|||||| |||||| || || |||||| |||||| || || ||| || || || || ||| |||| |||||| || |||| Your || || || || ||| || || |||||| |||||| || || |||||| |||||| GEnieLamp Computing || |||||| || || |||||| RoundTable || || || ||| ||| || || || |||||| |||||||| |||||| RESOURCE! || || || || || || || ||||| || || || || || ~ WELCOME TO GENIELAMP A2Pro! ~ """"""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ Reading Keyboard Modifiers ~ ~ GS/OS & Resources ~ Balloon Help? ~ ~ Control Manager Woes ~ Prizm Problems ~ ~ And even a funny GEnie Qwik_Quote!! ~ ~ HOT NEWS, HOT FILES, HOT MESSAGES ~ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// GEnieLamp A2Pro ~ A T/TalkNET Publication ~ Vol.4, Issue 25 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Publisher................................................John F. Peters Editor...................................................Tim Buchheim \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// ~ GEnieLamp IBM ~ GEnieLamp ST ~ GEnieLamp PowerPC ~ ~ GEnieLamp A2Pro ~ GEnieLamp Macintosh ~ GEnieLamp TX2 ~ ~ GEnieLamp Windows ~ GEnieLamp A2 ~ LiveWire (ASCII) ~ ~ Member Of The Digital Publishing Association ~ GE Mail: GENIELAMP Internet: genielamp@genie.com ////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ >>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE APPLE A2Pro ROUNDTABLE? <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ April 1, 1995 ~ FROM MY DESKTOP ......... [FRM] HEY MISTER POSTMAN ...... [HEY] Notes From The Editor. Is That A Letter For Me? A2PRO ROUNDTABLE STAFF .. [DIR] DEVELOPERS CORNER ....... [DEV] Directory of A2Pro Staff. News From Online Developers. LIBRARY BIT BONANZA ..... [LIB] RTC WATCH ............... [RTC] HOT Files You Can Download. Real Time Information. LOG OFF ................. [PUB] GEnieLamp information. [IDX]""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" READING GEnieLamp GEnieLamp has incorporated a unique indexing system """"""""""""""""" to help make reading the magazine easier. To utilize this system, load GEnieLamp into any ASCII word processor or text editor. In the index you will find the following example: HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM] GEnie Fun & Games. To read this article, set your find or search command to [HUM]. If you want to scan all of the articles, search for [EOA]. [EOF] will take you to the last page, whereas [IDX] will bring you back to the index. MESSAGE INFO To make it easy for you to respond to messages """""""""""" re-printed here in GEnieLamp, you will find all the information you need immediately following the message. For example: (SMITH, CAT6, TOP1, MSG:58/M530) _____________| _____|__ _|___ |____ |_____________ |Name of sender CATegory TOPic Msg.# Page number| In this example, to respond to Smith's message, log on to page 530 enter the bulletin board and set CAT 6. Enter your REPly in TOPic 1. A message number that is surrounded by brackets indicates that this message is a "target" message and is referring to a "chain" of two or more messages that are following the same topic. For example: {58}. ABOUT GEnie GEnie's monthly fee is $8.95 which gives you up to four hours of """"""""""" non-prime time access to most GEnie services, such as software downloads, bulletin boards, GE Mail, an Internet mail gateway, and chat lines. GEnie's non-prime time connect rate is $3.00. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 1-800-638-8369 in the USA or 1-800-387-8330 in Canada. Upon connection type HHH. Wait for the U#= prompt. Type: JOINGENIE and hit RETURN. When you get the prompt asking for the signup/offer code, type: DSD524 and hit RETURN. The system will then prompt you for your information. Need more information? Call GEnie's customer service line (voice) at 1-800-638-9636. SPECIAL OFFER FOR GEnieLamp READERS! If you sign onto GEnie using the method """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" outlined above you will receive $50.00 worth of credit. Want more? Your first month charge of $8.95 will be waived! Now there are no excuses! *** GET INTO THE LAMP! *** """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" [EOA] [FRM]////////////////////////////// FROM MY DESKTOP / ///////////////////////////////// Notes From My Desktop """"""""""""""""""""" by Tim Buchheim [A2PRO.GELAMP] o TOP OF THE PAGE >>> TOP OF THE PAGE <<< """"""""""""""""""""""" APRIL FOOLS Wow, this issue was finished early.... NOT! """"""""""" On April 1, several of you out there eagerly booted your computers, launched your favorite comm programs, and logged onto GEnie, only to find the March issue of GEnieLamp still there. I know that if it had been me, I would have thought it was just some silly April Fools Day joke (especially since A2Pro didn't have one this year[*]) but unfortunately it was not. Due to problems at my end, GEnieLamp did not get done until a week late. (examples of "problems": SAT, grandfather's birthday, etc.) Anyway, I'll see you next time, which will be on or before May 1, I hope. Maybe I'll even have another GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE for you. :) Tim Buchheim GEnieLamp A2Pro [*] In the past, A2Pro has had some cool (IMHO) April Fools jokes. Usually they involve changing the front door banner.. like switching ours with another RoundTable's or flipping the whole thing horizontally or vertically. [*][*][*] [EOA] [DIR]////////////////////////////// A2PRO ROUNDTABLE STAFF / ///////////////////////////////// ______________________________________________ APPLE II PROGRAMMERS & DEVELOPERS ROUNDTABLE _____ ______ ______________________________________________ /_____|/______\ /__/|__| ___|__| Head Sysop: Hangtime (HANGTIME) /__/_|__| /_____/ Your Sysops: Greg Da Costa (A2PRO.GREG) /________|/__/ __ __ __ Todd P. Whitesel (A2PRO.TODDPW) /__/ |__|__/______ /_//_// / Nathaniel Sloan (A2PRO.HELP) /__/ |__|________// / \/_/ Tim Buchheim (A2PRO.GELAMP) [*][*][*] //////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE //// / / / I remember reading the P16 book in Nov 1991, before I / / knew GS/OS ever existed, and thinking to myself, "Man, / / how cool--this is better than P8." Imagine calling / / P16 cool in 1991. :) / / / ////////////////////////////////////////////////// HEXMAN //// [EOA] [HEY]////////////////////////////// HEY MISTER POSTMAN / ///////////////////////////////// Is That A Letter For Me? """""""""""""""""""""""" By Tim Buchheim [A2PRO.GELAMP] o BULLETIN BOARD HOT SPOTS o WHAT'S NEW o PROGRAMMER'S TIPS o MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT >>> BULLETIN BOARD HOT SPOTS <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" [*] CAT15, TOP14, MSG{172}..........Window Manager [*] CAT15, TOP16, MSG{124}..........Control Manager [*] CAT15, TOP21, MSG{27}...........Dialog Manager >>> WHAT'S NEW <<< """""""""""""""""" CHANGES AT SOFTDISK About a week and a half ago, I resigned my position at """"""""""""""""""" Softdisk, Inc. As such, I will no longer be in charge of, or officially associated with, the Softdisk G-S product. Unofficially, I will continue to work with Softdisk in supporting the GSLib programmers library and in submitting programs for publication on Softdisk. Mail for Softdisk should now be routed to SOFTDISK.INC and not to me. -Greg Templeman (BARNABAS, CAT1, TOP4, MSG:66/M530) >>> PROGRAMMER'S TIPS <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""" MODIFIERS NEEDED Even though it is documented in TB 3, the Control Manager """""""""""""""" does NOT send mouse events with it's eventCtl message to target controls. Now I can get mouseDown events (with limitations) during the testCtl message, but I don't get an event record there. However I am in need of some modifier flags (Command, Option, Shift). Is there any way I can get at the modifier flags from within my DefProc? Alex (A.CORRIERI, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:147/M530) >>>>> GetNextEvent (0, &yourEventRec); """"" This will fill out the modifiers field of yourEventRec without taking any events from the event queue. Michael (ANIMASIA, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:148/M530) <<<<< thanks Michael, this did the trick, cool! """"" (A.CORRIERI, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:149/M530) CONTROL MANAGER WOES It would seem that this should be in the Control """""""""""""""""""" Manager topic, but... as it is covered in the Dialog Manager docs (TBRV1) I've put it here... General description: A modal dialog window (_GetNewModalDialog) that contains a vertically oriented scroll bar (amongst other things) A custom ScrollBar action procedure is being used. Object: The scrollbar in question has a range of 0 thru 8. I want to display the current value of the scrollbar inside the thumb of the scrollbar. What I'm doing: In my custom scrollbar action procedure I test the command being passed after handling all the normal stuff (ie: just prior to exiting). If it's 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 then I obtain the handle to the control, deref it, poke thru the control record to obtain the ThumbRect, base a _MoveTo on the Left / Bottom values, and display value with _DrawString. This works =almost= right. If I drag the thumb itself, the number is displayed properly. If I use the arrows, and the thumb is at one end (ie: thumb doesn't actually move) my number gets drawn. If I use the arrows and cause the thumb to move, while it's in motion my numbers flicker in it (but do not remain displayed except at the ends of the range of movement) My problem is, I think, that the scrollbar procedure in the system (item type $060000) is erasing and redrawing the scrollbar thumb =after= my Scrollbar action procedure has already been called. (and when it's redrawn, it's lacking my number of course) Any ideas? (besides a nasty heartbeat routine that would put my number up outside of the control of the dialog manager) I am somewhat limited in how I can handle this, as I want the NDA this is occuring in to remain compatable with System 5.04 (possibly even earlier stuff, but that would be incidental) -Harold (HAROLD.H, CAT15, TOP21, MSG:27/M530) >>>>> If it happened to work, then great. But because you're trying to do """"" something that the control wasn't designed to handle, then you're out of luck. Does the number _have_ to be in the thumb? It sounds like you're working too hard. Michael (ANIMASIA, CAT15, TOP21, MSG:28/M530) >>>>> How about using "inheritance" where one (custom) control contains """"" another. This was recently discussed here, and it works due to the Control Manager being reentrant. Your custom control would usually just pass on all messages to its contained scroll bar, but when drawing, first draw the scroll bar then draw your number. >Any ideas? (besides a nasty heartbeat routine that would put my number up >outside of the control of the dialog manager) Harold, this is the second time recently you've brought up heartbeat routines. It is my understanding that in general you should use run queue tasks instead of heartbeat routines for interface stuff. The run queue has the known advantages of 1) no need to worry about the busy flag and use the scheduler and 2) no mouse problems (or am I thinking of ReadMouse vs. GetMouse?). - Jay (JAY.KRELL, CAT15, TOP21, MSG:32/M530) >>> MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""" MAKING THE MAC MORE LIKE THE GS Just so we can laugh for a while... I'm """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" currently writing a library implementation of TaskMaster for the Macintosh. Works nice. Makes me wonder why the heck Apple hasn't done one yet. :) Eric Shepherd (Sheppy) [Team PPCPro] (POWERPC.PRO, CAT15, TOP14, MSG:172/M530) >>>>> Add AlertWindow. Michael O'Keefe did for HyperStudio, and it's one """"" of the most useful non-toolbox subroutines I use on the Mac. :) I'd like to see your TaskMaster, too. I'd love to use it. Mike Westerfield (BYTEWORKS, CAT15, TOP14, MSG:173/M530) <<<<< SheppyLib/Mac goes up every time I finish a version in PPCPro. As """"" soon as TaskMaster is to a point where it covers a reasonable set of cases as far as what people want to do with standard windows on the Mac, I'll upload version 1.1. That probably won't yet include automatic tracking of controls within the window, I'm not sure yet (ie, it might :). Ooooh... yeah. AlertWindow. Nice idea! I can't stand those dialogs on the Mac. :) Sheppy (POWERPC.PRO, CAT15, TOP14, MSG:174/M530) >>>>> Sheppy, """"" I know Bryan Pietrzak wrote a Macintosh TaskMaster at some stage. Don't know if he ever released it though. It may give you a few extra ideas if you can track it or him down. Regards, Richard (RICHARD.B, CAT15, TOP14, MSG:175/M530) <<<<< From what I've heard, it was never finished. """"" I'm going to start writing code to create window lists that contain window pointers and zoom rectangles and update proc pointers, so that my TaskMaster can really do all the work. Sheppy (POWERPC.PRO, CAT15, TOP14, MSG:176/M530) MAKING THE GS MORE LIKE THE MAC Yet Another warped & wacky idea from my """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" cobweb filled cranium.... :) On the Mac (under System 7.x) there is a feature called "Ballon Help" Basicly when this is on, placing the cursor on a control, menu title, menu item, etc. and waiting a very short time, a small "help balloon" (like the balloons used in comic strips for speech) is displayed. It's kinda neat. I think that something like this could be added to the GS fairly easily, most likely by doing some patches to _GetNextEvent and the control manager. (simply see if the current cursor position is within the bounds of a control in the foremost window, normally something that is being done anyway... add some code and bingo :) So... anyone like / hate / despise the idea? -Harold (HAROLD.H, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:150/M530) >>>>> > Anyone ... hate / despise ... the idea? """"" Well, not as such, but I think that balloon help is about the most annoying feature the Mac has to offer . OTOH, it can be a great help to users looking for a particular feature (when done correctly, including EVERYTHING, which it rarely is), and it might be nice to see something like that on the IIgs. However, if you're going to port something from the Mac, may I suggest... Zipple? If you haven't heard of it, it's a little ditty that replaces certain menu bar icons with other icons which can be animated. Truly awesome. :) (A2PRO.HELP, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:151/M530) >>>>> >> Well, not as such, but I think that balloon help is about the """"" >> most annoying feature the Mac has to offer Ditto. Fortunately, it can be shut off :). Ken Lucke (K.LUCKE, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:152/M530) >>>>> Balloon help bites; why do you think it's being replaced/ """"" supplemented by Apple Guide? :) Eric Shepherd (Sheppy) [Team PPCPro] (POWERPC.PRO, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:153/M530) <<<<< Sloanie, """"" >>...I think that balloon help is about the most annoying feature the Mac >> has to offer . OTOH, it can be a great help to users looking for a >> particular feature [...] (above is slightly out of context) That's why I was asking if anyone liked / hated / despised the idea :) I find it useful, but annoying when left on after I've figured out what's what. (so I go turn it off and all is well again :) How about some info about Zipple??? I've seen some (quite a few really) "zipples" in the Mac libs, but have no idea what the heck they are. (well I have a slight idea thanks to your message, but just enough for me to be dangerous ;) Animated menubar icons would be cool, but... egads what about CPU overhead? (especially with something like Spectrum that runs in a desktop enviroment) -Harold (HAROLD.H, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:154/M530) >>>>> >Balloon help bites; why do you think it's being replaced/ """"" >supplemented by Apple Guide? :) Now something like Apple Guide would be nice. Jawaid (PROCYON, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:155/M530) >>>>> How about RTFM? """"" Michael (ANIMASIA, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:156/M530) >>>>> Balloon help seems worthless for menus and controls. What it is """"" good for (at least on a Windows machine) is all those obscure little icons on button bars. Since every program seems to use its own style of button bar icon, I have trouble remembering what they all do. I have taken to using a Windows resource editor on them. On the GS, I only use one button bar (from Sixpack). I can normally remember what each of them does. Therefore, I see little need for balloon help on my IIgs. David W. (Just one person's opinion) (D.WALLIS2, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:160/M530) >>>>> Seems Balloon gets a lot of beating here, but I still think it is """"" quite usefull, if and when it is implemented right. For instance the HIG says (p316) "Design Online Help as an Interactive Coach" Balloon is a part of this. on p 317 it says: "Use help balloons to explain elements of your application's interface that might confuse a new user or elements that could help a user become an expert user. I have never seen the last part implemented in any application I have come accross, probably mainly because balloon on the Mac has no way to switch into expert mode? There is a tendence to get anoying, especially in applications that don't support it. I.e. I get tired of those "This is an inactive window, to activate it ...." or " This is the title of a window ..." etc. It would be extra cool, Harold, if you could design a way (control panel) where the user could set it's preferences like: - everything : all the anoying stuff mentioned above - application only: only ask the application to pass ballon text, stop the anoying system mesages. - expert mode : the application passes more or less or a completely different balloon text. I use balloon mainly if I browse through a new application or I am much to tired to get up and search for the manual. In big applications with a rich user interface (like Mathematica) this really pays off in several cases, like refreshing the usage of some seldom used interface elements. I know there are a lot that think its cool to not need any help and they don't read any manuals as a principle. They won't need balloon. But the concept of an interactive help system ALWAYS available to the user, no matter where s/he needs help is way cool. If it really becomes a truly useful item is completly in the hands of the application. Online help is good, very good, and I hope we will get a chance to see it on the GS too. Alex (A.CORRIERI, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:164/M530) <<<<< Alex, """"" Hmmmm.... some good points there!!! :) What I'm thinking (now :) is something along the lines of two additional files for an application... one would be the "beginer" balloon help stuff, the other would be the "expert" stuff. Just remember folks, I am =NOT= saying that I'm going to implement balloons (I don't really have the time to do it =right=) but I am trying to stir up some discussion, debate, suggestions, etc. This seems to be happening :) [Ok, so the more I think about it, the more I do want to start banging code, but where the h*ll do I find the time... aurgh!!! :) ] -Harold (HAROLD.H, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:165/M530) If Harold develops balloons, I promise I'll develop pins. :) (RICHARD, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:166/M530) If Richard develops pins, I'll have to send him a pin cushion (related to a Comfy Chair cushion :-) (HAROLD.H, CAT15, TOP16, MSG:167/M530) [*][*][*] While on GEnie, do you spend most of your time downloading files? If so, you may be missing out some excellent information in the Bulletin Board area. The messages listed above only scratch the surface of what's available and waiting for you in the bulletin board area. If you are serious about your Apple II, the GEnieLamp staff strongly urge you to give the bulletin board area a try. There are literally thousands of messages posted from people like you from all over the world. [*][*][*] [EOA] [DEV]////////////////////////////// DEVELOPER'S CORNER / ///////////////////////////////// News From The A2Pro Online Developers """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Tim Buchheim [A2PRO.GELAMP] o ONLINE SUPPORT IN A2PRO o INSTALLING GNO/ME o ORCA/FORTRAN? o PRIZM PROBLEMS >>> ONLINE SUPPORT IN A2PRO <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" CAT TOP COMPANY === === ======= 29 INDEPENDENT DEVELOPERS ONLINE 2 DYA/DigiSoft Innovations Online 8 Simplexity Software Online 14 Quality Computers Q-LABS Online 20 DreamWorld Software Online 26 METAL/FV Software Online 32 Kitchen Sink Software Online 38 EdIt-16 (Bill Tudor) 30 PROCYON, INC. 31 SOFTDISK PUBLISHING 33 GS+ MAGAZINE 34 JEM SOFTWARE 35 PRODEV, INC. 36 THE BYTE WORKS Each month this column feature highlights and news from various developers who provide support via A2Pro. >>> INSTALLING GNO/ME <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Have just finished installing GNO/ME on my hard drive. I have a couple questions to ask: 1) during installation, I was asked five or six times whether an ORCA library should be "overwritten". I always replied in the affirmative because the GNO/ME installation instructions had informed me that GNO/ME 2.0 came with a modified version of the ORCA C ORCA LIB standard library which provided support for GNO. Afterwards, I began to wonder what effect my choices would have when I used one of my ORCA languages without involving GNO/ME. Please advise. 2) I did not install the Multi-User package because the instructions advised new users to wait. However, when I had finished the installation and checked the files, I found a "Root" file that appears to pertain to the Multi- User package. 3) for your info, the file :gno:lib: (an empty file, granted) had not been created by the installation program. The instructions say it should have been. Can you enlighten me on these points? I will greatly appreciate it. Paladin (PALADIN, CAT30, TOP1, MSG:91/M530) >>>>> The two libraries (stock ORCALIB, and slightly-modified ORCALIB that """"" comes with GNO) should be functionally identical. There were a few bugs in my changes that have since been fixed - if you run into trouble I can send you the newest library (which will come with the next release of GNO). >2)I did not install the Multi-User package because the instructions >advised new users to wait. However, when I had finished the installation >and checked the files, I found a "Root" file that appears to pertain to >the Multi-User package. 'root' is a directory, probably, containing your "home directory". Without the multi-user package installed, you're automatically "logged-in" as a user named root. Since there was nothing to put in the :gno:lib directory, and nothing uses it (in lieu of the ORCA 'Libraries' directory) I guess it never got put in the installer. :) Its presence or lack thereof will have no effect on any of the programs distributed with GNO. Jawaid (PROCYON, CAT30, TOP1, MSG:92/M530) ANOTHER PROBLEM I just received the latest GNO/ME from GSP. I'm having """"""""""""""" problems running it after installation. During the installation, I received a $0050 File is Already Open Error opening data fork on file: Kern. When asked for installing libs, I answered no as I have ORCA/C 1.3. Actually, I answered NO for all the optional installs. The trouble starts when I attempt to launch Kern a second time. I get error $1104 - Restart or Return. My setup is a ||GS ROM 1, 8MB RAM, 270MB SyQuest, RamFAST w/1MB, ZIP 7/8, GSOS 6.0.1. Any suggestions? -Ken Wong- (K.WONG1, CAT30, TOP2, MSG:160/M530) <<<<< Oops! Never mind. I found my mistake. I had initially created a """"" folder named GNO and then copied the contents of GNO.Disk1 to it. Since the scripts were trying to create a folder named GNO, that caused the file open error. After that, things went downhill from there. I guess I need to REALLY read the install notes instead of just skimming them. Sorry for any confusion. Now to start playing with GNO/ME... -Ken Wong- (K.WONG1, CAT30, TOP2, MSG:161/M530) >>>>> I was going to say that you'd probably put the GNO.Disk1 in the """"" wrong folder.. but you discovered that yourself. :-) Jawaid (PROCYON, CAT30, TOP2, MSG:162/M530) >>> ORCA/FORTRAN? <<< """"""""""""""""""""""" Hi! I've been an occasional user of Byteworks C and a continual user of my IIGS for a long time now. I don't consider myself a IIGS programmer ... instead, I've been involved as a programmer and algorithmist with parallel machines, and my main personal project is the porting of a special message passing interface to a transputer system. I writing because while browissing on A2PRO I noticed that there is a beta be version of Orca Fortran. I don't know just how far along that project may be, but felt I had to add my few cents. First, I'm very glad that Mike Westerfield and the others at ByteWorks have decided (or are considering) to implement a Fortran at all. Fortran is still used a great deal by anyone doing heavy numerical programming. And Fortran has grown and changed, unlike other languages, ever since its first version. By making a Fortran available, Byteworks basically says that the Apple IIGS is a computer capable of heavy work, not just game playing (I'm paraphrasing here what many people, though not I, believe about the Apple series). One hope I have, which may simply be a hope (unfortunately) is that the version of Fortran which they implement is Fortran 90. This is the very latest agreed version, and should have features runnable on an Apple IIGS. Fortran people are now working on a still later version which may not be of use for Apple users, since it's main claim to be an advance over Fortran 90 is the inclusion of lots of constructs for parallel computing. To To compare Fortran with other languages such as C, and use only older versions of Fortran for the comparison, would not be fair. The current version is Fortran 90. If you guys contact me I'll tell you where to look for the specs for Fortran 90. Best Wishes, Thomas Donaldson (T.DONALDSON2, CAT36, TOP3, MSG:271/M530) T.Donaldson, I believe the Fortran to C translator for the IIGS is lost due to hard drive problems, though I believe there is publically available source that anyone is free to port. A stock IIGS stinks for heavy floating point stuff, and it isn't even great with integers/fixed point, compared to most computers today. - Jay (JAY.KRELL, CAT36, TOP3, MSG:272/M530) >>> PRIZM PROBLEMS <<< """""""""""""""""""""""" All, I just got Orca/C and I find the Orca editor totally unusable!! 1) The cursor wipes out characters. I can only see the characters only if I page up and down. This makes correcting any mistakes impossible!! 2) It translate quotes (") into "R" and "S" from other text editors. So when it compiles it has "hissy fits" at all the unknown variables!! I hope someone out there can help because right now all Orca/C is doing is occupying space. Ron (R.CHESLEY1, CAT36, TOP19, MSG:83/M530) >>>>> Ron, R and S are the curly quote characters. You need to convert """"" those into real quotes. (SHEPPY, CAT36, TOP19, MSG:84/M530) >>>>> Don't feel too bad though. You can always spot the novice & """"" intermediate Mac users because all the quotes and apostrophes in their posts are capital letters because of the typical way they get mashed into normal text format. BTW use of curly quotes in C source code is _NOT_ sanctioned by ANSI so ORCA/C has no obligation to support it except as a convenience. Todd Whitesel (A2PRO.TODDPW, CAT36, TOP19, MSG:85/M530) >>>>> if you are having problems with the cursor erasing characters, then """"" deactivate CloseView.. that program is guaranteed to mess up Prizm. The "R" and "S" characters are, as others have mentioned, the GS/Mac "curly quotes" with the high bit cleared.. solution: use regular quotes, not curly quotes:) (So if you are using something like WordWorks Pro to write programs, be sure to UNcheck the "use curly quotes" option) (A2PRO.GELAMP, CAT36, TOP19, MSG:86/M530) [*][*][*] [EOA] [LIB]////////////////////////////// LIBRARY BIT BONANZA / ///////////////////////////////// HOT Files You Can Download """""""""""""""""""""""""" By Tim Buchheim [T.BUCHHEIM] o CALCULATING 16- AND 32-BIT CRCs o A2U COURSE - SPECTRUM 2.0 SCRIPTING o MISCELLANEOUS FILES >>> CALCULATING 16- AND 32-BIT CRCs <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" File # 4663 CCC.C (ALL) Uploaded on 4/5/95 by A2PRO.TODDPW About 1K (d/l time approx. 5 seconds @ 2400 baud) This is a short ORCA/C program demonstrating how to compute the ZMODEM 32-bit CRC, both by bit-mashing and by table. The table is computed at startup by using the bit-mashing algorithm, so no huge copyrighted table is included to make it hard for you to use this code elsewhere. This is a public domain source file which may be downloaded or isted. File # 4662 CRC.C (ALL) Uploaded on 4/5/95 by A2PRO.TODDPW About 1K (d/l time approx. 5 seconds @ 2400 baud) This is a short ORCA/C program demonstrating how to compute XMODEM (CCITT) 16 bit CRC's, both by bit-mashing and by table. The table is computed at startup by using the bit-mashing algorithm, so no huge copyrighted table is included to make it hard for you to use this code elsewhere. This is a public domain source file which may be downloaded or isted. >>> A2U COURSE - SPECTRUM 2.0 SCRIPTING <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" File # 4657 SP.A2U.WK7.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 4/5/95 by K.LUCKE About 7K (d/l time approx. 40 seconds @ 2400 baud) :Lesson for week 7 of Spectrum A2U course in scripting File # 4656 SP.WK6.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 4/3/95 by K.LUCKE About 9K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) Transcript of Spectrum A2U RTC, Week 6 File # 4642 SP.A2U.WK6.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/27/95 by K.LUCKE About 13K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) Week 6's lesson for Spectrum A2U course in scripting File # 4641 SP.WK5.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/27/95 by K.LUCKE About 9K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) Spectrum Scripting A2U RTC transcript for week 5 File # 4640 SP.A2U.WK5A.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/27/95 by K.LUCKE About 5K (d/l time approx. 30 seconds @ 2400 baud) Answers to Spectrum A2U Week 5 homework assignment. File # 4633 SP.A2U.WK5.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/20/95 by K.LUCKE About 22K (d/l time approx. 2 minutes @ 2400 baud) Spectrum Scripting A2U course lesson for Week 5 File # 4632 SP.A2U.WK4A.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/20/95 by K.LUCKE About 2K (d/l time approx. 10 seconds @ 2400 baud) Spectrum Scripting A2U course answers for Week 4 File # 4631 SP.WK4.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/20/59 by K.LUCKE About 9K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) RTC transcript for Spectrum Scripting A2U course week 4 File # 4622 SP.A2U.WK4.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/13/95 by K.LUCKE About 8K (d/l time approx. 45 seconds @ 2400 baud) Spectrum A2U course lesson for week 4 File # 4621 SP.A2U.WK3A.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/13/95 by K.LUCKE About 3K (d/l time approx. 20 seconds @ 2400 baud) Spectrum A2U course Week 3 Quiz answers File # 4620 SP.WK3.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/13/95 by K.LUCKE About 11K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) Spectrum A2U Course RTC week 3 File # 4613 SP.WK2.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/5/95 by K.LUCKE About 9K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) RTC transcript for Spectrum A2U course week 2 File # 4612 SP.A2U.WK3.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/5/95 by K.LUCKE About 17K (d/l time approx. 2 minutes @ 2400 baud) Lesson for Week 3 of Spectrum Scripting A2U course. File # 4611 SP.A2U.WK2A.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/5/95 by K.LUCKE About 3K (d/l time approx. 20 seconds @ 2400 baud) The answers to the quiz at the end of Spectrum Scripting A2U Course week 2 File # 4607 SP.WK1.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 2/28/95 by K.LUCKE About 8K (d/l time approx. 45 seconds @ 2400 baud) Spectrum Scripting A2U Week 1 RTC transcript File # 4604 SP.A2U.WK2.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 2/26/95 by K.LUCKE About 12K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) Lesson #2 - Week 2 for the Spectrum Scripting A2U Course File # 4603 SP.A2U.WK1A.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 2/26/95 by K.LUCKE About 2K (d/l time approx. 15 seconds @ 2400 baud) The answers to the quiz at the end of Week 1's lesson in the Spectrum Scripting A2U course. File # 4594 SP.A2U.WK1.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 2/19/95 by K.LUCKE About 9K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) This is lesson #1 for week 1 of the Spectrum scripting A2U course. File # 4593 SP.INTR.RTC.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 2/19/95 by K.LUCKE About 10K (d/l time approx. 1 minute @ 2400 baud) This is the RTC from the introduction week to the Spectrum Scripting A2U course. It has been edited to remove the comings and goings and extraneous stuff but all contectual items have been left intact. Some spelling errors have been corrected to protect the guilty :) >>> MISCELLANEOUS FILES <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" File # 4634 RESLIN.BXY V0.48 (GS) Uploaded on 3/20/95 by RICHARD.B About 70K (d/l time approx. 7 minutes @ 2400 baud) A resource manipulation utility. This version includes an extra which sorts rControlList resources so that rRectangle controls are positioned correctly for _NewControl2. File # 4617 TMTERM1.1.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/10/95 by S.REEVES2 About 29K (d/l time approx. 3 minutes @ 2400 baud) Here is version 1.1 of TMTerm, a new desk accessory for GNO that runs the gsh shell in a window with VT100 emulation. Requires an Apple IIgs and Procyon's GNO/ME version 2.0.4 or higher. TMTerm was written by Ian Schmidt and is freeware. File # 4608 PROG.XCMDS.BXY (GS) Uploaded on 3/3/95 by SEVENHILLS About 17K (d/l time approx. 2 minutes @ 2400 baud) Information on writing External Commands for Spectrum v2.0! [*][*][*] [EOA] [RTC]////////////////////////// RTC WATCH / ///////////////////////////// Bits and Pieces from A2Pro Real Time Conferences """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Tim Buchheim [A2PRO.GELAMP] o A2Pro WEEKLY RTC SCHEDULE o GS/OS AND RESOURCES >>> A2Pro WEEKLY RTC SCHEDULE <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" _______ __________ _________ /_______| /_________/ /________/ SEVEN days a week!! /__/__/__/ /__/ /__/ /________/ EAL /__/ IME /__/ ONFERENCES in A2Pro!! /__/ /__| /__/ /__/_____ /__/ /__/ /__/ |________/ WEEKLY SCHEDULE Stop in and say "Hi!" at one of these conferences. We've been giving away quite a few GEnie usage credits (free time) at these conferences, and you may just win the next one! :) Day Time Event Host --- --------------- ----------------------------------- ----------- Sun 8:30pm-11:00pm Weekly Programmers' RTC Sloanie Mon 9:30pm-11:00pm GS/OS and Toolbox Calls Dave Miller Tue 9:30pm-11:00pm 8-bit Programming Russ Nielson Wed 9:30pm-11:00pm HangTime's HyperBar & Grill HangTime Thu 9:30pm-??:?? Informal - Q&A, chat, whatever A2Pro Staff Fri 9:30pm-11:00pm Getting Started with Programming Tim Buchheim Sat 8:30pm-10:00pm Assembly Language Programming Brian Wells NOTE: All times are in Eastern Daylight Time. >>> GS/OS AND RESOURCES <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" I was examining the GS resource manager today when I came across something unusual. OK, the CreateResourceFile call will add a res fork to an existing file if it exists. Apparently, it passes Create a storage type of $8005 to do this. I get the 005 part, (extended file), but does setting bit 15 do something special for the call? I think it tells GS/OS to add a resource fork to an existing file.. but let me check.. That'd be my guess, too, but I don't ever recall reading this. yep, that's what it's documented to do.. Where is that documented? under "Create" in the GS/OS ref, page 104 if the passed storageType is $8005, GS/OS will "convert an existing standard file to contain a resouce fork" Anyway, it's actually a good thing I stumbled over this little finding. I'm gonna have to be doing some work with Mac res forks some point in the very near future, and all this will come in handy. hmm... what GS/OS does is quite simple, actually.. it just allocates a new block for the file, moves the storage type and pointer to index block for the data fork into the new block, change the storage type in the directory entry to "extended file" ($05), and make it point to the new block. well, that's what it does on ProDOS disks, at least :) Oh, did I ever tell you why the Mac is limited to 2727 resources in a fork? I know you knew this number, but I found out why it is what it is. oh? why is it that number? I never understood the significance of 2727 OK, here we go. The Mac uses a positive short int as an offset into the res map. So, max. value here can be +32767. The map has a 38 byte header, each res type entry has 12 bytes. So, (32767-38)/12 is 2727.xxxx, rounded to 2727. Anyway, I got this crazy idea of making a library or user tool that would basically "clone" all the Mac res mgr's calls, reading, writing, all of them. All but 6 of the res mgr's calls are very similar to GS calls, and with the Mac asm reading code I currently have, shouldn't be all that hard to implement. Hehehe, I might even keep the parm values you pass to the routines the same as the Mac's. For example, ya pass C strings instead of GS strings, which I actually prefer. Also, from C, this is way easier. I could even go so far as to make the errors retuurned the same as the Mac's. wait, C strings for filenames? hmm.. in GS/OS, the null character is valid in filenames (it's not in HFS) and doesn't that mark the end of a C string? Hmmm, I didn't know NULL was valid in GS/OS. it is But for what filesystem? any character but a colon is legal; that's why there are warnings in ORCA/Pascal and not to use any of the built-in string handling commands on pathnames Well, what about existing code that converts C strings to GS/OS strings to pass to GS/OS. they will choke if the path has a null.. not common, though..what file systems support nulls? I think DOS 3.3 does, but that's it In HFS, NULL is valid, and NULLs mark the end of C strings, so how would the OS know the end of a string? NULL is NOT valid in HFS It's not? GS/OS allows any character but a colon (page 17 of GS/OS ref) but I don't think HFS does hmm.. prog ref to 6.0 says "all characters but colon" but I don't think that's right.. Hmmm There, I just tried to create a file with a null, and JudgeName rejected it.. :) OTOH, I was able to save a file on the disk with the name "control-A control-B control-C" it just didn't like control-shift-two but the ultimate GS/OS disk format would allow it :) You can't even type a NULL, can you? I mean a direct key stroke. yes, type control-@.. every ascii chart I've ever seen says so, and my GS seems to think so, so I assume so :) I'd just stick with GS/OS strings.. a program would be using them for all of its other pathnames, like in GS/OS calls, SFO calls, etc. if your thing uses GS/OS strings, a program wouldn't have to convert between GS/OS and C strings. [*][*][*] When you're stuck on a programming problem and can't find an answer in the reference books, but you need an answer fast, come to the A2Pro Real Time Conference! The A2Pro staff as well as other cool people who hang out in A2Pro will be happy to find a solution for your problem! Just type "Move 530;2" at just about any GEnie prompt! [*][*][*] [EOA] [LOG]////////////////////////////// LOG OFF / ///////////////////////////////// GEnieLamp Information """"""""""""""""""""" o COMMENTS: Contacting GEnieLamp o GEnieLamp STAFF: Who Are We? GEnieLamp Information GEnieLamp is published on the 1st of every month """"""""""""""""""""" on GEnie page 515. You can also find GEnieLamp on the main menus in the following computing RoundTables. RoundTable Keyword GEnie Page RoundTable Keyword GEnie Page """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" DigiPub DIGIPUB 1395 Atari ST ST 475 Macintosh MAC 605 IBM PC IBMPC 615 Apple II A2 645 Apple II Dev. A2PRO 530 Macintosh Dev. MACPRO 480 Geoworks GEOWORKS 1050 BBS BBS 610 CE Software CESOFTWARE 1005 Mini/Mainframe MAINFRAME 1145 Programming PROGRAMMING 1445 Data Comm. 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For those looking for online publications, the DigiPub Software Libraries offer online magazines, newsletters, short-stories, poetry and other various text oriented articles for downloading to your computer. Also available are writers' tools and 'Hyper-utilties' for text presentation on most computer systems. In the DigiPub Bulletin Board you can converse with people in the digital publishing industry, meet editors from some of the top electronic publications and get hints and tips on how to go about publishing your own digital book. The DigiPub RoundTable is the official online service for the Digital Publishing Association. To get there type DIGIPUB or M1395 at any GEnie prompt. >>> GEnieLamp STAFF <<< """"""""""""""""""""""" GEnieLamp o John Peters [GENIELAMP] Publisher """"""""" APPLE II o Doug Cuff [EDITOR.A2] A2 EDITOR """""""" o Gina E. Saikin [A2.GENA] A2 Staff Writer o Charlie Hartley [C.HARTLEY3] A2 Staff Writer A2Pro o Tim Buchheim [A2PRO.GELAMP] A2Pro EDITOR """"" ATARI ST o John Gniewkowski [GENIELAMP.ST] ATARI ST EDITOR """""""" o Bruce Smith [B.SMITH123] EDITOR/TX2 o Mel Motogawa [M.MOTOGAWA] ST Staff Writer o Sheldon Winick [S.WINICK] ST Staff Writer o Terry Quinn [TQUINN] ST Staff Writer o Richard Brown [R.BROWN30] ST Staff Writer o Al Fasoldt [A.FASOLDT] ST Staff Writer IBM o Bob Connors [DR.BOB] IBM EDITOR """ o Nancy Thomas [GELAMP.MM] MultiMedia Editor/Writer o David Leithauser [D.LEITHASUER] HyperRead Editor o Brad Biondo [B.BIONDO] IBM Staff Writer o Billy Storey [B.STOREY] IBM Staff Writer MACINTOSH o Richard Vega [GELAMP.MAC] MACINTOSH EDITOR """"""""" o Tom Trinko [T.TRINKO] Mac Staff Writer o Bret Fledderjohn [FLEDDERJOHN] Mac Staff Writer o Ricky J. Vega [GELAMP.MAC] Mac Staff Writer POWER PC o Ben Soulon [BEN.GELAMP] POWER PC EDITOR """""""" WINDOWS o Bruce Maples [GELAMP.WIN] WINDOWS EDITOR """"""" ETC. o Jim Lubin [J.LUBIN] Add Aladdin Scripts """" o Scott Garrigus [S.GARRIGUS] Search-ME! o Mike White [MWHITE] (oo) / DigiPub SysOp o Susie Oviatt [SUSIE] ASCII Artist o Al Fasoldt [A.FASOLDT] Contributing Columnist o Phil Shapiro [P.SHAPIRO1] Contributing Columnist o Sandy Wolf [S.WOLF4] Contributing Columnist [*][*][*]