Word Processing !n The Home
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COMPUTB's
January 1984 Issue/ Vol.2, No. 1
02220 S3.25 in Canada ©
For Owners And Users Of Commodore VIC-20 And 64; Personal Computers
Compuiing For Families ^SaSm*^
Reviews of some of the - — — r \ ± i.l - ^
1 , , ,. I ever lost the mstruc-
best educational games i- i • i
., I .X iL tions tor usmq a ta-
on the market tor the - cs _ _.
whole family to enjoy.
Evaluated by our crack review panel — columnist Fred D'Ignazio and his own family.
SpeedScripf Word Processor For VIC And 64
Turn your computer into a superior writing tool with SpeedScripf, o ready-to - type program with all the major features of commer- cial word processors. Writ- ten entirely in machine language for the 64 and expanded VIC.
01
714S6"0Z220'
refracfysfcils Of VeluriaSt Ccrve-fn:
Two Unique Gomes For 64 And VIC
Create multicolored crystals which grow and evolve in Tefrocrystals, an unusual non- violent gome for VIC and 64. Or rescue trapped miners in CaVe-ln, an exciting 3-D maze game for the VIC. ''
Also In this Issued
TheBegiinner's <!!omer
64BASKCAii.'
Graph Plotter For VIC Ami 64
HSrrWAIRE: Best-Selling ProRfrcsms
vorite progronn? Elec- tronic Notepad keeps the Information where it belongs — on the some disk with your programs.
HARDHAT CLIMBER
Thrilling Action Game For VIC And 64
A
All you have lo do is pick up the toolboxes scattered throughout the building. Seems easy enough. But watch out for the broken ladders, holes in the floor, and tumbling barrels....
fl million laughs
■TM
drfinC UnHllIlt You are the game-happy owner of the Spare Change Arcade. Two fun-loving, but overworked Zerks — the main characters in your most popular game — have bro- ken ioose and are trying to retire from the business. You try madly to stop them, (f you can get a coin into the juke box, the Zerks get so caught up in the music, they drop everything and start dancing. You also try popping popcorn and making a pay phone ring— which immediately makes the Zerks stop, answer and start a wild con- versation. If you "win" the game, there are rib tickling cartoons by the Zerks to reward your efforts. It's a game full of sight gags, surprises and comedy From the best. Br0derbund! For the Apple" 11/11 + /lie, Atari' Computers, and Commodore 64™ in disk format.
and an endless challeng
^^%- ■ nnv* niikiKirnTM
Here's a game that will never stop challenging
LODE RUNNER
you. That's because Lode Runner is more than a spellbinding, fast- action game with its 150 different mind-boggling game screens. Lode Runner is also an easy-to-use Game Generator that lets you create your own games. Without any knowledge of programming, you can easily design unique Lode Runnner screens, then bring them to action-packed
life. You will maneuver through scene
after scene, running, jumping, drilling passages and outfoxing enemy guards in a secret underground hide- away as you pick up chests of gold stolen from citizens of the Bungeling Empire. There's no end to the thrills, chills and challenge. Of course, it's from Br^derbund! For the Apple' ll/ll-l-/lle; Atari Computers; Commodore 64™ {disk and cartridge); VIG-20™ (cartridge); IBM" PC.
Ask your Br0derbund dealer for sneak previews.
^BroderbundSoftujare
Discover the Differeoce
17 Paul Drive San Rafael, CA 94903
ApolB II, N + . lis are ragialBwd tiodemarhs ol Appio Compiitor, liic ATARI 400fflO>o;i2DO, CoirimodoiH GJ and VIC-JO ar>a IBM nro TfiidemarkB ol Alsn, Inc., Commodoro tloclronica. Lid , and Iniernalional Business Mac hi ntfs Corporation, respoctively.
First Star Has 4
Fernando Herrera, designer of A^OlMS^"' and our design team again define "State of the Art!' Superior graphics, real-time animations 7 multiple
ew Games.
screens, intermissions, arcade-quality sound, innovative gaming, challenge and excitement- we deliver it aE!
THE BAD NEWS? You can't play them all at once.
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Dealgned by Mu Laavene ■ (/ Shirley A, RueseU MM AtaidVCSSeOO
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BRISTLES
J. airr.r.g Prtervhs fiMor m Desired by jun [Jangano
-(N Designed by ;;>«^9i««, >Jj5 ^^^ jj^^^ ^^^^^^^^^
C Atari Home Computera ^_ „ ^ „ .
^ ConimodcreCcmpuWni V Co mmodoM Compute™
FLIP and FLOP^ PANIC BUTTON
STHS-fia Color CDmouter by Paul KinsTsiy Vlo-ao Home Computer by Wayne Lam
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T^^RSI
£srnR
OFTLURRglNC
"When being first counts we re number one! '
3S Ea£t 4lBt Slrert. Hew York, NY 10017
Dlstrft)utor and Dealer InquineB loTtted/g^ £334666
"Make note of that name, Electronic Arts.
It may well set the standard for sophisticated
entertainment software in the BO's."
— Creative Computing.
ELECTRONIC ARTS
COMES TO THE COMMODORE.
ARCHON"
by Free Fall Aisodaia "No review could possibly do more than hint at the manifold excellence of Archon. It is truly a landmark in the devel- opment of computerized strategy- games." — Video ". . you're bound to fall for it.
Imagincachessyame in which
you can cast spells."
—Creative Computing
". . , the offices of A.N.A.LQG. echo with the searinR roar of dragon-fire and shouted obscenities from anjjry players. Archon turns friend against friend and inspires grudges that can last for da-^. What better compliment can you give to a computer program."
-A.N,A.LO.G.
HARD HAT MACK '"
by Michael Abbot and Manhem Alexander
"An outstanding. state-<-)f-the- art game. Hard Hat Mack is the blue collar hero of this three screen climbing game and his tasks are far from simple." — Arrade Express
"If you put Hard Hat Mack in the ring with all other games on the market, it \vould win most bouts in the opening scconcb of the first round, it's that good." -Softalk
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Ap CM Ai ,L«T„f, ,,MMt«r Apple It. li f, HE. C^m.^iort M. n, Ann W>me (™p«.«, wi.l> Jl.. Jr.vt. Al] «,rt. ,h„r, „pr»,n. C™m<xlor. 04. Af^l,- i. . r.j-H.f rtd traOmuik ..1 Applr C.impii.f r. Inc. G.rmiK»iurc fit It ■ roii>.cicil iri.dm»,li i.f Ctimmodarc lli.wv«, M«cliliw. Inc At«i i> » if (..tr-icd t..vlom»rl: ..* Aran, Irit , a Wjtwr Cumin
064,Ap.Ai
fit ,ri WjrticrCummufiiCHriLjni tjimfiflny
frj Ozark So^scape "A musc-have."
—Electronic Fun
"May well become the Monopoly of computer games"
— Personal Software "Graphics, sound and humor arc superlative."
— Creative Computing
"Recommendation ? Buy it."
— Sofdine
MURDER ON THE ZINDERNEUF™
bj Free Fail Aisodates "Whodunit fans, drop your Agatha Christie and come runninj;.Thts is your game! Tlie jjraphics arc among the most colorful and attractive 1 have seen in any game."— Antic
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PINBALL CONSTRUCTION SET
hyBillBiuigc
"The best program ever written for an 8'bit machine." — Steve Wo:niak
"A fully integrated
graphics-oric n ted
design tool that lets
you create your own
video pinball games,
required study for all serious
software authors'
-A.N,A,LO.G. "A tour deforce"
— Crearive Computing
Electronic Arts
Home Software for the Commodore 64
Lt*k ior our ufhcr Cirtrimodfirc M mlf i liLc AXIS ASSASSINr'U'ORKtS?7*nd TKt TISSCKACT STttAT tCiV ii ymir InvoTHe c^irr-puicr »K>r<-. *<«(twAre tenter .nJ ai fiw (hrariiiMfrvt *(orf* ihrfHJBh<>ut the cimnirv hir mcircinformatioJirtlxiuTilwitf irvJmtwrElcctmnK AirisprtjJucii.wTirt'of cnlluinr 27^5 Campu* Drive, Sun Matfo, CAy4401 -HI5l 57]'7lTl
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X^e all thumbs at Hie MasterTypfwill make you a computer whiz.
MasterType #1 on everybody's list ... the first step in computer literacy.
MasterType delivers. It is the one and only typing program that dares to be fun without being intimidating. It combines the fast action of video games with the best typing skills develop- ment techniques available. The result? Highly motivated and enjoyable learning.
After each of the 18 action-packed program segments, you'll see how you measure up. And you'll become so caught up in the action that before you know it, you'll become a master at the keyboard, calling all the shots:
On disks for
Applet Atarit Commodore 64" $39.95
IBM-PC $49.95
MasterType is part of the growing Scarborough family which includes Songwriter and Picture- Writer, as well as the forthcoming software for home management, science and business games.
New
Atari" and Commodore 64'' cartridges.
IMf*"'"^ '
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^^"H ^^^ ■ ■ ^^^ gg You'll grow with UM.
TheScmbomughSfsleni.
©Scarborough Systems, Inc., 25 N. Broadway Tarrytown, N.Y 10591
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January 1984 Vol. 2« No. 1
Word Processing In The Home Tom R. Halfbil! 30
SpeedScripf Word Processor For VIC And 64 Charles Brannon 38
The Inner World Of Computers, Pari 3: How A Computer Remembers Tom Prendergast 60
Getting Started With A Disk Drive, Port 3: More Disk Commands Charles Brannon 66
Inside View: Marion Taylor, The Programmer Behind Touch Typing Tutor Kafhy Yakal 76
V/64
Cave- In For VIC- 20 Paul i. Bupp & Stephen P. Drop
Hardhat Climber Chris Lesher ,
Tetrocrystols Of Velurio Todd Heimarck
Canyon rriiisor Thomas Catsburg
80 V
82 V/64
86 V/64
96 V/64
Clii.cirer-.'ir L.i^,^.,.]; onol Games Tony Roberts 120 V/64
Computer Baseball And Ringside Seat For Commodore 64 Gregg Keizer , 124 64
APPLICATI
Computing For Families: New Family Learning Games Fred D'ignazio 102
64 Electronic Notepad Dan Carmichael 112 64
Alpha-Siv^Mi Neil T, rnrnkH 118 V/64
OGRAMMIN
The Beginner's Cotr!.:.'i-: Built-in Functions C. Regena 130 V/64
Graph Plotter Ruth A. HIcics 145 V/64
Machine Language For Beginners: Addressing Richard Mansfield 150 V/64
64 BASIC Aid Harold D. Vanderpool 156 64
LIST Freezer Doug Ferguson JJO V/64
Hints & Tins: Centering VIC Screens Mary Conlln 1"2 V
EPARTM
:33txsafRfi-^'^
The Editor's Notes Robert Lock 6
Gazette Feedback Editors & Readers 10
HOTWARE: This Month's Best Sellers Kathy Yakal . 20
Simple Answers To Common Questions 7am R. Halfhill 24
Horizons: 64 Charles Brannon 1^6
VlCreotions: LJsing The Dynamic Keyboord Dan Carmichael 140
News & Products Tony Roberts
64 V
164
OGRAMty
159 168
Buy-Sv,'ail(!r : j'v'iucii.: :;;^,);;s & Corrections
How To Type In COMPUTEI's GAZETTE Programs
A Beginner's Guide To Typing In Programs 169
The Automatic Proofreader . • 1^^
MLX: Machine Language Entry Program For Commodore 64 And VIC-20 Charles Brannon ... 171
Program Listings - 1'2
Product Mart • • 205
Advertisers Index • ^^"
V/64 V/64 V/64
• = Generol, V = VIC-20, 64 = Commodore 64.
COMrUW-i C.i;,-((. is iitiWishi'd IwcWc limvsejdi vcir l-v COMPUTtl Pul>lii4iii>ns, Inc.. Pii%t Offia- Bo* 540b, Gri-i'n,biim, \*C 274(13 USA. r'iKiiu' (''!'i)2"S-"'»*<W. Fdilorial itiliri'^.irv (ih-.iIi-J m W\ Fdvv.irdt.i Drivi', C^rivinKim, W: ;74OT. DuriK'Slic substriptkins; 12 issues, S2f), Send subscripliiin iirdiTs iirrh.iiifio iil .iddrcs*
(r' O i-urm 357''! I" Cirtul.iliiin IJt-pt,, COMI'lirWi Cazcth; I'.O. I!i>x S-l(l(i, (;u'i-n>,biini, NC" 27AIB Second clnsB .ijiplic.itiuii jii'tidlnc ,il Grffn!.t'i!ni, NC 274(Bjimt .ni'dil'ion.il mit\Ui\f, olfifos. HiUin- o>ntftils rnpiTlslil l IW.'thy COMi'UTII r'lilillcilioiis, Inc. All ri^hli, n-scTwd, ISSN 07.'S7..17Ui. "
SDCK)^
THE EDITOR'S
An End And A Beginning
The Friday, October 28, announce- ment by Texas Instruments that they were withdrawing from the home computer industry was met with mixed emotions. While we can't speak directly for the hun- dreds of thousands of TI owners, we're certain there was disap- pointment and chagrin. As re- cently as 14— 16 months ago, one highly regarded industr}' analyst was touting the TI product line as becoming the lender in the industry. Oh, well. We'll be curi- ous to see what Tl's promise of continued service and support turns into.
One thing that's noted below in "The Beginning" por- tion of this editorial regarding IBM's announcement of PCjr is that they've adopted a strategy of open architecture. Third-party developers will be assisted and encouraged in the access to in- formation necessary to help them develop hardware, cartridges, software, etc. This was not the TI approach during product mar- keting; rather, they chose to make their marketing channels proprietary in many ways, to force vendors to work through them.
Given that many software vendors will probably turn from the TI in favor of other, more active markets, we wonder if TI will release vendors from this restriction. We anticipate that the strong and active TI user
groups will be able to maintain support for some time, even if the level from TI begins to decline. Given the merchandising routes used by TI, we expect that sup- port products will be strong sellers through December, and then begin to disappear from many of the single product out- lets. After all, no one can realis- tically expect the local drugstore that sells TI to continue to main- tain and rotate TI software and new products from the third- party market after the machine is no longer for sale.
In closing, the news wasn't
met negatively by Wall Street
Within just two days of the an- nouncement, Tl's stock rose by almost 30 percent. We assume that TI will think long and hard about any future entries into the home computer market after their several abortive tries since 1980.
The Beginning
IBM's November 1st announce- ment of PCjr was long awaited, eagerly watched, and disap- pointing to some. As a home computer, the unit{s) are impres- sive, powerful, restrained as breakthroughs go, and expen- sive. All things considered, though, we can be quite confi- dent that PCjr will make a major mark in next year's marketplace. Our editors are hard at work developing materials in support of PCjr (we'll be adding both PC and PCjr to our sister publication COMPUTE!), and hoping anx- iously that some kind third-party
vendor will quickly develop a keyboard designed for touch typists. At a glance: bottom line PCjr with 64K and cassette BASIC: $689.00 plus $40 per joy- stick (?!), $30 for a cassette cable, $30 for RF modulator, etc. If you'd like the expanded PCjr with its one (and only one may be used) disk drive, you'll start at $1259. But, as with all top-of- the-line products and prices, you can expect full service, sup- port, and a tremendous amount of sophisticated IBM and third- party software. And we project it's a reasonable bet that IBM won't pull out of the market- place. Beyond the concern over the keyboard is the lack of ex- tended sound and graphics capabilities on the bottom-line unit. Many of these capabilities can be added by going to the extended BASIC that is available on a $75 plug-in cartridge. But apparently sprites don't exist, and color isn't as extensive as that on the 64 (although resolu- tion is higher).
And in closing, one COMPUTE! pundit had this remark about the new PCjr: "If I could interface it with my 64 I could have great sound and graphics...."
Happy new year! from COMPUTE! Publica'tions.
Editor In Chief
6 COMPUni's Gazette Jonuoryl9a4
WordPro 3 Plus764
The #1 Selling Word Processor for the Commodore 64'
WordPro 3 Plus'"/64 and SpellRight Plus'" provide a total word processing solution for the Commodore M' which gives you:
* Sophisticated Word Processing
* Built-in Mail Merging for Form Letters
* Math Functions for Column Totals
* Fast and Complete Spell Checking via SpellRight Plus
* A Super Value (two programs) for Onty S99.95!
WordPro and SpellRight are both specifically designed for the novice user with no computer or word processing experience whatsoever. And with over 40,000 WordPro versions sold, you can be sure that WordPro is a very sophisticated word processor loaded with powerful features including: Transfer, Insert, Delete, and Rearrange Text, Auto Page Numbering, (Vlath Functions. Headers. Footers, Global Search and Replace, the Ability to Create Multiple Personalized Letters and Documents, and much more. WordPro can create documents of virtually any length and will print up to 165 columns wide. You get all of this PLUS fast' and complete spell checking using SpellRight Plus)
SpellRight Plus locates and highlights misspelled words and then allows you to quickly correct the misspellings — improving the quality of your letters and reports.
And, best of all, WordPro and SpellRight's powerful arsenal of features can be put to use almost immediately — by even the novice user. So whether you're a student, professional writer, in business, education or a hobbyist, you'll quickly become a WordPro Pro!
Both WordPro and SpellRight Plus are also available separately at popular computer outlets nationwide.
Invest in the best . . .WordPro Plus. In a class by itself.
Professional Software Inc.
51 Fremont Street Needham, MA 02194
(617)444-5224 Telex: 951579
Dealer and Distributor inquiries are invited.
WordPro 3 Plu3''/64 and SpellRight Plus™ are Iradamarka of Professional Software Inc.
The WordPro Plus Series was designed and writtar by Steve Punter of Pro-Micro Software Ltd.
SpellRight Plus was designed and written by Dwigtvt Huff and Joe Spatalora of SpellMaster Systems. Inc.
Some printers may not support certain WordPro 3 Plus funclions and/or require an inlarface Please cfveck with your dealer.
Commodore 64" is a trademark ol Commodore Electronics Ltd.
COMPUTirPublicationsJnc.®
One or trie ABC Pijbiishing Cormponios ^^^r
PublUherCirv' R. Inger.snll Editor in Chief Rubtrt C. I.uck Dirertdr of Administmllon Alice 5. VVoltV Senior Edifor Rithnrd Miins field Managing Editor KtUhli'on K. Mtirtini'k Art/Design Director Guorgia Bikns Dnvis
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ibm R. Hiilfhill, GazLHto !'!dilor; Stephen Levy, Editor, COMPU IE! Books Division; Gail VValkor, I'ruduction Editor; Ottis R, Cowpur, Tedinical l-ditwr; Clitirlcs Biannon, Prugram Editor; Tuny Koburls, Assistant Managing Editor
Assistant Editors
Lancf idkii, Dan Carmicliaol (Siitiniissions), Grt'^g Ki-I/lm' (Hooks), Jolin Kraiisi.' (TL'chiiical), Katliv Yakal, Editorial Assistant {t-L-atures); Randall Hosner, Editorial Assistant (Books)
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Production
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Customer Service Staff
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Address all advertising materials to: Patti Williams, COMPUT!-:!'s GAZE'n'E, 503 Edwardia Drive, Clreensboro, NC 27-H)9
Data Processing
Leon Stokes, Managei
Joan Compton, Assistant
Accounting
Paul J. Megliola, Manager; James M. Murst, Comptroller; Assistants: Linda Miller, Doris Hall; Staff: Anna Harris, Emilie Covil, Anne i-erguson
Advertising Sales
Andy Meehan, National Sales Manager; Patti Williams, Procfuction Coordinator; Bonnie Valentino, Accounting Coordinator; Roscmariu Davis, Sales .Assistant
Sales Representatives
Jerrv Thoinpson 415-348-8222
Phoebe I hompson 408-354-3553
JoAnn Sullivan 610-941-2313
EdWinchell 213-37H-H361
Harry Blair 919-273-9809
Jules E. Thompson, Inc. National and Canadian Sales Representatives 1290 Howard .-Xvenue, Suite 303 Burlingame, CA94OI0
8 COMPUTEi'sGaiano J a n u □ i y 1 98'!
Sales Offices,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
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Midwest
Texas
Northwest
Northern CA
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Nevada, Arizona
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The Thompson Company
617-720-1888
212-772-0933
919-275-9809
312-726-6047
713-731-2605
408-354-5553
4 ] 5-348-8222 or 408-354-5553
6 19-941 -2313 or 2 13-378-8361
619-941-2313
213-378-8361
303-595-9299
COMPUTE! Publications, Inc., publishes
COMPUTE! COMPUTC! Books COMPUTEI's Gazette
Carporote Office:
505 Edwardia Drive, Greensboro, NC 27409
MaiMng Address:
Post Office Box 5406, Greensboro, NC 27403
Telephone: 919-275-9809
Office Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday-Friday
Chief Executive Officer Robert C. Lock
President Gary R. hrgersoll
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Assistant Carol Diekerson
Subscription inluiniulion COMPUTEi's Gcuette Circulation Dept. P.O. BOXS4CM, Greensboro, NC 27403
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In NC 9t9.27B.9S09
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The COMPUTEI's Gazette subscriber list is mnde available to earefully screened organizntions wiih ,) product or service which may be of interest to eur readers. If you prefer not lo receive such mailings, please send an exact copy of your subscription label to: COME'U TKI's Gazette, P.O. Box 961, Parmj'ngdale, NY 1 1737. Include a note indi- cating your preference to receive only your subscription.
Authors lit' miinuscript.s warrant that all materials submitted to COMI'ini'.i'f. CnzL^th' are original materials with full ow[iersliip rif^hts resident in said authors. Hv submiltinj; ,uticles toCOMPUTI'J'f Gii::t'tli'. .uilhors .u-kniiwled);(.' that such iiuilL-ri.ils, upon accept. nice forputilicalion, l>ecomi.' llie f\iliisive pioperly ol' COMPUTE! i'ubli- cations. Inc. No portion ol this trui);.i/iiif m.iv be reproduced in any form without written peniiissiim irom the puhlisluT. Kiitire contents copyright ^' l'>S.1, COMPUTE! I'ublicitioiis, Inc. I«^;hls to pniHr.ims developed and submitted liy authors are e\j)laiiied in uur author contract. Unsiilicited uMleriais notaccepteil for pobliciition will be returned if author pro\idi'S a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Where programs are included in an article sulmiission, a tape or disk must accompany the submission. Printed listings are optional, hut helpful. Arltcles should be furnished as tvped cope lupper .mhI lowercase, please) with double spacing, F.ich article page should bear the title of the article, date, and name of the autno'r, COMPUTE! ['utiiicilions. Inc., assuiivcs no liiibilily forcrn>rs in articles or adver- tisements. Dpiiiioiis expressed tiv authors are not necessarilv those of COMPUTE! Publications, Inc.
ITT, CH.M, VlC-20, and Commodore 64 ,ire trademarks of Commo- dore Business .Machinev, Inc.. and or Commodore Electronics Limitc-d. tlther than as an independent supplier of i]ualitv informa- tion and M'n ices to owner;- and users of Commodore products, COMPUTE! Publications, inc., is in no w.n' .issociated with Lonitmi- dore liusjness Machines, Inc., or any of its subsidiaries.
^
spinnaker Aerobics! The moreyou do, tlie less you liave to show for it.
Spinnaker's new computer fitness program makes shaping up fun to do. And makes you feel terrific. AER0SIC5 gives you everything you need. Warm- ups, stretches, aerobics, cool-downs. It lets you work on overall fitness. Allows you to concentrate on con-, ditloning specific parts of your body Or both. X_.
Best of all, you can exercise on your own sched- f ule. In your own home. For as long or '_ ..^^* as little as you like. Whatever works
for you. Whether you're a beginner or already In great shape, you'll love working out with Spinnaker AEf^0BIC5. Which nneans you'll do It more often. And have even less to show for it.
AER0BIC5 is compatible with Apple," Atari," and Commodore 64'" computers
SPffiNAK09
We make learning fun.
lb 19Q3. SfiiftfiflKr-r 5f>f twflfft Corp. ^ll fights roservo<3- rtppic and Atari arc rcfjistprpi!] ifddprnttrhs o( Apple ComDutpr, fnc and fttari, Inc fespecdveiv CcmrrnjdDte &4 13 a irfldrmarK of Commodofe Ciettronkcs, Ltd. ACROftlCS computer progranri J5 ^'^ trade marhi of 5|&i.nnaker Softiware Cofo
GAZETTE FEEDBACK
EDITORS AND READERS
Do you have a question or a problem? Have you discovered something that could help other VIC-20 and Commodore 64 users? Do you have a comment about something you've read in coMPUTEi's GAZETTE? We Vfunt lo hear from you. Write to Gazette Feedback, compute['s gazette, P.O. Box 5406, Greensboro, NC 27403.
1526 Printer Recall
I have recently purchased a Commodore 1526 printer for my Commodore 64 computer system. I have found that I cannot load programs from my 1541 disk drive while the 1526's power switch is on. If the power switch is on and I attempt to load the program, the system lucks up after a short period of time and the only way I can reset the system is to turn off the computer. Also, programs I have pur- chased which require repeated accessing of sequen- tial or relative files will lock up the system if the printer is on.
The dealer who sold mc this equipment assured me that this was normal operation. However, I wrote to a software company complaining that their software was not working correctly with my printer and they advised me that the 1526 printer and the 1541 disk drive were incompatible. I have written to Commodore four different times and have received no reply.
Are you aware of any incompatibility problem between the 1526 printer nnd the 1541 disk drive? If so, could you please explain what tlie problem is? Do you have any idea what Commodore plans to do to resolve this problem?
Gary L. Martin
The recently introduced Commodore 1526 printer does indeed suffer from serious problems when used witit the 1541 disk drive — or anif dex?ice on the serial port. Com- modore has recalled the 1526 from dealers and instructed them to accept returns from any aistomers expmencing problems.
The 1526 is an 80-cohimn dot matrix printer, similar
10 COMPUTEI'S Gazeth JanuorYl984
to the 4023 printer that has been available for the Commo- dore PETs and CBMs. The 1526 appeared on the market briefly, then rapidly disappeared. According to a Commo- dore spokesperson, the 1526 suffers from a "firmware problem" that interferes with other devices plugged into the serial port (such as the 1541 disk drive). One Commo- dore dealer wrote to us saying that in some caseSj the problem can be helped if the equipment is siaitched on in a certain order (in general, turn on the 64, the disk drive(s), and the 1526; see last month's "Gazette FcedlTack").
If this does not help, xue recommend returning the printer to your dealer for a refund. It is not nonnal opera- tion for any computer system to lock up when correctly interfaced peripherals are being used. At this writing, Commodore does not knoxo when the 1526 will be fixed and remarketed. Perhaps it will fv available again by the time you are reading this.
Reruns For Automaf ic Proofreader?
Before I received the October 1983 issue of COM- PUTEI's GAZmr, I had many problems getting programs that I typed in from the magazine to come out right. When 1 read and used the "Auto- matic Proofreader" it did help me, but only with the programs with the REM statements [Proof- reader checksum numbers). If I used this program lo check an eariier program listed in your magazine [without the checksum numbers], I could not under- stand how to check those lines.
Can you toll mo how 1 could use this helpful checksum program with these other programs? How does it work, and how can I figure out the REM numbers of these other programs? Do you have hiture plans to relist the earUer programs listed without the checksum numbers?
Jeff Cherkis
In the September issue you asked for feedback on the GAZFITE. First I'd like to say that once in a while a magazine jumps out in front of the pack, some- times by design and sometimes by doing something lucky. The GAZETTE did it with the program "Proof-
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Introducing Snooper Troops detective series.
Educational games that turn
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Where can you find educational computer games that your kld5 will really enjoy playing?
Elementary, my dear Watson, from Spinnaker.
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As a Snooper Trooper your child will have a great time solving the mysteries. But It will take some daring detective work. They'll have to question suspects, talk to mysterious agents, and even search dark houses to uncover clues.
Luckily, the program provides your kids with everything ttiey need: like a SnoopMobile, a wrist radio, and a 5noopriet computer.
5riOOPER TROOPS detective games help your children learn to take notes, draw maps, organize and classify Infor- mation and they help develop vocabulary and reasoning skills. All while your kids are having a good time.
5o if you want to find educational games that are really fun, here's a clue: ask your local retailer for 5M00PER TR00P5 computer games.'
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It's cold on top of the mountain. But the view is great and the people are pulling for you.
So you pull on your gloves, adjust your goggles, check your bindings, take a deep breath and you're off.
Now the clock is running, so you'd better concentrate on your technique. Get as close to the gates as you can, but not too close -contact with a slalom pole will cost you precious penalty seconds. Turn too sharply and you'll come to a stop. And slalom poles aren't the only obsta- cles m your path. This is a the rockT ^^^e^ber, so look out for
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Developed by Steven Sidlev
Avatlable on diskette for your Commodore 64 '
'.fe.
There are those who say that motocross asks more from the athlete than any other sport.
That may or may not be true. But this much is true.
Motocross! is un- like any computer game youVe ever come across.
At the start/finish line you check your gauges, gun your engine and surge onto the course.
Through the cor- ners, up the hills, into the ruts and down the straights you maneu- ver for position and try to beat the clock.
Stay ahead if you can. But whatever you do ^^stay on the course. If you don't one of two things will happen. ^n i, une
You'll slow down and lose valuable seconds. Or worse you'll wind up on the seat of your pants, . „-
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Developed by Jim Rupp Available on diskette for your Commodore 64'"
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reader" by Charles Brannon in the October issue. What more can I say — fantastic — ^nd now for a suggestion:
Print /»s/ the lir\e number and checksum iorall of the programs in your previous issues. Example:
120-147 130-121 elc.
Why bother? Your readers will love you and you'll get reader loyalty.
Stuart B.Wahlberg
We have received many Idlers from readers compli- menting the Autoniatic Proofreader, including some letters from people loho said they had never got a program lo ivork correctly iintU they used the Proofreader. Almost every letter requested checksum numbers for programs previously published in COMPUTEI's GAZETTE. Some people wanted to know how to compute their own checksum numbers for these earlier programs; they didn't understand lohy the checksums appear incon- sistent (i.e., short program lines sometimes have large numbers while long lines sometimes have small numbers).
We also received a few letters from readers who said the Proofreader doesn't work and neither do the programs they enter with it. We'd like to take this opportunity to discuss possible problems that may be encountered when using the Proofreader to enter pro- grams, and to address your other questions arid com- ments about our program listings as well.
First of all, the Automatic Proofreader does work. Some VIC'20 tape users had problems reLOADing programs entered with tlie first version of the Proofreader (see November "Bug-Swatter" and November/ December "Autotnatic Proofreader"). But even this problem never affected the typing or checking of the programs, and it was immediately corrected in the next version oftlie Proofreader. The Proofreader repeatedly passes all in- house testing, and mast readers we hear from have used it with success.
Readers experiencing problems with the Proof- reader should carefully check their typing of the Proof- reader program; as zve noted in October, unfortunately it can't check itseU (although the current version does check for errors in the DATA statements). If you make a subtle error when typing the Proofreader, it can cause incorrect results when using it to check other programs. A couple of readers who had trouble with the Proofreader sau) no difference between the VlC-20 and Commodore 64 versions published in the October issue and concluded that we mistakenly published the same iKrsion twice. Both versions are very similar. Hozoever, they are not identical. The difference is the fifth DATA element in line 220. To reduce confusion, we rcrurote the Proofreader so the same version now ivorks on both computers.
Assuming the Proofreader program itself has been entered correctly, ive have traced most of the problems
1 4 COMPUTEI's Gazelle January 1 984
some readers are encountering to three main causes:
• Transposed keystrokes. Because of the way the Proofreader checksum numbers arc computed (see below), the Proofreader cannot detect transposition errors. In other words, if you type PIRNT instead of PRINT, tiie Proofreader won't know the difference. Of course, this particular typo would result in a 7SYNTAX ERROR AT LINE xxx zohen the program is run, but other transpositions might not cause a syntax error. The most connnon example is mimbcrs in DATA state- ments. If you type DATA 156 instead of DATA 165, the Proofreader still thinks everything is okay. So does the computer. You probably won't get an error message, but the program won't 7Vork rigiit. Solution: Be extra alert for transposition errors.
• Long program lines. Normally, you can't enter a program line longer than 80 characters on the Commodore 64 or 88 characters on the VJC-20. Hozo- ever, many programmers abbreviate keywords when writing their programs to save typing and memory. When the programs are listed, the abbreviations auto- matically expand into t lie full keywords, and lines longer than 80 or 88 characters often result. The only way these lines can be typed from a listing is to use the same abbreviations (see "Simple Answers To Common Ques- tions" elsewhere in this issue). Since the Proofreader cannot handle abbreviations, it cannot accurately check these lines. Solution: Use abbreviations to type long lines and carefully check the typing yourself. Because long lines cause so many problems for so many readers, xve are trying to eliminate them wherever possible, and we urge programmers not to use abbreviations unless absolutely necessary.
• Mistakes in listings. Theoretically these should never happen. Theoretically. But sometimes tiiey do. We receive letters from some readers who doubt that we test programs before publication, or who doubt that the programs work in the first place. However, we promise that all programs do work and are tested. (For those u>ho still don't believe if, proof can be seen in the screen photos whicli accompany almost all programs in COM- PUTEI's GAZETTE — if the programs don't work, or if we don't try them, where do the screen photos come from?) After testing, the listings are made on a printer directly from disk and then photographed, not retypeset. In theory this should produce a perfect listing of the program.
But in practice there are about two dozen things that can go wrong, including some in the printing proc- ess which are effectively beyond our control (see this month's "Bug-Swatter"). However, most listing prob- lems are within our control, and we are constantly striving to reduce them to a mininnim. If you discover a subtle error in the operation of a program, chances are it escaped our testing. But if a program runs obviously wrong or crashes altogether at the outset, it is a sure sign of a typo — introduced either during the listing process (us) or the typing process (the user). These tyf>os are extremely hard to track down. Upon receiving the first complaints, toe immediately test the program
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FROGGER is one of the all-time great award- winning home video games. And now Parker Brothers has programmed it into m ^ all the most popular video and computer formats so you can IB ■ keep things hopping in your own home.
Catch Frogger along with POPEYEr - Q^bert/TUlMKHAM'" and SUPER COBRA™ where you buy your video and com- '[^B4RKER M puter games. You'll find it absolutely ribbitting. BROTHERS ^i
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from our archive disks. So far, a program has never failed to run. Unforhmatdy, all this tells us is that the typo happened sometime after we tested the program, saved it on disk, and made the listing. Unless we can find a discrepancy between our workuig copy of the program and our published listing, we cannot assume an error. We are often guided in these cases by reader feedback. If we receive a large number of similar com- plaints about a certain program, we strongly suspect something went wrong at our end. But if some readers tell MS a certain program works fine, while others say it does not, it is difficult for us to conclude the first group of readers somehow made a typo that just happened to correct the alleged typo we made. Solution: If a program docs not work, and neither you nor a proven copy of the Proofreader can find an error, write or call us to describe the exact nature of the problem. Perhaps zve loUl have a fix, or can report that other readers are having no trouble with the program.
Noio (0 address your other questions. The Proof- reader, of course, requires you to compare the number which appears at the top of the screen to the checksum number in the program listing. SitKe previously pub- lished progratns lack these checksum numbers, you cannot check them with the Proofreader. Nor can you compute your own checksum numbers. The computer which makes our listings automatically generates the checksums by adding the ASCII values of all the charac- ters in a line and storing the sum in a single byte. Since one byte holds the sum, the checksum never exceeds 255. Ifthesuir. is greater than 255 , the byte "rolls over" past zero. For example, 240 -i- 20 = 4 (a principle well known to machine language programmers). That ex- plains why some short program lines have large checksum numbers a)ui vice versa. (Incidentally, it also means that there's a tiny chance that two or more typos in a line could cancel each other out and yield a correct checksum match.)
Even if you manually computed your own check- sums this way, they would be meaningless, since they would be throxvn off by any errors in the line. The checksum must be computed from a working version of the program, as our listing computer does.
Several readers have asked us to republish tine numbers of earlier programs with just the checksum numbers appended (there is not enough space fo reprint the programs and articles in their entirely). That way, you could check for typos in programs you typed in months ago but never got to work. We are considering this and will do so if there is enough demand. Let us know how you feel.
Copyright Q.uestions
I have a few questions about the programs listed in your magazine. Can 1 photocopy them? Photo- copy machines are in libraries and about every- where else. I once read a-news clipping where the courts have ruled that it's okay to photocopy some- thing for your own personal use and files. Is this
16 COMPUTEt'i Gaiafte Jonuor>'19a4
SO? What is, and what is not public domain? Can I use the programs listed in COMPUTEI's GAZETTE at my place of business as well as my home?
Clarence C. Hogan
Everything in COMPUTEI's gazette is copyrighted, and nothing is in the public domain unless specifically stated. This is true of virtually all magazines and books, unless they specify otherwise. This meatis that programs you type in from a magazine or book which you have purchased are for your personal use. You may not sell the programs in any form, or give copies to people ivho have not purchased the same book or magazine issue. Both parties are liable if this federal law is broken. Photo- copies are fine as long as they are for your personal use. You can use the programs at your palace of business with the saine restrictions.
From VIC To 64
I own a VIC-20, but have decided to purchase a Commodore 64. I would like to know if you could answer some questions. First, are all the cartridges made for the VIC-20 compatible with the 64? Sec- ondly, can machine language be used directly on the 64? I heard that it can be used on the VIC-20, but you're better off buying some kind of software on cartridge. Does the Commodore 64 need any additional software to run machine language easily? Thirdly, do you know where I can write to Commodore to obtain information about software, hardware, maintenance, etc., pertaining to their products? Any information you can give me would be appreciated.
Brian Cummings
No cartridges for the VIC-20 are compatible with the Commodore 64, or vice versa. The cartridge ports (where you plug in the cartridges) are different sizes on the 64 and the VIC. Even if you could make (he cartridges fit the slot, the programs encoded in the cartridges would not be compatible.
Neither the VIC nor the 64 needs any additional software to run machine language programs. Machine language is the native language of all computers— the . language with which they "think." BASIC, on the other hand, is a foreign language to computers (just as it is to people) and must be interpreted internally before the computer can understatul the instructions. Machine language programs can be loaded and run directly fro7n tape, disk, or cartridge with either the VIC or 64. A machine language program can even be loaded into memory by a BASIC program with the POKE statement . It call then be run with the SYS or USR commands.
However, to write machine language programs on a VIC or 64, you generally do need additional software. In theory, you could get by without it by laboriously converting the machine language instructions into decimal numbers by hand and then POKEing them into memory with BASIC. For short routines this might work out. But for more ambitious programs, most people
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CotemViWM » I iwfcmirii of CoIko lainlnM, [ac C 1983 Pakcr Brattnts. BoTriK MA 0I91S, hlf lli™oBinti»kl»A oiMJltel Inc. Cesmatet VIC a jaJ Canmodat 64 at trattaaita of Coomoilore BmioeB Mxtow. It TtMi bMnimW I »■■« iuln4BBrk<i(Tt™ bHlramrau. Ik. AUn'. * Aori Vtire Cai^
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who value their sanity prefer to use a monitor or ati assembler to write machine language. Sotne computers (such as the earlier Commodore PETs and the Apple) have built-in monitors, but consumer computers aimed at the home market generally do not. Most people find that assemblers are the easiest way to write machine language, especially if their previous programming experience is with high-level languages such as BASIC. Monitors and assemblers are available on cartridge, tape, ami disk for cither the VIC or 64. To learn more about monitors, assemblers, and machine language, see "Machine Language For Beginners," a regular monthly column in COMI'U'I'El's GAZETTE.
To write to Commodore for more information about its computers and other products, use this address:
Commodore Business Machines, Inc. noo Wilson Drive mstatestct;I'AT93SO
For maintenance information, you might try this address:
Commodore Service Center 950 Airport Road Westchester, l^ A 19380
An authorized Commodore dealer in your area tnay also he able to answer your inquiries. You can call 1-408-727-3754 for repair cost and full service informa- tion. Commodore also offers a customer assistance
number, 1-215-436-4200. As of this ivriting, Conmto- dore's toll-free customer assistance number is no longer active.
Expanded VIC Memory
I have a Commodore VIC-20 computer and would like to know what you mean when you say (before a long program) "for VIC-20 expanded to 8K." Does this mean total RAM or user RAM? With my Super Expander cartridge I have 8K total RAM (the VIC has 5K, and my expander adds an addi- tional 3K of RAM). I would like to know if 1 can now run some of your programs which say this.
Steve Medendorp
All VICs have the built-in 5K of Random Access Memory (RAM), so when we say "for the 8K expanded VIC-20," toe are referring to the 8K expansion memory only, hi other words, you would need an 8K expansion cartridge. Similarly, "16K expanded VIC" means a VIC with two 8K cartridges plugged into a motherboard or one 16K memory expander, and "3K expanded VIC" means the Super Expander or another 3K expansion cartridge is required. Occasionally we publish a program that spe- cifically requires the Super Expander because it adds special graphics commands to the VIC as well as 3Kof RAM. We try to make most of the programs we publish run on unexpanded VICs so the greatest number of readers ca?t use them.
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VIC Memory Expansion
Is it possible to add more than 24K to the VIC-20?
Charles Q. Berkey, Jr.
Yes and no. The VlC-20 has 4K ofRivuhm /larss Memanj (RAM) buiU in, af 409B fo 8191 (hex $1000- IFFF), plus 1 K for overhead: pointers, the stack, and so on, for a fatal of5K RAM. You can buy memory ex- panders which add 3K, 8K, 16K, or 24Kfrorn Commo- dore or third-party )na)nifncturers.
If you pro;^ram in BASIC, 24K is the most memory yon can add to your 5K VIC. If you use machine lan- guage, you can add up to 35K, for a total of40K.
The first thing you fiave to rcmcjnher when yon add memory is that a VIC has otdy one expansion port. That means if you own an 8K expander and want to add 8K more, yon have two choices. You can buy memory chips and rewire your expansion cartridge (jiot recom- mended unless you k)iou' exactly what you are doing). Or yon can buy a multiple cartridge board "mother- board" that alioios you to plug more than one cartridge into the expansion port. It is simdar to an electrical extension cord you nnght use in your home. Often these motherboards have switches so you can select one or more cartridges which are plugged in. (For example, you could "sxoifch off" the memon/ cxpaiuiers witliout physicalhf nnpln;^giitg titem, i)i case you want to run a program that is designed exclusively for the unex- panded VIC.)
Memory can be added to the VIC in the following blocks:
3K 1024-4095 (S040t)-OFFF)
8K 8192-16383 ($200()-3FI-F)
8K 16384-2457S ($4000-5 FFD
8K 24576-32767 ($6O0O-7FFF)
8K 40960-49151 ($A0OO-BFFF)
Adding expansion memory to the VIC can cause complications, howeivr. If you plug in the 3K expander, screen memory (7680-8191 in tite unexpanded VIC) remahis in the same place (7680-8191). But if yon add more than 3K, screen memory moves to 4096^607. This can result in compatibility problems with some programs written for the unexpanded VIC.
Whether your VIC has 5K or40K, it wants to put BASIC programs in a continuous section of memory. The BASIC program goes at the bottom, followed by free memory and variables (at the top ofmenwry). When you add 8K or more, any memory below screen memory (4096) becomes invisible to BASIC. That's ivhy only a maximum 24K can be added for BASIC programming.
Once you add memory to locations 8192-32767, the other menuyry expansion is available only in machine language (or PEEKs and POKEs).
What Is A Utlliiy?
What is a utility program? Does this type of soft- ware make it easier to program?
Fred Soderlund
A utility IS a program that programmers use for a specific purpose. Many utilities provide new BASIC commands or disk commands. For example, let's say you want to add a menu to a program you have written. If you already have a program that makes mouts, you could add it to your program di/ typing it in line by line. But if you own a utility with an append command, you simply merge the two programs — luhich results in a lot of saved time.
If both programs use lines 900-1000, you could get around the pwoblem with a RENUMBER utdity which cha)jges the line nund^ers (you would hare to RENUMBER before you append). If both programs use the variable DN and R$, you could use a utility which searches the programs and tells you which variables you used and where.
If you use certain routines in many programs (readin;^ tiie joystick, figuring compoumi interest, etc.), a utility can save you time.
Some utilities contain certain commands that work only with disk drives or pri)iters. Certain connnands will be most useful to a machine language prograinmer (for example, copying one block of memory to niwther, or hex to decimal conversions). Other utilities are de- signed to help you write programs with graphics or sound routines.
Utilities are programming tools. Their usefulness depends on ivhat they do and what you need. If you arc just getting into programming, you probably don't need many progrannning tools. But as you start writing larger and nwre complex programs, you will find that a collection of the right utilities can save you lots of time and work. U I Hi ties are sold commercially, and many public domain utilities are available for free through local user groups. Also, nearly every issue of COMPUTB's GAZETTE jjicludes ready-to-iype program listings for useful utUities. 91
Subscriber Services
Please help us serve you belter. If you need to contact us for any of the reasons listed below, write to us at;
COMPUTE !'s Gazette
P.O. Box 961
Farmingdale, NY 1 1 737 or coll the Toll Free number listed below. Change of Address. Please allow us 6-8 weeks to effect the change; send your current mailing label along with your new address. New Subscription. A one-year (12-monthj U.S. subscription to COMPUTEJ's Gazette is $20 (2 years, $36; 3 years, S54. For subscription rotes outside the U.S., see staff page). Send us your name and address or call the Toll Free number listed below. Delivery Problems. If you receive duplicate issues of COMPUTERS Gazette, if you experience hte de- livery, or if you have problems with your subscription, pleose call the Toll Free number listed below.
COMPUTEJ's Gazette 800-334-0868
In NC 919-275-9809
COMPUTErs Gaielle Jonuar/1984 19
HOTWARE
A Look At This Month's Best Sellers And The Software Industry
Kathy Yakal, Ediiorial Assistant
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I'oil Aihicili/ime (Synapse) |
2 |
1 Gridninncr (HgsW arc) |
1 |
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2 |
juuipmmi (Epyx) |
1 |
2 S//rt/;;Hs{HesWare) |
3 |
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3 |
Temple ofApslmi (Epyx) |
3. |
3 Chopliftcr (Creative) |
2 |
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4 |
ftv^j^er (Sierra On-Li ne) |
4 |
4 Temple ofApshai (HesWare) |
4 |
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5 |
Planetfall (Infocom) |
10 |
5 Crush, Crumble and Chomp (HesWa re |
) - |
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6 |
ChopUfter (Creative) |
~ |
6 ylmoJt(UMI) |
10 |
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7 |
Cridruiiwr (Hes Ware) |
7 |
7 Predator (HesWare) |
9 |
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8 |
Neutral Zone (Access) |
5 |
8 Escape MCP (Comm*Data) |
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9 |
Simnl ofFargoal (Epyx) |
6 |
9 Extcrnunator{N\xiekop) |
7 |
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10 |
Shamtis (HesWare) |
- |
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Commodore 64 Home/Buslness/Utility |
VIC-20 Home/BustnessAJtility 1 Quick Brown Fox (Quick Brown Fox) 1 |
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1 |
WordPro. I Plus/64 With Spell Right |
2 Turtle Graphics (HesWare) |
2 |
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(Professionai) |
1 |
3 HESWrtfcr (HesWare) |
3 |
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2 |
Quick Brouni Fox (Quick BrcJwn Fox) |
2 |
4 HESMon (HesWare) |
4 |
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3 |
MFi-fc(MSoft) |
11 |
5 Household Finance (Creative) |
5 |
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4 |
Money Manager (Timeworks) |
5 |
6 Practicak |
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5 |
PracHcak (Computer Software Associates) |
4 |
(Computer Software Associates) |
— |
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6 7 |
Cfl/cRcsH// (Handic) Data Manager (Timeworks) |
— |
VIC-20 Educational |
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8 |
Electronic Chcckkrok (Timeworks) |
6 |
1 Touch Typing Tutor (Taylormade) |
1 |
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9 |
PaperClip (Batteries Included) |
8 |
2 Primary Math Tutor (Comm*Data} |
- |
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10 |
Oracle (Batteries Included) |
_ |
3 Type Attack {Sirius) |
2 |
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Commodore 64 Educational |
4 Gotcha Math Games (Comm*Data) |
5 |
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5 Hangman/Hangmath (Creative) |
4 |
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1 |
Facemakey (Spinnaker) |
4 |
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2 |
Fraction Fever (Spinnaker) |
- |
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3 |
Up For Grabs (Spinnaker) |
3 |
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4 5 |
Prinum/Math Tutor (Comm*Data) |
5 |
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Dungeons of the Algebra Dragons |
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(Timeworks) |
~ |
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6 |
Khidercomp (Spinnaker) |
1 |
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7 |
Touch Tifping Tutor (Taylormade) |
2 |
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20 COMPUTEI's Gazolle January 1984
Dofft letprice getinflie wsQT of owning a quality printer.
Adding a printer to your computer makes sense. But deciding wliich printer to add can be tricky. Do you settle for a printer with limited functions and an inexpensive price tag or buy a more versatile printer that costs more than your computer? Neither choice makes sense.
Here's a refreshing option— the new, compact STX-80 printer from Star Micro nics. It's the under $200 printer that's whjsper-quiet, prints 60 ops and is ready to run with most popular personal computers.
The STX-80 has deluxe features you would
expect in higher priced models. It prints a full 80 columns of crisp, attractive characters with true descenders, foreign language characters and special symbols, it offers both finely detailed dot- addressable graphics and block graphics.
And, of course, the STX-80 comes with Star Micronics' 180 day warranty (90 days on the print element).
The STX-80 thermal printer from Star
Micronics. It combines high performance with a very low price. So now, there is nothing in
L^ the way of owning a quality printer.
^ ' *M*nurDctur«r'a auQgesled letBll price.
Biitronici'iiK
TIC POWER BEHINDTHE PfUHTED WORD.
Coni|)ut*rP«rtph«nli ffiviakM P.O. Boi ft121»S, Dkllu/FI. W« th Aiimrt. TX 7S2a t (2M) AMMil
COR^
Hie newSlX-80 printer
for only $199:
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Now the excitement of original arcade graphics and sound effects comes home to your computer
Introducing ATARISDFT^" A new source for computer software.
If you own a Commodore VIC 20 or 64, a Texas Instruments 99/4A, an IBM or an Apple 1 1 , you can play the original arcade hits,
DONKEY KONG by Nintendo, CENTIPEDE!" PAC-MAN. DEFENDER, ROBDTRON: 20B4, STARGATE and DIG DUG. [On the Tl 99/4A you can also play Protector II. Shamus. Picnic Paranoia and Super Storm.]
So, start playing the original hits on your computer:
Only from ATARISOFT
Some games also available on ColecoVision and Intellivision.
Now your computer fits the arcade hits.
DONKEVKONG. Mana rmrtMIM TEND Dora IroiJDmsrts and O Ninuifido t9D1. 1963, WC-MAN iini charsctar^ are IrademortB o( Bolty Mitlwoy Mf a Co rjulilicoriBeii toAuin. Inc byNamcD- Amenco- Iric DEFENOER is b traiinmark nf WiNin'ira Electronics, Enc , mafTuf flcUJrtftJ unrffir dcensff f rom WiEliamti Elt-ctrorncs Inc HOBO IRON SDB4 is a t/-BiJan>artt and C o( Wiikonis 1932, manu, faceup under license (ram Williams Elaclronics. Inc STARGATE IS a crademflrt and O of Wiliams 1 9ai, monufactured under license from WiKiams Elecwmics, Inc. DIG DUG rs treated and designed byNamcoLtd manufactured under l-cense by Atan (nc Trade- maftiandOMamcoigss PROiECTORlhso Irademarti of Syti- apse Software Corporalion, m^ulacUired under Itcen&e by Atari. fnc, SHAMUS IS a t/-adomajSi of Synapse Software Corporatiorv, ' mantrf actured under license hy Aijjn. Inc PICNIC WRANOIA is a trfidemar^ of Synopnn Softwore Corporation, monuf octurad by Atan Inc SUPER STanfl^sengnMml and designed by SynaiiES Software CorooralJOn. manufoetured under licenn by Atan, Inc. ATARISOFT ' products ore manufitctured by Atan, Inc (or use on the above refenj^ccd nvfcbines and a^e not made. Iicen.sed or approved by t^e manufactur erri of these macfitfies COMMODORE BA. \/IC20. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 99/4A, IBM. APPLE CQLE, COVISION and INTELLIVISION are respectwely trademarks of ComfnodofB Electronics Limited, Texas tnsiniments. International BLSiness lilachines Corp . Apple Computet; Inc., Coleco Industries. Inc and Mattel. Inc A OWiirner Cornmunications Company C19S3 Atiin. Inc All right*^ reserved
Complete this coupon and well keep you up to date on the newest hits from ATARISOFT'"
Address
City
State
Zip
Telephpne
PRODUCT OWNED: (Check one)
1 n r\-B9/AA 5\~\ CommodDre
Vic20
sQlBMRC 6 n Intellivision
s\~\ Commodore 64 yQj Apple II
4 Q ColecoVision B Q
Mail to:
Atari. Inc, RD. Box 2943,
So. San Francisco. CA 94080. asm b
SIMPLE ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
TOMR.HALFH ILL, EDITOR
Each mouth. COMPUTEI's GAZEiTE u'ill tackle some questions commonly asked by new ViC-20ICommodorc 64 users and bi/ people shopping for their first home computer.
these lines., indeed, the problem? If so, is there any way to type these lines and get these programs to work? Why didn't you test the programs first to make sure they worked?
OLb I have a 1541 disk drive and a friend has one of the older 1540 disk drives. Is there any problem in trading disks back and forth?
fXa Yes, there is a potential compatibility prob- lem. If you're merely reading from each other's disks, you should be safe. But writing to them could be hazardous to the files stored on the disks.
The reason is that the 1541 disk drive runs slightly slower than the 1540, In our experience, the difference is insignificant when reading disks for- matted on one drive or the other. But if you try to write, the speed difference could cause adjacent blocks of data to be overwritten.
The 1541 drive can be accelerated to the 1540's speed by entering this statement;
CLOSE15:OPEN15,8,15,"UI ~ "
This makes it safe to write to a 1540 disk on the 1541 drive. To restore the 1541 's original speed, ini- tialize the disk or enter:
CLOSE15:OPEN15,8,15,"UI + "
(Notice that "UI - " speeds up the drive and "UI + " slmos it down. This syntax might be the opposite of what you'd expect, but it's straight from pages 8-9 of the VlC-ISil User's Manual.)
Unfortunately, you can't slow down a 1540 drive the same way, so it's risky to write to 1541 disks on the 1540. lif you use both kinds of drives or frequently swap disks with someone who uses a different drive, you should mark all your disks "1541" or "1540" to avoid problems.
Ol ■ Some programs in your magazine I cannot get to run, and I've traced the problem to certain lines which are very long. I type the line exactly as printed in the listing, but when I press RE- TURN and re-LIST the line, only part of it is there — (fie rest was chopped off somehow. Even the "Automatic Proofreader" doesn't help. Are
24 COMPUTEI's Gazelle January 1984
SiXm You've zeroed in on a problem which seems to have troubled many other readers. Until a number of similar letters and phone calls came in, we had not realized how many readers are un- familiar with BASIC line-length limits and with the use of keyword abbreviations to solve the problem. Nor had we realized how many pro- grammers routinely use long lines in their programs.
The problem, as you deduced, is that certain lines are too long to type in— at least, too long to type in normally. But there is a way to enter them.
Normally, the Commodore 64 does not allow entry of BASIC lines which exceed 80 characters (two screen lines). The VIC-20's limit is 88 charac- ters (four screen lines). If you type in more char- acters than these limits allow, the extra characters will be discarded when you press RETURN. Un- fortunately, the computer does not warn you that the One has been truncated. If you re-LIST the line, you'll see the difference, but most people don't find out until they attempt to RUN the pro- gram for the first time. The program cither fails to run properly or crashes altogether, often with a cryptic error message as the only clue. The prob- lem can be hard to isolate, especially for nonpro- grammers. Frustrated, many people blame a bug in the program or the listing and give up.
But the problem is easy to fix once discovered. The trick is to enter the long line as the program- mer did when he or she wrote the program.
In an appendix of the user manual which came with your VIC or 64 is a table of keyword abbreviations (a summary of the most commonly used abbreviations appeared in last month's "Horizons: 64" column). Abbreviations allow you to enter BASIC keywords without typing all the characters. Usually an abbreviation consists of the
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Dealer
Inquiries
Welcome
P'/:-»TM
SOFTWARE PRODUCED BY KOLOB MARKETING INC. Impact Marketing Inc. • P.O. Box 21445 • Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
CO CO CD
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HOME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FROM ELECTRONIC ARTS
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can learn to use this word ptDcessor in 90 seconds, can it really be any good?
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I ' PI hay in even thou didn't ge for.
...: How's Dad? Little Ernie?
) a 9reat tiPie here at school
jh* as a freshman a^ain^ I
; all the classes that I hoped
Let's be
couia you pens/ ;pen^
rirrotj;
's ny schedule so f ar •
MHF: Hist. 10-11, Eng. 1-2 TTh: Bio. B-10.. Drama 2-4
iterials u en^upTnisy e ar . ao please send me *500 or so for :ilsj etc. Please hurry.
Loyej
Bruce
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ent-ers
CUT &. PASTE" displays lu commancts on « iiii|;k' lim m. i/u; (jotiom o/ rfu; scTa'ii, This tiKifes icorfeing u'it/i ii atsifr aiui alio git«s jou more tt«i|jlt' .s|w« m\ ifu; .sltimi.
Of all word prticL'Ssors on the market today, Cut &. Paste may well be the easiest to use. In fact, by the time you finish reading this section of the ad, you'll know how to work with Cut &. Paste. So read on. START TYPING. Working with Cut & Paste is like working with a type- writer. If you know how to use a type- writer, you already know how to type in your draft with Cut & Paste. The only real difference is, with Cut & Pnsto it's easier to correct typos. MAKING CHANGES. Let's say you've decided to make a cut in your rough draft.Tci do this you put the cursor (the bright block) at the start of the text you want to delete, and
stretch it through to the end of your cut. Then you send the cursor down to the"CUT" comniand on the bottom of the screen. Done.
If, on the other hand, you want to keep that line, but put it in a differ- ent part of your draft, you use the "PASTE" command. You mark the point of insert with the cursor Then you put the cursor over "PASTE." That's all there is to it, PRINTING IT OUT. When you like the way your work looks, you print it. Put the cursor on the "PRINT" command. Then set your margins, in inches.That'sit.
You now know how to use Cut & Paste,
OKAY, IT'S SIMPLE. BUT HOW GOOD IS 1T7 Cut (Sl Paste has all
the features you'll ever need to use at home. Here are a few of themr
1. Scrolling dynamic menus
2. Automatic word wrap
3. Simple cut & paste editing
4. Block indenting
5. Set margins and paper size in inches
6. Tabs
7. Automatic page numbering
8. Controllable page breaks
9. Headings
10. Scrolling text windows
11. Automatic widow and orphan control
12. Clear and concise manual In other words. Cut &l Paste
will do just about everything other word processors do. But Cut &. Paste will do it more easily. Without com- plex commands and modes.
If you think about a word proc- essor in terms of what it replaces (type- writers, pens and paper, files). Cut & Paste begins to look very good indeed.
And when you consider that all l/iis pou-er can be hai for al)[noximately $50, we think you'll see why we believe Cut & Paste is something of an achievement.
A PHILOSOPHY OF DESIGN. The people who designed, devel- oped and programmed Cut & Paste have some fairly hea\7 credentials.
They are people who worked on the internationally-famous user inter- face designs that led to the Xerox Star* and Apple's Lisa!" They are also
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD. Until quiic ra-t-nilj w ,LKd Ikixs and paper and typeivmsn to u'riK whh, mostly bcca^isc ut (cnetc how w itSL" ihem.Thcs Iuhi: hem good tools, hut limited. You tend to mah messes when you work with them, and getting rid of those messes mal<es extra work. Cut & Paste is an inexpensii-e and practical altematii'C. Because it is as easy to use as a rypew'riter, you really will use it. Which may mal<eitthe[ini sensible word processor for the home. Thus an alleged labor-saving device has come to a position where it really can saw a significant amount ofktbor, i.e., yours.
THE MEN WHO MADE CUT &l
PASTE. Tfte Linocylte machii\e pictured here was the 19th century's most important amtri- bution to word processing technology, k let typesetters com/wse and rearrange text in the form of metal castings. The iinportimce of Cut & Paste, of course, must await the judgment oflmtory. Knicrthelois, the seven men who de- ivlol>cd it look confident here. Standing left to right, they arc: Norm Laite, Stat; Shiw. David Maynard, Dan Silva, Steve Hayes and Jerry Morrison. Seated at the console is Tim Mott, whose idea this was in the first place.
people who have in common a vei7 lucid philosophy of design.
Computers and the programs they run are tools, they believe, Tools are never noticed unless they are bad totils. When they're good, they become, in effect, invisible. And if you want to make a good tool— an invisible tool —
you'd best study the way people use the tools they already have.
As a result of this thinking, Cut & Paste was designed to work much in the same way that you already work with a typewriter or with pen and papcrThe most complex and power- ful parts of the program are hidden from view. The work they do takes place deep in the machine. All you get to see are the results.
But beyond that, there is something almost indefinable about a good de- sign. Things about it just seem to work crisply. Little touches and features tliat you notice make you want to smile. If it's really good, it /eels good.
Cut & Paste feels good. ELECTRONIC ARTS^
THE PRODUCTS o/EktrontcAitsoin l^e found in your favorite comj)uter stores, soft- ware centers, and in (aiding aepamnent stores throughout the coutitry. Both Cut & Paste and Financial Cookbook are now available at a suggested retail price of $50 for the Apple lie and the Commodore 64 and will soon be aiaiiablefoT the IBW-PC and Atari.
OUR COMMITMENT TO HOME MANAGEMENT
Cut & Paste is just one of a growing number of products we're publishing within the category of "home manage- ment software' These products are all built around the same program archi- tecture, makinH them all eciually "friend- ly," as well as rctrvarkahly straightfor- ward and practical. We believe that designs like these will soon make home computers as furictional and efficient as today's basic appliances.
Our next product in this line is called Firumdal Cixiktook. It's a realistic alterna- tive to the complex, pre-programmed fi- nancial calculators we all wish we knew how to use. With a few, simple keystrokes, Financial Cookbook lets you make more than 30 key time-value-of- money computations— just about all the ones you'd ever use for persotial finances — like calculating mortgages with changinj; inter- est rates, com- pounding the interest on IRA and .savings ac- counK,andbuy- versus-lease a>mparisons for automobile pur- chases.
Tti find out more about these home management products and about what \vc have planned for ihe future, call or write: Electronic Arts, 2755 Campus Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403 (415) 571-7171.
first letter of the keyword and a SHIFTed second character. For instance, the abbreviation for POKE is P-SHIFT-O. (Note that the SHIFTed O appears on screen as a graphics character.)
You're stitl limited to typing 80 or 88 charac- ters when using abbreviations. However, when you LIST a line with abbreviations, the abbrevia- tions expand out to the full keywords, even if the resulting line exceeds the limit. The line appears illegal, but executes normally. Be aware that you cannot edit this line, however; if you want to make a change, you must retype the line from scratch.
Another problem with abbreviations is that they confuse the "Automatic Proofreader." The checksum program cannot be used to spot typos in long lines.
Programmers use abbreviations to save typing and memory. Not that the abbreviations them- selves save memory — BASIC stores all keywords as one-byte tokens, whether abbreviated or not. But abbreviations allow programmers to pack more statements into each line, and reducing the number of lines in a program does save a little memory.
Since these long lines execute normally, the programs work fine when we test them prior to publication. We list the program directly from disk and don't hear of a line-length problem until letters begin arriving three months later.
To correct this problem, our lister program now warns us whenever it detects a line exceeding 80 characters. We then try to break up the long line into two shorter ones. Unfortunately, some ■ programs — especially on the unexpanded VIC — require every available byte of memory. Breaking up a line can ruin a working program. In these cases, we'll at least try to warn you of the long lines.
Readers can help, too. If you submit a pro- gram to C0M('UTR!'f, GAZETTE, do not exceed the line limits uttk'ss nb^oliitcly itccessGn/ to amserve memory. Also, please do not number BASIC lines by ones, so that our programmers have room to break up long lines if necessary. QH
^^^ DATA TRAC BIAHK CASSEnES
C-05. C-06, C-10. C-1Z. E-20, C-24, C-30
From Iht llidlng tuppllo ol Computlr Cillitlit. niw, longtr lingtii C-II'i |( mlnutii pit ildi| promiat lilt iilri liw li>l MidM toi iDint 1BK pmgiini r-:^ BASF.I.HD (DPS) world tt*n<iird Up*.
Error Tfv* • Money bick guflr*n1«e.
FREE STORAGE CADDY WITH EVERr i DDI CASS{TT!5 PURCHtSED
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»»VtsutAii«. »G
TAXES?
Cr V UNCLE !
V i«i<''««i »*'■
Just wfien you thought a degree in accounting was needed to wade through the morass of federal tax preparation, along comes UNCLE!
UNCLE! takes your hand and guides you through the tax manuals, asking just enough questions to translate the information for up to 28 forms and schedules. UNCLEI has a good memory; just give your name and SSN once and UNCti! will make sure they get on every required fonn. Plus, if you want to noodle with numbers, UNCLEI has a calculator-type scratch pad. You can't fool your UNCLE!; if you enter an error, it will be flagged.When you're through conversing with UNCLE! on your Commodore 64 (single drive), simply feed the forms and schedules into a 16-17 cpi printer and UNCLE! wiil prepare every one of them. How much to put UNCL£! in your Commodore? $641
Help Is on the way.
Tli£ENDo/DINKETY' DINK-DINK.
.nnouncing the first computer music program that actimlly sounds lihe music
LET'S FACE IT. Up till now, music programs for your home computer have all sounded, well, pretty lame. There were the ones that resembled little electronic music boxes, remem- ber? And then there were those that sounded like so many burps.
Enter Music Gsnstruction Set.^ It's the first music program that really makes use of the power of that ma- chine you've got. If you're a serious student, this means youl be able to work with an intricacy and range of sound quality you've never heard be- fore on a computer. And if you know nothing about music, you'll find some- thing even more important. Namely, that this thing is simple enough to be a lot of fun.
Take a good look at this screen because it, you, and a joystick are the whole story here.
That's you at the right end of the staff of notes — the little hand. Move the joystick, and you move the hand. Use it to carry notes up to the staff. Lay i n res ts , sign atu res, clefs, th en poin t
to the little piano in the lower right and listen, because you'll hear the whole thing played back.
Move those little scales in the mid- dle up and down to vary the music's speed, sound quality, and volume. Use
the scissors to cut out whole measures, then use the glue pot to paste them in somewhere else. Got a printer? Great. Print the score out and show it off to your friends.
But what if you're not up to writing your own stuff yet? No problem. There are twelve pieces of music al- ready in here, from rock 'n roll to baroque. They're fun to listen to, and even more fun to change. (Apologies to Mozart.)
The point is, the possibilities are endless. But if you're still skeptical, visit your nearest Electronic Arts dealer and do the one thing guaranteed to send you home with a Music Con- struction Set in tow.
Boot one up. Point to the piano. And listen.
ELECTRONIC ARTS- MUSIC CO.^ STRLrCnOM SET « now jvaibbt? hi Af^ tl. II -*-. I If , a^i Otmim^itw M c**mpuTCT» The Apple vciwm, with » SW kiflfthtanj !* j^Uvi rhonii) c*^ up to Ms wuc* f *£h The G >mm*id*Tte ^ rf *i. *i jjiy* chunl* of uji lo !hr« fvHci each Af^ n a frv^EcrnJ tr«iniuTk iif A^c Oimputf t Dvmmftlnrf t* a irttHtifd iradnrurk of Cpmmcxliwr Buwivi* Kiachir**, Inc Rjf mart infmnuTion abour EWctnuw: Art*, writ* u* « 2755 CarapM. Dtiw, Sin Miitfl. CA 9W) or c»U HI 51 571-7171
WORD PROCESSING
In The Home
Tom R.Halfhill, Editor
Word processors are displacing typewriters in offices as rapidly as ballpoints replaced foun- tain pens a few decades ago. But there are good reasons why many of today's households could use a word processor, too.
Word processors are probably the most popular inventions to hit the business world since electric typewriters in the i960s. Every day, in somebody's of- fice somewhere, a hapless typewriter with its rubber roller platen, pile of typing paper, and bottle of white correction fluid gives way to a gleaming new computer-age word processor. Secretaries are signing up fur word processing courses to keep from becoming as obsolete as their traded-in typewriters. The quiet hum of video monitors and the whir of disk drives is re- placing the percussion of mechanical striking arms slapping against paper.
It's called the "electronic office" or the "pa- perless office." At first there was resistance, but by now it's taken for granted that word processing (and computerization in general) is having a sig- nificant impact on the function of American busi- ness. The business of staying in business and competing for profits is too important for any business person to long ignore a new tool or method for achieving greater productivity.
But in the last five years something even more amazing has happened. This chic new business tool, the computer word processor, has started to find its way into the American home, too. The invention of the inexpensive microcomputer (and its clever packaging as the home computer) has
30 COMPUTEI's Gazelle January 198-1
made it possible for millions of people to afford a word processor as readily as most businesses. A $50-$iOO word processing program running on a $100-$400 home computer with a printer can perform most of the major writing functions of a typical $5000 or even $10,000 dedicated business system.
However, just as many business users had to be sold on the advantages of word processing, so do many home users. After all, it's much easier to justify the expense of word processors in a busi- ness, where dozens or even hundreds of letters, memos, and reports are generated every day. But what good is word processing in the home? How much writing goes on in the average household?
The answer varies, of course, but it can be argued that nearly any home with an adult working in a professional occupation, or with a student of almost any age, can probably benefit from an in- expensive home computer-based word processor. The key is to recognize what a powerful applica- tion word processing really is,
m irst of all, consider the precedence set by other business inventions which have moved into the average household: the calculator and the typewriter.
Mechanical adding machines were used by businesses for decades without making significant inroads into the home. There were several reasons for this: Adding machines were expensive, bulky, and nonportable. Also there was little use for a computing device, however primitive, in the typi- cal home of the early- to mid-20th century. House- hold finances were generally pretty simple before the proliferation of credit cards, widespread con-
A GAME FOR KIDS. BUT NOT f^ECESSARlLY.
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IT STARTS with an arcade-style game.You play it for a while and then something happens.The system goes down in a aash. And now your job is to find out why and make things right again.
Expert help is available in the form of a strange character named Charlie Fixit. He's got a way of making you small enough to get inside the machine. But being inside is yet another game. There are stray charges to duck, static to avoid, and all sorts of intriguing devices to explore before you can get everything back into working order.
The name of this unusual program is D-Bug^and it's a wonderful way to introduce your children (and maybe even yourself) to the terminology' and basic workings of computers. But beyond this specific knowledge, you'll also learn some fairly subtle skills about how to link causes and effects, and how to develop aeative strategies for solving problems.
D-Bug was designed, developed .ukI programmed by ChildWare — jiionecrs in the field of computer literacy for children. It is just one of an entire line of programs we're publishing that deliberately blur the traditional distinctions between
education and entertainment.
D-Bug is now available on diskette for Commodore 64 and Atari home computers and can be found at your favorite computer stores, software centers, and in fine department stores throughout the country.
ELECTRONIC ARTS"
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sumer loans, checking accounts, modern invest- ment alternatives such as money market funds, and increasingly complicated income tax returns.
Luckily, the electronic calculator arrived at just the right time. Soon after they began replacing adding machines in businesse.s, they started showing Lip in homes. A whole new market was created. During the 1970s, calculators grew cheap, small, and powerful. Today almost nobody bal- ances their checkbook or figures a tax return by hand. The very idea is becoming unthinkable.
The spread of typewriters from the office to the home is even more to the point since, like word processors, they are writing machines. Typewriters started appearing in American offices soon after their invention late in the 19th century. At first, their move to the home was held back by many of the same factors which discouraged the home use of adding machines: Ilarly typewriters were expensive, bulky, nonportable, and not all that useful in the average household.
But sometime around World War II things started to change. New typewriters appeared on the market designed for personal use — relatively inexpensive, small, and portable. Colleges began requiring students to hand in typed term papers. Many people started using typewriters for per- sonal business correspondence, and those with office jobs were taking work home. Soon type- writers became a common appliance in millions of households.
For many of the same reasons, word proc- essors are spreading from offices to homes, too. Almost anything a typewriter can do, a word proc- essor can do better. A home computer-based word processt^r is still more expensive than a cheap portable typewriter, but on the other hand, even the most advanced electronic "memory type- writer" is not as flexible as the typical home com- puter word processor. College, high school, and even younger students are using word processors for term papers and reports. Their parents can use the same word processor for personal business letters, or for work taken home from the office.
Best of all, the expense of a home word proc- essor is minimal if the household already owns a home computer. Maybe the computer was origi- nally purchased for running education/home ap- plication programs, or playing videogames, or for learning how to program. It can be transformed into a powerful word processor with the addition of the appropriate program and maybe a printer and disk drive.
Thinking of a word processor as a substitute for a typewriter is enough to justify its purchase for many people. But there are other reasons which may be even more compelling. A word processor is much more than just an electronic,
32 COMPUTEI'i Gazelle Jonuaryl984
computerized typewriter — it's a whole new way of writing.
An the beginning, typewriters were used simply to make neat copies of documents composed origi- nally in longhand. Even today many people still use typewriters this way, preferring to write everything out before typing up the final draft.
But soon after their invention, typewriters were embraced by writers, especially journalists. For the first time since the clay tablet and stylus an entirely new writing implement had been in- vented. Newspapermen were among the first to make the transition from writing by hand to com- posing their thoughts directly on a keyboard. Pencils and pens — which in various forms had been the only writing instruments since writing itself was conceived — were relegated to note- taking and editing.
Why is this important? Because the transition to the keyboard is an important step in the de- velopment of many writers. The majority of pro- fessional writers do their writing on a keyboard, not in longhand.
Some writers, including a few famous ones, still contend that writing in longhand with a pen is a more intimate way of committing thoughts to paper. We won't argue this point, because it's one of those philosophical questions that is rarely resolved. However, there is little doubt that writing in longhand is slow. When deadlines are not important, this may not matter. Indeed, many writers who always write in longhand are accus- tomed to pacing their thoughts accordingly, and argue convincingly that longhand doesn't slow them down.
But many writers who switch to typewriters notice something strange and wonderful: appar- ently because they can put their thoughts to paper so much faster, the words start coming faster. At first the switch from longhand to typewriters is not always easy. It is forced on those writers who must consistently produce on deadline — such as journalists — and the transition can be traumatic. Before long, however, the old pen-and-paper method seems agonizingly slow, and they dread being out of reach of a keyboard.
Unfortunately, efficient as they are, type- writers are far from the ultimate writing tools. Once a word is typed, for practical purposes it is committed as indelibly as a word penned in ink- It's possible to make minor corrections with eras- able bond, correcting ribbons, chalk strikeover sheets, or white correction fluid. But major revi- sions mean extensive retyping. Longhand manu- scripts aren't very flexible, either. Many drafts may be required before the final acceptable copy is ready.
What do you like best about
COMPUTEI's GAZETTE?
It teaches me more about my Conmiodore 64 than any other magazine. (|tWjM^ The Gazette Feedback column.
The. ^fh'^les o^ v\A(xc(a Iac
It's not too technical for the average person, .^^^.^j^^^^j^e^
pv^cgramming "tips b^>^ veM\e\iJC J^swfidd^i ^^^^^Tm^^'^ -
^^^imi^^^^^^^i^i'PtSuli Your professional writing; you have very knowledgeable authors ^ .ILi/fejU' Jc«xx^^.Avx/vt^ Ysjyvo C>&r'<y^:>~*XsHA^
The above comments are from The Editor's Feedback Cards, a monthly part of our continuing dialogue with the readers of COMPUTEI's GAZETTE.
Every month, readers of COMPUTEI's GAZETTE get ready-to-type-in games and applications programs, tips on programming in BASIC and machine language, reviews of new hardware and software, feature articles that explain and entertain, and much more.
If you would like to become a GAZETTE subscriber, return one of the subscription cards in this issue or call the number below. The basic subscription price of $20/ycar saves you $10 off the newsstand price. Why not subscribe today? Call Toll Free in the US 800-334-0868, 919-275-9809 in NC.
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P.O. Box 96 1 Farminsdale, NY 11 737
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L hat's where word pmcessing comes in. You may have heard or read elsewhere about the ad- vantages of word processing: Documents are typed not on paper, but on the video screen. Characters, words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or even large blocks of text can be modified, deleted, in- serted, added to, moved, duplicated, and ma- nipulated to your fingers' content. When every- thing is just right, you can print out as many per- fect copies as vou want. You can store the docu- ment on disk or tape for later use. You can merge documents saved on disk or tape to create a larger document, giving you the power to build anything from a form letter to a novel.
Most people these days are at least partly familiar with the advantages of word processors, even if they haven't actually used one themselves. But there's another bonus that is a bit more subtle^ — a word /irociwor can }iuikc i/ok a hetlir rcn'/cr.
This isn't just another outrageous claim of the "computers-will-save-the-world" ilk. This writer, and many others, is convinced that it's true.
Word processing makes writing so flexible, so fluid, that almost all the inhibitions are banished. Since anything you type can be changed
WC 20
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Now you can have the memory power of
the 64. flexible memory control, expansion
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EtECTRONICS. INO Call for vouf nearest Mosaic Dealer 1-800-547-2607. In Oregon 653-7685
in virtually any way, there is no reason to agonize over every word and phrase. If it doesn't "read" right, just back up and iry again. Experimentation is easy. Even radical changes to your text are only a few keystrokes away. No other writing tool offers anything near this level of flexibility.
Let's face it — everything you write that is seen by other people is a reflection pf not only your writing skill, but also your intelligence, style, and personality. These things show up between the lines, if not actually within them. If you are writing for publication, or sending a memo to your boss, or compiling a report to be seen by co- workers, or mailing a complaint letter to a com- pany or a congressman, can you afford not to have every sentence as perfect as you can make it? How many times have you let a typo or awk- ward sentence slip by because it would mean retyping or rewriting an entire page or more?
Even more important, word processing should not be limited to adults. Children should be encouraged to write on a word processor as soon as they can handle the keyboard and the equipment (which these days is a pretty early age, it seems). Many school systems are beginning to realize the educational value of word process- ing. Word processors are becoming standard equipment in hundreds of schools, even at the elementary level. In fact, one commercial word processor now on the market for home computers (Briiderbund's Bnitk Street Writer) was specifically designed with young people in mind.
For years, standardized college-entry exams have revealed that the writing skills of American students are sadly deteriorating. Perhaps more emphasis on composition and the careful revision of one's own work — assisted by word processing — can help reverse the trend. Early results from classrooms using word processors are encouraging.
It certainly wouldn't hurt if children were started in this direction at home, using their fam- ily's home computer. They could be urged to use the computer for writing book reports, letters to grandparents, keeping a personal diary, com- posing their own stories, collecting jokes they liear, or just fooling around. In short, anything (hat gives them writing practice, whether they realize it ornot.
More than a few adults have improved their writing with a word processor, too — including this writer. When 1 hear the cliche that computers (particularly home computers) are "a solution in search of a problem," 1 argue that even if com- puters were good for nothing else but word proc- essing, it would be enough to justify their exist- ence. Although the world got along fine for years with pencils and typewriters, sometimes a prob- lem doesn't become obvious until a better solution is invented. (Qt
M COMPUJEI'sGoiellc Januury 1984
■/#7?^^;
Spreadsheet that puts you a mUlionmUesMead
live fll^^^^B
ALC RESULT...The one spreadsheet guaranteed to turn your Commodore Into a powerful financial tool. Offering you every feature found on othier more expensive programs for mucti less thie cost. Flexible. ..you con view four different areas at once Versatile. ..customize your own print formats Distinctive.. .display beautiful color graphiics CALC RES\)U Advanced is a ftiree-dimensional spread- sheet with built-in HELP function and 32 pages of memory. For the Commodore 64 S 149.95. for the CBM™ 8032 S199.00. For first lime users CALC RESULT Easy gives you a fast way to perform financial calculations— easily. For the Commodore 64 S79.95. For a down to earth demonstration of either version visit your local deaier today
(software ah 7 -t compiny in tlw Dalatronic gnnip-
A Product of:
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^rirl\f^(^A ii; a ImrifFmjjrk of Comfmodore BusinnSs Mnchin&S
Woid Processor
For Commodoie 64 AndVIC-20
Charles Brannon, Program Editor
COMPUTERS GAZETTE is
very pleased to present "'Sj^eedScript/' a word proc- essing program written en- tirely in machine language. Fast, powerful, and easy to use, it includes almost all the major features found in pro- fessional word processor pro- grams for personal computers. We believe it apjproaches commercial-quality programs costing $50 or more. It runs on the Commodore 64 (leaving a huge 45K free for text) and the VIC-20 with 8K or greater memory expansion. Speed- Script will considerably amplify the utility of your computer.
annon/"SpeedScript lJ-4-
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^harles BrannQn*?s>Q aPrograw Editor*- ^^
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Floater;** COHPUTEi's Bazette is very pleased to present "SpeedScript," a word processing prograw written entirely »n Machine language. Fast, powerful, and
A current advertising campaign extoJs tlie virtues of a ballpoint pen that can erase like a pencil, dubbing it the. "portable, per- sonal word processor," It can even plot graphics. Like a word processor, the pen can edit, change, and erase. It can produce flawless hard copy. And, indeed, you can draw circles, squares, and bar graphs. But can the pen move paragraphs? Put a 100- page book on a 5 'A" disk? Turn a rough draft into final copy with only a few changes? Can it truly edit without a trace of correction, and produce formatted, double- spaced, automatically page- numbered text?
Maybe we're not being fair to the erasable pen, but it should be made clear that word proc- essing is more than just a com- puterized typewriter. Such a "word processor" would be a few lines long:
10 OPEN 1,4
20 INPUT AS 30 PRINT#1,A$ 40 GOTO 20
When RUN, the program flashes the cursor and waits for a line to be typed. When you hit RETURN, the line is sent to the printer. You can move the cursor left and overstrike or use the DEL key to make changes to the line before you hit RETURN and print it out. But once it's on paper, it's committed. Too late to make any changes.
With a true word processor, you type everything in first, then print the whole thing out. Before you print, you can make as many changes as you want. A good word processor lets you change any line, swap para- graphs, and manipulate your text in numerous other ways. You can buy such a word proc- essing program for your VIC or 64 for $40 to more than $100, depending on the features.
Or you can type in "SpeedScript." Even if you al- ready own a commercial word processor for your VIC or 64, we think you'll be pleasantly sur-
prised. SpeedScript offers all the standard features, plus others you may not have seen before. And there are nearly identical versions for both the 64 and VIC (with 8K or more expansion memory),
Entering SpeedScript
First, you'll need to type in SpeedScript. Programs 1 and 2 look long, but thev are on I v about 4.5K, shorter than most BASIC games. The mass of numbers are machine language. Only with machine language do you get such power, speed, and com- pactness. Unfortunately, machine language isn't as easy to enter as a BASIC program. To aid with all the typing, we've developed MLX, the machine language editor. Be sure to read and un- derstand the MLX article before you begin typing in SpeedScript. Type in and SAVE the MLX program. The VIC version will require the 8K expander, both for MLX and SpeedScript. When you are ready to enter Speed- Script, turn your machine off and on (to clear it out), then enter one of these two liiies before vou load MLX:
for the VIC:
POKE 44,37;POKE 9472,0;NEW
for the 64:
POKE 44,27:POKE 6912,0;NEW
You can then load MLX from tape or disk, and enter RUN. MLX will ask for the starhng and ending addresses. The starting address is the first number in the listing: 2049 for the Commo- dore 64, and 4609 for the VlC-20. The ending address is the last number plus five: 6842 for the 64, and 9342 for the VIC-20. After you enter this, follow the in- structions in the MLX article to enter the listing. We've entered it here, and it lakes only a few hours (you can stop, save your work, and continue typing in several sessions). No matter what your typing speed is, rest assured that it will be well worth your effort.
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COMPUTBI's Gazelle Januoryl9B4 39
Get more out of your Commodore
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PIPES
For tits VtC'20 and
Commodore 64.
Arlo is a tiard-working plumtier. but a toucti absent-minded. He's building , ^1 a water supply system for the H| wbote neighbofhood. and he really * has his hands full. Help Arlo decide what kind of pipe to buy and where -. to put it... his limited budget I doesn't leave him much margin for ■■ \ error Figure out the shortest, most economical way to get everyone hooked up... and just hope poor Arlo has remembered to oper\ and close V the right valves. A marvelously \ entertaining and challenging ■ . exercise in planning economics and 1 spatial relationships for all ages.
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SAVE NEW YORIC For the Commodore 64.
It was as peaceful a day as New York
ever gets, wtier) suddenly tl^e sky
went dark and a monstrous droning
noise lilted die air. Hordes of
grotesgue aliens were swooping
down from all sides, biting inlo the
Big Apple as if ttiey tiadn 't eaten
for days. Tfiey were laying eggs, too
Horrible slimy things that got down
into ttie subway tunnels and began
clawing their way up. If anyone
was going to save the city it would
tiave to be me t leapt into my
rocket and began tilasting away
I thought I stood a fighting chance,
but fuel's running low. . . another
wave of invaders on the horizon
...signing off...
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SAVEMEW^
■VICIO-AHD CBUMOBOHl M'/Ull rWOfKMM OF COUUOBDUl lUCTflOltlCS. LTD
^ mjcHumisonrnM
Award-Winning Hits for your Commodore
sl^ei.
m-.
CHOPUFTER'
For the Commodore VIC-20.
Those are our men they 're holding hostage! We don't care t}owyou do it. but you've got to shoot your way in there and tjring 'em bacii alive. You've got three choppers, probably not enough but it's ail we can spare And the enemy camp is pretty heavily fortifierl. With tanl(s, jetfighters and truly nasty laser bombs. Okay mayt)e it's a suicide mission, but somebody '$ got to do it. Dozens of innocent lives are at stake. We're counting on you... don't let tbem down!
^,
(^
.'■*i.^
V
Now you can play some of America's hottest computer games on your Commodore, and get a FREE introduction to Home Manage- ment Software. It's our way of showing you that action-pacl^ed gaming is only the beginning of your Commodore's capabilities.
■SCUCTCOAS SB¥C Of T)iC IMSrwWWrjK COHI>lim pmetUMS- IMlCCSSOnWiHl SmWCAS£ AW»SDS.
w/fAi a Free Software Bonus.
'-VlfV..'
SERPENTINE For the Commodore VIC-20.
In the Kingdom of Serpents, the only nile is eat or fie eaten. Jtiiee huge and evil red snakes are slittwring thmgti a complex series of maies, closing in on your good blue serpent from all sides li^ove fast and watch your tail! Try to sun/ive long enougt\ to let your ^gs hatch into reinforce- ments. Swallow the magical frogs or your enemy's eggs and you can get the strength to goon... but look out to your left... and ahead of you! They've got you surrounded, and it looks like meal time.
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Getting Started
After you enter SpeedScript with MLX, you can just LOAD it like a BASIC program. As a matter of fact, you can make copies of it with the SAVE command, as usual (SAVE "SPEEDSCRIPT" or SAVE "SPEEDSCRIPT",8 for disk). After vou LOAD, enter RUN.
The screen will be light gray or white with black (or dark gray) lettering. The top line of the screen is highlighted.
The blinking cursor shows you where text will appear when you begin typing. You cannot type on the top line of the screen. This is the command window, and is used by SpeedScript to ask questions and display mes- sages. When a message is dis- played, it will remain until you begin typing again.
To get started, just begin typing. If a word you're typing won't fit on the screen line, the word and the cursor are moved to the next line. This is called word wrap, or parsing. It makes your text much easier to read on the screen, as words are never split across the margin. Another thing to notice is that a liack-arrow appears if you press RETURN. This marks the end of a para- graph or line. It is not necessary to press RETURN at the end of each screen line, as you must do when reaching the end of a line on a typewriter.
Most of us, being human, are not infallible, so you may need to correct your typing mis- takes. This is a big advantage of a word processor. You fix your errors before you print, so there's no messy fluids or special ribbons (Did you ever have to manually erase on a typewriter? — ugh!)
If you want to backspace, press the IN ST/ DEL key in the unSHlFTed position. The cursor backs up anci erases the last letter you typed. You can press it as many times as necessary to back up to the error, then retype the rest of the sentence. This is clearly not the best way to do
44 COMFUJEI's CaieOe January 1984
things. Instead, you can move the cursor nondestructively. The cursor control keys are in the lower-right corner of the kevboarcl (see Figure 1 : Kevhoard Map). The CRSR left/right' key moves the cursor to the right, and when SHIFTed moves the cursor left. Before you can correct the error, you have to move the cursor to the word in question. For example, to correct this line:
Novf is the riwe for all good neni
The cursor is moved to the "r" (cursor-left 21 times):
NOW is the Bine for all good Hen
The letter "t" is typed:
Now is the tHue for all good nen
And the cursor is moved to the end:
Now is the tiwe for all good nenH
Resume typing:
How is the tiMe for all good Men to CO Me to the aid of they're country.
Another error! We typed "they're" instead of "their." No problem.
In the above example, of course, you don't have to press the cursor-left key 21 times. You can just hold down the cursor- left key. It will repeal, and keep moving until you lei go.
English Cursor Controls
You can also move the cursor in ways that make sense in plain English. For example, if you hold down SFilFT and press the ,fl function key, (which is how you get f2), the cursor jumps back to the previous word. To correct the error in the example above, just press f2 five times. You can then press fl five times to go back to the end of the sentence anci resume typing. Here is a list of what the function kevs do:
fl: Move cursor to next word. f2: Move cursor to previous word.
f3: Move cursor to start of next sentence.
f4: Move cursor to start of previ- ous sentence.
f5: Move cursor to start of next paragraph.
f6: Move cursor to start of previ- ous paragraph.
SpeedScript recognizes a sentence by the ending punctua- tion (. or ? or !), or by a RETURN mark (back-arrow). A paragraph is any sequence of characters that ends in a RETURN mark (a RETURN mark by itself, which you can use to make blank lines, counts as a paragraph).
Since you're working with English, the cursor up-down keys do not move up or down exactly one screen line. Instead, they act like f3 and f4. Cursor- down moves to the next sen- tence, and cursor-up moves to the previous sentence. This is easier to understand for many people, but it takes some getting used to for others.
As you begin to move the cursor around, you'll notice that you cannot move the cursor past the end of text. There is an invis- ible marker, somehmes called End Of File (EOF) at the end of the document. You can add text to the end of your document, but you cannot move past it, since there's nothing there. In a very few cases, you may see some text past the end of file, but you can't move to it, so ignore it.
Many of the other kevs be- have predictably. The CLR/ HOME key in the unSHIFTed position moves the cursor to the top of the screen. If you press it twice, it brings you to the top of your document (in case the docu- ment is longer than one screen). The insert key (SHIFT-INST/ DEL) inserts a space at the cursor position. You can press it as many times as necessary to make space for inserting a word. You
Simulator]!
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can also go into insert mode, where every letter you type is automatically inserted. In insert mode, it is not possible to over- strike. You enter or leave insert mode by pressing CTRL-I.
Normally when you type a key, that letter or symbol ap- pears. Certain keys, such as CLR/ HOME, however, perform a function. SpeedScript extends this idea and places all the com- mand keys in an easy-to-re~ member order. For example, insert mode is turned on or off by pressing CTRL-I. (To use a control key, hold down CTRL while you type the other key.)
When you enter insert mode, the command window changes color to remind you. If you press CTRL-I again, you're back in normal overstrike mode, and the command window re- verts to its usual color.
CTRL-Z moves you to the bottom of your document (end of file). It's useful for adding text to the end. If you want to check how much memory you have left for typing, press CTRL and the equals ( = ) key. You have about 45K of text memory on the 64, and about 5K on the VIC-20 with 8K expander. SpeedScript takes advantage of all the avail- able RAM on the 64.
To accommodate personal taste and video clarity, you can change the screen and text colors to any combination you want. CTRL-B (think "background") changes the screen color. You can keep pressing it until a color you like comes up. CTRL-L ("let- ters") changes the text color. If YOU have a color monitor, you can get some really interesting combinations.
The RUN/STOP key is like a TAB key. It inserts five spaces at the cursor position. You can use it for indenting, or to add inden- tation to a paragraph previously typed.
If you want to change the case of a letter or word, position the cursor on the letter and press CTRL-A. It will switch from
lower- to uppercase or vice versa. CTRL-A moves the cursor to the right, so you can hold it down to change more than one letter. Another handy command is CTRL-X, or Transpose. It will switch two adjacent letters. My most common typing mistake is to wsitch (switch) two letters while I'm typing fast. With CTRL-X, it's easy to exchange the two letters without over- striking (which is useful in insert mode).
Text Deletion
With a typewriter, if you don't like what you've typed, you can tear the paper out, crumple it up, and dunk it into "file 13." VVith a word processor, this satisfying act is accomplished with but a few keystrokes.
With the DEL key, you can erase the last letter typed. If you're in the middle of text and press it, you'll notice that the character the cursor is sitting on is pulled on top of the previous character, and the rest of the text follows along. It sounds a little confusing, but it's easy:
The quick brown fox juunwped ouerl
Cursor is moved to error:
The quick brown fox juunEped over
DEL is struck twice, deleting the erroneous characters:
The quick brown fox juuCped over The quick brown fox . juCped over
If you don't want the text to be pulled back, you can press the back-arrow key. It will just backspace and blank out the previous character without pull- ing the adjacent characters back- ward. Another way to delete is with CTRL-back-arrow. The cursor does not move, but the following text is "sucked into" the cursor. It is like a tiny black hole.
If you want to strike out a whole word, sentence, or para-
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graph, it's time for a more drastic command: CTRL-E. When you press CTRL-E, the command window turns red (to instill fear and awe). You see the message:
Erase CS,M,P} : lgli*ill'ri to exit
Each time you press one of the three keys, a sentence, word, or paragraph is pulled toward the cursor and deleted. You can keep pressing S, W, or P until all the text you want to remove is gone. Then press RETURN to exit the Erase function and re- sume writing. Erase will remove text to the right of the cursor. If you are at the end of a sentence, word, or paragraph, you can use Delete (CTRL-D) to erase back- ward. CTRL-D displays: Delete cs,M,P} and immediately returns to the normal mode after its work is done. As an analogy, CTRL- Delete is like the DEL key, and CTRL-Erase is like CTRL-back- arrow.
What if you pressed one key too many in the Erase com- mand? What if you change your mind? Oh, no! What if you acci- dentally erased the wrong para- graph? On most word proces- sors, you're out of luck. But with
SpeedScript, you can retrieve the crumpled-up piece of paper and "uncrumple" it. Within cer- tain limitations, SpeedScript remembers and stores the text you Erase or Delete. If you change your mind, just press CTRL-R.
Here's how it works. When you Erase text, the text is moved from the main screen into a faU- safe buffer, a reserved area of memory. The Commodore 64 version of SpeedScript reserves 12K for the failsafe buffer and the VlC-20 version has IK.
There's another valuable use for the buffer, too. You can move text by putting it in the buffer and recalling it at the des- tination. Just Erase the para- graphs, words, or sentences you want to move, then place the cursor where you want to insert the text and press CTRL-R (think "Restore," "Retrieve," or "Re- call"). In a flash, the text is in- serted. If you want to copy (rather than move) a word, sen- tence, or paragraph, you can restore the deleted text with CTRL-R, then move the cursor and press CTRL-R to insert the deleted text again. You can re- trieve the buffer contents as often as you like. For example, if you
use a long word or phrase often, just type it once. Erase it, then use CTRL-R to have the com- puter type it out for you.
You should be aware that CTRL-E and CTRL-D will clear the previous buffer contents. When you move one paragraph, then go back to move another, you don't want to have both paragraphs merged together the second time. Additionally, if CTRL-Delete added text to the buffer instead of replacing the buffer, CTRL-R would insert the text entries out of order, since CTRL-D deletes "backward."
If you want to move two paragraphs at the same time instead of separately, you can override the replacement and cause CTRL-Erase to add to the end of the buffer. Just hold down SHIFT with CTRL as you press E. If you want to force the buffer to be cleared, you can use CTRL- K (Kill) to clear the buffer. If you try to delete more than the length of the buffer (12K on the 64, IK on the VIC), you'll see "Buffer Full". Stop and move the text, or use CTRL-K to clear the buffer to erase some more.
Finally, if you really want to wipe out all your text, there is a way. (Beware: You cannot re-
Flgure 1 : Keyboard Map
Lettered Commands Entered With CTRL
Backspiee; With CTRL Deletes Character Under Cutsor
Erase Word,
Sentence,
Paragfapti
Disk Directory
Insert Mode
Insert (RetrieveJ Buffer
Hunt (Search)
Send Disk
Command Enter
I Format
I Key
UnSHIFTed: Top Of Screen
w/SHlFT: Erase All Text
UnSHIFTedr Delete Character Behind Cursor
Hold Down
To Enter
Control
(Command)
Keys Change
Upper To Insert 5 Lower, Or
Spaces Vice Versa
J Go To End Of Document
' Delete (Backward) Word, Sentence, Paragraph
Change
Background
Color
Change
Lettering
Color
End Paragraph, Of Skip A Line
w/SHIFT:
Next
Sentence
UnSHIFTed: Go To Previous Sentence
w/SHIFT:
Cursor
Left
48 COMPUTEI'iCazotle January J984
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cover from a total clear.) Press SHIFT-CLR/HOME. You will see:
ERASE ALL TEKT : Are you sure? CY/N5 :
If you really want to erase all the text, press Y. Any other key, including N, will return you to your text unharmed. You should use this command only when you want to start a new document, as it is one of the few ways to lose text beyond recovery.
Search Feature
When you are lost in the middle of a big document and want to find a particular word or phrase, the Hunt command comes in handy. Press CTRL-H and you'll see:
Hunt for:B
Enter the word or phrase you want to find, then press RETURN. Speed Script will locate the word and place the cursor on it, scrolling if necessary. If the phrase is not found, you'll see a "Not Found" message in the command window.
The first time you use Hunt, SpeedScript will search for the phrase from the top of the docu- ment. Pressing CTRL-H again will find the next occurrence of the search phrase after the cursor position. You can search for a new phrase without waiting to get "Not Found" for the previous phrase by holding down SHIFT while you press CTRL-H.
There are some tricks to using Hunt. For example, if you search for the word "if," SpeedScript will match it with the embccided "if" in a word like "specific," Should you just want to find the word "if," search for "if" followed by a space. Also, searching for "if" will not match with the capitalized "If."
Saving And Loading
What makes a word processor truly great is that you can save your typing to tape or disk. Say you're writing a term paper.
50 COMPUJEfs GazeHc January 1984
You type it in and save it to disk. Your teacher returns the rough draft with suggested cor- rections. Without retyping the entire paper, you just load the original, make some changes, and print it out. A 5%" disk can hold more writing than a briefcase! You can also write in stages: save your work as you go along, then come back to it at another time. Saving and loading alone elevates word processing l^ar above any other means of writing.
To save your work, press f8 (SHIFT-f7). You will see:
Save :■
Enter the name you want to use for the document. Follow the standard Commodore filename rules, such as keeping the name to 16 characters or less. Press RETURN, then press either T or D, answering the prompt TAPE OR DISK?.
After the Save is completed, you'll see NO ERRORS {hope- fully}. If there was an error during the save, such as no disk in the drive, or a disk full error, SpeedScript will read the error channel and display the error message. You'll get the error "file exists" if you try to save using a name that's already on the disk. If you want to replace the file, prefix the name with the characters "(It):", such as "fa; : Document". This is called "Save with Replace." You can also press CTRL-| (up arrow, explained below) and scratch the file before you save.
Press i7 to load a file. You may want to use SHIFT-CLR/ HOME to erase the current text first. The Load feature will ap- pend text starting wherever the cursor is positioned. This lets you merge several files from tape or disk into memory. If the cursor is not at the top of the file, the command window will change color to warn you that you are performing an append. You should add text only to the end of the file, as the cnd-of-file
marker is put wherever the load stops. Also, beware that you can crash SpeedScript if you try to load a file and don't have enough room (a file longer than available memory).
You can use CTRL-V to Ver- ify a saved file. Verify works like Load, but compares the file with what's in memory. It's most useful with tape, but you can use it with disk files, too,
SpeedScript files appear on the directory as PRG, program files. The documents certainly aren't programs, but since the operating system has convenient Save and Load routines, the text files are just dumped from mem- ory. This is also more reliable for tape. You can load files created on some other word processors, such as WordPro or PaperCUp, but you may have to do some reformatting. If the upper- and lowercase come out reversed, you can hold down CTRL- A to transform the entire file.
Other Disk Commands
Use CTRL-4 (think CTRL-S, as in L0AD"$",8 from BASIC) to look at the disk directory. You will not lose whatever text you have in memory. While the directory is being printed on the screen, you can press CTRL to slow down the printing, or the space bar to freeze the listing (press the space bar again to continue). You can send any other disk command with CTRL- f (up- arrow). It may not seem easy to remember, but I think of the arrow as pointing to the disk drive. The command window shows a greater-than sign {>). Type in the disk command and press RETURN. By referring to your disk drive manual, you can do anything the commands per- mit, such as Initialize, New, Copy, Rename, Scratch, etc. (also see "Getting Started With A Disk Drive," a continuing series in COMPUTEl'sGAZETTK), If you press RETURN without en- tering a disk command.
Table 1 :
Clip-Out Q.ulck Reference Card — Editing Commands
CTRL-Ai Change case
CTRL-B: Change background color
CTRL-D: Delele
CTRL-E: Erase
CTRL-H: Hunt
CTRL-I: insert Mode
CTRL-Kt Clear buffer
CTRL-L: Change lettering color
CTRL-P: Print
CTRL-R: Recall buffer
CTRL -V: Verify
CTRL-X: Transpose characters
CTRL-Z: End of document
CTRL-4: Disk directory
CTRL-t: Send DOS command
CTRL-£: Enter format key
fl; Next word
t2: Previous word
f3: Next sentence
f4; Previous sentence
fS: Next paragraph
f6: Previous paragraph
f7: Load
f8: Save
Cursor Up: Previous sentence
Cursor Down; Next sentence
Cursor Left/Right; As implied
CLR/HOME: Erase All
Back'airovv; Backspace
CTRL-Back-arrow; Delete character
RUN/STOP: Insert 5 spaces
Table 2:
Clip-Out Quick Reference Card — Format Commands
Format commands in column one are entered with CTRL-£.
|
Cmd Description |
" 1 Default |
|
^^M left margin |
5 i |
|
^1 ngtitniarf>in |
75 ! |
|
^H lop margin |
s 1 |
|
^1 bottom margin |
58 : |
|
^M define header |
none ; |
|
^M define footer |
none ; |
|
^M wail for next sheet |
no wait i |
|
^H true ASCII |
|
|
^^H underline toeele |
|
|
^^H center line |
|
|
H^l edgerif^ht |
|
|
■9| page number |
|
|
^^S see text |
Figure 2:
Clip-Out Function Key Overlay
SHIFT:
Speed Script
Previous Word
Previous
Previous Paragraph
Save
Sentence \CJ^ g^-^
Next Word
Next Sentence
Next Paragraph
"^f ^ 'Load
lA
*.------^d
52 COMFUTEI's Gazette January 1984
SpeedScript displays the disk error message (if any). It may be obvious by now that CTRL- f is much like the DOS wedge.
PRINTr
At last, we get to the whole point of word processing — the print- out. Actually, you can use SpeedScript without a printer. If you and a friend each have a copy of SpeedScript, you can exchange letters on tape or disk, ready to load and view. You can get a lot of text on one tape or disk. And if you have a friend with a printer and a VIC or 64, you can bring SpeedScript and your files.
Before your text can be printed, it must be formatted. The text must be broken into lines with margins, and there has to be a way to divide the output into pages. For those with pinfeed paper, we also need to skip over the perforation. Of course, it ivould be nice to be able to automatically number all pages. And why not let the com- puter center tines for you, or
block them edge right? You should be able to change the left and right margin anytime, as well as line spacing. Headers and footers at the top and bottom of each page would add a really nice touch.
Well, SpeedScript does all that and more. But with that power comes the responsibility to learn more commands. These commands do not act directly on the text, but control how the text is printed out. Some commands do things like change the left margin, while others let you do things with the text like centering or underlining. Remember, the formatting commands will not change how the text on the screen looks. They affect only the hardcopy (what's on paper).
Thanks to several default settings, you can print right away without using any printer com- mands. If you press CTRL-P, SpeedScript will make several assumptions and begin to print. A few of these assumptions are: left margin of five spaces, right margin at 75 (meaning a line
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56 COMPUTEI's Gazette Jonuaryl984
length of 70 characters), and double spacing. If you want to change these settings, you'll need to use the formatting commands.
Entering Format Commands
The format commands are single letters or characters that appear on the screen in reverse video. To get a reverse video letter, press CTRL and the English pound sign (next to the CLR/ HOME key). The command win- dow will prompt "Key:". Now press one of the format letters, such as "r" for right margin, or "c" for center. That letter will appear in reverse video (within a "box," with its colors switched). SpeedScript recog- nizes only lowercase letters and some symbols as commands.
Changing Printer Variables
The printer variables are values such as left margin, right margin, line spacing, top and bottom margins, etc. They are called variables because they can change. For example, to quote a passage within your text, you may indent it by increasing the left margin, and also change to single spacing to set it apart. You would then want to switch back to normal margins and double spacing for the rest of the paper.
To change a printer variable, just follow the reverse video letter with a number. Do not leave a space between a letter and a number. You can put the format commands anywhere in text, though I prefer to group them together on a line of their own. Here is an example setting:
aiotae 001019050*^
To set off those format commands, I'll show here that they are in reverse video by en- closing thom in brackets. You'll enter them with CTRL-English pound sign,
[1] Left margin, defaults.
The left margin is the number of spaces to indent for each line,
[r] Right margin, default 75. This must be a number less than 80, which is the number of char- acters that can fit on a line. Add the line length you want to the left margin to get the right margin.
[t] Top margin, default 5. How many blank lines to skip fi'om the top of the page to the first line of printing. Should be at least 5.
[b] Bottom margin, default 58. A number less than 66, which is the number of lines on an 8y2" X 1 1" sheet of paper or pin- feed paper. Do not use a bottom margin nwre than 58,
[h\ Define header. The header is printed at the top of each page, if you specify one. To define the header, begin a line with [h], enter tlie header text, then press RE- TURN. Example:
CaAccounting
Procedures*-
You can embed a format \c] after the [h] to center the header, a format [e] to block the header edge right, and a format [#] any place you want a page number to appear. Examples:
A centered page title with a dash on each side:
The header used when this article was written:
DBBrannon/ "SpeedScript/m*-
[f] Define footer. Just like header, but appears at the bottom of each page. A centered page number within parentheses:
GBcSx-
[n] Next page. This command forces the printer to skip to the next page, regardless of the posi- tion on the current page.
Other Commands
These commands do not change printer variables, so they are usu- ally embedded witiiin a line.
[u] Underiine — place on each side of a word or phrase to under-
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lino. It works by backspacing and overstriking an underline symbol on top of each character. Some printers, including the VIC 1525, do not support the backspace command, so underlining will not work on these printers.
[cl Center — place this at the start of a line you wish to center. Remember to end the line with RETURN.
[e] Edge right — like center, but will block the line to the edge of the right margin.
[#| Page number — When SpeedScript encounters this sym- bol, it prints the current page number.
User-Definable Codes
Many printers use special so- called escape sequences to con- trol printer functions such as automatic underlining, boldface, italics, super/subscripting, elon- gated, condensed, etc. These codes are either ASCII numbers less than 32 (control codes) or are triggered by an ESCape char- acter, CHR$(27), followed by a letter or symbol. For example, for the Epson MX-80 with Graf- trax, italics is turned on with ESC 4. You should study your manuals to learn how to use these codes. Since most of the control codes and the escape character are not available from the key- board, SpeedScript lets you define the format commands 1-9.
If you enter [1] = 65, then every time the reverse video [1] is encountered during printing, that character (65 is the letter A in ASCII) is sent to the printer. For example, SpeedScript uses the back-arrow for a carriage return mark, so you can't directly cause a back-arrow to print on the printer. Instead, you can look up the ASCII value of the back-arrt)w, which is 95. You would enter [1] = 95, say, at the top of your document. Then, any place you want to print a back-arrow, just embed a [1] in your text. The first four numbers are predefined so that you don't
have to set them, but you can change their definition:
[1] = 27 (escape), [2] = 14 (elongated, most printers), [3] = 15 (elongated off), [4] = 18 (condensed).
A fascinating possibility is to trigger the bit graphics capa- bility of your printer. For exam- ple, you could define special characters. On the VIC 1525, you could send a graphic box (for a checklist perhaps) with:
iSEEECE^ Toothpaste
This would appear on the printer as:
D iQirithPaste
Printer Compatibility
SpeedScript works best, of course, with a standard Com- modore printer. However, we have used it with several other printers such as the Epson MX- 80, an Okidata Microline 82A, and the Leading Edge Prowriter (NEC 8023), via an appropriate interface. The interfaces I've used are the Cardco Card/Print and the Tymac Connection. Any interface that works through the Commodore serial port should be fine. SpeedScript will prob- ably not work with an RS-232 printer attached to the modem/ user port. SpeedScript may op- erate with some interfaces which emulate a Centronics port on the user port via software, as long as the software does not conflict with SpeedScript. If you can get your printer to work fine with CTRL-P, skip the next few para- graphs to avoid confusion.
The Commodore printers and most interfaces use a device number of 4. (Other device num- bers are 1 for the tape drive and 8 for the disk drive). If you have more than one printer attached with different device numbers, you can enter this number by holding down SHIFT while you press CTRL-P. You'll be asked to enter the device number and the secondary address. Incidentally,
58 COMPUTEI's Cazetle jQnuoryl9B'l
you can get a ruugh idea of page breaks before printing by using a device number of 3, which causes output to go to the screen.
The secondary address is a command number for the printer. For Commodore printers or in- terfaces which emulate the Com- modore printer, the secondary address should be 7, which sig- nifies lowercase mode. The de- fauU device number, 4, and the default secondary address, 7 , are automatic wlion you press CTRL-P without holding down SHIFT.
If your interface cannot even partially emulate a Commodore printer, you will have a few prob- lems. First of all, the numbers Commodore uses to describe characters, called PETASCII by some, do not correspond with standard ASCII, which most non -Com mod ore printers use. The result is usually that upper- and lowercase come out switched. SpeedScript lets you get around
this if you place a format [a] at the top of your file.
You also need to use the [a] if you want to bypass the emula- tion offered by the interface. You may do this to be able to activate your printer's special function codes which are often intercepted and interpreted by the interface. You will also have to use a different secondary ad- dress. I'll have to bow out and suggest you scrutinize both your printer's manual and that of the interface.
Pinfeed Versus Single Sheet
The pinfeed or tractor feed is the cheapest and most common pa- per delivery system for printers. Some printers, however, have a platen like a typewriter and can accept single sheets of paper, such as stationery or company letterhead paper. Normally, SpeedScript prints continuously, skipping over the perforation
that divides continuous pinfeed paper.
If you are using single sheets of paper, you need SpeedScript to slop at the end of each page, tell you to insert a new sheet, then continue. If you place a reverse video [w] (for Wait) at the top of your file (again, use CTRL-English pound sign to do this), SpeedScript will do just that. When you get to the end of the page, insert a new sheet, then press RETURN to continue printing.
As you can tell, SpeedScript is a truly comprehensive word processor. I used it to write this article, and it is becoming popu- lar here at COMPUTE! Publica- tions, where writing is a main activity. Although SpeedScript is ultimately easy to use, it may take you a while to master all the features and variations. 1 hope your adventure will prove to be fascinating and fruitful. See program listings on page 172. Qf
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The Inner World Of Computers
Part 3: How A Computer Remembers
Tom Prendergast
This month's installment examines how com- puters store information in memory, how you can manipulate that information with PEEK and POKE commands, and how a computer stores a BASIC program.
There have been lots of fan letters (at least two) wanting to learn more about the ELFS (ELectronic FingerS) that work the microswitchcs inside your computer. Keep those letters coming, folks.
There's one thing we'd like to clear up at the beginning, though. Some people thought it was cruel to shrink programmers down to ELF-size so they could be squeezed into a computer. That's not what we said! We said some genius noticed that the ON/OFF pattern of the front-panel switches on the early mainframes looked like bi- nary and began to program the switches in binary. Then, since hand-setting was no longer necessary, the switches were moved inside. So it was the program and not the programmer that was put inside the computer — there's a big difference.
The earliest computers, full of vacuum tubes and wires, were called "giant brains." They were as big as the side of a barn, but they weren't as brainy as an unexpanded VIC of today because they were four-bit computers, with lu/bhk'-sv/.cd
60 COMPUTEI's Ca^etle Jtinuary 1984
(four-bit-wide) memory cells. You might call them the "four-fathers" (Ouch!) of the VIC and 64, which have eight-bit (In/te-sizcd) memory cells.
Four bits limit vou to 16 possible binary ON/ OFF switch-patterns— OOUO, 0001, 0010, 0011, 0100, 0101, 0110, 0111, 1000, 1001, 1010, 1011, 1100, 1101, nil — if vou remember our "15-cent computer" of two months ago. You can crowd a heckuva lot more information into an eight-bit byte, because the powers of two doithh' the pos- sibilities with every bit you add.
Even so, you can do a lot with four-bit nybbles. Hexadecimal is read in nybbles, and the VIC-20 uses nybble chips in color memory.
ELF joke: How many ELFS does it take to change a light bulb? Right if it's a light bulb, but only four if it's a color bulb.
** computer's brain is a lot like ours, although it's a lot smaller, because it's divided into different sections that remember different things. There's a section that remembers what color it was using (color memory), a section that remembers where it put certain things (the stack), sections that re- member how to do arithmetic and what the letters of the alphabet are.
A PEEK is like reading a computer's mind because it tells you the different kinds of informa- tion stored in a memory cell.
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If you count the ASCII and CHR$ codes (see the charts in the back of the VIC and 64 manuals), you'll find there are 256 of them. You have a code for every letter of the alphabet, the decimal num- bers from 0 to 9, punctuation marks, graphics- plus codes that cnll up functions, such as CHR$(147), which clears the screen.
A fully expanded VIC, PET, Apple, Atari, or Commodore 64 has 65536 memory cells, each of which can remember up to 256 different switching- patterns (thought patterns.) Some cells are "hard- wired"— the Read Only Memory (ROM) cells — and can't be changed. But you can change anything in Random Access Memory (RAM) with a POKE.
You can POKE any number up to 255, but when you get to the limit of ON-bits a byte can hold— 11 1111 11 (255)— that's it! The next number would be 256 ( lOOOOOOOO), and that's 9 bits— too many bits for an eight-bit byte. If you POKE 256 or higher, you'll get an 7ILLEGAL QUANTITY ERROR.
By the way, don't you just love those error messages? What's so illegal about asking for some- thing that isn't there? And the question mark before ILLEGAL is a dead giveavvay that they're not quite certain it is illegal. But that's not the ELFS' fault, it's a canned message in ROM mem- ory. When you get a little deeper into machine language, you'll be able to change error messages to anything you want. Like, SORRY, SWEET- HEART—TRY AGAIN. You do this by changing the "pointer" (sort of like an ELF bird dog) to point to a different block of memory cells where your new message is stored.
Here's a short program to show vou what we're talking about. It POKEs different characters into the RAM cells that are "mapped" to the screen:
10 SC=76a0:PRINT CHR? ( 147 ): POKE 36879,7 20 FOR CELLS=e TO 505: POKE SC+CELLS , 79 :NE 5CT
30 print" {15 r30wnl{rvsh4 spaces} press sp
acebar(4 spaces)" 40 get spacebarssif sp?=""then 40 50 poke sc+ch,ch: print chr5 ( 19 );: print"
[14 DOWNJIrVS} code number" ;CH" 60 CH=CH+1:GOTO 40
Note: For the Commodore 64, change lines 10 and 20 as below:
10 SC=1024; PRINT CHR$ { 147 ): POKE 53281,7 20 FOR CELLS=0 TO 999: POKE SG+CELLS, 79 :NE XT
When you RUN the program, the screen di- vides itself into little cells. Now watch the top left HOME cell and press the space bar. (a appears in that memory position, with the CODE NLJMBER 0 in reverse below.
Press the space bar again and the letter A appears in the second cell. The code number changes to 1 (its POKE value). Keep pressing the
62 COMPUrEI'sCazoHB January 1984
space bar until you've filled up the first 256 screen cells with all of the characters and graphics in character ROM.
Don't press the space bar to POKE beyond code 255, though. You did? You overloaded the byte and got an ?ILLEGAL QUANTITY ERROR IN 50, right? Don't say we didn't warn you!
WK. So we've learned how to POKE things into RAM. Now let's take a PEEK to see how BASIC stored our program in memory. Clear the screen because we're going to see a lot of numbers and you don't want them scrolling off the screen.
Now list line 10 {type LIST 10 and RETURN), and directly below — with no line number — type this:
FOR I=0TO31:PR1NT PEEK(4096+I ) r :NEXT
For the 64, use PEEK{2048 + 1)
Make sure you've included the semicolon
after the second parenthesis, then type RETURN. This is what you should see for the VIC (the
64 display will be slightly different):
READY. LIST 10
10 SC = 7680rPRINT CHRSt 147):POKE 36879,7
READY.
FOR I = 0TO31:PRINTPEEK (4096 + I);:NEXT 0 32 16 10 n B3
67 178 55 54 56 48 58 153 32 199 40 49 52 55 41 58 151 32 51 54 56
55 57 44 55 0
READY.
What do all these numbers mean? Each one represents the byte stored in the 32 memory cells storing line 10. VIC program storage starts at 4096 (2048 is the starting address for the 64), so that accounts for the first zero. That zero is a "null byte" — sort of a place marker — and so is the zero at the very end marking the end of line 10 in memoiy.
The next two numbers are actually one two- byte number because it's a poiitler pointing to the memory address where the NEXT program line is stored. (Line 20 has a pointer in front of it pointing to where line 30 is stored, and so on, for every line to the end of the program.) The VIC, 64, Apple, and Atari hitch two bytes together to form an address. This means vou can have an address as high as 65535(1111111111111111 in binary), but figuring out addresses gets really complicated because the bytes are hitched together backwards and the lii\^li bi/tv follows the low In/te.
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Fortunately, there's a little ELF in there that does all the figuring when a program is running, but if we want to figure it out, we have to multiply the high byte (16 for the VIC, 8 for the 64) by 256 and add the low byte {32) to it. Quick now, what's the starting address for line 20?
Hang in there — we're coming out of the dark- ness into the light.
The number 10 looks familiar. What do you suppose it represents? It's the "10" of line 10! The zero following the 10 is the high byte of the line number. Like addresses, line numbers are kept in low bvte/high byte form. The 83 and 67 are the ASCII coding for S (83) and C (67) of our SCreen variable SC.
Now we're going to throw you a curve. You might expect that the etqual sign would be ASCII coded, too, but it's not. In this particular case, the equal sign is an operator, and the token code for = is 178. All BASIC operators are token ized^ — squeezed into a byte, PRINT, for instance, which has five letters and would need a location for each letter in ASCII, when tokenized to 189 requires only a single cell. This saves a lot of memory space. You don't save any memory by tokenizing a one- character operator like = butCHRSand POKE are operators and use only one cell.
If you count the number of characters in the listed version of line 10, then count the numbers.
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you'll find that tokenizing saves you eight bytes: 39 versus 31. There is another reason for token- izing besides saving memor)'. The BASIC inter- preter, which converts your BASIC programs into machine language (which can be executed by the computer), can only understand instructions in tokenized form, That is, when the interpreter sees the number 153 it knows you want to print, but it does not understand the letters PRINT.
We're going to leave the rest of the numbers up to you to figure out. One trick is to use the operator tokens as landmarks (see the list below for the tokens used in the program), so that any numbers in between must be ASCII. The ASCII code for the digit 0 is 48, for instance; 1 is 49, and so on, in sequence up to the 9, which is 57,... The left parenthesis "(" is 40 in ASCII, the right paren- thesis ")" is 41, and a space is 32. You'll find the rest of the ASCII code on page 145 of the VIC man- ual and on page 136 of the 64 manual.
do that's how an ELF remembers. Some of this may have seemed complicated and roundabout — all the different codes, numbers that aren't num- bers, binary, hex — but it's something that's been worked out over the years, and it works!
That's not to say that someone won't think of an easier and quicker way of doing things. A few years from now, we'll be heehawing at today's computers as hard as we heehaw at the big monsters of just a few years ago. You can bet that the computers of the future will be as different from today's machines as rockets from the high- wheeled bike.
Next month we'll take you inside a computer for a guided tour of ELFland. And we'll also show you an easy way to convert decimal to binary that's so simple you can do it in your head. (Who said you need a computer to compute?) Until then, may the ELFs be with you.
SOME BASIC TOKENS
|
OPERATOR |
TOKEN NUMBER |
|
FOR |
129 |
|
NEXT |
130 |
|
GOTO |
137 |
|
IF |
139 |
|
POKE |
151 |
|
|
153 |
|
GET |
161 |
|
TO |
164 |
|
THEN |
167 |
|
PEEK |
194 |
|
CHR$ |
199 |
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Getting Started With A Disk Drive
Part 3 : More Disk Commands
Charles Brannon, Program Editor
More on the disk commands, and simplifying them with the DOS wedge.
Ltist month, we covered many aspects of disk use, from formatting a disk to LOADing, SAVEing, and VERIFYing BASIC prugrams. I suggest you get thLit back issue if you haven't seen it yet.
'I'he disk drive, like your computer, has its own microprocessor and memory, wliich makes it a computer in its own riglit. This intelligence lets it perform many of the tasks that the com- puter itself performs on other personal computer systems.
This saves computer memory, since no pro- gram is required for essential operations {called the Disk Operating System, DOS). Also, since the disk drive has some independence, it can execute the command you send it, then let the host com- puter go on to some other task. This is tiiultitaskiji^;: two microprocessors working together to perform separate tasks simultaneously.
All your VIC or 64 has to do is send an "English-like" command to the drive. As dis- cussed last month, you first have to open up the lines of communication (a channel). This line:
OPEN 15,8,15 does thai trick. The first number can be almost
66 COMPUTEi's Gaialle January 1984
anything. It is just a code mimber that subsequent commands will use to identify this particular channel. The second number, 8, signifies the disk drive. Here is a list of device numbers for Com- modore devices:
1 = Cassette
2 = RS-232(modem)
3 = Screen
4 = Printer
5-7 = Expansion (other printers)
8 = Disk drive
9 = Another optional disk drive
The last number, 15, is the scamdanj address, al-so known as the command number. In our case, this number tells the disk drive that all input/ output through this channel will be communica- tion with the drive's command channel, rather than data to be read or written. We'll cover other uses of the secondary address when we get into reading and writing our own data files.
After we've OPENed our channel, we can send commands in BASIC with PRINT# (say, PRINT-file), or request information from the drive with INPUT#(yougotit, INPUT-file). Last month, we tried out the NEW command that formats a disk (prepares it for storage). The form of NEW is:
PRINT#15,"N:disk nnme,lD"
Remember that the PRINT#15 will not work
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unless we've first OPENed file 15. If you don't OPEN a file, yet try to access it, you'll get the obvious:
7FILE NOT OPEN ERROR
Another possible error is:
7DEVICE NOT PRl^SENT ERROR
You'll usually get this if you don't have the device (disk drive, printer) turned on, attached, or "ready" (some printers have a "local" mode where you control it from its console rather than from th e com p u ter) .
H,
Lere's another command that you'll use a lot. Everyone has files on his disk that he no longer needs. The files may be temporary files, obsolete, or even incorrect. You may also need to remove files from a disk tti free up some room on the disk for a new file. The SCRATCH command allows this. Its format is:
PRINT#15,"S:filename"
Again, the command itself is inside the quotes. The PRINT#15 is just BASIC'S way of sending a command. We'll cover another way to send com- mands with the DOS wedge a little later.
After you send the SCRATCH command, the drive goes to w^ork and BASIC instantly comes back with READY, even though the disk is still spinning. This can be a little misleading. You can- not remove the disk yet — not while the red "busy light" shines and the disk motor is on. But you arc free to use your computer for other tasks, such as LISTing a program on the screen.
If you try to send another disk command before the drive has finished SCRATCHing the file, the computer will "hang" while it waits for the drive to finish, then sends the command and returns READY. This process is known as "pipelining,"
You can use the asterisk (*} wildcard with SCRATCH, but do be careful. For example,
PRINT#15,"S:ENERG*"
erases all files on the disk beginning with "ENERG" such as "ENERGY FILE", "ENERGY BASE", "ENERGIZE", etc. It will not remove a file called "SOLAR ENERGY". As you can tell, the asterisk is powerful but dangerous. If you sent:
PRINT#15,"S:*"
every single file on your disk would be SCRATCHed, quite a catastrophe if done by mis- take, I generally do not use the asterisk with SCRATCH, just to be safe. If you're not sure what a file's name is, you can always LIST the directory with LOAD "S", 8,
After you SCRATCH a file, it leaves a "hole" behind. If you had three files on a directory:
63 COMPUTEI's Gazelle jQnuoi7l984
0 "DEMO DISK " QZ 2A
2 "TINSELTOES" PRG
3 "SPACEFACE" PRG
1 "SMELDGEOIDS" PRG 658 BLOCKS FREE.
and SCRATCHed the middle one:
0 "DEMO DISK " QZ 2A
2 "TINSELTOES" PRG
1 "SMELDGEOIDS" PRG 661 BLOCKS FREE.
then there is an invisible gap left between what is now the first and second files. This can be con- firmed by writing another file to the disk. Let's say you write a program:
10 INPUT "AMOUNT";A
20 PRINT "4% SALES TAX:";A*1,04
then SAVE it as "TAXCOMP", The directory would then look like this:
0 "DEMO DISK
2 "TINSELTOES"
1 "TAXCOMP"
1 "SMELDGEOIDS" 660 BLOCKS FREE.
QZ 2A PRG PRG PRG
I
t's sometimes necessary to change the name of a file. Perhaps you've merely changed your mind, don't like the existing name, or want to use an existing filename for another file. The disk drive lets you RENAME a file.
PRINT#15,"R:new name = old name"
For example, to change the nondescript "GAMEl" into "SPACE THIEF", use:
PRINT#15,"R:SPACETHIEF = GAME1"
This is one of the few commands that readily makes sense.
Another disk command is COPY, It lets you copy a file onto the same disk with a different filename. It can be used in this manner to make convenient backup copies of a file on the same disk. Another use is to move files. If you want to place another program at the top of the disk, i'or example, COPY the existing program to the disk with a different name, SCRATCH it (which leaves behind a "hole,") then RENAME it. Now you can SAVE the file you want at the top of the disk since it will fill the hole left by the SCRATCHed file,
COPY has a really strange syntax:
PRINT#15,"C0:new file = 0:other file"
I've found you can shorten it to:
PR I NT#15,"C:new f lie = other file"
In fact, RENAME was also shortened from "R0:NEWNAME = 0:OLDNAME". The shorter
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form, with the drive number (0) deleted, works just fine:
PRINT#lS,"R:NEWNAME = OLDNAME".
COPY cannot copy a file to a different disk or disl«; drive. It dues have another use. You can use COPY to "glue" several files together under a different name. This merge operation is usuful lor combining two or more data files into one. Again, all the files have to be on the same disk. You can combine up to four files. The syntax here is Irickiei* than ever:
r'RrNT#15,"C0:newfile = 0:filc1,0:filc2,0:filo3,0:filo4"
The filename "ncwfile" (or whatever yuit call it) will be a merge of file!, file2, file3, and file4. Fortunately, you can shorten this command, too:
PR[NT#15/'C:nL*wfHe = filfl,:file2,:file3,:file4"
The drive numlier, again, was left out, since there is only one drive in the 1341 (as opposed to the eariier dual-drive 2040 and 4040 for CBM computers). If you only want to chain two files together:
PRINT#15,"C:newfilc = filel,:filc2"
Notice that the last file in the command need not have ",0" or "," added to the end. Fortunately, few people will ever need to use this variant of the COPY command.
By the way, some of you may be thinking that COPY would be a convenient way of merging two programs, such as a main program and a subroutine. Indeed, Commodore L^isk B.'\SIC 4.0 uses COPY for its APPEND coinmand. But since COPY just tacks the files together, it leaves the "end of program" marker between the two files. When you LOAD the combined program and LIST or RUN, the computer sees only the hrst program, even though the second one is there, using memory. It is possible to remove the end ot prt)gram marker, but the technique is not brief enough to include here (cheer up. Disk BASIC 4.0 can't dt) it either).
A here are many other disk commands, but most of the rest will be useful only to programmers. We'll cover two of the more arcane ones, though: Validate and Initialize. The form of both com- mands is simple:
PRJNT#15,"V" for validate IM{rNT#15,"[" for initialize
What do these do? Initialize causes the disk light to shine, and the disk whirs, spins a bit, then quits. Validate will take quite awhile to finish, then will seemingly have done nothing when you look at the directory. To understand these two commands, we'll have to take a look at the BAM — the Bit Access Map (or Block Availability Map).
70 COMPUT£l'i Gazette January 1984
There are 683 blocks on ona disk. Pach block holds 256bvtes, giving vou a potential 174,848 bvtes of space.
(By the way, a sector size of 256 bvtes would seem to indicate double densitv, since single- density drives use onlv 128 bvtes per sector, so maybe you should buy double-density grade disks. On the other hand, the classification is usu- ally reserved for drives with more than 35 tracks. Try several brands and grades of disks and see which works best Itvryou.)
Somehow, the disk drive has ti> keep track of which blocks have been used for files, and which are available for tuture use. Were it not lor this housekeeping, a new file could overwrite a previ- ous one. The BAM is stored on the disk as a block of bits, where each bit (on/off, 1 or t)) specifies whether the sector in the corresponding position as the bit is allocated or not (the twelfth bit denotes sector 12). When a file is written, the sectors used are noted in the BAM. In fact, the last line of the directorv; xxx BLOCKS FREE, is computed from the BAM.
DOS does not read the BAM every time it needs the information. Usually, DOS reads the BAM once, and stores it in its own memory. 11 will then update the BAM on the disk when it's done. If you change disks, however, the drive may get confused. It may try to write new files with the old BAM, then write the old BAM to the new disk. Scramble cilv! The old BAM may say that certain sectors are available, but tliey might not be on the new disk.
Fortunately, DOS checks the disk's !D before it tries to write a file, or change the BAM. The drive is helpless, however, if you have NEWed (formatted) both disks with the same ID. This is why it is vital that every disk have a unique ID number.
You can prevent this possible catastrophe with Initialize. Initialize forces the drive to read the BAM from the diskette. It also resets some other minor DOS variables. Some people revere Initialize with religious fanaticism, refusing to write to a disk without'the ritual of OPEN 1,8,15,'T" (yes, you can send a command via the filename in OPEN),
In practice, h can't hurt. In fact, sometimes the disk head will find itself in an intermediate position between tracks, usually when jostled. The disk can't figure out where it is, since it can't read its signposts which were put on the disk during formatting. You can set tiie disk straight with an Initialize, which tells it to "go home." (1 lome is track 18, where the BAM and directory are stored.)
Validate is more useful. It reconstructs the entire BAM by tracing eacli file on the directory, noting which sectors are used. After it's traced
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through all the files, it can then rewrite the newly created BAM to the disk. This can sometimes give you more blocks free on the directory.
Some error or discrepancy in DOS occasion- ally causes it to misalkicate sectors. It may fail to free up blocks, or, rarely, fail lo allocate Ihem. These accumulated bit errors can add up to a lot of wasted disk space over time, since the disk won't write to an allocated sector. Validate finds out the truth, so you can sometimes free up disk space unexpectedly.
It's worrisome when this happens, though, since it proves that DOS has made minor errors, [f DOS failed to alk)cate a sector, then that sec- tor could be used by another file, destroying the original file.
Another bug seems to be related to BAM. When you load one program yet get another, the pointers on the disk which identify the starting sector of each file have become switched or garbled. This problem is also accompanied by sectors of the original file which have become overwritten, so there is no way to recover. This problem hap- pens most often with frequently used disks or ■those which are full. It can also happen when you forget to use the "0:" prefix wlien SAVHing to disk (SAVE "0:program",8).
Validate can sometimes clear up these con- fused disks. It can also aggravate it, since the di- rectory from which Validate computes the BAM may be incorrect itself.
X ou may be tired of always having to OPEN 15,8,15 to send a command. And no one likes having to SAVE your program before you LOAD "S",8 to LIST the directory. Well, Commodore hears you. It has thoughtfully provided a conven- ient shortcut for using the disk drive from BASIC. Just insert your TEST/DEMO disk and LOAD "C- 64 WEDGE",8 or LOAD "VIC-20 WEDGE", 8 and RUN, The program will then LOAD the actual wedge program (which is in machine language) and execute it.
The wedge adds a few single-key commands to BASIC. You can use these commands only in the immediate (READY) mode, not in a program. First, let's display the directory. Enter:
@$
Magically, the directorv' scrolls by on the screen. You can hold down C'l'RL to slow it down, or press SPACE to freeze it. Press SPACE again to continue. And when it's finished, you still have your program in memory. Most useful.
You can also send any of the disk commands we've men Honed. Just replace the PRINT#15, with (('( . For example:
PRlNT#15,"R:m;wnamc = oldiiamc"
would be:
@R:ncwnamc = oIdname
Remember the small one-line program from last month that will read the error message if the red light is blinking?
10 Ol'EN 15,8, 15:1 NI'UT#15,EN,EM$:rRINT EN;EM$;CLOSni5:CND
Quite a lot just to read the error message. The wedge makes this trivial. Just enter the @ and hit RETURN, without sending a command. If there is no error, you'll see:
00, OK,00,00
Otherwise, you'll see something such as:
63, FILE EXISTS,00,00
For a complete list and description of DOS error messages, see Appendix B in your disk drive manual.
Wi
ith the wedge, you should never have to remember to add ",8" to the end of a LOAD or SAVE, Instead, two single-key commands, / (divide-by, on ? key) and the back-arrow (upper- left corner), give vou single-key LOAD and SAVE. To LOAD a program, enter:
/program
If you would like to LOAD and RUNT in one step, use the up-arrow:
Iprogram
SAVHing is easy with: ♦—0: program
If the file exists on the disk already, you may want to SCRATCH it first, or use feO: in place of 0: (called Save with Replace).
There's anotlier convenience, too: You don't have to enter the filename. Just list the directory with (<tS, then stop it (RUN/STOP) when you see the name vou want. Move the cursor up to the director)' and just type the / or 1 in the first column, and hit RETURN. The wedge will ignore the quotes, spaces, and extraneous "PRG" business, and go to work.
One more wedge command: the % replaces LOAD "name", 8,1. This is known as a Jiotiretocat- (iblc load. You would use the % key to LOAD machine language programs:
7oUNNEW
It has an ad vantage over using BASIC'S LOAD command. It will not change the end-of-variables pointer. What this means is that vou won't get an ?OUT OF MEMORY ERROR after you use it. You can therefore use it to LOAD machine language without disturbing a BASIC program in memory.
Since the DOS wedge "wedges" into BASIC,
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it can make some programs RUN more slowly. If vou want the wedge out of your way, just enter f« Q (for Quit).
It's not easy to make a copy of the 64 version of the wedge, since it is in machine Liiignage. Yon sIiouIlI first SAVIZ Hie l^ool program "C-64 WHDCE" found on the demo disk, then type in and RUN the program accompanying this article, "Wedgemaker." It will SAVli the wedge from memory, so be sure you've already LOADed in the wedge from your demo/utility disk.
We've covered just about all the essential information this month. Remember that you can use many of these commands h'tim applications such as word processors, loo. Next month, we'll further our exploration by reading and writing our own data files. Until then, trv out all the ctunmands with a scratch disk until you get the hang of them,
Wedgemaker
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The Programmer Behind Touch Typing Tutor
Kathy Yakal, Editorial Assistant
It's much harder to use a