ReadMe for "Logical Shapes"
Apple II Version by Bill Buckels

Introduction

"Logical Shapes" is an Apple II program that was distributed in the early
1990's by Class Software in Winnnipeg, Canada in both an English and French
Version. It was intended for use as "CourseWare" in Canadian Classrooms for
teaching logical association to Elementary School children.

The French Version of "Logical Shapes" is called "Concepts unificateurs".

History

"Logical Shapes" was originally developed for use on the IBM-PC by French
Canadian "CourseWare" developers Denis Coulombe and Robert Boivin on behalf of
Centre de recherche appliquée pour l'ordinateur (CRAPO) in 1989 and marketed
to schools across Canada as part of a six program set called "Collection Les
Petites espadrilles".

Note: Espadrilles are casual flat sandals originating from the Pyrenees. In
Quebec French, however, espadrille is the usual term for running shoes.

The Apple II version was written by Canadian Software Developer Bill Buckels on
the IBM-PC in the C programing language using the Manx Aztec C 6502
Cross-Compiler. It was completed in July 1992.

Bill did not have the source code for the IBM-PC version of the program and it
wouldn't have helped much anyway. The IBM-PC was a much more capable and
sophisticated platform than the Apple II, so producing "Logical Shapes" for
the Apple II required a complete rewrite "from the ground-up".

The Manx C compiler provided a rudimentary Graphics Library, but came nowhere
close to what Bill needed to complete "Logical Shapes" and the 3 other
programs in the "Collection Les Petites espadrilles" that he had undertaken to
write. So he set to work to create the graphics and the sound routines that
the Apple versions needed to behave as closely as possible to their IBM-PC
counterparts.

The IBM-PC graphics of the day that CRAPO used (4 Color CGA Mode) were vastly
different from Apple II graphics (which were a coarser resolution), and each
and every screen and graphics image needed to be redrawn, and reformatted for
the Apple II. Using the Graphics from the IBM-PC version as a starting point,
Bill developed his own Apple II graphics file formats and programmed his own
set of conversion tools which he ran on the IBM-PC to produce the Apple II
graphics after creating and editing these in IBM-PC format to suit the Apple
II display. He did this in conjunction with writing his Manx C graphics
library, since both tasks were complimentary. When the graphics images and
graphics and sound library routines were completed he moved forward to writing
the program.

Not only did the Apple II have less capable graphics than the IBM-PC; it also
ran more slowly with only 128K of memory, some of it unusable, and with slower
disk access and a smaller floppy disk size. To overcome all of this Bill broke
his Manx C Apple programs into small modules called "overlays" which ran in
very little memory, and he used the upper ram bank of the Apple II to store
his graphics libraries and other data to avoid loading from disk where
possible. Since the Manx C compiler translates its programs into machine
language which runs as quickly as can be on the Apple II, no optimization or
additional "tweaks" were required, except to script the game levels using
external scripts (also of Bill's design) which further saved on disk space and
program memory, and which avoided slow processor intensive operations that
would otherwise have been needed.

The finished result runs more slowly than its IBM-PC counterpart, but for all
practical purposes, "Logical Shapes" for the Apple II has all the same
functionality.

System Requirements

"Logical Shapes" requires an Apple IIe with 128K of memory and a floppy disk.
It runs under the PRODOS 8 Operating System.

It can also be run from a disk image file in an Apple II emulator. It has been
tested in Windows XP using Apple II Oasis and AppleWin, and probably works in
others.

Starting "Logical Shapes"

"Logical Shapes" does not have enough room on the program disk for PRODOS 8,
so a PRODOS Startup Disk is required, which is provided on side 1 of the
"Logical Shapes" disk. Put side 1 of the "Logical Shapes" disk in the floppy
drive and boot the computer. After side 1 loads, follow the instructions and
flip the disk then press the [RETURN] Key.

If you are running "Logical Shapes" in an emulator, follow the same basic
steps. Start "Logical Shapes" disk image 1. When you are prompted to flip the
disk load "Logical Shapes" disk image 2 into the same drive then press the
[ENTER] or [RETURN] Key (depending on what the [RETURN] Key is called on your
keyboard).

If you are using the AppleWin emulator from Windows XP Explorer and have File
Associations set to use AppleWin to load disk images, just click on disk image
1 and after it boots select disk image 2 using the menu to the right, then
press [ENTER].

If you are using Apple II Oasis select disk image 1 from the Apple II Disk
Manager and send to emulator by right clicking on the disk image. When the
emulator window appears and has booted disk image 1 right-click on the
emulator title bar and select disk image 2 for slot 6 drive 1, then press
[ENTER].

Other emulators should be basically the same if they work with PRODOS 8 disk
images.

If you are using an Apple that boots from a hard disk and will run PRODOS 8
programs, just run LOGICAL.SYSTEM on side 2 of the "Logical Shapes" disk.

Note: If you need to restart "Logical Shapes", it will start more quickly
since the graphics are already loaded into the upper ram bank.

Keys and Navigation

The Arrow Keys are used to navigate the menus and to select choices during
activities (Game Play).

The [RETURN] Key or the Space Bar can be interchangeably used to enter
selections.

The Escape Key is used to return to the Main Menu and to Exit the program.

The Sound Toggle Key - [CTRL] S toggles the sound on or off at the Main Menu
or during any of the activities.

The C Key - Continue (Skip a Screen)

The R Key - Reverse (Previous Screen)

Note: The C Key and the R Key work slowly since each screen draws completely
before continuing or reversing to the next or previous screens.

The T Key and the V Key - TRUE

The F Key - FALSE

The AlphaNumeric Keyboard keys are used where required to enter information
during activities (Game Play) in all programs in the "Collection Les Petites
espadrilles" including "Logical Shapes".

A mouse is not supported.

Splash and Title Screens

When "Logical Shapes" starts, or when the Escape Key is pressed at the Main
Menu the Class Software Splash screen is displayed. Press [RETURN].

When the Title Screen displays press [RETURN] for the Main Menu or press the
Escape Key to exit the program.

Main Menu Screen

"Logical Shapes" has 3 Learning Activities (Games) which can be selected from
the Main Menu by moving the Monkey Cursor with the Arrow Keys to the desired
activity then started by pressing the [RETURN] Key.

Each Learning activity is a Game formatted as a series of graphical puzzles.
The student provides the answers, and when all the puzzles in the series is
complete, the Student is presented with a musical reward. Activities followed
by musical rewards is the basic format of all the programs in the "Collection
Les Petites espadrilles".

The fourth Main Menu choice exits the Main Menu and returns to the Title
Screens. It is the equivalent of pressing the Escape Key.

Sound can be toggled on or off at the Main Menu or during any of the
activities by pressing [CTRL] S.

Activity 1: Tree Diagrams 

Background

In mathematics and statistical methods, a tree diagram is used to determine
the probability of getting specific results where the possibilities are
nested.

Game Play

In "Logical Shapes", Tree Diagrams are represented with missing pieces. To the
right of the tree diagram is a menu of available pieces which are selected
with the Monkey Cursor, then put in place by pressing the [RETURN] Key or
SpaceBar.

Activity 2: Carroll Diagrams

Background

A Carroll diagram is a diagram used for grouping things in a yes/no fashion.
Numbers or objects are either categorized as 'x' (having an attribute x) or
'not x' (not having that attribute). They are named after Lewis Carroll, the
pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the famous author and mathematician.

Game Play

In "Logical Shapes", Carroll Diagrams are represented with missing answers
(which are True or False) or missing pieces. Two types of entry are used.

If a True or False answer is missing, it is typed from the keyboard by
pressing the "T" or the "V" key (True or Vraiment), or by pressing the "F" key
(False or Faux).

If pieces are missing, to the right of the Carroll diagram is a menu of
available pieces which are selected with the Monkey Cursor, then put in place
by pressing the [RETURN] Key or SpaceBar,

Activity 3: Euler and Venn Diagrams

Background

Euler diagrams and Venn diagrams are illustrations used in the branch of
mathematics known as set theory.

Venn Diagrams show all of the possible mathematical or logical relationships
(intersections, zones, possible combinations of conjunctions) between sets
(groups of things).

A Euler diagram (named after its inventor Leonhard Euler), unlike a Venn
diagram, does not need to show all possible relationships (zones, where a zone
is defined as the area of intersection of the sets it shows).

Thus, an Euler diagram can define a universe of discourse, i.e. it can define
a system whereby certain intersections are not possible or are taken as agreed
as not necessary to be considered, and therefore need not be shown on the
diagram. In other words, the Euler diagram can represent degenerate
conjunctions.

Game Play

In "Logical Shapes" Euler and Venn diagrams are represented in groups of sets
with missing pieces. The objective is to group pieces from a menu of available
pieces into sets in the diagram Euler diagrams offer only 2 choices (right or
left) and Venn diagrams offer 3 choices (right, left, or center, the center
being the intersection).

Up, Down, Left, and Right Arrow Keys are all used. 

The Euler Diagrams are presented first, with a vertical menu of available
pieces dividing each side of the diagram. The Monkey Cursor is used to select
the pieces from the menu.

The Right Arrow and Left Arrow Key select either the right or left side of
the diagram.

The Up Arrow and Down Arrow Key move the Monkey Cursor Up and Down to select
each available piece which is then put in place by pressing the [RETURN] Key.

After completion of the Euler diagrams the Venn Diagrams begin. 

Venn diagrams have a horizontal menu of available pieces above the diagram.
The Monkey Cursor is used to select the pieces from the menu which are then
picked-up by pressing the [RETURN] Key.

The Right Arrow and Left Arrow Key select the right, center (intersection)
or left of the diagram. The selected piece is then put in place by pressing
the [RETURN] Key.

End of ReadMe