Info-Atari16 Digest Thu, 2 Jan 92 Volume 92 : Issue 1 Today's Topics: 512 color games? Any out there? Atari Portfolio archive at umich up to date Atari TTM195 Monitor AUTO Folder Programs -- How do they replace system functions? (2 msgs) Calamus/PostScript Chaos S. B. Help Emacs and big files. HELP!!! I need an ATARI 800 keyboard... PLEASE! High Density Drive via ATSpeed History of Atari IBM software emulator Rom-moth? Sozobon 2.0 and 8bit chars (2 msgs) tc-power help Turbo ST 1.84 VME and expansions Wanted: PC-Ditto ][ Welcome to the Info-Atari16 Digest. The configuration for the automatic cross-posting to/from Usenet is getting closer, but still getting thrashed out. Please send notifications about broken digests or bogus messages to Info-Atari16-Request@NAUCSE.CSE.NAU.EDU. Please send requests for un/subscription and other administrivia to Info-Atari16-Request, *NOT* Info-Atari16. Requests that go to the list instead of the moderators are likely to be lost or ignored. If you want to unsubscribe, and you're receiving the digest indirectly from someplace (usually a BITNET host) that redistributes it, please contact the redistributor, not us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 Jan 92 11:16:48 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!spool. mu.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!wsu-cs!vela!swood@arizona.edu ( EVENSONG) Subject: 512 color games? Any out there? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Are there any games in the world of the STe and Rainbow TOS that use the good resolution 512 color pictures that the spectrum graphics do? would appreciate any replies... thanks swood -- ---- Insert favorite .signature here ---- | swood@argo.acs.oakland.edu | swood@vela.acs.oakland.edu Bitnet: swood@Oakland | swood@unix.secs.oakland.edu UUCP: ...!uunet!umich!{vela, argo, unix, nucleus}!swood ------------------------------ Date: 31 Dec 91 20:31:44 GMT From: netnews.upenn.edu!msuinfo!sharkey!umich!terminator!terminator.cc.umich.edu!swoo d@rutgers.rutgers.edu (Scott Wood) Subject: Atari Portfolio archive at umich up to date To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Well, I have been real busy with non-archive concerns as well as plagued with tons and tons of problems that have made it hard for me to do anything but paltry updating on the boondoggle of incoming files at the portfolio archive. But I just spent my New Years Eve working away into the wee hours of New Years Day updating the whole shabang. I have changed the format of the majority of the files over to .lzh as this is the smallest compression type I could find and it seems to be resonably well supported, even though there are a few problems with compatibility between some versions. If this causes problems for anyone, let me know, as I have considered converting the whole thing (yes once again) over to zoo as it is almost as small, but a bit more supported. The only reason I haven't yet, is that I have not found a zoo archiver for the portfolio. Another thing. As you are looking through the archive, if you come accrossed any files (.lzh) that have real messy filenames, please let me know. Seems that weiner's version of lharc likes to garble file names beyond all recognition upon compression into the archive. I think that I got to most of the ones that I did it to, but there might be a few that I missed. Lastly, I accidentally deleted a few files in the process of shuffling things around, and I managed to recover all of them but one. If the person that sent me the copy of ptetris could please send me the copy of the file again, it would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, feel free to send more files. Now that I am once again up to date, I should be able to keep up with them faster. And feel free to forward any questions my way. If I can't answer them, I should be able to find someone who can. swood ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 14:50:28 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!think.com!spool.mu.edu!agat e!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!aa399@arizona.edu (Len Stys) Subject: Atari TTM195 Monitor To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Can someone tell me what TT color monitor handles the ST modes and the new TT color modes? These resolution include: 320x200 16 colors 640x200 4 colors 640x400 2 colors 640x480 16 colors And maybe 320x480 I'm not too familiar with the TT/030 since there aren't that many in the U.S. yet. Also, are these monitors capable of anything above these resolutions. The 1280x960 resolution requires the TTM194 or I guess the new one--TTM195. And how much do each of these monitors cost around (U.S. money)? Thanks. . -- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 04:24:40 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!think.com!mips!atha!aunro!e rsys!mforget@arizona.edu (Michel Forget) Subject: AUTO Folder Programs -- How do they replace system functions? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu For a long time, I've been wanting to replace one of the ST functions with one of my own. For example, a critical error handler that tells you what the error is in words, and what might have caused the problem. Or I'd like to be able to press a key from the desktop and run a program. Or even just make the screen invert colors after a period of mouse inactivity. The point is that the method of doing this escapes me. The screen inverter could be done with an accessory, but that would waste a slot. I suppose a practical example might be this: When the user presses TAB from a GEM program, an alert appears telling the total ammount of free memory available. Again, this could be done using an accessory, but it shouldn't have to be. I've seen all kinds of programs that install themselves in the AUTO folder and activate themselves when a key is pressed. Does anyone know how I could do this? I use Personal Pascal mainly for programming, but I also have access to Sozobon C and Modula-2. Or even assemmbly, although I can't write anything in assemmbly. The assembler is the german Shareware one recently released. << ------------------------------------------ >> << mforget@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca >> << ersys!mforget@nro.cs.athabascau.ca >> << Michel Forget >> << "Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, >> << for they are not happy campers!" - UNKNOWN >> << ------------------------------------------ >> ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 17:48:23 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!news-server.csri .toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!ccu.umanitoba.ca!bison!sys6626!marco@arizona.e du (Marco) Subject: AUTO Folder Programs -- How do they replace system functions? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu mforget@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Michel Forget) writes: > When the user presses TAB from a GEM program, an alert appears telling > the total ammount of free memory available. Again, this could be done > using an accessory, but it shouldn't have to be. I've seen all kinds of > programs that install themselves in the AUTO folder and activate > themselves when a key is pressed. Well, as you say you could use evnt_keybd() to do this from an ACC. To do this from an AUTO program, would, I beleive require you to intercept the TAB keypress.This would prevent the TAB from getting to the GEM program which you said we were running. I think the best way is to have it as an ACC and then evnt_keybd() (or evnt_multi()) for something such as alt-TAB, this way, because no program I no of uses alt-TAB you don't have to worry about interceppting it... +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | John Perry*Voice (204)783-0812*Internet marco@sys6626.bison.mb.ca | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 17:45:24 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake !steve@arizona.edu (Steve Yelvington) Subject: Calamus/PostScript To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu [In article <1992Jan01.020044.7773@demon.co.uk>, ksommerville@cix.compulink.co.uk (Keith Sommerville) writes ... ] > Can anyone explain why Pagestream is SOOOOOOO SLOOOOOOOW. Its not as if it doe- > s anything radicly different from Calamus oes > anything radically different from all the other DTP packages, so why does it l- > oload and run so slowly? This (and the other recent DTP discussion) is not a proper question for the .tech newsgroup, so I've crossposted this answer to comp.sys.atari.st and ask that any further discussion take place there. I don't regard PageStream as ``SOOOOOOO SLOOOOOOOW'' in comparison to similar PostScript-capable programs running on other comparable machines. In fact, if you'll go spend some time playing with PageMaker on a PC running Windows with anything less than a '386-16, you'll come to regard PageStream a a real piece of greased lightning. You'll also come to regard PageStream as a very capable, very stable program that need not be embarrassed in any crowd. Calamus is a very different animal. It uses a single proprietary imaging method to generate screen and output images. This is much simpler than having to support several different output methods, as does PageStream. The program's internal data representation can be more closely matched to the standardized output. The result is that Calamus can generate pages faster than PageStream -- in fact, faster than any other publishing program I've seen on any computer -- but it comes at a cost, which is the well-known and oft-lamented inability of Calamus to drive industry- standard PostScript devices. Issue #9153 of Z*Net, one of the weekly online Atari magazines, has an excerpt from the Seybold Report on Desktop Publishing that is worth reading if you're interested in desktop publishing on Atari hardware. The file can be obtained from atari.archive.umich.edu. -- Steve Yelvington, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota Land of lutefisk, ice castles and jumper cables ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 02:18:26 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!think.com!spool.mu.edu!agat e!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!VAX1.CC.UAKRON.EDU!malgudi.oar.net!yfn.ysu.edu!ysub!cmuvm .csv.cmich.edu!34zdfys Subject: Chaos S. B. Help To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Hi there. I've been playing CSB all break now and have run into a slight impass. I'm on the level with the flying serpents (Dain). Anyhow, I've opened up the secret doors, found the gate by the vorpial blade (by placing an object in the alcove, I opened up the wall) and have found the door which needs a winged key. Now for my problems: 1) How do I get the key in the middle alcove? (I'm in the room with the map which describes the doors each of the buttons a, b, and c open)? 2) What type of key do I need to open up the door in the Cistern? I had some gold keys but I've long since lost them. 3) Same question for the gate by the vorpial blade. 4) I've gotten to the Dragon den and back (alive after 2 nights of frustrated reloading of past saved games). I was wondering where I can find the 'power tower' I need to show to they eye? 5) I've been through 'Fighters Charge' in the DDD room. How do I follow the way of the Wizard? (i.e. how do I get past those damn pits to see what else is on that level?) 6) I've gotten 3 different 'gem' keys, Saphire, emerald, turquois. I assume that the key in the flying serpent room is another gem which I'll have to use someplace else. What are they used for? (o.k. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here, but school starts in another week, and I don't want to spend ALL of my time playing games ;) 7) Are there any help files/maps available? If so, could someone please send me locations (ftp sites) and instructions for dl-ing them? 8) Last question!!! I've gotten an encoded scroll. Does the code mean anything, or can I stop trying to figure it out? Boy, this list got long in a hurry. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanx in advance bob ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 16:03:15 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!uwm.edu!linac!att!news.cs. indiana.edu!pwp%iuvax.cs.indiana.edu@arizona.edu (Paul Purdom) Subject: Emacs and big files. To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Can someone recommend a version of emacs that works reliably with big files on the ST? For my application the bigger the file that can be handled the better (up to 3 Meg.) but I am interested in hearing from anyone that has found a version of emacs to be reliable with any file size above 32K. ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 21:31:12 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wupost!darwin.sura.net!udel!gatech!nntp.msstat e.edu!Ra.MsState.Edu!jdz1@arizona.edu (John D. Zitterkopf) Subject: HELP!!! I need an ATARI 800 keyboard... PLEASE! To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Hi friends, I _REALLY_ need your help!!! One of my mothers TEN cat has managed to render my Atari 800 in-operable. Some of my keys don't work correctly on my poor, poor machine. As you know it's almost impossible to communicate with a computer without a fully working keyboard 8-(. The deal is that the cat pissed on the computer and I belive it has success fully ruined the keyboard. It might be too much corrosion in the keyboard section of the main board. Well, I am hoping that someone out there has pieces and parts of one of these machines out there and they just want to get rid of it. Of course I'll pay shipping and a little more if you really need it! I'm also looking for schematics on this Atari. Maybe someone out there has an Atari 8-bit packed away somewhere like the attic, and they wouldn't miss it! I belive you get the general Idea, so I'll close with that thought. PLEASE E-Mail me _ANY_ responses!!! --John Zitterkopf EE major at Mississippi State University jdz1@ra.msstate.edu ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 15:34:46 GMT From: psinntp!rodan.acs.syr.edu!ggreenbe@uunet.uu.net (Gerald Greenberg) Subject: High Density Drive via ATSpeed To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I recently asked whether ATSpeed would support a 1.4 meg floppy on an ST. The answer seems to be yes, if you have a controller for the ST that will handle a 1.4 meg floppy...But what about a high density 5.25" floppy? Can ATSpeed handle one of those drives (1.2 meg) without any hardware modifications to the ST? Thanks for any info. --Gerry ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 05:36:16 GMT From: mcsun!unido!uniol!hb.maus.de!s2.maus.de!Uwe_Poliak@uunet.uu.net (Uwe Poliak) Subject: History of Atari To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Hello Jim, t>To wit: what differentiates the STfm and the STe from the straight ST? How t>are t>the Megas different (as well as Mega STe)? STFm <-> ST: The STFm has a TV-modulator on board. MEGA STE <-> TT: The MSTE has no SCSI-Port, the TT has one. MEGA STE <-> ST: 16MHz-68000-processor (switchable to 8MHz) , 16kB-Cache-Memory, external 16-bit-, internal 32-bit-Bus, 24-bits adressable, floating-point-processor-socket (68881/2) 2/4 MB RAM, 256 kB internal ROM, 128 kB external ROM using the ROM-Port, TT-Desktop (TOS 2.05?) Blitter-Graphics-Chip, Resolutions: 640 * 400 -> monochrome 640 * 200 -> 4 colors + 320 * 200 -> 16 colors +-- out of 4096 colors integrated Harddisc, Stereo-DMA-Sound for digitized music, Genlock-connenctor, DMA/LAN-Port, Stereo OUT-Connector, 2 serial ports, TV/Video-modulator, VME-Port MEGA ST <-> ST: Slot for System-Bus - all processor signals are connected here new housing May be there are some more differences... t>commercial arcade games before his home machines? What are the significant t>featuers of the XE/XL 8-bit machines? ~~~~~~~~ 64 kB RAM, ROM-Slot for 16/32 (?)kB-EPROMs 16 colors out of 256 XE<->XL: XE: 128 kB, XL: 64kB (?) I hope, I've helped you a bit. Bye, -up- ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 17:11:51 GMT From: coplex!disk!unknown@uunet.uu.net (unknown) Subject: IBM software emulator To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Hmm, I've a few questions about IBM emulation: Why not just make a program that converts an IBM program to an ST runnable one? I'm not really concerned with graphical programs, just basic IBM compat. ones.. Wouldn't it be possible to load the program into memory and spend a few minutes to convert it? Then you could have a somewhat faster application, and it could be used without loading a special emu. If the problem is a legal one, is there any documentation on how to make one of these types of programs? Or are there any "underground" versions of such a beast? Finally, I'll buy a used (BUT WORKING) copy of a good IBM software emulator if the price is right. If we come to an agreement, you have to send the disk first, so I can check it out.. (I never claimed to be trusting) :) Better yet, if anyone just wants to throw away their emulator, I'll pay for postage! :) -- Shawn Beltz :) :) :) I may not agree with what you have to say unknown@disk.UUCP but I'll fight to the death for your right uunet!coplex!disk!unknown to say it... -- Someone I agree with! ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 00:52:17 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!darwin.sura.net!Sirius.dfn.de!fauern!unido!mcs un!fuug!sics.se!seunet!isgate!krafla!adamd@arizona.edu (Adam David) Subject: Rom-moth? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In <1991Dec26.221455.12523@paramount.nikhefk.nikhef.nl> paulm@paramount.nikhefk.nikhef.nl (Paul Molenaar) writes: >But all of a sudden this stopped working. The diskettes the >Atari produces are unreadble on a PC. I had to run Norton >on the floppy to 'repair' it. Norton claims the disk have >a wrong media descriptor byte. I thought that was the problem >with the old TOS! Looks like it could be a badly written virus at work messing up the disks. If you don't have a program to check for viruses, it is worth getting one. Of course, if you have one then use it. -- Adam David. ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 13:30:50 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!math.f u-berlin.de!unido!mcshh!janhh!jan@arizona.edu (Jan Willamowius) Subject: Sozobon 2.0 and 8bit chars To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Why do some people belive that the 8th bit in char doesn't matter ? It always puts a little salt into otherwise good software when I see that eg. in german special characters the hi bit is stripped off for no reason at all. I couldn't reach the authors of Sozobon C, but maybe somebody can tell them (and all other Amercican software writers) that there are people out there who care for that extra bit! Jan -- Jan Willamowius, Nienredder 6, 2000 Hamburg 54, Germany E-Mail: jan@janhh.hanse.de ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 15:15:56 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!yale.edu!s pool.mu.edu!umn.edu!ux.acs.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake!steve@arizona.edu (Steve Yelvington) Subject: Sozobon 2.0 and 8bit chars To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu [In article <2950.01.92@janhh.hanse.de>, jan@janhh.hanse.de (Jan Willamowius) writes ... ] > Why do some people belive that the 8th bit in char doesn't matter ? > > It always puts a little salt into otherwise good software when I see > that eg. in german special characters the hi bit is stripped off for > no reason at all. > > I couldn't reach the authors of Sozobon C, but maybe somebody can tell > them (and all other Amercican software writers) that there are people > out there who care for that extra bit! I'm confused by this note, Jan -- under what circumstances are you losing the high bit? I don't know of anything in the dLibs stdio that would alter any char other than \r. -- Steve Yelvington, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota Land of lutefisk, ice castles and jumper cables ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 31 Dec 91 21:10 EST From: Subject: tc-power help To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu > I am just days away from purchasing At-Speed, probably from > Arthur Brown Comp. > Their catalog price is $369.95. They also offer a TC Power-Emulator > Memory Manager for $49.95. > > My question is. Was the TC Power-Emulator Memory Manager originally > sold with the AT-Speed board? Has it been separated to make > the boards price more attractive? > > If TC Power is a sparate product does it work well as an extended > menory > manager? Well, When I bought my Supercharger from Talon, I ordered TC-Power as an addition. Well I haven't found much use for frankly, as it says I need a 286 to use my extra 384K for EMS, so I can only use hard drive page mapping, which is slow, and not much use to any of the programs I have. i pretty much wrote off my $50 that I payed for that thing. I do now have Tandy 1000 286-10 which is a piece of garbage, and I still haven't found much use for TC. ------------------------------ Date: 2 Jan 92 14:38:47 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!cronkite.Central.Su n.COM!texsun!digi!rgoseweh@arizona.edu (Roy Gosewehr) Subject: Turbo ST 1.84 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <5440175@hplsla.hp.com> andyc@hplsla.hp.com (Andy Cassino) writes: >Actually, Turbo ST 1.84 (the latest) is an AUTO program, not an ACC. > Actually, Turbo ST 1.84 is both. You get an ACC to use (if you like it that way) and a program to use in your AUTO folder. I use the ACC version, but have the program in my AUTO folder named ".prx" in case I ever want to use it. Also note that there are two versions - one for COLOR resolutions and one for the MONO resolution. (Apparently, TST does not work on the TT.) Roy C. Gosewehr ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 05:46:26 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!spool.mu.edu!agate!usenet.i ns.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!aa399@arizona.edu (Len Stys) Subject: VME and expansions To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Hi, I'm kind of confused about what VME actually is and would like to know some things about expansions slots. I hear VME is almost a standard in Europe. Expansion slots are the way PCs are expanded in the U.S. I hear there are 3U boards which the TTs have. I've been told that they are not the complete version. I'm also told that there are 6U and 9U boards. What is the difference between the boards? How much do each cost if you want to buy one or want to buy them in quantities? If Atari did some rearranging with the 1040 STe, could a VME be placed in it or would it fit? Are there just plain VME bus or are they cards? Would it be nice if Atari had a few VME boards in the TTs and Mega STes or is one enough? Why is there one port on the Mega STe on back of the VME and two ports on back of the TT/030? Ok, now on to my expansion questions. I know this isn't an Amiga newsgroup but if anyone knows, I'd appreciate an answer. What type of cards does the Amiga 2000 accept? PC cards? Also, how many expansion slots are there on an Amiga 2000 and 3000? And lastly, which is better and why, VME or expansion slots? THANKS. I know many people would also appreciate an answer to these questions. Len Stys -- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Jan 92 16:39:53 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!yale.edu!spool.mu.edu!agate!usenet.i ns.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!be824@arizona.edu (Steve Selick) Subject: Wanted: PC-Ditto ][ To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu If anybody has a pc-ditto 2 board that they don't want any more, please contact me at . I may take boards that are non-functional for a good price :-) ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest ******************************