt the system for other data: for example, I have all my computer
programs, with brief access and operating instructions, indexed on it.
Archive magazine and disc indexes are available in this format on the
Shareware 7 disc, and are updated regularly on the Monthly discs.
4.8
A new version Ö ArcScan III (v.0.5) Ö has just been issued. It is
compatible with files created on the earlier version and the Éfreeæ
files supplied have been extended to include the ANSI C Manual, and both
versions of the Acorn User Guide. There is a half-promise to make
available (to Beebug members ?) indexes for Micro User and Acorn User
journals right from issue 1. So what are the main differences in the
program itself?
4.8
The presentation has been completely changed: it now multi-tasks, with
normal WIMP scrolling windows, menus and icons, and standard wildcard
conventions. An excellent HELP facility is available from the icon bar
menu. The limitation to 25 lines per record, imposed by the previous
fixed window format, is removed. This was a real limitation with some of
the more ambitious Shareware discs! It is possible to specify the
database to be loaded on start-up. The requirement for magazine issue
and volume files to be consecutive has been lifted. A NOT option has
been added to the search logic.
4.8
The icon bar menu now offers three Éturn-offæ options: CLOSE removes
windows only, CLEAR also removes the resident database, while QUIT
removes everything. At all stages, unwanted memory is automatically
returned to the system pool. The PRINT option also appears now on this
menu, and it is here I have my first niggle.
4.8
If you happen to search for a string that appears 350 times in the file,
and then click on PRINT, you have the option of sweating it out or
pressing <reset> Ö nothing less will stop it. This makes nonsense of
multi-tasking, which is suspended during printing, and a <reset> loses
everything. One thing must be included in v.0.6 Ö a scan for the escape
condition to abort printing immediately. Also highly desirable would be
the facility to scroll and size the screen window and print out just its
contents, without the 9 extra lines of header information Ö in other
words, mouse-controlled selective printing.
4.8
Finally, I cannot resist a verbatim quote from the copyright notice in
the ReadMe file:ö... the data for all Acorn indexes in this database
carries a joint copyright. It must not be copied or used in any way
without permission...ò (My italics). Pity! Ö I did so want to use it to
look up SWI Wimp_Poll. Seriously though, ArcScan is an excellent
product. It scores over more complex databases by being tailor-made for
the particular job it does well. But, please, Dr Calcraft, will you get
something done about that PRINT option!
4.8
(I use Arcscan a lot to access material from back issues of Archive and
find it very effective. The only MAJOR drawback from my point of view is
the lack of use of RISC-OS printer drivers. If you donæt happen to use a
simple parallel or serial printer, tough! However, there is a way of
doing it. You can spool it to file and then load the spooled file into
!Edit or Impression, say, and then print out using the RISC-OS driver.
*Spool does not work for this, but it can be done by using
4.8
*SET PrinterType$5 RAM:filename (or whatever filesystem or filename you
want to use) and then *FX5,5. Ed.)  A
4.8

4.8
Language Column
4.8
David Wild
4.8
Since I wrote the last language column, I have had a letter from Mr T P
Rowledge, of Winchester, who feels that I was a little dismissive of
Smalltalk when I talked about the öcut-downò version. I am sorry to have
given that impression but it really was the only version which I had
seen mentioned in the magazines. Mr Rowledge, who ported both Little
Smalltalk, the öcut-downò version, and Smalltalk-80 to the Archimedes
tells me that the main version is now available from Smalltalk Express
Ltd, although he doesnæt say how much it is.
4.8
I am delighted to hear that the system is now available for the
Archimedes and hope that a review will soon be appearing in Archive. One
thing that I would like to say, however, is that we must start thinking
in terms of the benefits to be had by using software of any type rather
than just the advantages to the programmer. I see the difference between
benefits and advantages as being that benefits are öcashableò, and can
be included in a proposal to the boss, while advantages are those things
which affect our preferences once the benefits have been established.
4.8
Perhaps one way of seeing this difference is to look at some of the
excellent software offered by the Data Store at Bromley. Several of
their utility programs sit on the icon bar of my machine all the time
but, although they make life easier, it would not be true to say that I
would be severely handicapped if I didnæt have them. These programs have
advantages but I could always use the command line to do the same job if
someone took them away. !FontFX, on the other hand, does a job which I
certainly couldnæt do for myself and enables me to produce better-
looking newsletters (not related to computers) which would justify a
higher price if I were not the honorary editor. It is reasonable to
claim this as a benefit as the improved appearance is noticed by people
who have no interest in my computing tasks.
4.8
There is no question of the utility programs being in any way inferior
but it is the programs like !FontFX which will increase the appeal of
the Archimedes and so lead to wider use of the system.
4.8
Charm
4.8
In the March issue of Archive, I mentioned the new, at least for the
Archimedes, language called Charm which was sent to me by Peter Nowosad.
The idea of the language is to provide a fast, easily compiled, language
which will work on a single floppy 1mb machine. It is block-structured
like Pascal and ÉCæ and incorporates many similarities with both of
them.
4.8
The compiler itself generates assembly language statements which are
then run through an assembler before being linked with libraries to form
the final executable program. Several example programs are included in
the package, including a fully multi-tasking version of Chinese Checkers
which runs in its own window after sitting on the icon bar. The only
fault I can find with this program, which takes up 1500 lines of source
code, is that it wipes the floor with me before I have managed to work
out what is going on. There is also another game, this time not multi-
tasking, in which two serpents, controlled by the program, hunt another
snake controlled by the programmer. The graphics are excellent,
especially in view of the relatively small amount of program code.
4.8
An editor, compiler, assembler (which can be used independently) and
linker all come as part of the package which will be marketed by David
Pilling at ú5.99.
4.8
The one major criticism which I had of the package so far is to do with
the documentation. Peter is a computer enthusiast who has ported the
language from a 68000 development machine and the instruction manual is
really addressed to other computer enthusiasts rather than typical
users. When this has been tackled, Charm should be a means of writing
some very powerful packages for the Archimedes. With a new language like
this, the authoræs documentation is vital as there is nowhere else that
users can go for help. Later, when a language becomes accepted,
textbooks start to appear and the ölocalò documentation becomes much
less important.
4.8
The problem is, of course, not just confined to the Archimedes and to
languages. Many of the PC programs which I use at work are very badly
documented. I recently upgraded my scanner, which I bought from
Technomatic, and with the package comes a new manual. The first chapter
of this is devoted to installing the board; a task which, with luck, I
will never do again. I feel that this sort of information should be in
an appendix; as it happens, I am the only person who uses my machine but
in a busy office many people may need to look at the manual and they
donæt need installation information.
4.8
My suggestion is that a language manual should start with a simple
program, slightly more elaborate than the classic öHello Worldò, and
there should be full explanations about why the programming rules are
there. When this has been dealt with it would be appropriate to go on to
using the compiler, assembler and linker. In the case of a language with
its own editor, like Charm, editing instructions can be mixed in with
the programming part but the rest can wait. Technical descriptions
should be in an appendix unless they actually affect the use of the
program.
4.8
Scheme
4.8
I have received a note from the distributor of Scheme telling me that
version 4 of the language is well into the planning stage. This will
include full RISC-OS compatibility, the ability to manipulate very big
numbers, vectors and structures as primitive data objects, additional
macro facilities and structure building and syntax checking in the
editor. There is also to be a new edition of the handbook with more
examples and two-colour printing.
4.8
Together with the language itself there will be example programs and
utilities including packages for linear algebra, polynomials, numerical
methods of integration and approximation and several tasks to do with
group theory.
4.8
I donæt know yet when the package will be available but I will put
something in this column as soon as I have more information. With the
extras package, it should certainly deserve a place in the sixth form
maths class.  A
4.8

4.8
Credit where itæs due
4.8
Å    Lingenuity Ö Thanks are due to Lingenuity for their help to Ellen
Wilkinson High School. We ordered a piece of advertised software and
needed delivery before a cut-off date when the money would have been
ölostò. Lingenuity had with-drawn the software but they supplied an
alternative, considerably more expensive, piece of software at the price
of the original software we ordered. Mike Battersby, Northolt.  A
4.8

4.8
Atomwide
4.8
From 4.7 page 8
4.8

4.8
Analogue Measurement on the A3000
4.8
Peter Thomson
4.8
The BBC-B computer provided many enthusiasts in schools and universities
with an excellent introduction to measurement and control. The A3000
offers many advantages. Although the standard machine does not include
the analogue port, it is an inexpensive addition. HCCS sell a user/
analogue port expansion for ú44 +VAT and Morley sell a user/analogue
port + I2C for ú69+VAT.
4.8
Both are well made boards and can be fitted without any real difficulty,
simply plugging into the expansion sockets toward the rear and left of
the main circuit board. No other changes are needed.
4.8
The analogue port can be controlled from BASIC in exactly the same way
as on the BBC-B. The HCCS board has a slight problem here with one
command. ADVAL 0 DIV 256 should test the analogue chip to report the
most recent channel to complete conversion. This does not work on the
HCCS board, but they tell me they are looking into it. This is no real
problem unless you are recording values at the maximum conversion rate
and want to be sure of recording each conversion once only.
4.8
The conversion rate is twice that of the BBC-B, at 5ms per channel.
Here, the advantage of using the A3000 becomes clear. The BBC-B could
only cope with a 10ms conversion per channel using machine code routines
to collect, display and store the data. The A3000 can run a routine in
BASIC to collect, display and store data at 5ms intervals with time to
spare. The routine has to be slowed down because it can complete this
loop at 1ms intervals, recording the same value several times before the
next conversion.
4.8
My collection of sensors developed for the BBC-B analogue port plugged
into these expansion boards on the A3000 and worked without any
problems. I use a home made protection for the analogue port that uses
resistors and diodes, based on the design by Dr John Martin of Salford
University and again this works without any need to make changes.
4.8
My data-logging software for the BBC-B used machine code routines to
increase the speed of data handling and program overlays to provide a
series of menu options while leaving a reasonable amount of memory for
data storage. The A3000 renders most of these memory conserving tricks
obsolete. All the software will fit together with a vast data store.
This greatly simplifies the programming.
4.8
Excellent value for money
4.8
For any enthusiast, or for any school where data-logging is part of the
core curriculum for every child, I would recommend the A3000 + either
analogue port.
4.8
Sensors
4.8
I think that the greatest educational value is gained by producing your
own sensors. Light dependent resistors, thermistors etc are standard
components in school science laboratories. A simple potential divider
using Vref and ground with the output to an analogue input on the port
makes a simple and effective sensor. For those who wish to purchase
ready made sensors, there is a wide range now available from all
laboratory suppliers.
4.8
Measure-It from RESOURCE
4.8
This pack contains an interface to the analogue port, two temperature
sensors, one light sensor, a switch on a lead and data-logging software.
It costs ú64.50 +VAT. The analogue port must be fitted before this
package can be used. No problems were found with the use of this package
with either of the analogue boards.
4.8
The interface to the analogue port is robustly made inside a small metal
case. It should protect the computer from any accidental misconnections
of sensors. The sensors supplied all connect to this box with 5 pin DIN
plugs, again this should prevent misconnections. The sensors are each
supplied with 1m of cable. They should stand up well to school use.
4.8
The temperature sensors are precalibrated by the software and are
accurate to within one degree celsius, suitable for temperatures up to
100░C. The light probe is an L.D.R., suitable for room lighting but
producing a value too high for the converter in daylight. This is a
fault of the amplifier in the circuit in the Measure-It box, rather than
the sensor. Unfortunately there is no provision to adjust the output
signal.
4.8
Other sensors can be purchased. The instruction booklet also describes
how to connect your own sensors to the interface box.
4.8
Toolkit
4.8
The software runs under RISC-OS and uses RISC-OS printer drivers. It
leaves other applications intact but not accessible while it is running.
The menus do not use standard RISC-OS display formats or selection
methods. It is important to read the readme file on disc as the guide
book describes an earlier version of the software.
4.8
The first menu set offers a choice of thermometer display, temperature/
time graphs, measurement of a time interval, event counting and general
data logging.
4.8
The screen display of thermometers with a bar to show the temperature
and large characters is excellent, clearly visible from the back of a
large room. The graph displays are not so visible.
4.8
General data logging only makes use of three channels, I found this a
major omission. I did not like the system of setting time intervals
which offers a limited choice of preset times. Readings could be taken
at 2 second intervals but not at 4 second intervals, and no high speed
readings are available.
4.8
The event counting counts twice for each push of the switch, once for on
and once for off. I would have liked an option to count on the rising
signal only to count from my geiger-teller unit.
4.8
The second menu offers a larger range of options, mostly for specific
experiments for which extra hardware is needed such as pendulum motion
and pH measurement.
4.8
Facilities to review recorded data seem to be limited. Some recording
options permit the graph to be re-drawn to display a small section in
more detail but other options do not allow this. Other facilities that I
thought lacking were the ability to calibrate my own sensors and to
transfer the data to other software packages.
4.8
Conclusion
4.8
Measure-It from RESOURCE is a good low cost introduction to data-logging
on the A3000. For younger pupils it is excellent but the software is
rather limited for GCSE or A level work.  A
4.8

4.8
Contact Box
4.8
Å    Australian users Ö UK Archimedes user emigrating to Australia in July,
hoping to settle near Adelaide would like to hear from any other users
in the area. Please write to Ewart Jones, c/o Paul Rivett, 23 Bright
Crescent, Mount Eliza, Victoria 3930.
4.8
Å    London area Ö The Club A3000 is having a second Open Day on Sunday
June 23rd at Mill Hill School, NW7. For more details, contact Club
A3000, 42 Michelham Down, London, N12 7JN.
4.8
Å    Warrington Ö Any Archimedes user or user groups in the area, please
contact Robin Melling, 80 Severn Road, Culcheth, Warrington WA3 5EB.  A
4.8

4.8
Structural Analysis Ö CASA
4.8
Richard Fallas
4.8
The catalogue of Archimedes software is now beginning to expand at a
healthy rate with applications of a Éspecialistæ nature also becoming
more numerous, but the choice in many fields is still limited. Whereas
in the PC world, specialised packages related to disciplines such as
Civil Engineering, Architecture and Structural Analysis abound, in the
Archimedes domain they are rather thin on the ground.
4.8
Enter CASA
4.8
In Archive 3.1, I gave a brief review of Plane Draft from Vision Six Ltd
which is a Structural Analysis package. CASA comes from the same stable
and replaces the earlier program with the same modular options, although
now pin jointed trusses and frames are combined in the same module and
grids in another. Versions are available for up to 32 nodes (& 32
members, loads, etc) priced at ú150 per module, and at ú450 & ú300 for
the full Frame and Grid programs respectively.
4.8
CASA is RISCware, and the maturity of long term development is evident.
The WIMP front end makes it a delight to use in most respects. Perhaps
the most impressive thing is the way the GUI has been set up to act as
just that: a Graphical User Interface. Input of the various data types
is assisted in many instances by use of the mouse pointer supplementing
key strokes. There is an important balance to be struck of course,
within RISC-OS, to ensure that the Érightæ control and input methods are
available. By and large, Vision-Six have achieved this balance. Also,
they are responsive to suggestions and constructive criticisms, as
witnessed by the updates I have received in response to suggestions. I
would expect this to continue and believe purchasers of CASA will
benefit from future improvements as the program matures further.
4.8
CASA uses a split application technique; !CASA itself is the front end
and is used for input, editing and also for output control once
processing is complete. The same program is used for both frames and
grids by a clever switch of axes (orthogonal or isometric) and I will
return to this application shortly.
4.8
Processing & analysis
4.8
Processing is carried out by a separate application: !2Dframe, or
!2Dgrid, as appropriate. Controls here are limited to setting load case
factors, titles and number of passes for Second Order Analysis. This
split technique is used in order to make operation on 1 Mbyte machine
possible and it works well in practice Ö up to a point. During the
course of my testing I upgraded (painlessly) from 1Mbyte to 4Mbyte
following Stuart Bellæs positive experiences with IFEL, and it must be
said that the convenience of being able to switch back and forth quickly
(e.g. for tweaking faulty input) is a real boon. I am sure that the
current pricing of the various A310 2/4Mbyte upgrades will enable most
1Mbyte users to grasp the full advantages of RISC-OS Ö after 2 years, it
had become a Émustæ for me; more essential in my view than a hard disc.
4.8
As !2Dframe (or !2Dgrid) does its work ubiquitously and quietly passes
the updated data back to CASA (or saves it to disc on a 1Mbyte machine)
there is little to be said about it, as long as it works. One toggles
the required load cases to be combined, sets titles and factors in the
writeable fields, and selects ÉAnalyseæ, repeating the process for each
load case or combination required. I would prefer, however, to be able
to set up multiple combination load case alternatives on one processing
batch; so that a single print out covers all cases. During analysis,
checks are carried out on the model to ensure it is soluble Ö error
messages are very helpful here, e.g. ösuspected mechanism at Node...ò
Careful handling of pin joints, supports and any settlements of supports
is required to avoid such problems but this is common to all frame/grid
analysis programs. This is, after all, a tool to be used by Engineers
(and students) who have an understanding of the limitations of the
process.
4.8
Correct analysis?
4.8
As to whether the analysis part works Ö I checked it using numerous
frames and grids, previously analysed using my own and other commercial
packages and found excellent correlation in all 1st order cases. CASAæs
2nd order analysis is not commonly available and is a somewhat revealing
(and valuable) addition. Here a second (or more) pass is made using the
deflected frame from the first pass as the starting point Ö convergence
to a final solution will generally be rapid after say 3 passes. It
could, conceivably, show up a potentially dangerous instability. This
facility is, as far as I am aware, unique Ö certainly for software
remotely near this price level. It is also a sensible extension of
computer design Ö use the crunching power of the machine to improve
confidence in the solution for no increase in input effort. By the way,
analysis on the Archimedes is fast enough for any reasonable user Ö a
slight pause gives the brain a chance to catch up!
4.8
!CASA is much more evident in operation than the analysis applications
and itæs a gem. Input short cuts using the mouse are available in many
operations. Also, an inbuilt database of rolled steel section sizes
gives convenient access for setting up member types Ö unless youære
working in concrete or timber in which case you will need to calculate A
& I values (and J if using grid). As mentioned above, !CASA is switch
able from frame to grid input. In both cases, input and editing changes
can be reflected on the screen automatically, or as required. I wonder
if a 16ö or 20ò screen with one of these fancy new modes would give more
(useable) desktop space, as it can get a bit cluttered with umpteen
windows open at once! (How about a twin screen Archimedes Acorn? Ö or
even one that looks a bit more like my drawing board, i.e. big and
flat!!)
4.8
Graphical output
4.8
Graphical output options are exceptionally well supported Ö deflections,
loads, moments, shears, node and member labelling options Ö all are
scalable; with hardcopy being via RISC-OS drivers. One can get somewhat
confused with all the menus and options, however, and there is quite a
lot to master. I have queried the load case separation with VisionSix
and they have introduced colour coding to help with this.
4.8
Textual output goes straight to the printer but graphical output
requires the appropriate driver to be installed. Print cancelling is now
available via <escape> (as it should with all software). Control over
presentation of hardcopy is available, although text is a little spread
out for my liking; printouts tend to get bulky enough as it is. It is
possible to send text output to file and Pipedream happily accepts the
data as tab file format, so presentation could be altered Ö but beware
that errors donæt creep in!
4.8
Early difficulties with line-feeds on my RX80 were resolved with an
additional print format dialogue box; surplus page feeds on my Desk Jet
have yet to be eliminated but this is a one-off setting up problem. The
manual should be much more thorough on this aspect, however Ö in fact
the manual is probably the weakest part of the package. Better to be
wordy and pedantic but comprehensive, than to be brief, with such a
serious application. A full worked example is given, however, and this
is very useful. Manuals for RISC-OS programs must be hard to write
though and I appreciate the difficulties of anticipating questions from
the user.
4.8
Summary of features
4.8
Space doesnæt permit a blow by blow treatise on CASA Ö in any case, demo
discs are available, so that is the best introduction you can have. The
following list of additional features should give you a flavour of the
sophistication of !CASA:
4.8
Multiple windows with different views, loadings, scales simultaneously;
frames can be rapidly converted to Grids and vice versa; automatic
gravity loading switchable; trapesoidal, part-loads and point loads on
members; settlements can be applied to supports; internal hinges at some
or all nodes; lack-of-fit and thermal effects can be specified; Plotmate
output available; quick input of regularly spaced nodes available.
4.8
Conclusion
4.8
The product is aimed at a specialist market, but at a visit to the
Computers in Construction Exhibition recently, I did not see a compar
able competitor for less than 10 times the entry level price of CASA.
Sadly I saw not a single Archimedes. Yet for those Archimedes users who
need such a thing, this program will pay for itself over and over.
Students too will gain from having an affordable vehicle for öwhat
happens if-ingò.
4.8
VisionSix have done very well in producing this application and it is
definitely a ögood thingò. Of course, the fact that it is an Archimedes
application makes such excellence possible and also limits itæs use to
those Éin the knowæ. I wish them luck breaking into the market.
4.8
PS: I would be happy to compile a register of Engineering Software and
sources; Iæm sure there is more software available than is commonly
advertised. If the response warrants it perhaps Paul will print such a
list in Archive?  A
4.8

4.8
Landmarks Ö Egypt & World War II
4.8
Doug Weller
4.8
Logotron has long been a producer of quality software for schools. It is
now merged with Longman and is the publisher for BBC Software. Its
latest offerings for the Archimedes are two packages complementing the
BBC Landmarks series, although they can be used on their own without the
TV or radio programmes.
4.8
Computer stimulated learning
4.8
Logotron makes the point that these packages are meant to stimulate
learning and are not CAL. This means that much of the learning should
take place away from the computer, particularly factual learning. The
Landmarks programs are seen as providing a framework for childrenæs
learning, helping children to gain an understanding of life in the past,
a feeling for the time and the place and an empathy for the people
involved, as well as an idea of how individual facts fit together.
4.8
This is not easy on a computer but I felt that these two programs went a
long way towards meeting their stated aims. They do this by involving
children in a dialogue with children of the past Ö with these two
programs, a 12th century BC Egyptian boy and a 10 year old girl living
in 1940. The screen is divided into two windows, one for text and one
displaying relevant pictures.
4.8
Interactive history
4.8
Each program starts with the computer child introducing itself and
asking for the useræs name. The user (the teachersæ book gives sugges
tions for classroom organisation and advocates having children work in
small groups) is then asked to type in his/her name. The computer child
then offers to show the user around their town or village. Movement is
either by arrow key or by the familiar GO N, although GOTO placename
often works.
4.8
If this were all, it would be nice but not exciting. But there is more Ö
children can also actually talk to the computer child, asking questions
and making suggestions. Such questions as öDo you have any brothers or
sistersò or suggestions such as öTurn on the radioò get a response which
can often lead to further questions.
4.8
When I tried using the Project Egypt program after my son had finished
using it, my responses showed the computer that I was a different
person, and the Egyptian boy asked (very politely) if he was still
speaking to Matthew. When I replied negatively, he apologised abjectly
and restarted the program!
4.8
Realtime
4.8
The program stays active for three days. This means that when a group
comes back to the computer the 2nd day, a day will appear to have passed
for the computer child and things will seem to have happened while the
computer was off. If you try to talk to the WWII child after the 3rd day
she explains that the bomb damage at her school has been repaired so she
canæt talk to you anymore, and says goodbye.
4.8
Summary
4.8
These two programs, Project Egypt and Second World War, are a must for
anyone covering these periods and have access to an Archimedes. Costing
only ú19.95 and including excellent pupilsæ materials for off-computer
work, they bring history alive and put children in touch with life in
the past Ö the goal of most teachers but one which is difficult to
achieve. I only hope that Longman extend this format to other historical
periods, including those covered by the BBC ZigZag series, covering the
rest of Key Stage Two core history.  A
4.8

4.8
Base 5
4.8
From 4.7 page 4
4.8

4.8
MultiÖmedia Column
4.8
Ian Lynch
4.8
Following on from the March issue where we were starting to construct a
Genesis application, we will add to our single Genesis page and
illustrate one or two of the features available. If you are thinking of
buying Genesis 2 or up-grading from 1, this should give you an idea of
whether or not it is worthwhile. For example, the facility to customise
your own windows by specifying whether or not scroll bars etc should be
present, is a feature of Genesis 2 not available in 1. I know that a
book fully documenting the programming script language is in preparation
and should be available next month. When I get my hands on this, I
should be able to describe how to make your applications more versatile.
4.8
Extra modules will also become available in order to make more special
ised work, such as accessing the user port, easier. You could then write
a multi-tasking application which controlled various devices in the
background while you worked on something else. I have one of Unilabæs
new A3000 I/O podules which has 3 user ports, one analogue port and a 1
MHz bus, so I expect to do some experimentation with this in the near
future. I can recommend this as a solidly constructed add-on to anyone
wanting to gain interfacing facilities for an A3000.
4.8
Menu page
4.8
Back to the application. We have a title page which contains text and a
Next button and we need to make a page which will follow on from this.
To create a new page, we need to go to the Sound icon on the icon bar
and go Menu Ö Create page. This will create a page the size of the
screen and you can then adjust in size. In this case, we will make a
simple menu page so that particular routes can be chosen to look at some
of the individual sound attributes.
4.8
The first task is to give the page a title by Menu Ö Info Ö Page Ö
Title. Next, drag out four boxes into which we will enter the menu
options. This is done in the same way as for the first page. Then we
give the background the same grey colour as for the first page which
makes the whole application have a consistent lay-out. I have also
switched of the scroll bars as these are again not needed on this
window.
4.8
This should give us a page which looks like the illustration below when
the menu titles have been entered.
4.8
Saving and recalling
4.8
To save this page, use Menu Ö Save and the page will be saved with all
its details. Note that this includes the position on the screen so that
when the page is called up, it will appear in the position you speci
fied. Double clicking on the Next button that was saved on the title
page will now automatically cause the menu page to be displayed. This is
because it was the önext pageò created in the application. Note that if
you double click the Next button with <adjust>, the title page will
close leaving only the menu page displayed. This can be particularly
important when using machines with limited memory since the more pages
displayed, generally, the more memory consumed and you will eventually
get a message telling you that there is not enough memory and to close
something.
4.8
Linking pages
4.8
The real power of Genesis comes from its ability to make arbitrary links
between pages. What we need now is to be able to link our menu options
to pages which contain more detail about the subject the option refers
to. We have four options, so we will need at least four more pages Ö I
will deal with one at a time. The first is ÉFrequency and pitchæ and so
we will make a page with this as the title in the same way as mentioned
previously, Sound icon Ö Menu Ö Create page. (Incidentally, you will
notice that you canæt do this with the Browser, only with the Genesis
Editor which comes with Genesis.) It is now necessary to adjust the
sizes and positions of the windows so that the mouse pointer can be
placed in the ÉFrequency and pitchæ box on the menu page with the
ÉFrequency and pitchæ page in view. Now click <select> in the box and
then Menu Ö Link to, and a dialogue box with a variety of linking tools
appears. The first of these is the double click link and this is simply
dragged over the ÉFrequency and pitchæ window and released. It is
possible to do more complex links which are, for example, dependent on
some condition being satisfied but we will leave this until later. Now
that the link is established, double-clicking on the menu box ÉFrequency
and pitchæ, will cause the ÉFrequency and pitchæ page to be displayed.
4.8
RISC-OS
4.8
Like most RISC-OS operations, linking is quite intuitive once you have
done it once or twice Indeed, it sounds more complicated in a written
description than it is in practice. It is probably pertinent at this
point to mention the fact that there are many data types which Genesis
understands specifically, Maestro, Euclid, Mogul, Armadeus samples, Draw
files and Sprites and it is likely that other types will be catered for
in future. In addition to this, any RISC-OS application can be launched
from Genesis and so it is possible for several RISC-OS applications to
work together forming a unified and comprehensive programming environ
ment.
4.8
Help Ö Any animators?
4.8
We now need some information on the ÉFrequency and pitchæ page. One idea
I had was to make a film using !Mogul or !Tween of a vibrating object
producing a sound wave at a slow rate and also a quicker rate. If I then
used Armadeus to capture a high pitch and a low pitch sound we have both
a visual simulation and an indication of the difference in sound between
high and low frequency sounds. Unfortunately, my abilities at animation
are not great, so this bit is currently unfinished. Perhaps someone with
!Euclid or Tween could have a go at making a film and then I will
include it in the application. This should not be too difficult for
someone practised in !Euclid or !Tween.
4.8
Capturing sounds
4.8
Genesis 2 understands Armadeus samples and so, to include them in the
application, it is simply a matter of dragging a file into a frame, as
with graphics films or text. Obviously, to create your own sounds you
need the software and hardware for sound capture. The samples in this
monthæs application were captured using a cheap microphone connected to
a Unilab computer interface linked to a Unilab I/O 3000 box on an A3000
with 2Mb RAM running Armadeus. The samples were then saved and trans
ferred to Genesis 2. In fact, if you have enough memory, it is quite
feasible to run Armadeus at the same time as Genesis 2 and transfer the
files directly. Genesis 2 can play sound samples from disc so that
applications will work on 1 Mb machines, but 2Mb is far better and 4Mb
will not be wasted.
4.8
Storage
4.8
While a hard disc is not essential, it certainly makes life a lot
easier. If you use floppies, make sure that filer windows not currently
in use are closed, or you can get into complicated disc swapping (a bug
in RISC-OS so I am told). Also, when moving from page to page in
Genesis, double click with the right hand button as this closes the
previous window saving memory (essential on 1 Mb machines). A 4Mb RAM
upgrade for an A3000 is less expensive than a hard disc and would allow
you to run the application from a RAM disc. This also has speed
advantages.
4.8
Sign off
4.8
Thatæs all for this month. We can make further progress and introduce
some more techniques next month. In the meantime I am exploring the
possibilities of accessing interfacing ports using Genesis 2.  A
4.8

4.8
Colton Software
4.8
From 4.7 page 14
4.8

4.8
PipeLine
4.8
Gerald Fitton
4.8
This month Iæll start with a few words on Macros. When I started this
column, one of the things I expected to happen was that there would be
an abundance of macros (just like the short programs which appeared for
Wordwise). It didnæt happen at ₧rst but now Iæm beginning to see signs
that, whilst I was right in principle, I was wrong on the time scale.
Since last month, I have received many ideas for macros but many more of
you have asked how to record them.
4.8
This is what you do. Hold down <ctrl> and then tap <F> followed by <Y>
to start recording; you will be asked for a ₧le name to complete the
dialogue box. Then go through the motions (including mouse clicks etc)
you want to record. Finally <ctrl-FY> again to switch off the recorder.
When you record a macro on disc, please send me a copy for publication,
saying what it does.
4.8
John Jordan has written to me before; he has been using PipeDream for
some years now. Iæm sure he wonæt mind me saying this but he tells me
that it is only recently that he realised that options <Ctrl-O> can be
changed (several times) whilst you are working on a document. Perhaps
you didnæt know that either! Anyway, one of the problems that keeps
coming up in letters to me is that of choosing a suitable set of options
for the type of document in use. For example, with tables (databases,
etc) it is better to have Wrap OFF (and Insert on return OFF) but with
plain text (wordprocessing) it is better to have Wrap ON. A simple
(recorded) macro will switch you from a set of options suitable for
plain text to a different set suitable for tables. You can call such a
macro ÉTableæ and, just before you start entering tabular data, double
click on the macro ₧le to run it and so change the options.
4.8
Interword, Wordwise and other ₧les
4.8
Since I included a request for help in transferring Interword ₧les, I
have received similar requests for other wordprocessors, spreadsheets,
databases and the like. The good news is that I have been sent many
discs with programs in BASIC which convert a wide variety of ₧le formats
to PipeDream format ₧les. The bad news is that until I get them all
sorted out I wonæt know what works and what doesnæt. If you want to take
a chance (or want to help) then send me a blank formatted disc, etc, and
I will send you a copy of what I have. If you do have a go then please
write me a Éreviewæ for publication. Amongst the programs and explana
tions I have found many references to ÉLiberatoræ; does anybody have a
ÉLiberatoræ and what is it? Donæt tell me that the Liberator is a WW2
airplane Ö I know that!
4.8
PipeDream text to !Draw text objects
4.8
I have received an interesting program from Lee McGinty (Isle of Wight)
which allows you to enter text into PipeDream and then export it to
!Draw. !Draw accepts the text as a text object. What makes this program
so interesting is that you can introduce bold, italic, superscript, etc,
you can insert any outline font at any size from within PipeDream and,
when you import the PipeDream ₧le into !Draw, the highlights and font
changes are implemented. The copy I have is marked Evaluation Copy, so I
am not sure of the status of this program but, if you are interested
then write to me and I will forward your letters.
4.8
The GripeLine
4.8
This is Keith Matthewsæ idea. Send me your Gripes about how PipeDream
works (or doesnæt) and Iæll collect them together. Think of it as a way
of lobbying Colton Software for further improvements! Those of you who
received the April 1991 PipeLine disc will have seen Keithæs three
gripes. This should have been only two because the third one went away
when Keith upgraded from version 3.11 to 3.14. Perhaps the improvement
was an example of the PUI in action?
4.8
On the topic of gripes, Peter Nye has a Z88 and makes printer highlight
code 3 send the ASCII 27 to his printer. This means that in his text ₧le
he can introduce highlight 3 and follow it by other printer codes (in
the main text) so implementing a wide range of printer functions.
Perhaps this is the meaning of the phrase ÉExtended ... æ in the User
Guide. Anyway, Peter reckons that he canæt get this to work on the
Archimedes, so this is his Gripe öExtending printer codes through
highlight 3 doesnæt work on the Archimedesò.
4.8
Alan Highet complains that when he runs a macro which includes both
recalculation and printing the printing starts before the recalculation
is ₧nished. Has anyone a solution to this? How can PipeDream be made to
wait until it has ₧nished before starting printing Ö it has to be a
problem arising out of the multi-tasking nature of RISC-OS.
4.8
Help
4.8
B Warshavsky from The Netherlands has the EFF Hebrew Outline Font. His
problem is how to write from right to left in PipeDream? He would also
like to use more of the facilities available on his HPPaintjet printer.
4.8
The Local Authority for which Douglas Bell works has taken out a
PipeDream 3 licence and they will be using it in Standard/Higher Grade
Computing Studies as well as SCOTVEC Modules. If you have anything to
offer him or wish to ask him then send me your letters and I will
forward them to him.
4.8
Peter Nye suggests that if you are using a lot of printer codes which
affect vertical alignment, you should prepare the text ₧rst adding the
printer codes afterwards.
4.8
I have a letter from Tony Cowley about ₧nding bits of paperwork he has
₧led somehow. Using PipeDream, he has reduced his problems to a minimum.
His method is to ₧le his incoming correspondence chronologically rather
than by subject. He uses PipeDream to record key words in a column
(entering the record number or date in another column). When he wants to
₧nd a particular piece of paper he sorts the PipeDream database on the
₧eld containing the key words and so discovers the date (or document
number) of the piece of paper. The rest (as they say) is easy!
4.8
David Turner (of D & J Recording Ltd) wants to perform calculations in
(hours) minutes and seconds. He has sent me a disc with functions he has
built in to handle sums in the scale of 60. If you want to use PipeDream
to do sums in scales other than the scale of 10 (or hexadecimal or
binary) then drop me a line and Iæll explain Davidæs methods to you.
4.8
The National Curriculum keeps coming up in correspondence. Any PipeDream
format ₧les containing Attainment Targets and Assessment Recording and
Analysis will be most gratefully received by many PipeLine readers.
4.8
Dr Peter Davies has sent me a disc with a simple way of dealing with
Timetables. If you are interested send me a blank, formatted disc, etc
and Iæll send you a copy.
4.8
The Z88
4.8
Thanks for your letters about the Z88. Please keep them coming even
though I canæt say much about them in a column which is mainly for
Archimedes users. Iæm surprised how many of you have and use a Z88 for
much of your wordprocessing and tabular numeric input with transfer to
the Archimedes only for printing. I enjoy the freedom of tapping away
producing PipeLine from almost anywhere. (That is, when Jill isnæt
tapping away at her documents!) I port into the Archimedes to get good
quality printouts.
4.8
PipeLine
4.8
Since I wrote the ₧rst PipeLine column for the October 1989 Archive,
Paul has printed over 50,000 of my words about the use of Colton
Softwareæs PipeDream. Undoubtedly, PipeDream is one of those appli
cations that grow on you as you get to know it better. From what you say
in your letters to me, PipeLine has helped many hundreds of you to
improve your PipeDream expertise. I think that it is because PipeDream
is such a good piece of software that the PipeLine concept has been able
to expand to the quarterly discs; I donæt know what proportion of you
take the PipeLine discs but it must be fairly high. The ₧rst disc was
issued in July 1990 so the April 1991 disc makes up the ₧rst set of
four. Thanks for writing to me telling me how interesting, helpful and
instructive the information on the discs have been to you. Of course, a
lot of these disc based applications have come from you, the Archive
readers, so Iæd like to thank you all for helping make PipeLine what it
has become. By the way, if you make a contribution which is published
(on disc Ö not the Archive magazine) then you get a free copy of the
disc in which your contribution appears; if youæve already paid for the
disc then you get a ú5.00 refund!
4.8
PipeLine is not really a user group but it has grown (like Archive) to
have a user group Éfeelæ to it. The Érole modelæ I have used as my
starting point for PipeLine has been Paulæs Archive. PipeLine sub
scribers write to me asking for help and, often, useful help is given
(and I enjoy the correspondence). To a large extent, this ÉHelpLineæ is
as successful as it is because I get such strong support from Robert
Macmillan of Colton Software but it is also because about two dozen of
you PipeLine enthusiasts have taken over some of the queries that are
outside my ₧eld of expertise. When a problem has been solved by a
ÉPipeLine Helperæ, they usually write it up for publication. Once again,
if it is published, the writer gets a free disc. I would like PipeLine
to expand its ÉHelpLineæ (and other! Ö you tell me what you want)
activities more, to do this we need more helpers . . . You?
4.8
In conclusion
4.8
Having sent out the fourth disc of the series, I feel as if this is some
kind of anniversary. Colton have brought out a much to be desired
PipeDream mug Ö but not to celebrate PipeLineæs anniversary! I am
working on the possibility that I might acquire one or two for PipeLine.
If I do then you might get one as a prize if you do something spectacu
lar enough! Let me know what or who you think deserves a PipeDream mug.
4.8
Seriously though. Please keep those letters (or better, discs) coming to
Abacus Training. Weære relying on you to keep up the excellent quality
of PipeLine.  A
4.8

4.8
A better Draw: Version 1╜
4.8
Tord Eriksson
4.8
There is always someone who updates the software he is using, just for
fun or for the simple reason that he wants more and the producer of the
original software doesnæt plan to upgrade. Acorn hasnæt shown any
interest in upgrading Draw, so Jonathan Marten has done it instead.
4.8
Installing Draw1╜
4.8
There are a few differences between !Draw and !Draw1╜ to bear in mind
when running it from a hard disc: The !Draw1╜ !Run file has to check for
the system files first and load them, before loading the !Draw1╜ itself.
4.8
I learned this the hard way but it was enough to load !Draw before
!Draw1╜ to get the latter working. However, not everyone will have these
problems, because later copies of !Draw1╜ have been updated by Mr
Marten.
4.8
(From now on, I will refer to !Draw1╜ as ÉPlusæ and the original !Draw
as just plain ÉDrawæ.)
4.8
Draw made easy!
4.8
The first thing you notice is the different toolbox, in a separate
window, and the added buttons öOrthoò and öZoomò. The former makes lines
snap to the grid and the latter makes the window zoom in and out between
pre-set sizes which you can adjust. This is much quicker and easier
because you often need to zoom in to select the lines you have drawn,
group them into an entity and then look at the result by zooming out.
4.8
To rotate an entire drawing, or part of it, is almost impossible with
Draw. With Plus you can, with ease, rotate, inverse or skew to your
heartæs content, either by a certain number of degrees or by 180 degrees
at a time. This makes drawing manipulation much easier. Even text can be
manipulated in a similar way but you have to turn the text into a draw
file first, using !FontDraw, another handy utility. It is not as
powerful as FontFx but very useful anyway.
4.8
Homemade italics, anyone?
4.8
Naturally, as with Draw, you can mix drawings with text, as you wish. If
you feel inclined to skew the text it is very easy to do. On the whole,
Plus is easier to use than Draw, even if it has one or two rough edges.
So if a font hasnæt got any oblique or italic version you can easily
imitate it!
4.8
Conclusion
4.8
Considering that this is the result of one personæs toil in his spare
time, itæs an amazing product Ö I do have problems with the drawing as
spurious lines sometimes appear for no apparent reason. So I use Draw
first, then Plus. I look upon Draw1╜ as a complement to Draw, not the
ultimate !Draw version but it is worth every penny. Draw1╜ is available
on Shareware disc N║34 from Norwich Computer Services. It is cheap,
powerful and user intuitive Ö can you beat that?  A
4.8

4.8
Pineapple PAL Coder
4.8
Ned Abell
4.8
The PAL coder is a useful addition to the Archimedes in that it does two
things; it allows you to connect up external equipment to the computer
and it lengthens existing monitor leads!
4.8
The add-on unit is a plastic box about 11 x 5.5 x 2 cms which has about
30 cms of ribbon cable coming out of one end with a 9 way D connector on
the end. This connects to the monitor output socket on the computer. On
the other end of the box is another 9 pin socket which now acts as the
new monitor socket. There is also a BNC socket which gives PAL coded
video and an interlace switch. The whole unit is powered from a plug
type power supply.
4.8
Output
4.8
The output from this unit cannot be fed directly into a TV set aerial
socket but if you have a set with a phono plug öAVò video socket or the
öSCARTò type of socket, you should be able to feed the picture from the
coder into the set and view it by switching the set to video or the AV
setting. Check with a TV shop that your set can do this and that the
SCART connector has an adaptor to connect to the BNC on the coder.
4.8
Recording
4.8
If you have a video recorder, you can record pictures from the Archi
medes onto tape by feeding the recorder video input with the output from
the coder. A normal 9 pin colour or monochrome monitor can be used at
the same time as you are using the video output.
4.8
Quality
4.8
The pictures on the video output are of a high standard but they are not
as good as on the monitor. This is to be expected as any PAL coding
system is trying to squeeze a lot of information into a restricted
bandwidth. With the box in circuit, there seems to be no change in the
RGB monitor display. If I compare the pictures generated by my Arvis
genlock and the Pineapple coder then there is little difference in
perceived quality.
4.8
Opening the lid!
4.8
Inside the box, you will find a variable inductor that can help to
control any öhookingò at the top of the coded picture and a variable
capacitor which can be used to adjust cross colour or moire patterns to
a minimum. Itæs a very well made product and, for someone starting off
with an Archimedes and not able to afford a proper monitor, itæs a very
useful add-on.
4.8
The ability to provide a video output can also be of great use if you
want to distribute your Archimedes pictures to another display or use
them on video tape. The retail price is ú69 + VAT.  A
4.8

4.8
Developing a RISC-OS Utility Ö Part 1
4.8
Darren Sillett
4.8
My aim in this series of articles is to illustrate how to produce a
fairly complex RISC-OS utility with the minimum of hard work. To this
end I intend to develop a BASIC library over the coming months which
will provide a cushioning layer between you and the window manager.
4.8
Standard application files
4.8
An application is represented as a directory whose name begins with É!æ,
e.g. !Edit. Inside this directory, the applicationæs files are stored.
Some of these files have a special significance in the desktop. These
are detailed below:
4.8
!Boot Ö is executed when the desktop Filer first displays the appli
cation directory.
4.8
!Run Ö is executed by the desktop Filer when the user double-clicks on
the application directory.
4.8
!Sprites Ö contains the main application sprite and any filetype sprites
used.
4.8
!Help Ö is executed by the desktop Filer when the user selects Help from
the Filer menu.
4.8
!RunImage Ö is the executable code of the main application program.
4.8
Templates Ö is the applicationæs window template file.
4.8
Sprites Ö is the applicationæs private sprite file.
4.8
Getting started
4.8
The first step in creating a new application is to make a new directory
on the your working disc which contains the name of the application. Our
application is going to be called !Ultimate so create a new directory
with that name.
4.8
The next step is to start creating some of the files described above.
Use !Paint to create a sprite with the same name as the directory. The
sprite should be about 68 OS units square which corresponds to a mode 12
sprite 34 pixels wide by 17 pixels high. You can also create a small
sprite called sm!ultimate which will be used by the Filer when display
ing Full info on the application. This sprite should be 34 OS units
square which corresponds to a mode 12 sprite 16 to 19 pixels wide by 9
pixels high.
4.8
Save this file as !Sprites inside the newly created application
directory.
4.8
The next file to create is the !Boot file. This contains the command to
load the sprite file into the Wimp sprite area. This is not strictly
needed in the case of our application because the desktop Filer does
this automatically when no !Boot file exists but, for completeness, and
in case of future expansion, we will still create one.
4.8
To create the !Boot file, use !Edit to create a new obey file containing
the following lines and save it in the application directory.
4.8
The !Boot file should contain the following:
4.8
| >!Boot
4.8
IconSprites <Obey$Dir>.!Sprites
4.8
Last of the simple files to create is the !Run file. This should be
created using !Edit in a similar fashion to that for the !Boot file.
4.8
The file should contain the following lines:
4.8
| >!Run
4.8
IconSprites <Obey$Dir>.!Sprites
4.8
Set Ultimate$Dir <Obey$Dir>
4.8
WimpSlot -min 16k -max 16k
4.8
Run <Ultimate$Dir>.!RunImage
4.8
The sprite file is loaded again in case the application has been run
from the command line. An environment variable called Ultimate$Dir is
set containing a copy of the variable Obey$Dir. This allows the
application to access its application directory once the program itself
is running, enabling it to access, for example, the BASIC library which
we will be creating.
4.8
The WimpSlot command informs the Task Manager of the memory requirements
of the application. The last command executes the main application
program.
4.8
The main application
4.8
The !RunImage file contains the main program code which will be
developed over the coming months. The program presented here is a bare
skeleton which will be fleshed out as more features are incorporated
into the application.
4.8
All the program manages to do at the moment is initialise itself to the
Task Manager and display its icon on the icon bar. To quit the appli
cation you need to use the Task Manager window.
4.8
 10 REM >!RunImage
4.8
 20 LIBRARY ö<Ultimate$Dir>.WimpLibò
4.8
 30 PROCinitialise
4.8
 40 task_id%  = FNinitialise_wimp (öUltimate utilityò)
4.8
 50 bar_icon% = FNcreate_bar_icon (ö!ultimateò,bar_icon_left)
4.8
 60 REPEAT
4.8
 70 SYS öWimp_Pollò,mask%, wimp_block% TO result%
4.8
 80 CASE result% OF
4.8
 90   WHEN 17,18 : PROCreceive_ message(wimp_block%!16)
4.8
100 ENDCASE
4.8
110 UNTIL finished%
4.8
120 PROCclosedown_wimp(task_id%)
4.8
130 END
4.8

4.8
200 DEFPROCinitialise
4.8
210 finished% = FALSE
4.8
220 mask% = 0
4.8
230 ENDPROC
4.8

4.8
300 DEFPROCreceive_message(message%)
4.8
310 CASE message% OF
4.8
320   WHEN 0 : finished% = TRUE
4.8
330 ENDCASE
4.8
340 ENDPROC
4.8
Line 20 Ö Initialises the BASIC library.
4.8
Line 30 Ö Calls routine to initialise application variables.
4.8
Line 40 Ö Initialises the application to the Task Manager using one of
the WimpLib routines.
4.8
Line 50 Ö Displays the applicationæs icon on the icon bar. If a value of
bar_icon_right is given instead of bar_icon_left then the icon will
appear on the right hand side of the icon bar.
4.8
Lines 60..110 Ö Main WIMP polling loop. This is where the application
gets its chance to interact with the user and other applications. At the
moment, it just recognises a quit request from the Task Manager but more
will be added later.
4.8
Line 120 Ö Closes down the WIMP parts of the application i.e. removes it
from the icon bar.
4.8
Lines not explicitly referenced are either unimportant or left for
explanation later.
4.8
WimpLib
4.8
To aid development and provide a useful routine library for everybody
the windowing parts of the application will be found in a BASIC library
called, appropriately, Wimplib.
4.8
 10 REM >WimpLib
4.8
 20 DEF FNinitialise_wimp(app_name$)
4.8
 30 DIM wimp_block% 512
4.8
 40 SYS öWimp_Initialiseò, 200, &4B534154, app_name$ TO
version%,task_id%
4.8
 50 bar_icon_left  = -2
4.8
 60 bar_icon_right = -1
4.8
 70 =task_id%
4.8

4.8
100 DEF FNcreate_bar_icon (app_name$,position)
4.8
110 wimp_block%!0  = position
4.8
120 wimp_block%!4  = 0
4.8
130 wimp_block%!8  = 0
4.8
140 wimp_block%!12 = 0
4.8
150 wimp_block%!16 = 68
4.8
160 wimp_block%!20 = %10000000000010
4.8
170 $(wimp_block% + 24) = app_name$
4.8
180 SYS öWimp_CreateIconò,, wimp_block% TO icon%
4.8
190 =icon%
4.8

4.8
200 DEF PROCclosedown_wimp(task_id%)
4.8
210 SYS öWimp_CloseDownò, task_id%, &4B534154
4.8
220 ENDPROC
4.8
What next?
4.8
Next month I hope to embark on the subject of menus and present some
easy to use library routines for manipulating them.
4.8
I have not decided on the applicationæs precise use yet. I would be keen
to hear of any suggestions for features that could be added to the
application as it grows. So, if you have any ideas or would find a
particular feature handy, please write and tell me and then at least the
application will be of use to someone!
4.8
I can be contacted either through Archive or at 43, Kingfisher Walk,
Ash, Aldershot, Hampshire GU12 6RF.  A
4.8

4.8
Crossword Callup 2
4.8
Alan Wilburn
4.8
This program, aimed at teachers, started life on the BBC B and has been
rewritten as a RISC-OS compatible application with an increase in speed,
size of the database and the opportunity to use RISC-OS printer drivers.
4.8
The program comes on an unprotected disc in a strong vinyl A5 folder
with two comprehensive manuals. One manual is from the original BBC B
version dealing with the database and the second dealing with the
Archimedes enhancements. The second manual assumes you have little
knowledge of RISC-OS and explains how to back up the disc, load the
program etc Ö ideal for teachers.
4.8
The program
4.8
The program makes crosswords, which can be printed out or completed on
screen, from a supplied database. The datafiles can be edited and added
to Ö 490 clues are supplied as a start Ö with a limit of 4,000 clues for
a disc-based program.
4.8
To get started, you open the directory and double click on the appli
cation and it will load, taking over the computer. If you have more than
one drive and/or hard disc, the default has to be set from the command
line Ö it can only be run from $ Dir. on a hard disk. After the title
screen, the main menu appears. Six of the options are for managing the
database and the others are for constructing a crossword, printer setup
and an exit to the desktop.
4.8
The database
4.8
A clue file has five fields: Clue number, Clue, Answer, Level of
difficulty (three choices) and Linked subjects.
4.8
All of these fields can be edited and a new clue file can be entered.
Bump icons allow you to move through the files easily either singly or
in steps of ten and fifty.
4.8
The Main Menu options give a choice of hard copies of subjects, clue
list linked to a subject and a word list for a subject. The database can
be cleared from a menu option if you wish to start from scratch. This is
more of a hang over from the original version which could only handle
just over a hundred files on a 40T drive, but is necessary if Cross
Number Puzzles are to be made. On the disc are two directories, one for
the saved sprite and word file (only one of each which are overwritten
each time) and the other containing tools. The tools are to alter clue
files from the BBC B version into Archimedes format, merge two files and
expand the database to allow more than 4,000 files.
4.8
Printer options
4.8
Menu option 8 is for setting up the printer. From this, pre-loaded RISC-
OS printer drivers can be set for scalable printouts set by a slider
icon or the default Epson driver can be chosen. The background colour of
the crossword can be chosen from a supplied grey palette Ö any other
colours would have to be dealt with in Paint. There is an option to
automatically save a sprite of the crossword grid and a double spaced
!Edit file of clues and answers which can be loaded directly into a DTP
application. Bump icons are available to set the width of the Edit file
and the number of copies to be printed.
4.8
Making a crossword
4.8
To make a crossword, menu option 1 is taken and you decide whether you
are going for a printout or on screen solving. The subjects are then
displayed and you choose which you want, followed by the choice of
levels of difficulty. The computer loads the relevant clues and you are
asked to decide how many clues you want to use. The grid is then built
up on screen. If you donæt like the grid, the computer will keep
redrawing until you are satisfied. If you are solving it on screen, you
move around the grid using the cursor keys and the clue appears at the
bottom of the screen. The answer is entered and you continue to the next
clue. At any time, you can remove an answer.
4.8
If the printout option was taken, the grid and clues are saved to disc
and the grid/clues/answers are printed out over three pages. The
printout was good from the RISC-OS driver for my dot matrix printer but
I found the built-in print option printed across the full 136 columns on
my printer and I didnæt get round to altering the DIP switches to try it
out. If the printer is not connected, the sprite and Edit files are
saved before an error message is generated and you can exit the program
to use the files in DTP.
4.8
In the Archimedesæ manual there are sample crossword/number puzzles
including some using the mask capabilities of Paint to overlay the grid
on a background picture.
4.8
Comments
4.8
I like the program but I find it an unnecessary complication to have to
set the default drive from the command line and who wants to clutter $
Dir. on a hard disc? I consider it a waste of very limited computer time
in school to complete a crossword on screen and so it seems to me that
the most useful part of the program is the DTP aspect. I need to have
crosswords on one sheet so that they can be easily photocopied to be
used as backup / extension / revision work to various lessons and so I
prefer using the two saved files with DTP. Otherwise, it means physical
cut and paste to make up one sheet from the printouts. Using 2Mb RAM on
an A3000, I found it very easy to make a crossword, exit to the desktop
load the two files into Impression and go back and do the next cross
word. I experimented with the mask / overlay technique and found that it
can give very impressive results with little effort.
4.8
Crossword Callup is available from Northern Micromedia for ú19 +VAT + ú1
p&p (=ú26).  A
4.8

4.8
WorraCad
4.8
Mike Hobart
4.8
First, the facts. WorraCad is a fully RISC-OS compatible, ödongleò
protected program which runs comfortably on a basic 1Mb machine, at
least for simple jobs. It comes with a clear, generously-illustrated,
well-printed and quite comprehensive manual which is a little under-
indexed. It costs ú82.
4.8
The program function is, to quote from the manual, öComputer Aided
Draughting (often mistakenly called Computer Aided Design Ö an entirely
different type of application) ... a process whereby the computer is
used as a means of simplifying the drafting processò. Its other theme is
accuracy: eighteen significant figures. I recently zoomed in on a
section of a drawing by a factor of over 700,000! In the laboratory, we
use electron microscopes for that.
4.8
When loaded, WorraCad displays its icon on the icon bar and when this is
clicked, a drawing area, a menu strip and a coordinate window appear.
The menus are also available in the standard RISC-OS fashion via the
menu button, but, personally, I prefer the öradio buttonsò of the menu
strip. The top button moves you around the menu hierarchy, announcing
your present position and, if clicked, moving you towards the root.
Relevant buttons in the sub-menus remain öonò until deselected. This is
very handy most of the time. For instance if you are trying to draw
lines, but feel the need to zoom in, you can go ödown and upò to the
zoom menu, perform the zoom, then reverse the route, but you do not have
to reselect ölinesò in the öDrawò menu, just draw. Occasionally, this
feature can lead you astray, for instance when the select menu has been
in use, you should make sure that you are not resetting the origin by
mistake just because you forgot to switch off this option. My general
feeling is that this is a well thought out part of the program.
4.8
WorraCad uses three kinds of öprimitiveò: points, straight lines and
arcs. Lines can be full feature lines or construction lines which are
used to facilitate the drawing process by providing a skeleton. Lines
may be drawn parallel, normal or tangential to other lines, or at a
specific angle. Circles and arcs constructed by reference to either
centre and radius, three points or more complex constructions involving
centre, point and angular or distance offset.
4.8
Provided that you are drawing fairly standard engineering or building
structures, this is all very convenient, but the more complex flowing
shapes of, for instance, a boat, Concorde or a Gothic arch must be
approached by a series of approximations, which would be tedious.
4.8
WorraCad has provision for up to sixteen drawing layers. The layers may
be hidden (after a redraw), or can be used as guides for work on the
current layer. Colours for each element in a drawing may be set from
within the layer control and are not fixed to each layer. There are also
options to hide construction points and lines (and most other output
categories) from the final product, without having to delete them. There
is full control over paper size. Orthogonal (square) and isometric
(diamond) grids are supported. Various transformations of bits of the
drawing are provided for, e.g. mirror about any line, stretch, rotate.
The facilities for multiple replication of objects with offsets or
rotations programmed would make designing, say, a rack-and-pinion system
a doddle.
4.8
The behaviour of the grid feature can sometimes be a little disconcert
ing. The basic system is very good, allowing grid divisions to be at any
pitch you like, though twelfths are not supported, so Imperial measures
have to be öfudgedò. Sometimes, the grid disappears if the screen
magnification is wrong. It is still there, and objects still attach
themselves to it, but you need a second window at a different magnifi
cation to see it. Incidentally, the zoom system is exquisite, offering
not just numerical zooms, but also fit to page and a özoom to rubber
banded areaò option. Also disconcerting can be the appearance of the
screen if an action, especially a deletion, has been done: nothing seems
to have happened. This is due to the use of a command-driven re-drawing
system. The purpose is to eliminate the long waits with which most
readers will be familiar when using !Draw; if there are many objects on
the screen, the redrawing can be very slow. WorraCad avoids this, and a
quick jab at the örò key is all that is needed to make apparent the
amendments (deletions etc) since the last redraw. Insertions appear at
once.
4.8
What is essential, if you are to get the best out of WorraCad, is that
you should know what you are aiming at. The dimensions and layout should
be clear in your mind, as should the approach you are going to use to
construct your drawing. The example in the manual, a drawing (a full-
feature engineering drawing) of an audio cassette is a very good example
of the approach needed. Draw a rectangular outline, then fillet (round)
the corners on a 3 mm arc, then centre the spools, draw construction
circles and lines appropriate for the öteethò, draw a tooth, and its
share of the circle, then replicate it to fill, then the spindle holes,
the raised area (hatched), the tape window and finally the body screws.
You could draw a perfectly recognisable cassette in !Draw more quickly,
but with this drawing you could imagine making one in the workshop.
4.8
The example makes use of known facts about cassettes. You could quite
easily design your own cassette with different dimensions, drive
mechanisms etc. on a fairly freehand basis. If you want to draw a circle
to fit between two angled lines at a given point, you would not need to
know the exact diameter of a circle required, just the lines and the
point. WorraCad will work out the right size circle and will dimension
your drawing for you. You can label your design with a special font of
technical appearance (like the ones you buy as stencils for a drawing
pen). If you need the drawing in a less technical format, WorraCad will
save it as a !Draw file, available for outline font text, Bezier curve
constructions, and colour fills. WorraCad provides for hatches, which
!Draw does not. Incidentally, each segment of line (i.e. between clicks)
is an object in WorraCad and its !Draw output, so a big drawing can get
very big in drawing demands. Printing is by RISC-OS printer drivers or a
built-in HPGL plotter driver. Input is allowed from DXF using an
importer program whose icon will delight afficionados of öThe Hitch-
Hikers Guide to the Universeò. There is no facility for !Draw input as
Bezier curves and outline fonts are not supported and position informa
tion would need to be rounded.
4.8
Overall, this is a very professional package. It essentially aims to
make anyone look like a skilled draughtsman (at least to my untrained
eye) and it provides the tools to take the drudge out of making good
technical drawings. It is not a package which removes the need to think
and plan, nor is it to be thought of as a better version of !Draw (there
is one if those on Shareware 34) but it does allow the construction of
accurate drawings by those who lack the skill with pen and paper, and
would doubtless accelerate the work of a skilled draughtsman.  A
4.8

4.8
Using the PC Emulator Ö Part 9
4.8
Richard Forster
4.8
The PC emulator does a very good job of pretending to be a real IBM
compatible but when you look behind the facade, it is still an Archi
medes. You cannot use many of the Archimedes functions when under
emulation but there are a few things we can do which a user of a real PC
cannot do. You can of course alter how much memory is available to you
by plugging and unplugging modules but I cannot think of any situations
where it would be preferable to having less memory so I will skirt
around this Éfacilityæ.
4.8
Sound is, of course, the one thing the PC emulator falls down on. Audio
effects on standard PCs are not amazing but, nevertheless, some programs
do attempt to use them and hearing the racket that is usually produced
by the emulator calls for one thing Ö the ability to turn it off.
Software which has musical effects will usually have an off option which
you can use but sounds which usually accompany errors are unstoppable.
4.8
To turn the sound off you need to issue the command:
4.8
*SPEAKER OFF
4.8
before loading in the emulator. If you are likely to always want the
sound off, you can place this command in the !Run file of your !PC
directory. If you do this, make sure that you place it before the line
which looks like:
4.8
Run <PCe$Dir>.Genboot.!RunImage
4.8
or the command will never be executed.
4.8
Alternatively, if you still want the sound, you could experiment with
other sound voices. The emulator picks the voice in the voices list
which is set to channel 1 and uses it when producing the sounds.
Changing the sound voice used is not quite as easy as just typing in:
4.8
*CHANNELVOICE 1 5 (or something similar)
4.8
This is because some of the files which are run before the emulator is
operational, unplug various modules in order to give more memory and
this includes modules like Stringlib and Percussion. If you want to use
sounds from these modules (personally, I think some of them work better
when anything more than a single beep is produced), you must alter the
file !Modules in the Genboot directory of !PC and place a | character
before name of the module you want to use. If you want to use a sound
voice from a module stored in RAM (i.e. loaded in) you must change the
file !Config in the same directory, changing the Y to a N after the line
about removing all RAM modules.
4.8
Hard disc users have a couple of things they can do. Firstly, you can
write protect your PC hard disc drive, which might at some stage be
useful. To do this you simply find the file called Drive_n (where n is
the letter of the PC hard disc drive) in Archimedes mode, and alter its
access codes. This can be done most easily from the desktop where all
you have to do is make sure the öFile has owner write-accessò is not
set.
4.8
You can also set up several PC hard disc drives. The easiest way of
doing this is, once you have created the first one, which will be called
Drive_C, is to rename it Drive_D and then create another Drive_C using
the program. It is also necessary to change the file !Run2 in !PC (or
the file !SCSIRun2 if you use a SCSI drive) to tell the computer that
you have two usable PC hard disk drives. All this applies to version
1.33, and so if you have an earlier version you might have to fiddle
about a bit.
4.8
You want to edit the necessary file to include the new path name of the
new drive and you want to place it on the same line as the previous path
for the Drive_C file. If the files were hidden on your hard disc in the
directory PC, off from the root then you would be changing a line like:
4.8
/<PCe$Dir>.!RunImage <PCe$Dir>. ROM adfs::4.$.PC.Drive_C
4.8
to
4.8
/<PCe$Dir>.!RunImage <PCe$Dir>. ROM adfs::4.$.PC.Drive_C
adfs::4.$.Drive_D
4.8
Once you have done this you should load up the emulator and run the file
FDISK. You will notice that there is an option 5 to öSelect next fixed
disk driveò which is not available if you only have one PC hard disk
drive set up. You can use it to toggle between the two drives. When you
have selected the new one you should select option 1. Do not worry if
you are on the wrong drive when you press it, you will get an error and
you can return to the menu and select the next one. Once you have set up
the drive you should execute a format command.
4.8
If you have not already set up any hard disk drives, the task is simple.
In order to set up both discs, and to install the system files on drive
C so that you can boot up from it, you simply type in (and answer the
prompts):
4.8
FORMAT C: \s FORMAT D:
4.8
If you have already set up a hard disk drive and have just created
another, check which one is already formatted. To do this, simply check
drive C and D in turn, taking a catalogue of each. This should reveal
which is the existing one, and you can format the other. Remember that
if you have already had a drive set up, you must make sure you format
the other one or you could lose your data.
4.8
These two things that we can do on a hard disk drive system are very
useful, especially when they are used together. I have my system set up
with a 512K drive C and a 5Mbytes drive D. All my boot files are on
drive C, including a couple of utilities I find useful, and there is an
autoexec .bat file set up with the single command:
4.8
D:
4.8
The effect of this is that when I load up the PC emulator, the system
files are loaded from drive C and the system switches straight into
drive D. Drive C has been write protected as mentioned before and so my
system files are safe from accidental deletion. They are also quickly
accessible from wherever I am on Drive D. If I worried about viruses,
which I do not, I would be reasonably safe in the knowledge that they
would find it extremely difficult to get at those system files, because
the source of their protection is from the Archimedes, not the PC.
4.8
On this Drive C I have two files from the original boot disc which I
personally find invaluable, but which I have not yet mentioned. They are
PUTFILE.EXE and GETFILE.EXE, and they are the only files on the boot
disc which you would be unlikely to find on a real PCæs disk. They allow
you to transfer files from the PC emulator to the Archimedes. There are
now a few programs for the desktop which allow you to read PC formatted
discs and a couple allow you to save data to them, but the ONLY way to
do this from the PC end is with these two files.
4.8
The syntax of the two commands is the same. They both require a source
filename and a destination filename. GETFILE.EXE takes a file from the
Archimedes and transfers it to the PC, and PUTFILE.EXE takes a file from
the PC and places it on the Archimedes. When using them it is best to
include full pathnames for the Archimedes part although, for the PC
part, the filename will suffice.
4.8
A use of the two programs might be to transfer a text file between the
two sources. So if I had the file CORR91 in the directory
$.1WP.DOC.LETTERS of my Archimedes hard disk, and I wanted to transfer
it to the current directory of the PC emulator calling it CORR91.TXT, I
would type in:
4.8
GETFILE :4.$.1WP.DOC.LETTERS. CORR91 CORR91.TXT
4.8
If I then edited it and wanted to place it back where it came from I
would type in:
4.8
PUTFILE CORR91.TXT :4.$.1WP.DOC .LETTERS.CORR91
4.8
You have to be careful when using both of these commands because they
will give no warning if they have to overwrite an existing file. You
might also run into difficulties if you are trying to transfer data on a
single drive machine as the utilities will not give you a prompt to
change between you PC and Archimedes disc. In these cases the best
option is to set up a ramdisk as shown in parts 3 and 6 of this series
and use this as the PC disk.
4.8
As a demonstration of what we have learned so far and to demonstrate
GETFILE, we shall create a batch file using edlin which will allow us to
get multiple files. As added protection, the program will not let you
use a filename if there already exists a file with the same name. To use
it you simply type in GET followed by an even number of parameters,
alternatively the file to get and the file to save, e.g.
4.8
GET :4.$.LET1 1.TXT :4.$.LET2 2.TXT :4.$.LET3 3.TXT
4.8
So here it is, a batch file to be called GET.BAT
4.8
echo off
4.8
:start
4.8
if ö%1ò=öò goto end
4.8
if ö%2ò=öò goto nosecond
4.8
if exist %2 goto secexist
4.8
getfile %1 %2
4.8
if errorlevel 1 goto end
4.8
echo File %1 got and saved as file %2
4.8
shift
4.8
shift
4.8
goto start
4.8
:secexist
4.8
echo Second file already exists! (I will not overwrite)
4.8
goto end
4.8
:nosecond
4.8
echo You must give me a file name to save to!
4.8
goto end
4.8
:end  A
4.8

4.8
Shareware Disc N║38
4.8
Alan Highet
4.8
All the programs have been tested on a standard A310 and on a 4 Mbyte
A410 with ARM3 and SCSI hard drive. Unless otherwise stated, all
programs ran on both machines.
4.8
Address
4.8
This is a multi-tasking address book which comes with a data file of
useful addresses. A data file can be loaded by double clicking or
dragging to the icon bar in the usual manner. Alternatively, you can
merge files by dragging them to the open address window. There is space
for the name, address, telephone numbers and remarks. Clicking <menu> on
the window gives access to the usual choices of add, delete, goto,
print, save, sort and, of course, search. A search will display the
cards found in a separate window but this can only be saved as a
separate file and not printed. For this you need to go to the main
window and match up the cards or save the found file and reload it as a
main file.
4.8
The print option does not work with my laser printer as no page feed is
sent but I see no reason why it wonæt work with an ordinary dot matrix
printer. The search routine is fast but the sort routine isnæt, which
the author admits to, but I donæt think that is a great handicap as I
donæt really see any great need for regular sorting.
4.8
Graphdraw
4.8
This program allows you to generate graphs in a multi-tasking window.
Data may be entered in various forms. A separate edit window is shown on
screen where the x/y coordinates may be entered manually up to a maximum
of 40 pairs. You can also drag files from Edit or Pipedream using CSV
format although Tab files will also load. Clicking <menu> on the edit
window opens an option menu allowing you to clear the data or save it as
a data file.
4.8
Plotting the graph is also done from this menu, and a second window
opens displaying the graph with the axes automatically scaled and
labelled in Trinity outline font. The points are displayed as small
boxes and options are available to plot the best fit straight line,
least square fit to a parabolic equation, a polynomial fit for orders 3
to 6 and a smooth cubic spline through all the data points.
4.8
A further sub-menu allows you to print the data from each of these
calculations along with the individual errors for each point. You can
also print the graph, save it as a screenfile or save it as a drawfile.
Many of the options can be altered such as the legend size and the graph
title and other items could be added in Draw.
4.8
Overall, this is a very well written program which does everything asked
of it. Hopefully, the author will continue to develop it allowing more
data points, more types of data entry and different types of graph.
4.8
Curves
4.8
A short program to draw curves which unfortunately has no documentation
and not even any REM statements to help you so, not knowing the values
to enter I managed to produce only a straight line.
4.8
Chain
4.8
This is a game for 2, 3 or 4 players played on an eight by eight grid.
Each player can be human or computer and the computer has varying skill
levels. The idea of the game is to place one of your tiles on an empty
square or on a square already occupied by yourself. Each square has a
critical limit and when that is reached the square Éexplodesæ. This
means that the square loses all its tiles and each adjacent square gains
one tile of a similar colour to the exploded tile. This of course could
very well take that tile over its critical limit and so it in turn will
Éexplodeæ in a chain reaction, hence the name.
4.8
The board is nicely presented and works very well and my only complaint
is the endgame. Try as I might, when playing with two human players, I
cannot get the game to end and I wonder if the author has ever finished
it. Once all the squares are of one colour, the game should end but this
doesnæt happen and the chain reaction continues for ever. I assume this
to be a bug as playing against the computer works fine.
4.8
Apart from this niggle, I think it a good game but feel it would be even
better turned into a multi-tasking desktop game.
4.8
Tetris
4.8
This is a good implementation of the classic game with good graphics and
changing background pictures. For the few people who donæt know the
game, the idea is to position random shaped blocks, falling down the
screen, in a neat fashion at the bottom. If a line is completed, with no
gaps, it disappears and all the other blocks move down one. The only
controls are to rotate the block and move it left to right. Having
played the game before, I didnæt bother to read the !ReadMe file and
consequently didnæt realise there were options to pause the game,
display the number of blocks used, display the next block and even title
the many background pictures. So please take note, always read any
documentation!
4.8
Calendar
4.8
This displays a neat window with the current month displayed. Two arrow
are provided to step forward or backwards month by month and you can
change the format to read Mon-Sun or Sun-Sat but that is all. I think it
would have been nice to be able to mark some day with appointments but
maybe the alarm clock provided free with the Archimedes does all that
for you.
4.8
Clipboard
4.8
This module allows you to copy and paste between writeable icons using
some Ctrl keys. An example of a writeable icon is the Palette save on
the icon bar. You can copy and paste or cut and paste between any icons
in any program but Iæm not actually sure if that is much use.
4.8
Fontfix
4.8
A lot of commercial outline fonts will not load into FontEd and this
program strips out all the surplus data from an outline font allowing
you to load it. The author says the program is designed to let you
change the name of the font to the original, i.e. Trinity to Times, but
it does allow you to alter the fonts themselves in FontEd which raises
the question of breaking copyright.
4.8
Italiciser
4.8
Double clicking on this application produces a small window in which you
can alter the angle you require then any Draw file dragged to the window
can be dragged back to Draw with slope of the selected angle.
4.8
Positive or negative angle are catered for and it works very well giving
some interesting effects.
4.8
Menon
4.8
Menon is an icon on the desktop, or on the icon bar, which acts like a
filer allowing you easy access to files that may be hidden on your hard
disc. Any file or application can be dropped onto the icon and this will
then be displayed when clicking <menu> over the icon and sub-menus can
be set up in a similar manner to ADFS. The program worked well on most
things I tried but didnæt work properly with Impression files as it
loaded a second copy of the program.
4.8
Modes
4.8
This program acts in a similar manner to the palette icon giving you
easy access to other modes than 12, 15 or 20 with an editable file for
the modes you want to use. Unfortunately, I couldnæt get it to work.
Firstly the program demands a RAM filing system to be set which it loads
with files and then, when selecting a mode, an error message appears
Ébad wimp modeæ. Iæm not sure what is wrong and there is no proper help
file to explain what the files in ram actually do.
4.8
Fontselect
4.8
This program sits inside your !Font directory and, instead of installing
all the fonts, it lets you select only the groups of fonts you require.
It was written because of the large number of fonts available and the
inability of some programs to handle them. I followed the instructions
and finally got the program to run and a nice window appeared allowing
me to select various fonts but not all of them! Although I had ticked
Trinity font, Impression told me it couldnæt find that font and my !boot
file which installs the fonts and Impression no longer worked, so I
think Iæll stick with my old system.  A
4.8

4.8
Presenter Story
4.8
Ned Abell
4.8
Presenter Story (v.1.20) is not the sort of software which will appeal
to all Archimedes users but those of us who need to communicate will
wonder why we never had anything as comprehensive as it before Ö and
whilst blessing it Ö will curse its failings!
4.8
It is designed to allow the Archimedes to become a mode 12, sixteen
colour presentation tool so that you can hook it up to a video projector
or large monitor. You insert a disc and step your way through a
presentation containing text, logos, maps and sprites by pressing the
space bar, each press giving you a new screen full of information in
different fonts, in different colours, with different backgrounds etc.
Pie charts, line and bar charts can be displayed and sprite animation is
also possible Ö you can even set it up to sequence automatically.
4.8
Many video projectors, (not the Sony 2040), will hook up directly to the
Arc in place of the monitor. The business person can prepare material
and even, at the last minute, change it or re-order it. Thus, it is also
very useful to teachers, trainers and sales people who can throw the
overhead projector acetates away and score more than a few points with
clearer, up to the minute presentations.
4.8
Another great plus point of Presenter Story is allowing the use of
frameworks to generate a house style in all subsequent presentations.
4.8
Video production
4.8
Iæve mentioned before in Archive that the Amiga is the currently
preferred computer in semi-professional video captioning and animation
circles. Presenter Story puts the Archimedes firmly in contention as a
new video tool with existing hardware packages of genlock and digitiser.
The presentations that are created with Presenter Story can be used by
the genlock to affect any video going through it and function key f12 is
used to toggle the overlay. If you use the Wild Vision 400 genlock, the
manual says the software can trigger fade in and out, override the
genlock and provide a buffered I2C bus as well as four GPI interfaces
(for triggering a vision mixer etc). Some of these options, however,
have yet to be implemented.
4.8
I use an ArVis S-VHS genlock and have found no incompatibility but the
shadow key is not supported Ö Iæm working on it! There are also keys
that will provide interlace, an edge colour to the text and there is
also a drop-shadow toggle. These effects are shown after the screen is
re-drawn and can help the display when it is overlaid on live video. The
Watford digitizer is supported and will allow you to load images as
backgrounds into the map/logo editor for using as templates.
4.8
In television, this use of graphics costs two arms and a leg and is time
consuming. With my Archimedes and this software, it is affordable, easy
to do and, with careful choice of text and background colours, very good
displays can be achieved.
4.8
Opening the box
4.8
Presenter Story comes with a well printed and laid out manual of a
hundred A5 pages in a ring binder which also contains the one disc of
software in a plastic holder. Apart from Presenter Story, the disc also
contains two other applications called !PSfont and !PSroll. The disc
also has a !Font file containing the Manager as well as Optima, Garamond
and AmTypeWrit fonts and a sprite file as well as XATæs Video module.
4.8
The structure of !PStory
4.8
On loading the application for the first time, the demo pages are also
loaded and these give a very good idea of the power of the software and
provide examples of layout that you can change for your own presenta
tions. The manual also contains worked examples.
4.8
Paging is the key to the software as each page can contain a series of
different items and after it has finished, you move on to the next page.
Within each page a series of items can be drawn or animated and it is
possible to include a user operated trigger on each item. Thus, if you
had a series of, say, items and their costs, pressing a key would allow
the next to appear below the one already on screen. This is great for
animating text to a sound track or during a lecture. The components of
the page can be:
4.8
Å    Text in different colours, mixed fonts and super and subscript with
alternative (top bit) characters like ⌐.
4.8
Å    Pie Charts Ö 2D or 3D with removable segments
4.8
Å    Line charts in a variety of styles
4.8
Å    Sprites from a pool. These alone can be animated
4.8
Å    Beeps to warn you to press a key
4.8
Å    Logos drawn in the editor or traces which can be made around an image
imported from the digitizer
4.8
Å    Maps drawn in the editor (two colour large area logos)
4.8
Å    Effects to determine how the page appears such as boxwipes, bounces
and patterns
4.8
Å    Labels Ö to label charts maps and graphs
4.8
Å    Changes to the palette
4.8
Å    Triggers to put a pause in the display
4.8
Å    Four pre-set arrows as a graphic
4.8
Å    Border to set the screen edge colour
4.8
Å    Clear to clear the screen
4.8
Å    Background to set the back colour (which can be transparent)
4.8
These components can be in a sequence of different items which are drawn
one after the other. Thus on one page it would be possible to, say,
slide a sprite of a blue rectangle in over a transparent background, pop
text over it, animate it on cue and then add a logo. Good eh!
4.8
Structure
4.8
The structure of the Presenter Story main application requires you to
put your pages, logos and charts in three directories inside the
application rather than in external directories although the sprite and
palette directory is external. Each presentation you produce is copied
onto a new disc from the master, so that each has its own copy of
Presenter Story, and the requisite items for that presentation are
imported from other discs or specially created.
4.8
There is a password security system which you may invoke to prevent
other people altering the data. It is possible to output the screens
directly to a printer or via a screensave file.
4.8
PSroll
4.8
Having created your pages the application Presenter Roll allows you to
join them together in a particular order, the number of pages depending
on the amount of memory available. My 1M machine manages four. The pages
are joined bottom to top in a loop and the speed and direction can be
altered. This can be very eye catching if not overdone. If you were a
travel agent, one of these displays in the window could contain a lot of
late booking holidays Ö estate agents could put houses for sale in a
loop. Public buildings could create information displays which did not
have the usual page wait associated with teletext-like systems. This
also allows me to create a vertical örollerò of credits for the end of a
video. I do this already as a öcrawlerò with XATæs Video Utilities.
4.8
PSfont
4.8
This application allows you to change and to rescale the seven fonts
used in !PStory. I keep a font pool on floppy one, and running its font
manager makes all the pool available for use. If you save any changes to
the fonts, and if the new fonts required are not on the Presenter Story
disc, running !PStory after restarting the computer will cause the
application to hang, so the fonts required must be copied to each
presentation disc. This can use up a lot of space. You must remember
that font display on a 1M machine is a compromise between speed and
available memory. Sensible recommendations for FontMax sizes are
included in the manual but I would also recommend reading the !Readme
file you may have with your existing font manager. This file is not
included on the PStory disc. Remember that you can only configure to
Font Max2 and 3 to 250 pixels.
4.8
This application does the job but there is no on screen representation
of how your rescaled font will look thus you have to approximate and
then go into !PStory to see what it looks like and then come back to
!PSfont to change things. As the applications are not multi-tasking,
this is bad news if you are trying to create a title font on screen to
approximate to a font on some sales literature and this wastes time.
4.8
Limitations
4.8
The first note of caution that I would sound is that Presenter Story is
not multi-tasking as it takes over the whole computer to do its job but
there are ways you can quit back to the desktop. I personally like the
desktop environment and want to refer to other files whilst working with
Presenter Story. More seriously, you can sometimes use the exit option
from PStory and find that the computer locks up and needs resetting.
4.8
The second caveat is that its component editor for graphics is Éuniqueæ.
I have yet to find a way of importing Drawfiles into the package which
is a shame as I used to use this system in my videos and would like to
update my archives. I am not really in favour of re-inventing the wheel
especially as the manual commends you to edit any sprites you are using
with !Paint or !Artisan and you can use conventional palette files.
4.8
There are some things I donæt like about the application structure. The
filing references to logos, sprites and pages are purely numerical,
although pages can be given names to identify them as you create them
and you can page shuffle using these names. This requires a comprehen
sive pencil and paper filing system of the elements used so that you can
keep track of items for future use Ö it would be so easy for the page
name you specify to be appended to the number thus passing this title to
the disc filing window and still retaining a numerical sequence.
4.8
The colour selection in some parts of the page designer asks for input
from 0-9 and A-F whilst background colour selection is in the range 0-
16. This needs standardising. If you want to choose 2D or 3D for a pie
chart, you are asked to input either of the numbers ö1ò or ö2ò instead
of the more logical ö2ò or ö3ò Ö pedantic points, I know, but points
that could make the package use simpler.
4.8
Thatæs most of the moans out of the way. Designing pages of information
is fairly easy. A new page is selected, the type of input required is
selected from a menu and this input can then be positioned on the page.
Sensibly for items like text, the middle mouse button centres the line
of characters. This is great for centering lots of subtitles in an
overlay box Ö you just write down the co-ordinates of the first line of
text and keep the same öyò value for different pages.
4.8
Positioning manually, I found the box that represents the characters
seemed smaller than the actual line of text and two or three goes were
required to get it just right. I would like to see the provision of a
grid overlay toggle as lining up different lines of text by eye in my
case is about as good as my plastering! I did find that larger sizes of
text did tend to övignetteò or slightly cut off at the bottom.
4.8
Conclusions
4.8
If you present information to others or are involved in video, you need
software like this. There is little choice in this area of the market
and while Presenter Story does have shortcomings, these can be worked
round. The font presentation on screen is very good and the quality of
imports help the user to create presentations that can have a distinc
tive house style to match existing styles used by a company. I would
prefer a DTP feel to create the pages but author Paul Reuvers of XAT is
doing the usual balancing act between the quality of output and ease of
use versus 1M machine memory limitations.
4.8
In my view Presenter Story is not yet the definitive presentation
package for the Archimedes but XAT and Lingenuity have made a good first
attempt. I would expect to see what I now regard as a highly rated
package become even better to compliment its öbusinessò price (as well
as an upgrade path for us pioneers). I look forward in hope to a RISC-OS
compliant version of Presenter Story 2 Ö especially now that software
authors are seeing the power of other packages in a WIMP environment.
4.8
Presenter Story (v1.20) by X-Ample Technology is ú169 +VAT from
Lingenuity.  A
4.8

4.8
Design Conceptsæ Programs
4.8
Robert Chrismas
4.8
The Design Concepts programs are all priced between ú1.00 and ú2.00.
They are multi-tasking RISC-OS applications, although Freehand puts a
window over the desktop for time-critical drawing operations. Each
application comes with a page or so of A5 documentation and includes a
!Help file.
4.8
The programs are mostly tools to support larger applications. Some of
the jobs these programs do could be done with other programs but they
might still be attractive to people with only (only!) 1M of memory
because these programs are memory frugal, 32K seems typical. The
versions I saw were written in BASIC and even when I was not excited by
the program, it was interesting to be able to look at the code and see
how it was done.
4.8
FreeHand: With most painting programs you can hold down <select> to
create a free hand drawing. Using this program feels like that, but it
creates a draw file. You can set a high scanning speed for smooth curves
with lots of points or lower for less points and therefore smaller
files. The draw file consists of straight line segments and it can be
reloaded and edited but FreeHand does not like ordinary Draw files. Some
artistic ability is a benefit. ú2.00.
4.8
Shade: Impression comes with a very useful Draw file called GradTint
with a rectangle shaded from black to white in finer gradations than
anything you could normally produce with Draw. This program creates
similar rectangles between any two colours. Of course it is mapped onto
the screen palette when displayed on the screen. For anything but greys
you would need a good quality colour printer to see the effect properly.
ú1.50.
4.8
Fontlist: This outputs a draw file with examples of all your fonts. Each
line says something like ÉThis is Hobartæ. It always lists all your
fonts. ú1.50.
4.8
Back2: This should provide a menu for the desktop background allowing
you to load applications. Unfortunately ÉIt requires considerable
setting up before it can be useful...æ, you have to modify application
boot files (e.g. using Edit). It also allows a repeated sprite back
ground. ú2.00.
4.8
Speedo: This is a like ÉUsageæ on Applications 2 except that it gives
numeric output. I enjoyed using this to discover the effect different
applications had. ú1.00.
4.8
Muncher: Muncher produces a constantly changing pattern in a window.
This is a useful program if your Archimedes runs too fast. ú1.00.
4.8
KeyCap: This allows you to preview an outline font at any size. It uses
a constant sized window so you only see the bottoms of large characters.
ú1.50.
4.8
CountWord: Drag a text file to this application and it will count the
words and the paragraphs. It can handle First Word Plus files as well as
normal text. ú1.00.
4.8
Mouse: Sometimes you want the pointer to move quickly, at other times
you want a more sensitive response. This program adjusts the speed of
the mouse as you move it, so slow movements are very accurate and fast
movements cause the pointer to leap around the screen. You can adjust
the levels at which the pointer speed changes. The program does not
tinker with the interrupts. ú1.00.  A
4.8

4.8
Design Conceptsæ Fonts
4.8
Robert Chrismas
4.8
If you noticed the Design Conceptsæ advertisement in Archive 4.6 p17 you
probably suspected a rip-off. Who sells Éproperæ outline fonts for
ú1.50? More from curiosity than expectation, I sent for two fonts which
arrived within a week. A couple of weeks later Paul sent me the whole
range to review.
4.8
These are proper outline fonts, you can add them to your !Fonts
directory or use them from the !MoreFonts directory supplied on the
disk.
4.8
Appearance
4.8
There is a wide variety of styles from 5th century Celtic, through
Goffik (Christmas card writing) to LCD (calculators and 70æs advertisers
trying to look modern) and Ainslie (a pleasant modern script style). The
more neutral styles like Sparta and Hobart will probably be the most
used. None of the fonts is suitable for large quantities of text but
they could be used for headlines or posters.
4.8
Used to excess, these fonts could produce documents which would frighten
granny (if granny is a typographer). However some jobs do need a special
look and one of these distinctive fonts could well be suitable. At this
price, you can afford to use them with discretion.
4.8
Quality
4.8
When a font is displayed on the screen or printed it must be converted
to patterns of pixels. The pixels will not match the outline exactly. If
the letters are large, we do not usually notice any problems but if the
letters are small, they can lack clarity and symmetry. To improve the
quality of the letters, designers add Éhintingæ data called Éskeletonsæ
and Éscaffoldingæ (grim names!) to the font. Skeletons ensure that thin
lines will always be at least one pixel wide, so they do not disappear.
Scaffolding ensures that the letters have similar dimensions and that
similar parts of the letter create similar patterns of pixels.
4.8
Creating skeletons and scaffolding takes time, which is why good quality
fonts are usually expensive. I do not have any technical documentation
on the various types of scaffolding lines, but I compared the Design
Conceptsæ fonts with the Trinity font used to print this article. In
most cases, the Design Conceptsæ hinting appeared to be less detailed
and some seemed very limited but it is hard to tell how much scaffolding
is desirable for less Éregularæ styles. I felt that the fonts printed
acceptably in small sizes.
4.8
Designers can save time by not defining all the characters. It is
possible to have 224 definitions (ASCII 32Ö255). To be useful, a font
must have definitions for characters 32Ö126 because these are the
standard characters available from the keyboard. Characters 128Ö255
include alternative vowels with accents, umlauts, ligatures and special
symbols so, for most purposes, a few gaps here will not matter very
much. The Trinity font has 208 defined characters of which 157 have
scaffolding. All the Design Conceptsæ fonts have all the characters
32Ö126 and most have about 170 definitions altogether.
4.8
Some of the Design Conceptsæ fonts have the same definitions for upper
and lower case letters and, in others, the lower case is just the upper
case reduced in size. Only Ainslie and LCD have clearly distinguished
upper and lower case.
4.8
You need Font Manager 2.42 or later to use these fonts Ö none has a
Postscript equivalent.  A
4.8

4.8

4.8

4.8
Acropolis
4.8
Characters 156 Scaffolding 18
4.8
U/L/case scaled down
4.8
Ainslie
4.8
Characters 185 Scaffolding 116
4.8
U/L/case different
4.8
Celtic
4.8
Characters 169 Scaffolding 112
4.8
U/L/case all but 2 identical
4.8
Goffik
4.8
Characters 101 Scaffolding 90
4.8
U/L/case scaled down
4.8
Hobart
4.8
Characters 177 Scaffolding 116
4.8
U/L/case identical
4.8
Khut
4.8
Characters 170 Scaffolding 113
4.8
U/L/case identical
4.8
LCD
4.8
Characters 221 Scaffolding 191
4.8
U/L/case 6 different rest scaled
4.8
Sparta
4.8
Characters 167 Scaffolding 108
4.8
U/L/case scaled down
4.8
Subway
4.8
Characters 170 Scaffolding 107
4.8
U/L/case scaled down
4.8

4.8

4.8

4.8
The table shows how many characters are defined in each font, and how
many have scaffolding. FontFix from Shareware 38 was used to find these
statistics. FontFix does not measure quality and it counts the logo
which many designers include as a normal character. The table also
compares the upper and lower case characters.
4.8

4.8

4.8
hinting comparison
4.8

4.8
Celtic from Design Concept
4.8

4.8
Trinity Medium
4.8

4.8
converting an outline to pixels
4.8

4.8
Careware Disc N║7
4.8
John Oversby
4.8
Careware Disc N║7 is packed with applications and examples. Most come
with Help text files which should be read before use.
4.8
!DrawLink
4.8
Using a text area in !Draw can be tedious since effects such as right,
left or full justification, number of columns, font type, can only be
edited in !Edit. This means that !Draw should be used alongside !Edit if
text areas are required. !Drawlink allows text, in ASCII format, to be
linked to a standard header for use in !Draw. The package is used from
the Command Line (F12 Ö star prompt) and the input file and output file
names must be specified. I found this unhelpful and prefer to use pre-
prepared text files, under such names as Éleft-justæ or É2-colæ in clear
directories.
4.8
!DrawCGM
4.8
!DrawCGm is a Utility for converting Acorn Draw files to CGM Computer
Graphics Metafiles which may be imported into Lotus FreeLance and other
Graphics tools on the PC. I did not have an opportunity to test this.
4.8
!FontEd
4.8
After using this to modify some of the characters in one of my outline
fonts, I realised how time-consuming the production of a new font would
be. Use it to convert a character into a !Draw path, so that it can be
rotated. Even better, use !Draw1╜ (S/W 34) which does the job very well
and with greater ease.
4.8
!MakeGIF and !Translator
4.8
!Translator converts sprites from many formats, including Amiga, Atari
and ProArtisan compressed forms, and in different modes, to sprites for
use in RISC-OS applications, in any mode you can normally use. Options
include changing the palette, saving part of a sprite, enlarging or
producing a mirror image. It will also take compressed forms such as GIF
(Graphics Interchange Format) and convert these into Archimedes sprites.
!MakeGIF does the change in compression and type. Typically, a sprite
can be reduced to half its size in GIF format, allowing more pictures
per disc. Many bulletin boards and PD libraries use GIF files to pack
more information into each file.
4.8
BFonts
4.8
Fed up with the boring Archimedes font as used in the desktop? Here are
twelve new ones including IBM and Giraffe (tall and thin!).
4.8
NEC
4.8
This contains a printer driver for the NEC P2200 printer for use in
Pipedream, which I was unable to try, and !Chars, a neat application
with its own window which helps you to choose characters not available
from the keyboard such as ⌐ and ╡ and not defined on the keyboard when
using word-processors or DTP programs. With the pointer over the
character, press <select> or <shift> to enter the character.
4.8
Symbol
4.8
A Greek/Symbols outline font.
4.8
!FileUtils
4.8
FileUtils installs an icon on the iconbar. When you drag a file to the
icon, a menu will pop up which lets you perform a * command using the
filename of the file you dragged to the icon. Commands include
*ScreenLoad for sprites, change file type, open application directories,
stamp with todayæs date. This is useful if you are not sure about using
the Command Line or if the file has a long path name which would be
tedious to type out in full.
4.8
!MultiPrnt
4.8
Drag files to this to be printed without your constant attention. Will
multitask on text files but !Draw files and sprites need to Éseeæ !Draw
or !Paint first so the printing takes over the machine.
4.8
!PCDir
4.8
This only works on 720K PC formatted discs but it does it pretty well. A
disc icon appears on the icon bar. Place a PC disc in the drive and
click <select>. A directory window (but not in the normal window
colours) appears with the PC files, and extensions, in an Archimedes
look-alike way. Files can be moved from this window, into RAM, onto a
hard disc, onto an ADFS floppy, with sensible choice of filetypes. For
example, a PC file with the extension .DOC will be converted into a text
file on an ADFS disc. Files can also be dragged into applications. Take
a PC disc with a text tile, load the file into !Edit, work on it, then
save the changed file back to the PC disc. This version of !PCDir will
not allow formatting. I have used this application with DTP to take
information sent to me by those who use PC machines. Unfortunately, I
canæt send them the finished product other than in printed form but that
is their loss!
4.8
!PrBuffer
4.8
Provides a printer buffer of a size decided by you!
4.8
!Z88
4.8
A RISC-OS program to take information from a Z88, through the Archi
medes, to a printer or a disc. It needs a special cable to attach the
Z88 to the serial port. I am not able to test it.
4.8
!BasicMgr
4.8
This allows access to BASIC from the desktop.
4.8
!Dots
4.8
This produces Fractal Ferns programs.
4.8
!Jotpad
4.8
This Application is a desktop jotpad.
4.8
!Logga
4.8
Its aim is to record how long you do something over a long period of
time, e.g. how many hours you use the computer each week. Pressing
<select> starts the log and pressing <adjust> stops it. The file is it
produces is text. Use !Edit to view it.
4.8
!WrongWay
4.8
Turns all the text on screen upside down (or correct way up if it was
already upside down!)
4.8
LowMem40
4.8
This module provides a screen mode (40) which only takes up 8k which is
great for backing up / copying discs.
4.8
Overall
4.8
Careware Disc 7 is excellent value, particularly as those who buy it
support charity.  A
4.8

4.8

4.8
Setting up the PC Emulator
4.8
Richard Wheeler
4.8
Over Christmas, my family acquired an A420 Learning Curve (plus
printer). Every now and then the family lets me delve into the machine
and set things up the way I want to. These notes describe how I set up
the PC emulator.
4.8
When I first saw that the Archimedes had a PC emulator I was quite
excited. At work I have a PS/2 which is LANed to a laser printer. I had
a vision of taking Archimedes spool files to work to make use of the
quality and speed of the laser printer (and also of bringing work home
for evenings and weekends). As I came to read a bit more about the PC
emulator, it all seemed rather Éiffyæ Ö and set up was not something to
be done quickly. This was especially so once I realised that the
emulation would deliver XT speed which is distinctly like watching
coffee trees grow. With 4 Mbytes of memory available, I wanted to do
something which would give some sort of turbo boost even if only through
a memory resident D drive. From the various bits and pieces that I read,
I decided that a large RAM disc Ö say 2 Mbytes out of the 4 Mbytes
installed Ö would be the best starting point.
4.8
One afternoon, I settled down to Édo the deedæ and it turned out to be
remarkably simple. These notes describe what I did and the few problems
I encountered.
4.8
Detailed installation steps
4.8
Step 1 was to read the two articles by Bill Mapleson and David Wilkins
in Archive 4.3 which were more than helpful. In general, I will only
describe differences from these articles Ö particularly as David
describes the more complex task of amending an existing PC environment
rather than the simpler task of setting up a new environment.
4.8
Step 2 was to make a copy of the PC directory (as set up on the Learning
Curve) onto a floppy. I will not explain where I went wrong in detail
but I did need to recover files from this later on...
4.8
Step 3 comes from Archive 4.3 p9 (where it is also called step 3). I
used !Edit on the PC.!PC. GenBoot.!Config file to give answers of N to
ÉAlways Kill Modulesæ, ÉPerform RMClearæ and ÉPerform RMTidyæ.
4.8
Step 4 is a combination of Archive 4.3 p9 step 4 and p20. I used !Edit
on PC.!PC.!Run2 to include my hard disc name for both disc partitions.
For me, the line then looked as follows;
4.8
/<PCe$Dir>.!RunImage <PCe$Dir> .ROM adfs::Harddisc4.$.PC.Drive_C
adfs::HardDisc4.$.PC.Drive_D
4.8
I originally followed the David Wilkinsæ suggestion at the end of page
20 and tried to use <PCe$Dir>.Drive_C etc but this caused me too many
problems. (The disc partitions are created in the PC directory and not
the PC.!PC subdirectory which PCe$Dir is pointing to. Apart from a
simpler line in PC.!PC.!Run2, I could see no benefit from moving the
files down a directory.) About this time I had to use the floppy disk...
4.8
Step 5 was to create a standard PC environment with a 10 Mbyte C drive
and a 2 Mbyte D drive, both on the hard disc. As I was perfectly happy
to create a ram disc in megabyte multiples (2 Mbyte in fact) I had no
need to modify !ADFSDisk as David describes (the thought of doing which
scared me silly). I created the D drive first by running !ADFSDisk and
answering É2æ to the size prompt. Surprisingly !ADFSDisk did not run
from my Hard Disc and I had to use the PC Emulator floppy. Instead of
continuing after the file had been created, I used <escape> and then
renamed the Drive_C file just created, to Drive_D. Then I re-ran
!ADFSDisk to create a 10 Mbyte Drive_C and this time let the process
continue to set up the PC Emulator and DRDOS. Despite my prior reserva
tions, this all worked as described in Acornæs mini manual. The install
formatted both the C and D drives so I had no need to use FDISK
separately to format the D drive.
4.8
At this point I had a working PC XT Ö at last <delete> worked like a
delete key should and, to my great surprise, <print> gave a screen print
straight away.
4.8
Step 6 was to use Drive_D from RAM rather the Hard Disc. David Wilkinsæ
description of what to do, starting at the bottom of the first column of
page 21 is excellent. My differences were that when I came to use !Edit
on PC.!PC.!RUN I found that I had no MemAlloc relocatable module in
System:Modules. Mine was in PC.!PC.Gen Boot. I set the RAMFSSize to
2176k [= 2048k + 128k]. Allowing 128k overhead may well be extravagant
but I wanted to minimise the chance of problems. I also found that when
I poked PC.!PC.GenBoot.!Runimage it was the numeric keypad which had to
be used (in fact exactly as David describes but not what I originally
did).
4.8
Simplifying PC operation
4.8
Once I had a workable PC, the next steps were to make it just that bit
more useable. Where I work, it is standard to set up a series a batch
files to initiate applications and a banner which lists the available
applications. All this can be set up as follows
4.8
Step 7, from the C:> prompt create a new directory as follows
4.8
 MD \PCAMS <return>
4.8
 CD \PCAMS <return>
4.8
Step 8, for each PC application, use Editor (if using DRDOS) or Edlin
(if using MSDOS) to create within the PCAMS directory a batch file to
start the application. Typically, this will be three commands. The first
prevents commands being echoed to the screen, the second changes to the
application directory and the third invokes the application through (as
we will see below) another batch file. For example, I have IBMæs
Display-Write 4 wordprocessor installed, so I created the file D4.BAT Ö
the BAT file extension indicating a batch file. This contains the
commands
4.8
ECHO OFF
4.8
MOUSE
4.8
CD \DW4
4.8
DW4
4.8
The additional MOUSE command is to invoke the mouse driver so that I can
use the Archimedes mouse from within DisplayWrite 4.
4.8
Step 9 is to use Editor to create a banner file (in directory PCAMS)
which will list the batch files set up. Mine is in file HELLO.DAT and
looks something like
4.8
************************************************
4.8
*                                              *
4.8
*      Personal Computer Access Services       *
4.8
*      ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ-       *
4.8
*                                              *
4.8
*  D4  DisplayWrite 4                          *
4.8
*                                              *
4.8
*  FS  Frost & Sulivan Expert System Examples  *
4.8
*                                              *
4.8
*      Use RESET to return to an empty         *
4.8
*      Archimedes Desktop                      *
4.8
*                                              *
4.8
************************************************
4.8
This shows that I have not had time to set up many PC applications yet!
4.8
In order to display the banner, the following commands are used:
4.8
CD \PCAMS
4.8
CLS
4.8
TYPE HELLO.DAT
4.8
These need to be added to the end of AUTOEXEC.BAT so the banner displays
when the PC Emulator is entered. My AUTOEXEC .BAT now looks like:
4.8
@ECHO OFF
4.8
REM The DRDOSBEG and DRDOSEND labels tell the SETUP program which
4.8
REM statements it should process. Put any additional statements for
4.8
REM DR DOS between these two labels. Any other statements e.g. for
4.8
REM other operating systems, should be placed outside the labels.
4.8
:DRDOSBEG
4.8
PATH C:\;C:\DRDOS
4.8
APPEND C:\DRDOS
4.8
KEYB UK+
4.8
VERIFY OFF
4.8
PROMPT $P$G
4.8
CD \PCAMS
4.8
CLS
4.8
TYPE HELLO.DAT
4.8
:DRDOSEND
4.8
(My other change in AUTOEXEC.BAT is to include the current directory in
the command line prompt. I find this invaluable when working across many
directories).
4.8
Displaying the banner when each application terminates is simpler to
achieve than to describe! If the application is normally started simply
by running an executable program then the process is straightforward.
Create the batch file invoked from the PCAMS directory (in the example
above this would be C:\DW4\DW4.BAT) to invoke the application executable
and then the three commands described above. However, if the application
is normally started by a batch file (which may then invoke further
nested batch files Ö as is the case with Displaywrite 4) the three
commands have to be included at the end of the final batch file Ö a bit
of searching may be required to find the correct place but it is not
usually too hard. As an example
4.8
ECHO OFF
4.8
CLS
4.8
REM RELEASE 1.0
4.8
REM MODE LPT1:,,P
4.8
CD >C:\DW4\DW4ODIR.BAT
4.8
ECHO Insert a diskette for storing documents in drive A:
4.8
PAUSE
4.8
A:
4.8
CD >C:\DW4\DW4DDIR.LST
4.8
C:
4.8
CD \DW4
4.8
DW4PG C:\DW4\PROFILE.PRF,,C:\DW4,,C
4.8
C:
4.8
CD C:\DW4
4.8
REM IF NOT EXIST DW4ODIR.BAT GOTO LABEL1
4.8
REM DW4ODIR
4.8
REM :LABEL1
4.8
CD \PCAMS
4.8
CLS
4.8
TYPE HELLO.DAT
4.8
What next?
4.8
There are a number of things I have yet to do with the PC emulator.
(These include configuring a printer driver, making worthwhile use of
the RAM disk and, if I get really adventurous, doing some PC based
comms). Depending on the time I am allowed, the success I achieve and
the reception this article receives, I will let you know all about my
experiences.  A
4.8

4.8
International Hangman
4.8
Ashley Bowden
4.8
Micro-Aid have produced a version of the well-known word game, hangman,
aimed at pupils and students learning languages. The game is played in
much the usual way although the word to be guessed can be in a chosen
foreign language. There are twenty-five of these to choose from
including the more exotic Malay and Chinese as well as most European
languages.
4.8
The game has a number of variations. You have the option of a clue which
is actually the translation of the word. So, for example, you can try to
guess an English word, with its French equivalent as the clue, or vice
versa. You can elect not to have the clue, although the international
flavour is lost if you end up just guessing an English word without it.
4.8
There is a slightly mystifying scoring system. I could find no explana
tion on the instruction sheet or in the program and I ended up with a
negative score after some (deliberately) bad play.
4.8
Each language has a list of word pairs stored in an !Edit file. This can
be amended and a facility exists for the user to add a new language.
Files containing English synonyms and antonyms are included so the game
is not restricted purely to foreign languages.
4.8
Unfortunately, only capital letters are used in the game and so there
are no accents. Many language teachers I know find this aspect of
computer programs rather off-putting since they wish to reinforce the
correct use of accents.
4.8
The program makes little use of the Archimedesæ potential. It is rather
odd being presented with a MODE 7 title screen followed by a routine to
choose your language using the mouse and a system of sub-menus. What is
worse is that the main game screen is also in MODE 7. This is really
unforgivable and it indicates clearly that the program is just a partial
rewrite of the original BBC version. There are also a couple of small
bugs in the code on my review copy. At a price of ú10.75 +VAT the game
is not attractively priced and one feels that it should perhaps have
stayed with the BBC where it obviously belongs.  A
4.8

4.8

4.8
Mark Drayton
4.8
This disc is a compilation of many various Public Domain titles; some
applications, demonstrations, and several games. One of the five
directories on the disc contains text files concerning most of the
programs on the disc. Some are detailed instructions and others simply
state the version number and author. Careware 5 is available through
Norwich Computer Services for ú6.00.
4.8
Applications
4.8
In the ÉAppsæ directory reside four applications and four directories
containing useful files and some ÉUserDataæ to use with the
applications.
4.8
!ChartDraw (V. 1.00) Ö This allows you to enter figures under a
specified label which the program will then present as either piechart,
linegraph or a stacked/grouped barchart. The presentation in each form
is quite flexible, allowing you to select horizontal or vertical
bargraphs, or hatched or solid fills for example. This application is
fully RISC-OS compatible and is superbly presented, with detailed
instructions. There is no facility within the program to print out a
graph, although an option is provided to save the whole screen as a
sprite, so it can be printed out using an art package such as !Paint.
Some demonstration files are provided within the UserData directory.
Note: Version 2.00 (Nov. 1990) is now available, incorporating a print
facility and several other improvements. It was included on the
ArchivePD Éfreebieæ disc last month. Perhaps someone at NCS will update
the version on the Careware disc? (æTis done! Ed.)
4.8
!Designer Ö This small program enables the user to edit/design BBC
(system) fonts, which are completely Éstand aloneæ. Although the program
is devoid of any instructions, it is very simple to use. Four BBC fonts
are supplied in the UserData directory.
4.8
!KeyStrip (V. 1.00) Ö This is the best Keystrip generator program for
the Archimedes I have yet encountered. It caters for any function key
and the <print> key, plus either <ctrl> or <shift>. You can print
directly from the program, which is set up to drive an Epson FX80
compatible, although code is supplied to drive an Epson LQ800 compat
ible. From the same author as !ChartDraw, it is also easy to use and
well presented with copious instructions, and runs from the RISC-OS
desktop. Some useful demonstrations are supplied.
4.8
NewModes Ö Created with The Data Storeæs mode make utility, they provide
extra big screens, in both 16 and 256 colours. The dimensions are as
follows :
4.8
    Mode    Text    Colours
4.8
    40    156*36    16
4.8
    41    156*36    256
4.8
    42    92*36    16
4.8
    43    92*36    256
4.8
They are selectable in the normal way and are nice to use in the
Desktop.
4.8
PrintBuf Ö A relocatable module provides the following commands :
*Buffer [<size>[k]], *NoBuffer and *Flush. It enables you to print
documents seemingly instantly and continue, by acting as a support
buffer to the printer. Setting this up is a little tricky but full
instructions are provided.
4.8
QLUtils Ö Three programs are supplied, QLMod Ö a module which loads
Sinclair QL screens in mode 9; QLreader Ö program which reads QL discs;
QLScrConv Ö program which uses QLMod to convert QL screens into sprite
files. Two QL screens are provided for experimentation. Only useful if
you are unlucky enough to own a Sinclair QL.
4.8
!Teletext Ö A utility to create teletext style screens. Very easy to use
and well presented. Instructions are incorporated into the program. Use
!KeyStrip to print out a key strip (supplied). The function keys are
utilised to change colour, and for other operations. Why an Archimedes
owner would wish to use this form of presentation is beyond me, but if
you did, Iæm sure this would suit your needs adequately. Beware: you
must reset the computer to escape the programæs clutches!!
4.8
Demos
4.8
There are two demonstrations, both from Noah Professional. One displays
32,768 colours, (pretty but boring), the other incorporates a spectrum
analyser, whooshing stars, music and the inevitable small scrolly text.
It does a good impression of an Amiga on exit, (why?). However, I have
seen much, much better.
4.8
Games
4.8
!Poker Ö This is a fairly accurate and detailed game, which, (to the
best of my gambling knowledge), incorporates all of the known variants
and rules. Quite acceptable graphics. Player-computer games are
possible. NOTE: No instructions are supplied !! A lot safer than the
gee-gees...
4.8
!Quartet Ö A desktop version of öTetrisò, which involves packing falling
shapes into a bin. Quite addictive and frustrating. (Ali is addicted to
it! Ed.) It installs on the icon bar, so bringing up yet another game is
far too easy. Instructions supplied. RISC-OS only. Guaranteed to
distract you from your work.
4.8
!Simon Ö A simulation of the once popular hand held game of the same
name, designed to be a test of observation and memory. Full instructions
supplied. Levels of difficulty are selectable. Good fun.
4.8
KX_P1124 Ö This directory contains information and configuration files
for Epson LQ/SQ printers, and some First Word Plus printer drivers. Not
owning the said hardware, I am not able to comment on this material.
4.8
Conclusion
4.8
This disc offers a lot of varied Public Domain material and is tremen
dous value for money. It is well documented and packed full to the brim.
Given all this and the opportunity to contribute to charity, what are
you waiting for?  A
4.8

4.8
Careware Disc N║ 5
4.8

4.8

4.8
A3000 Expansion Card Case
4.8
Tony Colombat
4.8
During the last month, the school at which I teach was the happy
recipient of a Laser Direct printer and ten A3000æs supplied by local
business firms. The Laser Direct has a podule which needs to be fitted
to the back of one of the A3000s and I was staggered to find that no
cover or protection was supplied by Computer Concepts. Certainly, the
printer could not be used with a bare podule sticking out the back and
inquiring pupil hands all too ready to explore pcbæs.
4.8
To overcome the problem I decided to order an öExpansion Card Caseò from
PRES and, within 36 hours of telephoning the order, the case arrived.
4.8
I had never seen a podule case before and was surprised at how well
everything fitted together. The case is made of metal in the familiar
cream of an A3000 and is slightly wider, though no longer, than an
expansion podule. There is plenty of room above and below the podule to
avoid any possibility of the pcb touching the case. At the computer end
of the case is a lip which slides into the grooves under the A3000 and
two screw holes and screws that match those above the expansion
interface on the A3000. Once fitted, a sturdy, though ungainly, cover
for the podule is available.
4.8
The difficult bit now begins because, with the case in place, one has to
try and fit the podule into the expansion interface with the cover
stopping any attempts to line up the podule pins. I found the best
method was to tip the computer onto its front end and lower the podule
vertically down onto the interface. Once the correct position has been
achieved and the podule pushed home a good fit is made. I then found the
second problem, neither firms had supplied screws for fitting the podule
to the expansion case. I ended up temporarily fixing the two together
with nylon clips.
4.8
Summary
4.8
Anyone expanding their A3000æs potential with accessories such as a
scanner or laser printer which require a podule would do well to check
whether they are supplied with a podule cover. If not, and they are sure
that they are not going to fit further podules for a hard disc etc, they
will find it worthwhile to contact PRES for their A3000 Expansion Card
Case. (A3K3) at ú15+VAT.  A
4.8

4.8
4th Dimension    P.O. Box 4444, Sheffield. (0742-700661)
4.8
Abacus Training    29 Okus Grove, Upper Stratton, Swindon, Wilts, SN2
6QA.
4.8
Acorn Computers Ltd    Fulbourn
Road, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, CB1 4JN. (0223-245200) (210685)
4.8
Ace Computing  (p4)    27 Victoria
Road, Cambridge, CB4 3BW. (0223-322559) (69180)
4.8
Atomwide Ltd   (p24)    23 The
Greenway, Orpington, Kent, BR5 2AY. (0689-838852) (896088)
4.8
Base5   (p32)    PO Box 378, Woking, Surrey GU21 4DF.
4.8
Beebug Ltd    117 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 4JS. (0727-40303)
(60263)
4.8
Clares Micro Supplies    98 Mid
dlewich Road, Rudheath, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 7DA. (0606-48511)
(48512)
4.8
Colton Software  (p35)    149-151 St
Neots Road, Hardwick, Cambridge, CB3 7QJ. (0954-211472) (211607)
4.8
Computer Concepts (p30/31)    Gaddesden
Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 6EX. (0442-63933) (231632)
4.8
Contex Computing    15 Woodlands Close, Cople, Bedford, MK44 3UE. (02303-
347)
4.8
Design Concept     30 South Oswald Road, Edinburgh, EH9 2HG.
4.8
Lingenuity (Lindis) (p16)    P.O.Box 10,
Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0DX. (0986-85-476) (460)
4.8
Longman-Logotron    Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street, Cambridge, CB1 2LJ.
(0223-323656) (460208)
4.8
Micro-Aid    Kildonan Courtyard, Barrhill, Girvan, S. Ayrshire, KA26 0PS.
(0465-82288)
4.8
Micro Librarian Systems    Staley
Cottage, Ridge End Fold, Marple, Stockport, Cheshire, SK6 7EX. (061-449-
9357)
4.8
Minerva Systems    Minerva House, Baring Crescent, Exeter, EX1 1TL.
(0392-437756) (421762)
4.8
Morley Electronics    Morley
House, Norham Road, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 7TY. (091-257-6355)
(6373)
4.8
Northern Micromedia    Resources
Centre, Coach Lane Campus, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7XA. (091-270-0424)
4.8
Oak Solutions (p15)    Cross Park
House, Low Green, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6HA. (0532-502615) (506868)
4.8
Paul Fray Ltd    4 Flint Lane, Ely Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge CB5 9QZ.
(0223-441134) (-441017).
4.8
PEP Associates     55 St Paulæs Drive, Chatteris, Cambridge, PE16 6DG.
4.8
Pineapple Software    39 Brownlea
Gardens, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, IG3 9NL. (081-599-1476)
4.8
P.R.E.S.    6 Ava House, Chobham, Surrey. (0276-72046)
4.8
Ray Maidstone    421 Sprowston Road, Norwich, NR3 4EH. (0603-407060)
(417447)
4.8
RESOURCE    Exeter Road, Doncaster, DN2 4PY. (0302-340331)
4.8
Topologika    P.O. Box 39, Stilton, Peterborough, PE7 3RL. (0733-244682)
4.8
VisionSix Ltd (p26)    13 Paddock
Wood, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 5BJ. (0661-33017) (36163)
4.8

4.8

4.8
Norwich Computer Services 96a Vauxhall Street, Norwich, NR2 2SD. 0603-
766592 (764011)
4.8

4.8