Info-Atari16 Digest Saturday, October 7, 1989 Volume 89 : Issue 479 This weeks Editor: Bill Westfield Today's Topics: ST hardware reset problems Program Swapper Connecting 2 hard drives Re: Program Swapper Re: Graphics file formats on new machines Re: TOS 1.4 in the UK help with arc types? TOUCH UP QUESTION Aladin MAC Emulator Questions about different picture formats Message to Xorg!! mail bounced! Cartridge..ramdisk Where's ST LaTeX? Re: Curious about "Rainbow" TOS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 15 SEP 89 11:53:52 CST From: Z4648252 To: X-Orig-To: ATARI Subject: ST hardware reset problems A few days back, I posted a note about a Mega which no longer reset via the reset button, or when switching monitors with a monitor switcher. It also would not go on-line when power was applied yet would come up when the power switch was turned off and then turned back on. I received a few comments about this and was surprised that there are many STs experiencing the same problem. The following are portions of a few letters which I received: ---------- I saw your article in comp.sys.atari.st about your friend's Mega acting strangely, mainly turning it off and back on rapidly to start it up. Well, I have a 1040 that does the same thing. Turning it off and back on in the space of about two seconds is the only way to boot it, and the reset button doesn't work. It seemed to gradually happen with mine, but would get the worst when the ST was hot. ----------- Hee hee hee. A 520 that I bought used at a garage sale had the same problem. I bought it for $100.00 and replaced the 68000 chip. Works perfectly!!! You might try that. ----------- My 1040ST does that! I thought that it might be my reset button not working but don't understand why.....I have to turn [the power switch] on and off several times to make the computer work. Could it be the power supply? The color monitor comes on with a white screen when the thing doesn't work. When I turn it on and off several times, it finally wakes up. My solution is to not turn the computer off and use a cold boot program so that I can play copy protected games and stuff. ----------- Another helpful STer wrote and gave a theory of the reset process on the ST. He felt that either the GLUE or the 68000 chip was bad. He also said that holding the reset button in for a long time could bring either chip down. If anyone else has comments on this, I'll be glad to sum them up. Larry Rymal: |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 20:56:11 GMT From: deimos.cis.ksu.edu!cveg!hcx!cjy@uunet.uu.net (Calvin Yockey) Subject: Program Swapper To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu I'm interested in a program that will allow me to keep two or more programs in memory at the same time and allow me to switch from one to the other from the mouse or keyboard. (No multi-tasking necessary.) The names "Juggler" and "K-switcher" come to mind, but I can't find any information on them. There is also the hardware/software product "Switch-Back". Any information, experiences, or alternate suggestions would be appreciated. Calvin Yockey cjy@hcx.uucp or cjy@hcx.uark.edu ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 22:44:34 GMT From: tahoe!wheeler!mikew@apple.com (Mike Whitbeck) Subject: Connecting 2 hard drives To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu I have 2 ST's one has a megafile30 the other has an ICD 30M drive (seagate with SCSI ). I would like to do a one time transfer of LOTS of programs/data between the two. The manual for the megafile30 says I have to open the case to change its drive #'s and that would void the warranty. The ICD did not come with a manual. The ICD has both a DMA out and SCSI out ports (daisy chain). I'm thinking that I should plug the ICD in to the ST's DMA as drives C-D-E ; open the megafile and change the dip switches (but to what I don't know) to make it F-G-H and plug it into the DMA port on the ICD. So waddya think? Anyone know? ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 22:37:18 GMT From: tahoe!wheeler!mikew@apple.com (Mike Whitbeck) Subject: Re: Program Swapper To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu In article <3114@cveg.uucp> cjy@hcx.uucp (Calvin Yockey) writes: | | |I'm interested in a program that will allow me to keep two or more programs in |memory at the same time and allow me to switch from one to the other from the |mouse or keyboard. (No multi-tasking necessary.) The names "Juggler" and |"K-switcher" come to mind, but I can't find any information on them. There is |also the hardware/software product "Switch-Back". Any information, experiences, |or alternate suggestions would be appreciated. | | Calvin Yockey | cjy@hcx.uucp or | cjy@hcx.uark.edu There is also a product called 'Revolver' and at the risk of starting another stupid multitasking war there is IDRIS for the ST which presumably can do some multitasking. But where do you get these- I've seen an ad for Switchback but that's it! Can any of you out there shed some light on prices and where to order any of these? Is there any one out there that is done a 1-on-1 comparison that s/he can tell us about? N-quiring minds wanna know! ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 07:42:50 GMT From: mcsun!ukc!edcastle!hwcs!neil@uunet.uu.net (Neil Forsyth) Subject: Re: Graphics file formats on new machines To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu In article <7677@microsoft.UUCP> w-darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek Mihocka) writes: > Up until now, .PI1, .PI2, .PI3 and .NEO >seem to have been the standards because everybody had a 32000 byte screen. >What will happen now that screens are larger than 320K? None of the >above formats bother to include the screen resolution in their files. There IS provision in the Neochrome header for different screen sizes although in current versions of the program it is not used. > A simple modification >to say, the Degas file format, might be to keep the first word which >indicates the graphics mode (0, 1, 2, 3, etc, which would map on to an >appropriate number of bit planes) followed by the color pallete and then >the image. Now, if the screen is not the standard 32000 bytes, invert >the high bit of the first word, and follow it immediately by two words >indicating the screen resolution, then the pallete, then the image. >That way normal Degas will puke if you try to load this new format, but >not the other way around. Nope. Degas Elite uses bit 15 in the rez word to signify a compressed image .PCx. I personally like the Neochrome format and although it only supports low rez just now the first long in the header is the rez. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! DISCLAIMER: Unless otherwise stated, the above comments are entirely my own ! ! ! ! "I think all right thinking people in this country are sick and tired of ! ! being told that ordinary decent people are fed up in this country with ! ! being sick and tired. I'm certainly not and I'm sick and tired of being ! ! told that I am!" - Monty Python ! ! ! ! Neil Forsyth JANET: neil@uk.ac.hw.cs ! ! Dept. of Computer Science ARPA: neil@cs.hw.ac.uk ! ! Heriot-Watt University UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!neil ! ! Edinburgh, Scotland, UK ! ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 08:23:07 GMT From: mcsun!ukc!edcastle!hwcs!neil@uunet.uu.net (Neil Forsyth) Subject: Re: TOS 1.4 in the UK To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu Note: This is a heavily trimmed article. You've just no idea how much white heat flaming at Atari UK I had in it before! In article <704@sys.uea.ac.uk> cmp7131@sys.uea.ac.uk (M. Plumtree) writes: About TOS 1.4 >So then I contacted Atari here in the UK, and they gave the same answer as >Silica Shop, "sometime before Christmas" even after pointing out the fact >that it is available on mainland Europe, and in America. Incredible! You actually managed to get past the phone answerer! Was it Bob (in a meeting|on holiday|not in today) Katz you spoke to? >What have Atari (US) got against Atari (UK)? What have Atari (UK) got against owners of Atari computers? I think Atari UK have had the ROMS as long as any other subsiduary but have not worked out their maximum profit making marketing strategy for them yet. We are registered developers and bought the dev kit so that we (and our students) would know the ST inside out. Not to develope amazing programs to sell more ST's. No newletters in 2 years, no mention of Mega specific hardware, S.A.L.A.D, SM194 Moniterm, Maths coprocessor, STacey, aln upgrade, madmac upgrade or db. Argh! So I guess Atari UK are not interesetd in us any more because we don't make them any money (Atari UK's second language :-) >On a related point, when I finally do get a ROM set, how easy will it be to >install it in my TOS 1.0 machine (I don't know the rev. #, but if this helps, >both the LEDs are red, as opposed to the newer machines which have yellow >and green LEDs.) If there are too many/few sockets in my machine for the >chips, will Atari (Anywhere) be producing an adapter board ? Well the two chip machines (Rev D) have solder pads to tell it what kind of chips are being used and have four of the normal 6 sockets missing. So if you get a 2 chip set just bung them in. If you get a 6 chip set add 4 sockets and change the solder pads. If you have an old ST with only the 6 chip option and are given a 2 chip set, go on the rampage to Atari UK. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! DISCLAIMER: Unless otherwise stated, the above comments are entirely my own ! ! ! ! "I think all right thinking people in this country are sick and tired of ! ! being told that ordinary decent people are fed up in this country with ! ! being sick and tired. I'm certainly not and I'm sick and tired of being ! ! told that I am!" - Monty Python ! ! ! ! Neil Forsyth JANET: neil@uk.ac.hw.cs ! ! Dept. of Computer Science ARPA: neil@cs.hw.ac.uk ! ! Heriot-Watt University UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!neil ! ! Edinburgh, Scotland, UK ! ------------------------------ Date: 15 Sep 89 23:16:57 GMT From: ncrlnk!ncr-sd!se-sd!dcheng@uunet.uu.net (Danny Cheng ) Subject: help with arc types? To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu help!! what is "LHZ" or something close to that type of arc? i.e. what is the arc program used? dan ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1989 23:29 EDT From: Greg Csullog <01659%AECLCR.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU> Subject: TOUCH UP QUESTION To: I HAVE TOUCH UP AND THE HAND SCANNER FROM MIGRAPH. FIRST, THE SCANNER IS GREAT! I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF COPY ON AN SLM804 LASER. BUT (ALWAYS A BUT) I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SUCCESS MOVING FILES INTO MACPAINT (UNDER SPECTRE) OR OF READING MACPAINT FILES INTO TOUCH UP. IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT HAS TO BE DONE? IT TOOK ABOUT 1 MINUTE 45 SECONDS TO PRINT A FULL 8.5" X 11" PIC TO THE SLM804. THE SAME PIC, PRINTED ON AN HP LASERJET FROM AN AT WITH AN 80287 (NORTON SI 12.5) TOOK OVER 20 MINUTES. AH, THE DMA IS GREAT (DESKTOP PUBLISHING ON A PC MUST BE EXCRUTIATINGLY SLOW!!!) ------------------------------ Date: 8 Sep 89 15:14:26 GMT From: mcsun!prlb2!vub!efdirkx@uunet.uu.net (Erik Dirkx) Subject: Aladin MAC Emulator To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu Hello, a few months ago I bought the Aladin Macintosh emulator (version 2.1) for the ST, and some time later the upgrade to version 3.0. The technotes mention a file called "Hard Disk 20" to support HFS. That file is missing in my upgrade packet. I could not obtain the file from SoftPaquet in Holland, they claim that it is copyrighted (I have my doubts that, but anyway ...) The file is included however in the german version of Aladin 3.0. Could anyone mail me a copy of the missing file, so that the use of space on my hard disk will be used more efficiently ? Thanks a lot ! Daan Van Heghe University of Brussels, Belgium PS. I only have limited access to USENET, so please reply directly to me My mail address is : dvheghe@info.vub.ac.be ------------------------------ Date: 16 Sep 89 04:16:21 GMT From: agate!e260-4a!c60c-4af@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU Subject: Questions about different picture formats To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu What these new GIF and IMg? files? Are there anyways to print them? Hwo are they different from the spectrum or neochrome files? I would appreciate answers from anyone. (Marcelino Bernardo) writes: >Recently I have read Ken Badertscher of Atari refer to TOS 1.4 as the >"Rainbow" TOS. I was just curious. Why was the this name chosen? In the front page article of the November 1988 ST Informer ("Sig Hartmann apologizes, promises better Atari support in the future" by Rod McDonald), Atari VP, Sig Hartmann is quoted as saying "Developers should write more software, they'll make jillions." Rainbow TOS must have something to do with this mythical pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow that Atari is always talking about. -- David Beckemeyer (david@bdt.UUCP) | "Lester Moore - Four slugs from a .44 Beckemeyer Development Tools | no Les, no more." 478 Santa Clara Ave. Oakland, CA 94610 | - Headstone at Boot Hill UUCP: ?uunet,ucbvax?!unisoft!bdt!david | Tombstone, AZ ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest **************************