[HEA] _____________________ ___ _ |___ ______________| | | | | | | _ | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | ____ _ _ _ _ ______ | | | || | | | / __ \ | | / \_/ \ | ___ \ | | | || |__ ____ | | / / \ | | /\ /\ \ | | \ \ | | | || _ \ | _ \ | | \ \__/ | | | |_|| | | |__/ / | | | || | | || |_|| | | \___/|_| |_| |_| | ____/ |_| | || | | || |__ | |____________________ | | _ |__||_| |_|\____/ |________________________| | | |_| | | Lighting Your Apple II Path | | |_| ----------------------------------- >>> WELCOME TO THE LAMP! <<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE BEST OF THE A2Central BULLETIN BOARD AND THE BEST OF THE DELPHI A2 AND A2PRO MESSAGE BOARDS "Teaching the Apple II user how to fish since 1998" :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The Lamp! An Onipa'a Software Production Vol. 4, No. 2 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Publisher................................Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. Editor.....................................................Lyle Syverson Internet Email, Publisher.........................thelamp@sheppyware.net Internet Email, Editor................................lyle@FoxValley.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TABLE OF CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ February 15, 2001 HIGH ABOVE THE ROCK RIVER---------------------------------------------[OPN] Ruts A2Central.com DISTILLATIONS Connect IIgs With LANceGS to TCP/IP Connected Mac?---------------[CGM] ProTERM 3.1 Script Reads New Messages on A2Central.com-----------[PTS] Spectrum Script Reads New Messages on A2Central.com--------------[SSR] Marinetti Tip----------------------------------------------------[MQT] Screen Captures on the IIgs--------------------------------------[SCG] A2Central Begins Testing Phase of Enhanced Account Services------[EAS] A2Central Offers Enhanced Account Services-----------------------[OES] Special User Group Accounts on A2Central.com---------------------[SUA] Reading Messages Beyond a Certain Date?--------------------------[RMB] Who Command Added------------------------------------------------[WCA] Suggestions Invited----------------------------------------------[SGI] Windows Telnet Program-------------------------------------------[WTP] Print Bumper Stickers With InkJet Printer?-----------------------[PBS] IIgs Monitor Display Corrupted?----------------------------------[MDC] Arachnid Preview 3 is Out----------------------------------------[APT] SCAP 1.1.1 Now Available-----------------------------------------[SNA] Complete Directory of a CD---------------------------------------[CDC] Lemonade Stand Updated-------------------------------------------[LSU] Connect a Mac and a IIgs Via LocalTalk---------------------------[CVL] How Do You Like Your LANceGS Card?-------------------------------[LYL] A2Central.com PROGRAMMING DISTILLATIONS The Best IIgs Programming Languages?-----------------------------[BPL] The CoPilot / GEM Challenge--------------------------------------[CGC] Static Text Control...-------------------------------------------[STC] Using the ORCA Desktop Shell-------------------------------------[ODS] GTE (Generic Tile Engine)----------------------------------------[GTE] Apple II Technical Notes-----------------------------------------[ATN] Apple II File Types----------------------------------------------[AFT] DELPHI A2 DISTILLATIONS Silvern Castle 7.0 in Database-----------------------------------[SCD] Where to Get Silvern Castle v7.0---------------------------------[WTG] Compare v2.0 File Utility in Database----------------------------[CFU] New Uploads for the IIgs-----------------------------------------[NUG] Clarification of Golden Orchard CD-ROM Release Notes-------------[GOR] IIgs Free Programs-----------------------------------------------[GFP] Dvorak Keyboard on the IIe---------------------------------------[DKE] Interleaving Hard Drives-----------------------------------------[IHD] DELPHI A2P DISTILLATIONS The Toolbox Reference Manuals------------------------------------[TRM] UI Guidelines for GS/OS?-----------------------------------------[UIG] ORCA/Shell News--------------------------------------------------[OSN] Generic Tile Engine for the IIgs---------------------------------[TEG] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR No Letters to the Editor This Month------------------------------[NLE] An Invitation----------------------------------------------------[LTE] KFEST 2001 Keep it in Mind--------------------------------------------------[KFT] EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] [*] [*] [*] READING THE LAMP! The index system used by The Lamp! is designed to make """"""""""""""""" your reading easier. To use this system, load this issue into any word processor or text editor. In the index you will find something like: EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] To read this article, simply use your search or find command to locate [INN]. There is a similar tag at the end of each article: [EOA]. [OPN]------------------------------- HIGH ABOVE THE ROCK RIVER | ------------------------------------ From The Editor """"""""""""""" by Lyle Syverson RUTS ~~~~ The stately oak trees on the grounds of the nearby natural history museum are clearly visible from High Above The Rock River. As the winter of 1999 settled in, thousands of Crows established their roosting area in those oaks. At dusk each evening flocks upon flocks of those big black birds would arrive... circling overhead... squawking loudly... then landing on the branches of the trees. At dawn each morning they would take flight, circle overhead, squawk loudly, and scatter in every direction to participate in their daily feeding. Those Crows had settled into a rut. Then at midnight on December 31, suddenly an intense display of fireworks was set off (to celebrate the arrival on the "new millennium"). The sky was brightly lit... the silence of the night shattered by exploding shells. The Crows were in the air! Circling! Confused! Shouting at each other! Eventually they settled down for the night on the surface of the frozen river and never returned to those trees. The Crows had been frightened out of their rut. Life is like that. We get settled into a rut. Then for one reason or another we have to start doing things in a different way. The volume of posts in the A2 and A2P forums on Delphi has fallen off since the text side has alternated between working and not working. Sooner or later the text side will cease to work at all. This issue of The Lamp! contains material from the Bulletin Board on A2Central.com in addition to posts from Delphi A2 and A2P. When the text side of Delphi no longer works, The Lamp! will continue to inform and entertain the Apple II enthusiast. [EOA] ASCII ART BEGINS _________ _ _ _ |__ __| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |___ ____ | | _____ __ ___ _ _ _____ | | | | | ___ \ / __ \ | | /____ \ | v v | | v ___ \ | | | | | | | | | /__\ \ | | ____| | | /\ /\ | | / \ \ | | | | | | | | | _____| | | / ___ | | || || | | | | | |_| | | | | | | | |_____ | |____ | |__| | | || || | | \___/ / _ |_| |_| |_| \______| |______| \____^_| |_||_||_| | |\____/ |_| | | | | |_| ASCII ART ENDS [EOA] ------------------------------------ DISTILLATIONS FROM A2Central.com | ------------------------------------ by Lyle Syverson [CGM] CONNECT IIgs WITH LANceGS TO TCP/IP CONNECTED MAC? """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" If my Ethernet-capable Mac has made a TCP/IP connection to the Internet via dial-up modem (serial port), can my LANceGS-equipped IIgs piggyback that connection? What software or hardware would be necessary? Thanks, -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 10, Top 5, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" Yes, you can do that. You need an ethernet crossover cable to connect the IIgs and Mac together. Then you need to go to http://www.sustworks.com and download IPNetRouter, which is an IP masquerading package for the Macintosh. Install that on the Mac and configure it, and you should be good to go. It's not insanely easy to configure, but there is an example setup on their web site for your situation that will do the trick. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 10, Top 5, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" Yep. Alternatively you could use a hub (or probably a switch, I haven't tried that since I don't have one here) in place of the crossover cable, which is more expensive but probably a better way to do things in the long term. IPNR is probably the best one to use, indeed. Since you're a student, Ken, you'd be eligible for a 50% discount. I don't think you have any 68K Macs around, but if you did and wanted to use IPNR on them for a dedicated router, it would only cost you the price of the Mac (free in some cases, I just got a LC 475 with ethernet card for like $10 the other week) and $25 for 68k IPNR at the educational rate. I got it set up mostly by luck :) Personally, I found it easier to set up a dual ethernet Linux box without X for routing, but I think that's more a reflection on my being less of a Linux fraud than I make myself out to be. Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 10, Top 5, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Ryan & Sheppy, Thanks for the pointer to sustworks.com. I've heard of IPNetRouter & Monitor, but had no idea they were so versatile - and useful! It's like that Calvin & Hobbes comic: "I just saw a commercial for products I had no idea existed, but which I desperately need!" :) And with software bundles and a student discount available, there's no reason not to invest in these applications. Thanks! -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 10, Top 5, Msg 4) [EOA] [PTS] ProTERM 3.1 SCRIPT READS NEW MESSAGES ON A2Central.com """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" For all you diehard ProTERM 3.1 fans: Use this script from your UNIX shell account's prompt. It'll get you here, signed on, read all messages into a file named "TEMP", and sign you back out. Knock yourself out :) Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 10, Top 57, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Oops. I had to repost this due to a typo: Decided (after 20 minutes :) to do a 1.1 :) This version strips the control characters it receives and clears the editor before receiving. Sorry 'bout that :) CUT HERE * qdolr--the quick and dirty ProTERM 3.1 A2Central.com offline reader * * saves a file named "temp" in your current directory with your * * A2Central.com messages. Run using Misc: Macro File command * * Have run -- Ryan * do "online:par","emulate:[ok]" * set emulation to VT100 * print "telnet a2central.com^m" wt "login:" pr "username^m" * substitute your A2Central.com username * wt "word:" pr "password^m" * substitute your password * wt "and: " pr "1^m" wt "1 ?" do "misc:edit" do "edit:select" do "edit:clear" do "file:quit" do "rec:asc","[save as] supp:1 [ok][append]" pr "bro nor nos^m" wt "^m1 ?" do "rec:asc","[close]" pr "exit^m" wt "and: " pr "0^m" exit Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 10, Top 57, Msg 9) [EOA] [SSR] SPECTRUM SCRIPT READS NEW MESSAGES ON A2Central.com """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" And of course, the accompanying Spectrum TCP/IP version. Have fun. Ryan # qdolr--the quick and dirty A2Central.com offline reader * # this version for Spectrum TCP/IP # saves a file named "temp" in your current directory with your # A2Central.com messages. Run using Script:Run a Script. . . command # Have fun -- Ryan Set onlineDisplay "VT100" switch tcp/ip tcpconnect open tcpsocket "a2central.com" 2 socket waitfor string "gin: " transmit "username^M" # substitute your A2Central.com username waitfor string "word:" transmit "password^M" # substitute your A2Central.com password waitfor string "and: " transmit "1^M" waitfor string "1 ?" append capturefile "temp" transmit "bro nor nos^M" waitfor string "1 ?" close capturefile transmit "exit^M" waitfor string "and: " transmit "0^M" (A2.RYAN, Cat 10, Top 57, Msg 10) [EOA] [MQT] MARINETTI TIP """"""""""""" Quick Marinetti tip: Install II Not Disturb by Greg Templeman. It helps me -a lot-. Without it, I can't even get gwftp connecting. With it, it flies :) I haven't seen Greg in awhile, but I beta tested II Not Disturb. It's still relevant today :) Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 11, Top 15, Msg 4) >>>>> """"" Where can you get II Not Disturb? Lyle Syverson Editor, _The Lamp!_, published monthly (LYLE, Cat 11, Top 15, Msg 7) >>>>> """"" Why, on the Time in a Bottle CD set, where else? :) Seriously, when we get our library in gear here, it'll be in it. Of course, the issue of "Whatever Happened to Greg Templeman" now comes up, but that's for another topic, I think (lets' look at 20/15 for that :) Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 11, Top 15, Msg 8) >>>>> """"" At Ryan's recommendation I tried out II Not Disturb. The results are, well pretty amazing! When testing Arachnid I had to reduce the port speed on my GS with 8/32 zip to 9600 to get it to work reliably with Marinetti. After installing IIND I set the port speed back up to 57600 and it's working great. Awesome! If you haven't got IIND get it! http://apple2.tffenterprises.com/apple2/comm/iinotdis10.shk (KIMHOWE, Cat 11, Top 15, Msg 21) [EOA] [SCG] SCREEN CAPTURES ON THE IIgs """"""""""""""""""""""""""" I'm looking for a utility to do screen captures of the IIGS desktop. I have been told that there is a CDA that does this. Does anybody know what this CDA is called and where I can find it? Thanks. (MARK, Cat 12, Top 2, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" There is at least one on the TABBS CD-ROM from Shareware Solutions... Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Sat 20 Jan 2001 - 186 days till KFest '01 Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR 1.0b1 Setup: Bernie ][ the Rescue 3.0 and a Blue & White G3/350 http://www.ewannop.btinternet.co.uk/ (CONDUCTOR, Cat 12, Top 2, Msg 4) [EOA] [EAS] A2Central BEGINS TESTING PHASE OF ENHANCED ACCOUNT SERVICES """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" We're beginning a brief testing phase on our enhanced account services and need two or so members to do some testing. Anyone that's been planning to upgrade to an enhanced account (meaning a personal web site, FTP access for uploading it, and a 10 MB storage limit on our server), please email sheppy@syndicomm.com. We'll pick a couple of people and set them up. The people we select will get February for free. They will be asked to let us know of any problems they have setting up or using their personal web site, or any other issues that arise. Eric Shepherd Owner Syndicomm (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 1, Msg 10) [EOA] [OES] A2Central OFFERS ENHANCED ACCOUNT SERVICES """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" FEBRUARY 13, 2001--A2Central.com, the online service for Apple II computer users, is expanding its service. Effective March 1, members can opt for an Enhanced account, which for US $15 per month or $35 per three-month quarter provides support for a personal web site of up to 10 MB. Additional capacity is available for a small additional charge. Members' web sites will have the URL http://www.a2people.com/~username, and can be uploaded and managed using any standard FTP client, or FTP-capable web site editor. New A2Central.com members may simply select the Enhanced account option when signing up for A2Central.com service at http://www.a2central.com/join. If you're a current A2Central.com member and would like to upgrade your account to an Enhanced Account, the following upgrade pricing applies: If your account is a quarterly account paid in January, you can upgrade to an Enhanced account for the month of March for $5. You will be billed for the $5 during our March billing cycle. If your account is a quarterly account paid in February, you can upgrade to an Enhanced account for the months of March and April for $10. You will be billed for the $10 during our March billing cycle. If you pay monthly, your March bill will be $5 more than your February bill, for a total of $15. If you would like to upgrade your account to Enhanced service, or have questions about our pricing, please email billing@a2central.com. You don't have to wait until March 1 to request an upgrade (in fact, it will simplify the process if you do it before the March billing cycle, which should be the last week of February). Syndicomm looks forward to continuing to serve A2Central.com members. (Syndicomm and A2Central.com are trademarks of Eric Shepherd. This announcement may be reproduced for news-reporting purposes.) (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 1, Msg 12) [EOA] [SUA] SPECIAL USER GROUP ACCOUNTS ON A2Central.com """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Would there be any interest in a special User Group account on A2Central.com that the group management could use to set up a group web site, attend conferences, post announcements, whatever? Perhaps extra web space, and an URL with the group's name in it? Probably would charge in the $15-$20 per month range, and it would require that the group be registered with Apple. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 5, Top 20, Msg 1) [EOA] [RMB] READING MESSAGES BEYOND A CERTAIN DATE? """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" I did a BRO NOR NOS, but before I could read the results from scrollback, my computer crashed. Is there a way to read all messages posted on or since a certain date? -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 2, Top 3, Msg 36) >>>>> """"" Not yet. There will be, but there isn't yet. For now you'll have to specify a range of message numbers in select topics; see "HELP READ" for information. Sorry! Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 3, Msg 37) [EOA] [WCA] WHO COMMAND ADDED """"""""""""""""" Thought I'd mention a little new feature we have. If you type "who" or "w" at the main A2Central.com menu, you can get a list of everyone currently logged into the system: Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 3, Msg 41) [EOA] [SGI] SUGGESTIONS INVITED """"""""""""""""""" A general note-- the special thing about A2Central.com is that it's an online service for Apple II users created, maintained, and run by Apple II users. If you, as an Apple II user, have a feature you think will make life easier or better for you or other Apple II users, we will take it to heart. That's what the Apple II is all about, ain't it? Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 2, Top 30, Msg 14) [EOA] [WTP] WINDOWS TELNET PROGRAM """""""""""""""""""""" CRT is an excellent Windows telnet program. The shareware fee is $34.95. Still, I've been using Token2, a somewhat eccentric but functional freeware program available from Tucows. It's supposed to do Zmodem uploads and downloads, but I can't figure out how, and the help is minimal. However, for the BB and RTC, it's fine. It also has a hex capture mode, which could be very useful at times. Bill Dooley (A2.BILL, Cat 2, Top 3, Msg 57) [EOA] [PBS] PRINT BUMPER STICKERS WITH InkJet PRINTER? """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" This may fall under the "common sense" category, but I have to ask, so please bear with me if this really is a stupid question. Besides, it's probably a good idea to have some basic information as the first messages in a topic. :) I have an HP DeskJet 340 printer. I found some neat color bumper stickers online that I would like to print on adhesive paper and place on my car. Would the ink simply wash off the next time my car goes through a puddle? My printer is an inkjet. How does that differ from a laser printer - how do those work? Thanks, -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 17, Top 25, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" Well... inkjet printers work by spraying ink onto paper, so it would probably run or fade. Laser printer toner is actually plastic powder, so it won't run when it gets wet. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 17, Top 25, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" > Would the ink simply wash off the next time my car goes through a puddle? Yes... But you could either laminate them, or spray with fixative to protect the ink... Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Thu 4 Jan 2001 - 202 days till KFest '01 Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.5 & SOAR 1.0b1 Setup: Bernie ][ the Rescue 3.0 and a Blue & White G3/350 http://www.ewannop.btinternet.co.uk/ (CONDUCTOR, Cat 17, Top 25, Msg 3) [EOA] [MDC] IIgs MONITOR DISPLAY CORRUPTED? """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" My 1986 vintage Woz GS is showing its age. If I leave it on for a day or two, the display gets corrupted. Some characters on the SHR screen look red, and there are fine red lines running down the screen. They're most visible against a black background. What should I look at in trying to clear up this problem? A few months ago, I reseated every single chip and connector I could find, but this problem was not cleared up. Hmm, come to think of it, I'm not certain I reseated the graphics chip that was part of the ROM01 update. Why did I not recall that until this moment? Well, at the risk of some embarrassment, I'll post this anyway. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. Bill Dooley (A2.BILL, Cat 17, Top 29, Msg 5) >>>>> """"" Similar things happen to me every now-and-then. I've found that it's usually related to an 'Icon' file or two. What I usually do is turn on "View Hidden Files" and then delete the 'Desktop' icon file on each partition. Since my classic icon files rarely get added to anymore, the problem is usually related to the 'Desktop' icons. Once deleted, reboot. See if that solves your problem. It does for me. LumiTech Sat, 3 Feb 01 @ 19:27:40 Cruising the 'railway' provided by: Spectrum v2.5.1 and SOAR! v1.0b1 (LUMITECH, Cat 17, Top 29, Msg 6) [EOA] [APT] ARACHNID PREVIEW 3 IS OUT """"""""""""""""""""""""" Just a short note to let everyone know that Arachnid Preview 3 is out, complete with support for http with or without proxy servers, basic ftp and lots of improvements over the previous release. Check out http://www.omninet.net.au/~khowe/arachnid/index.html or download from A2Central.com at ftp://ftp.a2central.com/pub/gsos/telecom/arachnidr3.shk Have fun! (KIMHOWE, Cat 20, Top 10, Msg 1) [EOA] [SNA] SCAP 1.1.1 NOW AVAILABLE """""""""""""""""""""""" I have now finished SCAP 1.1.1. It will be immediately available from Delphi, Juiced.GS, and Shareware Solutions II. It will also be available here in the a2central.com file library. SCAP 1.1.1 now handles carats correctly in the body of a document that is being converted. Thanks to Dain for providing examples of files which exhibit the problem. Special thanks go to Ewen who had to explain to me how Spectrum worked so I could fix the problem :) Geoff (GEOFF, Cat 20, Top 13, Msg 16) >>>>> """"" I should probably add that SCAP 1.1.1 requires Spectrum 2.3 or later. Geoff (GEOFF, Cat 20, Top 13, Msg 17) [EOA] [CDC] COMPLETE DIRECTORY OF A CD """""""""""""""""""""""""" Beg pardon, but I'm rather rusty on the details of GS software. How can I do a complete directory of a CD, such as, for example, Friends for Life, and save it to a text file on disk? Drilling down through directories and subdirectories gets to be somewhat confusing to this tired old brain. Bill (A2.BILL, Cat 23, Top 2, Msg 45) >>>>> """"" If you have Prosel, select the Info Desk. After telling it which device you want, select which display option you want (printer, disk, or screen). Disk is the one to use to get an ASCII file saved on disk. Next select which type of info you want. There are several of them. Number 5, Directory Tree, will give you a tree display of the subdirectories. Number 1, Catalog, will list all files, using indentations for each level of subdirectory. It will save the file in the Prosel utilities directory, no option there. Then move it where you like! AppleWorks also has a TimeOut utility, File Librarian, that will create a data base of the disk. However, I don't know if it will work on an HFS volume. I have only used it on ProDos volumes. There are probably other ways but these are the two I use. Steve (S.BERNBAUM, Cat 23, Top 2, Msg 46) [EOA] [LSU] LEMONADE STAND UPDATED """""""""""""""""""""" I've just released a little update to Lemonade Stand. Version 1.0.2 fixes a crashing bug reported by Mark Percival. I highly recommend upgrading to this version. You can download it at ftp://ftp.sheppyware.net/pub/apple_iigs/Lemonade102.bxy Enjoy! Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 24, Top 12, Msg 1) [EOA] [CVL] CONNECT A MAC AND A IIgs VIA LocalTalk """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Joe, It was reported in the Bernie topic that Diz wrote an SSII article detailing how to connect a Mac and IIgs via LocalTalk so that the Mac's hard drive could be mounted on the IIgs and files copied over. I have very little experience with networking, none of it involving Apple II's. But I did take advantage of your sale at KFest '99 to buy all the back issues of SSII. Could you possibly point me to the appropriate issue for this article? Thanks, -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 26, Top 3, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" Ken - Diz wrote an article - Networking You Apple IIGS - in Volume 4, Issue #4. At the time, I thought of it as an "Everything you ever wanted to know about networking" type of article. I'm sure it'll help. Joe Kohn Delivered by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR v1.0b1 http://users.foxvalley.net/~joko (JOKO, Cat 26, Top 3, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" > Diz wrote an article - Networking You Apple IIGS - in Volume 4, Issue #4. Hmmm. NiftySpell many pick up spelling errors, but I guess I need NiftyTypo as well ;-) It's Volume 3, Issue 4. Joe Kohn Delivered by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR v1.0b1 http://users.foxvalley.net/~joko (JOKO, Cat 26, Top 3, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Thanks Joe! Found the article (along with everything else I brought home from KFest '99! :) and it sounds simpler than I thought, though I don't know what sort of slot setup I'll have when all is said and done. Slot 1 is already set to Your Card so I can access a parallel printer connected to a printer card, not the serial port, so I'm not sure if that will affect a PhoneNet connection. And I'll have to move my SCSI card from Slot 7 to 6, which is also already on Your Card, but I have RamFAST mapping partitions to that slot, not sure if I'll lose them? And I still need to put my LANceGS in slot 2, disabling my modem, which shouldn't matter since I have IPNetRouter on the Mac to share its dial-up modem connection... Phew! :) -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 26, Top 3, Msg 4) >>>>> """"" Depending on whether you have a ROM 01 or ROM 03, you need to set either Slot 1 or 7 to AppleTalk. Then you simply need some LocalTalk cables to connect the two machines (PhoneNet should also work), install the Sharing option of System 6.0.1, turn File Sharing on in the Mac, and mount the Mac on the IIgs from the Sharing Control Panel on the IIgs. (I can't remember the exact names of DAs etc, as I don't have sharing installed in that way on my Bernie IIgs). Now drag the files over either to or from the Mac. The Mac cannot mount the IIgs drives, but you will see all the Mac drives on the IIgs... I found that it was usually unwise to drag large amounts of files at one go, as the IIgs always seemed to eventually balk at it. Just take them over a few folders at a time... Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Sun 14 Jan 2001 - 192 days till KFest '01 Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR 1.0b1 Setup: Bernie ][ the Rescue 3.0 and a Blue & White G3/350 http://www.ewannop.btinternet.co.uk/ (CONDUCTOR, Cat 26, Top 3, Msg 5) [EOA] [LYL] HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR LANceGS CARD? """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" So... how's life with the LANceGS card after the first six months or so? I've found mine to be very reliable (more so than my GS, which currently doesn't boot :). The software is sort of another matter, what with Marinetti being a little quirky. :) Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 27, Top 2, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" At this point, I find life to be -way- better with LANceGS than without. It is considerably faster than the 56k null modem slip connect I was using before it, and it makes wiring the network way easier. Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 27, Top 2, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" LANceGS has been a Godsend for me. I had given up using Marinetti / PPP because it would crash my GS in about 5 minutes. Marinetti / LANceGS isn't perfect but I can get a reasonable stable connection for an extended period. I have resumed using COG and SAM on a daily basis which was impossible before. I can't wait for MOSP to get on track and crush the remaining Marinetti issues. Mark. (MARK, Cat 27, Top 2, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Until I got the LANceGS, I had stopped using the GS for telecommunications. Marinetti and my ISP just didn't get along. Now, I'm back to using my GS for chats, telnetting to assorted accounts, and having a blast! I'm sharing my cable modem's connection with a small home network that includes at least 3 Macs, and still, my GS has the place of honor on my desktop. It's so cool. B-{) Kirk (A2.KIRK, Cat 27, Top 2, Msg 4) >>>>> """"" My LANceGS was much easier to get running than I expected, and I have much fewer connection problems now. The speed increase is unbelievable. It's a pleasure to run SAM and COG now. Carl (CARLK, Cat 27, Top 2, Msg 5) [EOA] ------------------------------------ DISTILLATIONS FROM A2Central.com | PROGRAMING | ------------------------------------ by Lyle Syverson [BPL] THE BEST IIgs PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES? """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" What is the best, or most commonly-used, Apple IIgs programming languages? All I've ever used is Applesoft BASIC and Spectrum scripting. I'd love to be able to write a real Apple II program someday (not that Maxster isn't real, but...). I strongly dislike C/C++/Java; they made for a miserable two years majoring in computer science. Haven't seen them since I switched to tech writing. -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 50, Top 6, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" I say it depends on the kind of code you want to write. I generally use C, assembly, and GSoft BASIC in that order. ORCA/Pascal is a pretty solid Pascal implementation but I don't use it much myself. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 50, Top 6, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" The best one to use really depends on your programming skills. If like me, you find that C looks like Double-Dutch, and you can't fathom a single instruction, then Assembler is the thing to use. If you understand C, then that is the one to go for as you can port useful routines. The exception to that rule of course is if you need to write code that runs as fast as possible, in which case Assembler wins hands down. Within Assembler you have two main choices, ORCA/APW and Merlin 16. Merlin wins in the compiling speed stakes, but I find it clumsy to use compared with ORCA. You cannot compile and link as easily in Merlin as in ORCA. Spectrum scripting may be slow to execute, but I do find it very quick and direct to work with. This is mainly the reason I have used it for all my OLRs. GSoft Basic would come a close second to Spectrum in the feature stakes! Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Thu 4 Jan 2001 - 202 days till KFest '01 Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum 2.5 & SOAR 1.0b1 Setup: Bernie ][ the Rescue 3.0 and a Blue & White G3/350 http://www.ewannop.btinternet.co.uk/ (CONDUCTOR, Cat 50, Top 6, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Spectrum's scripting language might be the best of the high-end languages in my opinion, at least in terms of figuring out how to do something quickly. And if you compile the scripts, they run reasonably quickly even on a physical (non-Bernie, non-Ernie) GS. If you were producing items for distribution, it would limit you to Spectrum users, but I don't think that's a huge deal (couple of commercial products--SIS and SAM--already do this, as does COG and shortly, SOAR). GSoft BASIC is pretty amazing in what it can do as well. I think Mike Westerfield is a pretty big Pascal proponent, and ORCA/Pascal is supposed to be a very nice version. There's also HyperTalk within HyperCard GS, which I've never gotten the hang of. With the coming of Opus ][, you can get the ORCA stuff for very reasonable prices now, Spectrum is very affordable, and HyperCard GS is available free, so pricing isn't a huge issue :) OTOH, you'll need the references, which actually you ought to be able to find, but having them shipped to you can be kinda costly. Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 50, Top 6, Msg 4) >>>>> """"" Buying Opus ][ would be the way to go. For High level languages use either C of Pascal. Opus ][ contains the excellent courses in each of the languages. Depending on the size of project you want to do, you may want to work in Assembler, which is also on the CD. Pretty easy decision really. Kim Howe (KIMHOWE, Cat 50, Top 6, Msg 5) [EOA] [CGC] THE CoPilot / GEM CHALLENGE """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Here's a challenge: Syndicomm will pay $25 toward KFest 2001 registration to the first person to complete each of the following CoPilot ports from GEnie: CoPilot for ProTERM 3 CoPilot for Spectrum CoPilot for Talk Is Cheap CoPilot 8 CoPilot for ANSITerm Additionally, we will pay $25 toward KFest registration for the first person to complete a port of GEM (the AppleWorks-based OLR for GEnie) to A2Central.com. There are of course rules and restrictions: 1. It has to really work. No "well, if you tweak this and mess with that, it eventually gets you in sometimes." It needs to work at least as well as it did in the GEnie days. 2. You need to contact me and let me know in advance you're taking a whack at it. This is mostly because we can provide some support on our end for people developing OLRs, and because there are software changes on our end in the works that will affect OLR development, and we don't want to break anybody midstream. 3. You have to actually release it to the public, and it has to be available before KFest 2001. If you've already paid your KFest registration, we'll give you the $25 as a "refund." 4. Only the first person to complete each port gets the reward. 5. If you don't have CoPilot or GEM yet, we will have it available for download soon. If you don't want to wait, let me know which you want to work on and I will email it to you. 6. One person *can* claim multiple prizes, if they actually do all of the ports. 7. Syndicomm (and by extension myself, since I am Syndicomm ;) reserves the right to change these rules or cancel this offer at any time and without advance notice (blah blah CYA blah blah ;). If you have questions, you can ask here in the board (topic cops, let me know where you think this should be if this isn't the right place), or you can email me if you prefer. Eric Shepherd Owner Syndicomm (SYNDICOMM, Cat 50, Top 10, Msg 6) >>>>> """"" I will bite.... What is CoPilot? Is it an OLR similar to SOAR? Is the Source available to the public? This actually sounds kind of fun. Dain Neater - Delivered by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR v1.0b1 (A2.DAIN, Cat 50, Top 10, Msg 10) >>>>> """"" CoPilot was the most popular OLR for GEnie. Used a GS/OS application that called scripts for various telecom programs to do the online pass. Those scripts, in theory, should be all that really need to be changed. The application itself, I don't know if there's source around anywhere anymore or not. It was originally written for CompuServe, then ported to GEnie. Time for it to make it here. :) Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 50, Top 10, Msg 11) [EOA] [STC] STATIC TEXT CONTROL... """""""""""""""""""""" I am wondering if there is a way to get a Static Text control to update its substitution strings. My preferences dialog box now has two Choose font buttons, to select the default font and size for proportional and monospaced fonts. There are two Static Text Controls next to the Choose font buttons, one to display the font, and the other the size. These are loaded with substitution strings when the dialog is brought up. What I want to do is change them when the user changes the font in the Choose Font dialog. Any suggestions? Kim Howe (KIMHOWE, Cat 56, Top 16, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" Well, that's two issues that are totally unrelated: 1. Redrawing a static text control. You should be able to do this by just invalidating its rectangle if you're willing to wait for the next update event to be handled, or you can hurry it along by just calling DrawControl(ctlHandle). This should work. 2. Making the static text control redraw when the user makes changes in the Choose Font dialog. Do you want this to happen in real time as they make the changes, or after the box is closed? If the former, that will be quite tricky and probably will require a Toolbox patch. The latter, just do (1) above after ChooseFont returns. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 56, Top 16, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" I'm wanting the Static Text controls to update after the Choose Font dialog has closed. They redraw just fine, but they don't use the changed substitution strings :( It seems like the substitution strings are loaded when the control is created, not when it's drawn. (KIMHOWE, Cat 56, Top 16, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" Here's code that will let you change the title of a static text control: void SetCtlTitleByID(WindowPtr theWind, long ctlID, char *s) { CtlRecHndl ctlHand; int i; Rect r; GrafPortPtr oldPort; ctlHand = GetCtlHandleFromID(theWindow, ctlID); SetCtlMoreFlags(0x1000, ctlHand); i = strlen(s); HLock((Handle) ctlHand); r = (*ctlHand)->ctlRect; HUnlock((Handle) ctlHand); oldPort = GetPort(); SetPort(theWindow); EraseRect(&r); SetCtlValue(i, ctlHand); SetCtlTitle((Pointer) s, (Handle) ctlHand); SetPort(oldPort); } This code fixes the MoreFlags to indicate that the text is referenced by pointer, sets the length, and the title as well, and ensures that the old text is properly erased before the next update. It also works even if the window your control is in isn't the current port. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 56, Top 16, Msg 5) [EOA] [ODS] USING THE ORCA DESKTOP SHELL """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Do any serious Apple II programmers use the ORCA desktop shell? I played with it a little when I first got it, but it seemed that the screen was just too small for it to be really useful. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" Prizm is nice with the semi-integrated debugger, split-pane editing window, and shell window (for limited multitasking), but I quickly gave it up in favor of the text environment (and gno/me, which is much easier for me) and splat!. I've often thought of building a GUI IDE over gno/me, but never did anything about it. Screen real estate and resolution are a limiting factor, though. Kelvin (KWS, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 2) >>>>> """"" I've kinda got used to it now. I'm not really a text programming kind of guy, so I really like have a GUI editor available. Sure you don't get lots on the screen, but it is nice and clear. I have a relaxed attitude to programming on the GS. I don't mind taking a little breather while it compiles and links, makes me feel like I'm doing it for fun and not as work, if you know what I mean. There are a couple of things that frustrate me though. 1. Whenever Prizm opens it opens up a file. For ages now this has been Caleb's project, so every time I open the thing, I have to close the window select open, change to my folder and open my file. Gets a bit old after the 30th time in a day. 2. The linker comes up with spurious errors. Some times you have to link two or three times before it works. 3. It tends to crash if you compile a rez file in the shell window. 4. It often crashes when returning from Arachnid. I guess if I can ever afford the Opus ][ with source, I might be able to alter a few of these things... Unless you guys already know some solutions? (KIMHOWE, Cat 58, Top 1, MSG 4) >>>>> """"" > 2. The linker comes up with spurious errors. Some times you have to link > two or three times before it works. I've seen this problem in the text environment as well. Purging memory helps (gno and Opus ][ have a purge command, but I don't think stock orca has one. Fortunately, it's only like 5 lines of code to write :) > 3. It tends to crash if you compile a rez file in the shell window. If the resource definition doesn't change a lot, you could compile it once and then just copy it (instead of recompiling every time). A good utility for this is copyfork (available on Richard B's website). It works with gno, orca, or merlin. (KWS, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 5) >>>>> """"" > if the resource definition doesn't change a lot, you could compile it > once and then just copy it (instead of recompiling every time). The COPY command that comes with ORCA can do this: copy -r sourcefile destfile This will just copy the resource fork, replacing whatever resource fork is currently on destfile. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 6) >>>>> """"" > if the resource definition doesn't change a lot It works ok from Make, or if you quit prizm and compile it in the text environment, so its not a huge big deal, particularly since I got Make to behave. KIMHOWE, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 7) >>>>> """"" > Do any serious Apple II programmers use the ORCA desktop shell? I can't claim to be a serious Apple II programmer, since I've yet to complete a single Desktop GS program, but I would have to agree with Sheppy about the screen in Prizm having way too little real estate. What I would _really_ like to be able to do is copy and paste back AND forth from Bernie to the Mac, so that I could use the Codewarrior IDE with its nice color-coded editor to actually write the code, and then paste it back into the Prizm Editor. Unfortunately, I've not been able to do this. There seems to be a character limitation in Bernie going from the Mac side to the GS side. I'd naturally welcome any workarounds to this little problem. :) _________ | homas (TCOMPTER, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 9) >>>>> """"" I'd have to agree on the screen resolution/real estate issue being the main detractor from doing "serious" development in PRIZM. That said, I do miss the split-screen text editor. Most of my "real" programming is done on Sun's w/Emacs. Hmmmm....I forgot I have a copy of uEmacs sitting on my hard drive. Maybe I should pull that out...... Anyway, the real disadvantage of PRIZM for me is that because of the resolution, one cannot fit any more information on-screen than on the text screen, and the text interface is so much faster. -Lucas S. (LSCHAREN, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 10) >>>>> """"" If you are copying and pasting into a TextEdit Editor, I have found no problems pasting back and forth with the latest Bernie. Just remember that to paste into Bernie, you need to hold down the Option Key while you select Paste from the current application you are using on the IIgs side. Don't use the Paste option on the Bernie Edit menu, that has not been updated for a long time, and does indeed have severe limitations! But I would love to be able to copy and paste into the 80 column display used by the basic ORCA interface. Unfortunately that is not likely to ever happen... Ewen Wannop - Speccie - Fri 26 Jan 2001 - 180 days till KFest '01 Delivered without using a IIgs by Spectrum v2.5.1 & SOAR 1.0b1 Setup: Bernie ][ the Rescue 3.0 and a Blue & White G3/350 http://www.ewannop.btinternet.co.uk/ (CONDUCTOR, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 11) >>>>> """"" > But I would love to be able to copy and paste into the 80 column display > used by the basic ORCA interface. Unfortunately that is not likely to > ever happen... I wrote a shell utility a few years ago called "scrappy" which would print the clipboard buffer to stdout or read stdin into the clipboard so you could do something like scrappy -p > file.asm # to paste into a file scrappy -p > 7:systmp # or whatever to paste into the ORCA/editor copy/paste buffer The utility (and asm source) should be available on ftp.gno.org. I don't recall if it's gno specific (if it was, it would only be because I used GS/OS file descriptors for stdin and stdout, so any reasonably competent programmer could modify or write his/her own version). (KWS, Cat 58, Top 1, Msg 12) [EOA] [GTE] GTE (Generic Tile Engine) """"""""""""""""""""""""" ANNOUNCE: After 2 years of development, GTE (the Generic Tile Engine) is getting poised for release. A beta-release of the library and source will be available by January 31, 2001 at http://www.d.umn.edu/~lscharen/GTE/ In addition, an in-progress programming reference for GTE is available at http://www.d.umn.edu/~lscharen/GTE/GTE_Ref.html. This reference should be of interest to parties wishing to utilize GTE in their own projects. Implemented Feature Set ----------------------- * Compiled Sprites + with clipping! + with translucency! + unique DrawForth mode + optimized, integrated sprite compiler + number of sprites limited only by memory + horizontal and vertical flipping + stretch sprites to any height at run-time * Compiled tiles + optimized, integrated tile compiler + use 4x4, 8x8, or 16x16 tiles * Flicker-free operation * Full Palette control + bind any palette to any line + palettes scroll with the screen + cross-fade between any 2 palettes * Rastan-level performance * Dirty-rectangle drawing mode for ultra-fast sprite animation * Support for loading PIC and APF graphic file * Integrates perfectly with Ian Schmidt's MTLib * Global screen mask for per-pixel masking * Full-screen (320x200) scrolling * Parallax (2-layer) support! TODO Feature Set ---------------- * Fringe Tiles * Dynamic Tiles * Scrolling Mask support * Per-scanline offsets --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permission is granted to any and all parties to reproduce this posting in full, or in part, as they see fit. (LSCHAREN, Cat 59, Top 1, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" OK, at 11:59pm on 1/31/01 GTE beta1 is realeased. Go to http://www.d.umn.edu/~lscharen/ For more information, the source code, sample application and online programmer reference. Enjoy! -Lucas S. P.S... Yes, there are bugs in the system, but it's to the state of "general useability" as defined by me. Others may find it impossible to deal with. Sorry. (LSCHAREN, Cat 59, Top 1, Msg 4) [EOA] [ATN] Apple II TECHNICAL NOTES """""""""""""""""""""""" Syndicomm has been in charge of the Apple II Technical notes for a couple of years now but has never really done anything with them to speak of. Now that we're ramping up new services, it's time to do something about that. I'm looking for one or more volunteers to help create clean, attractive versions of the Apple II Technical Notes (and FIle Type Notes) in the following formats: HTML ASCII Text (which we already have) PDF (which means creating attractive Microsoft Word documents) Once these new versions of the Technical Notes are completed, we would make them available for download or viewing to anyone via the A2Central.com web site. If you would be interested in becoming involved in this effort, please email me at sheppy@a2central.com. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 59, Top 3, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" The Golden Orchard CD has the FTNs in Microsoft Word (Mac) format. I didn't notice, but they probably have the tech notes in Word format as well. Of course, I haven't tried opening any of them... Kelvin (KWS, Cat 59, Top 3, Msg 13) >>>>> """"" The Word copies of the Technical Notes on the Golden Orchard CD are proving to be quite helpful. I should be able to generate PDF versions of them quite easily, and then I can tackle HTML. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 59, Top 3, Msg 16) [EOA] [AFT] Apple II FILE TYPES """"""""""""""""""" I need to do something about files types for Arachnid, and am looking for suggestions on how to proceed. At the moment, there is the application itself, preference file, bookmarks file, and the cache, which contains html files. Since it now has an ftp capability, it can also download files, but as yet does no processing to determine the type of the file. At some point I'm going to need filetypes for gif, jpeg and png too. How should I go about this? Kim Howe (KIMHOWE, Cat 60, Topic 3, Msg 1) >>>>> """"" We have online submission for filetype requests (still on Delphi, on A2Central.com at some point, but not yet): http://www0.delphi.com/a2pro/filetypes.html Ryan (A2.RYAN, Cat 60, Top 3, Msg 3) >>>>> """"" If you go through the file type list (if you can't find it on Delphi, there's a copy at http://www.sheppyware.net/tech/ftn/) and find that there aren't suitable types available, apply for types using the form on Delphi. We will be moving the filetype stuff to A2Central.com once we find the time to do so, hopefully early in the new year. Sheppy (SYNDICOMM, Cat 60, Top 3, Msg 5) [EOA] ------------------------------------ DISTILLATIONS FROM DELPHI A2 | ------------------------------------ by Lyle Syverson [SCD] SILVERN CASTLE 7.0 IN DATABASE """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Name: SCUPD70.BXY (Entertainment Software) Date: 14-JAN-2001 02:55 By: HKATZ Size: 307072 Silvern Castle 7.0 Here are the major new features and changes: Bugs fixed * Thanks to Bruce Baker for pointing out that a second scenario guardian was missing! * Using I)nfo now matches all the definitions set forth in the Tome of Knowledge "Equipment Notes" section. * Fixed possible error #107-5116 when using I)nfo. New Stuff * AUTOMAP feature added! Press in the maze to see overhead view of the current level. Option included to save a standard Apple II hi- res picture for later printing with a paint program. * 11 new items! * 4 new spells: + L3 (M) coldray: cold version of fireball + L6 (C) curmore: improved version of curmuch + L6 (M) acidfog: does up to 64hp of acid damage to all groups + L7 (W) deathray: improved STUN that affects one entire group o Improved monster spell immunity/resistance. Resistance imparts partial immunity. See "spell list" in the docs for details. * Your characters now have partial immunity to monster fear spell attacks (like sleep). * Chests may now hold more spells and potions. Also, most monster lairs now always have chests instead of special goodies. Stuff Changed * The Heat-Shield spell is now renamed as Breathe-Shield, and protects against all breathe attacks, regardless of type. * Initial identification of the opposing monsters is now more consistent based on your party's experience. * Called monsters now appear in the next round, not the same one (chance none will respond). At the start of the next round, a message will indicate how many monsters have joined the fight. * Availability of enchanted equipment reduced for balance. Chests may contain more lesser enchanted stuff. * Only NPCs and humanoid monsters now equipped with weapons and armour. But now each individual NPC/humanoid can have its own stuff instead of the same equipment per group. (TONYW1, 34922, GO COM A2) [EOA] [WTG] WHERE TO GET SILVERN CASTLE v7.0 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" To all Silvern Castle fans, the latest update-v7.0-is now available for download! If you're new to Silvern Castle, be sure to download v1.0 also. See the READ.ME.FIRST file for details. Check out delphi, trenco, ground, and a2central (when library's up). Also on disk form in the next Juiced.GS! Trenco: ftp://www.gno.org/pub/apple2 Ground: ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2 Enjoy, Jeff Fink (FINKSTERJ, 34970, GO COM A2) [EOA] [CFU] COMPARE v2.0 FILE UTILITY IN DATABASE """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Name: COMPARE2.BXY (Productivity Software) Date: 14-JAN-2001 02:58 By: HKATZ Size: 8448 This archive contains Compare v.2 - An AppleSoft file compare utility written by Jeff Fink, the author of Silvern Castle. This is an update of his earlier v1.1 of this program. Please note that this program has been released as freeware by the author. The original 1.1 version of this program may be found in the JFFREEWAE.BXY file in the Entertainment database. (TONYW1, 34923, GO COM A2) >>>>> """"" Just so no one is confused, Compare v2.0 is a stand-alone-update. II Infinitum, Jeff Fink (FINKSTERJ, 34924, GO COM A2) [EOA] [NUG] NEW UPLOADS FOR THE IIgs """""""""""""""""""""""" Name: MAXSTER.BXY (Telecommunications) Date: 14-JAN-2001 03:02 By: KEN_GAGNE Size: 344832 This is Maxster v0.79.5, the Napster client for the Apple IIgs that was first demoed at KansasFest 2000 as part of HackFest. This program will search for, download, and play the first few seconds of MP3 audio files. As an open beta, its functionality is extremely limited, and has been known to work with only a small range of songs. As a Spectrum script, it requires Spectrum v2.0 or later. Freeware by Ken Gagne. >>>>> """"" Name: SCAP111.BXY (Productivity Software) Date: 14-JAN-2001 02:53 By: SISGEOFF Size: 18944 SCAP 1.1.1 is a Spectrum script which converts Text, Teach, Source, or AppleWorks Classic Word Processor documents into a PDF file. SCAP requires Spectrum 2.3 or higher. This version now handles carats properly in the text. All previous versions of SCAP do not handle carats correctly and the script may abort during the process of the conversion to a PDF file. (TONYW1, 34925, GO COM A2) [EOA] [GOR] CLARIFICATION OF GOLDEN ORCHARD CD-ROM RELEASE NOTES """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" A few years ago, Shareware Solutions II took over as the distributor of the Golden Orchard CD-ROM, and the following is the insert that accompanies the CD-ROM these days... Golden Orchard Release Notes Partitions The Golden Orchard CD contains five HFS partitions and one ProDOS partition. This was done for a few reasons: - We found the GS/OS HFS FST to be very buggy in dealing with large (several hundred megabyte) volumes. Either it would corrupt them, or simply refuse to open certain files, returning garbage if you tried to read them on a GS. - In using several HFS partitions we also worked around the extreme overhead HFS imposes on large volumes. We actually freed up 50-100 megabytes of space by using five HFS partitions instead of one! - We wanted to be able to take advantage of the more lenient filename conventions imposed by HFS so we could add version numbers and other information to the names of directories, making the CD easier to navigate. - By using HFS volumes for most of the CD, Golden Orchard is readable on Macs. This means if you have access to a Mac with a CD-ROM drive, you can copy Apple II files off the CD onto floppies and use them with your GS. This also means Golden Orchard can be shared over an AppleShare network using the Personal File Sharing feature of MacOS 7.x- 8.x. Other Notes System 6.0.1 is installed on the ProDOS partition, making it bootable. This is just for convenience and emergencies. We don't recommend you boot from it under normal circumstances since it is a lot faster to boot off a hard disk. We tried to place most files useful to Apple IIe owners on the ProDOS partition of the CD, the only partition which can be read on an Apple IIe. Using Golden Orchard on a Mac All six partitions of Golden Orchard should easily be usable on an Apple IIGS. On a Macintosh however, there are a few hitches. Apple's standard Macintosh CD-ROM drivers only support one HFS volume per CD-ROM. As such you will need third party drivers that support more than one HFS volume. We recommend FWB's CD-ROM Toolkit (http://www.fwb.com/ for more information). CD-ROM Toolkit also has the benefit of being able to mount the ProDOS partition on the Mac as well, so long as you have the Mac ProDOS File System Extension in your Extensions folder. (This extension is part of the Mac Apple IIe card software which can be found in the Apple Software folder on Golden Orchard.) Mounting Speed Besides needing FWB's CD-ROM Toolkit to access all of the partitions on a Mac, there is one other disadvantage to Golden Orchard's six partitions: mounting speed. This appears to be a disadvantage on the Mac as well as the GS. The problem is that it can sometimes take up to 10 seconds to mount all the partitions of the CD-ROM when it is first recognized by the computer. In this time it might appear like your computer has hung, but it hasn't; just be patient. RamFast Notes Lastly, if you are a RamFast owner, and you insert a multi-partition CD-ROM into your drive after booting, only the first 2 partitions will be accessible. This is not a bug in Golden Orchard, it is due to the design of the RamFast. Luckily, a fix is simple: run a ProDOS 8 program (such as the RamFast setup program, or BASIC, or AppleWorks, etc.) and then quit back to the Finder. This will cause the RamFast's driver to be re-initialized (during the switch from ProDOS 8 back to GS/OS), and it will then mount all the partitions of Golden Orchard (until the next reboot.) Alternatively, if you boot with Golden Orchard in your CD-ROM drive, the RamFast will also recognize all partitions right from the start (but you might have to go into the RamFast configure screen to tell it to boot off your hard drive, not the CD-ROM, and to make sure all the CD's partitions are active.) If the RamFast doesn't appear to be recognizing Golden Orchard, or crashes when you try to boot with Golden Orchard in your CD drive, try going into the RamFast setup program (hold down zero before the RApple IIgsS ROM screen) and making sure that all the Golden Orchard partitions are active, and that a partition has been selected to boot from. Joe Kohn.... - Sat 20 Jan 2001 10:05:57 am Message delivered by Spectrum 2.5.1 and rushed to you by Crock O' Gold 3.3! http://users.foxvalley.net/~joko (JOE_KOHN, 35007, GO COM A2) [EOA] [GFP] IIgs FREE PROGRAMS """""""""""""""""" Well, here's my first mention of my "IIgs Free Programs" web page at http://modena.intergate.ca/personal/gslj/iigsfreeware.html You may also be able to help by reporting any errors or omissions to me. I want this page to be the first place to send a GS newbie or returnee. The games section is pretty good, I think. -Gareth (GARETH, 35015, GO COM A2) [EOA] [DKE] DVORAK KEYBOARD ON THE IIe """""""""""""""""""""""""" I was idly browsing some ftp sites the other night and ran across this message that I had posted on AOL many years ago. I had lost it one of the times that I had HD crashes ... back before IOMEGA made backups so easy. :) I thought someone might like to see it. I don't think I ever posted it on GEnie. ===snip=== To: AFL Don From: Chuck Stites (ChuckS 1073) Easy IIe Dvorak Keyboard Modification BACKGROUND About three years ago a new student came to my school. He had a severe birth defect. He was born without any fingers on his left hand. Surgery was performed and single joints were transplanted from his left foot to create "finger-stubs". He now has a semi-usable left hand. For his birthday, prior to enrolling in my school, his parents had purchased a IIgs for him. At that point he was using the Christopher Columbus method of typing ("Discover and Land on it"). I had begun using Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for my 5th and 6th graders -- as an alternative to my favorite program (Typing Made Easy). The Apple II version teaches, not only standard QWERTY, but Dvorak board. For those not familiar with Dvorak, it is an arrangement of the keyboard whereby all of the vowels are on the home-row (AOEUI), keyed with the left hand, while the right hand keys the most commonly used consonants (DHTNS). From just the home-row, one can type almost 70% of the English language. Up reaches are less prone to mistakes, therefore the top row consists of the next most common characters and letters, while the bottom row has the least used characters and letters. I had done some experimenting with the Dvorak layout and found it to be intriguing. But when I discovered that this student was not only handicapped (in the above mentioned way), and really showed an aptitude for using the computer, I decided to try the Dvorak system on him. After all, all of the vowels are executed with the left hand, and the balance of characters/letters for that hand are used less frequently than is the right. He took to it like a fish to water. (By the way, the IIgs keyboard can easily be changed through the control panel -- Dvorak = American Simplified Keyboard.) At last speed check, he was typing (with 0% errors) around 70 words per minute. I own a couple of IIc's and a IIe. I spend most of my time on the "e". I really wanted to have Dvorak available for my "e". In the back of the "Mavis" booklet there are a number of manufacturers listed who sell hardware to convert the IIe. I called all of them. They were either no longer in business, or no longer making the hardware. I had read in "Apple Thesaurus" by Aaron Filler (Datamost, 1984) that the Dvorak keyboard was available -- built in, like the IIc (and IIc+) -- but that was all that was mentioned. After spending considerable time reviewing reduced schematics of both the "e" and "c" in "Apple Thesaurus", I discovered that the keyboard switch on the "c" merely broke a connection from the keyboard ROM chip -- part 342-0132-D. THE MODIFICATION I removed the chip and gently bent one of the legs out and slightly up (away from the motherboard). Then I inserted a piece of insulated wire, that I had stripped approx 3/16" of the insulation from, into the base for the chip. The location is the sixth hole up from the bottom -- as you look at the motherboard from the keyboard side: --- ASCII ART BEGINS --- ___ |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| ----|o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o| |o|_^_|o| --- ASCII ART ENDS --- The other end of this wire is attached to one side of a 3-pole micro toggle switch (from Radio Shack -- approx $2.00). The other outside tap has a wire from it to the lower left hand corner of the mother board where there are three small rectangular silvered contact points. (There is also a fourth point, but it is roughly square.) The wire from the toggle is soldered to the middle of the three rectangular contact points. Now you can attach a third wire to the center tap of the toggle switch. This wire is attached, either by carefully soldering -- use a heat shield of some sort so as not to damage the ROM chip -- or buy a small slide on connecter and solder the wire to the connecter. If the latter, then slide the connector carefully onto the leg of the chip you previously gently bent outward. Presto! By flipping the toggle switch one way you have standard (QWERTY) and the other way you have Dvorak. And you can switch back and forth in "mid-stream". If you have never done any soldering, may I suggest you go the latter route. It is very easy to damage an IC chip with heat. Good luck, and ENJOY. Get a copy of Mavis, leave your switch in the standard position. Configure Mavis for Dvorak and learn how to use this old/new keyboard. When you feel ready, use Appleworks (or your other wordprocessor) and flip the switch for Dvorak. In no time at all, you should easily increase your touch-typing skills (especially if you already now real touch-typing) by at least 100% or greater. If you are a user of a BBS the length of time online costs $$$. The faster you can type, the less time online -- or at least less time responding in a Real-Time Conference. Feel free to e-mail any comments to me. Chuck Stites ChuckS 1073 (AOL) C.Stites (GEnie) ===snip=== Chuck CHunk_S --- Your A2 Forum Host -- (chunk.s@foxvalley.net) Delivered by OLRight! (v4.1) scripts for ANSITerm for the Apple IIgs and posted on the TEXT side. (CHUNK_S, 35150, GO COM A2) [EOA] [IHD] INTERLEAVING HARD DRIVES """""""""""""""""""""""" How can I work out the best (fastest) interleaving to use on my 1MHz IIe's HDD ? I noticed that Chinook Utilities gives you an almost unlimited choice of interleaving options starting from 1:1 up. I thought it'd be wise to make that decision now, rather than wait until it's full. Is there some kind of test/benchmark that can be done ? Mark (LUKE65816, 35187, GO COM A2) >>>>> """"" There is no formal test that I have ever seen. What I used to do in the old days was to partition the drive and put a fairly large file on one partition. I would then copy the file from one partition to the other while timing the operation. I timed the amount of time it took to read the file and the amount of time it took to write it back to the other partition. For MY purposes, the best interleave was the one that gave the shortest overall time to complete the entire operation while reading and writing took approximately the same time. You need a single large file to do this properly, but it only needs to be large enough so that you are able to time it with reasonable accuracy. Gary R. Utter (UTTER, 35191, GO COM A2) [EOA] ------------------------------------ DISTILLATIONS FROM DELPHI A2P | ------------------------------------ by Lyle Syverson [TRM] THE TOOLBOX REFERENCE MANUALS """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" The toolbox reference manuals are en encyclopedia of the various calls you can make to the libraries Apple provides with the operating system. The tools themselves cover graphics, sound, menus, windows and so forth. The complete basic set is actually five volumes, shown here with their Byte Works catalog numbers: APDA-53 to APDA-55 Apple IIGS Toolbox Reference, Volumes 1-3 GS-16 Programmer's Reference for System 6.0 & 6.0.1 APDA-56 Apple IIGS GS/OS Reference Manual You can get an overview of the toolbox from Apple's Programmer's Introduction to the Apple IIGS. AW-05 Programmer's Introduction to the Apple IIGS For a more in-depth exploration of toolbox programming, get either of the Toolbox Programming courses. These have an abridged toolbox reference manual as an appendix, so you do not need to buy the full set of books to get a good understanding of the toolbox. GS-18 Toolbox Programming in Pascal GS-20 Toolbox Programming in C You can find all of these for sale at { http://www.byteworks.org.} Mike Westerfield Byte Works, Inc. (BYTEWORKS, 3270, GO COM A2P) [EOA] [UIG] UI GUIDELINES FOR GS/OS? """""""""""""""""""""""" Is there such a document? Anything close? ~Tarage Email: tarage@bellsouth.net (TARAGE, 3274, GO COM A2P) >>>>> """"" Strictly speaking, GS/OS doesn't have a UI. It's just a file system. The Apple IIGS Toolbox is really where the UI comes into play. When the Apple IIGS and Macintosh were both being sold, Apple published a single-volume human interface guideline that was supposed to cover both machines, and basically did. It's called "Human Interface Guidelines: The Apple Desktop Interface," with a subtitle of "For any Macintosh or Apple II computer." It's an Addison-Wesley book, ISBN 0-201-17753-6. Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, 3275, GO COM A2P) [EOA] [OSN] ORCA/Shell NEWS """"""""""""""" ORCA/Shell News: A cosmetic Y2K+1 bug has been found. The CATALOG command in the ORCA shell reports the year as 0 for all files dated 1 January 2000 or later. While the actual date stamp is correct, you sure can't tell that from the CATALOG command! Updates to the ORCA shell are available by e-mail free of charge to any registered owner of one of these products: * ORCA/C 2.x * ORCA/Pascal 2.x * ORCA/M 2.x * ORCA/Modula-2 * GSoft BASIC Opus ][ The Software Opus ][ The Works Updates to the source files involved in this error are also available by e-mail free of charge to anyone who has purchased Opus ][ The Source or Opus ][ The Works. To get the update, e-mail me at MikeW50@aol.com Be sure to identify who you are so I can check registration; it's not always obvious from just an e-mail address! Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, 3277, GO COM A2P) [EOA] [TEG] GENERIC TILE ENGINE FOR THE IIgs """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" GTE (Generic Tile Engine) for the IIgs has been released today (1/31/01). This is a first beta release. Please see http://www.d.umn.edu/~lscharen/GTE/GTE.html for details. -Lucas S. (LSCHAREN, 3292, GO COM A2P) >>>>> """"" Lucas--I'm a non-programmer and haven't heard of a "tile engine". Could you enlighten a neophyte as to what it does and is for? :) Later.......Howard (HKATZ, 3295, GO COM A2P) >>>>> """"" Gladly -- A "Tile Engine" basically means that it is a collection of subroutines that allows for (relatively) easy production of "tile-based" games. A good reference on what tile-based games are from a programmer's perspective can be found at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/6774/TileBased.html My own example of a tile-based game is pretty much _any_ Nintendo, Super NES, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear, or 80's arcade game. The game elements are made up of a finite amount of "tiles", usually 8x8 or 16x16 pixel bitmaps that are repeated across the screen to create background and sprites. Hope this helps a bit. -Lucas S. (LSCHAREN, 3297, GO COM A2P) [EOA] ------------------------------------ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | ------------------------------------ [NLE] NO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THIS MONTH """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The mail box for Letters to the Editor remained empty this month. [EOA] [LTE] AN INVITATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Express your opinions about the comings and goings in the world of the Apple II computers. Send your comments to Lyle Syverson, Editor The Editor reserves the right to edit any material submitted. The Editor reserves the right to reject any material he considers unsuitable for publication in _The Lamp!_. [EOA] [KFT] KFest 2001 """""""""" Plan Ahead ~~~~~~~~~~ KFest 2001 is set for July 25-29 (early arrivals on July 24) at Avila College. Put it on your calender and start saving your money. You will be glad you did. [EOA] [INN]------------------------------ EXTRA INNINGS | ----------------------------------- About The Lamp! The Lamp! is published on the fifteenth of every month in """"""""""""""" the Database of the II Scribe Forum on the Delphi online service (GO CUS 11). This publication produced entirely with real or emulated Apple II computers using Appleworks 5.1 and Hermes. Apple II Forever! * The Lamp! is (c) copyright 2001 by Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W. All rights reserved. * To reach The Lamp! on Internet email send mail to thelamp@sheppyware.net * Back issues of The Lamp! are available in the II Scribe Forum on Delphi as well as The Lamp! Home Page, http://lamp.sheppyware.net. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of A2Central.com, Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Ryan M. Suenaga, or Lyle Syverson. Forum messages are reprinted verbatim and are included in this publication with permission from the individual authors. A2Central.com, Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Ryan M. Suenaga, and Lyle Syverson do not guarantee the accuracy or suitability of any information included herein. We reserve the right to edit all letters and copy. Material published in this edition may not be reprinted without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Registered computer user groups, not for profit publications , and other interested parties may write the publisher to apply for permission to reprint any or all material. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< [EOF]