[HEA] _____________________ ___ _ |___ ______________| | | | | | | _ | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | ____ _ _ _ _ ______ | | | || | | | / __ \ | | / \_/ \ | ___ \ | | | || |__ ____ | | / / \ | | /\ /\ \ | | \ \ | | | || _ \ | _ \ | | \ \__/ | | | |_|| | | |__/ / | | | || | | || |_|| | | \___/|_| |_| |_| | ____/ |_| | || | | || |__ | |____________________ | | _ |__||_| |_|\____/ |________________________| | | |_| | | Lighting Your Apple II Path On Delphi | | |_| >>> WELCOME TO THE LAMP! <<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCRIPTING & MACROS: Basic Spectrum Scripting AND THE BEST OF THE A2 AND A2PRO MESSAGE BOARDS "Teaching the Apple II user how to fish since 1998" :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The Lamp! An Onipa'a Software Production Vol. 2, No. 9 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Publisher & Editor.......................Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. Internet Email....................................thelamp@sheppyware.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TABLE OF CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ September 15, 1999 OPENING PITCH I Just Can't Get Any Relief ------------------------------------ [OPN] A FUNNY THING HAPPENED [FOR] The Heat Is On ------------------------------------------------- [HET] Miscellanea [MSC] Rumor Mill ----------------------------------------------------- [RMR] Public Postings [PUB] Best Of The Best ----------------------------------------------- [BOB] A2Pro_DUCTIVITY Checking out A2PRO on Delphi ----------------------------------- [A2P] SCRIPTING & MACROS Basic Spectrum Scripting --------------------------------------- [S&M] EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] [*] [*] [*] READING THE LAMP! The index system used by The Lamp! is designed to make """"""""""""""""" your reading easier. To use this system, load this issue into any word processor or text editor. In the index you will find something like: EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] To read this article, simply use your search or find command to locate [INN]. There is a similar tag at the end of each article: [EOA]. :: DISCUSSED ON DELPHI :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : : : Nothing's impossible to those who don't have to do it.: : : :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TONYW1 ::::::::::::: [EOA] [OPN]------------------------------ OPENING PITCH | ----------------------------------- From The Editor """"""""""""""" by Ryan M. Suenaga, B.A., M.S.W., L.S.W. [thelamp@sheppyware.net] I JUST CAN'T GET ANY RELIEF ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Time isn't on my side, at least these days. In between my full-time job, my part-time job, my volunteer work and my duties as son and brother, I find about 30 hours a month to work on my Apple II newsletter. It's fun and it's challenging, but it's also not easy. The problem is "not easy" is quickly becoming "not possible". We recently found out at the hospital at which I work that we were going from a Monday to Friday schedule to a rotational seven day a week coverage schedule. Theoretically, that means that once every thirteen or so weeks I need to work on weekends. In reality, I've just finished my second weekend of duty in the last three weeks, and I have another coming up in about four weeks. In my personal life, this mostly means I miss my Saturday basketball game and the occasional weekend movie. In my virtual online life, it means not as much time for Spectrum scripting, Delphi chat, and this month, not enough time to finish up _The Lamp!_. I'm not Doug Cuff or Max Jones, but I'm not happy about being late with an issue, but this one is late--way late--and this will happen more and more as long as I keep this job. Add to that the other things I want to do--both in computing and out of computing--and it becomes clearer to me that this publication has outgrown me. The December 1999 issue of _The Lamp!_ will be the last under my editorship. I say this with regret, because I have fun doing it, but I also know that this will let my baby grow in ways I've never imagined. And it will let me do things that I've never been able to do before. Time for me to fly. For both of our sakes. [*] [*] [*] I've Got To Set Myself Free Department: Last month featured the first KFest 2000 Blatant Plug. This is the last one until January 2000. The Y][KFest, KansasFest 2000 is on the calendar for July 26-30, 2000, with special early arrival events on the 25th. Once again the last survivors of the first generation of computer Geeks will gather in Kansas City, Missouri on the campus of Avila College. And if you haven't been to Avila before, or it's been years since the last time you went. . . It's time. Ryan thelamp@sheppyware.net ASCII ART BEGINS _________ _ _ _ |__ __| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |___ ____ | | _____ __ ___ _ _ _____ | | | | | ___ \ / __ \ | | /____ \ | v v | | v ___ \ | | | | | | | | | /__\ \ | | ____| | | /\ /\ | | / \ \ | | | | | | | | | _____| | | / ___ | | || || | | | | | |_| | | | | | | | |_____ | |____ | |__| | | || || | | \___/ / _ |_| |_| |_| \______| |______| \____^_| |_||_||_| | |\____/ |_| | | | | |_| ASCII ART ENDS [EOA] [OPN]------------------------------ A FUNNY THING HAPPENED. . . . | ----------------------------------- Checking out A2 on Delphi """"""""""""""""""""""""" by Ryan M. Suenaga, B.A., M.S.W., L.S.W. [thelamp@sheppyware.net] * The Heat Is On * Miscellanea * Rumor Mill * Public Postings * Best Of The Best THE HEAT IS ON """""""""""""" [*] Hardware Hacker ....... More DeskWriters And ProDOS 8 [*] The Apple II Legacy ....... Reclassification City [*] Entertainment Software ....... Silvern Lining [*] Hardware Hacker ....... What SCSI Floppy? MISCELLANEA """"""""""" WHERE DO I FIND A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF IIGS SYSTEM DISKS? The """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Golden Orchard CD-ROM contains the following versions of the IIGS System Disk: 1.1, 3.1, 4.0, 5.0.4, 6.0 and 6.0.1 The CD-ROM also contains about 600 megabytes of other Apple II and IIGS software, and it's available exclusively from Shareware Solutions II for $25. Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine Street San Rafael, CA 94901 Joe Kohn http://www.crl.com/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 25050, GO COM A2) >>>>> I probably have most of them, if not all. Post a list of the ones """"" you have. I'll dig through my archives and see if there are any others, and e-mail the ones I have that you don't. Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, 25084, GO COM A2) HOW DO YOU RELABEL 3.5 INCH DISKS? Put a couple of drops of lighter fluid """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" (Zippo or Ronsonol) on the label, rub it around with your finger so the label is covered evenly, and let it soak for a while. This will loosen the adhesive and let you peel the label right off. Slick/glossy labels don't soak up well and tend to peel in layers, leaving a whole bunch of stickum behind. Labels that use water based adhesives do not respond to lighter fluid but will loosen up nicely with glass cleaner. Some labels peel quite nicely without any "assistance" except a fingernail. I've "delabeled" many many hundreds of used disks. It's a real pain in the butt. After a while you learn to tell by feel (and a little "picking") which labels will peel well and which will not. The best thing to do with the ones that won't peel well is to simply cover the old label with a blank new one. Gary R. Utter (UTTER, 25142, GO COM A2) SPECTRUM, SIS, MARINETTI, AND GSAIM Spectrum and SIS have nothing at all """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" to do with gsAIM, and are not required to be installed for its use. gsAIM is an independent desk accessory that only requires Marinetti to operate. Marinetti is an independent TCP/IP stack, and has nothing directly to do with Spectrum or SIS, or any other application. Think of Marinetti as an extra layer to the GS/OS operating system. Just as on a stock IIgs, telecom applications, and other applications, can use the serial ports to communicate. If you have Marinetti installed, Marinetti aware applications can use it to make TCP/IP connections through the serial ports. As gsAIM uses TCP/IP, it requires Marinetti to be installed. Spectrum 2.2 can also optionally use TCP/IP instead of the serial ports, so it also requires Marinetti to be installed if you wish to use the optional TCP/IP connections. SIS only requires Spectrum. So you can think of it as not directly being TCP/IP aware, so it does not specifically require Marinetti to operate. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Thu 26 Aug 1999 - 335 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.2 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25318, GO COM A2) NON-MAC EMULATION COMES ON THE SCENE I don't really see a PC/Mac problem """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" here. After all we're interested in Apple IIs. That is all that counts and nothing else. It doesn't depend what other systems you are using. It is correct that PCs and maybe Macs have been flamed here before, however I don't think by regulars so this should be dealt with in a professional manner as background noise. IMHO it is the most unimportant thing in a public discussion what platform you're using at home and to try to persuade others of its benefits. I do choose my computers out of personal preference, and others do so as well and might end up with something different. So what! I'm not getting paid by for doing platform promo. (Sheppy's mileage may vary *grin*) As long as you don't take my away, I'm happy. I'm convinced Delphi A2 regulars have the potential of getting along without platform wars. And, nobody should feel offended when a discussion focuses on a different CPU. There are other threads that are more on topic and I care even less about. And my last point in a drivel that got too long is: when you're missing a discussion about, let's say, emulation on a PC, then it's simply because nobody started such a thread. Be part of the solution. Henrik Woof Gudat (GUDATH, 24701, GO COM A2) >>>>> I'm very open that I use my PC as my main machine at home. I do all """"" my IIgs development on an emulator on it. I've even written an article about it in Juiced.GS. I think it is the greatest thing to have to extend the life of the IIgs. Buy a faster PC and get faster IIgs. These Dual 450's are quickly dropping in price... And with >20 gig drives starting to cost less than $500, you can have a whole heck of a lot of IIgs hard drive images (and be able to back up an entire hard drive image in just seconds!!). I don't have the hardware to do a presentation for Kfest, but I can certainly answer any questions about KEGS--it basically runs like any other IIgs emulator. Geoff (SISGEOFF, 24842, GO COM A2) MORE MARINETTI I have 2 ISPs. """""""""""""" On one, when I connect with Marinetti, there are problems with the name server. I never have come up with a satisfactory fix for that, although it helps to log in with Marinetti and then launch Spectrum, rather than trying to launch Spectrum and then use the Spectrum menu commands. It must be a timing issue, because this is the same ISP that gives me similar problems with my Mac. It works better for me, regardless of what the cause is, to log in with FreePPP on the Mac with my setup requiring me to enter the password each time. My second ISP, which I use for my OLRight! activities, has never given me a successful PPP login with Marinetti. SLIP works beautifully, however. Again, try to get some Trumpet Winsock scripts from your ISP, and translate them to a Marinetti script. It just may work. My login problems with ISP #1 may be nothing more than a bad phone line. I am too far out in the country, and my phone wiring may be partially fried. I have had lightning destroy two modems in the past year (components blown off the boards, conductors melted, metal vaporized and replated onto the inside of the case). One of my Round Tuits is to replace the interior phone wire in the house. Bottom line - you are not alone, but keep plugging! Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 24674, GO COM A2) >>>>> It is not true that Marinetti only works with some ISPs. I don't """"" know where that came from. The PPP module which comes with Marinetti does not support CHAP, which is an automated logon protocol. Most ISPs should provide the PAP protocol however, which Marinetti's PPP module does support. Also, some ISPs use a form of PPP which requires compression. The Marinetti PPP module does not support compression. However, it is the ISPs who are to blame, because the PPP standard says that all implementations MUST provide compression as optional, not mandatory. A solution to both of these problems is to get an ISP who uses stable protocols, or use scripted SLIP. Marinetti itself will work with any ISP which a link layer module can connect to. As for your DNS problem, it looks like you've had various DNS numbers given to you over the years. You should go back to the Mac and provide the same DNS number for every dialog which asks for it. In Marinetti, you use this same number for the primary DNS. You may leave the secondary field blank if you like, Marinetti just uses this if the primary fails for some reason. Regards, Richard (RICHARD_B, 24706, GO COM A2) >>>>> I was able to do some testing at KFest with DNS and Spectrum, and """"" my conclusion is that there may be a bug in Spectrum in regards to DNS. In all the tests which I ran, a failed DNS in Spectrum worked fine in the Telnet application I supply with Marinetti This problem should probably be referred to Ewen. :-) Regards, Richard (RICHARD_B, 24707, GO COM A2) >>>>> Another way of testing DNS is by running GWFTP. Let GWFTP dial your """"" ISP (it automagically will make a connection if one is not found) and then connect to a FTP site with a name, not by IP address). I'll be interested to hear if there is any DNS failures with it. Geoff (SISGEOFF, 24708, GO COM A2) >>>>> DNR fails an awful lot in programs other than Spectrum though. """"" Telnet sometimes, gsAIM sometimes, etc. etc. There might be a Spectrum bug with DNS but DNR still fails more often than it should. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 24709, GO COM A2) >>>>> I've confirmed that my ISP supports PAP, and PPP which requires """"" compression is not mandatory. I've also received the correct DNS numbers and am using them in FreePPP, having also set up Marinetti correctly. However, I'm having trouble getting online. Setting the connection type to PPP results in the modem talking for a few seconds while "negotiating PPP options" and then disconnecting. I figure PPP Scripted is the way to go but I don't know how to use IP and SETIP... I've never seen an IP number displayed in the input buffer when manually connecting. Also, I noticed that after Marinetti's attempt to get online, the Spectrum input buffer is never displayed. I've correctly initialized my modem but wherever I dial, nothing is displayed in the online display. Not modem commands, connect messages, input... I think this may be related to my trouble getting Marinetti to WAIT for incoming data. Finally, where can I find the Marinetti FAQ? Thanks, -Ken (KEN_GAGNE, 24964, GO COM A2) >>>>> If you have Spectrum 2.2 set to TCP/IP mode, Spectrum will only """"" display data that is correctly received and passed through Marinetti. It will not display internal data that Marinetti uses to make the connection. So if the connection fails to be made in the first place, no data will pass through for Spectrum to see. Marinetti makes TCP/IP error-free connections, so only genuine data is passed through, and the results are garbage free, despite any noisy state of your telephone line. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Tue 17 Aug 1999 - 344 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.0 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25007, GO COM A2) >>>>> Ken, """"" I don't know what to suggest from here on. I could make snide remarks about how ISPs will of course say they're systems are compatible, but I wouldn't really know for sure. If I could get a buffer from you, I'd be able to tell you why it is failing to connect, but that would mean poking around in the monitor looking for it. So, bottom line is, I don't know where to go from now. Regards, Richard (RICHARD_B, 25062, GO COM A2) WHOIS GEOFF WEISS? For those who use the Marinetti version of whois, I """""""""""""""""" want to make it aware that it is compatible in searching for names now that there are multiple domain name registrars. The syntax to use is: whois -h whois.crsnic.net Basic info for a domain name is given from this source and it will tell you what whois server to search through to provide detailed info about the domain name. Many web sites that provide this whois searching is not compatible with the new registrars, but it is nice to know that this works fine on a GS! (SISGEOFF, 25324, GO COM A2) START ME UP I think we need to differentiate: """"""""""" There's a Bernie Starter _Disk_ that's available for download; there's also a Bernie Starter _Kit_ that's a CDROM from SSII. I think that might just cover it. Of course, I'm sure someone will find a way for it not to be covered :) - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 25241, GO COM A2) >>>>> There is a starter disk image that the dogs owners make available """"" from its home pages, of useful utilities and games. There is also an officially approved 'Bernie ][ the Rescue - Starter Kit' CD, available exclusively from ShareWare Solutions II. This CD has everything you need to get going with Bernie. It includes the application, the entire set of HTML info pages, and prepared hard disk images with System 6.0.1 pre-installed 'ready to go' out of the box. You can be running Bernie five minutes after the mailman delivers the CD to you. Without the CD, you have to make a hard disk image, find 6.0.1, make it into disk images, start Bernie, install 6.0.1, patch the HFS driver, and install InkMeister. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Tue 24 Aug 1999 - 337 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.2 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25246, GO COM A2) SWEET16 TIDBITS On my PII/333 system, Sweet16 runs around 8 to 10 MHz, so """"""""""""""" I guess you'd probably be around 15 to 20 MHz, depending on what else your machine is doing. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25420, GO COM A2) <<<<< Well, 15-20 MHz isn't all that impressive considering that Sweet16 """"" will do around 50 MHz on a 333 MHz Power Mac G3. The x86 version doesn't have an optimized assembly-language emulation core (yet). --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25434, GO COM A2) <<<<< BeOS on both PPC and x86 can read (using the default file systems """"" included with the OS): BFS (native format; you can't read x86-formatted BFS disks on PPC and vice versa) FAT (MS-DOS/Windows) ISO 9660 HFS CIFS (Windows file-sharing) --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25447, GO COM A2) <<<<< Sweet16 can use any disk image that Bernie can use. So yes, you can """"" use the images on the Bernie Starter Disk CD on Sweet16. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25457, GO COM A2) >>>>> To add to that, you may have to rename the image. :) """"" - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 25472, GO COM A2) <<<<< True: if the disk image isn't in Universal Disk Image format (2mg), """"" you have to add an extension to the end of the name to tell Sweet16 what type of file it is. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25473, GO COM A2) DID GUPP INCLUDE FIXFONT601? Yes, FixFontManager (actually, FixFont601 """""""""""""""""""""""""""" was what Nathan called it) was an SDGS thing. I realize re-reading my message I wasn't clear. What I meant to say is that the patches that were developed by someone other than Nathan (say Greg Templeman) and released by SDGS were not included in GUPP (I think that's clearer). In any case, the documentation for GUPP 1.07 states that it includes the FixFont601 stuff, and as that is in the Delphi libs, I really see no need to upload a separate FixFont601. - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 24775, GO COM A2) WHAT DOES OLRIGHT! DO BETTER THAN OTHER OLRS? OLRight! does extensive """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" post processing of each message and gives you an index--in ANSI color--of each message, including particular info for each message, so you can choose to skip over it or read it or skip over whole threads or jump to different messages. . . it is -far- superior to any OLR I have ever seen in regards to reading. - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 24776, GO COM A2) >>>>> OLRight! captures each pass into a separate message file for each """"" Forum (up to 32), then after you go offline, each message file is split into individual message files and an index file. The index file is essentially a single-category database of the individual message file names. OLRight! has two ways to read messages: 1) Browse through the messages listed by subject (only the first two lines of the message header are shown), and choose the messages that you want to read randomly, or 2) Read the messages in thread order sequentially. While reading a message, you can: o Quit out of a message to the subject listing screen o Print the message

o Reply to the message, with optional quoting o Fill out a download specification o Archive the message to a named file (new or append to old) o Send mail to the From: name in the message o Move to the next or previous message o Move proportionally through the messages <1 to 9> o Move to the top of the current message o Scroll down one screen of the current message o back to the main menu or eit back to the forum chooser Any time that you leave a message that you are reading, its position in the index database is marked, and you can restart your reading at that message if you so choose. BTW - Any messages addressed directly to you are highlighted in the message listing and in the header of the message as you are reading it. And, if you are a past user of Genie Copilot, the navigation keys for that application are supported, too. I used to have a 'skip thread' function, but decided that it was faster to just blip through the messages than to wait for the function to work, and it was not reliable (due to Delphi glitches). The mail function works similarly, except there is a 'new mail' indicator that you can use as a starting point in the reader, and you can delete individual messages. The forum reader will delete all messages. Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 24780, GO COM A2) WHAT TO DO WITH A REALLY BIG HARD DRIVE AND A RAMFAST If you really want """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" the 360 or so meg drive, just make 12 32 meg partitions on your 1.2 gig drive. . . - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 24754, GO COM A2) >>>>> Since I don't have a problem with used/discontinued/refurbished """"" hardware, I've had no problems coming up with drives in usable sizes. I keep good backups and spare drives on hand. If I had to use a 1.2 gig drive on a GS, I simply wouldn't use the HFS partition. (That's just my way of doing things, of course. :) Gary R. Utter (UTTER, 24761, GO COM A2) >>>>> I'm using a 1.2 GB drive on my IIgs at present but the 880 MB HFS """"" partition I have now is not used for any critical data. I've used it to create images of some of my ProDOS partitions to transfer to my PC for use with emulators but mostly, that partition is currently being used as a dumping place for all my archives that I've downloaded over the years so that I can sort through them, find out which disks have gone bad and which files need to be replace and then I will transfer the lot to another drive. I have a spare 540 MB drive that I could use. Now that I have a Mac with some version of Norton Utilities, I may need to repartition the 1.2 GB on my IIgs so that the Mac can see them and repair my HFS partition if needed. Another option is for me to put the 540 MB drive on my IIgs, put the 1.2 GB in the Mac and access the 1.2 GB through AppleTalk. Jeff Blakeney | Dean of the Apple II University in A2Pro | --------------+----------------------------------------------------+ sent via | HyperCard IIgs Course | GSoft BASIC Course | COG v3.1 | now in session | now in session | (JBLAKENEY, 24768, GO COM A2) DOG LOSES BARK FOR IRONTOOTH'S SAKE Hi Bernie fellows, """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Don recently told me that Bernie was not well behaving with Delphi messages. The reason is that some strong supporters have certain messages in their signatures that are triggering an Easter Egg and Bernie starts barking. While it was intended as a fun feature, it can impact reliability of a serial connection on slower Macs. I have uploaded a special, debarked version for the Delphi audience to: { http://www.magnet.ch/emutech/dogdebarked.sit.hqx} The archive only includes the application - it does not come with any auxiliary files. The Easter Egg will return in the next release with some modifications. :-) Happy surfing, Henrik Woof Gudat woof woof (GUDATH, 25146, GO COM A2) >>>>> The symptom that I saw running ANSITerm is that Bernie would bark """"" while text was being received through the serial port. It seemed as though every time Bernie barked, I lost a block of text. I can now run a 9600 baud modem-to-remote connection, as long as the Serial port-to-modem connection is run as fast as possible (57600 baud). The 9600 baud rate is higher than Henrik expected I should be able to achieve with my system :^) I would like to publicly thank Henrik for the great customer support! Some issues running ANSITerm under Bernie, that to me are probably not Bernie's fault: 1) On my system, ANSITerm does _NOT_ like running with Virtual Memory active. I get frequent crashes of ANSITerm (not Bernie) when trying to save a file from the editor, especially during a script. The visual symptom is that the screen is trashed just before ANSITerm would have displayed a dialog (the 'save' dialog that displays the file name, I think). The situation is vastly improved (although not entirely solved) by using RamDoubler 8 instead of Virtual Memory (or running without any memory extending program active). 2) ANSITerm _seems_ to run better for me using a ROM 01 image rather than one for a ROM 3. YMMV 3) ANSITerm _seems_ to run better for me by booting directly into Prodos-8 rather than launching ANSITerm from GSOS. YMMV 4) This is a Mac issue, not a Bernie issue: I have been unable to get Carrier Detect to work either from the internal modem on my PowerBook or an external modem/cable that I use with my 'real' GS. This creates a potential problem with modem initialization if you (like me) have ANSITerm set to NOT initialize the modem on startup if Carrier is detected. I sometimes like to drop out of ANSITerm to do something else while online, and then restart ANSITerm and continue my online session. 5) It appears from the Bernie docs that DTR must be set to 'ignore' for hardware handshaking to work. This will disable ANSITerm's 'hangup' command, either from Command-H or in scripts. The alternative is to issue the '+++' command followed by 'ATH'. I haven't tested this; I have simply adjusted by behaviors and scripts to accommodate 'DTR Ignore'. All that said, it appears to me that ANSITerm is somehow affected by what else is going on in the system other than Bernie, and this specifically can affect the file save function. While there may be something that could be done within Bernie to help, the problems I have been experiencing can be minimized by adjusting my system configuration. It may, of course, also be a bug within ANSITerm... I am still learning how to use my Mac (a PowerBook 1400) so there may be something I am missing in all this. Suggestions welcome. Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 25148, GO COM A2) >>>>> I have the exact same problem with Bernie and ANSITerm's carrier """"" detect. This is one instance where I wish Paul had gone with the standard that Spectrum and ProTERM (and everyone else) uses with regards to carrier detect. I have tried all combinations of modem and port drivers, but nothing works. Spectrum and ProTERM handle it fine. FWIW, the barking causes no problems on my G3 (and I have no trouble getting top download speeds @ 57600 port speed.) I was looking out the window for a real dog the first few times I heard it though. :) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Sat Aug 21, 1999 9:44:57 pm [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.2] -- One good turn gets all the blankets! (TONYW1, 25161, GO COM A2) >>>>> "I have the exact same problem with Bernie and ANSITerm's carrier """"" detect. This is one instance where I wish Paul had gone with the standard that Spectrum and ProTERM (and everyone else) uses with regards to carrier detect. I have tried all combinations of modem and port drivers, but nothing works. Spectrum and ProTERM handle it fine." Since ANSITerm is the only commercial communications program for the GS that I have ever purchased, that's the only documentation I have to study. Could you please explain how they detect carrier? What Paul chose seems logical enough to me, but then again, what do I know? "FWIW, the barking causes no problems on my G3 (and I have no trouble getting top download speeds @ 57600 port speed.) I was looking out the window for a real dog the first few times I heard it though. :)" Apparently the PowerBook 1400 that I have is right on the hairy edge for trying to run communications with Bernie. I could run 2400 baud, but any attempt to reduce the connection speed with my modem (I didn't have a manual, just the few commands listed in the 'help' screen) to a speed between 2400 and 9600 required me to also reduce the serial port-to-modem speed. I'm still a bit dim-witted about exactly what is happening between the communications port, Bernie, and the modem. However, the key on a slow machine like mine seems to me to be to 'pull' data from Bernie faster than the modem is feeding data to Bernie. When I simply reduced the serial port speed to get a lower modem-to-remote speed, it didn't really accomplish much. Running a marginal setup, the barking seemed to divert Bernie from the task at hand just enough to cause data loss. Also, I wonder if the 'debarked' Bernie is just a tad more efficient because it has one less process running (detecting the 'woof'). At about the same time that Henrik so kindly provided a 'debarked' Bernie, I also figured out that my modem has a Rockwell chipset. I was therefore able to use the reasonably good manual from another modem (RIP - Hit by lightning) to initialize the modem to make a connection only between 300 baud and 9600 baud, while running the port speed at 57600. This in combination with the 'debarking' gives me no data loss at 9600 baud. Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 25171, GO COM A2) <<<<< To answer your question about the debarked version: the code is """"" _exactly_ the same, only the barks have gone. :-) Later, Henrik Woof Gudat woof woof (GUDATH, 25179, GO COM A2) >>>>> I guess the poor dog will have to carry a large flag to wave. How """"" is he going to catch the attention of the rescuers if he can't bark? Or perhaps he has gone all hi-tech and has a radio beacon instead. But I am lucky that my G3 is fast enough, that I don't lose characters when he barks, so the dog wags his tail and barks loudly for me... This raises a question for Henrik. Are the signature bytes different for this version of Bernie? When COG starts up under the regular dog, he barks for us. But for the strangulated dog, I would need to wave the Swiss flag instead... :) Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Mon 23 Aug 1999 - 338 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.0 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25193, GO COM A2) >>>>> For the life of me I can't remember exactly what the problem was. I """"" think I discussed this with Ewen during Spectrum testing, maybe he'll remember better. It had something to do with ANSITerm wanting normal DTR (&D2 on my USR Courier), but Spectrum and ProTERM (and the Mac, actually) wanting ignored DTR (&D0.) If you dialup with normal DTR using ANSITerm, then switch over to Spectrum while still connected, you will get dumped offline when DTR drops in Spectrum (right at startup.) ANSITerm doesn't hang up on a DTR drop. Now I'm using ignored DTR (&D0) in ANSITerm and things seem to be working okay. Like I said, I don't remember what the &D2 benefit was, but I know it involved carrier detect. Maybe it involved an older modem that I'm no longer using. Sorry I can't be of more help. What I do know is that ANSITerm doesn't properly handle carrier detect on Bernie, nor will it recognize or initialize my modem, while Spectrum does. I can dial manually (via ATD commands) but I can't use the dial list. I'm using the High Speed DSR port driver, and the Supra v.32 modem driver. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Sun Aug 22, 1999 9:36:13 pm [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.2] -- Fear is the darkroom where negatives develop. (TONYW1, 25187, GO COM A2) >>>>> It is now a long time ago, but if I remember correctly, the two """"" programs normally use a differently wired cable, and so the handshake is going to come on a different connection. Bernie cannot be altered, so what works for one, will not work for the other. If Paul still has his source code, and can either re-assemble, or work out where to patch, you should be able to easily change ANSITerm, so it conforms to the Spectrum/ProTERM way of doing things. Carrier Detect works fine for both of those under Bernie. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Mon 23 Aug 1999 - 338 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.0 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25194, GO COM A2) >>>>> "For the life of me I can't remember exactly what the problem was. """"" think I discussed this with Ewen during Spectrum testing, maybe he'll remember better. It had something to do with ANSITerm wanting normal DTR (&D2 on my USR Courier), but Spectrum and ProTERM (and the Mac, actually) wanting ignored DTR (&D0.) If you dialup with normal DTR using ANSITerm, then switch over to Spectrum while still connected, you will get dumped offline when DTR drops in Spectrum (right at startup.) ANSITerm doesn't hang up on a DTR drop." Do Spectrum and ProTERM use the DTR line for carrier detect? That would certainly explain the difference. "Now I'm using ignored DTR (&D0) in ANSITerm and things seem to be working okay. Like I said, I don't remember what the &D2 benefit was, but I know it involved carrier detect. Maybe it involved an older modem that I'm no longer using. Sorry I can't be of more help." ANSITerm tells the modem to hang up by dropping DTR. The &D2 setting tells the modem to drop the connection when the terminal drops the DTR line. It doesn't directly have anything to do with carrier detect. I haven't experimented with it, but I would guess that this approach might not be suitable for use with Bernie, which is why the &D0 setting seems to work better. "What I do know is that ANSITerm doesn't properly handle carrier detect on Bernie, nor will it recognize or initialize my modem, while Spectrum does. I can dial manually (via ATD commands) but I can't use the dial list. I'm using the High Speed DSR port driver, and the Supra v.32 modem driver." Try going into the main settings panel (Command-T) and change the 'Carrier during Init' setting to 'prompt first'. What is probably happening is that you have it set to 'Don't Initialize', which means that when you have carrier all the time in Bernie, the modem never gets initialized. 'Prompt first' allows you to start up with carrier and decide whether to initialize the modem, and also to use the dial menu with carrier detected. It even works when starting up with a script. Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 25196, GO COM A2) <<<<< Hi there, """"" Just for clarification: DTR has been used for different purposes in the past. It is basically just a general purpose signal. On the Mac DTR is not really used and if so it turns a modem on/offline. On older systems DTR was used for carrier detect, but these days carrier detect is done entirely in software by watching the strings coming from the modem (CONNECT blabla). On the topic of dogs barking on a G3...the G3 and faster beige models have more than enough punch to keep a serial connection alive _and_ start woofing at you. It is just that slower Macs (again, by today's standards) have a problem when the sound manager pops in, yawns, and eventually decides to do something. On a G3 playing a sound is done between two CPU cycles. :-) There's no separate creator code for the mute Bernie, but I guess you can simply change the creator type in ResEdit... later, Henrik Woof Gudat woof4 woof (GUDATH, 25197, GO COM A2) >>>>> Spectrum uses Pin 7, the GPI line, for carrier detect. Richard """"" programmed the serial port driver, and if I remember correctly it uses Pin 1, HSK out, to control the flow by handshake, and then to hang up, you must issue '+++' then 'ATH'. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Tue 24 Aug 1999 - 337 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.0 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25243, GO COM A2) WHEN WAS THE IIE DISCONTINUED? As per the Apple II history by Steve """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Weyhrich 1993 November: Apple IIe discontinued. The only Apple II still being manufactured is the IIe card for the Macintosh LC series. - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_ My words are not to be posted to usenet without my permission ever. Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 25467, GO COM A2) KEN'S INTERNET TIDBITS Ethan Nobles, University Reporter for The Morning """""""""""""""""""""" News of Northwest Arkansas, has a series of retrocomputing articles on his web page at http://www2.arkansas.net/~ecnobles. The Apple II gets only a passing mention in most places, but they're good articles nonetheless. :) There are also BeOS and Linux articles. Also included are links to Delphi, A2Web, etc. -Ken (KEN_GAGNE, 24834, GO COM A2) <<<<< www.videogames.com reported today that Mindscape Entertainment will """"" release Wings of Fury, an Apple II classic, for Nintendo's Game Boy Color handheld game system this Fall.. In the game, players control a Hellcat fighter in World War II while escorting damaged aircraft carriers back to base and battling enemy fighters and ships. -Ken (KEN_GAGNE, 25366, GO COM A2) WHAT IS LOW LEVEL MOUSE SUPPORT IN BERNIE? It's a way of emulating the """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" mouse at a lower level than what Bernie normally does. Henrik (who is on vacation) would be the final authority, but I would guess that Bernie normally emulates it at the firmware level; it will emulate Bernie at the hardware level with low level support turned on. It's needed whenever a program uses the mouse directly rather than through conventional methods. Try it when the mouse doesn't work. - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 24832, GO COM A2) WHERE CAN I GET A IIGS SCHEMATIC? The only one I'm aware of is in the """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" hardware reference manual. It's available as a reprint (and yes, I actually spend the money for an oversize reprint of the circuit layout!) from { http://www.byteworks.org.} Look for APDA-58. Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, 24758, GO COM A2) REVISITING AN OLD FRIEND Intramaze is a neat lo-res graphics game that """""""""""""""""""""""" challenges you to find your way through the maze without seeing the overall maze. It shows you the walls of the maze as if you are down inside it. You use the arrow keys to navigate the maze, selecting your turns as you go. If you need help, the program offers you the opportunity to leave footprints, have a compass, and even have the maze map available if you need it. However, the challenge is to make your way without all these helps. The game offers you up to 10 levels of difficulty. It is available here in the database under the name maze.bxy or on my web site at http://www.iglou.com/qwerty/kb/dlfiles.html#18. Try it, you might be surprised at how addicting it can become. Charlie Hartley (CKHARTLEY, 24756, GO COM A2) HOW DO I GET A LASERWRITER TO PRINT THE TEST PAGE (OR NOT) I believe this """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" is the postscript code that will turn the test page *on* -- cut here -- % After this file is sent, the start page will be printed every time % the printer is turned on or reset. % % Wrap function with startjob to make the change persistent. systemdict/languagelevel known{languagelevel 2 eq{true (0) startjob dup not {/exitserver errordict/invalidaccess get exec}if}{false}ifelse}{false}ifelse not {quit} if mark { 2 dict begin /Password (0) def /DoStartPage true def currentdict end setsystemparams } stopped cleartomark false (0) startjob pop -- cut here -- Send using LaserBeam on the GS, or copy it to the serial port from a PC. The easy way is to use the Apple Laserwriter Utility on a Macintosh, which has a menu item that will enable/disable the start page. To turn the startup page *off* again, change the /DoStartPage to false. Shawn (STBEATTIE, 24806, GO COM A2) HOW DO I GET SILVERN CASTLE USING GWFTP? As it is on trenco, as long as """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" you have a IIgs with Marinetti installed and an ISP that it works with, all you need to do is use Geoff Weiss' gwftp program to download the archive directly to your IIgs. Run gwftp then type the following commands when prompted (except for my notes in brackets): open ftp.gno.org lcd /localpath [whatever drive and/or directory you want to save the archive to] cd /pub/apple2/prodos/games/role.playing binary [this step isn't strictly necessary but it helps to avoid problems] get silvcastle.shk close gwftp will hang after this last command, just as advertised. :-) Reboot your IIgs and start ShrinkIt or GSHK and unpack the file you just downloaded. You are now ready to play the game but I'd suggest you read the documentation first. There is a lot to know to play Silvern Castle. Jeff Blakeney | Dean of the Apple II University in A2Pro | --------------+----------------------------------------------------+ sent via | HyperCard IIgs Course | GSoft BASIC Course | COG v3.1 | now in session | now in session | (JBLAKENEY, 24851, GO COM A2) SILVERN CASTLE SHINES Silvern Castle was written by Jeff Fink of Ripon, """"""""""""""""""""" Wisconsin. He is a longtime subscriber to Juiced.GS, and early this summer he wrote me a letter asking if I'd be interested in distributing/uploading some of his never-before-seen software. I was, of course, and he sent me his first program, Silvern Castle, so that I could show it at Kfest. (It was the only program he was prepared to release because he had not finished all the docs on the others.) Unfortunately, Jeff is not online, so I need to write him a letter REAL soon telling him his game has been well-received and is causing quite a buzz in the Apple II community. I am also going to encourage him to get online and join us on Delphi so he can hear this all firsthand and participate in the discussions. Silvern Castle was released for download from the Delphi A2 database early this morning, so I'll be looking forward to hearing user reactions. Also, Ken Gagne has agreed to write about Silvern Castle in Juiced.GS. Look for his comments on this new game in the Shareware Spotlight section of the next issue, due out in mid-September. Max Jones Juiced.GS http://www.wbwip.com/juiced.gs (JUICEDGS, 24685, GO COM A2) >>>>> I recommend using 4+ dwarf fighters. By jacking up their strength """"" points, they can have up to 24 hit points -- a lot better than the 3-4 hit points human mages get :-) With 5 dwarf fighters, enemies start running and NPCs offer to surrender their possessions :-) (KWS, 24728, GO COM A2) >>>>> Fun with Silvern Castle. """"" First of all I should note that I abhor cheating in this type of game, so I take the characters as they come and I earn all my money in the maze. No throw-away characters just for their gold. I started with 6 dwarf fighters. Went into the maze, fought a few battles, lost a few dwarves, got some loot. Whoops, time to create a cleric to identify all the loot. Mapped out most of level 1 the first night. Second night I realized I'd need a thief to open the chests, so now I'm working with 4 dwarf fighters, 1 elf cleric, and 1 hobbit thief. For the next two nights I mapped out levels 1-3 with this group. Now I've got level 5-6 characters and I can survive levels 1-3 with no trouble, unless I get ambushed by a large group containing spell casters who can put me to sleep. Ouch, that can get ugly. I think it's time to create a mage now so I can optimize my group. I prefer 3 fighters, 1 thief, 1 mage, 1 cleric. At least until I get them up high enough in levels to switch to the "upper class" professions. This is a fun game. My shareware payment goes out today. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Fri Aug 13, 1999 5:17:10 pm [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.1] -- Avoid Computer virus - practice safe HEX! (TONYW1, 24904, GO COM A2) >>>>> I now have a group of level 7 characters and they still have """"" occasional trouble on level 4. This level seems to be a bigger jump in difficulty from the previous 3 levels, so be careful down there! The problem is that I get ambushed a lot, with spell casters paralyzing or sleeping my group. When they knock out my Cleric, I'm toast. As far as I've been able to tell, there are no non-combat protection items or spells to alleviate the effects of an ambush. Time to rethink the party makeup, maybe add that mage a bit sooner than I had planned. Perhaps now would be a good time to introduce some humans into the fighter mix because they supposedly advance quicker than the dwarves. Gosh, I feel like I'm experiencing the fun of Wizardry all over again. This very simple (BASIC!) game is getting more play time than Unreal on my Mac. - Tony (TONYW1, 24936, GO COM A2) >>>>> I'm not using a light, but I have my cleric cast a light spell most """"" of the time, especially while mapping so I can see the hidden doors. Maybe a real light (torch or lantern) is needed to keep the ambushes to a minimum? Be careful! I ran into a White Dragon on level 3 tonight. My level 7-8 characters had no chance. It was a massacre. He killed my cleric and mage on the first fire breath, then polished off my fighters (even with -7 AC) in two more rounds. I got off a lot of good shots, but the Dragon was too strong. I might have had a chance with 6 fighters. I have begun retiring my dwarf fighters in favor of humans. I found that I pretty much hit a wall at level 7 because it takes 100,000+ experience to advance to level 8. Ouch. Humans advance much faster, but they are weaker at first so you have to take baby steps with them. I'll retire my cleric and thief as soon as the fighters get strong enough to protect new ones (the new mage, Gandalf, is human.) I'll miss my halfling thief (Bilbo, naturally) the most. He's level 8 and getting really good at picking locks. :) - Tony (TONYW1, 24995, GO COM A2) >>>>> I just started mapping in platinum paint, with 8x8 pixel squares, """"" color coded doors & other features. I had Sweet-16 running twice, once running Silvern Castle and once running Platinum Paint. Can't do that on a real IIgs :) I've got most of the first level mapped out, and now I can finally find the stairs to the 2nd level :) Kelvin (KWS, 25135, GO COM A2) >>>>> I ran into another dragon down on level 6 today. This time his """"" breath was strong enough to kill my entire party in one shot (my strongest fighter has 92 hit points.) I guess I shouldn't be wandering around down there quite yet. :) I received my registration password today and unlocked my copy of the game. Now we're cooking! I found either a bug or a mistake in the manual pages. The manual states that the teleport spell is only for druids and wizards, but I found a scroll in the maze and my cleric is able to cast it. Yes! That sure makes getting around a bit easier. I found another scroll today that I can't identify, and I don't have 370,000 gold (!!!) to pay to have it identified. That must be some spell. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Tue Aug 24, 1999 2:44:10 am [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.2] -- I'm easy to please as long as I get my way. (TONYW1, 25251, GO COM A2) HOW DO I DEAL WITH MESSED UP ICONS? Bill Tudor's DesktopDoctor """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" FinderExtra is a wonderful utility for handling this sort of cleanup. It offers the ability to delete desktop files, rebuild the desktop without having to launch each application having rIcons, and it also checks the old-style icon pathnames. Is Bill still collecting shareware payments? As I recall, this one was $10.00. Don V. Zahniser (IronTooth) Woofed to you by OLRight! scripts for ANSITerm via Bernie ][ the Rescue! (DZAHNISER, 25022, GO COM A2) WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION TO THE DELPHI DATABASE? All """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Apple II uploads must be ShrinkIt file archives wrapped in Binary II. No disk archives unless it's absolutely necessary (ie. non-ProDOS disks, disks that use Apple's Installer and require a specific disk name, etc.) The free Web accounts don't have access to the Database, so you'll need a paid account or a friend to do the uploading for you. Other than that, the only content-related requirement is that we don't accept copyrighted commercial software without the written (or email) consent of the copyright holder. We would be happy to work with you on any of your projects. You're not stepping on any toes by uploading Treasure Chest releases here. I know you're as diligent as we are about obtaining permissions. If all you have is a free Web account, we can work with you to get the files uploaded. In fact, I see you have already received a few requests. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Wed Aug 18, 1999 10:42:49 am [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.1] -- My last original thought died of loneliness. (TONYW1, 25048, GO COM A2) <<<<< If the author doesn't specify otherwise, our policy has always been """"" to release titles as they were originally distributed. Sometimes a title was shipped with an extra disk that contained just the system software. In that case I don't think it would be necessary to include the boot disk. But if the software title was shipped on the same disk as the system software, then the whole package can be distributed together. In other words, if the title was originally distributed with system software, then it's still okay (but not always necessary) to distribute it that way today. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to distribute system 6.0.1 with any software title today. 6.0.1 is readily available and should already be in use on any reasonably equipped IIgs. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony Ward, A2 Database Manager - Thu Aug 19, 1999 8:12:13 pm [Delivered with Spectrum v2.2 and Crock O' Gold v3.2] -- Nobody notices when things go right. (TONYW1, 25093, GO COM A2) RUMOR MILL """""""""" JUST WHERE IS THE NINJAFORCE HOME PAGE? Oops! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" We didn't notice that ml.org was down. However, our old address is still valid: { http://www.igd.fhg.de/~girschik/nfc/} Sorry for the inconvenience! Jesse Blue / Ninjaforce (JESSEBLUE, 24690, GO COM A2) WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHOTONIX AND PHOTONIX? There's a big """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" difference between the initial release of Photonix and the version that was sold by Big Red Computer Club. Photonix v1.4 was a $20 shareware program, and it's that version which was available from Genie's download library and elsewhere. The major limitation of this version is that it isn't hard drive installable. Photonix v2.x was a $20 commercial program that was licensed from the FTA by Big Red Computer Club, and sold by BRCC for a year or two. v2.x is hard drive installable. In order for the Lost Classic Project to get v2.x reclassified, they'd have to track down Olivier Goguel, formerly of the FTA. It's been years and years since I've had any contact with him and have lost track of his whereabouts, but I imagine that he wouldn't be that hard to find via one of the Internet Search Engines. The last I heard, which might be 5 or more years ago, was that he was working at Atreid Concepts in Bordeaux, France. Joe Kohn http://www.crl.com/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 25301, GO COM A2) MORE ON THE AIM WAR There has been quite a bit of outside pressure on AOL """"""""""""""""""" to call off the war, and agree to common standards. Perhaps they have reverted to the original. Only time will tell whether AOL will agree that AIM should be open to all. -- Carl Knoblock - Telephone Tech - Sat 31 Jul 99 10:51:52 pm cknoblo@novia.net - Via Spectrum v2.2 & Crock O' Gold v3.1 Using Marinetti 2.0.1 - Thank you, Richard. (CKNOBLO, 24663, GO COM A2) PUBLIC POSTINGS """"""""""""""" _BE_TA TESTERS WANTED, APPLY WITHIN I need one or two people running BeOS """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" on PowerPC systems to help test Sweet16. I currently only have one person doing any significant testing of the PowerPC version of Sweet16. If you're interested, please *email* me a description of your system. You must be running BeOS Release 4.5 or later. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25405, GO COM A2) BEOS IS JUST ][ SWEET Announcing the release of Sweet16 for BeOS, version """"""""""""""""""""" 1.1! Version 1.1 adds over a dozen new features, and fixes several bugs. Here's a complete list: o Added CPU Core panel to preferences. This contains the Memory settings, now as a slider control that lets you choose any size from 1 to 8 MB, on 1 MB boundaries -- take control of your memory! o The sound amplitude scaling (volume decreasing as more oscillators are in use) is less severe now, so that music doesn't play back at volumes too low to hear. o Added a Sound panel to the preferences. This contains an option to play all sounds as mono (through both speakers instead of assuming apps are playing sound in stereo), and to turn off the amplitude scaling completely. o Added some additional error handling to physical disk management code. o When you pause the emulator, the video display is dimmed. o The Joystick preference panel has been cleaned up to look better. o Improved and tightened up code for future development work. o Added speed control. You can now specify, from 1 to 14 MHz, the speed of "Fast" speed. You can also disable speed control to let the emulator run all-out (this is the default). o Sweet16 now emulates the ZipGS accelerator, so you can have finer control over the speed when speed control is on. This is optional; you can disable the Zip support. o Added caching of physical floppy disks (1.4 MB and smaller). Reads are always cached; writes are cached if you enable the write cache in the Disk preference panel. Write caching causes disk writes to be queued up and handled in a background thread. I love multithreaded operating systems! o Sweet16 now correctly senses the write-protect state of physical disks. o The IIgs mouse is more responsive now. o You can now format physical disks in Sweet16, using IIgs software. o Fixed the hires graphics mode on x86 systems. You can find the complete Sweet16 manual online at { http://www.sheppyware.net/software/sweet16_be/manual/} and you can download the software at { http://www.sheppyware.net/software/sweet16_be/.} Current Sweet16 users don't need to pay to upgrade to version 1.1. Enjoy! --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 25074, GO COM A2) >>>>> FWIW, _Ernie_ under BeOS is faster than _Bernie_ under MacOS on the """"" same Mac. Woohoo! - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- rsuenaga@apple2.org Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_, published monthly on Delphi Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 25108, GO COM A2) KFEST AFTERMATH The Kfest '99 Keynote Address is now available for your """"""""""""""" perusal at the Juiced.GS home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.wbwip.com/juiced.gs There are a few typos and dropped words in the text, but I think you can get the general idea. :-) Max Jones Juiced.GS (JUICEDGS, 25398, GO COM A2) >>>>> KFest '99 product roundup: """"" It's been now over one month since KFest '99 is over, and aside from my review in _The Lamp!_, there really hasn't been much of a new product summary (and even that isn't one). So, I thought I would give you all a quick roundup right now: New Apple II and related products: Silvern Castle MacIP Marinetti Link Layer module (not yet released) A2 ROMulan CD Keepsakes of KFest CD The Compleat Lamp CD Bernie ][ The Rescue Starter Kit CD Sweet16 for BeOS 1.0 Friends For Life Juiced.GS CD (not yet released) Updated Apple II products: SpeedReadPlus Apple II ports to BeOS: Flamestation Be BeShisen There ya go. Anything I'm missing? - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_ My words are not to be posted to usenet without my permission ever. Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 25422, GO COM A2) GETTING JUICED WITH MAX AND COMPANY Hey gang, """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" I know I'm a little behind getting this posted. Better late than never. :-) I just want to make sure all the non-subscribers here in A2 know what they're missing! Max ++++ Announcing ... ===== Juiced.GS, Volume 4, Issue 2 ===== The June 1999 edition of Juiced.GS, the Apple II world's premier IIGS-specific magazine, was delivered to 228 subscribers in 44 states and numerous points around the globe. Here's what you'll find in this issue: ============ FEATURES Cover Story/Review: SIS comes of age ... Spectrum Internet Suite, the IIGS-specific Web browser, was recently upgraded to Version 1.1. We take a thorough test drive and find that this major update provides a significant power boost and a ton of new features. Programming: The nitty gritty of GSoft BASIC ... Part 3 in our in-depth tutorial from Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd on the latest, greatest BASIC implementation for the GS. The author again offers advice and direction to both beginners and advanced programmers who want to learn more about what GSoft BASIC has to offer and how it performs its coding magic. Emulation: Improving your image ... Ryan Suenaga, the Apple II world's top dog when it comes to Mac emulation and Bernie ][ The Rescue, introduces users to the fine points of ImageMaker, a nifty piece of software that creates disk images on the IIGS for use in emulation. COLUMNS Telecommunications: E-mail -- the essential tool ... Tony Ward explains the fine points of reading and sending e-mail from the IIGS using Unix mail programs available from your Internet Service Provider's shell. Desktop Publishing: If you have to squint ... Design guru Dave Bennett offers suggestions of picking the right type for your desktop publishing creations. My Home Page: A tribute to those who persevere ... A few thoughts from the editor about those who work hard behind the scenes to get commercial software titles reclassified and back into distribution. II Be Named Later: Our columnist, Ryan Suenaga, lifts a final toast to the old Apple II home place -- Genie. DEPARTMENTS Shareware Spotlight: Tony Diaz explains how strategic code fixes make ProSel (the great Apple II hard disk management tool) Y2K compatible; Geoff Weiss takes a first look at the KEGS IIGS emulator for Unix and likes what he sees. DumplinGS: Lots of news from around the Apple II world, including details about Kfest '99; the reclassification of QLabs software titles as freeware; the imminent demise of Genie's once robust and popular Apple II Roundtable; and some Web sites Apple users don't want to miss. Letters from the Land of Rom ... Juiced.GS readers ask questions, get answers, wax eloquently about the human condition and otherwise tell us what's on their minds. ADVERTISEMENTS Coming Soon From SheppyWare: Read all about Sweet16, DiskMaker, ImageMaker Deluxe and The Shadowlands! Or scratch out your order for some of Sheppy's current creations! ============ Juiced.GS is a quarterly, printed publication available by subscription only. A subscription for 1999 is $14 in the U.S., Canada or Mexico, $20 elsewhere. SPECIAL OFFER: Order a new 1999 subscription to Juiced.GS, and the get the final issue of 1998 FREE!! This free issue ships with a disk containing the free version of GSoft BASIC! To subscribe, send a check or money order in U.S. funds to: Max Jones Juiced.GS 2217 Lakeview Drive Sullivan, IN 47882 Make checks or money orders payable to Max Jones. Sorry, no credit cards or purchase orders can be accepted. Complete sets of 1996, 1997 and 1998 issues are available for $14 each ($20 overseas). If you would like to purchase only a specific single copy (or copies) of back issues, they are available for $4 each ($6 overseas). An index and brief description of articles published in '96/'97'98 are available on the Juiced.GS web site. See URL below. Apple II Forever! Max Jones Juiced.GS Delphi: JuicedGS -- Internet: juicedgs@delphi.com World Wide Web: http://www.wbwip.com/juiced.gs (JUICEDGS, 24773, GO COM A2) SSII SLASHES PRICES The "Support Those Who Support The Apple II" Sale! """"""""""""""""""" As announced at KansasFest '99, a new pricing policy for the Shareware Solutions II newsletter has been instituted. Effective immediately... 1) Volume 1-3 (The first 18 issues): $30 for US; $40 elsewhere. 2) Volume 4 (6 issues total): $15 for US; $25 elsewhere. Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine St San Rafael, CA 94901-1008 (JOE_KOHN, 24789, GO COM A2) <<<<< The "Support Those Who Support The Apple II" Sale, Part 2... """"" Shareware Solutions II, in association with SheppyWare, would like to extend a very special offer _only_ to subscribers of the Shareware Solutions II newsletter... Effective immediately, and for a limited time only, the cost of WebWorks GS (for subscribers to the SSII newsletter) has been reduced to $10. Please add $3 for overseas delivery. The cost of WebWorks GS for non-subscribers remains $20. Such A Deal!! Joe Kohn Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine St San Rafael, CA 94901-1008 (JOE_KOHN, 24814, GO COM A2) >>>>> I need to add that in order to get the $10 special price for """"" WebWorks GS, you have to buy direct from Shareware Solutions II. The price from SheppyWare on my online order site is still $20. This is a special Shareware Solutions II sale. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 24952, GO COM A2) SSII THANKS KFESTERS Now that the post-Kfest vacation is over, I'd like """""""""""""""""""" to take a moment to thank everyone for making the Kfest Vendor's Fair such a rousing success for Shareware Solutions II. As I said during my Storyteller session, your support over the years has been stellar. So, thanks once again! Joe Kohn http://www.crl.com/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 24903, GO COM A2) SSII WALKS THE DOG Woof, woof! """""""""""""""""" Bernie ][ The Rescue can be downloaded from http://www.magnet.ch/emutech, but it can also be acquired on CD-ROM as part of The Bernie ][ The Rescue Starter Kit CD-ROM. The CD includes 150 megs (or so) worth of Apple IIGS software, already set up as disk images for those who are having problems getting started with Bernie. The Bernie ][ The Rescue Starter Kit CD-ROM is available from Shareware Solutions II for $25, which includes postage to the US; add $3 for overseas postage. Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine St San Rafael, CA 94901 Joe Kohn http://www.crl.com/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 24907, GO COM A2) <<<<< We made the news! The Bernie news. Woof, woof! """"" From: http://www.magnet.ch/emutech/Bernie/News/index.html Shareware Solutions II presents: the flattest dog in the world! _________________________________________________________________ The Bernie Starter Kit CD-ROM includes all the stuff you need to get started with Bernie - quickly and painlessly. Have your dog up and running in minutes thanks to a large archive of software and other material including: * GS/OS(TM) system disks plus a preinstalled GS/OS image with all Bernie tools set up for you * the Bernie Essentials starter kit with compression utilities, applications, tools, games, and more! * the complete, latest Bernie ][ The Rescue distribution * the complete Bernie HTML documentation for offline reading * preregistered version includes your personal registration code * approx. 150 Mb of dog equipment! The Bernie Starter Kit CD-ROM is a third-party offering but has been tested by F.E.Systems thoroughly. Apple IIgs ROM dump not included because we honor copyrights. The CD-ROM is now available for only US$25 (unregistered) or US$60 (preregistered). [Add $3 for overseas delivery.] Order your copy today from: Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine St San Rafael, CA 94901 For additional information, please contact Shareware Solutions directly. The Bernie Starter Kit CD-ROM has been compiled by Ewen Wannop. (JOE_KOHN, 25018, GO COM A2) <<<<< The Bernie ][ The Rescue Starter Kit CD-ROM has been created to """"" assist newcomers to Apple IIGS emulation. It's a Starter Kit; nothing more, nothing less. The Bernie ][ The Rescue Starter Kit CD-ROM includes files that a Bernie newcomer needs to quickly get Bernie up and running, and it is anticipated that new Bernie users can be playing the IIGS version of Wolfenstein 3D, on their PowerMac, mere minutes after receiving the CD-ROM. Bernie requires that all Apple II software be converted into disk images before those programs can be run on the PowerMac. So, included is a hard drive disk image that's filled with IIGS software, all set up to run under Bernie. Additionally, the CD's Boot partition already has System 6.0.1 pre-installed. Supplied on the Starter Kit as disk images are System 6.0.1, HyperCard IIGS, Diversi-Tune, Wolfenstein 3D, GS.ShrinkIt, GScii Plus, HyperMover, Hermes, Help.NDA, Crock.O.Gold 3.1, Babelfish, gsAIM, Error.Strings, ShiftyList Demo, Patch.HFS, GUPP 1.0.6, One.Arm.Battle, Turkey.Shoot, FlameStation, Wolfenstein 3D, Milestones 2000, Yahtzee GS, and ImageMaker. For those interested in a more complete Apple II software archive on CD-ROM, consider The Golden Orchard and/or TABBS CD-ROMs. Information on all the various CD-ROMs available from Shareware Solutions II can be found at: http://www.crl.com/~joko The "Bernie ][ The Rescue - Starter Kit" CD-ROM is available exclusively from Shareware Solutions II for $25, which includes postage to the US and Canada. For mailing to other countries, please add $3. Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine St San Rafael, CA 94901 Joe Kohn (JOE_KOHN, 25459, GO COM A2) SINCE WHEN IS THERE A NEW CROCK? Yesterday... :) """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" So I guess this makes the official announcement of its release. Version 3.2 has only got to my home pages so far. It should appear here in the libraries in a couple of days, as it is in the process of being uploaded. There are some minor bug fixes in 3.2 that have been reported since 3.1. There are no major changes or new features other than COG is now smart enough to know if Spectrum has its capture buffer turned off! Thanks Joe! The file is a complete installer/updater, so there is no need to download it unless you want to keep absolutely up to date, or have had any problems with 3.1. All versions of COG from 3.0 onwards require Spectrum 2.2. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Tue 24 Aug 1999 - 337 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.2 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 25245, GO COM A2) SSII ANNOUNCES PHOTO CD The Photo CD-ROM """"""""""""""""""""""" Shareware Solutions II is pleased to announce that Martin Landhage's Photo CD-ROM for the Apple IIGS (and Macintosh) has just been released; it is available from Shareware Solutions II for only $10, which includes postage to the US/Canada (For delivery elsewhere, please add $3 for postage.) !! At KansasFest '98, Martin Landhage conducted a hands-on session that impressed everyone! He demonstrated the procedure he has used to convert 35 mm photographs into 3200 color pictures on the Apple IIGS. Hundred and hundreds of those stunning photographs are included on the Photo CD-ROM. Included on the Photo CD-ROM are Martin's photographs in two different formats: GIF and 3200 color Apple Preferred Format. The 3200 color format graphics and the GIFs can be viewed on the IIGS; the GIF format graphics can be viewed on a Mac. Also included are Text and Teach files that explain the entire process and procedures that Martin used to convert the graphics. Also included are many graphic viewer programs for the Apple IIGS. All that's needed to view the graphics is a CD-ROM player connected to either a IIGS or Mac. To order the Photo CD-ROM, send checks or money orders to: Joe Kohn Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine Street San Rafael, CA 94901-1008 To find out about the other IIGS software collections available from Shareware Solutions II on CD-ROM, please visit: http://www.crl.com/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 25308, GO COM A2) >>>>> After it is approved, PHOTOCD.BXY will be available for download """"" from the Graphics library. It includes 19 samples from The Apple IIGS Photo CD-ROM. And, they'll knock your socks off! Joe (JOE_KOHN, 25310, GO COM A2) BEST OF THE BEST """""""""""""""" 25421 30-AUG 02:05 Productivity Software Classic AppleWorks - All version (Re: Msg 20726) From: RSUENAGA To: ALL I did some informal speed testing with Spectrum 2.2 and my Power Mac 8500 today, to see how Bernie and Ernie have come along recently. There is an included script called "Speed.Test" Here's what the results looked like: On my standard IIgs with 11.2 MHz 32k ZipGSX accelerator: 50 seconds (IIgs speed factor: 2.2) On Gus on my 364.5 MHz/1 meg cache G3 upgraded Power Mac 8500 running Mac OS 8.6: 7 seconds (IIgs speed factor: 14.3) On Bernie on the same Mac: 8 seconds (IIgs speed factor: 12.512) On Sweet16 under BeOS PPC 4.5 on the same Mac: 5 seconds (IIgs speed factor: 20.20) Considering that's about 9-10 times faster than on my real 11.2 MHz GS, looks like Sweet16 PPC might be the first 100 MHz IIgs :) - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_ My words are not to be posted to usenet without my permission ever. Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution [EOA] [A2P]------------------------------ A2Pro_DUCTIVITY | ----------------------------------- Checking out A2PRO on Delphi """""""""""""""""""""""""""" by Ryan M. Suenaga, B.A., M.S.W., L.S.W. [thelamp@sheppyware.net] RESOLVING AN UNRESOLVED REFERENCE LABEL I'm doing something stupid, but """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" I'm not sure what I'm missing. I'm writing an assembly program, but needs to call C functions. I found the section in the Orca/C manual how to call the C function so I'm set with that. The problem is during the linking. I'm getting Unresolved reference Label errors for each C function that the assembly code is referencing. I am guessing that I have no idea how to tell the assembly code the labels are to be found in the C code. I have the assembly routines in one file, lets call it prog.asm. I have the C functions in another file, lets call it funcs.cc. What I did was this: assemble prog.asm compile funcs.cc link prog funcs keep=prog I was hoping the linking would magically figure out the labels, but that didn't work. I'm not finding anything in the manuals that is helping me. Geoff (SISGEOFF, 2746, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> Keep in mind that this is a great way to crash the computer if you """"" forget to initialize the C environment. The C libraries, and in some cases even the code generated by the compiler, depend on an orderly initialization of certain registers, global variables, and tools. If you don't do that and use a function or instruction that depends on initialization, you're asking for trouble. The easiest way to set things up is to start the program from C, then call your main assembly language routine from main(). You can find specific startup information for roll-your-own startups in the C release notes. Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, 2749, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> Just a wild guess here, since I'm at work and can't look it up, but """"" do you have the case directive on in ORCA/M? (I assume that's what you're using for your assembler.) Later, - Aaron (APULVER, 2747, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> That's almost certainly it. Add "CASE ON" to your assembly source """"" at the top of the file; ORCA/M normally assembles with all labels converted to upper-case, but ORCA/C is case-sensitive, so you need to turn on case-sensitive assembling so the labels match. --- Eric (Sheppy) Shepherd sheppy@sheppyware.net http://www.sheppyware.net (SHEPPY, 2748, GO COM A2PRO) WHAT HAPPENS WITH DESIGNMASTER? The problem I see most often when I """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" generate Rez source from DesignMaster is that the resource IDs get screwed up. I can't remember for sure, but I believe the high word of the ID (or one bit of the high word? I forget) contains some random value. The ID might be correct in the control list, for example, but then the actual resource has a bogus ID. That particular problem isn't too hard to fix by hand if you know what you're looking for, but I recall having run into a couple of other bugs as well. :) Later, - Aaron (APULVER, 2753, GO COM A2PRO) THANKS FROM THE DEAN Now that the last lesson in the Hypercard IIgs """""""""""""""""""" course has been released, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gareth Jones for the excellent job he did in creating this course. I know that I have learned a lot about HyperCard IIgs from reading these lessons and have earned a new respect for a development system that I always considered to be not much more than a novelty. Thank you Gareth, for the time and effort you put into this course. Also, I would like to thank HangTime for running his Tuesday night HyperCard IIgs chats and volunteering to help any of the course participants during those chats. Finally, I wish to thank those that participated and gave feedback. I'm sure Gareth would love to get more feedback as I believe he intends to refine the course over time. Don't forget that the A2Pro Forum and Conference area are still here to help answer any questions you may have about creating or modifying HyperCard IIgs stacks so feel free to ask. Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University sent via COG v3.1, Spectrum v2.2 and Marinetti v2.0 (JBLAKENEY, 2762, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> Thanks for the kind words about the HCGS course. I also learned a """"" lot during it, even though (or especially though) I wrote it! As Jeff mentioned, I'd like to improve the course over time. I've put up html versions of the lessons at my web site (http://www.intergate.bc.ca/personal/gslj) for this purpose. Any comments or suggestions or even criticisms are welcome. -Gareth (GARETH, 2766, GO COM A2PRO) <<<<< Since I have just finished typing a thank you to the instructor of """"" the HyperCard IIgs course, I feel compelled to do the same for the author of both the language and the course for GSoft BASIC. Thanks to Mike Westerfield the Apple IIgs has yet another incredibly powerful programming language that is easy to learn. This learning process is even easier due to the "Learn to Program in GSoft BASIC" text that Mike has written and sells through his company, the Byteworks. Mike graciously gave of his time, even after the work entailed to give us these new resources, to host a two hour chat on Monday nights to help budding GSoft BASIC programmers who were working their way through his course. Thanks also to the participants of this course, especially to those that captured transcripts of the chats for me when I was late or couldn't attend. You know who you are and I'm believe I have credited you in the descriptions of the uploaded files. As with the HyperCard IIgs course, I would like to invite anyone with a GSoft BASIC problem to feel free to ask questions here in the A2Pro Forum or in Conference. Mike Westerfield and many other knowledgeable people will be quite happy to help you. Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University sent via COG v3.1, Spectrum v2.2 and Marinetti v2.0 (JBLAKENEY, 2763, GO COM A2PRO) SPECTRUM SCRIPTING HELP FROM THE MASTERS I need some assistance with the """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" AlertWindow XCMD. I am trying to display a window when a certain value is zero, but nothing is ever displayed. I then just gave the External AlertWindow command with its appropriate parameters in a script by itself as follows: External AlertWindow 1 8 4 32*There's nothing here.~^^OK And got nothing. This is in the SHR screen. I have the feeling I'm not setting some parameters, but what am I missing? Thanks. . . - Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. -- Editor and Publisher, _The Lamp!_ My words are not to be posted to usenet without my permission ever. Posted by PTMM v2.5 - The integrated information solution (RSUENAGA, 2767, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> Try this: """"" External AlertWindow 1 8 4 32 "There's nothing here.~^^OK" ButNum You need a result variable to return the button number which is always 1 so you can ignore its content. Of course, change the quotes to your quote character. Geoff (SISGEOFF, 2768, GO COM A2PRO) >>>>> You must delimit all values with a space. If you add a space after """"" '32' the example will now work. You must also add a trailing 'quote' after 'OK', or you will not get the correct value into the button. You must 'balance' quotes or odd things will happen. Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Mon 30 Aug 1999 - 331 days till Y2KFest Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.2 & Crock O' Gold 3.2 Bernie ][ the Rescue 2.0 woofing at 55Mhz on a G3/350 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ewannop/ (EWANNOP, 2769, GO COM A2PRO) [EOA] [S&M]------------------------------ SCRIPTING AND MACROS | ----------------------------------- Basic Spectrum Scripting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. [thelamp@sheppyware.net] Basic Spectrum Scripting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome back to Scripting & Macros. Our lesson for today will deal with one of the most plain-English scripting languages there is--the scripting language included in the wonderful _Spectrum_ telecommunications program. _Spectrum_'s scripting language is exceptionally powerful--for instance, both _Crock O' Gold_ and _Spectrum Internet Suite 1.0_ are completely written in the _Spectrum_ scripting language. At the same time, the language is so easy to use that anyone can write a _Spectrum_ script. Reviewing our previous _S&M_ article, let's take a look at writing a script to do a simple job: log you onto Delphi. Whether you telnet into Delphi or connect via Sprintnet or Tymenet, you can use at least part of this scripting exercise for your own script--and you can always use the knowledge you gain for all kinds of other things. You can use any text editor (including the built-in one in _Spectrum_) to write your script. I prefer to use _Hermes_ by Bright Software, now known as F.E. Systems, who have a Macintosh program we've noted here before. Let's take a look at what Delphi looks like when we first connect to it: [BEGINNING OF SCREEN SHOT]------------------------------------------------- Username: [END OF SCREEN SHOT]------------------------------------------------------- So, the first thing we need to do is wait for the characters making up "Username:" (or, more efficiently, something shorter, like "name:") show up on the screen. We do this in Spectrum with one of its most basic commands: "WaitFor String". _Spectrum_ author Ewen Wannop is proud of the fact that the _Spectrum_ scripting language very closely resembles English. Looking at the "WaitFor String" command, the "WaitFor" part is self-explanatory. "String" represents a "string" of text characters. So, we're waiting for a "string" of text--in this case, the string are the characters "name:" So the first command we want to give in our script is: WaitFor String "name:" After our script detects the characters name:, we need for it to send our username to Delphi. For this we use the "Transmit" command. In this case, we simply transmit our username, followed by a return. A return in the _Spectrum_ scripting language, like many others, is a control-M character, designated by "^M". So our script now looks like this: WaitFor String "name:" Transmit "username^M" If we were to run this script on connecting to Delphi, this is what we would get: [BEGINNING OF SCREEN SHOT]------------------------------------------------- Username: username Password: [END OF SCREEN SHOT]------------------------------------------------------- So we next need to add a line to our script to wait for the string "Password:" or, for short, "word:". Our script now looks like this: WaitFor String "name:" Transmit "username^M" WaitFor String "word:" After we get the "word:" string, we then want to send our password. So, using the "Transmit" command again, we add in a line to transmit our password. Our script now looks like this: WaitFor String "name:" Transmit "username^M" WaitFor String "word:" Transmit "password^M" If we want to end our script here, we can add a command to stop the script (this command is not necessary, although it is good form). Our finalized script looks like this: WaitFor String "name:" Transmit "username^M" WaitFor String "word:" Transmit "password^M" Stop Script Save this script. If you run this script once you are connected to Delphi (and unless you use _Spectrum_'s ability to you may have to be really fast since the "Username:" prompt comes up quickly), you will be automatically logged in. No more typing in usernames and passwords! This just barely scratches the surface of what is possible with _Spectrum_, but it ought to be more than enough to get you going. We will look more in depth at the possibilities of scripting languages when we publish our next installment. :: DISCUSSED ON DELPHI :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : : : Acid test? You're soaking in it. : : : ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: LUMITECH :::::: [EOA] [INN]------------------------------ EXTRA INNINGS | ----------------------------------- About The Lamp! The Lamp! is published on the fifteenth of every month in """"""""""""""" the Database of the II Scribe Forum on the Delphi online service (GO CUS 11). This publication produced entirely with real or emulated Apple II computers using Appleworks 5.1 and Hermes. Apple II Forever! * The Lamp! is (c) copyright 1999 by Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W. All rights reserved. * To reach The Lamp! on Internet email send mail to thelamp@sheppyware.net * Back issues of The Lamp! are available in the II Scribe Forum on Delphi as well as The Lamp! Home Page, http://lamp.sheppyware.net. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Inc., or Ryan M. Suenaga. Forum messages are reprinted verbatim and are included in this publication with permission from the individual authors. Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Inc. and Ryan M. Suenaga do not guarantee the accuracy or suitability of any information included herein. We reserve the right to edit all letters and copy. Material published in this edition may not be reprinted without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Registered computer user groups, not for profit publications , and other interested parties may write the publisher to apply for permission to reprint any or all material. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< [EOF]