e |
Vol.8 No.2 Mar-Apr 790
è uwija - EK
واج اند es MD Een
SINC-LINK IS A PUBLICATION OF
THE TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS
CLUB AND IS ISSUED é TIMES A
YEAR. COPIES OF THE NEWSLETTER
ARE $1.50 EACH FOR NON-MEMBERS.
CLUB MEMBERS RECEIVE FREE COPIES
AS PART OF THE $20.00 ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP FEE. A NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY IS AVAILABLE
FOR $12.00.
NEWSLETTERS ARE EXCHANGED, FREE
OF CHARGE, WITH OTHER
TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS GROUPS.
PLEASE CREDIT THIS PUBLICATION `
AND THE AUTHOR IF YOU COPY
MATERIAL.
USERS CLUB
THE CLUB MEETS ON THE FIRST
WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT
FOREST HILLS COLLEGIATE AUD
INSTITUTE, 730 EGLINTON AVE. W., va
TORUNTO. START TIME: 7:00 PM.
SEND CORRESPONDANCE TO:
DEDICATED TO
Attention: SINC-L INK EDITOR TAKING YOUR
TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS MIND OFF THESE
CLUB, 14 RICHOME COURT, TAXING TIMES
SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO,
CANADA MIK 2Y1
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:
PRESIDENT: RENE BRUNEAU ( 531-9749 )
TREASURER: BILL LAWSON ( 444-8772 )
SECRETARY: GEORGE CHAMBERS ( 751-7559 )
ACTIVITIES: RENE BRUNEAU ( 531-9749 )
TAPE LIBRARIAN ZX81: LYMAN PAQUETTE ( 482-4479 )
TAPE LIBRARIAN 2068: RENATO ZANNESE ( 635-6536 )
TAPE LIBRARIAN QL: HUGH HOWIE ( 634-4929 )
PAPER LIBRARIAN: JEFF TAYLOR ( 244-8583 )
NEWSLETTER: JEFF TAYLOR ( 244-8583 )
LIAISON OFFICER: GEORGE CHAMBERS, 14 RICHOME COURT,
( Out-of-town members ) SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO, M1K 2Y1
( 416-751-7559 )
TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS CLUB
Editorial
Ready for a couple of scary be running articles about
words? Hardware projects! projects we think you'll be
Doesn't that send a shiver down interested in. Is there
your spine? Does the thought of something you'd especially like
taking a red hot soldering iron to see? Let us know. Have you
to the innards of your precious built something that you'd like
computer make you break out in to share your experience with
a cold sweat? Good. us? We'd like to hear from you.
Now that I've had some fun, After all this is your
let me point out that ordinary newsletter, so make your
people just like yourself are interests known.
busy soldering and snipping and Hope to hear from you. That's
building hardware projects for all for now...
Timex-Sinclair computers every
day and nothing awful happens to
them. Unless you think that J.T.
gaining a little knowledge or
enjoying that glow of
satisfaction. you. gel from FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
creating something that works is
so awful. 1 ZX81 Computer, with P/S,
Just look at yours truly. I am
hardly what you'd call a
computer whiz. I'm really just Best offer
a user. I can barely program in Call S. Speirs (416 485 5496)
BASIC, know no machine code, 37 Donegall Drive
don't understand how the Toronto, Ont M4G 3G6
computer works and think that 4
electronics are black magic.
But, I am curious as to what my
computers are capable of. If I
can attach a gizmo that allows `
me to talk to other computers at
1200 baud or enhance the quality
of my video display or expand
the storage capacity of my
computer then I think that's
really neat. I'm just an average
user who has a lot of
curiousity. Am I so different
from you? I don't think so.
To date I have added a
keyboard and an internal static
RAM to my TS1000, built a serial
16K RAM, cords, tapes, books, etc.
interface cable and an RGB
buffer for my QL, and assembled
an RS232 interface and an
internal RGB buffer for my
TS2068. And I'm working on a 7 ‘
video digitiser right now. Why? Eis in uem مور پیر S
Because all these hardware
projects improve the ضر w EE
capabilities of my computers and
who doesn't want that?
In the next few issues we'll
SINC-LINK
BOB” GS NS TE Bote
Here is a utility for the Larken DOS which will read the header information for each file on a disk and give uou the
first track number, start address, the length, and in the case of BASIC programs, the autostart line number.
I usually make a copy of this information for each disk and tuck it inside the sleeve; it comes in very handy when
you need to know this data and you have a program loaded that you are working on. For example, you might be putting in
a line to save a particular code file and have to indicate the start address and length. Finding it on the slip inside
the sleeve will save some time and frustration.
The first listing is the boot file to load and control the code. The second listing is the BASIC ready for the
compiled program you will make using Timachine. The program was first written by George Chambers and I have made some
minor adjustments to provide space for track numbers with three digits as with Quad Drives and to show the word ‘none’
when there is no autostart line number in a BASIC program.
Type both of these in carefully and save them a couple of times before doing the compilation. I have included some
notes after some lines; of course, these are not to be tuped in.
Listing #1 (Header Reader Boot File) : COMMENTS
10 REM reader boot. Designed for use with wide printer.
cO RANDOMIZE USR 100: LOAD 'reader.Cc'CODE 40000 ‘load compiled code
100 OUT 127,15 ‘set condensed mode
110 RANDOMIZE USR 100: OPEN #4, "dd" iset LKDOS PRINT #4 command
120 PRINT #4: CLOSE #3 ‘close LKDOS stream #3
130 PRINT #4: OPEN $5,"lp" "open stream #5 to wide printer
140 PRINT #4: POKE 16090, 39 ‘set width of line to 40
150 PRINT #4: POKE 16094,8 iset left aargin at 8
160 INPUT "drive? (0-3) "idrv ‘pick a drive
170 PRINT #4: 60 TO ۷
180 RANDOMIZE USR 40000 ‘activate header reader code
200 INPUT "another? (1-ues ü-no) "jan ‘do another or quit?
210 IF an THEN GO TO 140
220 IF NOT an THEN PRINT #4: GO TO 4: PRINT #4: NEW ‘if NO then load RAMDISK autostart file (see note)
300 PRINT #4: SAVE "reader.Bi" LINE 1 ‘GO here to save.
Alt you want to quit to some other drive number, just adapt this line to your needs. Just remember:
PRINT #4: NEW means load the autostart in the disk drive selected.
Listing #2 (Header Reader File ready for Compilation)
90 REM 'USR 40000 ‘forces compilation to start at add. 40000
100 REM ' OPEN # :Timachine Command e
170 RESTORE 210
180 FOR n-VAL "63000" ۲۵ VAL "43077" ipokes code in lines 210-280
190 READ a: PORE ma tinto addresses 63000 to 43077
200 NEXT n
210 DATA 195,43,246,195,72,246,195,104,246,243 ‘this code loads/saves directory
220 DATA 205, 98,0, 201,58, 100,0, 251,201, 205 itrack contents from disk to
230 DATA 33,246,58,176,92,50,29, 212 3126 tbuffer area at 57500
240 DATA 0,205,123,0, 33, 112, 32, 17,1564 224
250 DATA 1,0,20,237,176,195,38,246,205, 31
260 DATA 246,58,175,92,50,29, 32,33, 156,224
270 DATA 17,112,32,1,0,20,237,176,205,150
280 DATA Û, 205, 12650, 205,120, 0, 195, 38, 246
290 DIM c$(448) ‘array to make 14 blank lines
300 DIM 1(100) tarray to store 100 numbers
310 DIM d$(100, 10) ‘array to store 100 names
320 LET trac=23728: LET loadbuf=43000
330 LET oo=0: LET oa=1: LET ob=2: LET oi isome variables to save memory
SINC—LINK
LET coza: LET کہ LET 0۶:۵۰
LET fang: LET 20
740 LET name=57688: LET bufferz57500
350 BORDER oa: PAPER oa: CLS
340 PRINT AT ob.oe; INK og; PAPER oai" LARKEN DISK
UTILITY "IAT od,obi'Header Reader by G. Chambers" "Al
af,odi'Compiled by Bob Mitchell"
770 INK og: PLOT ہہ ۷۸ "108": DRAW oo, VAL
"42": DRAW VAL '255'.00: DRAW oo,VAL “-62":
DRAW VAL '-255',00
200 INK og: PLOT VAL "8", VAL "114": DRAW oo, VAL
ngg": DRAW VAL "238",o0: DRAW oo,VAL ۰-۶
DRAW VAL '-218',00: INK og
385 INPUT ‘printout? y/n ': LINE u$
386 LET s=2
397 IF u$z'u* OR u$z'Y* THEN INPUT "J=TS2040 S=WIDE 5
388 PRINT 5
390 INPUT "Enter No. k Date (max 14)'' LINE g$:
TF LEN g$314 THEN LET g$=9$( TO 14)
195 PRINT #0;"Place disk to be read in correctdrive
then press a key'': PAUSE oo
400 FEM Get names from Trk 0
410 POKE trac,oo: RANDOMIZE USR loadbuf
420 PRINT AT of*oc,oo:c$( TO 320)
440 FOR n-oa TO 100
450 LET en
450 IF PEEK (nametoc)=oo THEN LET e=n-oa: LET n=100:
GQ TO 530
470 IF PEEK (name*oa)2254 THEN LET name=namet+J4:
G0 TO 460
480 FOR m=oa TO 9
490 LET d$(n,m)=CHR$ PEEK (name+m)
500 NEXT m
510 LET 1(n)=PEEK (nametil)
520 LET nameznametJ4
5 NEXT n
540 CLS : PRINT #5;°DISK HEADER DATA: 9
545 PRINT $63 ۲ مت orien
550 PRINT #s;"TRACK NAME — START LENGTH S/Ln'
570 PRINT fs
590 PRINT #0;"(M returns to menu)": PRINT AT 0:٥
&20 FOR tzoa TO e:
630 IF PEEK 23689(og THEN 60 TO 830
650 POKE trac, l(t: RANDOMIZE USR loadbuf
670 IF PEEK (buffer+oa)(:oo THEN
580 IF PEEK (buffertoa)=oo THEN GO TO 0
&85 PRINT #s;PEEK (buffertoa);TAB odi
490 FOR a=(buffertob) TO (buffer*10)
700 PRINT #5;CHR$ PEEK a;
710 NEXT a
720 LET start=oo! FOR a=(buffertob) TO (buffer+i0):
IF PEEK a=46 AND (PEEK (atoa)=67 OR PEEK (atoa)=65)
THEN LET start=oa
730 NEXT a
740 PRINT #5;TAB 14;PEEK (buffer+12)+256#PEEK
(buffer+13) 5
750 PRINT #5; TAB 215PEEK (buffer+22)+256#PEEK
(buffer+23)4
750 LET len=PEEK (buffer+17)+256#PEEK (buffer+18)+oa
770 IF len=65535 THEN LET len--!
‘buffer starts 3 57500; file names 188 bytes later
‘variable <s> is display device
tif s=2, data goes to screen
tif بت to TS2040; if s=5, to wide printer
tput in I.D.
:chooses trk 0 and loads it to buffer
tprints 10 blank lines
tcounts names found
tif PEEK=0 then search ends
tif PEEK=254 then look for next name
‘this loop gets the name
‘gets first track number
:S/Ln=Autostart Line $
:this loop loads first track of each file name
:from each file to get required data
sprints track #
sthen the prog. name
tidentifies BASIC files as 'D*
‘others as "1"
tprints start address
tthen file length
tgets the autostart line
tmakes it -1 if 45535
SINC—LINK
کے
780 IF start=oo AND len<>-1 THEN PRINT #s;TAB ۰ tif a BASIC file with an autostart line
60 TO 800
:then print line #
785 IF startzoo AND len=-1 THEN PRINT #s;TAB 27i'none': ‘if no autostart line, print "none"
60 TO 800
790 PRINT 5
300 IF INKEY$='a" OR INKEY$="M" THEN STOP
810 NEXT t
tif menu called, STOP; ie, BREAK into BASIC
820 PRINT TAB od; PAPER ob;"Last file on the disk": ‘finally, some on-screen 5
LET f=oa
825 IF s<>2 THEN PRINT "7"
830 IF z=oo AND NOT f THEN PRINT AT 19,0a;” Press any
key to clear screen'
B40 IF z-oo AND INKEY$="" THEN GO TO 840
860 IF INKEY$="m° OR INKEY$="M" THEN STOP
870 PRINT AT od,oo0;c$;AT ؛ مم وہ ۶: PRINT AT oc,oo
880 GO TO 430
1010 IF INKEYSO 'a* OR INKEYSO'M* THEN CLS :
PRINT AT 09,0a;"Press any key for next record":
PAUSE 0: GO TO 350
8900 REM ' CLOSE $ :Timachine Coamand
9000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE "reader. Bp" :50 here to SAVE.
CHANGING THE NAME OF A DISK
When you format a new disk, you can assign a name to the
disk. But it is impossible to change that name after the disk
has been formatted unless you reformat the disk and all the data
on this disk uill be lost.
The following program ( by Real Gagnon of (QL DOC >) will
correct this situation. You can now rename a disk uithout having
to reformat the disk.
When you run the program, you will be asked for the number
of the disk drive ( e.g. 1, 2, 3 or 4 ( . This program will
only work with disk "" floppies TP and you cannot rename
microdrives. The program will then display the name of the disk
and will ask you for the proposed name. The limit is 10
characters.
As usual a copy of the program will be available from the
librarian H. Howie.
Louis Laferriere
100 REMark Disk_RE_Name
110 REMark by Real Gagnon
120 :
130 REPeat loop
140 PRINT #0, “Disk #. "!;
145 d$=INKEY$(-1)
150 IF d$ INSTR '123456789':PRINT $0.d$: EXIT loop
160 END REPeat loop
165 :
170 OPEN#10, "flp"&d$&"_*D2D"
180 :
190 GET#10\1.a$
200 PRINT#0, "Present name :"!a$(5 TO 14)
210 INPUT#O, "New name :"in$
220 LET a$(5 TO 15)-n$
230 PUTH#1ON2.a$
240 :
250 0
SINC—LINK
Revised from last issue
QLIPS
We nave ail sad that "crashing
experience witn the QL, and i
4onder how often the crash is our
own fauit? My own little beast
> Durden had a problem at one
time, out after some operation on
its innards, the crashing was not
quite so frequent, until recently
that is, when I installed a
plastic Carpet saver under my
chair. This, combined with our
present day mixture of wool and
man-made fabrics, both in our
upholstery and our clothing, made
an ideal breeding ground for
STATIC.
The problem seemed to arise #hen
I used the printer, I had also
noticed that when I left the Work
Station, and returned, I was
often welcomed with a little jolt
to my fingers as ] approached the
QL and/or my Music Centre which
is within reach of the QL.
The solution?
I use a sheet of thick corrugated
card-board on top of my desk, on
which my equipment rests, (it is
easier on the arms than wood). So
I went to the hard-ware store and
bought a roll of Aluminum Tape,
about i 1/2 inches wide, the kind
used in duct-work. Now don’t get
the fabric type, get the METAL
type. I placed a strip along the
front of my desk, about an inch
from the edge and along the end,
to the back of my desk. ۵
there, I attached a piece of
wire, which goes to the caseing
of my disk power supply, which is
the nearest ground I could get.
To attach the wire to the
aluminum strip, I bare an end of
wire about two inches back, make
this into a loose coil, lay it on
top of the card-board, and place
the tape on top of the coil. The
other end is attached to the
power supply by using one of the
screws on the cover.
- SINC—-LINK
CAUTION: - insure that the
aluminum tape is cleaned a iittle
at this point, as the adhesive is
not aiways conductive material.
Next step is to get some Scotch
Tape, about 3/4 inch wide, and
lay a strip of this along both
edges of the aluminum tape,
ensuring you do not cover up too
much of the width of the aluminum
tape. The reason for placing
Scotch Tape along the edge of the
aluminum tape, is to help prevent
the edge of the aluminum tape
from lifting, also, if the
aluminum tape should wear out a
bit in the centre, then there
should always be a complete
circuit under the Scotch Tape.
Follow me ? ( Check continuity )
You must ensure there is an ample
width of aluminum tape available
for hand and arm contact, in the
middle of the strip.
To finish this off, solder into
the wire to ground, a one meg-ohm
resistor. This will allow the
static charge to bleed away
slowly, thus eliminating the
little jolt you might get when
you touch the strip.
Now, when I approach my console,
my hands MUST pass over or TOUCH
this strip, grounding myself out.
When I turn aside to the printer,
I am always cautious to touch the
strip, and also when I return to
the computer, I again touch the
strip. I do not have to
consciously do this, as my hands
have to cross this strip to reach
ANY equipment on the desk.
(The least amount of movement can
set up a static charge.)
The shiny appearence is a
constant reminder of a static
possibilty.
It costs only a few dollars, but
can save so much damage being
done, to nerves and equipment.
HRH.
PENETRATOR - a TS2068 game
Modifying it to the Larken system
by G.Chambers
PENETRATOR is an older arcade tame for the
TS2068, that was put out by Timex in 1983. It
is readily converted to Larken disk operation.
Simply use a Header Reader to locate the
program code; and inspect the front end Basic
to find the start USR address.
However the program contains a Landscape
Editor to allow you to modify the game. This
Editor also allows you to save the modified
landscapes code to tape, and to reload it. The
challenge was to convert this feature to the
Larken system.
The program code proved difficult to break
out of, once the game was started. Often it is
possible to break out of a m/c program by using
the NMI-button and either pressing the A key
or doing a SAVE to a protected disk. However,
in this case every use of the NMI-button
resulted in a system crash. This was going to
make things difficult.
With Spectrum programs the first thing I
usually do is to search for a CALL to a LOAD
routine in the ROM. I do a FOR/NEXT loop
looking for appearances of a 205, followed by
an 86 and a 5. In the Spectrum parlance this
could mean a CALL to address 1366, the start of
the Spectrum LOAD routine. In this case it was
a TS2068 program, so that meant complications
since the SAVE/LOAD routines for the TS2068 are
in the EXROM. I found that the program could be
loaded, and would work in both the Spectrum and
the TS2068 modes. This meant that the SAVE/LOAD
routines were not in the ROM at all, but were
imbedded in the program itseif.
Since there was not likely to be any call
to address 1366, and the location of the
LOAD/SAVE routines were unknown, I then looked
for a LD IX instruction (221) in the code,
again using a FOR/NEXT loop. The LD IX
instruction is used as a preface to most every
SAVE and LOAD instruction. I wrote the FOR/NEXT
loop so that every time Lt encountered an
address containing a 221 it would print out a
value based on the contents of the next two
addresses. I multiplied contents of the
higher-numbered address by 256 and added it to
the contents of the lower address. If there was
an LD IX used in a LOAD or SAVE routine this
would give me a starting address. I'm looking
for clues.
I found quite a number of promising
addresses. I Then loaded a disassembler at
address 48000 (the disassembler "spec48.Cc"
found on the club Larken disk #17). In loading,
it overwrote part of the program code, but I
guessed that the code we wanted to look at was
below address 48000. If it had been higher I
would have loaded "spec28.Cc" at 28000. I
looked over the addresses and identified
several promising ones. They contained
sequences of LD A, 0 ; LD IX 47117; and LD DE,
7376. These are hot prospects for SAVE/LOAD m/c
routines.
When I reloaded the program code, and then
did a series of USR calls to these addresses I
produced tape LOAD and tape SAVE effects. I
explored the code further and found a USR call
that would produce the screen instructions for
the SAVE and LOAD actions. I was hot on the
trail!
My first thought was to have the program
exit to Basic to do the load and save routines
from Basic. However I could not seem to exit
gracefully from the program; my understanding
of m/c programming leaves something to be
desired! What I then decided to do was to
employ a variation of a m/c routine that I had
used earlier in the program SNODGITS. I would
arrange that the program, instead of calling up
the tape routines, would call up my own
disk-save and disk-load routines. The
PENETRATOR program code started at 32768, so I
chose to locate my code at 32000.
Now, the disk routines require that a name
be given to the program to be saved. What
better than to make use of the name that one
enters at the Editor portion of the program,
This is fine, but now it was necessary to
locate where the name was stored in the program
code. I loaded the program, ran it, went into
the landscape editor SAVE mode, entered a name,
and just prior to the tape-SAVE I did an
NMI-save. I had to do this because there was no
way that I could break out of a running
program. What I therefore planned to do was to
inspect the program using the "doctor.B1'
program ("doctor.B1" is a Larken utility on the
club Larken disk #1).
Now, I had a fairly good idea of where the
landscape name might be located. Earlier, when
I did an experimental SAVE of a landscape, and
had tried to read the header, I found that it
was an unusual header. I won't go into details
about it, except to say that I found the word
"GARBAGE" in it. I therefore did a search for
this word in the program, using the ASCII
printout feature of the "spec48.Cc"
disassembler program. I had located it at about
address 47126, so I explored that area, with
"doctor.B1", as I mentioned. And was
successful.
I found there was space reserved for a
6-character name at address 47117. I decided to
POKE a ",C1" in the three addresses immediately
following the name. These addresses contained
the start of the word "GARBAGE" I mentioned
earlier. I reasoned that this was likely to be
unused in the Larken mode. I found that the
program would accept only 6-character names.
That is to say, when the programs asked for a
name it would only act on the first 6
characters. This, added to the ".C1" that I
placed in the program would make up a proper
Larken name.
I also went through the program and
changed several instruction sequences which
referred to TAPE, making them DISK. I ignored
the tape verification routine, though it could
have been deleted.
The disk LOAD/SAVE routine used in the
SNODGIT program had to be modified to suit this
particular application. I wrote separate disk
SAYE and LOAD routines; and modified the
PENETRATOR code addresses 46650 (LOAD), and
46843 (SAVE) to CALL the appropriate routine.
Why those two addresses? Well, these were the
addresses of the CALLs to the tape SAVE and
LOAD routines, so I simply did a redirect to my
disk routines.
Now, the Larken SAVE routine requires that
the starting address and length of the code to
be saved (and loaded) be specified. Because of
the unusual nature of the tape SAVE headers it
was not possible to determine this information
SINC-LINK 7
10 FOR n=32000 TO 32128
20 READ a: POKE n,a
50 NEXT n
!00 DATA -195,.0, 1284.0, 0,0, 2055, 30
,125,195,0,128,0,0,0
101 DATA 205,80,125,195,0,128,0
,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
102 DATA 243,0,205,98,0,33,12,1
8u,17,34,32,1,10,0, 837
,205 و32 ,2 ,م5 و 52,11 ,176 DATA 103
32 ,34,51 ,208 ,33,0 ,0 ,198
104 DATA 33,208, 28, 34,49, 32,205
,201,0,58,100,0,251,201, 0
105 DATA 0,0,0,0,0,0,243,0,205,
98,0,33,13,184, 17
106 DATA 34, 32,1,10,0,237,176,6
2,11,50,2,32,205, 204, 0
2 و33 و32 و 51 ما3 ,330,208 DATA 107
207,0 و205 ,32 ,34,49 ,08,28
108 DATA 58,100,0,251,201,0,0,0
,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
47112 79 0
47113 8e R
47114 84 T
47115 41 )
47116 0
47 7 H
47118 a
47118 0
47128 9
47121 g
474122 ü
47123 46 ۰
47124 67 C
47125 49 1
47126 28
47127 71 G
47128 65 A
47129 8e R
47132 66 B
47131 65 ۸
47132 71 G
47133 69 E
46650 205
46651 6
46652 125
46653 48
46654 36
46843 205
46844 15
46845 125
46846 6
46847 50
from the tape headers. A close look at the tape
SAVE routine in the PENETRATOR code showed a LD
IX, 53248 and a LD DE, 7376. These could
indicate a starting address 53248 and code
length of 7376 bytes and seemed promising. The
code contained other possible numbers, however
the above were put into the 'disk' code, and
proved to be correct.
The Disk code was arranged so that after a
SAVE or a LOAD function was completed, a JUMP
was made to address 32768, the start of the
program. This was similar to the original
program operation.
That was about it except to do a SAVE of the
new code block 32000,33535 that included the
modified program code plus the two disk
routines.
KREEKKKKEEKRKKKKKKKKKKEKKKKKHEKKE
31999 00 NOP `
32000 C30080 JP 32768
32003 00 NOP
32004 00 NOP
32005 00 NOP
32006 CD1E7D CALL 32030
32009 C30080 JP 32768
32012 00 NOP
32013 00 NOP
32014 00 NOP
CALL 32080
32083 CD6200 CALL 98
32086 210088 LD HL,47117
32089 112220 LD DE,8226
32092 010A00 LD BC,10
32095 EDBO LDIR
32097 08 LD A,11
32099 320220 LD (8194), A
32102 CDCCOO CALL 204
32105 2100D0 LD 8
32108 223320 LD (8243) „HL
32111 21D01C LD HL,7376
32114 223120 LD (8241),HL
32117 CDCFOO CALL 207
32120 346400 LD A,(100)
32123 FB EI
32124 وم RET
32125 00 NOP
SINC—LINK
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Left
Center
Right
by Mike Felerski
Anyone who uses a wordprocessing program has
done it. Greeting card programs even do it.
But what if I want to do it in my own
programs?
If you are not lost yet, what I am
speaking of is LEFT, CENTER, and RIGHT
Justification of text lines on a screen
display or on a hard copy printout. Left
justification is when the first character of
each line of text in a paragraph lines up
evenly across the left margin of the screen or
page. For example, this paragraph is left
Justified.
Center justification is placing the text line,
headline or paragraph in the middle of the
screen or page, like this paragraph.
Center justification is just placing the
text line, headline or paragraph in the middle
of the screen or page, like this paragraph.
The other evening I found that I needed
some routines that would allow me to left,
center, and right justify a string (t$) of
text for display. The three routineds which
are discussed here accomplish this by making
a copy of the text string and then placing
each character back into the original string
in the new format (see Listing B).
REM Justify It
REM by Mike Felerski
LET max-32
DIM t$(max)
DIM o$ (max)
DIM r$(32)
POKE 23658,8
GO SUB 300
LET t$=r$
PRINT AT 14,5;"(L)eft"
PRINT AT 15,5;"(C)enter"
PRINT AT 16,5;"(R)ight"
INPUT "Choice? ";c$
IF c$="L" THEN GO SUB 400
0: GO SUB 200: GO TO 110
160 IF c$="C" THEN GO SUB 4100
: SUB 200: GO TO 110
170 IF c$="R" THEN GO SUB 4200
: SUB 200: GO TO 110
180 GO TO 140
200 REM Clear and Print
205 PRINT AT 8,0;"54321 9876543
2100123456789 12345" °
210 PRINT AT”10,0;t$: RETURN
300 REM Enter String
310 PRINT AT 20,0;"Enter String
";max;" Chars Max"
320 INPUT r$: LET t$=r$: GO SUB
200: RETURN
Listing A
The routines assume that the text string is
stored in t$ and that the size of both t$ and
oS are DIMensioned to max.'o$ is used as the
temporary string. Listing Aisa demo/main
routine that let us enter, justify, and
re-display it.
4000 REM Left Justify
4005 LET o$=t$: LET pos=0
4010 IF o$(pos+1)=CHRS 32 THEN
LET pos=pos+1i: GO TO 4010
4020 IF pos=0 THEN RETURN
4030 FOR x=pos+1 TO max: LET ts(
1)70$(x): LET i-i*1: NEXT x
4040 FOR x=1 TO max: LET t$(x)=C
HRS 32: NEXT x
4050 RETURN
4100 REM Center Justify
4110 GO SUB 4000: LET o$=t$: LET
pos=max
4120 IF 0$(pos)<>CHR$ 32 THEN G
O TO 4150
4130 LET pos=pos-1: IF pos=0O THE
N GO TO 4150
4140 GO TO 4120
ie LET pos=(INT ((max-pos)/2)+
1
4160 FOR x-1 TO pos- 3: LET t$(x)
=CHRS 32: NEXT x
4170 LET ٦
4180 FOR x=pos TO max: LET t$(x)
-0$(1): LET i=i+lt NEXT x
4199 RETURN
Listing B
Once the listings A, B, and C are typed in,
RUN the program, enter some text, and then
test the options to see the routines at work.
If you are using ZEBRA SYSTEMS OS64, Chen try
replacing line 30 with LET max=64. You may
also replace the PRINT statement in line 210
with an LPRINT.
4200 REM Right Justify
4205 LET o$=t$: LET pos-max-*!
4220 IF o$(pos—1)<>CHR$ 32 THEN
GO TO 4230
4222 LET pos=pos-1
4225 IF poszO THEN RETURN
4227 GO TO 4220
4230 LET i-max
4235 FOR x-pos-1 TO 1 STEP -1: L
ET t$(i)=o$(x): LET i=i-1¢ NEXT
x
4240 FOR x-i TO 1 STEP -1: LET t
$(x)=CHR$ 32: NEXT x
4250 RETURN
Listing C
The theory behind the routines is to find
the first non-blank character in the string
whose position is placed in pos. We look left
to right, to left justify; and right to left,
to right justify. This is the point at which
we start to pick out each character and place
them from o$ into t$, starting at t$(1) or
t$(max) for left or right justification
respectively.
In order to center the string, we first
left justify the string, using a GOSUB 4000 so
there is less guess work as to where the first
non blank character is. Then we count back
through the string, looking for the first
: non-biank character, starting from position
max. We then take this value (pos), divide it
by two and add 1 (adding 1 is optional per
programmer's taste). This then gives us the
starting lefthand position within the string.
Finally the characters are picked and placed
just as in the left and right routines.
Retyped from the I.S,T.U.G newsletter..by GFC
(with minor revisions to the listings)
SINC—LINK 9
10
MODEMS
0002 a year ago, it was @entioned that
Modems were available at a very good price, anc
soge Reavers got thea. Then in July this year,
it was announced that more 800885 had been
rejeaseü ov Beil. The first lot were priced at
$42, ang the latter at $67.56. The difference
is tnat the latter lot at $67.58, are Saart
Modems, Hayes compatible, and are Auto Didi.
Sc after seeing tne demo Jeff Taylor put on, i
was hooked, l just had to get one of thee
things. I sent away for it, and got it back two
weeks later. Pretty good service.
The aodes is ۱۵۳ long 6" wide, and about i 1/4
hign. Nice light-grey plastic with darker
cover. The lower lip sticks out about an inch,
and this contains ail the lights, as weli as
Pressure Membrane switches. There are 5
numbered switcnes to carry most-used nuabers in
aemory. Tnere are actually 38 82۵0۲۷ celis in
che odes. inside, many flip-out chips for ease
of repair if ever needed.
Installation was siaple, or should have been.
When i connected it all up, I could not get à
dialling tone from the phone, I eventually
found (with the assistance of Senen Racki),
that the wall receptacle was sore tolerant than
the modea, to ay phone plug. After changing
that plug, | was in business. Such a seall
thing.
The ۵0060 operates either in TERMINAL or in
COMPUTER aode. To switch from Terminal to
Coaputer Mode, you have to flip off the cover,
and change a juaper plug over. Takes longer to
tell than it does to do.
[n Terainal Mode the controls op the front are
operative, but not in Computer Mode, as all the
commands cose íroa the keyboard. The lights of
course perfora their functions in all aodes. |
elected for Coaputer Mode.
| then loaded in "ü-Code Terminal” and
proceeded to enter some numbers into the
Directory, in anticipation of going On-Line. Of
course the first tise I use it I want to use
the Auto Dial feature, but find that this does
not work. I can Manual dial through the
keyboard, and after I get the aessage CONNECT,
I can press two periods, and get on line that
way, but that is not Auto Dial. I can go
through a whole bundle of trial and error,
whuch is of little interest to anyone , what
does matter is how I went on Auto, at least how
i did it.
SINC—LINK
in our hurry to get involveo we are 18611060 to
toss the manual aside, not reading it properly,
so after a few failures 1 went back to the
manual, re-read it, and managed to work out
what works. For ae.
The answer would appear to de to go to the
PASSWORDS, and I enter this for each nuaber:-
--) ۸۲0۲8۸۷8۵۰ (en
AT Attention (UPPER CASE IS A MUST)
D Dial (FOR ALL COMMANDS)
P Pulse.
i
nuaber ۰ Nusber to be called
T Two periods
M CTRL+H (Carriage return)
A lot of ay initial troubie was i was using
Lower Case.
When you go to Directory ( F3 DÛ You select
the number you wish to call, press ‘T° and then
'F2'. You will now hear a lot of beeps clicks
and clacks from the sodes, dialling tone, and
ringing tone, and if you are lucky à voice will
come froa the speaker in the sodes, you then
pick up the receiver and talk. Should you be
calling a BBS, the word ‘CONNECT’ will flash on
the screen, instructions will appear, and you
don't have to touch the receiver.
Using on screen cursor select nuaber fros
Directory, Press 'T' Press F2
1 have not yet tried to transfer files to or
fron as yet, as I have only had this for a
week. The real reason for this 81551۷ 15 to
let everyone know that there are still some of
those modeas left, and where to get thea. Both
aodels are available.
Rixon 212A data set for $42.66 Plus post.
BDC 212A/ED* for $57.96 Plus post.
Fros Mr Croft B. Taylor
Telecoa Canada
416 Laurier Ave. ۰
Rooa 8
Ottawa. Ont. KiP 5
You will find Mr Taylor very helpful if you
have a probles. Hake reaittance out to Croft
B. Taylor and NOT to Telecoa.
Hugh H. Howie.
PRINTER PROSE
about three months ago I decided that I had
been wishing for a printer for long enough,
agonizing over whether I really NEEDED to
spend that kind of money on my "hobby". (Sound
familiar?) I finally talked myself (read 'my
wife') into it and made the plunge. As a
resuit, George Chambers asked me to describe
ny experience (so blame him for this).
The interface, a Tasman 'B' I think, was
provided by a former club member through
George. The first thing I did upon receipt,
and before reading the instructions, was load
the Tasman driver software and tried to LLIST
the BASIC. On the first attempt, I got a
single line of characters which had been
overprinted many times. I read the printer
manual and found a possible solution. It
required a DIP switch adjustment. That done,
the LLISTing worked fine.
I then attempted to print a screen COPY.
Unfortunately, this time, each pass of the
print head was separated by a line, I decided
it was time to read the interface
instructions.
Upon doing that I found I was able to specify
the correct codes for Line Feed and Carriage
Return for my printer quite easily by
following the instructions in the BASIC
program. I also had to reset the DIP switch!
(The Moral is - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST!)
Having cleared the first two hurdles, I
decided it was time to try out some of the
fancy fonts of my Panasonic KX-P1180. It was
possible, after a fashion, to do this from ths
control panel of the printer. However, I
wanted the computer to do it! Therefore, I
looked up the section on sending control codes
to the printer in the manual and wrote a short
BASIC program to print text in Enlarged mode.
You guessed it, it didn't work.
For several hours, over two nights, I tried,
using both the Tasman driver and the V3 Larken
driver, with no luck. I was stumped. I reread
the interface manual, back issues of this
newsletter and all my magazines, over and over
until I was about to give up. Then I saw my
mistake.
In all the literature, it stated to send an
ESC character (CHR$ 27) prior to sending the
control sequence for the font required.
However, as I finally discovered, the Tasman
interface software is different. It requires
an ESC prior to each code in the escape
sequence in addition to the original ESC code.
For example, with my printer, the code
sequence given in the manual for enlarged text
is ESC+W+1 in ASCII or CHR$ 27; CHR$ 87; CHR$
1 in decimal codes. To get this to work with
the Tasman software, I had to send the
sequence CHR$ 27; CHR$ 27; CHR$ 87; CHR$ 27;
CHR$ 1. Therefore, Moral #2 is - READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
I will now mention something else that may not
be common knowledge about the Tasman
interface. It will not work with the Larken
Disk Interface. According to Larry Kenny, it
has to do with the addressing of the Tasman
interface. Apparently it is poorly buffered
(forgive me if I get this wrong Larry) and
SINC-LINK-
interferes with DOS commands. (I now use an
Aerco type interface.) This leads me into the
next part of the story.
Having to load the driver from tape each time
was getting to be a nuisance so I decided to
try using the Larken driver on the Version 3
EPROM. I read the Larken manual and found that
it requires a POKE to set up the driver for
the Tasman. That is, POKE 16096, 1. I also
knew from my past trouble that I didn't want
a Linefeed with the Carriage Return so this
required a POKE 16092, O.
I was now ready to roll. Or so I thought. I
could send text to the printer all right but
I still couid not send the control codes with
the Larken driver. This resulted in another
period of study of back issues. I finally
found the answer (but for the life of me I
can't remember where) in an article fora
different disk system. Apparently, the writer
of the article was having the same problem I
was and asked the designer what the trouble
was. The solution? Send ASCII characters
instead of SINCLAIR characters.
To do this with the Larken you have to bypass
the routine that sends the SINCLAIR character
set to the printer. This poke is found on page
9 of my Larken manual and is POKE 16093, 32.
When this is done, no SINCLAIR tokens will be
sent to the printer and ESC sequences will
work. As a result, the code sequence for
Enlarged text is CHR$27; CHR$ 87; CHR$ 1.
Incidentally, the Larken does not require the
extra CHR$ 27 required by the Tasman driver.
I am still puzzled by one thing however. I
have not been able to send control codes using
the OUT 127,CODE that I have since seen in
programs published in this newsletter. I have
checked the values for my computer (using the
familiar PRINT IN 127) and found them to be
237 when ready and 233 when not ready. All I
have gotten so far is widely spaced lines and
Characters, nothing like the effect I was
trying for. I intend to keep on trying until
I can figure it out but if someone already
knows the answer, please enlighten me.
That about sums up my experience during the
first few days with the printer. I hope this
was a help to someone.
Lionel M. Keeping
Update Magazine
1317 Stratford Ave.
Panama City, FL 32404
904 871 3556
Mews AND New PRODUCTS
11
12
DID YOU KNOW... 2068/Larken tips
** That Tasword files may be loaded into
Mscript? Assuming that both use the .CT
extension and imbedded commands are not used
the file vill load easily. The-e vill be some
clean-up required since Tasword doesn't use
carriage returns. Some words vill end up run
together and there vill be extra spaces in
places but it is relatively easy to fix with
Mscripts ‘insert space' key(1),'delete'
key(0) and 'delete left' key(9).
** That Mscript files may be loaded into
Tasword? The conversion isn't quite as easy
as above, but it can be done. Mscript uses
carriage returns (ENTER) and they will show
up in Tasword as the graphic found on the WA
key. That is your clue for paragraphs and
blank lines. If you work from the bottom of
the document and come up the paragraphs can
be separated using 'insert line' (SS-AND).
The next step is to delete all leading spaces
for any line. Then the paragraph can be
reformated with ‘reformat to end of
paragraph'(SS-STEP). The paragraph will
probably have some split words, delete extra
spaces there and reformat again if necessary.
(Taswords 'What-see-is-what-you -get' format
makes the load into Mscript easier than
vice-versa.)
** That version 3 users can save a block of
disk space when saving Artist II by adding
the line:
1 BEEP 1,1: PAUSE 80
Enter GOTO 1 and press the NMI button when
the long beep ends, press SHIFT and 1.
Version 3 owners can then rename the file by
MOVE "NMI-S1.CM","artist.B9"
or whatever name suits you. I use .Bn or .B9
to indicate NMI saves - the change from .C to
.B extension avoids adding 'CODE'. I imagine
there are other programs that can be done
this way. It also gives you a clean bottom
line when the load is completed.
** If you load a program with machine code
in a 0 REM statement that you shouldn't use
the OPEN# 4,"dd" command? BytePower programs
often use 0 REM code, so don't blame the
program if you have used a ۱00۲۲ program
with OPEN# 4. The solution is as simple as
removing 'OPEN# 4,"dd" ' and replacing 'PRINT
84' with 'RANDOMISE USR 100'. Merely trying
to CLOSER 4 doesn't resolve this problen.
This one is in the Larken instructions but
I forgot!) The lesson here is to reread the
instructions and past SINC-LINKS every So
often!)
** That version 3 owners can make any
program pause with the NMI button after
inputting the following one liner:
RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 16100, 201:
RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 8214, 16100
The program pauses when you press the
NMI button and may be resumed by pressing the
"E" key.
ex That if you all share your tips in
SINC-LINK we could all profit from it!
FL USA
Les Cottrell cocoa,
DID YOU KNOW... 2068/Larken tips
** that version 3 users can re-boot from
within any program with the NMI-F feature?
This assumes you have an AUTOSTART program
written in Basic in your booting drive.
After writing the pause routine earlier to
stop a game with a count-down clock I
started considering other ways to use this
clever feature. I had been adding the GFC
re-boot routine to my basic programs, but
many MC programs still required turning off
the computer. By installing the following
routine in my RAMdisk boot program I can now
re-boot from any program. The heart of this
program is lifted from the instructions in
the LARKEN Disk Editor instruction manual.
Once the program is loaded I merely press
the NMI button, then the "F" key and my
RAMdisk is selected and booted. Obviously
the program can be saved independently and
run from your menu or as you choose.
The first number in line 5 determines which
drive is selected: drive 0 1 2 3 4
2 4 8 16 128
This program is numbered so that it can be
merged between lines O and 10. For a stand-
alone program you may add the following two
lines:
99 RANDOMIZE USR 100: NEW
9000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE "bo
oter.B1" LINE 1
RESTORE 4
FOR a=16100 TO 16164
READ b: RANDOMIZE USR 100:
a,b: NEXT a
DATA ۱928,20 , ۵ ,2
DATA 128,50,3,32,0,0,0,0,0,
33,21,63,11,34,32,1,10,0,231, 116
,62,11,50,2,32,205, 198,0,42, 124,
32,34,51,32,42, 134,32,34,49 , 32,2
05 ,201,0,62,100,251,201,0,0,0
6 DATA 65,85,84,79 ,83,84,65,8
2,84,32
7 RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 821
4,16100
8 BEEP .5,.5: PRINT "NNI-F RE
BOOT ACTIVATED": PAUSE 100:CLS
POK
OD ھ٤ OM A
How it works:
16 1XX
00 243 DI :disable intrpt
01 205,98,0 CALL 98 :turn on cartridge
04 62,128 LD A, 128 :select drive 4
06 50,3,32 LD (8195),A
09 0,0,0,0,0 :delay
14 33,27,63 LD HL,16155 :transfer filename
17 17,34,32 LD DE,8226 :to prognm
20 1,10,0 LD BD,10
23 237,176 LDIR
25 62,11 LD A,11 :set MC load flag
27 50,02,32 LD (8194),A
30 205,198,0 CALL 198 :load name
33 42,124,32 LD HL,(8316; :aestin-start addr
36 34,51,32 LD (8243),HL istore in temp4
39 42,134,32 LD HL,(8326) :Totlen-length
42 34,49,32 LD (8241),HL :store in temp2
45 205,201,0 CALL 201 :second data
48 62,100 LD A, 100 :exit cartridge
50 251 EI senable intrpt
51 201 RET :return
52 0,0,0 :not used
55-64 characters :AUTOSTART
Les Cottrell Cocoa, FL USA
SINC—LINK
-SPECTRUM MOTHERBOARD
At some time or another, most Spectrum
owners realise the need to connect several
devices simuitaneously to the Spectrum's
expansion bus. The normal method which
is employed with commercial interfaces is
simply that of running the bus through the
interface so that the Spectrum's expansion
edge connector is duplicated to facilitate
the connection of other peripherals which
require access to the bus signals.
This seems to work reasonably well
when only one or two interfaces are
stacked together, however, it can be some-
what problematic when a large number of
external boards and devices are present or
when external modules do not possess a
“through bus" facility. The obvious answer
to this problem is the use of a “mother-
board" which makes connection to the
Spectrum's edge connector and provides a
set of identically wired connectors for
external cards and modules.
Norman Belham (from Badsey near
Evesham) has provided a simple but eleg-
ant solution to the problem of constructing
a motherboard based on commonly avail-
able copper stripboard. Norman writes:
Two pieces of Veroboard are placed
back to back (so that the track sizes are
exposed) and heid together by a Veropin
placed in each corner. A convenient avail-
able size is 36-strips each with 50-holes
(127mm x95mm).
These pieces are large enough to take a
Spectrum edge connector along one side,
across the copper tracks, and two or three
other connectors standing on the surface. If
more connectors are required,
Veroboard can be obtained 415. wide and
up to 19in. long cut to length from J. R.
Hartley of Bridgnorth.
According to ^Murphy's Law”, anything
that can go wrong will and so extreme care
is needed in construction! The double
Veroboard (arranged so that the copper
tracks are outermost) should be inserted
between the rows of pins of the edge con-
nector leaving a space, equal to about half a
pin length, between the edge of the board
and the body of the connector.
The pins should be soldered to the cor-
responding tracks on the top and under-
neath the board. It is best to solder pins at
each end first so that the connector is cor-
rectly located.
When it has been decided just where on
the surface of the board the other connec-
Fig.
tors are to be placed, it is wise to check that
they are on the top side when the edge con-
nector is mated with the Spectrum. The
pins to be soldered to the top side of the
board should be bent at right angles to their
mid-point (see Fig. 1 for details). This will
make soldering easier when several con-
nectors are in position. A piece of 0.25in.
square section beading can be used as a
bending bar.
The holes through which the other row
of pins reach the lower tracks will require
careful counter-sinking using a small drill
(1/16in. or smaller). Very light pressure
and very few turns are all that is required to
produce an insulating “collar” around each
hole.
Although the specified drill is too small
to cut away the track completely, it is better
not to drill the hole completely. (If a track
is cut accidentally, all is not lost as a small
insulated ^jumper" link can be soldered in
place). The pins may then be soldered to
the lower tracks.
Since only 28 of the tr2cks are used, the
remaining few on either side may be used
for other purposes such as an exterríal
power supply. Rigorous testing with an
Ohmmeter (multimeter set to the “Ohms”
range) is essential to ensure tht there is no
contact between tracks. If, in spite of this,
an unusual graphic display is produced
when the board is attached to the Spec-
trum, there is contact somewhere!
It is also wise to test for continuity be-
tween the pins which should be connected.
With such a large number of soldered con-
nections, a “dry” joint may slip by! Finally,
since the board does not rest on the bench
or table surface when mated with the Spec-
trum, suitable rubber or plastic feet should
be fitted.
The above article also works
on TS1000s and 2068s.
This article appeared in the
July 1989 issue of EVERYDAY
ELECTRONICS, a UK magazine
available here. It publishes
a Spectrum column every month.
1. Suggested Motherboard
design from Norman Belham of
TOPSIDE
NY SDSS
Badsey.
TOPSIDE
Pace چ =
UNDERSIDE
SINC—LINK
13
14
UL
EDE” S
Hote book
gy requires
ions so that readers
tand what che author
to Say. In various
eramainot
Lo
definit
5
Shopper, often the writers
assume that the reader knows
ati the terms and yargon. Here
are a few to heip you ta
find your way through this
rapidiy growing yungte.
BANK-5WITCHING.
This is the ability to use more
than one set of memory chips
at different times, uhile
giving them different
addresses. This makes it
possible to fit a Computer
with more memory than it Was
designed for; simply store
some data in one set of chiPs,
then switch over and use the
other set. The TS2065 has only
38652 bytes FREE on start up
and that’s for program and
data. By using Static RAM
Chips mounted in the Larken
RAMDISK board, it is possible
to add up to 256 kilobytes of
extra memory for data. Even
the IBM PC uses this technique
to expand its memory from the
basic 640K. Bank switching is
also used uith the PC on
advanced cotour graphics cards.
CHIPS (integrated Circuits),
These are electronic devices
comprising many miniature
transistors and other carcuat
elements on a single Silicon
wafer about 174 inch square.
A static RAM chip used on the
RAMDISK board witi store 32K
of data; aight of these wa LI
store 256K.
The ultimate integrated
circuit is the microprocessor
which is a Single chip that
contains the complete
arithmetic and logic unit
(central Processing unit) of a
computer.
85-232 (Recommended Standard
2520) defines a standard way
idc of transmitting serial
data by wire. A standard RS-252
Cable can Link tuo pieces of
equipment only if one of them
is DCE {pata Communications
Equipment) and the other is
DTE (Data Ierminal Equipment).
Most computer terminals are
DTE; most modems are DCE.
CCE uses conductor 2 for input
and 3 for output; DTE uses
conductor 3 for input and 2
for output.
DESKTOP.
The, opening
oriented ope
catled a des
a blank spac
obyects can
Desktop Publ
being used t
SINC-LINK `
BUS.
The bus is the main avenue of
communications in a computer.
Tt comprises a set of paratte
wires to which the CPU, the
memory and all the input-
output devices are connected.
The bus contains one wire for
each kit needed to giwe the
address of a device of a
Location in memory plus one
wire for each bit af data to
be transmitted in a single
step (usually 8 bits), and
additional wires that indicate
what operation is being
performed. The bus sends data
in either direction between any
tuo components. Uithout a bus,
separate wires would be needed
for ati possible connections
between components.
COMPUTER GENERATIONS.
Computers can be divided into
fiwe generations:
First: built in the laté "Der e
and ear Lu 1-۰56 “Ss using vacuum
t LI te £. =
Second: built in the 1956076
amd 2€9€Q^s using transistors.
Third: built using chips;
those with large scale chips
۱5160 or more gates) are
often called ۷۲ ۲, - 6۲۱ ۲ 5 1 1 ۲۱
computers.
Fourth: orten viewed at
advanced third-generaticn.
Fifth: Mot uet ready tut
predicted by some ror the
LAGOS, these wall Process
knowledge instead af Just
data, €3, naturai Languages
such af English and ۳۶ ۶ ۶ 1
rather than restricted tC
programming Languages Such af
BRSIC and afstentiu Languages.
HARD DISK.
A storage medium made cor rigid
aluminum coated with iror
Cx*xide. Mom sized up to a4e-
megabutes or higher. the read-
write head travels across the
dist on a thin cushion or it
۱5 ۲۲۱۲۷۲ ever touching the
dick. WARNING! every hard dick
im use todau VILL treak dour
waithanm gust a reu! با ۶ 5 ۶ ۰ zo
make FLOppYU disk backUPs.
ISDN.
A
n ISDN (Integrated services
Digital Network) ۶ ج ۱١ خ۴ ٠١ب ٢٢٢٤
Line is an all-digital taire
crrering the abilitu to SET d
and receive digital amd voice
data without a HOER,
RECORD. |
E RECORD is a collection cr
related data items. A
collection or records i£ a
FILE. A record can Ee brcker:
down into FIELDS with one each
for, Say: name, street, city,
province, phone number, etc.
T Gmclude this item because
come writers get conrused amd
rerer to records as rilest.
r am indebted to the Barron's
Dictionaru of Computer Terms
Second Edition 1989
far much of the above
material. Bob Mitchell.
900113.
truaent
e time ۰
c
5 i ins
! op tie Ae for quite soa
take a Miracle Systeas.
look a 8L MIDI dy
interfaces allow i
chines, etc, to te linked toget
ود te with each other. When
ma
۴ D
e
=
<r 2
m
t rou
or sound avallau
“t stop there. You can
e piece while you piay
e computer will merge the
00
0۷3۲0۰ But i es
request that tne coaputer play the
another part, such as naraony. The
two parts together kien E back the E
'aultiple tracking’. Some coaputers
tracks allowed, but 8 MIDI lets you
lay track over track until you run out of mewory. With a
decent sythesizer you can nave a whole orchestra at your
finger tips. Of course there are many aore functions
avallaüle, but ۱۳۱۱ concentrate on the ones offered in the
QL MIDI package Dy Miracle Systeas.
way. This is called
lialt the nuaber of
<
fioppy is nignly
ا Aa l'a not sure how auch id ücaüry you
ABSOLUTELY need, but 1 think 256K should be enough to let
tne prograa run. The gore you have, the better though!
i ordered tne 0 MIDI froe ماود late last spring.
arrived in about 34 weeks with everything I
eded except the cables to link the instrument.
nat tiae it costed $137.95 US, and should be about
(although not advertised in their catalogue, 10۷ تقة
ink Sharps stili e ۱:۲۰ I bougòt some
s frog the Shack and was on ay way. With no previous
ure to MIDI, i didn't know what to expect, so Î just
0 tite software in anticipation. The Pont A
iddds an intro screen, che CES fo resei
08 e, ER رسود 6 lans w with a f
۶ 2 2
gè
Ka
did
at I/0 to ñ A
along with 3 E vērsi
Works very euch like an ` avironment - you use a
joystick in CTRLI or cursor keys with space to
00 bar on the desired option, then press
it is VERY easy to use. The aanual is supplied
and explains the functions quite well.
Ei
rta
of raw Am 3 و
(Une 0 id .5 08915
=
D er
Ei
“ou
er
te
CH
=r
:لج
e
ge
el Bwat un
i eA Ur oe
- رج سم سہ ہے ہم raise
75
1
.یسم
Les
Kid
a
r^
TI
om
«
"m
ح-
m
ge
. nen using 1/0,
o s 50۷ or FLP (1 or
d to any other device
3 ad io - mi 5555 AEN) ib
su
a de
Cr
Dr
گ5
mMm ہہ
kan bé
zo?
Oe
a computers
t would be à
ee on d
Vi ZI» ÉE C.
nd
li
d
md.
SK
bn
iie
neagy interface you can j
BI and network it to n Lè
i d very good produc
anybody that pana to nave the
ré about it,
a quick tip that anyone with aore than one 8
yen useful, You can link up your computers
y described in the user's dalal. when y
(nat do you do? Sure you can transfe
ata, Gut is that all? NO? You can
each computer reaotely by either o
5۰ oe you Can issue
t ;
you 8
program et
zi ۱
CH muc E
۱
c مم
93 c
cr Vi
fh C^ ہے "EI
= ca Zi
I» c
T
ci
f C
uc
E
n
Wi
- ہیا
Cr
us
EI
co
A
E) pen:
Zi D) ra
m
&.
-
ze e bn zm E senz
~ Vi
۰
PA
c
ہے
Vi 74
kolik:
SINC—LINK
15
16
nette از از از از هر ار :۱ او رز از بر اد از ار ار جر بر از ار ار ×× از ار از از ار از از از کار
* OTHER USES FOR THE T/S 2068 LARKEN RAMDISK f
×۱ ۶ ۶ 2 2:۱ 2: ۱ ۱۶ 8 ۱ ×۰ را 8× را از ALARA
LARRY CRAWFORD 357 REYNOLDS RD
LONDON ONT CANADA N6K 2P8
BACKGROUND
The LARKEN RAMDISK banks are all mapped into the
DOCK bank of the 2868 even though the board is
plugged into the back expansion slot.
Consequently, it is possible to load any of the
RAMDISK banks with data for a database or
spreadsheet. This means that up to 256K more
information can be handled and increases the
usefulness of the "old workhorse” dramatically.
It is also possible to load a DOCK bank with code
Which simulates a BASIC cartridge (AROS) and to
run that code as a BASIC or m/c program. This is
What cartridges do.
LARKEN BANK SWITCHING
First of all, the 2068's RAM is organized into 8
chunks of 8K each. Normally, with Display File 1
in use, the bottom two contain ROM and the next
one the system variables and ROM routines which
are moved to RAM on power-up. These 3 chunks
should not be disturbed.
The LARKEN RAMDISK board uses the top 4 chunks (4
to 7) to make up a bank. A bank is made active by
switching off the HOME RAM chunks 4 to 7 and
turning on one of the RAMDISK banks. The active
bank is actually treated as a DOCK bank. Thus the
RAMDISK board holds up to 8 DOCK banks which can
be selected from the keyboard.
HOW?
Which chunks are active in HOME and which active
in DOCK is controlled by the Horizontal Select
Register (HSR) located in PORT 244 (F4 her). The
individual bits which make up the byte in the port
determine in which bank the corresponding chunk
Will be active. ۸ zero bit means the chunk is in
HOME. Since we want to use the top 4 chunks in
DOCK, we will load the HSR with 11110900 binary
(244 decimal). Thus «OUT 244,244» activates the
DOCK bank.
WHICH DOCK BANK?
LARKEN uses PORT 7 to select the one to be
activated. Actually, any bank less than 8 will
Work since the address lines are not completely
decoded. The second page of the LARKEN RAMDISK
notes gives the code numbers corresponding to the
banks: Bank ABCDEFGH
Code 73516249
Thus «OUT 7,7» will select bank A. Further, LARKEN
uses bit 6 of PORT 7 to control the WRITE-PROTECT
circuitry of the RAMDISK board. A zero in bit 6
puts the bank in the READ-only mode. To be able to
load data into the bank, we must add 08
binary (64 decimal) to the bank code number.
Therefore, «OUT 244,240: OUT 7,71» will permit us
to put data into DOCK bank A.
WHAT CAN BE PUT INTO IT?
Strictly code. I use two of the banks to hold
records for a database program. It switches the
banks in or out as needed to add records or to
Sort them.
The code, however, can be in the form of an AROS
cartridge and therefore be used to hold a BASIC
program.
HOW TO SAVE THE RAMDISK BANK
Any data read into the bank would destroy the
existing data. To preserve the RAMDISK, enter the
following: OUT 244,240: OUT 7,7 :RANDOMIZE USR
100: SAVE "RAMDSK.Cl" CODE 32768,32768. The
contents of bank A will now be safely on floppy
and we can mess around with the bank as much as we
want. The DOCK bank, however, is still active and
needs to be turned off.
HOW TO GET BACK TO NORMAL
The commands «OUT 244,0: OUT 7,0» will do the job.
With a zero in the HSR via PORT 244, all bits are
zeros and all chunks of RAM will be active in
HOME. The zero to PORT 7 will turn return to bank
H which has a code of zero. This is the normal
condition for RAMDISK.
BANK H - ۸ SPECIAL CASE
When the computer is turned on or NEWed, it checks
the DOCK to see if an AROS is present. If one is,
it is automatically activated. Since bank H is
really bank 0, a simulated AROS loaded into this
bank will run if the «NEW? key is pressed. If you
want a permanent AROS in bank zero, install a
switch in the line running from pin 1 of the 74145
to pin 20 of the H RAM chip. I have HOT-Z in the
socket. Without the switch, 107-1 would run every
time the computer was booted.
If you wish to put an EPROM in the bank, it would
be prudent to disconnect pin 28 of the socket from
the RAM power supply buss and connect it to the
TTL buss, Otherwise, there would be a heavy drain
on the backup batteries.
HOW TO RESTORE THE RAMDISK BANK
«OUT 244,240: OUT 7,71: LOAD “RAMDSK.C1"CODE> will
SINC—LINK
put the RAMDISK bank ۸ back in the RAM chip. Don't
forget to «OUT 244,0»
SIMULATING AN AROS CARTRIDGE
Àn AROS cartridge must have 8 "overhead" bytes
Starting at 32768 (8090 hex) to give the computer
the information it needs to run the BASIC program.
See page 189 of the Tech Manual.
For our demo we will POKE into bank A the
following bytes: 1,2,8,128,15,1,0,8.
The first 1 indicates that this is a BASIC
"cartridge",
The 2 signals AROS as opposed to LROS, a Language
cartridge.
The 8 and 128 form the beginning address of the
BASIC program (low byte first). In this case the
BASIC will be at 8:256*128-32776 or 8008 hex.
The 15 (99091111 bin) means that chunks 4 to 7
Will be active in the DOCK bank. This is exactly
opposite to the format for the HSR.
The second 1 denotes an Autostart for the program.
The two zeros reserve no bytes for m/c variables.
The BASIC program will be loaded as code starting
at 32716.
CREATING AN AROS
l. Save RAMDISK bank A as described earlier and
then key in OUT 244,0
2. Key in 18 CLS: PRINT "OK": STOP
20 OUT 244,240: OUT 7,71
39 RESTORE: FOR X= 32768 TO 32775:
READ Y: POKE X,Y: NEXT X
48 DATA 1,2,8,128,15,1,0,0
50 OUT 244,4
3. SAVE as "test. BIN
4. SAVE as "test.Cl"CODE PEEK 236351256123636,1000
The peeks simply find the address of the start
of the BASIC program. It is moved up 5@ bytes
if the large printer is active. The 1999 is an
arbitrary number large enough to be sure that
all of the program is saved.
5. Now «GOTO 20». This will put the "overhead
bytes" for the AROS in place. je
6. Key in OUT 244,240:>L0AD "test.Cl"CODEk OUT 244
,8. This will put the BASIC program into the
"cartridge",
7. Press «NEW? key. This activates the AROS and
Line 18 of the program should run.
9. If you saved a RAMDISK bank earlier,
back in.
load it
RUNNING AN AROS (BASIC IN DOCK)
If DOCK bank n contains an AROS, then «OUT 7,bc:
NEW» will RUN it (bc is the LARKEN code for bank
n). It's that simple.
STORING AN AROS
If the code is to be left in a DOCK bank and
maintained with the battery backup, it should not
be in a bank that was formatted as a RAMDISK bank.
If the bank is in Drive 4, then keep the AROS on
floppy and load it in when you need it.
RUNNING AROS FROM DOCK AND BASIC IN HOME
Programs can exist in both banks and either one
can be RUN. Which one is active depends on the
contents of the aros flag at 23750. A zero at this
address will allow the HOME bank program to be
run. À 128 there activates the DOCK program.
À program in DOCK cannot be listed nor can it be
edited. So if you attempt to enter a line and
can't, you know that you are in DOCK and must
return to HOME.
Steps to run both:
1. Boot the DOCK program with «OUT 7,bc: NEW.
This MUST be done first to let the computer
know that an AROS is present.
2. Key in POKE 23750,0 to activate HOME bank.
. Load in the BASIC program.
POKE 23750 with 8 or 128 depending on the bank
wanted and then RUN or GOTO the appropriate
line number.
0
۰
SUMMING UP
The ability to use the RAMDISK banks for other
purposes expands the usefulness of the 2068
dramatically. Data that could not be handled by
the unexpanded machine can now be dealt with
easily.
Huge BASIC programs can be broken down into
segments, stored in DOCK banks, and called into
action as needed by a short controlling program.
This would leave most of HOME RAM free for the
storage of data.
Expansion of the 2068 makes economic sense too,
removing some of the pressure to move on to a
bigger machine that can't be tinkered with.
What we need now is a mess of programs that
exploit this potential.
For starters, George Chambers has two of mine. One
is a database and the other a HOME/DOCK program
handler. Ask him for them.
Explore and enjoy! Larry C
SINC—LINK
17
18
TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Converting to Larken Disk Operation
by G. Chambers
Trivial Pursuit is & computer program which
is played much like the original board version.
In addition to the initial program load, there
are 6 further blocks of code which may be
loaded, to provide additional game questions.
Capturing the initial program to the Larken
disk format was relatively easy. Simply a
matter of doing an NMIstype SAVE. However, the
matter of modifying the program to load the
code blocks was more formidable. This article
will describe the approach taken.
First, a search was made of the Trivial
Pursuit program to locate the LOAD code. The
program was broken into by attempting an NMI
save to a protected disk. This produced a “disk
protected” error report, and we were back in
Basic, though with the TR. PURS. code still in
the computer. In the possibility that the
program used a Spectrum call to the LOAD
routine at address 1366, a short for/next
program loop was used to look for any sequence
of 5 and 86 (5*256+86) in the program. As luck
would have it one was found at address 42932.
Then a disassembler program was loaded. I used
a TIMACHINEscompiled Spectramon program
("spec48.Cc", on club Larken disk #17) loaded
at address 48000. On the first attempt the
computer locked up. I retried it, this time
doing a CLEAR 65000 before loading the
disassembler. Seems as though the stack was in
the area where the disassembler went. The CLEAR
65000 moved it up out of the way.
I then looked through the code looking for
JUMPs to the loading call at 42931. I found
several. The LOAD routine is very involved. It
is designed to cope with any tape loading
errors. If & LOAD error occurs the program will
put out & message to that effect, and get back
into the LOAD mode again. Hence I found several
JUMPs to the loading code. After a number of
false starts I settled on address 42647 to
insert a CALL to my “disk save" routine.
I should mention that I had written a
suitable routine to handle the disk LOAD
function. I had also located an empty area in
the TR. PURS. code at about address 65360. The
starting address for this code would be 65370.
The address 42647 that I mentioned earlier
containd a CALL to display a tape load
instruction on the screen. Immediately
following it was an instruction which when
followed led to the CALL to the LOAD routine in
the Spectrum ROM. I decided to substitute the
existing call (at 42647) with one that would
CALL my disk LOAD routine at 65370.
In trying out this change I found that the
disk save worked. However it was followed by a
tape load attempt. The next thing to do was to
bypass this tape load function. In searching
the code I found that there were several CALLs
in the code which led to address à2931, i.e.
the Spectrum ROM loading routine. After a
number of false starts I decided to delete the
actual CALL to the Spectrum ROM. I inserted
three 0's, starting at address 42931. It
worked. It seems as though the CALLS to the ROM
were bypassed, which was what was hoped for.
Of course I mention that it worked. It was
not quite so simple as this. I had to save the
blocks of code (the "questions" code) to disk.
Although these blocks had & header, the code
refused to load into the computer on its own.
Further, none of my header reader programs
could pick up the header. Nor could they
identify the starting address. All they could
identify was the code length. Each block of
code was a different length, though they were
all about 16700 bytes long.
I located the starting address as follows.
First I made a false header by entering a
direct command SAVE "test" CODE 30000, 16695:
and saving the first header part to a separate
tape. Then I reloaded this header, moved the
TR.PURS. code tape to just past it's header,
and loaded the second part of the code. It
loaded. I then looked at the first three or
four addresses at 30000, and wrote them down.
I mention that I had no knowledge of where
the starting address might be. This is not
quite correct. In looking at the code with the
disassembler I had come across several bits of
code which looked as though they might be part
of the loading process. The address 43008 was
included in several places
The next thing to do, was to confirm that
this suspicion was correct. I loaded the
program TR. PURS. into the computer from tape,
and then loaded the first block of (questions)
code. Then I broke into the program and
inspected it for the newly loaded code. The
first time I tried that I was unsuccessful. The
sequence that I had written down was not to be
found. Most peculiar. I suspected that the code
had been modified in some way or transferred
immediately after completion of the load.
On my next try I stopped the computer
(using the ۵ disk routine)
whilst in the middle of the tape loading
process. This time I was successful. I found
MR goas started at the anticipated address
3008.
Now to deal with the code loading routine
from disk that I had written. If you look at
the disassembled code you can see that first
there is a Disable Interrupt instruction at
65370. This prevents the keyboard from
interrupting the disk load process. The CALL 98
calls up the Larken DOS, then there is a m/c
LDIR routine that transfers the name
"genus2.Ci" from address 65427 into the Larken
DOS at address 8226. After the LDIR routine,
the actual load takes place. Following that, at
address 65414, there is a routine to increment
the number "2" in the title "genus2.Ci"(at
address 65432) to "3". This is so that the
program will load successive code blocks. These
code blocks were given the same name,
"genusx.Cl"; the "x" being "2" for the first
block, "3" for the next, and so on with the
last block containing a "7".
The code loader ends by returning from the
Larken DOS at 65421, finishing with the RET at
address 65422 which returned program operation
back to address 42650 in the TR. PURS.
4F ¥ جج ج جو جو 4F جر 4F HF HÊ ہو ےر ہر
SINC—LINK
TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Disk Loading Code
FEATURES...
LARKEN PRESENTS —
| UP TO 256K RAM for your 2068
- Expand your 2068 with up to 254K of battery backed up Ras
- Larken Operating system lets you SAVE to METTE like
: 65310 F3 DI cassette or disk. Floppy disk not regared )
` 65371 00 OP. :
65372 00 NOP
65373 00 NOP
65374 CD6200 CALL 98
65377 2193FF LD HL ,65427
65380 112220 LD DE, 8226
65383 010A00 LD 80,0
65386 0 LDIR
65388 3EOB LD A,11
65380 320220 LD (8194) ,A AERCO RAMEY or OLIGER Disk users can add LKdos for mare
65393 CDC600 CALL 198 ce PRICE - Cartan Floppy Disk Sates Ze ve
65396 2100A8 LD HL ,43008 Siete MEME ee
65399 223320 LD (8243) , HL
65402 213D41 LD HL, 16701 - 11-81 Floppy Interface ( 15 (71۰
65405 223120 LD (8241; ,HL یں 2 t tareas or iow Sisk IF
65408 CDC900 CALL 201 سر چو مو نان aa
65411 346400 LD A,(100) EE BE AT E CATS O E
65414 3A98FF LD A, (65432)
65417 3C INC A
65418 329877 LD (65432) ,A SHARPS IS THE
65421 FB EI
65422 CS RET LARGEST OL
65423 00 NOP
65424 00 NOP SOFTWARE AND
65425 OO NOP
65426 00 NOP HARDWARE
65427 103 g
65428 101 e DEALER!
65429 110 n e
65430 117 u
E ae 5 WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG
65433 46 ۱
65434 67 C Sharp S, Inc.
65435 49 1 pm Rt. 10, Box 459
65436 32 ~~ Mechanicsville, VA 23111
65437 0 (804) 746-1664 or 730-9697
Ge S : PRINTER MITH THIS SOFTHARE Niso available fron BYIE 1
: 8 PROGRAMS AND OVER 150 praat GLASS Cours Res: 155: && سو
E رت
| RE fU rier eres مجع که 5:6
“ QUICK SCREEN ano THE CREATOR BYTE POKER MAGAZINE.
YOUR PAINTER COME TO LIFE! dno i jus (8 4ACK/ CURRENT). + 48: 88
Cones QN 2 TAPES IN a HIGH es ie Zeus 09
| SUPER® INSTRUCTION MANUAL. FIRST CLASS PACK... $40. 0
VEA قرو eer n e oe
Eric Esisvert POWER The Print Factory...$¢2.% ppd BEST Or BOARD ۰ $22.95
A TRUE eat LOO 276 y AR E A AR Te
SYSTEM! CHECK OUT THESE U.S. FADS OLY. ALL ٥۶5
INCLUDE SHI PPING/MANDLI NG
CHARGES
-ONLY 1536 BYTES LONG AND
EIS 4148-۶ ANYHHERE SET HEEN
38880. a 64008!
- ee jr SpECTRuM 6
COMPATIBLE!
-HANDLES AL stanoano 0
۱ GEP | oo) ۱
COMMANDS.
-BDONDER FLICKER COLORS
SELECTABLE. (ANY COLOR AT ALL!)
Heu COMMANOS SUCH A& NO MESSAGE
READER!
ayo RATES FROM 1500 ue ro 0
-Uses 4 PRINT SU: 1/0 commano
"Computer still
in the shop, Jenkins?"
TED TROGDON, SINGER COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
: SINC—LINK | 19
20
QLIPS
The other day I had a problem and strange
things were happening. Lockups, crashes, some
corruption. I evenyaully changed my Disk Drive
#1 to #2, and #2 to #1, as my problem appeared
to be when I used a certain disk. In the
process I had to open them up to make the
necessary changes, and while doing this I
noticed a couple of little plugs appeared to be
sliding off the sockets, tightened them up, and
this cured my lockup lost-data problen.
Next day, my problem was somewhat different,
in the middle of a programme, there would be
blue flashes crossing the screen. My first
thought was how the solar flare activity could
do this to me, so I scrubbed this idea, and
thinking I had perhaps altered something on my
Disk change-over, went through all the cable
connections I could think of. Whatever happened
the flashing went away.
Then we had another problem. On power up, the
screen on my RGB would go GREEN, and that was
it. At this point I resorted to my old radio
days when we had all those little bottles
(called TUBES or VALVES ) inside a receiver or
transmitter, I gave the table a thump, and
the monitor a bump, and lines disappeared.
Later I just happened to come across an article
in an old CURRY report, and I thought it might
be of interest to someone out there. The issue
was Vol. 2 No 11 Dated November 15.1986. and I
would like to pass this on.
Here is the QOUTE from page 5 :-
"The most common ‘downtime problem’ with QL's
seems to be either bad microdrives or video
problems. Video is usually confined to faulty
ram chips or a defective 2X8301. With early or
‘low’ serial numbers, the 2X8301 chip could be
‘popped out very easily from its socket.
Unfortunately with higher serial number QL's, a
lot of ‘superfluous’ material in the way of
wires, etc. cover the top of the chip. Needless
to say, this makes it much harder to replace.
Generally speaking, if on power up you get a
"green screen’ it is a problem with ram chips.
If you power up, get a logo screen, etc and
then the video goes down (slowly or otherwise),
it is probably the ZX8301. [ see Service
Manual]
For those of you who suspect the ‘lockups’ your
QL experience is due to the voltage regulator,
you might try removing the 7805 and replacing
it with a 7880 aich is bigger and stronger.
This was mentio: . by a QUANTA member in Kenya.
You can also add.... a 0.1mf capacitor. This
sequence does not even need the use of a
soldering iron. If you open the Keyboard, the
7805 will be screwed onto the heatsink which is
located behind the microdrives. Undo the
heatsink screws, unplug the 7805 from the
flying leads, and remove the unit. Then, screw
a new regulator on and while you are plugging
the leads back in, you can put the wires from
the capacitor in that same socket.
End of quote from Curry report vol. 2 no li.
So there you are, was my thump on the table
enough to re-settle the chips to where they
should be ? I don’t know, but at least the
blue flashes have not come back, and my screen
does not go green now.
By the way, we have a number of the CURRY
REPORT on hand, if you are interested in
reading them let me know. Lots of goodies.
On the subject of QL problems, ( Is there any
other QL subject?) Say you have a Miracle 512
expansion, and then a Cumana interface plugged
into this, you would be well advised to use a
support at the extreme left end of the ADD-ONs,
an old microdrive case is juat about the right
size. It must be remembered that the
connections are very short and give no support
Whatever to the extentions, hence the need for
a little support.
Another idea is to ensure your QL LEGS are long
enough. After a period of use, feel the
underside of the QL, and you will find it is
quite hot, mine is, and I have a good space
between the Ql and the table. I Can't imagine
the build-up of heat if it were not for the
longer legs.
H. H. H.
SINC—LINK
VIDEOTEX
oe ? Written for use with the S.M.U.6. Video Digitizer.
- ? Capture and display thirteen different full-screen =
greyscale shadings of a digitized video image. S
? Greyscaled isages can be inverted, horiz. tlipped,
filtered, and saved for use with drawing prograas.
> Special "overlay" option allows for even more
creative possibilities and special effects.
> Complete User Notes plus information relating to
Customizing VIDEOTEX for other storage media and
full-sized printers is included.
Ze Kä
pom
Above greyscales
made w/VIDEOTEX.
9 tans
Les ا
b andy b Ce,
ATAN ———— بح
e ات هم oO
TET NOT poo
tuv cR WE
اج رس SS
۳۹ : GE SE ES
J ye EE
7 d Tern
د کے سج
سد Mo =
E : 2 KE
SE AE
D ce E
A
SINC—LINK
VIDEO 3-D
( Generates 3-D representat ions of digitized video images saved
as aaster video files 1۰+
> Normal and "inverted* 3-D effects are possible.
> Four selectable Z-axis "depths".
> A 3-D representation can be auto-colorized with either of two
color palettes.
> A 3-D representation can be inverted, horizontally flipped,
and saved for use with drawing prograss.
> Coaplete User Notes plus information relating to custoaizing
VIDEO 3-D for use with other storage aedia and full-sized
printers is included.
VIDEOCOPY
* For hardcopying digitized video images saved as master video
files with VIDEOTEX to an OKIMATE 20 printer (using an IBM
parallel Plug ’n Print cart.). Not for use with other color
printers or other OKIMATE 20 Plug ’n Print cartridges.
? Both black k white and hi-res auto-colorized hardcopies are
supported.
( 13 different full-screen greyscalings can be viewed, inverted,
and horizontally flipped before har dcopying.
? Automatically colorized digitized video igages Can be copied,
? A "Color Editor" is available for user-assigned "colarizing'.
> Complete User Notes plus inforaation relating to custoaizing
VIDEGCOPY for use with other storage sedia is incluced,
tt ——ÀÀ——— MÀ —— ——À —— MÀ — — M a €
Utm ÁÀ— M کے — MÀ vm س vm vm vm um
کہ € — سیه کے مت o wen M کے کے کے M — — 4 کے کے —— e» سر — —— س کے tan e نے نے نے ےب کے کا
PRICE EACH
$9.95 ppd
VIDEO 3-D
mm mm که — e مه که جه مه که هه جه am که که up UP مه که M که که سه UD سه که که که که جه که wm ween کے مت مت M — — mm Oe enn ena
VIDEDCOPY
(Pre-paid orders only please.) TOTAL ENCLOSED))
SEND ALL ORDERS/INQUIRIES TO:
John McMichael, 1710 Palaer Dr., Laramie, WY 82070
21
۹.۰ Presents
The 1990 SINCLAIR COMPUTER Exposition
MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
June 2 & 3 /Banquet Friday Night June 1
SEMINARS, DOOR PRIZES, SWAP SHOP,
SOFTWARE, PERIPHERALS, HARDWARE,
AND LOTS OF OTHER STUFF
Location
WAUKESHA HOLIDAY INN (414) 786-0460
Hwy 18 & 194 Waukesha, WI 53186
There will be a SNUG meeting Saturday Night June 2, 1990
Ticket Information:
in advance at the door
One day : § 4.00 $ 5.00
Both days : $7.00 $ 9.00
Banquet : $16.00 $16.00 Limited seating
Table : $25.00 (incld. 2 day badge) $25.00 Limited table space
Tables are 6 feet by 30 inches
For MORE INFORMATION contact
Bill Heberlein Neal Schultz
5052 N. 91st Street Or call 7 - 10pm
Milwaukee, WI 53225 (414) 353-4522
for RESERVATIONS mail to:
Expo Reservations
P.O. Box 101
5 Butler, WI 7
ENS CPU ————————— €
Name Phone ( )
Address
City State Zip
Please reserve one day badge @ $4.00 each =$
Please reserve two day badges @ $7.00 each =$
Please reserve Banquet tickets @ $16.00 each =$
Please reserve 6' x 30" tables @ $25.00 each = $
I have included a check/money order for total = $
22 SINC—LINK |
netus Lak
edi!
ا 1 8 85
ا اتا
١٦ ٢٤ل a :اجعتاتت
a
D ai "Te Y A vds F dev DENM
Lf 24111. A GPL )انا de fac
Kär vk ei i ER a 0907 Ce ba die. cue P Jon TA Aet Se
mann Eh. T can uh LIDD o one of them out of thin
Mitcheli
hl NTRUS
muktine into
n Ehe
hold i
Meli i sent
Prom uou.
the AUTOS
He into has
START
further,
L445, That way
menu PEGG AM ل٣
161700,
ae کو
Lir
KZ
€—
caos
de a
He TY
He
a bit mode i AL TA
t ۳۹ ا pi
pea hawg tu
hit
" E c 5 a
hor
fuit
Then
Dä
in the
ts boobed in:
rvoutine i
ART progr
itself.
peata رک
QURE D 2
mant
POs,
DOS AU Ck
upwards OF
ay 1ت an
into the
3ت
Thi:
thing جس
Space
in ihe
deo othe
skart ing
CH
in Sie am
Bas ne Tam ppc ic] da E
LISE bli EG and also a
مس
Ei
addres
Reset ALLE 5 yie Other még routines thak te
E
but the
choosing 246
'm Sending
an article a
ane could
QU LS لت
Fui to
he izaj
to
tion
e c CS
S104
in
MOYO
AUF
REG A ted
for the routine.
wank to unite
Where, if ane
Ba That might
es t
òf
stoQrade area
Oi
LF uit
Shall
Lt
mer
di
m
m
je
Wi
cf
Gester
[ Comte
"Aaa
SPELT
acra
Fr OT
te? TÛ
hambar
Lët C
laj zi
af
Dou ik
ت٣ت تا lem?
FOU Sei
the
article,
part oF
thie وت ہہ
ties.
do Cam
3 سر
A
yo =
it ee of getting at my correspondence!
=
=>
H
i
, و ای AATEC
prompt a
I've been mmi.
putting an LDIR rout!
FA
whole
Dr
EE UL
dy gr
EI toO anu
llave a
whole
"eut
Around with
ALTA
7 ۵
2 REM by Les Cottrell,
with mods by Geo Chambers
15 RESTORE 30: FOR a=2u495 TO
24575
20 READ b: POKE quos
30 DATA 243, 205, 98,0
YO DATA 33,195, 95, 17,228, 62,1,
58,0, 237,176,58,100,0, 251, 201
50 DATA 243,205,98,0, 62
60 DATA 128, 50,3, 32,33,20, 5 وت
7, 34,32,1,10,0,237,176,62,11,50,
2, 32,205, 198,0, 42, 124, 32, 34,51,23
2, 42, 134, 32, 34, 49, 32, 205, 201,0,6
2,100,251, 201,0
70 DATA 65,85, 84, 79, 83,84, 65,8
2, 84, 32,0,0,0
80 RANDOMIZE USR 24495
9O RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE S21
4, 16100
100 BEEP .5,.5: PRINT "NMI-F Re
boot activated": PAUSE O: CLS
8999 STOP
2000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE "NM
IF. 83"
9010 REM This SAVE puts the code
into DOS at address 16100
NEXT a
MM € t MÀ MM ÀÀÀ—À—— À—MÀ—ÀÀÀÀ—ÓÀ
24495
24496
24499
24502
24505
24508
24570
24512
24514
24515
24516
24519
24521
24524
24527
24530
24533
24535
24537
24540
24543
24546
24549
24552
24555
24558
24560
24561
24562
24563
24564
24565
24566
24567
24568
24569
24570
24571
24572
24574
F3
CD6200
21C35F
1 1EYSE
Q13400
EDBO
346400
FB
c9
F3
CD6200
3E80
320320
21143F
112220
01 0
EDBO
JE 0B
320220
CDC600
2A7C20
223320
2A8620
223120
0 0
364
FB
C9
00
41
55
54
YE
23
با5
41
52
54
2000
00
MAR 17 ‘30
98
HL, 24575
DE, 16100
8C, 58
A,(100)
98
A,128
(8195),A
HL, 161498
DE, 8226
BC, 10
A,11
(8194),A
198
HL,(8316)
(8243),HL
HL, (8326)
(8241 J, HL
201
A, 100
`. e
جح و و و و م دم چ
TOO TRB TPO
N
E
ہا
N
E
32 PRINT #od:GO
“PRIB
E
erm ET
end کے Lie
1 i # LG Se
i610
I
+
D
LA
EE EE 4
CC
EA pa.
a B3 KA RO تح BA rà
4508
4510
24513
e445 14
4515
24527
24529
24529
24532
24535
208
4540
24542
245 45
549
24551
24554
24557
20
4563
24565
24564
24567
24552
TERA
"a RAMDOMI
BodiPOKE
FS
CDS200
Kee e
LIBS3F
014100
EDBO
356434 an
ER
CF
F3
CLéZOD
AE نان
S203
00
DC
00
00
00
ZIED3F
izzz
O1L0400
EDRO
Soe
OO
cDCanü
28 CAD
men Ae Zeile
siber Send Seed okenn tenn مق
ZABÈZO
شات کا E
CDCYOD
AE ZA
FR
T ol«-ofenf*
ob:aGo SUB V
USR kan " 2449
VAL "S214", VAL
1 me c
fU c
La
=
p
38
HL. 24515
DE, 16310
BC. 65
FD
[i nr
A, (100)
111
a
T
NOP
NOP
NOP
NOP
LD Hl.» 16345
LD 066
LD BC,10
LDIR
LD Ay li
LD — (8194),A
CALL 198-
LD HL, (8316)
LD (8243),HL
LD وال TOSSES)
LD (B41 ),HL
CALL 201
LD A, 100
EI
RET.
NOP
NOP 7
NOP
Loto "aM
WAIN E
UR&UTOETAET |
24499
مد
ape
24505
24506
24507
24508
34509
T4510
24511
34512
Taig
74514
SERA
ze516
4317
24518
4519
24520
kal
پت شس
ao sa
E
EE
Bp
PEE
82
تج
ات
BEE
isi
g
35
E
iw RS ra mea Go PM UE KA e RRS ما
iio odio
3 Lines sf ced سے o
l ۱ MY الاباه BUS MENUS
iüoGo TO YAL "30" gege
zii zen ZE mut DEI LIDD,
POKE oz,YAL "16310": LET b=U5SR ou? RETURM
.DO05",oj*oj: RETURN
P S TL
" cU THETH IT ہر مسر ہے سر تا DE TI HRP,
(3 TE IN VAL "i279sVAL "237" THEN LET in-ca: RETURN
4o ir" Ll Y pti. doa 4 : DA
` A po rr TEA ese و وس کا و ہر En Et
Had: GÛ TO obiGO SUB VAL "II':1F هیا ی "IZ" THEN FOR
Til KSM Sut d ki Ex 7 1 a E ki
SPRINT Hodi PU i L "OG185",PEER isN
1d Gu noyp
itPRIBT 4
id a d wa l
LET A | >۰ 7و ; کی ہر "Ap": LET fh مایا "SUD" LET of AVAL
Se id tiU LE e - Ld E
: LET przVAL "96"
= i} ابمل
CEES تون
"146310" ۷۵ا( ۷ت3
GO TO ad: LET 1$-"rdi.Ci": PRINT ۶ LOAD I$COD
E
50 DIM dé(tol) IS
45 IF led THEN PRINT #od: OPEN #3," lp
gee ^.
(23) 205, 980 Seq! SCH 50,3 ۳
Au .]0 00 9 ر : نے 335 وت emu
23.17.34) 32: 11101 وج ۱ 247 و0 T CNET
TFs 2, 114504 2: 29 2054198 :
| 1232.42
1 Aa SE Apa. وہ با زد AZ, z05 4 201 y ü
bz, 100, 251, 20110100 65
85,044, 79,03, B49 65,92,
Fa 0O; و O, O, و O, Û
5
S
5ء 329 +124 وھ وق
DG:
Ee می
HR
Gi
D
سوہ وو
L ای
die
"I
le
m
ا
Un
[i
RARO سی (Oper ی۔ ھہ
TC: KT DEC.
CT
Aj merge
"ib ibm
EAD E
Lou
CO GET value in bos 16316.
G) code poked rue AKboS RM
(2 AL Sie from Dols مم Lei
24495 مى iT tan
Stored from 7 copy e
56۱0۵ و lot only peered $ :
b (y 123 5 So jeihel mene 13433
ete fay Ger eecor& ۰
JADoS pddr. LY عونمم
LTE و63۱( i^
GRAFIK.BI
she PW |
geing Ke Hen.
"On pe On e Cn ce Cn ep.
-
"an
i
E
d
ke ہہس
تاد De
Ké
Cl
LALA TUN LALLA LLL
Pe ne Tree D tt
OUT انا Oro
bb سح
Ae
nip
d
D
DN
de
و
i
i-a
1-41
3 Ja
TT
Lathe
e ITT
deu لس feats pede Eech jme بقع joui.
TS
[e]
CH
"e
he
ree nee C ee Cn pe £n ge Urn pe £nh
i iL fi nt Au انا nin n.p n np n i
£r n ce LT ALA nini nomi ntn
Fdo pol سو pb.
SIRI ic
dirae Cre Oro LAB
t Ul md وا الاب nnd
Q de bid tpi 0I
coU
نوات تا سا تا نب
ng MB Xn oi اله ي که
p us
A. t
e tro
yi
ہے
£
Jan/Feb 1990 January lith, 1990
cont'd January 27th, 1990
Dear Outsofatown members,
I'm writing this before the newsletter has
come out, so I can't comment on it directly. But
from the look of the material that members have
been sending in, it's likely to be pretty good.
We do appreciate the work of those members who
have submitted material. I would like to call on
those who have not contributed yet, to please do
80. It helps immensely.
The reason our newsletter is late has a bit
to do with Christmas time, and a lot to do with
an event in our Editor's life. Through the
efforts of his wife he is now the proud father
of a baby boy! Arrived just after Christmas. So
you can imagine that he has been busy. Jeff now
has a girl and a boy in his family.
His address is i Lemonwood Drive,
Islington (Toronto) M9A 4L3 CANADA. If you are
inclined, drop his wife a note; she did most of
the work!
One of our former members, Ariel Frailich,
called me a few weeks ago to tell me that he wa:
interested in clearing out his old Timex stuff.
I said that I would inquire amongst members and
see what could be sold. I managed to locate
enough persons in the local area to take most oi
the stuff, so one day I went over and picked it
up. There was & 2068, a Portuguese Disk system,
an Interface 1 with a twister board and
microdrive, a 2050 modem, a 2040 printer, a
monochrome monitor, numbers of books and
magazines, and 7 tape recorders.
I managed to clear most of it out at our
January meeting. Good job too, because it was
tending to clutter up my basement! I had the twe
systems up and running, to see how they worked.
I still have a few odds and ends, if you wish tc
inquire.
I mentioned that Ariel was a former member of
our club. He, along with Dave Ridge were the two
partners in Novelsoft, the outfit known for
ARTWORX, ZXPERT, TIMACHINE, THE WORX, and some
other programs they wrote and used to sell.
Ariel tells me that he is working on a refined
version of ZXPERT for use on MSDOS machines. It
has an application in the educational system as
a teaching tool. That is, a student works up his
study subject into a framework of ZXPERT. The
idea being that in doing so, the facts of the
subject become fixed in the mind and at the same
time the student becomes aware of gaps in his
knowledge of the subject he is studying. Quite
a number of school boards have been interested
enough to buy copies of the program. It comes
with text material for the student and the
teacher. Rather a neat approach as a teaching
aid, I thought.
It is interesting to note that along with
Dave Ridge and Ariel Fralich, our club can also
include Cameron Hayne, the author of TIMACHINE,
as a past member.
I have not added any disks to our Larken
library recently. The number stands at i5 disks.
But I have some disks in progress that you might
like to see. They include disks on the topics of
Banners, Menus, Languages, and Calendars. If any
of members are interested in seeing a copy, drop
me a line. 7
Also a couple of items about disk #6, Music A
Sound. In going over it I found a large number
of flaws in it. I had to go completely through
it, to fix up the problems. Mostly they were to
do with making the programs work from the
directory. For example I had to put a RESTORE
function in some programs so the would not come
up with an ‘OUT OF DATA‘ report. So if you have
borrowed that disk and thrown up your hands,
resborrow it. Also, while on that same disk: It
has several music programs by Joan Kealy. I
really liked them so I wrote to her, asking if
I could get some more of them. She has obliged,
and I am putting them all onto a separate Larken
library disk. Ask for it; I have not given it a
library number yet. In addition to sending me
all these music program, she has taken a
subscription to our newsletter. Welcome Joan, I
hope you enjoy the newsletter!
I also will have a disk with one or two
versions of the Interbank Data Storage/Sorting
Utility. This is the program I mentioned in my
last newsletter; author Larry Crawford. It is a
huge database file, which bankswitches the
Larken RAMdisk chipe into the computer memory as
needed to store access the data. Can hold up
to 9000 or so 27acharacter records. There have
been some refinements made to the program since
I last mentioned it. Bob Mitchell has refined
the frontgend, making it more usergfriendly;
while Larry Crawford has done the same, and also
modified it so that you can specify the record
length when you start a new file, up to a
maximum of 128 characters. Also Larry has
modified the SORT routine so that it will sort
on any designated column. It has a remarkably
fast SORT routine, and a fast string SEARCh
routine builtgin. Bob plans to use one version
to hold & record of his colour slide
collection.
I have learned an interesting thing. I have
a Smith Corona +1000 printer. I have mentioned
it Tafors. It fe a daisywheal type printer, very
ruggedly built. A week ago when I need a new
printwheel for it, I was unable to do so. 'Not
available’ they said, and not being manufactured
any more. I was dumbfounded. I'm told the
printer is very old; I bought it new in 1985!
The printwheel that I was asking for was a Red
Ring Pica 10, the most common type, nothing
special. They did not have any of them, in fact
they had no RED RING types at all; no
printwheels at all for the Lg1000 printer.
I settled for a White ring Judicial 10
printwheel. It is not made for the L41000, and
is not really satisfactory, since the print
hammer tends to strike slightly ۰
iy ous out there own one of these beasts; had
y suchlike problems? Moral, don't buy any
SmithaCorona product; you'll get short shrift
from them. Any ideas, anyone?
You may see a letter in the newsletter from
Bill Jones (UPDATE magazine). It responds to a
column by Hugh Howie, in the previous letter. I
found it so amusing that I felt it deserved a
wider audience. There are a couple of
interesting things about it.
Firstly, I had to thank Bill for his offer
to put a club advert in his magazine, but to say
that we would decline for the present. That I
had all the members that I could handle just
now, and that I did not need any more. We are
still getting queries (and new members) from the
mention that Bill has put in, in past issues.
That's interesting, isn't it! I'm just too
afraid of loosing an avalanche.
The second thing was Bill's reference to
'snoring'. Maybe 40 years ago, I had read of
this technique, and one rainy day I decided to
give it a try. My wife (I was newlygmarried
then) looked out the window, and saw me in a
raincoat, doing the most odd thing. When I tried
to explain just what it was, she couldn't
believe what she was hearing. Though I
maintained at the time that it was very serious
business, and continue to do so, she, to this
day, regales all and sundry about that event.
And nobody really believes my version; they
won't take my protestations seriously.
So you see, when I read Bill's letter, I ran
to my wife, calling out, “Listen to this! listen
to this!". But she still treats me indulgently,
and I don’t suppose that she'll ever tire of
telling that story (her version, of course!).
And I don't even fish.
I see where the COMPUTER SHOPPER magazine has
dropped Michael O'Brien's Timex/Sinclair column.
When I look further I see an explanation in the
Editorial (page 197). They have dropped all the
‘classic computers’ columns from the magazine,
saying, “We have chosen to discontinue our
coverage of these machines in favor
Of...» those systems that more fully
represent the mainstream of modern computing."
I suppose that is the consequence of being taken
over by 217790۸4۷15. Shades of SYNC magazine.
Further, I see where the Editor, Stan Veit,
has been kicked upstairs. That is to say, he is
now called 'Editor in Chief Emeritus'. I call on
some of you professionals to tell me what that
really means. I would hazard a guess that he
wasn't happy with the turn of events, and was
given the shove. _
In their editorial tney continue, to quote,
‘we hope they (meaning us) continue to enjoy and
use Computer Shopper as they join their
computing colleagues and migrate to IBM,
Mackintosh, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple IIgs, and
Unix systems’. end of quote
Bob Mitchell dropped me a line a few days
ago. He reports that Larry Kenny mentions
C working on a DOS that will read and write to
MSaDOS disks, ‘just for transferring programs
and not for making them run', to quote from the
letter. (Myself, I rather suspect that it would
“OL be "xo useful in the transfer of ASCIIatype
“ text.
Ge Larry also make mention of the Desk Top
c Publisher program he is working on, saying it
C will be ready in a few months.
i Q
|J In another club's newsletter, I read that
\ ~ Radio Shack were discontinuing the paper for
7^7 their TP40 printer. That is the same paper we
buy for our TS2040 printers. I checked at the
local RS store. They had it in stock, and when
I inquired, they looked up their data base to
see if it was under review. It was not, so we in
Canada may be secure for a while yet. I
understand from them that the Canadian R.S.
operates independantly of the US operation.
Our newsletter carries only one mailing
address in it; mine. There's nothing
particularly wrong with that but if anyone
should wish to complain (about me, for example)
you'd be screened pretty closely!! There haven't
been any complaints (not recently, anyway!), but
I'll give the address of our club President,
Rene Bruneau. It is:
120 Salem Ave.,
Toronto, Ontario,
CANADA M6H 3C3
va
I think I am pretty much up in my mailings. If
you feel you have been waiting too long, drop me
a ped ی I have overlooked you.
ust a mention of something. If you are
returning tapes, please be sure to rewind them
completely. If they are returned otherwise, it
is quite possible for the tape to get damaged.
The next person to get the tape will then have
& problem.
Being with the club all this time I have
acquired a great many books, clippings,
magazines, programs, and just such an array of
Stuff that it is pretty nearly impossible to let
you know what I have. If you want information,
just ask me; chances are that I can come up with
something for you. That is what a club is all
about. I have been fortunate in getting a lot of
Stuff from members over the years, and I really
would like to share it with you.
One of our members sent me some small pieces
of paper off the last package that I sent him.
I found them very useful. There seems to be
quite a number of them on packages sent to the
US. Other members might do likewise!!
I have revised my Income tax program for the
tax year 1989. It is suitable for the Canadian
situation; more specifically it handles the
Canadian and Ontario Income tax forms. Ask for
a copy if you are interested.
I picked out an advert that I thought
particularly humorous. Sort of a black humor, if
you will. I'11 tack it onto the letter. Maybe
because I do voiunteer work for the blind,
repairing ‘Talking Book Machines' (tape
players,to you), it struck my fancy!
$5, TV- n nted prize, ۸۱ w ---
or VHEJUHF. $45. Coll 481-6088. ` | colle
— | T.V., 21” b & w, good working] SELA
9S+| cond., suitable for people with 22292
n9.| impaired vision. $50. 482-4442. ۶
[TYPEWRITER ~-
I have a member's letter that I want to
publish in the next n/l, but I'd Like to put a
query from it right here. I'll paraphrase his
query: "I have bought a SAMSUNG MZ4571 14"
monochrome monitor. It is a flat screen, dual
mode (RGB/TTL) monitor. Since we do not have TTL
compatibility with the TS2068, I'm using the RGB
mode. There is one minor problem with it... if
the border is any color other than black, the
top four or five display scan lines roll down
across the screen. I have gotten into the case
and tried adjusting things but with no success.
I wonder if a different RGB i/f would help? Any
ideas?". Any one got any ideas, do drop me a
line, G.F.C.
One other thing. I seem to be missing two
pages from my MSCRIPT manual. They are pages 39
and 40. Maybe these pages were not part of the
TS2068 version of MSCRIPT, but the manuscript
coninuity seems to require them. Can any one
help me by sending the two missing sheets?
Sincerely
News Supplement 71-1990 Jan.,1990
YS Bulletin
No.1-1990
--Pub.by B. Harmer,97 Ruskin, Ottawa, Can, KIT 4B?
سے ہے wm um ہہ Pa سے دہ ہے سے ہہ ہے ep سے emm کے mp mm ص mm سے cum سے جب ست cm vm amm eg ہہ ہے "mb ve ہے wt سے am eng سے سے eg ہے ہے ہے سے am a دہ ہے مت wm ود ہے mp ہے ven reg c ہے ہے ہہ ےہ کے سے em ہے vm vg mg دت vm ہے کے om emm ہے vm em ہہ o ہے ہہ
News for this year, 1990, may see Sinclair computers out-doing even previous
glories, Rumours are that Apple Macintosh and NeXT computer emulators for the QL
are being readied by software developers, to follow the MS DOS and CP/M emulators
already available, Cambridge is rumoured to have a 34 lb., MS DOS laptop with 34
inch disk drives and optional hard disk, But the big news is that most of us are
Still here, looking forward to another year of user group activity. Ottawa-Hull
TSUG has a BBS now, (613)745-8838 (afterhours), 300 baud, 8/n/1, Xmodem, planned to
be upgraded to 1200 baud, The writer is still working on photocopy-published
Sinclair books, including additions to the ZX-81 Assembly Language Booklet and
Tips, Tricks & Techniques from the User Group Masters for the ZX-81/TS1000.A third
book, Master Guide to the LDOS ZX-81 Disk System, is winding up final stage of
preparation, altho it looks like it will be expensive to sell the full-length,
extended edition, at about lOOpp., for reasons of its size alone (photocopying A
mailing expenses running over 25). Local group is showing renewed interest in
Pascal programming and work on a simplified compiler (NOT BASICnor Pascal, but a
sort of development system macro language) is continuing for the ZX-81/TS1000.The
QL is still being advertised at US$100 (by Sharp's). New ZX-81 kits are still
available too from one supplier, The Z-88 notebook computer still looks good in
comparison to its latecomer competitors, Commodore 64 and Tandy 1000 H? computers
are almost being dumped on the market at bargain basement boxing day time specials
(C-€4, $169, Tandy $399). The computer revolution is seeing a new round of dis-
counting of the cheaper models and an increase in sophistication in the $100C-
$3000 models. Even Macintoshes are penetrating the $2000 price barrier in Canada,
Faster modems at 2400 bps are being seen in stores, Radio Shack is calling its
80286 MS DOS computer its most popular beginner's model (though it is not AT com-
patible) and laser printers have reached the small business/serious amateur price
ranges, In the big leagues, the slowness of 03/2 to reach its intended place in the
market and the IBM PS/Z computers to become the new standard, once touted as the
success stories of the forseeable future has again proven that the future isn't
forseeable at all, This year is also the tenth anniversary of the release of the
Sinclair ZX-80 and the start of the Sinclair saga in computing.
em p em an em «o سے مہب em سے
Mailing list updates: Harrisburg Area TSUG(HATS) may be deleted from our
lists since the Dec.,1989 was the final newsletter and notification of disolution
of the group, Former members will operate through the Washington, DC group (CATS)
À new listing in the Computer Shopper has alerted us to the existence of Quantuum
Leap User Group, c/o Gale Henslee;4411 2nd Ave.,Amarillo, TX,USA 79106. The
Dallas/Fort Worth users are still zoing strong altho they don't appear to be still
issuing a newsletter to exchange with other groups. They support especially the
Aerco TS2068 disk system and the CP/M compatible RP/M operating system,
News from SNUG is that due to the illness of a member's wife and personal situat-
ions of others involved in the zroup, work on the newsletter has been delayed and
all memberships have as a conseauence been extended 6 months (that is into 1990).
Looks like they will soon have a really terrifically large public domain program
library for the QL,TS2068 and TS1000, but they are still looking for more donat-
ions of programs for it. It looks like a good way to consolidate the libraries of
the local user groups who have tried on a limited basis to amass such programs,
ZX-81/ TSIOCO Tips: Instead of PAUSE 208 try PAUSE COE "COS" to save memory. hen
making a cory of your program on tape (without data) redimension arrays, by for ex-
ample DIM A$(Z,8) to save memory and loading/ saving time, then on program execution,
redimension them properly to restart the program, A good place to place the DIM
statement (or GOSUB to more than one DIM statement) to redimension the arrays
properly is line Ø., In line zero, a RUN statement will redimension the array and
clear it (the RUN would clear it anyway) but a GOTO l(used to restart without
clearing array data) won't call the redimensioning (which would clear the data).
Published-Program Survey of Newsletters: Dominoes-ZX-81 m/c,BASIC line trace
Nul vector Meret کو ا ا ZX-81 BASIC all in Dec.89-Vancouver TSUG N/L......
...Octal/decimal conversion ZX-81 m/c, Sincus, Johnson City,NY N/L.(Nov-Dec,89)..
... m/c utilities to break any program caught in a loop, to ignore BREAK command,
invert screen attributes, scroll the screen line to left and wrap it around to
next line, to flip the screen (horiz, or vert.) TS2068 m/c -Boston Comp, Soc,,
Sept-Oct n/1 (note: the TSUG there has recently broken off from Boston Comp. Soc.)
...USA Medicare Income Tax TS2068 BASIC, in Harrisburg TSUG n/1 Sept.89....TS2068
State Lotto program, Aug & Sept,89 SMUG n/1, Milwaulkee....cryto demo TS 2068 , BASIC
and Chaos Demo, Oct,89 Vancouver TSUG N/L..... Cube-It (TS2068 game),LasVegas,n/l
Jane, 199075
An excellent series of assembly language articles with sample routines is
being run these days in the Vancouver Saz NT. The articles, by V. Lee, are on
7-80 assembly language programming with the ZX-81/ TS1000, but should also be a
help to 752068 users, Note that back issues of this newsletter also have articles
by Wilf Rigter on m/c routines to Speed up the عو ٥ by modifying the dis-
play routines, Apparently using these techniques, the ZX- 18 1000 can be made to
run faster than by merely putting it into FAST mode. Seems like a much better vay
than brute force acceleration which only boosts execution 15% when you step up the
ZX-81/ TS1000 clock to 4MHz (from 3iMHz) and avoids the technical complications
(like setting fire to your tvi). And of course good m/c or assembly language pro-
gramming speeds up programs too. So can the rewriting of BASIC routines. An 8
sec, loop was cut down to about li sec, in one of my programs by ingenious rewrit-
ing of it to avoid going through the loop as many times and replacing looping
with straight through BASIC code (within a loop that then required fewer times
through the looping).
N L Hardware articles continue to appear although the 2-88 cable articles in
H and the increasing attention given to QL modifications, are starting to re-
place ZX-81/ TS1000/ TS2068 modifications, The writer hopes to print a lot cf tips
for hardware modifications of the ZX-81/TS1000 in the next pages of the ' Tips,
Tricks and Techniques from the User Group Masters for the Z%-81/ 181000 booklet.
is snou ecome an excellent source of into and references for both the old and
new ZX-81/TS1000 user. (Yes, new users are coming to the user groups looking for
ZX-81/ TS1000 lore, They are mainly young students seeking a low cost computer to
practice the things they are being taught in school about computers since the
hands-on practice sessions at school are often not quite long enough for them.)
The writer thinks that not only is the ZX-81/ TS1000 a good "platform for control-
ler projects like burglar alarm monitors but also a natural as the intelligent
part of eprom or other programmable chip programmers. One user has made a short
2x-31/ 7 board, with only the ROM, RAM and eprom (no ULA, keyboard or video)
so that programs debugged and developed on the full ZX-81/TS1000 can be used on
the short board, run from an eprom, rather than a full ZX-8,/TS1000.1It's been it
is said by Donald Lambert of the CRAGIST, used to take pictures from a kite. So
there is lots of potential left for hardware hackers in the old ZX-81/ 181000. Tip
fron Donald Lambert for TS2068 LOAD problems caused by heat: take off all unneces-
` ess Dus/ ex é VAT anti 1 j mer ti as-
sec on from Dave EE EE EH
Cartridge i/f for
it gives Larken DOS & Extended BASIC commands incl.
A software interface for the video dizitiz for the 132062 and the Ckimate 20 dnp
sold tnrough TCYS-R-US for*2909, has been produced by John McMicnael,1710 Palmer
Dr., Laramie, WY,USA 82070 for US$20-reauires IBM parallel Plug m Print cartridge
The product name is VideoCopy plus ,VideoTex,VideoTex alone avail. separately US $10.
۔ سے ہے ہے wm سے سے an ہے سے سے سے ہے کے vm ہے ہے کے ہے سے ج سے سے ہی e مو ست wm ست تھا کے x کے کے Tl کے mm سے کے سے سے سے حت سے سے کے سے سے سے م سے سے سے mm س en em zm سے e سے سے rm سے en صت eg لے سے rr ep em چت جم ست ms mm ze "
D.3 - No, 1-1990 (Jan.)
EE P مت مت م ee ee ee مت مت eee ewe re mee zeg zm zm mg eg م em کے rn mm mm مت o ze re سے کے ep کے vm zm zm کہ ep em en em om ہے ہے mm wm جب کے سے سے کہ جب سے ہے سے ven vm ہے wm wm wm حم ven سے سے wë سے سے ven
American Micro Systems, 2175 Aborn Rd., Suite 262, San Jose, Calif.,USA 95121 has
3 catalogue of at (and Z-88) items, hardware and software, printed in TimeLinez.
Included are QL:ROM upgrades, Trump Card disk i/f ($312), IBM software emulator
($ , modem adapter ($69), Front Page desktop pub ($345 CP/M emulator (Success)
($69) Forth (357), Fortran 77($184), Pascal($57),C Language ($69),Superbasic to
C converter (needs C compiler)($80), Spellchecker (30,000 word) ($68, needs extra
RAM), DiscOver (disk file format converter) ($46),Flight Sim.($34), Astrol. ($35+3
the QL computer itself ($129) ,Lightning (acce lerator software) ($46) ,Serv.Man, ($29)
30 meg. hard drive coming soon, JSU ROM ($19),membrane keybord($25) all in US$ plus
Z-88 products, the Z-88 $450, PCtoZ-88 link-up($70),QLtoZ-88($46),Mac to 2-88(8111)
zterm($90) zBAsE ($120) Superchip($200) ,Modem,1200($130) ,32Keprom($40) plus plus ++
their phone no, is (1,08) 270-9730 (voice, ans. mach.)
Maxcom TS2068 BBS system for LKDOS disk users:""Maxcom is everything and more that
it's chalked up to be...I've got to tell you, if you haven't gotten it Se vert,
chase those moths out of your wallet...Maxcom will truly make your day." from a
column in the Las Vegas TSUG newsletter by Ralph Hammer.Also mentioned is the
deluxe move utility in Maxcomm that allows transfer of files between disks, etc,
simply and effectively, RMG handles this system in the USA, Nice to hear such
good comments. Larry Kenny of Larken is also working on a desktop publisher with
spelling checker at the moment (Jan.,1990) and is marketing a plotter,engraver,
light duty plastic-router/miller that will run from an IBM PC and is also working
on Z-80 controller version of it. The software to run it has been written in
Hi-Soft Pascal on the TS2068, It will work on a 2'!x2! board to a depth of 4+", At
an Ottawa-Hull TSUG user group several years ago, a TS2068 user demo'd a system
in which a plotter applied etch-resist directly on a copper pcb for one-of-a-kind
CAD/CAM production of pc boards, automatically. There is obviously lots that can
still be done with the old Timex-Sinclair's, When the writer moves his old ZX-81
out of the computer den it will be going to the basement, electronics workshop for
use in eprom blasting/controller experiments. These old models serve on, and ON...
D e ۰ e ée gé 9286€
Fix for Timemachine BASIC compiler, change POKES in line 106 from 32880 to 33880,
by HL Schaaf printed in Aug.89, CATS & Dec.,1989 Timelinez....
Sé ۵ ۵ ۵ ée ée e ée e e
TDM Magazine, Vol.5,No.2 issued finally. contact TDM BBS at 503-244-2658 (8/1/n)
9 و ۵ ee ée e ee ée @
Jack Dohany has upgraded MScript to version 5.5 according to D.Lambert, CRAGIST
181000's still available-contact Gary Young, 586 9th Ave. Marion,IA,USA 52302-cheap
working ones or bad keyboard ones avail., ram packs (18K) and progs, can be incl,
3
SZ ge و ه و e ée ی
Article on using an audio transformer asa cassette load aid (TS1000/T92068), in
Aug-Dec.,1989 issue of Cragist,D. Lambert, 3310 Clover Dr.S.W.,Cedar Rapids , IÅ 52404
Source code for TreeFORTH (a romable, TS1000, slightly non-standard FORTH) has been
released for non-commercial use by author Bob Alsum. A TS1500 with Tree FORTH in
ROM has turned up on the surplus market, D, Lambert,CRAGIST, reports,
Disk Library, TS2068 disk utilities program (search,list,delete, update,sort etc.)
2as been created by RA Hilsman,POB 45, Menomonee Falls, WI,USA 53051 and is avail.
on cassette for US$5 (or possibly slizhtly more mailed to Canada/for,).It is for
the TS2068 Oliger system but probably can be adpated for other disk systems by the
programmer/hacker, -----kentioned in Sincus n/l Jan.90 & SMUG 1 Apr., l988
$60 e ۵ ۵ ée ۵ ee ée e ée e
Sincus N/L from 1229 Rhodes Rd.,Johnson City,NY,USA 13790 continues to run lists
of TS2068 RCM routines listed different ways, sorted and compared with Spectrum,
-on Lamen of Sincus continues to submit articles on ۲۹1000 programming, mainly m/c
۲ : ۳ 5) A
to Sincus n/l and it is nice to see the TSIOUDO still receiving support like that,
Zomputer Shopper has discontinued articles on Commodore 64, Sinclair,TI, Atari 8-bit
much to our disappointment, Latter Sinclair articles were really good. Not much
reason for me to buy it anymore except for hardware adverts re,PC clones, User Gp.
listinzs continue however & Sinclair Gps. will pop up listed there,
Published as an amateur venture by Bill Harmer, 97 Ruskin St., Ottawa, Ont,, Canada
ZIY LB3. Don't hack, promise, send money or buy without checking info in this Ml
with a second, independently cualified source, Ycu may photocopy freely for friends
اس
Ma
Bei
DI
Eti
Di
Bä
IS
Ba
"i
Lid
pan
rei “tal
fli A
ti Wt ri
kel Ti D
I
g
B
t
L
ii
ied
La wer ےھ th i at
aert
aree
Gi om i TR. za
kel ur ol ee Di LA
E A wh ETE un ER
mp OD زع (ec De
uH ہر KI “EA ق مس
yung apat "rä E oq DI
et Bon in حتف UI NI ہی
T
4
ch
1
m tex Li
Bep ed quoe We f amo udi
: p CH ices ei
E Fei
تا CA
ect
AA Loan 3 E et
E
iL
dee
ve
Du
"n
wi