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Loadstar 128 18
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q18.d81
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t.magic 128 boot
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2022-08-28
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M A G I C 1 2 8 VERSION 2.02
by e. g. bell
Say, didn't e. g. bell write those stories about the cockroach who
wrote poetry by jumping on the keys? Or was that e. e. cummings? In any
case (as long as it's lower) LOADSTAR is proud to present one of the most
sophisticated, useful programs ever written for the C-128. MAGIC 128
started off to be a directory editor and just sort of grew from the mind of
ed bell. He's put a little of everything in it, and it's all good.
It does so much more than edit directories, but even if that were all
it did, it would be a great program. ed's docs, which I left alone because
they say it all, 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 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 BOOT". The first thing you'll see (after our
copyright notice) 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 BOOT"
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.
Be thankful for master programmers like e. g. bell.
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 2.02 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. To use with RAMLink, RAMDrive or a
CMD Hard Drive, you must be working in a 1541, 1571 or 1581 partition. 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.
I could go on blabbing about the power of this program but everything
is in the docs. ed recommends that you practice with it on a backed up disk
with plenty of files. Since you have the ability to scratch, format,
rename, write, sort, rearrange, block move and more, you can really mess up
a disk. 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.
e. g. bell is a well-known 128 and 64 programmer on the boards. I'm
looking forward to seeing more of his programs on LOADSTAR in the future.
Try MAGIC 128 and you will, too. ed has consented to our publishing his
address so that you can write directly to him about MAGIC 128. Please send
a self-addressed, stamped envelope when you write him. His address:
e. g. bell
125 Wilson Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15235
FT
**** R - Run RETURN - Menu ****