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-------------
Code Mungus
-------------
* By *
Nicholas Smith
©August 1993
Latest Version: 5.7 Last Update: 23 August 1993
Written in GFA Basic v3.5
What Is Code Mungus?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Code Mungus is an aid to learner drivers (as if you hadn't of
guessed). Its purpose is to ask the user various questions about the
Highway Code. It effectively replaces the task of the learner's
relatives or friends. But of what use is it? Although it is true that
the section of the driving test where the examiner asks a pupil
questions on the Highway Code has declined in importance over the last
few decades, it is still a necessity. The use of this is to let the
examiner know how well a pupil understands factors such as road safety
and vehicular law.
I do not believe that a pupil can fail by not answering all the
questions correctly. One person I know was asked twenty questions and
only correctly answered one of them, and he still passed. This goes to
prove that the chance of you passing is influenced by the examiner.
One simple way to increase this chance is to actually learn the
Highway Code.
When I began to learn to drive I realised that this is not as
easy as one would first imagine. It is relatively feasible to learn
the information but it is near impossible to get someone to test your
knowledge of it. You ask friends or relatives but you find that
they are doing something much more important (like cleaning the
toilet).
It was this reaction that led me to the conclusion that it must be
very tiresome to test someone on the Highway Code. It is fine to test
others before you pass the test but as soon as you have, you do
not want to bother yourself with it. I therefore came up with Code
Mungus.
Code Mungus can be used as a general test to see how familiar
you are with the Highway Code or it can be used to see in which areas
you need to carry out more revision in. There are two types of
question that can be asked:
The first are text based. These are on on topics such as
stopping distances, motorway use, fog conditions, moving off and
overtaking. Basically it covers the all the rules of the Highway
Code (numbers 1 to 198). Overall there are 123 text questions.
The second type are graphic questions. These are traffic signs
that a driver may find on or by the road. I believe that the
selection available (73) covers virtually all types (the designs were
obtained from the Highway Code booklet pages 53 to 57).
There are no questions on the general rules of the Highway Code or
for other types of transport (e.g. cyclists, horse riders). Code
Mungus only asks questions that a motorist needs to know. All the
questions are always specific to the Highway Code booklet (although I
did make some up). In other words, a question may have two possible
correct answers but the program will only accept the one that is
commented upon in the Highway Code.
What Do I Need To Use Code Mungus?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Code Mungus will, to my knowledge, run on any Amiga. I have
beta tested it on an Amiga 500, an Amiga 500 with a half megabyte
expansion and an Amiga Plus. It worked fine on all of these.
The important files that you should have on this disk are;
Root Directory:
Code_Mungus
Code_Mungus.info
Code_Mungus.config
High_Scores.LST
Palette
Config
Manual
Manual.info
Signs\
s1
.
.
.
s73
All these files are required in order to make the program work
correctly. It is possible to use it without the High_Scores.LST
and Setup files (I have included a routine to set the system variables
and the high score table to preset levels if they are missing) but I
would suggest that you retrieve them as soon as possible. There is a
check included in Code Mungus to imprint preset sets of data of high
scores on to the disk in case the High_Score.LST has been deleted. To
implement this process, begin the quiz and continue with it until you
are returned to the menu. The Setup file can be re-created from the
Setup screen. Details of this are included
in the menu section.
How To Load Code Mungus: For the computer illiterate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Code Mungus disk is bootable and this can be done by simply
inserting the disk into any drive. After a few seconds the intro will
appear and you will be asked whether you have lots of memory (over
1meg). If you have type y and then press return. The startup-sequence
will then copy all the files in the signs directory to ram disk (this
speeds up the execution of the program). This process will take some
time. If you only have ½ a meg then you will have to type n.
Workbench will then appear. Double click on the disk icon and then
double click on the Code_Mungus icon. After a short period a menu will
be displayed.
Menu Options
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each option can be selected by depressing the left mouse button
over the required box.
START:
When you select this option the menu disappears and a white screen
is displayed in its place. A text question will then be printed in
along with three possible answers. In order to answer this question
you must press the button (displayed at the bottom of the screen) that
corresponds to the answer which you believe is correct. Providing
that you have the extras facility on (more on this later), you will be
told whether you were correct or not.
If you were not then the right answer is pointed out. After
all the required text questions have been asked (this can be changed
by the Config option), the screen will turn black and after a small
period of disk access (providing the signs are not already loaded into
the ram disk) a sign will be displayed in the middle of it. You must
then select an answer button. The result of your input will then be
shown.
When all the graphic questions have been asked the black screen
will close. The results of the last turn will then be analysed. Your
score will be displayed along with my personal evaluation. Should your
score be high enough to get into the high score table you will then be
asked to type in your name. This will then be saved to disk along with
your score (as a percentage) and the date. You can use this feature to
plot your progress over a number of turns. The high score table will
then be displayed. If your score was not high enough then only the
table is shown.
If you find the table quickly becomes filled with 100%'s, you can
delete the High_Scores.lst file from the disk through Workbench or the
CLI. The next time the program in executed, preset data for the table
will be saved to disk. This will effectively clear the table. This
process will also so work if you lose the High_Scores.lst.
ABOUT:
This gives general information about Code Mungus and its author.
HELP:
When you select this option you will be given the message that the
help facility is on. This means that whenever you select an option
from the menu you will be shown the option's associated help file. To
return the options to normal click on the help button again.
You can tell the current status of the help button (either On or
OFF)
by seeing it the button looks as though it is de-pressed (but not
suicidal).
SCORES:
This displays the high score table.
CONFIG:
This option allows you to control Code Mungus (by changing the
environmental variables). It is effectively like the Preferences
program(s) that allows you to alter the Workbench. It makes it
possible to change the inward workings of the program to your own
personal tastes. Once selected a menu appears into which the current
status of the program is displayed. You can choose the settings of the
features shown in buttons by clicking the left mouse button on the
response box (this will show either On or OFF). To change the number
of questions asked you will need to click upon the response box. This
will then clear and allow you to type a number. For example if you
typed in 34 in the text question box you would be asked
34 text questions. To enter a single digit (1,2,4 etc) press zero and
then the number you require. You cannot select zero on its own or
numbers above the maximum (this constraint is detailed below).
The facilities available are;
* Speech
Do you want the crap phonetic speech? If this option is
switched ON then a computer has the ability to
announce what it is doing. Unfortunately this tends
to slow Code Mungus down.
N.B. In order for this to work you MUST have the
files translator.library in the libs directory and
narrator.device in the devs directory.
* Answers
Do you want to be told if your answer is correct or
not?. If it is ON then the user can identify the
areas where he or she needs to do more revision in.
If it is OFF then the question and answer section
speeds up considerably (1.5 seconds per question).
* No. of text questions
How many test questions do you want to be asked?
The minimum is 1, the maximum is 50.
* No. of graphic questions
Similar to the above facility. The Minimum is 1,
the maximum is 35.
* Save high scores
If you get a score that is high enough to get into the
high score table, do you want it to be saved to disk?
* Save
This will save the new values of the environmental
variables to disk.
* Use
This will set the variables to the levels you specified
but will not save them to disk.
* Cancel
This will prevent any new changes from effecting the
program. The variables will be restored to their
original settings.
QUIT:
This option allows you to exit Code Mungus. To exit select YES when
the alert box appears. If NO is selected then you are returned to the
menu. You can also quit whilst using Code Mungus by pressing CTRL-
SHIFT-ALT.
Problem Diagnosis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROBLEM: Corrupt files
Do not exit from Code Mungus (by either pressing CTRL-SHIFT-ALT or
by implementing a soft reset) whilst Code Mungus is using the disk
drive. If you should do this then there is a risk that a file is being
saved to file. Exiting will cause the disk activity to stop
prematurely and thus will corrupt the file. Next time Code Mungus is
run it will find that there is not enough data in the specific file
and this will cause a fatal error.
SOLUTION
Delete the corrupt file from the disk and establish a new one
(by using the process described in the menu options section).
PROBLEM: Loss of control
When you are using Code Mungus you suddenly become unable to
do anything.
SOLUTION
YOUR BUGGERED! (more than likely!!!)
Try to click the mouse on the screen to try and regain control. If
this fails you will have to re-boot (if you can be bothered).
Disclaimer
~~~~~~~~~~
I cannot guarantee (waffle, waffle) that Code Mungus will work on
any machine. By using this program you are taking full responsibility
for any faults (waffle, waffle) or problems that the program may
cause. You cannot sue or claim (waffle, waffle) against the author in
any way. You also cannot sue me it you fail your driving test due my
questions having the wrong answers!
The program itself is in the public domain and can thus be
distributed to anyone, providing that all the files on the disk are
kept (including the Manual) intact and that you do not change any of
the code. I allow it to be distributed on any collection disks
(including Fred Fish). Bugger knows why anyone should want to!
Conclusion
~~~~~~~~~~
I hope that you find this program of some use to you. After having
to type in all the data statements and beta testing them I have become
an expert in the Highway Code. This put me in good stead for my
driving test which I happened to pass first time!
ABC see yer, Wouldn't want to be yer (as they say!)
Nicholas Smith
Please send me some money (£) if you find this program useful.
Alternatively you could send me a disk packed with smart utilities.
Hey, I'm not fussy.
You can contact me with any views on Code Mungus at:
The Old Thatch
Main Street
Tingewick
Bucks
MK18 4NN
By the way, this is the only Highway Code - type of program available,
PD or commercial (even though there is a French CD Multi-Media
demonstration along these lines). Remember where you saw it first!!!
Thanks
~~~~~~
I would like to thank;
Edger Grimsdale - A-Level computing teacher
J Findlay - geezer who compiled this prog
THE HISTORY OF CODE MUNGUS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I began to wrote this program in June 1992 as an A-Level computer
studies project. It was based on a similar piece of software on that
now defunct rubber-keyed computer, the Spectrum. I think it was called
the Highway Code and was published by Horizon. Anyway, between then
and now it has gone through just a few changes (as you can see form
the version number!). Here are just a few...
v1.0 The original - If you find a copy take it to the Antiques Road
Show
Wrote the text question routine. No front end (oh err!)
v1.1
Added the graphics using D-Paint III and the IFF-To-BOB program
(supplied with GFA Basic). Managed to lose the files (I'm an expert at
this).
v1.2
Re-did the graphics. Managed to get both bits working in harmony
(eventually)
v2.0
Added the front end. "Borrowed" the menu form the IFF-To-BOB program.
Two dimensional and basically crap. Still it saved me writing one (I'm
like that).
v2.1
Created the help function. This original feature displayed six
separate windows with documentation about the program. Took about two
seconds to do this!
v2.2
Configure screen invented. Had to type in Y's, N's and numbers. Looked
extremely tacky and Spectrumish.
v2.3
Tried the program on a 1.3 machine. All the colours where very ugly.
Changed the palette.
v3.0
Quit feature added. Used system alert boxes. Looked bloody awful.
v3.1
Added phonetic speech. I now wonder why.
v3.2
High score table implemented. Lost the graphics files again (I told
you I was an expert).
v4.0
Decided to change front end. Attempted to use G_Maskdesigner program.
Far to complicated. "Borrowed" the colour scheme. Began to write all
the windows and boxes routine for the menu. Now looked Workbench
2.0ish.
v4.1
Added new-look windows and boxes to all the other parts of the
program.
v5.0 The polishing up phase
Ran the program through a spell checker (On Kindwords 2 - Aahhhhrr).
There weren't many errors in the questions (honest).
v5.1
.
. Can't remember
.
v5.6
v5.7 Les Finarley
Finished it at last. Now to just get it compiled....