944 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
944 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
______________________________________
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ZMAGAZINE 84 December 18, 1987
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Best of Series Part 2 of 3
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Best of Technical Assistance Columns
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______________________________________
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Published/Edited/Compiled by:
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Ron Kovacs
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Zmag BBS (201) 968-8148 300/1200
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______________________________________
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Xx A Few Notes
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______________________________________
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Congrats to Rat White and family on
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arrival of Elizabeth. Best wishes
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from us to you!!
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I just received the NEW Michigan Atari
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Magazine and have a few comments!
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I was rather shocked to see that MAM
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has gone to a new format in their
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newsletter!! I was used to getting
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the small edition which fit nicely in
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it's shelf, (which I personally made)
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to file each edition. I miss the
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talents of John Nagy and sorry to see
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the originality gone!! What happen
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to CHAOS!!!
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The proposed mailing of the promised
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special Zmag plans has been delayed.
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Since I am in the middle of classes
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(LaMaz) and time has been short, I
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put the plans on hold until after the
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first of the year. Work, Zmag, child-
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care and a few other things around
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here have put my present schedule into
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a state of array. Stay tuned via the
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Zmag BBS for the latest updates.
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I have been calling around the nation
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during the past week and will continue
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to do so as time permits. I have not
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received very many BBS information
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files for the end of year issue. There
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is still time to get you BBS on the
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list. Please upload your title screen
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and comments asap for publication in
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the special issue in two weeks.
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The next special issue will be
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released 12/23/87.
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This issue is Part 2 of a 3 part
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series on the best of the technical
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help columns. We conclude the
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series next week. I hope you find
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this series of reprints interesting.
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Thanks for reading and supporting ZMag
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in 1987.
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______________________________________
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Xx Index 84
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______________________________________
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<*> A Few Notes
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<*> Customizing DOS
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<*> Commodore Controller for Atarians
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<*> More Ram fr your XL
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<*> SuperCart Switching
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<*> TurboBasic Compiler
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<*> How To Use ARC
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<*> Wedge 130 Documentation
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<*> The X Device
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<*> Tech Help from Antic
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______________________________________
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Xx CUSTOMIZING DOS
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______________________________________
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The following article appeared in the
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May 27, 1986 edition of Zmagazine.
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Submitted By:Marlene Kovacs
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From May 1986 Family Computing
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THERE ARE A FEW POKE COMMANDS TO
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CUSTOMIZE DOS 2.0S OR DOS 2.5.
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NORMALLY, ATARI DOS LETS YOU OPEN ONLY
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THREE DISK FILES AT A TIME, IF YOU
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POKE 1801 WITH A NUMBER FROM 1 TO 7,
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YOU CAN DECREASE OR INCREASE THE
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MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FILES YOU CAN OPEN
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CONCURRENTLY. HERE'S A RELATED TIP:
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128 BYTES OF RAM IS AUTOMATICALLY
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RESERVED FOR EACH FILE. TO SAVE
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MEMORY, SET THIS MAXIMUM TO REFLECT
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ONLY THE NUMBER OF CONCURRENT FILES
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YOUR PROGRAM WILL ACTUALLY USE.
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DOS VERIFIES (READS BACK AND CHECKS)
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EACH BYTE OFDATA IT WRITES TO DISK.
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THIS SLOWS DOWN SAVES ENORMOUSLY. TO
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ALMOST DOUBLE THE SPEED OF SAVES, TURN
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OFF THE -WRITE-WITH-VERIFY- FEATURE BY
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POKEING 1913 WITH VALUE 80. THOUGH
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THERE MAY BE A FEW PROBLEMS USING DOS
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WITHOUT VERIFY, NOTE THAT THIS
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MODIFICATION WILL MAKE DISK WRITES
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LESS RELIABLE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.
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ONCE YOU'VE CHANGED DOS FEATURES, BE
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SURE TO WRITE A COPY OF YOUR MODIFIED
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DOS TO A NEW DISK BY TYPING DOS AND
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CHOOSING OPTION H (WRITE DOS FILES)
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FROM THE DOS MENU. LABEL THE NEW DOS
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DISK CAREFULLY.
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IF YOU'RE A DOS 3 USER, YOU CAN MAKE
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THE ABOVE DOS MODIFICATIONS BY TYPING
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DOS, SELECTING MENU OPTION I
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(INITIALIZE DISK), AND INITIALIZING A
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BOOTABLE DISK LIKE THIS: ENTER A Y AT
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THE MODIFY FMS PARAMETERS? PROMPT.
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THREE FURTHER PROMPTS WILL FOLLOW,
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PERMITTING YOU TO ENTER INFORMATION
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ABOUT HOW YOU WISH TO MODIFY DOS
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BEFORE WRITING IT TO YOUR DISK. DON'T
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CHANGE THE ADDRESS OF THE FMS (FILE
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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) BUFFERS. CHANGE THE
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MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CONCURRENTLY OPEN
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FILES BY ADDING THE NEW MAXIMUM(FROM 1
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TO 7) TO THE NUMBER OF DISK DRIVES AND
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ENTERING THIS SUM AT THE SECOND
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PROMPT. TURN OFF (WRITE WITH VERIFY)
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BY ENTERING N AT THE THIRD PROMPT.
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______________________________________
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Xx Commodore 1350 Controller
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______________________________________
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THE COMMODORE 1350 CONTROLLER FOR YOUR
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ATARI! (Or The Mouse That Jack Built)
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by Jay Pierstorff
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There has been much talk of mice and
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mouse controllers lately. The new
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Atari ST's come equipped with their
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own mouse...(mice?)..meeces?. Anyway,
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those of us who have an Atari of the
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8-bit persuasion have watched with
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great envy, wishing we too, could have
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mice. Even if we could buy an ST mouse
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for our 8-bitters (which we can't) it
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wouldn't work with our existing
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joystuck (sic) programs. Sure, we'd
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all love to have an Atari ST, but my
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130XE's library is bigger than the
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ST's and more important, it's paid
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for.
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Atari is rumored to be introducing an
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8-bit mouse, but it is not confirmed
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at the time this article is being
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written. Mouse envy persists. I found
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myself wandering the aisles of the
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computer stores. Suddenly, I noticed a
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Commodore product beaming through the
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glass. -The Commodore 1350 Mouse for
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the C128- was printed on the package.
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The price was less than $50. Those
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lucky 128 owners! Too bad Atari hasn't
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made one for their computers.
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The C128 Commodore is an upwardly
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compatible to the C64 computer. That
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means that any software that worked on
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the 64 will also run on the 128. The
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C64 and the Atari's have always been
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real friendly about using the same
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joystick varieties. Would this...could
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this... might this mouse work with a
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trackball or mouse driver program? The
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plug looked very much like a standard
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joystick connector. I bought it and
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took it home.
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I could tell my Atari 130XE was
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nervous about the whole works, but
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undaunted, I loaded a trackball
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program, plugged in the mouse...but
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wait, the plug would not stay in! Upon
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close examination of the connector, I
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discovered that it was about 1/8 of an
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inch too short to reach the connector
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pins, (Commodore computers don't
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recess their joystick ports quite as
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much as Atari). I was Puzzled for a
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moment and then I thought about using
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a joystick extension cable! Ha! I
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quickly found my extension cable and
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plugged one end into port 1 and the
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other end plugged perfectly to the
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mouse!
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With trembling fingers I slid the
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mouse across the desk, and then...
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nothing. The cursor was on the screen
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but the mouse yawned. It would not
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control the cursor, not even a little.
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Now what... I tried to think, maybe it
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would work with a Koala or Touch
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Tablet program! I booted and failed.
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Maybe it was a -joystick emulator!- A
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Joystick in mouse clothing! I loaded
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the graphics editor of The Print Shop,
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IT WORKED IT WAS A JOYSTICK EMULATOR
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ALL ALONG! Suddenly, it occurred to me
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I should probably calm down. I got
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down off the computer table and tried
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a few more programs. Everything that
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would normally run with a joystick,
|
|
was working with this imitation mouse.
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|
A comparison of the mouse and the
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Atari port shows the connections are
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mostly compatible with Atari and
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Commodore joysticks. Interesting that
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the brief, mouse instructions made no
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|
mention of Joystick emulation or even
|
|
compatibility with the C64! Strange
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thing to keep a secret! Especially for
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|
companies in business to make money
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|
(right Jack?).
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The only non-workable feature of the
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1350 Mouse is the right button. The
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left button is the standard -fire-
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button on a Joystick. The right button
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is connected to pin 9. The Atari looks
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to pin 9 for a potentiometer reading
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like a paddle controller would
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produce. But since their is no paddle
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emulation in the mouse, the right
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button is invisible to the Atari's OS.
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Oh well, one doesn't miss what one has
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never had. If Joysticks were meant to
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have two buttons....well you know what
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I mean.
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The Commodore Mouse is very usable.
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Even though your computer thinks it's
|
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a joystick, you will think it's a
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mouse! It really does an amazing job
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of convincing you! It feels good in
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your hand and moves smoothly across
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|
any flat surface. A clean desk or a
|
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-mouse pad- will give best results. A
|
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mouse pad is a rubber backed thin
|
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cushion that gives more control over
|
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mouse movements. For mouse
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maintenance, the rubber-coated, steel
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ball can be easily removed for
|
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cleaning.
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The 1350 Mouse is different from a
|
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true optical driven mouse. A true
|
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mouse has proportional control. The
|
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faster you move the mouse, the faster
|
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the cursor will move. The 1350 mimics
|
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this action but it can't move the
|
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cursor any faster than a joystick
|
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would. Slower cursor movements are
|
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imitated by the mouse delivering
|
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short, stop and go pulses to the
|
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computer.
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A true mouse will always take the same
|
|
desktop travel to move the cursor from
|
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one screen edge to the other. The 1350
|
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will move the cursor at maximum speed
|
|
as long as the 1350 is in any motion
|
|
at any speed. That means a fast, long
|
|
push may not move the cursor as far as
|
|
a short, slow push! That's not really
|
|
a problem though, it's just a
|
|
difference that can be worked with. It
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can even be an advantage for limited
|
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desktop space.
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The Commodore 1350 Mouse worked with
|
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all games and programs that require a
|
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joystick. Some are improved by the
|
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mouse and some are more suited to
|
|
joystick control. The type of programs
|
|
that are best suited to the mouse are
|
|
those that require precision movements
|
|
of cursor or gunsight centering on the
|
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screen. The least suited are the
|
|
programs requiring continuous
|
|
scrolling movements. They often
|
|
require picking the mouse up and
|
|
starting again if you run out of
|
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counter space. Drawing and doodling
|
|
programs worked fabulous, Koronis Rift
|
|
scores improved markedly, Rescue on
|
|
Fractalus was confusing! Donkey Kong
|
|
was ...different! It just depends on
|
|
the type of movement involved. Many
|
|
games took on a whole new feel when
|
|
played with the mouse. Many were even
|
|
more fun with a mouse than with a
|
|
joystick!
|
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|
Do you really need a mouse? Yes you
|
|
do! If you own and use a joystick, you
|
|
will definitely enjoy owning a 1350
|
|
mouse. I wouldn't part with mine.
|
|
Don't throw your joystick away yet,
|
|
but mine is seeing less use since I
|
|
let the mouse in the house! The
|
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Commodore mouse is not just for the
|
|
C128 anymore! It's one of the best
|
|
darn joysticks since the old Atari
|
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licorice stick!
|
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______________________________________
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Xx Hardware Modification
|
|
______________________________________
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MORERAM
|
|
------
|
|
This hardware modification should be
|
|
attempted only by those who have had
|
|
some experience working with
|
|
electronic boards and integrated
|
|
circuits. If you are not confident of
|
|
your abilities, ask for assistance
|
|
from your User Group or a good TV/VCR
|
|
technician.
|
|
|
|
The object of this change is to enable
|
|
the RAM at location $D600 thru $D7FF
|
|
that cannot normally be accessed. The
|
|
RAM chips are -on- the buss during
|
|
each machine cycle unless the -CI line
|
|
from pin 16 of U3 [MMU] is low. This
|
|
added circuit forces this line -on-
|
|
during access to $D600 thru $D7FF
|
|
addresses, which is all that's
|
|
required to use the existing memory at
|
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that location.
|
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|
|
Dis-assemble your 800XL by removing
|
|
the six Phillips-head screws from the
|
|
bottom of the case. Carefully lift the
|
|
right side upwards (with it still
|
|
lying on its keyboard) as if you were
|
|
opening a book.
|
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|
Disconnect the keyboard cable and set
|
|
the top section aside. Remove all the
|
|
screws from the main board and work it
|
|
loose from the base. Take note of the
|
|
location and sequence of the shielding
|
|
while you are pulling it apart. Now to
|
|
the fun part....
|
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|
Find the trace that connects pin 16 of
|
|
U3 to pin 10 of U18. At a suitable
|
|
location, completely cut thru this
|
|
line. Then, use a small piece of
|
|
double-sided foam tape to secure a
|
|
74HC20 IC to a clear area of the main
|
|
board near U2 [74LS138]. Mount the
|
|
chip on its back so that the pins
|
|
point upward. (make sure you know
|
|
which is pin #1!!) Using 30 gauge
|
|
wire-wrapping wire, connect pin 7 to
|
|
the nearest ground (pin 8 of U2 will
|
|
do) and pin 14 to a nearby +5v
|
|
point.(pin 16 of U2...) Wire pins
|
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1,2,4, and 5 of the HC20 to pin 16 of
|
|
U3 [MMU]. Solder a wire from pin 6 (of
|
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HC20) to pins 9 and 10 (of HC20). Add
|
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a wire from pin 12 (of HC20) to pin 9
|
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of U2 [LS138] and from pin 13 (HC20)
|
|
to pin 7 of U2 [LS138]. Last wire goes
|
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from pin 8 (HC20) to pin 10 of U18
|
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[LS08].
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ALL DONE!!
|
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Try the board now, before you put it
|
|
back together. Just plug in the power
|
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and monitor plugs and boot Basic. If
|
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it shows -READY-, it is OK. <If it
|
|
does not work, check your changes very
|
|
carefully. If all else fails, you can
|
|
remove your additions and solder a
|
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wire from U3, pin 16 to U18, pin 10 -
|
|
that will return the board to normal.>
|
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Now, you can put everything back
|
|
together.
|
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______________________________________
|
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Xx OSS UPDATE
|
|
...from the OSS BBS (408-446-3451)...
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
The Official Procedure: To Turn a
|
|
SuperCart OFF:
|
|
|
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1> Close I/O Channel 0
|
|
2> Wait for the LSB of RTCLOK ($14) to
|
|
change value.
|
|
3> Do an SEI
|
|
4> Save $AFFF ... this is the 'cart
|
|
status' register ... you'll need it
|
|
if you wish to restore the cart
|
|
5> STA $D508. This turns the cart
|
|
OFF.
|
|
6> Poke $3FA(GINTLK), 0 to tell the OS
|
|
that there is no cart installed.
|
|
7> Poke $6A(RAMTOP),$C0 to tell OS
|
|
that full RAM is available.
|
|
8> Do a CLI
|
|
9> Open #0,12,0,-E:-
|
|
|
|
To Turn a Supercartridge back ON:
|
|
|
|
1> Perform steps 1-3 from above.
|
|
2> LDX with 'cart status' value saved
|
|
in step 4 above.
|
|
3> STA $D500,X. This turns cart ON
|
|
4> Poke $3FA,1 to tell OS that there
|
|
is a cart.
|
|
5> Poke $6A,$A0 to tell OS that less
|
|
RAM is available.
|
|
6> Perform steps 8-9 from above.
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
|
|
|
These should be obvious, but if you're
|
|
a space case like me...
|
|
|
|
The ON/OFF code MUST be 'safe'. That
|
|
is, if RAM resident, it should not be
|
|
overwritten by any application you may
|
|
be running, whether under Cart control
|
|
or not. (Especially the $AFFF value if
|
|
you'll want to turn the cart back on!)
|
|
Disk .COM files are a viable
|
|
alternative.
|
|
|
|
Once the cart is off, there MUST be a
|
|
program IN PLACE to take over control
|
|
of the computer! That may be DOS or it
|
|
might be your own code.
|
|
|
|
Depending on exactly what you're
|
|
doing, some sort of RESET handler
|
|
might prove useful.
|
|
|
|
Again depending on application, XL/XE
|
|
users may want to add PORTB
|
|
manipulations.
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx TURBO BASIC COMPILER DOCUMENTATION
|
|
____________________________________
|
|
Reprint from ZMAG61
|
|
|
|
The Turbo Basic Compiler can be used
|
|
to compile programs in both TurboBasic
|
|
and regular Atari Basic. Doing so will
|
|
yield a sometimes startling (and
|
|
sometimes not so startling) increase
|
|
in speed. Like Turbo Basic itself, the
|
|
compiler (and compiled programs) can
|
|
only be run on an XL/XE. Also like TB,
|
|
it is NOT compatible with Spartados.
|
|
|
|
REQUIRED!
|
|
|
|
You need 2 files to use the compiler.
|
|
Both are in the Utilities section of
|
|
CompuServes' Atari8 SIG or on your
|
|
local BBS system.
|
|
|
|
COMPIL.OBJ is the actual compiler (and
|
|
a BIG thanks to Warren Lieuallen for
|
|
the translation job!!!)
|
|
|
|
RNTIME.OBJ is the companion 'runtime'
|
|
package.
|
|
|
|
COMPILING PROGRAMS
|
|
|
|
Load COMPIL.OBJ from the DOS menu,
|
|
with an <L> binary load command. On
|
|
the first screen, type the number of
|
|
the drive containing your target
|
|
program. (I usually have that on D8
|
|
for speed.) You'll then see a
|
|
directory of the files on that disk.
|
|
Use your cursor keys to highlight the
|
|
'target' file, then hit RETURN. As the
|
|
compilation proceeds, you'll see the
|
|
line numbers at the top of the screen.
|
|
If no errors occur (see below), the
|
|
program will then ask you for a
|
|
filename for the new compiled program.
|
|
An extender of .CTB (for Compiled
|
|
Turbo Basic) is mandatory (see
|
|
AUTORUN.CTB, below), as is a SAVE to
|
|
D1:. Put the disk that'll hold your
|
|
program in D1, type the name, then Hit
|
|
RETURN. That's all there is to it!
|
|
|
|
COMPILE ERRORS
|
|
|
|
Like most Atari compilers, this one
|
|
can be fussy. It will NOT compile an
|
|
END statement (odd, huh?) Use STOP
|
|
instead. It will also balk at
|
|
compiling a FOR that has more than one
|
|
NEXT attached, like so:
|
|
|
|
10 FOR X=1 TO 12:GET #1,BYTE
|
|
20 IF BYTE<32 THEN NEXT X
|
|
30 ? CHR$(BYTE)
|
|
40 NEXT X
|
|
|
|
If you get an error message, you'll
|
|
need to go back to your original Basic
|
|
program and try to fix the offending
|
|
code. In the above example, you would
|
|
change line 20 to:
|
|
|
|
20 IF BYTE<32 THEN 40
|
|
|
|
RUNNING PROGRAMS
|
|
|
|
Your new .CTB program is <NOT> true
|
|
machine language; it's 'pseudo code'.
|
|
THAT means you must have a 'runtime'
|
|
program to handle the final
|
|
translation. This is RNTIME.OBJ.
|
|
Compiled programs won't run without
|
|
it. You can use it in either of 2
|
|
ways.
|
|
|
|
FROM DOS: Use the <L> command to LOAD
|
|
RNTIME.OBJ
|
|
|
|
FROM DISK: Copy RNTIME.OBJ to a disk
|
|
containing DOS files and rename it
|
|
AUTORUN.SYS, which allows it to boot
|
|
automatically.
|
|
|
|
AUTORUN.CTB
|
|
|
|
RNTIME has an 'autorun' feature. When
|
|
it runs, it will look for
|
|
'AUTORUN.CTB' on D1. If found, this
|
|
file will automatically load and run.
|
|
If NOT found, an error message will be
|
|
displayed (FEHLER 9), along with a
|
|
short menu. [Dos Run <again> Load].
|
|
At this prompt, press L, then type in
|
|
the name of your compiled program.
|
|
|
|
So, to construct a complete 'boot'
|
|
disk, you should have on the same
|
|
disk:
|
|
|
|
Dos files (DOS.SYS, DUP.SYS)
|
|
|
|
AUTORUN.SYS (RNTIME.OBJ)
|
|
|
|
AUTORUN.CTB (compiled program)
|
|
|
|
Hint: here's the TB '1 liner' that I
|
|
use (compiled) as AUTORUN.CTB on my
|
|
'compiled programs' disk.
|
|
|
|
10 CLS:DIR -D1:*.CTB-:STOP
|
|
|
|
>>don lebow 70717,720
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
HOW TO USE ARC
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Reprint from ZMAG62
|
|
|
|
ANTIC PUBLISHING, COPYRIGHT 1987
|
|
|
|
ARC (For the 8-bit Atari)
|
|
|
|
An ARC (pronounced -Ark-) file
|
|
contains one or more files which have
|
|
been compressed into a single file.
|
|
Use ARCX.COM to extract the files from
|
|
the .ARC file. ARCX is a machine-
|
|
language program which requires at
|
|
least 48K.
|
|
|
|
ARCX.COM may be downloaded from the
|
|
Utilities section of the Atari 8-bit
|
|
SIG (type GO ATARI8).
|
|
|
|
HOW TO USE ARCX.COM
|
|
|
|
Before running ARCX be sure you have
|
|
removed all cartridges and BASIC is
|
|
off. Now load ARCX.COM from DOS (use
|
|
DOS menu choice -L-), or type ARCX if
|
|
you are using Sparta or an OSS DOS.
|
|
|
|
ARCX will ask you for the name of the
|
|
ARC file to extract files from. (If
|
|
you don't remember the filename, you
|
|
can get a directory by pressing the
|
|
[+] key.)
|
|
|
|
After typing-in the name of the ARC
|
|
file, ARCX will ask you for the drive
|
|
to send the extracted files to. ARCX
|
|
will extract all files from the ARC
|
|
file and write them to the destination
|
|
drive.
|
|
|
|
Next, ARCX will ask you if you want
|
|
the screen turned off. If you press
|
|
'Y', then the screen will be turned
|
|
off during the extraction process.
|
|
This will speed up the process about
|
|
10%-20%.
|
|
|
|
ABOUT ARC
|
|
|
|
The expansion algorithms used to
|
|
extract ARC files are quite complex,
|
|
and therefore rather slow. (About one
|
|
minute for each 5K of source file.)
|
|
|
|
ARCX uses all available memory and
|
|
buffers the input and output so your
|
|
disk drives won't be running all the
|
|
time.
|
|
|
|
Keep in mind that the extracted files
|
|
can be more then twice the size of the
|
|
original ARC file. Be sure you have
|
|
enough room before you start!
|
|
|
|
ARC was originally written in C by Tom
|
|
Henderson of System Enhancement
|
|
Associates. The source code was
|
|
placed in the public domain allowing
|
|
for ARC and ARCX to be ported to a
|
|
wide variety of computers. For
|
|
complete instructions, refer to the
|
|
documentation files in the Utilities
|
|
library of the Atari 8-Bit SIG.
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Xx WEDGE 130
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Reprinted from June 26, 1986 Zmag.
|
|
|
|
The Basic wedge adds a 1k block of RAM
|
|
that is used just like Page Six.
|
|
|
|
BIGBLOCK
|
|
|
|
The default block is from $2000 to
|
|
$23FF (8192-9215). The pointers are
|
|
altered to keep this area protected
|
|
against RESET, NEW, LOAD, and other
|
|
nasties. Uses?
|
|
|
|
Since it is on an even page boundary,
|
|
it can be used for a character set, or
|
|
PM graphics. No more PEEK (106)
|
|
complications.
|
|
|
|
It can be used for all of those ML
|
|
utilities that you haven't been able
|
|
to squeeze into 255 bytes, or managed
|
|
to make relocateable for strings
|
|
(First we get it to work, THEN we
|
|
massage, right?) Since you have BLOAD
|
|
for loading object files, you can
|
|
shuttle things into Bigblock as they
|
|
are needed, a real boon when you're
|
|
developing ML subroutines for Basic
|
|
programs.
|
|
|
|
You can even use this RAM to Bload
|
|
what would otherwise require
|
|
AUTORUN.SYS files (device handlers
|
|
etc.), eliminating some of those Low
|
|
Memory conflicts that drive us all
|
|
crazy. Reassemble the source listings
|
|
and make your life simpler.
|
|
|
|
LOMEM RESET
|
|
|
|
For maximum flexibility, you can
|
|
change the size of Bigblock with a
|
|
couple of POKEs. The procedure is
|
|
outlined on the title screen. The
|
|
numbers you POKE are the lo and hi
|
|
byte of the address you want to be the
|
|
new LOMEM, the bottom of Basic memory.
|
|
(The RAM below this address is
|
|
protected.) The simplest approach is
|
|
to keep the low byte at 0, and use
|
|
Page Numbers for the high. A couple of
|
|
examples: TO ELIMINATE BIGBLOCK
|
|
freeing up that extra 1k. POKE 7432,0:
|
|
POKE 7434,32.
|
|
|
|
TO EXPAND BIGBLOCK to a full 2k to
|
|
accomodate single line PM. POKE
|
|
7432,0: POKE 7434,40.
|
|
|
|
NEVER EVER POKE 7434 WITH A NUMBER
|
|
LESS THAN 32. UNLESS, OF COURSE,
|
|
YOU'RE INTO DEAD COMPUTERS.
|
|
|
|
After you've POKEd the values, hit
|
|
RESET. Then type NEW, to properly
|
|
initialize the Basic pointers. It's
|
|
not quite like a direct LOMEM command
|
|
for Basic (the thought has crossed my
|
|
mind, but the crude approach saves
|
|
memory.) Close though.
|
|
|
|
RESET DEFAULTS
|
|
|
|
The text and background colors
|
|
displayed on RESET can be altered by
|
|
POKEs to 7442 (text) and 7444
|
|
(background) There is also a RESET
|
|
shadow for a custom character set (a
|
|
personal weakness.) POKE the page
|
|
number to 7452.
|
|
|
|
1 MINOR HASSLE
|
|
|
|
The Write DOS function in DUP.SYS (H)
|
|
doesn't work if you call it with
|
|
D8:MEM.SAV active. No MEM.SAV, it's
|
|
OK. Don't ask me, I just work here.
|
|
Remember that you can write DOS.SYS
|
|
from Basic with OPEN #1,8,0, -D:DOS.
|
|
SYS-:CLOSE #1 and copy DUP.SYS
|
|
separately.
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Xx THE -X- Device
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
by Alex Stevens
|
|
|
|
CHANGE NOTES: fixes and mods
|
|
|
|
01/01/85 Calls to ATARI FP ROM
|
|
replaced with integer math code
|
|
|
|
11/13/84
|
|
1. now supports BASIC PRINT statement
|
|
2. supports SYSTEM RESET key properly
|
|
3. some memory use bugs fixed - now
|
|
can CLOSE/OPEN repeatedly without
|
|
using more memory
|
|
|
|
The 'X' device driver is an 80-column
|
|
display device driver for all ATARI
|
|
computers. When loaded into memory it
|
|
installs itself between addresses
|
|
$2B00 and $35D0. Since it is not yet
|
|
relocatable this places it high enough
|
|
to allow room for normal DOS users
|
|
(DOS/XL, OS/A+, DOS2.0s) and leaves
|
|
space for the 'R' handler if the 850
|
|
Interface Module is used. A
|
|
relocatable version is planned for the
|
|
future.
|
|
|
|
The 'X' device driver loads an 'X'
|
|
device entry in the Handler Address
|
|
Table and provides standard CIO
|
|
interfacing to the driver, with some
|
|
caveats. When opened for OUTPUT it
|
|
performs like the 'E' device; all
|
|
usual cursor and editing controls are
|
|
followed and inverse video is
|
|
provided. When opened for UPDATE it
|
|
does not edit out cursor control
|
|
characters like the 'E' device, but
|
|
passes them back to the caller like
|
|
the 'S' device.
|
|
|
|
The 'X' device driver provides some
|
|
editing features that are not offered
|
|
by the 'E' or 'S' devices. ERASE Line
|
|
and Screen to and from the current
|
|
CURSOR position are provided via XIO
|
|
commands. Absolute Cursor Positioning
|
|
is also provided via an XIO command.
|
|
|
|
COMMANDS
|
|
|
|
OPEN #n,4,0,-X:- - open #n using'X'
|
|
CLOSE, GET, PUT - as usual
|
|
XIO cmdno,#n,0,0,'X:' -special cmds
|
|
cmdno = $10 - position aux1,aux2
|
|
cmdno = $20 - erase line to CURSOR
|
|
cmdno = $21 - erase line fm CURSOR
|
|
cmdno = $22 - erase screen to CURSOR
|
|
cmdno = $23 - erase screen fm CURSOR
|
|
|
|
USAGE
|
|
|
|
ATARI DOS users should name the XDSPLY
|
|
file AUTORUN.SYS on their boot disk.
|
|
It can be concatenated to an existing
|
|
AUTORUN.SYS file, such as the RS232
|
|
handler. OSS DOS/XL or OS/A+ users
|
|
can leave the file as a .COM file and
|
|
install it by running it like any
|
|
other Extrinsic command.
|
|
|
|
CAVEATS
|
|
|
|
XDSPLY does not replace the 'E:'
|
|
device. It can be used like it in
|
|
certain circumstances and you can
|
|
modify the OS's Handler Address Table
|
|
to substitute 'X:' for 'E:'; but not
|
|
all of the 'E:' features such as full
|
|
screen editing are supported.
|
|
|
|
BUGS
|
|
|
|
Please report any bugs to me via EMAIL
|
|
on Compuserve at 70545,507 and I'll
|
|
try to address them in the next
|
|
release.
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Xx Technical Notes from Antic Magazine
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Q:EPROM ERRORS
|
|
|
|
I really enjoyed the article on
|
|
building your own eprom burner in the
|
|
December 1985 Antic. After
|
|
constructing the circuit board, I
|
|
found that I can successfully program
|
|
an eprom, but the read function
|
|
returns many random errors which
|
|
change every time a read is done. I
|
|
have double-checked the circuit
|
|
completely. Have any readers
|
|
experienced the same problem? What
|
|
might cause it?
|
|
|
|
Allen Hurst
|
|
|
|
A:We talked to Charles Cherry, who
|
|
built and tested the eprom burner for
|
|
Antic on his 800XL. Cherry says one
|
|
reader successfully built an eprom
|
|
that worked on his Atari 800, but the
|
|
eprom would NOT work on his 130XE.
|
|
Cherry says slight differences in the
|
|
manufacture of different 800XLs could
|
|
be the cause of some 800XL
|
|
incompatiblities. And as far as Cherry
|
|
knows, the do-it-yourself eprom burner
|
|
will not work with the 130XE.
|
|
|
|
Q:NOT YET
|
|
|
|
Does the new Atari XM801 printer work
|
|
with Print Shop?
|
|
|
|
Gary Vimr
|
|
|
|
A:We don't have a sample of this new
|
|
printer in house, nor does Broderbund
|
|
Software's Customer Service
|
|
department. Broderbund says it's -too
|
|
soon to tell- if the XM801 will work
|
|
with Print Shop. In the past, printers
|
|
manufactured by Atari only did
|
|
character graphics and so were
|
|
incompatible with Print Shop.
|
|
Broderbund suggests giving their tech
|
|
support department a call at (415)
|
|
479-1170 in a few weeks for more
|
|
information.
|
|
|
|
Q:ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE -- AT LAST
|
|
|
|
I would love to see a serious series
|
|
on ST Assembly Language programming in
|
|
Antic. Trying to learn 68000
|
|
programming on the ST using generic
|
|
A/L text books is frustrating to say
|
|
the least.
|
|
|
|
ST user
|
|
|
|
Our series on ST assembly language
|
|
programming starts in the August, 1986
|
|
issue of Antic.
|
|
|
|
Q: TANDY PRINTER CONVERSION
|
|
|
|
After reading Stan and Susie Subeck's
|
|
review of the Tandy CGP220 printer
|
|
(Antic, February 1986) I decided to
|
|
buy one. It is a marvelous piece of
|
|
equipment. However, the screen dump
|
|
program for MicroPainter works fine,
|
|
but I would like to use Micro
|
|
Illustrator withit instead. (By the
|
|
way, readers might want to know that
|
|
Radio Shack has closed out the CGP220
|
|
and are selling the last of them at
|
|
$299.)
|
|
|
|
Use Charlie Jackson's Rapid Graphics
|
|
Converter, (a type-in program in
|
|
November, 1985 Antic) to convert your
|
|
Micro Illustrator files to Micro
|
|
Painter format first. --ANTIC.
|
|
|
|
AMDEK SHOPPING
|
|
|
|
To answer John Hawkin's question in
|
|
the June issue of Antic, Amdek
|
|
hardware and software may be purchased
|
|
at The Computer Corner, 7101 Broadway,
|
|
Merrillville, IN 46410. (219)738-3282.
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
ZMAGAZINE 84 December 18, 1987
|
|
(c)1987 Syndicate Services/Rovac
|
|
______________________________________
|