Loadstar 128 35/q35.d81/t.magic 128 v3

Text File | 2022-08-28 | 4KB | 83 lines

                         M A G I C   1 2 8   V 3.0

                             Docs by e. g. bell

                           Text by Fender Tucker


    Back on LS 128 #18 we presented V2.02 of MAGIC 128, ed bell's
masterpiece of a directory editing program. Now we have V3 which is more
compatible with today's power systems, especially those with CMD devices
like RAMLinks or HD drives. I've used this program religiously for four
years now.

    However, MAGIC 128 does so much more than edit directories. ed's docs,
can be printed out on 14 sheets of fan-fold paper. I highly recommend you
do this because there are numerous features to MAGIC 128 V3 and I'm only
going to touch on them here.

    Here's how to print the docs. First, run the program either from
LOADSTAR 128 (by pressing R from this text file) or from the direct mode by
entering RUN"MAGIC 128 V3". The first thing you'll see is the first of many
HELP screens. To cycle through all eight of them just keep pressing HELP.
To get to the work screen, press any other key besides HELP. The work
screen looks sort of blank except for a bunch of info on the bottom two
lines. The info will be explained in the docs. The key to press is R.

    R will Read the directory of the disk in the current drive and list it
on the screen in up to four columns, as needed. Then move the cursor to
"magic docs" and press G for Grab. This is how you select a file. Next,
press CTRL-E for examine file. "Examine" is a powerful command that you'll
find very handy. Then you're asked to choose S or P (for screen or printer)
with S being the default. You may want to look at it on screen first. If
so, press RETURN. If you want to send the docs to the printer, enter P and
press RETURN. Next you'll be prompted for what type of file it is, BASIC,
True ASCII, Screencode, or PetASCII, which is the default. The docs file
(which is 161 blocks long!) is a PetASCII file so just press RETURN and
"magic docs" will be loaded and displayed on the screen, waiting for a
keypress after each page. Press STOP to halt the reading. If you've chosen
P for printer, make sure your printer is on line and the print head is
right at a perforation. The fourteen pages will be printed out, complete
with page numbers, contents and an index.

     So here it is in a nutshell.

  RUN"MAGIC 128 V3"
  Press R for "Read directory".
  Move cursor to "magic docs".
  Press G for "Grab".
  Get your printer ready.
  Press RETURN on the P prompt for "printer".
  Press RETURN again on the P prompt for "Pet ASCII".
  Watch the docs being printed.
  Read the docs.

    The HELP screens are available to you at any time in the program by
pressing HELP. They are best used for reminders, although they are quite
in-depth. The printed docs explain everything in much more detail. Please
read it all and keep it for future reference.

    MAGIC 128 V3 can be used for many things but it's mainly for keeping
your disks organized, especially if you're using a 1581 or CMD hard drive
where there may be hundreds of files in a directory. Organizing 200+ files
could be a nightmare without MAGIC 128 V3. To use with RAMLink, RAMDrive or
a CMD Hard Drive, you must be working in a 1541, 1571 or 1581 partition.
Native mode partitions are not supported. The only program (besides CMD's
DEDIT) that allows you to edit CMD native mode partitions is Jeff Jones'
64-mode gem, DIRECTOMEISTER III on LS #156.

    If you are using RAMLink and a Hard Drive, you must disable the
parallel connection by sending an @p0 command before booting MAGIC 128.
Subdirectories are supported by MAGIC 128, but read the docs before writing
to them.

    Since MAGIC 128 V3 is so powerful, you should practice with it on a
backed up disk with plenty of files. Don't let this scare you, though; it's
a logical program and once you learn some of its power, you'll be using it
for all of your disk organization.

                  \\\\\ R - Run    RETURN - Menu \\\\\