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Table of contents: |
| COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE Issue #35 | Home | Index | Magazine | ||||||
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| Articles in section: ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE |
| "ABOUT
CFDM" ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE |
| Back to top |
"ABOUT CFDM" COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is dedicated to those who still enjoy running under RS DOS. It will deal with that format exclusively. A primary goal is to keep the COCO community strong. By providing a unique means of communication, maybe old fires will be rekindled as you and I share our knowledge and experiences! The success of this effort depends on each one who becomes a subscriber. Everyone must contribute his/ her two cents in the form of articles, programs, opinions, experiences, etc. If this happens we will all look forward to the next issue. (Check out the manual with your starter kit for details on how to submit material.) Now let's have some fun!!! =* |
ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is the creation and property of Rick Cooper. It is distributed solely by RICK'S COMPUTER ENTERPRISE. The material which makes up each issue remains the property of the author(s) or contributor(s) unless an agreement has been made otherwise. COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is dedicated exclusively to those who enjoy the COCO3 operating under RS DOS. It is hoped that this publication will encourage the continued usage of our favorite computer. Neither CFDM nor RICK'S COMPUTER ENTERPRISE will be responsible for the submission or publication of any material that does not belong to the submitter. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE OR SUPPORT PIRACY! =* |
| Articles in section: ABOUT THIS ISSUE |
| CONTENTS...PART
1 (i35) CONTENTS...PART 2 (i35) PROGRAM DIRECTORY (i35) THIS MONTH'S COVER |
| Back to top |
ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE (2) 1 "ABOUT CFDM" 2 ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE (4) 1 CONTENTS...PART 1 (i35) 2 CONTENTS...PART 2 (i35) 3 PROGRAM DIRECTORY (i35) 4 THIS MONTH'S COVER ACTIVE COCO (5) 1 "WASATCHWARE" - Alive and Well. 2 LET'S MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GROW! 3 PHONE FEST IV !!!! 4 PHONE FEST IV..What you missed! 5 TOURISTS by Ben Walker <g> => ____________________________________________________ ADVERTISEMENTS (5) 1 CFDM SUBSCRIPTION 2 NEW! MAX-10 BORDER DISK 1 3 PUBLIC DOMAIN GRAPHICS 4 STOP COLOSSUS v.1.5.46 5 THE EMULATOR FUND REPLACED BY.. ARTICLES OF THE MONTH (6) 1 DRIVE OVER 35 WITH CAUTION ! 2 DRIVE: Part 2 3 OS-9 4 OS-9 pt.2 5 OS-9 pt.3 6 OS-9 pt.4 COCO FRIENDS ART GALLERY (6) => ____________________________________________________ 1 ALLADDIN 2 2 EAGLE 3 MOUNT 4 REFLECTIONS OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT 5 SHENANDOAH 6 VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY FAMILY TREE (4) 1 GREETINGS FROM BUENOS AIRES 2 GREETINGS TO ALL FROM AUSTRALIA 3 JEFF VAVASOUR 4 JEFF VAVASOUR...PART 2 FORUM (3) 1 BEST OF RAINBOW 2 COCO EMULATOR FUND UPDATE =* |
3 Computers At Work
FROM THE EDITOR (2)
1 CHRISTMAS ENTRY ON THANKSGIVING!
2 CHRISTMAS KUDOS <g>
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (8)
1 CR IS PERFECT ON MY RGB MONITOR!
2 EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS
3 EXCERPTS FROM PHONE FESTERS
4 KUDOS FOR RICK & NORM
5 My Thanks For Winning
6 PROGRAMMERS VS PROGRAM RUNNERS
7 TESTIMONIAL
8 THANKS FOR BEING THE "NAILS"!!
=>
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POTPOURRI (4)
1 CHAIN LOADING CFDM DISKS
2 FARM FUN by Ray Berney <g>
3 LITTLE SUITE
4 The Hunting Trip
PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH (8)
1 512K VERIFY - COPY
2 512K VERIFY - COPY..Part 2
3 Connect 4
4 Heart DEMO
5 MAZE for the Printer
6 PMODE 4 TO HSCREEN 2: PM4>HS2A
7 PMODE 4 TO HSCREEN 2:PART 2.
8 STRINGART 12
=>
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REVIEWS (3)
1 Epson 2000 & CoCo Emulator
2 PRESTO PARTNER (OS-9)
3 PRESTO PARTNER (PART 2)
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (8)
1 ABOUT MAX-10
2 ABOUT THAT EMULATOR...
3 ABOUT THAT EMULATOR...PART 2
4 ANSWER
5 CLIPART/THE PHONE FEST BROCHURE
6 LOOKING FOR PACDUDE V.1.
7 MISCELLANEOUS INFO NEEDED!
8 NEWSPAPER PLUS/NEWSPAPER-O9.
=*
|
Here's a description of the files on the PROGRAM/
SIDE. File names preceded by an asterisk are data
files and are not to be RUN or EXECed!
NAME.........COMMAND..SECTION OR DESCRIPTION
* ALLADIN2.NIB........ART GALLERY
BE THOU .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI
* BE THOU .BIN........DATA FILE FOR BE THOU.BAS
C MOD .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI
* CHRIST94.NIB........ART GALLERY
CONNECT4.BAS..RUN...PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
* EAGLE .NIB........ART GALLERY
* FIRSTCHR.NIB........ART GALLERY
* HEART .SQS........DATA FILE FOR HEARTDEM.BAS
HEARTDEM.BAS..RUN...PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
* HUNTTRIP.DOC........POTPOURRI =>
____________________________________________________
MARCH .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI
* MARCH .BIN........DATA FILE FOR MARCH.BAS
MINUETT .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI
* MINUETT .BIN........DATA FILE FOR MINUETT.BAS
* MOUNT .NIB........ART GALLERY
MUSETTE .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI
* MUSETTE .BIN........DATA FILE FOR MUSETTE.BAS
* NIBLOADR.BIN........PIX LOADER UTILITY
NIBSHOW .BAS..RUN...ART GALLERY VIEWER
* PM4>HS2A.ASM........SOURCE CODE FOR PM4>HS2A.BAS
PM4>HS2A.BAS..RUN...PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
PMAZE .BAS..RUN...PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
* SHENDOAH.NIB........ART GALLERY
* SQSREADR.BIN........DATA FILE FOR HEARTDEM.BAS
STRING12.BAS..RUN...PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
SUITE .BAS..RUN...POTPOURRI (MUSIC) =>
____________________________________________________
* TEST512C.BIN.LOADM:EXEC..PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH
* TEST512C.SOR........SOURCE CODE FOR TEST512C.BIN
=*
|
Christmas 'tis the time for Christmas again. I drew an
appropiate picture for this time of year and let us
all remember that there is no such thing as Xmas.
Let's all put Christ back into Christmas. I hope the
STAR of PEACE (JESUS) finds His way into all the
hearts of man and especially our CFDM Friends.
............Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year
from Jim Gibbons
=*
|
| Articles in section: ACTIVE COCO |
| "WASATCHWARE"
- Alive and Well. LET'S MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GROW! PHONE FEST IV !!!! PHONE FEST IV..What you missed! TOURISTS by Ben Walker <g> |
| Back to top |
"WASATCHWARE" - Alive
and Well. In a previous issue of CFDM, Stuart-Wyss asked as
to where the software "ML BASIC 2.0" might be
obtained. I decided to contact the company that
originally marketed the software. The first letter
received no reply, so I sent another (in case the
first had been lost in the mails - it happens). Not
long afterwards, I received the following reply:
"You may buy ML BASIC 2.0 from us still. Also, if
you have more questions, you can call me at
(801) 568-2490."
I failed to get the price of the software, but it's
last advertised price was $49.95, I think. Anyway, a
quick call to WASATCHWARE will no doubt obtain the
price, as well as shipping charges. The address =>
____________________________________________________
of the company is:
WASATCHWARE, 7350 NUTREE DRIVE, SALT LAKE CITY,
UTAH 84121.
If anyone calls and gets the price, plus shipping,
please drop a note to CFDM to let us know. THANKS!
-B0B-
=*
|
LET'S MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GROW! The completion of the CoCo 3 Emulator brings to
reality a project that many feel could strengthen
the CoCo Community. I want to thank Jeff Vavasour
for the efforts he has invested in creating the
emulator...and...just as heartily I want to thank
the many Friends who have contributed their money,
time, and encouragement to the project! All efforts
are greatly appreciated! This proves the spirit of
the community is still very much alive!
Now let's take this opportunity to add to our group.
I ask that everyone who purchases a copy of the
emulator use this fine product as a tool to win at
least one PC user to our group. I really believe we
have something to offer anyone who enjoys sharing
art, music, friendship, programming, etc. When =>
____________________________________________________
your PC friends witness our group and your testimony
about our group, you may find that they would be
interested in participating!
Let's make this effort a little more interesting by
placing a few awards (rewards) in the project. At
least for the year 1995, I will reward any Friend
with a free issue of CFDM for any new Friend who
subscribes to CFDM. To qualify for this credit the
new subscriber must be a PC user and mention in his/
her letter that you (YOUR NAME) introduced them to
CFDM. You can get as many free issues as you have
friends who join us.
I will then keep records on each new PC Friend and
who sponsored them. On Jan. 1, 1996, I will =>
____________________________________________________
tally which of our old Friends have sponsored the
most new Friends. The winner will receive a FREE
one year subscription to CFDM.
ONE LAST QUALIFIER, AT LEAST TWO NEW PC FRIENDS MUST
BE INTRODUCED BY THE WINNER IN ORDER TO WIN THE FREE
SUBSCRIPTION. (TIES WILL BE RESOLVED BY A DRAWING.)
I hope the above project will be a great success and
many new Friends will be added to our group. Please
start thinking about prospective friends that you
feel might want to become Friends!!
=*
|
PHONE FEST IV !!!! On Saturday, November 12th, we held our 4th Phone
Fest. It was another huge success with 25 Friends
from the US and Canada participating. This fest
featured 25 big auction packages and special prices
on Rick's products. Special bonus certificates were
awarded all those who ordered products and all who
won auction packages. If you missed this event,
please don't miss the next one!!
Here's who called: Kenney Trevino, Herb Forger, Jim
Bennett, Larry Bryant, Vic Neufeldt, Dan Maguire,
Laura Boyce, Arnold Garlic, Roberta Sowell, David
Riggle, Paul Wolf, Winnie McGinnis, Jerry Tofte,
Barry Miller, Dan Williamson, Pete Blackwell, Terry
Stafford, William Astle, Page Edmondson, Tony Mahan,
L.E. Padgett, Mario Lecours, Godfrey Moll, =>
____________________________________________________
J.R. Waggoner, John Daniels, Henry Kszepka, Paul
Utterback, and Bob Nicholson.
Thanks to all who participated!!
Now here's how the packages went:
#1 to Page Edmondson.....$10
#2 to Jerry Tofte........$27
#3 to Kenney Trevino.....$12
#4 to Jerry Tofte........$33
#5 to Mario Lecours......$42
#6 to Dan Williamson.....$61
#7 to Kenny Trevino......$15
#8 to Laura Boyce........$38
#9 to Barry Miller.......$55 =>
____________________________________________________
#10 to Winnie McGinnis....$20
#11 to Page Edmondson.....$5
#12 to L.E. Padgett.......$16
#13 to John Daniels.......$27
#14 to William Astle......$30
#15 to L.E. Padgett.......$12
#16 to Roberta Sowell.....$25
#17 to L.E. Padgett.......$7
#18 to L.E. Padgett.......$11
#19 to L.E. Padgett.......$12
#20 to John Daniels.......$15
#21 to Laura Boyce........$35
#22 to J.R. Waggoner......$25
#23 to Jerry Tofte........$38
#24 to John Daniels.......$10
#25 to William Astle......$40 =*
|
PHONE FEST IV..What you missed! If you missed this one, you missed a great chance to
make your money go a long way! And still I wonder if
even those 25 Friends who participated stopped to
think about what they received when they made their
purchase or won an auction package with their high
bid.
Here's why. If you fully read the front page of the
Phone Fest IV brochure, you should have noticed that
any order made on Phone Fest Day would ( in addition
to the sales prices for the day ) get you a coupon
worth 25% of the price of your order! AND..if you
won an auction package with your high bid, you would
get a coupon worth 50% of your winning bid!
Here's a little scenerio. Let's say you purchased =>
____________________________________________________
100 flippies for $42..and..got auction package #20
for $40. Your bonus coupon would be worth $30.50
(that's 25% * $42 = $10.50 + 50% * $40 = $20). With
your bonus coupon you could have renewed your CFDM
subscription for 6 issues or started a one year
subscription to HARDCOPY...FOR FREE!! Now that was
an opportunity worth taking advantage of!
As a matter of fact Rick would have been better off
giving three $100 doorprizes!! But one of the real
joys of the Phone Fest concept is that everyone has
a fun day and a chance to get some real bargains.
These events have certainly been worthwhile to me
and I hope for the Friends!!
We probably won't have another Phone Fest until =>
____________________________________________________
early spring. If anyone has any creative suggestions
please send them in. I definitely WON'T promise to
change anything, but I would like to hear your
thoughts.
Thanks again for a great turnout!!!
=*
|
| Articles in section: ADVERTISEMENTS |
| CFDM
SUBSCRIPTION NEW! MAX-10 BORDER DISK I PUBLIC DOMAIN GRAPHICS. STOP COLOSSUS v.1.5.46 THE EMULATOR FUND REPLACED BY.. |
| Back to top |
CFDM SUBSCRIPTION Is your subscription running out? Here's how to check: On your mailing label next to your name is a number. The number after the last dash (-) is the last issue on your present subscription. Please don't let your subscription expire. WHEN YOU RESUBSCRIBE PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR ENTIRE SUBSCRIPTION NUMBER. THIS HELPS ME LOCATE YOU IN MY DATABASE! A single issue of CFDM is $6. Or get 3 issues for only $16. A 6 issue subscription is only $30 (a savings of 6$). Back issues are available at the same rates. COCOs FOREVER!! =* |
NEW! MAX-10 BORDER DISK I N MAX-10 Only N
E BORDER $10.00 E
W DISK I W
----------------------------------------------------
Introducing 8 fresh new borders for Max-10. No re-
sizing or re-shaping is necessary! Each border comes
pre-sized for ease of use and high printout quality.
Includes other useful features and a detailed ten
page manual. Still not convinced? Send for a free
copy of the actual printout quality. Take Max-10 to
the max!
Also Available: $10.00-COCO MAX III GRAPHICS PACKAGE
ALADDIN OPTIMUS
JEFF CHO ALADDIN2 SUNSTREK
187 BRAMBLEBUSH RD. BEAST THEXDER
STOUGHTON, MA 02072 CONSTRUX THE WALL =*
|
PUBLIC DOMAIN GRAPHICS. THE FOLLOWING GRAPHICS DISKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FROM
THE BINARY SYSTEMS PUBLIC DOMAIN LIBRARY. THE COST
IS $3.00 PER DISKETTE AND INCLUDES SHIPPING IN THE
U.S. AND CANADA. OTHERS PLEASE ADD $1.00 ADDITIONAL
SHIPPING, PER ORDER. PAYMENT VIA CHECK OR MONEY
ORDER, IN U.S. FUNDS.
===================================================
CC3UT-0001 :THE PROJECTOR VR.2.0, VIEW MASTER,
C64PIX, TINY. PICTURE VIEWING SOFTWARE.
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0001 :6 MACINTOSH /MAC PICTURES; CHRISTIE;
JCARSON; KIM; LCARTER; MADONNA;
STARTREK. REQUIRES CC3UT-0001 TO VIEW.
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0002 :6 MACINTOSH /MAC PICTURES; MBRANDO;
MOONLITE; MSKINSKI; PHOTO2; TURNER; =>
____________________________________________________
W-GEISHA; REQUIRES CC3UT-0001 TO VIEW.
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0003 :6 MACINTOSH /MAC PICTURES; ATLANTIS;
CARINAE; LAUNCH; MIG-29; MIRANDA;
ORBIT; REQUIRES CC3UT-0001 TO VIEW.
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0004 :9 MACINTOSH /MAC PICTURES; ENTERPRI;
F20TIGER; LEONARDO; MANMOON; R2D2-A;
R2D2-B; SCREEN 6; SOLARMAX; SOVIET;
REQUIRES CC3UT-0001 TO VIEW.
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0005 :14 COCO MAX II /MAX PICTURES; SANTRS;
COUNTRY; DIRESTRT; GREMLIN; HOWDY;
LUNARSCP; NATALI; PAGODA; PIRATE;
SANTA; SCROOGE; UNDERDOG; VOLTRON;
X TREE; INCLUDES PICTURE VIEWER. =>
____________________________________________________
---------------------------------------------------
CC2GR-0006 :15 COCO MAX II /MAX PICTURES; BUG;
COCO3MEN, CASSPORT; DOG; DOGS; GRAHAM;
STARTREK; TIGER; TREK; XMASPIC1;
XMASPIC2; XMASPIC3; XMASPIC4; XMASPIC5;
ZIGGY; INCLUDES PICTURE VIEWER.
---------------------------------------------------
CC3GR-0001 :COCO MAX III /CM3 PICTURES; THIS DISK
JUST ADDED! INCLUDES VIEWING SOFTWARE.
---------------------------------------------------
ROBERT ALLEN TURNER,
BINARY SYSTEMS, T H A N K
PO BOX 396, Y O U
DOUBLE SPRINGS, AL 35553-0396. !
ATTN: DEPT CFDM-AD02.
MAKE PAYMENT TO: ROBERT A. TURNER. =*
|
STOP COLOSSUS v.1.5.46 After months of watching, writing, testing,
debugging and further testing, I'm ready to release
the shareware version of STOP COLOSSUS!, a mid-level
Adventure for the 128k CoCo 3.
I have two styles of the same program:
The first is a full-featured, nearly full disk of
programs that has that main file, an opening file,
an informational file, an ending file and several
support files. Along with a clever logo.
The second is a short collection, consisting of the
main file, the informational file and an auto-start
file. Just type "DOS" and the main file auto-loads.
=>
____________________________________________________
A preliminary copy was sent to and reviewed by L.E.
Padgett of ADVENTURE SURVIVORS. Lin constructively
reviewed and gave me some very necessary pointers in
order to make this Adventure a more complete game. I
am glad Lin put in his two cents worth. I needed it.
If you want a copy, send me a request of which
version you want, along with enough postage for 2
ounces from my address to your address. I think this
is a fair price, don't you?
Ray Berney
Star Route 68 Box 880
Okanogan, WA 98840-9704
CoCo Registry Issue 1 #23 =*
|
THE EMULATOR FUND REPLACED BY.. Due to a misunderstanding about the CoCo 3 Emulator
Escrow Bounty Fund, Rick's Computer Enterprise will
cease solicitation of donations for that fund. And
furthermore I wish to announce that anyone wishing a
refund due to their not understanding the intent of
this fund, make their request ASAP. THE INTENTION OF
THIS FUND WAS/IS TO "GIVE" MONEY TO JEFF VAVASOUR AS
A GESTURE OF APPRECIATION FOR HIS TAKING THE TIME TO
USE HIS TALENTS TO CREATE A COCO 3 EMULATOR FOR THE
PC. IN NO WAY WERE DONATIONS SOLICITED AS DOWN-
PAYMENTS TOWARD THE PROCUREMENT OF A COPY OF THIS
PROGRAM!
Furthermore it is my pleasure to announce a new fund
raiser:
=>
____________________________________________________
The new fund is called THE DEAR RICK I HAVE SOME
UNWANTED MONEY THAT I WISH TO GIVE YOU TO USE IN
WHATEVER WAY YOU SEE FIT, TO BUY CANDY BARS OR RACE
CARS, TO DONATE TO THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF ANYONE
RUNNING FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE, TO GIVE TO YOUR KIDS,
TO STUFF IN THE MOUTH OF RABID DOGS, OR EVEN TO GIVE
TO JEFF VAVASOUR FOR ANY REASON YOU SEE FIT, THERE
ARE ABSOLUTELY NO STRINGS ATTACHED AND I NEVER EVER
EXPECT TO SEE OR HEAR FROM THIS MONEY AGAIN AND WILL
CERTAINLY REFUSE ANY KIND OF REPAYMENT FOR MY GIVING
IT TO YOU!
As a final word on this subject, I make no promises
as to what will become of the monies you may donate
and will never ever tell you what became of such
monies. I do retain the right to publish the =>
____________________________________________________
names and amounts donated.
=*
|
| Articles in section: ARTICLES OF THE MONTH |
| DRIVE
OVER 35 WITH CAUTION ! DRIVE: Part 2 OS-9 OS-9 pt.2 OS-9 pt.3 OS-9 pt.4 |
| Back to top |
DRIVE OVER 35 WITH CAUTION ! With all of the attention to using the standard
RS-DOS with 40 tracks recently, I became determined
to see if it is possible to recover tracks 35 to 39
on a 40-track disk after backing up a 5-track disk
to it. After all, the last 5 tracks ARE still on the
disk, so why can't we regain access to them?
Armed with a scant collection of back issues of
RAINBOW, my FD-502 disk drive manual, all the info I
could gather from CFDM, and a disk editor, I set out
to search for the answer. Along the way I made some
discoveries that prompted me to write this article
to urge CAUTION to those of us who are using a setup
routine to configure our drives to 40 track. Those
of you who have a 40 track disk ROM (ADOS, etc.) may
not share this concern since your drive is probably
always configured for 40 tracks, but you still =>
____________________________________________________
may find my discoveries interesting.
After studying all the information that I had
gathered, I decided to put the disk editor to work.
I won't go into the details of all that I did, since
it would require too much space, but instead will
detail some of the discoveries I made and some of
the conclusions I reached.
1. The only difference between a 35 track and a 40
track disk WHEN FRESHLY FORMATTED is the physical
absence of tracks 35 through 39 on the 35 track
disk. All all bytes that can be read in every
sector contain an (&H)FF. (While each track does
also contain 82 bytes for system controls that
can't be read by my disk editor, it is my opinion
as I write this, that the system control bytes =>
____________________________________________________
on the freshly formatted disk have nothing to do
with detecting how many tracks are on the disk.)
2.When a 35 track disk is backed up to a disk that
has been formatted with 40 tracks, the 35 tracks
are copied to the new disk over the first 35
tracks of the 40 track disk. The other five tracks
are still on the disk, but are blocked out by the
GAT information that has been copied from the 35
track disk.
3.REGARDLESS of whether the disk was formatted for
35 or 40 tracks, configuration of the GAT (as 35
or 40 track) is determined by whether the DISK
DRIVE that saves the first file to this disk is
configured for 35 or 40 tracks.
(CONTINUED IN "CAUTION: Part 2") =*
|
DRIVE: Part 2 (Continuation of DRIVE OVER 35 WITH CAUTION !)
4.Every time a disk file is killed, saved or copied
to a disk, the GAT is re-written to reflect the
change that was made....and this can present a
problem when using a 40 track disk in a drive that
is configured to operate under a 35 track format.
***** CAUTION !!! *****
Each time the GAT is written to on a drive that
is configured for 40 tracks, the first 78 bytes in
the GAT are filled with information pertaining to
the 78 granules that are formatted on the 40 track
disk; either a (&H)FF that indicates a free granule,
or another HEX number that guides the drive when =>
____________________________________________________
1t loads information from the disk. Following those
first 78 bytes, the disk drive writes (&H)00's on
the rest of the bytes in the GAT. This occurs each
time the disk is written to or a file is killed.
This is where the hazard arises....the disk
drive that is in a 35 track configuration does
exactly the same thing as the 40 track drive WITH
ONE EXCEPTION. The 35 track drive only writes the
information to the first 68 bytes of the GAT, which
correspond to the 68 granules for tracks 0 to 34 on
a 35 track disk, and then overwrites the rest of the
GAT with (&H)00's, destroying the any information in
the GAT pertaining to granules 69 through 78 (track
35 to 39) on the 40 track disk! If that happens, any
files that are written on tracks 35 through 39 will
still be listed in the directory, and will still =>
____________________________________________________
be contained on the disk, but you will not be able
to access them unless you can reconstruct the GAT.
(While not as fatal as a high-speed save, this is
still a real pain!).
Just remember, if you are using 40 track disks
and do not have ADOS or another ROM based 40 track
DOS., ALWAYS make certain you run your drive setup
routine FIRST!!!, before you do anything else, and
ALWAYS REMEMBER to RE-RUN your drive setup routine
after a cold-start. (This is a great plug for ADOS!)
As added insurance, you may want to use a write
protect tab as an extra precaution on 40 track disks
that contain important files. Remember, even KILLing
a file on a 35 track drive will overwrite an the GAT
for tracks 35 to 39.
I like driving over 35, but I WILL be CAUTIOUS!! =*
|
OS-9 A number of friends have stated that they have OS-9 level 2 but gave up on it because of the size of the manual and it seemed complicated. When I first took a look at it I had the same opinion, and it sat on the shelf for a while. I tried it again, stuck with it, and can now say I'm comfortable with it (but no where near an expert). OS-9 is different but not difficult. There is no need to read the entire manual (I haven't) to be comfortable with it. The object of this review is to explain briefly what it is and what it can do. I'll also tell you what chapters and sections to read in that BIG manual to get comfortable with OS-9 L2. What is it? OS-9 is an operating system. What is => ____________________________________________________ Disk Extended Color Basic (DECB)? It is another an- other operating system. DECB (or RS-DOS) came with our CoCo so we had to learn how to use it in order to use our computer. If Tandy had sold the CoCo with OS-9 as the operating system, we would have learned how to use it in order to use our computer. If Tandy had later introduced RS-DOS we would have ignored it because of the manual size and the difficulty. Huh! OS-9 and RS-DOS both do the same thing. They operate the computer and allow you to run programs. OS-9 and RS-DOS are different. RS-DOS comes on ROMs and EPROMs (hardware & firmware) while OS-9 comes on disk (software). RS-DOS has only one DIR level while OS-9 can have many DIR levels. RS-DOS is fixed but OS-9 is flexable. OS-9 is better on the above. If => ____________________________________________________ you're like me you want to use both sides of your drive(s), 40 tracks, and will store more than one program on each disk. To do this with RS-DOS you have to burn a new EPROM or boot up with an alter- nate DOS or patch, then you have to live with a screen full of filenames that always scrolls past the one you want. With OS-9 you configure a bootfile that tells your computer the capacity of your drives and you create sub-directories for your programs. OS-9 and RS-DOS are similar. Both contain commands and functions used by you and your programs. OS-9 is more memory efficient because you (or the program) choose which commands will reside in RAM. RS-DOS has all the commands in RAM even if not needed. ------------ more in part 2 ---------------****=* |
OS-9 pt.2 Many of the commands are the same for both: RS-DOS OS-9 RS-DOS OS-9 --------- --------- --------- --------- DIR DIR DSKINI FORMAT BACKUP BACKUP COPY COPY KILL DEL PRINT ECHO LIST LIST LLIST LIST >/P So some are a little different and they are used differently. I didn't compare RUN or LOADM because in OS-9 if you want to play PACKMAN you just type PACKMAN instead of RUN"PACKMAN or LOADM"PACKMAN. What can OS-9 do? For one thing it can run all that OS-9 software you have. It also allows you to => ____________________________________________________ operate your computer. From reading CFDM I've concluded that most friends don't program, so they rarely use commands beyond those listed above. Learn these commands plus a few more and you will be as comfortable with OS-9 as you are with RS-DOS. Some of the things I've done with OS-9 you may also want to do. I've configured an OS9Boot that allows my FD-502 floppies to operate double sided, 40 trk. I've also configed to use a 3-1/2" floppy and a hard drive. I boot up with a 80 column screen, white let- ters on a black background (hate that green screen). Most OS-9 software is produced on single sided 35 track disks so some programs are on 2 or more disks. I've put multi-disk software like OS-9, LEISURE => ____________________________________________________ SUITE LARRY, and DESKMATE III on one disk and KINGS QUEST III on two disks. Some OS-9 software doesn't come with an OS9Boot. The instructions on how to create this bootfile appear to be written for the OS-9 expert. I've done it and I'm only comfortable with OS-9. How do you get comfortable with OS-9? Read the first section "Getting Started." 7 chapters, 51 pages. Read and work with this section until it is com- pletely understood. When you understand this section you will be better than half way towards being com- fortable with OS-9. Chapter 7 shows you how to cre- ate a customized OS9Boot. This is a MUST DO if => ---------- Cont. in part 3 --------------******=* |
OS-9 pt.3 you want to use the full capacity of your double sided floppie(s), or want to create a bootfile for software that doesn't come with an OS9Boot. Some tips on Config - select only what you need. My OS9Boot only has P, PIPE, D0.40, D1.40D, DDD0.40D, TERM.WIN, W, W1, and W2. Follow the instructions in the book and use the help screens. At the end you are asked "which commands?" Choose (F)ull if you are using 2 floppies. (I)ndividually select: Date, Echo, Format, Grfdrv, Link, Setime, and Shell if you are using 1 floppy. When Config is finished you have a bootable disk with a custom OS9Boot, commands in the CMDS dir and a startup file. At this point you are close, but no cigar, because you probably configured for 40D drive(s) and this bootfile is on a 35S disk. ____________________________________________________ Put your NEW DISK in drive /D0. Hit RESET and reboot the NEW DISK. If all went well it will work. If you have 2 drives put a blank disk in drive /D1. Type: format /d1 <ENTER> Answer the prompt (Y)es. When format is finished, type: dsave -b -v /d0 /d1 ! shell Dsave will copy (and verify) everything from the 35S disk to the 40D disk. If you have 1 drive, type: format /d0 <ENTER> Put a blank disk in drive /d0 and answer the prompt (y)es. When format is finished, type: cobbler /d0 Unfortunately dsave doesn't work with one drive so the startup file and the commands will have to be => ____________________________________________________ single drive copied (a lot of disk swaping required) from your System Master to the New 40D disk. Learn how to use Makdir and Copy in section 2, "OS-9 com- mands", chapter 6, and get with it. You now have a bootable 40D disk. Dsave or copy the directories and files from OS-9 L2, Disk 2 to your 40D disk and you will have the OS-9 system on one disk. In the process you used a number of commands. Sec. 2, chap. 6 explains the commands. Learn the commands mentioned above, plus: Backup, Build, Chd, Chx, Cmp, Del, Dir, Free, List, Load, Mdir, Mfree, Montype, Rename, Tmode, and Wcreate. When you under- stand these commands you will be comfortable with OS-9 and it will not have been that difficult. -------- this will end with part 4. ------*****=* |
OS-9 pt.4 You need to understand one more thing to be comfort-
able. That is startup. It was covered in "Getting
Started." When OS-9 boots it looks for and executes
the startup file. This is also called a batch file.
You will want to add some lines to startup. You can
follow the method in the book using Build and Merge
or just start from scratch using Build. You will add
lines to let the system know more about your equip-
ment and to do some setting up.
For example, I want the system to know my printer
baud rate (2400) and my monitor type (RGB) so I
added these lines: xmode /p baud=4
montype r
I also wanted to boot into the 80 column screen =>
____________________________________________________
mentioned earlier, so I added:
iniz /w1
wcreate /w1 -s=2 0 0 80 24 0 2 2
display 1b 21 </term >/w1
shell i=/w1&
I also Load Dsave, cmp, free, and Makdir because I
use them frequently.
The object is to include in your startup file the
setup and loading you normally do and you will save
all those keystrokes. The lines above are added to
my OS-9 System Disk. Another disk would have a dif-
ferent startup.
That's my review (and tutorial) of OS-9 L2. =>
____________________________________________________
Hope you take it off the shelf, dust it off, and
give it try. It only takes 100 plus pages of read-
ing and a few hours to get comfortable with OS-9.
If after giving it a try you are unsuccessful in
creating an OS9Bboot, drop me a note and I will send
you a bootable disk. I won't send you the complete
program; only the bootfile and whats needed to boot,
plus instructions on how to dsave a/o copy the other
files on to the disk. Include in your note the info
on your system and what you want it to boot.
Don't know the original cost. Paid $50.00 at a Rain-
bow Fest. Saw it for $5.00 when RS gave up on CoCo.
** Yes boys and girls, this is THE END. >******=*
R. PUTLACK; 27W370 GENEVA L57; WEST. CHGO, IL 60185
|
| Articles in section: COCO FRIENDS ART GALLERY |
| ALADDIN
2 EAGLE MOUNT REFLECTIONS OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT SHENANDOAH VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY |
| Back to top |
ALADDIN 2
ALADDIN2 was drawn on CoCo Max III, and is based
on Walt Disney's popular animated movie. It is a
rendition of the video cover and is actually a
double page picture, but I had to cut and edit it
to fit NIBSHOW. I hope you enjoy it!
=*
|
EAGLE
I adapted this picture from another collectible
plate advertised in the Sunday supplement (do
people ever buy these things?) Anyway, I thought it
would make a good subject, so I gave it a try. It
took the better part of two days. I'm reasonably
satisfied with the result, although I again wished
that the CoCo had some intermediate greys and a
couple of light browns.
Select "EAGLE" in NIBSHOW.
Norm Barson
7 Ridge Court
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
=*
|
MOUNT
The audacity of Rick Cooper! To include one of his
primitive attempts at art in a copy of CFDM!
Well I know I'm not an artist but I thought it would
be okay since I had a few extra granules on this
issue.
Actually the file "MOUNT.NIB" is an edition of a
drawing I created on the PC using a program called
Picture Publisher. I used a smaller edition of this
picture in issue #34's KUDOS. (The lightning and
darkening of the sky in that one was produced by
chance.)
The origin of this drawing was based in my purchase
of a book by the famous TV artist, Bob Ross. =>
____________________________________________________
After watching Bob on TV and seeing his how-to book,
I decided to invest and try my hand at converting
one of his great drawings to the computer screen.
Bob is an oil painter and Picture Publisher has an
oil painting option. Although not just like oil
painting, it does give a semblance of the real thing
on a computer screen.
I found that moving it to CoCo was not going to be
anything like what it looked like on the PC, so I
did spend some time editing it. I hope you'll at
least look at "MOUNT" and forgive my audacity!
=*
|
REFLECTIONS OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
At least one of our CoCo Friends got in the spirit
early enough to furnish us with two GREAT Christmas
pictures. (See FIRSTCHR.NIB and CHRIST94.NIB.)
I really wanted to get at least one of the pictures
"in" the magazine side...but...neither SQZ nor SPR
would allow it.
Thanks Garry for sharing your Christmas talent with
us!!
=*
|
SHENANDOAH
I had a postcard from Jim McNeill who had fled the heat of Wilmington DE to cool off in Shenandoah National Park. This boy from the Tropic of Capricorn found it difficult to believe that anyone who lives practically on the 40th parallel would ever need to flee from the heat. But maybe global warming has progressed further than I realised. Jim remarked that a silhouetted figure in the foreground of the scene could well be James Gibbons working on a CFDM cover. I thought a picture of the artist at work might be interesting. But, sadly, my pictures rarely turn out to be what I intended them to be so please view SHENDOAH as a picture of a gentle young lady enjoying a shady refuge from the afternoon sun in Shenandoah National Park. I hope you will find it pretty, anyway. =* |
VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY Please use NIBSHOW to view the .NIB pictures on this
month's disk. As you recall, NIBSHOW was featured
in issue #18 and a more complete documentation can
be found there. NIBSHOW is the contribution of our
Friend Stuart Wyss-Gallifent. Thanks Stuart!
After RUNning NIBSHOW, press D for a directory of
the NIB pictures on the disk. Use the arrow keys to
choose a picture and press the spacebar to view it.
Press BREAK to leave the picture. Press X at the
MAIN MENU to exit NIBSHOW.
=*
|
| Articles in section: FAMILY TREE |
| GREETINGS
FROM BUENOS AIRES GREETINGS TO ALL FROM AUSTRALIA JEFF VAVASOUR JEFF VAVASOUR...PART 2 |
| Back to top |
GREETINGS FROM BUENOS AIRES First of all I have to apologize for the mistakes I
will surely make in my English. As you know, we
speak Spanish here. Rick, perhaps is better you
correct the writing before publishing it.
I started using a CoCo more than 10 years ago. It
was a CoCo 1 with 16k and a cassette recorder.
Quickly, I upgraded the machine to 64k. It was used
by my son to start with computing. Now he is working
in the PC enviroment professionally and he abandoned
the CoCo world.
I have now a 128k CoCo 3 with two disk drives, a DMP
200 printer, a TV set and the cassette recorder. I
have little time to devote to the computer. Only on
weekends and a few hours. Mainly, I use the VIP
writer3 for my writing and some basic programs I
wrote to keep record of my music collection. My =>
____________________________________________________
daughter plays some games from time to time, but she
asks me for a PC all the time.
I am 49 years old, married, with two children, and
work for a telephone company. My hobbies are: listen
to music, mainly classical, playing with the CoCo
and making home videos.
Regards to all the CoCo friends from Buenos Aires.
Gilberto Luis Musa
Rivadavia 10773
1408 Capital Federal
Argentina
Fax No. 54 1 394 6457
=*
|
Greeting to you all. Hi, my name is Desmond Rae and Im a single 20 year
old CoCo Nut. I work as an Electronics Mechanic and
I have the ability to repair almost anything
electrical from Answering Machines to Poker Machines
to Auto-Matic Teller Machines. (Basicaly everything
except TV, Video Players and CD Players).
My CoCo setup Consists of a 512k CoCo 3 (soon to be
a 2 Meg. I got rid of my 1 Meg) 2 40 Track Floppies,
2x20Meg Hard Drives for OS9 (still learing OS9.) a
Multi-Pak Interface, RS-232 Cartridge, Stereo Pak,
Orchestra 90 CC, CM-8 Monitor, and a Tandy 1000 case
& power supply I have used to contain my Floppies
and Hard Drives in. I also have a DMP-440 printer.
On the right side of my CoCo 3 I have a IBM 386 SX40
and on my left I have an Amiga 500.
My hobbies include reading, writing reviews =>
____________________________________________________
(you may have seen them in CoCo-Link,'68 Micro's and
the Peninsula Colour Computer Club Magazines), and
Speedway. (I used to race until a I had a near fatal
crash. I now work on my Brothers vehicle as a
mechanic.) I also enjoy cruising up town on a
Thursday night in my Subaru Brumby Ute. (It turns
heads. I have a Clarion Stereo that I have wired up
that puts out about 200 watts. I will add a
Subwoofer between the seats in the near future!!)
If you're interested in swapping graphic files (any
format) or Sound Files (I have 43 disks full of
StudioWorks sounds) or just want to find out a
little more about what its like to live Down Under
in a Mining Town, feel free to drop me a line I will
endeavour to get a reply to you as soon as I can.
=>
____________________________________________________
My postal address is
******************
*PO BOX 2076, *
*Mount Isa, 4825,*
*Queensland, *
*Australia. *
******************
My home Phone/Fax is (077)-43-3486
PS. Where can I obtain some Fax software so I may
use the Fax part of my 14,440 baud Fax/Modem.
The software may be either RSDOS or OS9. Currently I
use my PC for sending/receiving Faxes.I would rather
use my CoCo 3. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you, Dez. =*
|
JEFF VAVASOUR The following entry is edited from an INTERNET message Jeff sent me after I asked about how he came to his level of skill on the PC. - Rick ---------------------------------------------------- I thought I might share a bit of my background with you. I started with a TRS-80 Model I in 1977, and after teaching myself BASIC and assembly language (Z-80 for the machine), I started doing freelance programming (around 1980). This started with writing programs to do inventory control, billings, etc. Eventually, one of the first companies I wrote for decided to buy a PC clone, the Corona PC. Anyway, they still wanted to use my programs, so they contacted me to do a conversion. I knew virtually nothing about the PCs back then, => ____________________________________________________ but I was motivated by the chance to work with the new computer and get paid to do it! Back then Microsoft wasn't the visible overlord of PC computing that it is today. Anyway, armed with the GW-BASIC manual, I discovered that PC BASIC wasn't that different from TRS-80 BASIC (Model I and CoCo BASIC are very similar except for graphics commands) and the translation was rather painless. I discovered that 8086 assembly language was a reasonable extension of the concepts of Z-80 assembler language (different mnemonics, same behavior though. It's closer to the Z-80 than 6809, but the differences are more blatant than the BASICs). Anyway, then I begain learning about interfacing with the OS, etc. (which is very => ____________________________________________________ similar to how you use OS/9 system calls actually), and went from there. There's actually quite a span of time covered there (up to '84 at any rate). I got out of the freelance programming in '87 when I started my undergrad degree in physics. (The last projects I worked on were actually student databases for the local school board.) The reason I mention all this is that I'd say that this is what originally got my interest up in cross- compatibility. My first attempts were translation, then in developing file transfer software (reading alien disks), and on a whim back in 1990, an emulator. (See Part 2.) =* |
JEFF VAVASOUR...PART 2 I've mentioned that "today's children learn on old
computers", I was saying that the old computers are
much more approachable. You'll find that GW-BASIC is
actually virtually the same syntax, etc. (except
that you can't type "FORX=1TO10" instead of "FOR X=1
TO 10", but there's a reason for that). The
difference is in how the computers are presented.
Microsoft, as it is today, has no interest in
supporting hobbyist programmers, generally neither
does the market. Hence, you'll never see any nice
tutorial manuals for the PC the way the TRS-80 BASIC
manuals were.
In an effort to become user-friendly, the PC market
emphasises application packages, end-products to do
specific jobs. In the process, they've neglected =>
____________________________________________________
"us", and so the computers are no longer programmer/
hobbyist friendly. I was fortunate to enter the PC
world before they got the hang of this, before it
became so "impersonal".
So, the fault with PCs is not the computers so much
as how they are presented. I feel that it is a shame
that PCs are underappreciated for their hobbyist
potential...
I consider myself an amateur programmer as you say,
and not one of the elitists that we both disapprove
of. I'm nostalgic for the "old days", and so I'm
motivated to "take back" a piece of the PC computer
world for us hobbyists. (This may sound like
blasphemy to some, but you have to remember that =>
____________________________________________________
the machine that I learned and essentially grew up
on, the TRS-80 Model I, has been dead for 13 years.
Even Computer News 80, one of the few surviving Z-80
line TRS-80 companies focuses support on the Model 4
and, to a lesser extent, the Model III. All I've got
left is the spirit. I think that's why I found
myself at home in the CoCo community, since that
feeling was still there.)
=*
|
| Articles in section: FORUM |
| BEST
OF RAINBOW COCO EMULATOR FUND UPDATE Computers At Work |
| Back to top |
BEST OF RAINBOW I Would like to suggest that former RAINBOW
readers/users send in suggestions for rating the
best and most used programs from RAINBOW. Then,
get permission from Falsoft to put the top 10 pro-
grams on a Shareware Disk distributed by Rick. For
starters, I still use a Backup utility for single
drive users (backup with 3 passes) called BACKUP.
Any single drive user should have such a program. I
would like to know of the best games, utilities,
etc. These should be programs that are so good you
are still using them from time to time.
If Rick includes this in the FORUM, I will try
to rate the top 10 that I having, including the
month & year of the RAINBOW issue.
=>
____________________________________________________
------
RICK: Thanks for the idea Steve! The listing of
favorite Rainbow programs is great...the "getting"
of these programs from Rainbow is probably not
possible, but we could try!
In answer to the duplication program, I dug out one
of my old (1989) creations. This program requires
512K but it will duplicate as many formatted disks
as you like in only one pass (after you first copy
the source disk into the program's memory). Please
see the entry 512K VERIFY - COPY in Programs of the
Month.
=*
|
COCO EMULATOR FUND UPDATE On October 15th the CoCo 3 Emulator Bounty Escrow
stood at $925. Today, November 19th, our fund is at
$133.75...and that's AFTER I've sent Jeff a check
for $1000! The balance of $133.75 will be added to
in the coming months. Hopefully we will be able to
collect enough to get Jeff's transportation paid to
Kentucky for Rick's Picnic! If this doesn't work
out we'll find an alternative!
Here's how we stand:
Beginning Balance October 15, 1994........$925.00
Pete Blackwell 6.00
Steve Felker 5.00
Esther Millard 5.00
Charlie Round 5.00
Kent Lorentzen 8.00
Jeff Cho 6.00 =
____________________________________________________
Bill Hood 5.00
Tony Mahan 10.00
Robert Marrone 80.00
John W. Anderson 5.00
S. M. Bowman 10.00
Winifred McGinnis 9.00
To Jeff Vavasour (& postage) - 1005.25
Roberta Sowell 5.00
Charles Gibson 10.00
Rafael Ortiz 5.00
Arthur Weisberg (Phone Fest PKG 25) 40.00
Ending Balance October 15, 1994 133.75
Thanks to all that have participated and let's
continue to add to this to get Jeff down for Rick's
Picnic!! =*
|
Computers At Work Having just read Jim Bennett's "Computer Circus" &
"Electronic Book" in issue 30, it brought to mind my
daughter-in-law who teaches autistic kids who have
little or no verbal communication skills. These kids
range in age from 3-18. A computer (NOT a COCO) is
used to allow the kids to type in words or partial
sentences to better express themselves to her. In a
few cases the colored letters on the screen and
getting through to the teacher, have motivated kids
to the point that their speaking skills have
improved significantly. When one young non-speaking
boy was asked to try to spell his name, he struggled
to locate the proper letters but did succeed. With
praise from the teacher, he turned to the keyboard
and typed "Well, I'm not stupid!". Another computer
(an Apple 2E) has been put to use to run several =>
____________________________________________________
programs designed for autistic children & also for
children with learning disorders. However she claims
that there are not very many programs available for
the Apple, ( at least that they are aware of). So
if any of the Friends know of any sources for this
type of programs for the Apple 2E (I'm sorry; I've
used that word 3 times already), I would gladly pass
on the information.
To Jim Bennett: Your point, Jim, is well made that a
computer can be a good learning tool for the very
young (or the autistics or those with some types of
learning disorders), even though my example is not a
COCO. I'm sorry that I can't be of some help with
the Electronic Book, but at least I will ask around
what is left of a very small group of COCO folks =>
____________________________________________________
in my area. Most have gone the route of the IBM but
maybe someone can resurrect an E-Book. With a good
purpose such as yours, I certainly hope so!
Herb Forger 88 Dry Hill Rd Norwalk CT 06851
Tel: (203) 847-4282
=*
|
| Articles in section: FROM THE EDITOR |
| CHRISTMAS
ENTRY ON THANKSGIVING! CHRISTMAS KUDOS <g> |
| Back to top |
CHRISTMAS ENTRY ON THANKSGIVING! Today's Thanksgiving Day and I'm putting the wraps
on the Christmas issue of CFDM! After a nice meal
with Donna's family, I hurried home to fix the last
few entries.
It's the time of year we contemplate the blessings
of life. And soon it will be Christmas and we'll
be celebrating the greatest gift of all. There's a
number of things I hold dear. And at times we may
lose sight of the greatest of blessings due to our
getting caught up in the cares of the world. I hope
everyone will have a great Christmas season and take
a few moments to think about the real meaning of the
season. It's most important that we do so!
When I last wrote this entry we were getting =>
____________________________________________________
ready for Phone Fest IV. That event has come and
gone, very successfully! The next big event is the
third anniversary issue of CFDM. Can you believe
we've been doing this for three years. Many things
have transpired...and I must tell you that there
were times when I have felt it couldn't go on much
longer! Yes...even I get tired and a little low at
times. I hope there will be new happenings during
the new year which will keep us high in spirit and
looking forward to each new issue of CFDM! Let's
all strive to be creative and look for new ways of
putting our favorite computer to good use!
Thanks to all who have helped make every issue a
pleasure to experience!
=>
____________________________________________________
----------------------------------------------------
Last issue's scripture came from Galatians 4:18
----------------------------------------------------
Now can you locate this one?
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that
is born of the Spirit.
=*
|
|
<< WILLIAM ASTLE >> << ROY ATKINS >> << BOB BARKER >> << NORM BARSON >> << JIM BENNETT >> << RAY BERNEY >> << PETE BLACKWELL >> << LOGAN BLECKLEY III >> << BUCK CARDEN >> << GUY CHARBONNIER >> << JEFF CHO >> << JOHN DANIELS >> << HARVEY DRISCOLL >> << STEVE FELKER >> << HERB FORGER >> << TOM HENRY >> << KEIRAN KENNY >> << HENRY KSZEPKA >> << MARIO LECOURS >> << GILBERTO MUSA >> << C. B. NELIS >> << VIC NEUFELDT >> << LIN & NAN PADGETT >> << ROY PUTLACK >> << DESMOND RAE >> << TERRY SIMONS >> << PAULA SMELTZ >> << ROBERTO SOWELL >> << GARRY SPENCER >> << JERRY TOFTE >> << ROBERT A TURNER >> << JEFF VAVASOUR >> << BEN WALKER >> << LESLIE WALTZ >> << PAUL WOLF >> << STUART WYSS-GALLIFENT >> |
CR IS PERFECT ON MY RGB MONITOR! Received the copy of "CR" (the CoCo Registry)
yesterday. Tried it. It worked perfectly on my RGB
monitor.
You must be a MAGICIAN. Thank you very much!
....Hoping that you will continue for a long time
issuing CFDM.
Not a customer but a friend.
- Guy Charbonnier
1110 Sideleau
Sherbrooke, QC
Canada J1E 1H4
=*
|
EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS Thanks for two more wonderful programs! The CoCo
Registry and CoCo Accountant III.
I won't say I've checked out all the possibilities
of Accountant III, but the Registry surely tells
all, and that list of Advertisers on the reverse
side will surely have something for everyone.
- Vic Neufeldt
16281 SW Westwind Lane
Beaverton, OR 97007
----------------------------------------------------
I enclose a check for the Registry disks. I have
already furnished the information concerning myself
for the Registry. =>
____________________________________________________
Incidentlly, I have been using the CoCo Accountant 3
program for four or five years, both for personal
finances and for use in my positions as Treasurer
for four different volunteer organizations. (Nobody
wants to be Treasurer so I get stuck each year when
new officers are elected!)
The CoCo Accountant program has worked very well for
me.
- Tom Henry
371 Franklin Road
Tequesta, FL 33469
----------------------------------------------------
Thanks you for sending UNBELIEVABLE OFFER #3 and
CoCo Accountant 3. I was really impressed with UO#3.
The kids are having a great time with it. I am =>
____________________________________________________
still working on CoCo Accountant 3, but I know it
will be great help to me.
Please let me know if you have anymore educational
programs.
- Paula Smeltz
110 W. Ruffin St.
Mebane, NC 27302
----------------------------------------------------
I am like CFDM more with every issue, it is the best
around. Your friendliness and prompt responses make
it even better.....
- Jeff Cho
187 Bramblebush Rd.
Stoughton, MA 02072 =*
|
EXCERPTS FROM PHONE FESTERS Enclosed is the $70 for my bids on #14 & #25 + $30
for a renewal of CFDM. It was nice talking with you.
- William Astle Olds, AB Canada
----------------------------------------------------
I'm so happy to get package #5. It's been a long
time I've wished I could get Disk EDTASM with the
notebook.
I really enjoyed last Saturday on your phone fest
day.
- Mario Lecours Bellechasse, PQ Canada
----------------------------------------------------
..I want to say that I really enjoyed the chance to
chat with you Saturday during the Phone Fest..I want
to thank you for giving me the chance to participate
by offering all those great packages. I just had =>
____________________________________________________
to get in on this one. I was more than happy to get
home Saturday night to find your message that I had
outbid everyone for 3 packages.
- Jerry Tofte Portland, OR
----------------------------------------------------
Phone Fest IV was great fun! Keep it up!
- Lin & Nan Padgett Peachtree City, GA
----------------------------------------------------
Enclosed is my check in payment for auction package
#16...my package includes King's Quest III. Since I
already have this software, please keep it and use
it in another package in a future "Phone Fest".
Hope the phone fest was a huge success.
- Robert Sowell Osage City, KS 66523
----------------Thanks Roberta------------------=>
____________________________________________________
I enjoyed talking to you last Saturday. Here's the
check for my auction packages.
I forgot to mention it, but I just traded a bunch of
stuff with Robert Allen Turner. Our little group
just keeps on helping each other!
- John Daniels Cleveland, TN
----------------------------------------------------
Hope your Phone Fest was a success. If you ever come
across any Inside Level II or Inside Extended Basic
books, save them for me. (Enc. check for Photon.)
- Henry Kszepka Wilbraham, MA
----------------------------------------------------
RICK: THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED MAKE THIS ANOTHER
SUCCESSFUL COCO EVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
=*
|
KUDOS FOR RICK & NORM I would like to take a few moments to thank Rick
Cooper and Norm Barson for their work on the CFDM
indexes program.It has been very helpful to me. I
would like to know if there is any way to get a hard
copy of this information.
I would also like to thank Rick for obtaining COCO
ACCOUNTANT III. I am using this program quite a lot.
I am hoping that you are able to get the rights to
more programs like this.
Again thanks to both of you.
------
RICK: Thanks for you nice letter Roy! Per hard copy
CFDM INDEXES, can we Norm?
=*
|
My Thanks For Winning I would like to take this time to say "Thank You" for my being the randomly picked winner of Ray Berney's Subscription contest (issue 30). I enjoy these CFDM contests & hope to see more of whatever type contests other friends might create. I realize that there where 7 other friends who had the correct answers, but I guess I happened to get the "Luck of the draw". My prize of a 6 months renewal of CFDM is perfect since I would certainly do that anyway. Therefore more importantly I would like to say "Thanks to Ray Berney for the contest and also for the prize! Herb Forger 88 Dry Hill Rd Norwalk CT 06851 Tel: (203) 847-4282 =* |
PROGRAMMERS VS PROGRAM RUNNERS I need a lot of basic help to run the many good CFDM
programs. I've passed up some good ones for lack of
good instructions. Can we get our good programmers
to help us?
Prompts at times need more explanation, baud rates
need to be stated, lines to be used or changed for
printing with different printers. We need the
"manual treatment". Can we get the programmmers to
talk to us at our level.
- C. B. Nelis
HC 72
Box 59:1
Mtn. View, AR 72560
=>
____________________________________________________
-----
RICK: Thanks for your candid suggestions C. B.!!
Let me recall a conversation I had with Paul
Olmstead, owner of SPORTSware, on the occasion of
marketing my first program (FLAGS). After Paul had
seen this program and asked to market it, I remember
saying, "Fine Paul, but I don't like to write
documentation!" Paul was nice enough to do that for
me. I just had to jot down some notes on how the
program worked.
BUT.....Paul was not around when I started Rick's
Computer Enterprise...so..I had to start writing my
own documentation. I've found this is not a real
easy task. No matter how hard you try, you =>
____________________________________________________
always seem to leave out something. At least those
who wish to use your programs can come up with some
very pertinent questions that you did not consider
when you wrote the documentation.
My advice to those wishing to give good instructions
with their submissions is to cover the following
basic points. Be sure to mention the minimum amount
of RAM needed to run your program. If your program
uses a printer, you definitely need to relate any
special printer codes that you used which may need
to be changed when using other printers. You don't
need to be able to tell what the new codes will be,
but tell which lines contain these codes. Also, if
you have set the baud rate in your program, let us
know that and which line needs to be changed. =*
|
TESTIMONIAL This is my first attempt at using this sample of
Jim's Artwork. Great huh? We just returned from a
bus tour to celebrate our 50th and the chance to
still be able to celebrate. When we returned, we
were further surprised (totally) by a gathering of
our three sons (Bend, OR -- Tucson, AZ -- Seattle,
WA) and all but three of our 15 grandchildren. It
was truly humbling.
BUT, that is not the main of this letter. I cannot
see how any subscriber to your "HARDCOPY" who also
enjoys utilities cannot also try your "Accountant3".
Don't doubt but that it is a truly Unbelievable
Offer -- love all of yours so far. Please send me
your Accountant3.
=>
____________________________________________________
That scripture at the end of "Rick's Message" #32,
I believe is from IS 61:1-2.
Now because it might be a nice day -- it's out to
do some outside work. Don't know what I would be
doing without CFDM. Oh, I have lots of things to
look up and try in some of these old Rainbows, but..
Thanks again to ALL.
- Vic Neufeldt
16281 SW Westwind Lane
Beaverton, OR 97007
(503 649-7511)
=*
|
THANKS FOR BEING THE
"NAILS"!! Dear Rick, Enclosed is my check for the disks & ribbons per our phone conversation on 11/12 (Phone Fest IV Day) I hope your phone fest was a huge success and you got a lot of response. From the list that's included in your CoCo Registry I don't see how it could have been otherwise. The way I look at this thing of CoCoing right now Rick is that you and your little operation are the nails that hold the house together. Without CFDM my CoCo would not be worth near what it is now, and I'd probably be out spending my $$$$$$ on some super- mega-who-knows-what just to do the things that => ____________________________________________________ this old war horse handles quite well. Right now my money is in my pocket (although I'm not quite sure where it is) and I'm getting everything done I need to do. Also a special thanks should go out to all of the people who submit programs which we others are making good use of. I want to take a line or two to tell you about one such program which I have put to big-time use. That is Jim Bennett's DATA FORM III on issue #30. I have a library of National Geographic Magazines dating from WW II to the present, and they are very useful to say the least. A problem with them, though, is that when I want to find a past article, or my => ____________________________________________________ daughter wants to look up something for a school report (and you wouldn't believe how useful these old books are for school) we have to look through hundreds of books to find the info we want. With Jim's DF3 I have created a database which lists National Geographi articles by Date, Subject, Title, and a brief Description of each article. When looking for a subject, just feed in the key word, punch enter, sit back and sip your coffee and let your CoCo do the work. Also planning to use Jim's program for filing all the checks I've written since 1970. - Paul L. Wolf Hanover, PA ----> Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, ----> abstains from giving in words evidence of the ----> fact. - George Eliot =* |
| Articles in section: POTPOURRI |
| CHAIN
LOADING CFDM DISKS FARM FUN by Ray Berney <g> LITTLE SUITE The Hunting Trip |
| Back to top |
CHAIN LOADING CFDM DISKS The other day I wanted to browse through back issues
of CFDM. However, I didn't want to have to go thru
the tedious process of exiting and loading for each
and every disk that I wanted to look at. Also, I
didn't want to have to look at the logo each time I
viewed a different issue. So....
What I did was to make a small modification to "C",
the program that boots CFDM. The modifications are
to be found in lines 650-665. Also, in order to be
sure that the program still used no more than 1 gran
on the disk, I eliminated some of the REM's at the
top of the listing.
The modified version acts just like the original ex-
=>
____________________________________________________
cept if you press BREAK at the main menu. Instead
of exiting immediately, you get a choice of load-
ing another CFDM disk (ENTER will let you see the
cover page; CTRL will skip the cover page) or exit-
ing by pressing BREAK a second time.
The first time you RUN "C MOD", you must NOT try to
access an issue prior to #16. On the first run, you
can load any issue from 16 on up to the present.
Once the first issue is loaded, you can BREAK and
load ANY issue that you want. All the issues can be
loaded at that point.
=***
|
LITTLE SUITE This musical transcription is called LITTLE SUITE.
It was written by Johann Sebastion Bach for his
second wife Anna Magdelana and is also from the note
book of the same name. It consists of the following:
MINUETT,MUSETTE,MARCH AND BE THOU WITH ME. All four
selections must be on the disk to run this program.
RUN"SUITE"
=*
|
The Hunting Trip Well, my last hunting trip was a thrill. To read
about it, load up HUNTTRIP.DOC into your word
processor. I'll think you'll appreciate what I went
through.
=*
|
512K VERIFY - COPY As a response to Steve Felker's desire for a program which will duplicate diskettes in the minimum number of passes, I dug out this program I wrote in 1989. I remember visiting Rainbow headquarters and showing the program to Cray Augsburg and Greg Law. They thought it was neat...but I never submitted it for publication. First I must mention that this program REQUIRES a 512K CoCo 3. I remember writing a 2 pass program for a 128K CoCo 3, but I can't locate it at this time. Secondly let me say that unless you plan to copy more than one disk, you're probably wasting your time using a fast duplicator. The time it takes => ____________________________________________________ to find and load such a program won't save time for just backing up one disk. The program is TEST512C.BIN. I also included the source code, TEST512C.SOR, for those who've been following William Astle's assembly language course. One more note before I describe TEST512C, you must have your new diskettes formatted. This program does not format diskettes! There are five action keys you may use from the main menu of TEST512C. They are B, D, F, V, and C. The B lets you choose which of the two banks of RAM will be used. The D stands for the disk drive that will be used. Pressing B will toggle between Bank A => ____________________________________________________ and Bank B. Pressing D will toggle between drives 0 thru 3. Pressing F will fill the selected Bank of memory with the contents of the disk in the selected Drive. For instance if Bank A is selected and Drive 0 is selected, pressing F will fill Ram Bank A with the entire contents of the disk in Drive 0. Pressing V will compare the contents of Bank A and Bank B. This option is used to verify two disks. Just fill Bank A with 1 disk and Bank B with another before you press V to verify that they are alike. Pressing C will copy the contents of the selected Bank to the disk in the selected drive. See Part2 =* |
512K VERIFY - COPY..Part 2 So when you want to make 100 copies of the new game
you've written to sell (I recommend you wait til you
get 90 orders before making the copies!), just set
Bank to A and Drive to 0. Then press F to Fill Bank
A with your original source disk. Next remove the
original disk and place a blank (doesn't have to be
blank) formatted disk in drive 0 (or 1 or 2 or 3)
and make sure the active Drive is 0 (or 1 or 2 or 3
if you want to use that drive for copying). Now
press C and the contents of Bank A, which is a copy
of your original disk, will be copied to the disk in
the selected Drive. You can continue placing new
disks in the selected Drive and press C to make as
many copies as you want.
I hope you'll find this program useful and if I =>
____________________________________________________
can locate the 128K, two pass version, I'll put it
in CFDM.
=*
|
Connect 4 A number of people play connect four for the same
reason as they play TICTACTOE--to pass time. However
there are all sorts of pieces to lose with Connect4.
Several years ago, I wrote a CoCo version of the
game. (That was shortly after I did an Apple IIe
version for school) I think the color version on the
CoCo with round pieces is much nicer than the one
with square pieces on the apple!!!
RUN "CONNECT4" to try it out.
=*
|
Heart DEMO Just an early attempt at animation that could be
used to teach. Heart Demo shows how the blood
flows through the heart, and the valves opening and
closing. Maybe I'll do an internal combustion
engine next.
The picture (In SQS format) is loaded, and then a
tiny BASIC program cycles the correct palettes with
the correct colors. This way, the old blue blood,
the new red blood, and the valves, appear to move.
=*
|
MAZE for the Printer PMAZE is a maze-generation program that prints out
the abstract topology. The program takes several
minutes to print out each maze and there is only one
way through it. On printers with IBM graphic
characters (like mine), I normally use CHR$(197). It
prints out the maze beautifully. But I changed it to
CHR$(35) for ease of use and general printer
acceptability. Hope you like it. But don't waste
your printer ribbons!
=*
|
PMODE 4 TO HSCREEN 2:
PM4>HS2A. In issue #16 of CFDM, I included a utility that I wrote for converting HSCREEN 2 pictures to PMODE 4 pictures. This was written to aid Ray Smith with his work with the Dragon computer. In that article, I mentioned plans for a PMODE 4 to HSCREEN 2 picture converter. I stated that if any CFDM friends needed such a routine, and would let me know, I would speed up the process of creation. I received no response, so I forgot about the project. It seemed as though it would take a lot of time to create, and my time is very limited at the moment. Then, I read a recent request from Jim Mills, asking about such a routine. I set out to create the program! The M/L took only about half an hour to create (I surprised even myself with this one!). The BASIC driver took a great deal more time to create and de-bug. Well, => ____________________________________________________ that being said, the program is now completed and is presented here. I hope that it is useful to the CoCo Friends. To use the program, type: RUN "PM4>HS2A". This is a BASIC program with the M/L appended to the end via end-packing. The source code is included as: "PM4>HS2A.ASM". I include the source code for those curious CoCo Friends who might like to tinker with the program. When you RUN the program, it will read the DIRectory of the last accessed disk drive and will display a listing of all /BIN and /MAX files that are present. Select the file that you would like to convert and enter it's number. The program will check to see if it is a PMODE graphics file. If it is not, then you will be informed and allowed to make another selection. This program can only convert PMODE graphics that use only four PMODE => ____________________________________________________ graphics pages. If the file is an 8 page graphic, you will be notified and allowed to make another selection. If you want to convert an 8 page graphic, you must save the first four pages of that graphic and this program can then convert it. To do this, re-boot your computer and type PCLEAR 8. Then LOADM the graphic file. Save it as a 4 page graphic via: SAVEM "filename/ext", &HE00,&H25FF,&HA027. After you have selected the file that you wish to convert, you will be offered one of two choices: 1] PHOTO-POSITIVE CONVERSION and, 2] PHOTO-NEGATIVE CONVERSION. Option 2 will reverse the b & w data of the picture. Option 1 is the recommended conversion. The program will then load and convert the picture file. Note that this program does not support [SEE PART 2] => =* |
PMODE 4 TO HSCREEN 2: PART 2. the conversion of artifacting colors on an RGB
monitor. The colors will still artifact on a CMP
monitor or television, but will appear as b & w
on an RGB monitor. After the conversion has been
completed, you will be offered the choice of
viewing the HSCREEN 2 picture, the PMODE 4 picture
or exiting the program. When you are done viewing
the picture, you may then exit the program and use
Rick's NIBSAVER to save the picture.
Soon, I will have completed a version of this
program that will allow for the conversion of
artifacting colors. I hope to update this program
to allow saving the picture in /CM3 format.
ENJOY! - B0B "The R.A.T." Turner.
P.S. I forgot to mention the fact that if you =>
____________________________________________________
wish to exit the program during the file selection
process, you may do so by entering a value of zero,
or a value that is higher than the last listed file.
You could also just press [ENTER] as this will enter
a value of zero. The [BREAK] key may be used to exit
the program at any time.
=*
|
STRINGART 12 If you're not tired of stringart yet, here is
another one. It's a little more complex, but still
just one color "string" on a contrasting back-
ground color. I'm working my way up to some multi-
colored designs. More to come. (Does that sound like
a threat?)
RUN"STRING12" on the program side.
Norm Barson
7 Ridge Court
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
=*
|
| Articles in section: REVIEWS |
| Epson
2000 & CoCo Emulator PRESTO PARTNER (OS-9) PRESTO PARTNER (PART 2) |
| Back to top |
Epson 2000 & CoCo Emulator Well, I finally did it. I bought a 486 IMB
compatible machine. It is an Epson 2000 CD-ROM
mini tower. The vender installed a 5 1/2 drive
for just $75 more (which is a must for transfering
files between my CoCo and the IBM machine.). The
CD-ROM is one feature that has made the purchase
of this machine worth while (my CoCo still does much
of what the IMB machine does). The sound, graphics,
and storage capabilities are so much greater.
I was eager to try the RETRIEVE program that
came with the CoCo Emulator. It did not work until
I changed the mouse driver to high memory on the
Epson. The RETRIEVE program works much faster using
the hard drive (put the RETRIEVE program on your
hard drive). Then, the PORT program did fine trans-
fering the virtual CoCo disks created with RETRIEVE.
____________________________________________________
I have modified that BASIC program so that it will
transfer all of the files on the virtual disk with
a basic wild card file name such as *.TXT (all .TXT
files are transfered).
The main problem I have run into is that the
program does not seem to initialize & write files
that my CoCo will read. Any solutions?
Also, when I transfer files created by SIMPLY
BETTER, some odd character codes are transfered
also. Does anyone know of a program that will clean
these codes out?
Steve Felker
1104 Clifton Dr.
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
=>
____________________________________________________
------
RICK: Steve the RETRIEVE and DSKINI programs with
the new CoCo 3 Emulator seem to work better for me.
As for now you might try formatting a disk on your
CoCo and then using DSKINI with that disk. Maybe it
will and maybe it won't, but I have successfully
tried this at times (at other times even this didn't
work). By the way there is a new and better PORT
program with the new emulator.
As for unusual characters passing over, this sounds
like the settings in PORT were not properly set. You
might try experimenting with them. Again the new
PORT program gives more control in this area too.
=*
|
PRESTO PARTNER (OS-9) Before I present my review of Presto Partner, I should mention my skill level using OS-9. On a scale between 1 and 10, where 1 is a beginner who just booted up OS-9 for the first time, and 10 being an expert programmer, I would like to consider myself a 4...Not really proficient, but, can move into and around OS-9 somewhat smoothly. With that said, I should begin by saying Presto Partner copied over to my double-sided System Master with no trouble at all. Just follow the docs. There are several ways to execute Presto Partner. You can execute it so that it runs in a background window until you press <Clear>. Then it will place itself in the foreground where you can use it. Or, you can have Presto Partner running in the fore- ground upon booting up OS-9. => ____________________________________________________ You can add <filename> to your startup method and have Presto Partner load a previously saved file on startup. When it is executed from the OS-9 prompt, Presto Partner creates a window, switches to the new window, and leaves the original window free for fur- ther OS-9 processing. So, what is Presto Partner?? It is an OS-9 based desktop utility that is really easy to use. It can be used as a note pad, alarm clock, scheduler of events, calculator, and phonebook/addressbook. Plus, there is the ability to define Macro keys. A Macro key is a single key designed to execute many OS-9 commands. With Presto Partner, you can design up to 10 Macro keys that, when pressed, will execute up to 10 OS-9 commands each. There is also the Auto-save feature, which will automatically save to => ____________________________________________________ disk any changes that were made, every 15 minutes. You may toggle this feature on or off. Upon startup, you will find on the screen, your first "note", a digital clock, and a calendar with today's date highlighted. --- WARNING ---: As all good OS-9'ers know by now, you should never bypass the date prompt when booting up OS-9. If you wish for Presto Partner to work properly, you should al- ways enter today's date and time when prompted. The first "note" has some helpful messages on it already. You can see the Help Window by pressing the key combo: <ALT>-<?>. All of Presto Partner's func- tions can be executed by pressing a variety of <ALT> key combinations. You are allowed to create up to 7 notes at a time. Please see Part 2...=> |
PRESTO PARTNER (PART 2) To create a note, simply type into it whatever you
want. To edit a note, simply use the arrow keys to
move around the note to make a change. Just type
over the previous text. You can also do complex math
calculations in a note. Just type the mathematical
expression followed by <ALT>-<=>. The answer will be
typed into the note. To create a new note, just type
<ALT>-<DOWN ARROW>. To move back to the previous
note, use <ALT>-<UP ARROW>, and it will be un-alter-
ed. You can also <ALT>-<H>ardcopy the current or all
notes.
You can use the calendar to schedule an event or
an alarm. First, you enter the alarm time. Next, you
enter the event. Next you enter the type of alarm:
Visual (screen flashes red), Audio (beeps), both, or
none. Next you are prompted for the reminding =>
____________________________________________________
period. And lastly, you are prompted for the type of
scheduling: every day, week, month, year, or today
only. The alarm also works if Presto Partner is run-
ning in a background window and you are somewhere
else in OS-9. (A nice feature if you need an alarm
to keep you from staying up into the wee hours try-
ing to improve your OS-9 skill level from a 4 to a
5.)
Like everything else in Presto Partner, the phone-
book is just as easy to use. You can store the names
and up to 3 lines of address for each phone number
you store. When accessing the phonebook, a list of
commands is displayed. Using the UP/DOWN arrow keys
moves you thru the phonebook. You can also <L>ookup
a person's name, or <A>dd or <R>emove a person from
the phonebook. If you have an auto-dial modem, =>
____________________________________________________
Presto Partner will even allow you to <C>all a num-
ber simply by pressing <C> after finding a person's
entry.
This review is a little longer than I had planned.
I just wanted to let our Friends know how much I en-
joy using Presto Partner, just one of the utilities
that made Rick's UNBELIEVABLE OFFER #4 totally UN-
BELIEVABLE!... Thanks again, Rick!
Your Friend, Jerry =*
|
ABOUT MAX-10 I have a copy of the Max 10, and CoCo Max3 that I
never could use. As I am interested in using them, I
recently bought a Hi Res Joystick adapter from
Hawksoft, but when I try to start Max10 it ask me
for a "clicker". Can somebody tell me what the
clicker is, and where can I get one?. Coco Max3 does
not work either. The pointer remains in a corner and
does not respond to the joystick. I don't know what
to do. Regards.
Gilberto Luis Musa
Rivadavia 10773
1408 Capital Federal
Argentina
=*
|
ABOUT THAT EMULATOR... Rick, I think an emulator for the CoCo-3 is the
boost that our community needs. Not having an IBM
clone of my own, but having access to one at work, I
would be very happy to show the folks there just
what MY baby can do, without actually having to
bring a machine down to work.
I'm in no way being skeptical, but, I have a few
questions about that emulator...
- Does the emulator use the harddrive as disk space
for files created by a CoCo-3 program?
- Will OS-9 work on a CoCo-3 emulator?
- I have virtually no CoCo-2 software. Should I try
an emulator for the CoCo-2, or, should I wait for
the CoCo-3 version?
- Would the mouse connected to the clone work as the
joystick on the CoCo does? =>
____________________________________________________
(Here comes a tricky one)...
- I hope this doesn't sound stupid, but, if the
software I have purchased for my CoCo-3 loads in-
to the IBM clone at work via the emulator, does
that not constitute a copyright infringement? I
know I would be the only one to use this software,
but, I would be giving people free access to soft-
ware they did not originally purchase. (See below)
- Can you password protect your files?
I am all for the CoCo-3 emulator project. Please
add the enclosed donation to the Emulator Bounty Es-
crow fund. Long live CFDM and the CoCo community!
- Jerry -
------
RICK: Thanks for the donation and the questions! Let
me see what I can answer. Keep in mind that I =>
____________________________________________________
am not privy to the source code. 1) The emulator
reserves PC RAM to serve as a CoCo. If your PC has
enough memory, you have a 512K CoCo, otherwise a
128K CoCo. A PC file on the hard drive serves as
your CoCo diskettes. Each file is exactly the same
number of bytes as a real CoCo diskette (161,280
bytes). These PC files are called virtual disks and
have an extension .DSK. A virtual disk is created
mainly by copying an entire CoCo disk into the PC
(on to it's hard drive). The command for this is
RETRIEVE. It takes about 30 or 40 seconds to make
this copy from the PC's 5 1/4 drive to the hard
drive. Once you get into the CoCo3 Emulator you can
press F2 which takes you to the Virtual Disk Menu.
From here you can "load" or "designate up to 4 .DSK
(See Part 2.) =*
|
ABOUT THAT EMULATOR...PART 2 files (equivalent to 4 CoCo disks) to be loaded into
your virtual disk drives. These virtual disk drives
are actually RAM drives in the PC's memory. They
work exactly like CoCo3 drives, they're just soft-
ware instead of hardware! After loading the drives
you use DIR0, DIR1, etc. to check what's there. Also
LOAD, SAVE, LOADM, SAVEM, COPY, BACKUP, etc. work
just like the real thing.
Jeff is presently testing OS-9 Level II and he has
not said anything to lead me to believe that OS-9
would not work. In other words, to my knowledge it
works fine.
The only reason for getting the CoCo 2 Emulator is
to get an idea of what's in store. A very =>
____________________________________________________
important note here is that the CoCo3 Emulator is
not compatible with all PC videos. So Jeff is going
to make available the latest revision of the CoCo2
Emulator along with a test program to see if your
machine will handle the CoCo3 Emulator. (The CoCo2
Emulator should work fine.) The cost of this disk
will be minimal and a safeguard against anyone
spending money for the CoCo3 Emulator and it not
being compatible with your machine. Running Jeff's
video test program will tell you if you can use the
CoCo3 Emulator. If authorized, I will send out this
disk for $1. (A note: Jeff is talking $25 for the
CoCo3 Emulator. It's worth it! Please be aware
that you will need to use Jeff's GETROM program to
secure a copy of your CoCo3's ROM. The ROM is not
included with the program for copyright reasons.)=>
____________________________________________________
The mouse works more like your CoCo mouse than a
joystick. That's because of the nature of mice and
joysticks!
There is no password protection.
Per infringement of copyright on YOUR purchased CoCo
software: I shouldn't think that would be a problem.
(Especially if you purchased that software from my
offerings!!!)
Thanks for the good questions!!
=*
|
ANSWER In response to William Astle's question about POKES,
PEEKS, & EXECS in CFDM #33. I have the three books
500 PEEKS POKES'N EXECS FOR THE COLOR COMPUTER
SUPPLEMENT TO 500 POKES PEEK'N EXECS
300 POKES PEEK'N EXECS FOR THE COCO III
by Microcom. If anyone has any suggestions as to how
I can get this information to other members who may
wish to have it, please let me know through CFDM or
contact me personally. If there is enough interest I
could submit these books in the form of submissions
to the Potpourri section of CFDM if this is okay
with Rick. Contact me at the following address:
3 Lundy Lane,
London,Ont.,
Canada N6C 3G4
519-433-6948 =>
____________________________________________________
------
RICK: These are very helpful books and I wish there
was a way everyone could have them, but...this
material belongs to someone else. I don't know who
or their whereabouts. Maybe someone else does and
we could find out about the possibilities of getting
the rights to republish.
=*
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CLIPART/THE PHONE FEST BROCHURE Let met take this opportunity to thank you for CFDM
and the obvious amount of work you have put into it.
I received your pamphlet about Phone Fest IV. Whilst
I cannot participate I do think it is a great idea.
I do have one question. I really liked the clipart
you used in the advert. Is it available for our use
either as Public Domain or purchase? I for one would
like a copy.
Bob Barker
P.O. Box 223
Glenfield, NSW 2167
Australia =>
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------
RICK: Thanks for your nice comments Bob! I'm sorry
to say that the clipart used in the Phone Fest
brochure is not available to CoCoists. It comes
from a Corel Draw gallery of 10,000 pieces of clips
which is produced on a CD ROM disk. It may be
possible to move some of this from the PC to the
CoCo with the CoCo 3 Emulator's PORT program..but..
it is not Public Domain. The CD ROM disk costs
about $50.
=*
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LOOKING FOR PACDUDE V.1. Please, anyone, if you have a copy of Brian
O'Neill's "PACDUDE.BIN V.1" (not V. 2), I would like
to get it and try again to beat that game.
Thanks heaps to you and Rick for making this
public among the CoCo bunch.
AND LET'S HAVE MORE SOLITAIRE GAMES!!
Logan Bleckley III
717 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
=*
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MISCELLANEOUS INFO NEEDED! Rick can you let me know about a 512K upgrade, cost,
how are they installed, where can I get one. Thanks.
- Harvey Driscoll
P.O. Box 87
Maynooth, Ontario
Canada K0L 2S0
-----
RICK: I haven't purchased a 512K upgrade in a few
years, but they are really not too hard to install.
Instructions come with the kit. Can any Friend tell
us who's selling them nowadays?
=>
____________________________________________________
Here's my contribution to the CoCo 3 Emulator Bounty
Escrow Fund.
Question 1: Will this program port SHANGHAI (disk)
to the TANDY 1000HX?
-----
RICK: I've never tried that Pete, but I don't
forsee a problem with it. The only problems I've
run across is with protected programs or some-
thing that requires special hardware routines.
Question 2: Do you know of a Commodore computer
club?
Wanted 1: Used hard drive for Tandy 1000HX.
---- Pete Blackwell ----
1408 1/2 McFadden St Paris, TN 38242-3210 =>
____________________________________________________
Rick,
Thanks for your fast service with the cleaning kit.
After using it my drive is working again.
Now I would like to know if it is possible to use
the FONTS, ENFMENU, GENDMENU, GENFONTI with other
programs such as CM3 or MAX10? (These programs are
found on CFDM issue #9.)
Buck Carden Rt. #5 Box 233 Eufaula, OK 74432
-----
RICK: Buck these files are part of ULTRALACE by our
Friend H. Allen Curtis. Allen will have to give us
the answer to your interesting question. =*
|
NEWSPAPER PLUS/NEWSPAPER-O9. I remember reading sometime ago that someone needed
some help in getting "NEWSPAPER-09" to print. Also,
a recent request for information on NEWSPAPER PLUS,
or more specifically, the whereabouts of the author,
appeared in CFDM. The author of both of these
programs is: ERIC A. WOLF, 1630 N. JOHNSON ST,
SOUTH BEND, IN 46628.
Eric should be able to help you with any problems
that you may be having with these two programs,
however, you must include a Self-Addressed Stamped
Envelope, if requesting a reply. Please note also
that Eric did not retain the Copyrights to these
two programs, thus he will not be able to send you a
copy of either. NEWSPAPER-09 is available from Rick
Cooper (CFDM's publisher, of course). NEWSPAPER PLUS
is no longer available, and I had written and =>
____________________________________________________
asked Eric if he might be able to sell me a copy,
but he said that all rights to the program had been
transferred to Second City Software, and as such, I
would have to track them down to obtain a copy. I
hope that this information is of help to the CFDM
members who were needing it. -Robert-
=*
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