September - October 1993
EDITORIAL
FOR SALE
THE TOWN CRIER
PSION CHESS Version 2.02Q
QUANTA LIBRARY UPDATE CORRECTIONS
NOTES on XCHANGE
A REVIEW of SIDEWRITER
FILE TRANSFERS - QL/ARCHIVE to PC/DBASE QUICK NOTE for GOLD CARD USERS MEGATOOLKIT REVIEW
GREY WOLF - A REVIEW
NEWS FROM DIGITAL PRECISION LIGHTNING GOLD CARD S/E DITOOLKIT - A REVIEW
CHANGE of ADDRESS
NOTICE !! GERMAN SUBSCRIBERS PERFECTION PLUS S/E (version 5.09)
ADVERTISERS
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING THE PROGS
MIRACLE SYSTEMS
DIGITAL PRECISION MECHANICAL AFFINITY JOCHEN MERZ SOFTWARE
T.F. SERVICES
ERGON DEVELOPMENT
W. N. RICHARDSON & CO. (EEC) SOFTWARE 87
EDITORIAL Newport, Rhode Island, USA - The Editorial Staff
With the approach of the fall and winter computing seasons and most of us back from our holiday/vacations we leave behind us what proved to be a very active QL summer. If only a third of the rumored NEW software and hardware actually sees the light of day, the months ahead could be one of the most prolific periods in QL history.
By now, most of you have noticed the three holes punched in the margins of our last two issues, and some may even know the reason. It’s time to let the secret out of the bag. We've NEVER liked binding IQLR with staples, we looked at all types of alternatives but none seemed to answer the question; "How do I store my issues so that they are readily available for reference ??". We believe we've solved the problem. With the participation of MIRACLE SYSTEMS LTD, IQLR will be shipping what we think are very handsome three ring binders to ALL our subscribers. It’s going to take a bit of time, due to the amount of work required, please be patient, we'll try to get them to you as quickly as possible.
At this point we'd like to address a subject you see very little press about, that of Clubs/User Groups. One of the strengths of the QL has been its Clubs and User Groups and the tremendous support and service they have, and are offering their members. From software libraries, to help with repairs, to helping you solve that problem you thought you were the only one to encounter, to publishing newsletters, and providing good wholesome fellowship with people who share your interests.
One group, QUANTA by name, and the largest international group, has re-published Jan Jone’s book on SuperBasic, gave new life to GST’s Macro Assembler, manufactured the QIMI and MIDI interfaces after they had disappeared from the market place, and these being but a few of their accomplishments.
There may not be a group in your area, or maybe you can’t get to meetings, or in some cases there isn’t a club or group in the country you live in, or English is not your first language. You can still join a club/group and get the support/help you need, the following Clubs/User Groups publish newsletters or magazines in their native language. Why not join one !!
QL AUSTRALIA CLUB SINCLAIR BruQsl QL CONTACT FRANCE contact: Vadim Kuchin contact: Jaques Tasset contact: Jean-Louis Dianoux P.O. Box 729 Aarlenstratt 104 22 Avenue Lenine Parramatta, NSW 2124 1040 Brussels 93230 Romainville AUSTRALIA BELGIUM FRANCE SINCLAIR QL USER CLUB eV. QL ATHENS CLUB contact: Franz Herrmann contact: Stathis Grigoriadis Talstrasse 21 Tarsu 6-8 53546 Ockenfels 10440 Athens GERMANY GREECE Sin_QL_Air QITALY CLUB NASA contact: Bob Visser contact: Roberto Orlandi contact: Pal Monstad Snelrewaard 6 Via Brescia 26 Nerheim 2904 SN Capelle 25039 Travgliato (BRESCIA) N-5580 Olen a/d Ijssel, HOLLAND ITALY NORWAY
EDITORIAL- (CONT’D)
SCOTTISH QL USER GROUP QLIPPER contact: Alan Pemberton contact: Marcos Cruz 65 Lingerwood Road Acacias 44 (Monteclaro) Newtongrange, Midlothian ES-28223 Pozuelo de Alarcon SCOTLAND EH22 4QQ SPAIN SVENSKA QL GRUPPEN QL CLUB QUANTA contact: Johan Boman contact: Prof. Bulent Artuz —_ contact: Bill Newell Lilla Cedergatan 5 Sitesi B/1 D/S, Etiler 213 Manor Rd. S-421 74 Vastra Frolunda 80600 Istanbul Benfleet, Essex SWEDEN TURKEY U.K. SS74JD
The QITALY CLUB and QLIPPER both publish slick disk based magazines, while the SINCLAIR QLUSERCLUB eV. of Germany sponsors the IFE LIBRARY (International Freeware Exchange, sort of a Club/User Group for Clubs and User Groups).
Unlike most European countries, North Americans do not have a NATIONAL USER GROUP (it must be due to our independent spirit). The following Sinclair groups support the QL with NESQLUG being a pure QL group.
TORONTO T/S USER GROUP NESQLUG
contact: Hugh Howie contact: Will Horton 586 Oneida Drive 234 Mauran Avenue Burlington, Ontario East Providence, RI 02914 CANADA L7T3V3 USA LIST CATS ISTUG contact: Bob Gilder contact: Manny Quintero contact: Frank Davis 69 Jefferson Place 4375 Greenberry Lane 513 East Main Street Massapequa, NY 11758 Annandale, VA 22003 Peru, IN 46970 USA USA USA
Any time a list of this nature is compiled, some club or group is inadvertently left off, if your group is missing, please forward the information to IQLR and we’ll see that it gets into our next issue.
Join a CLUB or USER GROUP - SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU.
FOR SALE !! FOR SALE !! 1 Magnavox RGB80 monitor with swivel base, QL cable included (excellent condition). 1 JECT HARDDISK INTERFACE with MFM controller and 42 Meg Harddrive (new).
1 Custom boxed QL (Oak cabinet) with Adam power supply (powers the QL, two 3.5" disk drives and a small whisper fan). Does not include the disk drives.
Contact Bob at IQLR for details on any of the above: (401-849-3805)
9
— oo The Town Crier
announces
ac } UPCOMING EVENTS
4 SEPTEMBER 1993 (SATURDAY) QL NORTHWEST SHOW - The Georgian House Hotel
Manchester Road, Biackrod Bolton, UK
19 SEPTEMBER 1993 (SUNDAY)
QUANTA WORKSHOP - The Village Hall, Gore Road, Rayne Braintree, Essex, UK
26 SEPTEMBER 1993 (SUNDAY) ITALIAN MEETING - Reggio Emilia, ITALY
17 OCTOBER 1993 (SUNDAY)
QUANTA WORKSHOP - Walton Park Hotel Wellington Terrace, Clevedon Bristol, UK
Psion Chess - Version 2.02Q Troy, Michigan, USA - Don Walterman
I have just rediscovered an old friend of mine, Psion Chess, thanks to Gunther Strube. Gunther has kindly made a new version of Psion Chess available to owners of the program. 1 just received my copy and am very pleased with it. Improvements include: no copy protection, no need for microdrives (this is great for those of us using expanded QLs in mini- tower cases) and the capability to save /load games from any device. Psion Chess is supplied as one exe file. No need for boot files, respr’d code or resets to quit. The program now properly stops and returns control to SuperBasic.
This version of Psion Chess will run on a system using the pointer environment. | had to open a guardian window for it on my Gold Card system but that was the only care needed to run it I got hooked on the program all over again. Psion Chess can beat me easily but I keep trying and hope to get better.
I tested Psion Chess on a Gold Card with Minerva 1.97. The price is right for this upgrade. Since Psion has not -
released its rights to this program, PLavER = PROGRAM you need to send your original Psion See SE microdrive cartridge along with a 2 ERS formatted disk and IRCs for return postage to :
Gunther Strube L Kongevej 37, 2nd varie
DK-1610 Kebenhavn V Suerte gi Denmark
I would be happy to provide copies to U.S./Canadian owners of Psion Chess. I can be contacted through IQLR.
QUANTA LIBRARY UPDATE Newport, Rhode Island, USA - Bob Dyl
We have recently received the latest additions to the Quanta Library. The first four disks are in a compressed form. It’s all very easy, just run the boot program on each disk and follow the menu. The 4 disks translate into 10 NEW Quanta disks plus upgrades or additions to three others.
LIBRARY UPDATE - (CONT’D)
DISK #1 DISKTIDY UG7 PCX DEMO_8 QLABEL UG 7 MC TOOLKIT UT 2 FTC DEMO DEMO_9 SHARP PLOTTER PF 3 NORBACK UG 8 DISK #2 ADVENTURE 93 GS_5 BEANO GS 6 QPAGE UG 8 MOLGRAPH GRAF_3 DISK #3 QUICKMAND 3 DEMO_7 SPECULATOR SP_10 DBAS | SP-7 DISK #4 DBAS 2 SP_8
By the time you read this, we should have a second group of disks, which includes an updated LIBGUIDE.
Roy Brereton who has served with great distinction as Head Librarian for a number of years, has recently resigned due to an ever growing work load in his day to day job. Roy will however remain on the Quanta committee, and as we understand it , take over responsibility for the items Quanta offers its members (T-Shirts, Binders, software , etc).
W. Geraint Jones a frequent contributor to 1QLR and a good friend, will assume the duties as Head Librarian. With Geraint at the helm, Quanta members can be assured of a continuance of the high standards set by Roy. (Editor's Note: Please remember that the QUANTA LIBRARY is available to QUANTA members only. Why not join !)
CORRECTIONS
In our last issue we mis-printed two telephone numbers. The first to be corrected, is SOFTWARE 87’s NEW enquire line: 071 485 9008. The second is our OWN voice/fax number: 401 849 3805. Sorry about that
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
41 BRO EMRYS, TAL-Y-BO’ GWYNEDD, LL57 3YT, GREA’
TELEPHONE: (0248) 354023
QL SOFTWARE
A SELECTION FROM OUR RANGE OF NEARLY 100 PRODUCTS FOR THE QL NOT BNOUGH ROOM TO GIVE MUCH INFORMATION HERE HERE, SO PLEASE ASK FOR OUR CATALOGUE (PHONE OR WRITE FOR A COPY).
BASYPTR IU) part £40.50 Simplified poiarer environment programming. Part } ‘consists of sprite edaor, menu edizor and superbasic eisensions 10 use menus iM your own programs Application: created using Basyper Ill can be compiled wah QLibermor. Requires expanded memory, available on disk only.
BASYPTR II] part2 20.00 Consists of appendix manager and enhanced toolkit ‘for control of menus ec in your programs. BASYPTR IU] part 3 £20.00 Consists of Easysource and C kbrary routines, etc.
QLIBERATOR £50.00
‘Superb superbasic compiler, compiles virtually all of basic plus most toolkis commands, er Produce Jaster mulizasking code from your basic programs. Compile resident exxensions, use overlays, etc wth the kenest V3.36. Can be mouse conaroiled. Expanded memory required.
BUDGET QLIBERATOR £25.00 Excellent value, compiles virtually all of superbasic but without some of the additional faciEnes of th full version. Mot mouse controlied. Works on ‘unexpanded QL. 100.
DITOOLKIT £10.00 Compact toolka of BASIC exrensions, ideal for use with QLiberaror. Really useful programming commands, can be distributed with your compiled programs if you wish. At thir price, o bargain! Suitable for wnexpanded QL.
LINEDESIGN £100.00 Vector drawing package, ses outkne fonts and clipart, move and resize text and graphics without oss of quality. Ideal for making posters, ac. Suppled with huge range of fonts ond clipart on TEN disks! The more memory your system has, the better! Available on disk only, can be mouse conrrolied (including SERmouse).
DATA DESIGN 3 £60.00 Superb, fast pointer driven database with free form field structures, with the opnon of disk based for ‘earge files if required. or smalier fle can be kept in memory for speed. You do not have to be able 10 program this version, bu if you add the API package, tt can be programmed from basic, C, or Gasembler, Expanded memory required, disk only API for Data Design 120.00
QPacz 139.95
Tony Tebby's superb pointer enronment package. In addition 10 the pointer environment files themselves, this incides ncorials, exiensive manual, files mens, channels and jobs menus, easy switching berween Jobs, hotkeys, ec. Mouse or keyboard conmolled. @ good introduction f0 pointer environment. 256k ram minimum, disk only
QPAci £19.95 Ideal companion 10 QPAC2, consists of small accessory programs muck ax calculator. calendar, locks, alarm clocks, rypewrier, ac. All can be ‘mouse controlled. Poumter environment files included. Can be sed with or without QPAC2 Expanded memory required, disk only
gryr2 29.98 Tony Teby's spelling checker program. Check spelling aw you type OR check cxsting files resrospectively. User interface allows you to wrize programs which use the dictionary facilities. Enzish, French and German dictionaries included!
DISA £29.00 Interactive pointer driven machine code disassembler, 256k ram min. Disk only.
MEGATOOLEIT EPROM VERSION
Large roolkit with over 200 BASIC extensions, suitable for usc with QLiberator or Turbo. Many amples supplied. catensre manual Suitable for unexpanded QL.
DISCOVER 20.00
The pauniess way 10 move files from QL 10 PC and Mice versa A3 simple az copying files berween ro disks. 256 ram mix, disk only
MULTI DISCOVER £30.00
In addition to Discover faciities, abo contains CPM, Unix CPIO, BBC m'-ro wad now Specrum and SAM Coupe file transfer capability, 256k min. ‘ram, disk only.
TRXTIDY £15.00 Assists Discover with conversion files by ripping out control codes, etc. 256k ram mia.
CONVERT-PCX £10.00
Used with Discover, allows transfer of bis mapped PC clipart graphics in PCX formar (a common PC ‘file format) to QL screens or Page Designer pages. 256 ram, disk only
QL-PC FILESERVE: A590 Link a PC and @ QL via a serial port cable and use this software to enable the two 10 communicate - the QL can save as files on a PC's disk symems and prin: 10 the PC's serial port using normal basic ‘commands ike COPY. Works on unexpanded QL.
BANTI £25.00 Simple to use banner maker which uses outline fonts ‘or good quality large text. Prints sideways across up to 4 sheess of paper. Simple to use, menu dnven, on soren preview before printing, ec. Sults most Epson ‘compatible printers.
T
NT, BANGOR BRITAIN
IMAGE PROCESSOR 2 £15.00 Easy 10 use graphics system, fearunng uswal rraphics faciknes, pore! room edinng. image ‘enhancement, mode conversion exc. 512k. disk only.
SCREEN COMPRESSION £10.00 Reduce the amount of storage required by graphics (on disk or microdrive - supports several QL formats. 256k, disk only,
SCREEN DAZZLER £15.00 Unlike the usual screen savers, which simply rurn off the display when the keyboard is not used for a while, this one cam octivare various graphical displays 10 prowde ax extractive means of preventing screen burn-in, more Eke the screen savers on other ‘computers, If you have @ compiler, you can even write your own savers by following the instructions in the manual. Pointer environment compatibie.
SCANNED CLIPART 1 £10.00 NEW A disk full of compressed scanned pictures (decompression program supplied of course) which can be used in most QL programs (DTP, graphics, xc), Axsorted collection, containing many picrures ‘you may not find in other collections. Large number ‘of prctures, a bargain az this price. 128k, disk only.
PRINTERMASTER 20.00 Selec printer control codes quickly and simply from 2. mena 10 set fonts. page lengths, exc before printing from programs Ke Quill exc. 1288, disk/mdv
SERMOUSE £40.00 Abin Hesiker's serial mouse driver system for the OL bs now anailable from DIC complete with a OL style maiching black mouse with 9 pin serial connector and UK syle serial pon adapior lead. Version 3 driver sofware. Can now work with The Pointer 100. NB POSTAGE CHARGES BELOW
SIDEWRITER £15.00
Print wide spreadsheets or plain text files sideways using a choice of character sixes (down to very small characters) on a 9 pin or 24 pin dot maarix printer, Program can be pointer driven (expanded memory required) or used without poinser on unexpanded QL. We've had many requests for such a program, ‘here i is last | Available on disk or microdrive.
SQUIDQY ROUND THE WORLD£12.50 ‘An arcade game, ideal for the young ax heart! 128
SUPPLIES
FLOPPY DISKS DSHD DISKS MICRODRIVES DISK LABELS.
On printer roll ADDRESS LABELS MDV LABELS MOUSE MATS: Dist box dividers
in stock once more!
TERMS: Discounts - buy 2 programs, claim 5% off cack, buy 3 or more. claim 10% off eack program. Offer applies to sofrware only. POSTAGE « Software ls sent post free to UK addresses. Overseas please add £1.00 per program for postage (matimum £3.00). Floppy disks and serial mouse - add postage of 2.50. Labels mouse mars - add postage of £0.50 peritem If only bing these. PAYMENT - in UK currency (pounds stering) only please. Payment by cheque. Eurochegue, Postal Order, cash (send by registered past), or by credit card (Visa! Accexs! Mastercard! Eurocard) Connect). in case of difficuky contact us first 1o arrange a payment method if none of these is possible for you. Please make cheques. etc payable to DILWYN JONES COMPUTING (not 10 any ether name or abbreviarion please, our bank prefers is thas wary!) If total order value is ess than £5.00, add £1.00 t0 torai or we'll make a loss due 10 high bank charges.
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
41 BRO EMRYS, TAL-Y GWYNEDD, LLS7 3YT, GREA
TELEPHONE: (0248) 354023
QL SOFTWARE
A SELECTION PROM OUR RANGE OF NEARLY 100 PRODUCTS FOR THE QL NOT ENOUGH
5-GAMES PACK 5 ‘thinking’ games in one bargain pock. 128k
OPEN GOLF 11250 Golf playing simulation, with choice of 30 courses each of 18 holes. Score table fearure, choice of clubs used, shot strengths. wind, rough, bunkers, exc. 384% memory required, best used with ¢ colour monaor, Disk only
GREY WOLF £12.50 Submarine warfare simulation, where you are the commander of a submanne in the Atlantic. on exercice in strategy for entertainment purposes. 384k RAM. 85 column monitor required. Disk only.
QUICK MANDELBROTL — £15.00 Fractal graphics, mandelbror set, Julia set, screen dump facilry, use mode 4 or mode 8 10 generase screens, background calculation option, save and load screens (of course), can opeionally use Binary Decomposition Method for plocting. Magnify ‘opuons. Works on 128% QL, disk or microdrive.
SToQL £1250 Atari ST screen transfer program for use with Discover, Converts Neachrome or Degas (all three resolutions in pilpi2 or pid formar). 256k RAM, disk onty
QUIZ MASTER II £1250 Sumilar to quiz game machines found in pubs and clubs, colourful, 2 sets of questions supplied. you can ‘make up your own for use with this program. 128k RAM, disk or microdnve.
OTHER SOFTWARE
FOR DETAILS, SEE PREVIOUS ADVERTS
QLOAD and QREF £15.00
S_BDIT £20.00
BASIC REPORTERE10.00
OPD INTERCHANGE £15.00
LOCKSMITHE £14.95
AMATTER £14.95
LOCKSMITHE & 4MATTER TOGETHER £23.50
Note: To use 4Matter, you need Locksmishe, but 4Maner available separately for users who already have Locksmithe
MDV TOOLCHEST £14.95
FILES2 £12.00 FILEMASTER £12.00
THE COPHER £12.00
ROOM TO GIVE MUCH INFORMATION HERE HERE, SO PLEASE
NE OR W QP 'WINBACK 2
BANTER
VISION MIXE!
‘VISION MIXER PLUS PICTUREMASTEREI5.00 PICTUREMASTER PLUS THE PAINTER
THE CLIPART
QRACTAL
PD2 CLIPART
SCREEN SNATCHER
TEXT ‘N GRAPHIX£20.00 TRANS
SIDEWINDER PLUS
BIBLE TEXT DISKS ‘SPELLBOUND ‘SPELLBOUND SE £50.00 QUICK POSTERS £10.00
ADDRESS BOOK & LABEL PRINTE!
£15.00 GENEALOGIST 2ND EDITION £30.00 BUDGET 128K GENEALOGIST £12.00 FLASHBACK £25.00 FLASHBACK SE £40.00 DISK INDEXER £12.00 DBEASY £15.00 DBPROGS £15.00 NETWORK PROVER £4.00 SOLITAIRE THE FUGITIVE CRICKET SECRETARY QUESTION MASTER QM Quiz: QM Quiz2 QM QUIZ3
COCKTAILS WAITER
-BONT, BANGOR, T BRITAIN
FLEET TACTICAL COMMAND IIL39.95
QToP 129.95
PRINTERMASTER 20.00
HOME BUDGET SCREEN ECONOMISER SLOWGOLD TASKMASTER
DISK LABELLER
THE CAT
ROB ROY PACK
MAGAZINES
We now have in stock a hmused number of back issues of the QL magazines formerty published by CGH Seruces and we can abo offer individual copies of the mew QL magazine ‘QRenew' (as the title impes, based on remews of QL products). ‘Subseripnion desaits sepphed with orders for any back issues. Individual copies of QRewew (pubbshed by the eduvor of the other magazines described below, ORenew 10 be launched end of June) available for £2.00 each (UK), £2.50 (Europe). or £3.50 (USA ‘and rest of worid). We can also offer arrractive deals ‘on complete sets of back issues of a magazine.
QL TECHNICAL REVIEW
A non-pames reuew magazine, 9 issues avaulable at £2.00 each (UK), 2.50 (Europe). £3.50 (USA and rex of world),
COMPLETE SET £1200 (UK), £1600 (Europe), £24.00 (USA ac),
QL ADVENTURER’S FORUM Games based magazines, 9 wssues in total available @ £1.75 each (UK), 2.25 (Europe), £3.25 (USA acl
QL LEISURE REVIEW Games based magazines, 2 issues published available a £2.00 each (UK), 2.50 (Europe), £3.50 (USA a)
COMPLETE SET OF BOTH GAMES MAGAZINES (1] ISSUES) £14.00 (UK), £20.00 (Europe). £30.00 (USA ec)
PLEASE NOTE: SMALL ORDERS.
IF TOTAL COST OF ORDER IS LESS THAN £5.00, ADD £1.00 TOWARDS COST OF SMALL ORDERS (BANK CHARGES ETC) OR WE WILL MAKE A LOSS ONSUCH ORDERS!
NOTES on XCHANGE Massapequa, New York, USA - Bob Gilder
With the recent release of XCHANGE into the Public Domain (QL version only), and the lack of available documentation (at least in North America), it became apparent that QL users needed something in addition to their knowledge of QUILL.
The following notes on XCHANGE have been extracted from the XCHANGE HELP and QUILL HELP files in order to provide QL users with some helpful documentation. Where necessary I have edited sections of these files and have added some additional text where necessary. As far as I see, Quill has the majority of NEW commands which were added to the second set of commands and had some of it’s commands added to the EXCHANGE set of commands (Format and Backup).
EASEL can now produce 3-D bar graphs. See EASEL, CHANGE for details. Archive now has a RENAME command. ABACUS allows TITLES to follow along from A to Z and 1 to 40 when expanding the display beyond the normal screen limits. For both of these commands, follow the prompts in the command window at the center top of your monitor screen.
Once you decide to take the plunge into XCHANGE; my advice is:
Load XCHANGE, press CTRL-C for an active cursor, press F3 and T (tsl). Enter TUTOR when the prompt appears. After a few seconds a menu will appear prompting a response to load a Tutor file on QUILL, ARCHIVE, ABACUS or EASEL. Just press the first letter for any of these files as represented in the menu. Follow the prompts and you will be surprised at the outcome.
XCHANGE
Xchange provides an environment in which you can use the programs in the Xchange family. These programs are organised as a set of TASKS, listed at the left of the Xchange screen. Select any listed task by pressing any key (except ENTER) until the task you want is highlighted and then press ENTER. If you have selected a new task you must then type a name for the task.
XCHANGE HELP .- The Help key (F1) will interrupt the operation of the program and provide a screen of information providing help related to where you help related to where you are in the program. Pressing the ESC key will take you back to the program at the same place as where you invoked the Help facility. In other words, help can be asked for at any time, without interfering with what you are doing. You can get additional information, where available, by typing the first few letters of any subject shown in the list at the bottom of the screen, and pressing ENTER.
COMMANDS - Press F3 to see a list of the available commands in the control area at the top of the screen. You can then select a command by pressing the key corresponding to the first letter of the one you want.
backup continue delete list new output quit rename set tsl BACKUP - Use this command to make a copy of any Xchange file. Type the full name
of the file you want to copy and press ENTER. Then type the full name that you want the new copy to have. To avoid losing valuable information resulting from loss of or
10
NOTES on XCHANGE - (CONT'D)
damage to any of your disks you should make copies to a disk in a different drive of all important files.
CONTINUE - Allows you to restart an existing task. After selecting the command, type the name of the task you want to restart, and then press ENTER.
DELETE - Erases an Xchange file. You must type the full name of the file you want to delete and then press ENTER.
LIST - Lists the names of all the files on a particular drive. Xchange prompts you with the current drive, suggesting that it lists all files on that drive. Press ENTER to accept this suggestion, or type one of the following flp1_- for floppy disk drive 1;ram1_- for memory files.
NEW- Allows you to start a new task. After selecting the command, type the first three letters of the type of task you want - eg type ABA for an ABACUS task and press ENTER. Then type a name for the task you want to start, and then press ENTER.
OUTPUT - Controls the printing of a document as a background task. Type the name of the file you want to print and press ENTER. Xchange assumes that the file name extension is _LIS unless you include a different extension in the file name. You may then use any Xchange task while the file is being printed. If you select this command while a file is being printed, Xchange offers you the opportunity to stop the printer.
QUIT - Leaves Xchange and returns to Superbasic. As this can cause loss of data Xchange will ask if you are sure that you want to quit If you are, press ENTER otherwise just press ESC. Any open files will be closed automatically.
RENAME - Allows you to change the name of any Xchange file. Type the full name of the existing file and press ENTER, then type the new name for the file and press ENTER.
SET - Selects the directory which Xchange will automatically use for either the Help files or the data files (the current drive). Press ENTER to select the assumed location of data files, Type the device name (eg flp1_ or ram1) you want to be the current drive. All Xchange tasks will assume that filenames refer to this drive unless you include another drive specifier.
Alternatively, press the H key to select the directory in which all Xchange programs will look for the text of the Help messages. Then type the device name that you want Xchange to use (flp!_, ram1_) and press ENTER. * (See end of file for notes on this command)
TSL - Allows you to run an existing Task Sequencing Language (TSL) file. Type the name of the file you want to run and press ENTER. The command assumes that the file name extension is _TSL unless you include a different extension in the file name. How to create TSL files is described in your Xchange manual.
XCHANGE - Controls the transfer of information between Xchange tasks. Use any key (except ENTER) to highlight the task from which you want to transfer information (the source task) and press ENTER. Then select the task to which the information is to be transferred (the destination task) and press ENTER.
11
NOTES on XCHANGE - (CONT’D)
The command then guides you through the sequence of exporting the information from the source task and importing it into the destination. You are left in the destination task so that you can examine the result of the transfer.
PRINTER STATUS - Xchange shows, under this heading, the name of any file that is currently being printed.
TASK - The name of a task may be up to eight characters long and must start with a letter. The rest of the name may be made up of any combination of letters and numbers. Press ENTER at the end of the name.
CURRENT DRIVE - All the Xchange programs assume that a file name refers to a file on this drive unless you specify otherwise in the file name. You can select which drive is to be the current drive with the Set command.
FILE NAME - File names used by Xchange are made up of three parts :
1) the drive specifier, ie flp1_ or ram1_ ‘hot 2) a name of up to eight characters, eg. MYFILE1 This name can be any combination of letters and numbers, but must start with a letter
3) a three-letter file name extension, separated from the name by an underscore, eg. EXP
Xchange does not distinguish between upper and lower case, so: FLP1_ MYFILE]_ EXP and flp1_myfilel_exp are seen as being the same. You only need to include the drive specifier and the extension if they are not the ones that the Xchange program expects.
New QUILL Commands
GLOSSARY - Can be used to save frequently used text or command sequences for later use. To DEFINE a GLOSSARY ENTRY press F5 twice followed by the letter you want to file the sequence under (’Y’ for "Yours Sincerely’ for example). Then press ENTER and type in the text or commands that you want saved in the GLOSSARY exactly as you would normally,
To END the GLOSSARY DEFINITION press FS again. These definitions will automatically be saved when you leave QUILL by the QUIT command, pressing ’A’ (NEW! A = Abandon and will only appear within the command box when defining a GLOSSARY file). There is a limit of 250 characters on each entry. To USE a GLOSSARY ENTRY press F5 and then the letter for the required entry.
SECOND COMMAND SET OF COMMANDS - Those files starting with FILE con be obtained by entering F’ - (F3, O, F or F3, F3, F.
FILE, EXPORT - Export allows the document to be saved to a file in ASCII format. On entering the command, type the file name and ENTER. The document will be saved in the file with no header or footer, no page breaks, no margins and no typeface information. Each line is terminated by a carriage return line feed character pair. You can use QUILL to write a TSL file then use the EXPORT command to save it for use; remember to save it with extension *_tsl’.
12
NOTES on XCHANGE - (CONT’D)
FILE, TRANSFER - Document Transfer files allow a complete document to be moved to QUILL running on a different make of machine. Also because a transfer file is made up of only ascii text it may be sent down a 7 bit communications link; e.g. a PAD to the PSS. Document transfer files have a default extension of _qlt. Press S_to save a transfer file or L to load one, then enter the required filename.
FILE, MAIL - MAIL allows strings of text (eg names and addresses) to be added into a piece of text (eg a standard letter). This is an advanced feature, and you should refer to the manual for a complete explanation. To use MAIL from the keyboard press ENTER after starting the command. The merged document can be sent straight to the printer or to a file as in the PRINT command.
To use MAIL from a QUILL file, type in the file name and extension and press ENTER. Touse a file generated by ARCHIVE just type its name and press ENTER.
MAIL FORMATS - The simplest way to use MAIL is with ARCHIVE. Refer to your manual for details. To generate a secondary file in QUILL (the file that QUILL will look in for text to be inserted into the standard text) use a paragraph to contain the ’field’ names, followed by paragraphs for each set of text strings you want to merge. Use ’*’ to separate the field names and subsequent text data. An example:
*title*name*address1*address2*address3* *Mr*Smith*21, The Lees,* Dodgeford,*London.* .. and so on.
The first line contains the field names, subsequent paragraphs contain the text which will replace the field names. Prepare the primary file with the field names surrounded by **’s. For example:
Dear *title* *name*, With reference to *address1* we would...
You may not, in this case, use ’*’ except at both ends of a field name. However, if the first character of the primary file is neither alphabetic nor numeric nor ’*’, *+’ for example, it is taken as a substitute for **’. This allows you to use *’ in the text.
*** istaken as a keyboard input point for personalizing each document.
MAIL FROM THE KEYBOARD - This allows each field to be replaced from the keyboard instead of from a file. The field name appears near the bottom of the screen on the command line. You may then type in the replacement text. You can use the cursor keys and typeface option. Press ESC to go to the next field.
When all the fields are complete you will be asked if you want to output the result. Press Y or N. Then QUILL will ask if you want to do another merge. When you stop, the document last merged is your current one.
EXTRACT (on the alternative command list) - Allows selected text to be saved to either a general buffer or to a named file. Asin COPY, move the cursor to the start of the text to be extracted. Press ENTER. Move the cursor to the end the text, and, when the right text is highlighted, press ENTER. Press ENTER to delete the highlighted text
13
NOTES on XCHANGE - (CONT’D)
or K to keep it Then press ENTER to save the text to buffer.doc (see the MERGE command) or type in a file name. If the file already exists you can press ENTER to overwrite the file or A to append to the end of it
EASEL
CHANGE - This is a very powerful command, allowing you to change the way data is displayed as a graph. E.g. to change the format of a bar graph to 3-D, press ’f for format_number and then ’Shift-?, ENTER. Eight different styles of graphs are displayed. Press 3 for a 3-D bar graph.
CHOICE - When you have to make a choice of bars, lines, graph papers or axes, e.g, when you accept a ? default in the Change command, a screen showing the options currently available to you appears. Along the top row are the defaults offered by the computer. Along the bottom row are objects that you may have designed.
Make your choice by moving the cursor with the left and right arrow keys and then press ENTER. You can delete an object on the bottom row to make room for more by pressing F4. If none of the available ones is to your taste, choose the one with the ’?’; this will lead you to design a new one.
* Note on the SET command - The change made to the default drive and or help file drive is a temporary change only! The book "QUILL USER’S REFERENCE MANUAL, author Stephen Morris, published by GLENTOP Business Computing, Herts UK, states that when you access the SET command, entering ’P’ before selecting either the default drive or help file drive will provide a permanent change. This does not work on the QL version of XCHANGE.
Perhaps, some of our programming hackers out there would like to add a patch to the SET comman¢d if it is possible.
Thave all of the XCHANGE HELP files re-formatted on separate Quill doc files. 1 find it much easier to read them when they are printed out. If you have EDITOR SE, all you have to dois load them into EDITOR withthe RU command. Set the cursor at the top of the file and enter the following command sequence to format them:
RP E/CTRL-SHIFT-Vertical bar character// S
NOTE: The CTRL-SHIFT Vertical bar will print on the screen as a down arrow with a bar on top of it.
After the file has been formatted, delete the control codes at the top of the files and two lines of repeated =’s at the bottom of the files. Some words may be broken - just delete the spaces from the next line and they will be whole again. There may be some additional control characters scattered about - just delete them
I can provide the XCHANGE set of formatted HELP files to any one interested. Send, a formatted disk and return postage, please.
Bob Gilder 69 Jefferson Place Massapequa, NY 11758 USA
Everybody needs a database. and we supply the bect database currently available for the Sinclair QL and compatibles.
You can even program it in the language you are already familiar with: SuperBasic or C. The hackers can even use Assembky Lanquage.
The main program is ideal for simple applications. like keeping addresses.
your CD-playlist, the technical data of your favourite Cars...
H you already use a database on the QL. the files from Archive and Flashback can be converted in a flash
But even relational databases. or form-editing are possible. Just use the API. which gives access to the powerful part of the DDE, the rest you can mould to your Own requirements. Thanks to the API you can use a reliable system, based on the DDE (so use disk-based files, let your programs multi-task and work on the same file) and create your Own user interface. which will be juct perfect for YOU !
The DATAdesign Engine (DDE). which is at the heart of this system, allows dick-based (security) as well as memory-based (speed) files. Multiple users
lor programs) can work on the same file simultaneously. The DDE works extremely fast. even when disk-based. thanks to the use of indexes. and because the program is fully machine-coded.
DAT Adesign main program 3000 BEF lapprox [OO USD or 60 GEP) DATAdesign API {OOO BEF lapprox 33 USD or 20 GBP) LINEdesign 5000 BEF lapprox !66 USD or 100 GBP)
All our programs are also available from Jochen Merz. Software87. Ditwyn Jones Computing and Mechanical Affinities.
a Haachtstraat 92 3020 Veltem Belgium
Professional a Laine Software Tan ean
When ordering by phone. please keep your credit card ready (VIGA or EUROCARDI.
When ordering by mail, please state your credit card (VIGA) details or include a Eurocheque Payable in BEF to PROGS or Van der Auwera. Eurocheques in BEF only please lblaim the bar Transfer to Our postal account (OOO+612I19-76) also accepted.
A REVIEW OF SIDEWRITER DILWYN JONES COMPUTING Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA -- Doug LaVerne
1. Overview
The Sidewriter documentation makes modest sounding claims: Sidewriter prints spreadsheet files (exported from Abacus to Quill) or plain text files in landscape print (sideways). Sidewriter offers options on fonts, output destination, 9 or 24 pin printer, print intensity via number of printing passes, paper width, file line width (sideways down the page), columns per inch horizontally, and linespacing (viz, inter-character spacing) for 9 and 24 pin printers.
This sounds simple enough to use and to review. However, just as important as the printing features of Sidewriter are the control features. A windowing (pointer/ windows/ menus) environment is supplied, but “traditional” keyboard (non-pointer) control has been retained. A Hotkey system is included as well. Multitasking appears to work as claimed (1 was only partially able to test this).
The pointer environment as tested was controlled by the arrow keys. Sidewriter also provides for mouse control of the pointer/windows/menus environment. While a mouse did arrive in the area (no joke particularly intended) about the time this review was due, that approach could not be tested.
The printing options can have defaults set for Sidewriter’s startup by using the Config program supplied. Any of the options can also be varied from the defaults from within Sidewriter before printing starts. A menu or prompt will usually supply a suggested value, which, however, can readily be altered. Note that Sidewriter (currently) requires a printer which supports Epson compatible bit image graphics.
The disk also came with a Demo version of Sidewriter which can be freely given away, unlike the fully working, copyrighted version.
I tested Sidewriter on two hardware configurations (see NOTES) which I'll refer to as HWI and HW2. (I did not seriously test RES_128 or unplug my Trump Card). Il. Features—Briefly
Printing parameters that the user can vary are summarized above.
Config, mentioned above, is yet another program supplied on the disk; its opening message is "This program, supplied by Qjump, can be used to configure any software system which uses the standard format of configuration information up to level 1." Another interesting idea to see on the QL.
_Windowing and the Hotkey System for the QL were a pleasure to become acquainted with. Much of the world is going or has gone that way—including my workplace.
HI. Test Results
There are many variables in the picture, even at a higher level—printing parameters, control features, Hotkeys, etc. I could not test every combination and implication, but covered printing and control features on varied inputs reasonably.
16
SIDEWRITER - (CONT’D)
Fonts and related printing features
I did use all fonts; there are eight “standard” fonts and seven "wide" fonts supplied. For most print runs I used settings close to Sidewriter’s originals. Unusual features such as condensed print and multi-pass (2- or 3-pass) printed quite well down the page.
The Square font with one pass has a clean look; likewise Serif-Wide. Some of the wide fonts came out fuzzy on the NX-1000; I'd like to see some on a 24-pin printer with two or three passes.
G. Jones (the author of Sidewriter) expresses the underlying assumption that sideways spreadsheet printing is not a job wherein high quality text printing 1s paramount, thus, these are draft fonts. Still, a 3-pass Square font run (if you wish to wait it out) can come out pleasing to the eye.
Control Features--Windowing Environment
Using the arrow keys, the pointer moves smoothly, not in jumps. Pointer movement quickly highlights a given menu item with an outline box, SPACE/"HIT" whites in the box. These visual effects work equally well on the monochrome or color monitor. Invoking a given menu selection via ENTER /"DO" quickly brings action—either another selection menu (overlaid if appropriate) or the Main Menu with a parameter newly set.
When you're in the midst of many devices and potential files, the windowing environment is truly helpful. The file select window, in particular, is indeed "powerful" as G. Jones says. You can select from many font files and, of course, your own text and (exported) spreadsheet files with few keystrokes.
All the above is true even on HW1.
Control--By Keyboard
For a simple application wherein you know you just want one or a few file(s), keyboard control is quite handy, and, is selectable in the first screen or via KEYBOARD_BOOT. The keyboard controlled approach did not pull up all the defaults (e.g. font), although that could come in a future release.
Control Features—Hotkey System
I made a version of Sidewriter’s original BOOT, following the modest amount of Hotkey documentation supplied, to see how successfully 1 could HOT LOAD and HOT PICK Sidewriter and the four Psion programs. E.g.,
nnn REMark EXEC FLPx SIDEWRITER_OBJ
nnn ERT HOT LOAD(‘s","FLPx SIDEWRITER OBJ") nnn ERT HOT PICK("S","SIDEWRITER")
nnn ERT HOT_LOAD("w’,"FLPy QLWP")
nnn ERT HOT PICK("W","QLWP")
nnn ERT HOT_LOAD("b","FLPy_QLBG")
and so on.
SIDEWRITER - (CONT’D)
On HW2 I HOT_LOADed Sidewriter, Quill and Abacus. As the Sidewriter documentation says, I was able to Control-C amongst jobs, with the screen for each coming up appropriately.
I was always able to HOT_PICK Sidewriter (at least before "OK"-ing a Print) or Quill, but not Abacus--whereby hangs a tale. In response to Toolkit II’s JOBS, Quill showed the name "QLWP" after job, tag, owner, and priority, whereas Abacus/QLSS--at least the version I have--had the name blank HOT_PICK, as is pointed out, is looking for a name. Screens of course changed as each program came up.
So, I have many pages of command sequences recorded in detail, including for HW1. However, I don’t presently know their full import.
I only tried Business Graphics/QLBG and Database/QLDB on HW1, where I did get all five programs HOT LOADED. QLBG (my version on-hand) did not show a name either in response to JOBS.
(Editor's Note: the Psion software that accompanied North American QLs arrived with different names; Archive became QL DataBase, Abacus became QL SpreadSheet, Easel became QL Business Graphics, and Quill bore the name QL WordProcessor. I've never been able to find out why Sinclair changed the names for the North American market.)
It appears, once Sidewriter has started printing, that Ctrl-C and the attempted Hot_Pick do not bring up the last screen-output from Sidewriter. This is "Examining the file, please wait..." followed by print area estimate messages given after you select "OK". Printing continues, however, and at SuperBASIC JOBS shows Sidewriter still there. 1 could HOT_PICK Quill and execute Quill commands while printing continued.
G, Jones puts it well enough: if you really must know the background, read thick things such as manuals for QPAC2 or QPTR. But you aren’t required to know it all.
Inputs
To test the fonts and print settings/parameters readily, I loaded the given EXAMPLE ABA and exported it to file EXAMPLE2_EXP. Every combination of print settings attempted worked.
1 could not get the EXAMPLE _EXP supplied on the DJC disk to cooperate with Sidewriter, on HW1 or HW2. Usually the go-ahead to print would produce only the message "Examining file, please wait...” but none of the usual following messages on print area estimates. A Control-C to SuperBASIC gave an erratically blinking cursor and slow keyboard response; JOBS showed SuperBASIC, HOTKEY and SIDEWRITER all present, with none suspended. RJOB Sidewriter restored normal cursor and keyboard response speeds. I did not get a chance to examine EXAMPLE _ DMP closely.
In any case, the idea is to be printing your own files. I did in fact give Sidewriter more of a load, exporting from Abacus a year’s worth of
financial data (ssexp88_aba, about 18K bytes, almost as large as my 1986-1991 financial spreadsheet). It all printed down (six) sheets of fanfold paper.
18
SIDEWRITER - (CONT'D)
G. Jones mentions almost in passing that Sidewriter prints "plain text files sideways" as well as spreadsheets. So, I indeed pulled a text file off my MUSIC1 disk (Caribbean steel music is often written just as letters). 1 Printed it to a file using the PRINTER_DAT supplied with Sidewriter. Fine! Two vertical bars and a colon truly looked like a "repeat" rather than a representation | needed to replace. SERIF_FNT, |-pass I believe. A Bold NLQ "repeat" on the NX-1001 (before it crashed) had printed the odd split v-bar.
IV. Final Comments Overall, a useful package embedded in a powerful environment
The documentation does far more than G. Jones was obligated to cover. It’s useful to have more than an “Operators’ Guide.”
At the moment, though, the documentation indeed contains a welter of detail in which some users could get lost at first. Some more intermediate level or summary documentation could help. This could apply to people who want or even need a more "cookbook" approach to functionality—say, managerial types out there using QLs. However, some phrasing in the documentation seems to indicate these 30 pages are an initial effort and that there could be further work.
I can think of a bell here and a whistle there that would be of use. In the case of Sidewriter, this could include notification of no printer available and satisfactory exit, as was true anytime J was on HW1 and couldn’t make it across town to HW2, and in particular early efforts when the NX-1001 had just failed.
It could also include a problem with the file selected to print, as happened with the Example_Exp I received (as noted, this was overcome by using the Example_Aba supplied, and, you’re supposed to be printing your own files).
But already "This is too long” (Hamlet
NOTES: HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS:
"“HWI1": QL/68008 with 896K (Trump Card), two DD 3.5" disk drives, membrane keyboard (3d membrane), monochrome monitor (Wood & Wind Computing). (STAR NX-1001 Printer went down with need for repair about when reviewing started).
"HW2": QL with Gold Card, Hermes, Minverva, two ED 3.5" disk drives, Keyboard-90 Interface with 5191 (101-key) Keyboard, QL color monitor, and (working) STAR NX-1000 Printer.
CREDITS:
I likely should repeat the following Sidewriter documentation: "The QMenu system is Copyright Jochen Merz, DJToolkit is Copyright Norman Dunbar and the Pointer Environment software is Copyright Tony Tebby." (Editor's Note: SIDEWRITER is available from DILWYN JONES COMPUTING, or the many dealers worldwide who stock DJC software. A STEAL for only £15.00)
19
FILE TRANSFERS - QL/ARCHIVE to PC/DBASE Pylesville, Maryland, USA - Thomas Robbins
This is the first of several articles concerning the interchange of data between QL/QDOS applications programs and MSDOS applications programs. While I have both a QL and an MSDOS computer, by choice I do my work on the QL. Often it may involve either database information from a computer at work, or database information that will have to go into a computer at work.
This article will focus on transferring records from an Archive or Xchange database to the MSDOS de facto standard, dBase.
Begin by loading Archive, or loading Xchange and selecting an Archive task. Use the open or look command to access the data base you want to export to Dbase. Now type in:
export <ENTER>
You should now have, at the command line: export ™ and the menu prompt at the top of the screen should say : ENTER THE FILE NAME
Enter the full file name, including the drive/device at this point (ie. FLP1_Myfile). You do not need to enter a file extension. Archive will give it an ’ exp’ extension automatically. If you have the memory, and a RAM disc, it speeds the process up to export to this instead of floppys. Using the Gazet_dbf example supplied on the original microdrive, and exporting to RAM1_Gazet_exp, what you now have is:
"country$","continent$","capital$”,"languages$","currency$","pop","gdp","area" "AFGHANISTAN","ASIA","KABUL","PUSHTU,DARI","AFGHANI",19.5,110,657 "ALBANIA","EUROPE","TIRANE","ALBANIAN","LEK",2.5,5 "ANGOLA","AFRICA","LUANDA","PORTUGUESE","KWANZA"6.4,588, 1247 "ARGENTINA","S.AMERICA","BUENOS AIRES","SPANISH","PESO",25.7,1990,2777
and on down to:
"ZAIRE","AFRICA","KINSHASA","BANTU,FRENCH","ZAIRE"25.6,155,2344 "ZAMBIA","AFRICA","LUSAKA","BANTU,ENGLISH","KWACHA",S. 1,488,753
As with most things associated with Sir Clive, this is an "almost, but not quite” standard file. The first line, which consists of field names, prevents this from being a standard comma delimited file which can be imported into Dbase (and a large number of other ’PC’ programs).
Using an editor {such as EMACS (available from the QUANTA Library), Ark’s SPY, or Digital Precision’s EDITOR} remove the first line to convert the file to standard comma delimited format. Make certain the lines are not split or truncated !
Now that you have the file in a standard form, it must be transfered to an IBM formatted disc. There are several commercial programs available to conveniently do this - XOVER, MEDIA MANAGER, DISCOVER. There are also programs in the Quanta Library such as QLIBM that will do this.
20
FILE TRANSFERS - CONT’D)
At this point, you should have a standard comma delimited file on an IBM/MSDOS format disc and it is time to turn on the PC. Copy the exported file to the Dbase directory on the PC.
Load Dbase on the PC. Unlike Archive, Dbase uses fixed length fields and to import a file, you must first define the file structure. At the Dbase dot prompt, enter the command ‘create’. You must define each field of the new Dbase database. This definition includes the field name, it’s type (character or numeric, and its length.
Once you have the database structure defined, you can import your Archive file. Use the Dbase command “APPEND FROM GAZET EXP DELIM’. Of course, substitute whatever you have named your file for the GAZET_EXP example. You now have your data imported into MSDOS Dbase.
The short Archive program below eliminates the need to use an editor to manually edit the file for import into Dbase. Once you have ‘opened’ or ‘looked’ your Archive file, run this program. It will list your database structure, offer you the option of printing out the database structure, prompt you for filenames, and then create a comma delimited file for import into Dbase. You will still have to move it to an IBM/MSDOS formatted disk.
This program, and several others for transferring data to MSDOS applications, will be submitted to the QUANTA Library shortly.
proc bye
mode |
print : print : print "FILE TRANSLATION COMPLETED"
print" USE XOVER, DISCOVER, QLIBM ETC. TO TRANSFER TO MSDOS DISK" stop
endproc
proc CDF
cls
let MARK=1
print : print
print "Enter full file name of transfer file "
print" -->include the device name"
print” (examples: flp1_myfile_xfr, ram2_data_ibm)"
i FNAME$
cls
print"CREATING STANDARD COMMA DELIMITED FILE AS ";FNAME$ spoolon fname$
print "FILE CREATED : PRESS ENTER TO BEGIN TRANSLATION"
let s$=getkey()
cls
print : print
print "TRANSLATING TO COMMA DELIMITED FORMAT" print at 4,18;"OF ";count();" RECORDS TRANSLATED"
all
print at 4,10;MARK;
let fnum=numfld()
21
FILE TRANSFERS - (CONT’D)
let n=0
while n<fnum-|
if fieldt(n)=0: Iprint fieldv(n);”,";: endif
if fieldt(n)=1: Iprint """"+fieldv(n) +""" +",";: endif
letn=n+1
endwhile
if fieldt(n) =O: Iprint fieldv(n): endif
if fieldt(n)=1: Iprint """";fieldv(n);""": endif
let MARK=MARK+1
endall
spooloff
print at 15,0;"PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE": let L$=getkey()
bye
endproc
proc printout
cls
print "PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR PRINTER IS ON LINE"
print "PRESS ANY KEY FOR PRINT OUT OF DATABASE STRUCTURE" let DUMMY$=getkey()
let fnum=numfid()
Iprint "This Data Base contains ";fnum;" fields"
Iprint "FIELD"; tab 10;"FIELD NAME”; tab 30;"FIELD TYPE”
Iprint
let n=0
while n<fnum
Iprint n; tab 10;fieldn(n); tab 30;
if fieldt(n) =0: Iprint "Numeric": endif
if fieldt(n)=1: Iprint "Character": endif
letn=n+1
endwhile
last
Iprint “Records in this file: ";count()
mode 1
stats
endproc
proc START
print "CDF IS A UTILITY TO TRANSLATE ARCHIVE FILES INTO STANDARD COMMA DELIMITED"
print "FILES FOR IMPORT INTO DBASE, LOTUS AND OTHER MSDOS PROGRAMS"
print "COPYRIGHT 1993 THOMAS ROBBINS / SAMURAI CAT SOFTWARE" print
print "THIS UTILITY IS PUBLIC DOMAIN AND MAY BE FREELY DISTRIBUTED"
print print "PRESS ANY KEY TO START" let pause$=getkey()
FILE TRANSFERS - (CONT’D)
stats
endproc
proc stats
mode 0
cls
Jet fnum=numfld()
print at 2,50;"This Data Base”
print at 3,50;"contains ";fnum;" fields” print at 0,0;"FIELD"; tab 10;"FIELD NAME’; tab 30;"FIELD TYPE" print
let n=0
while n<fnum
print n; tab 10;fieldn(n); tab 30;
if fieldt(n)=0: print "Numeric": endif
if fieldt(n)=1: print "Text": endif letn=n+1
endwhile
last
print at 5,50;"Records in this file: ";count() input at 20,0;"ENTER P for print out X for eXit T for Translate";choice$ if upper(choice$)="X": mode 1: endif
if upper(choice$)="P":printout: endif
if upper(choice$)="T":cdf: endif
endproc
In the next article, I will discuss how to move data the other way - from Dbase to Archive.
QUICK NOTE for Gold Card Users Pylesville, Maryland, USA - Thomas Robbins
Some 1.44 Meg drives can be set by the jumper pins to NOT check for the additional hole that identifies the disk as a high density disk. I inadvertently set my drive that way, and find that it automatically formats regular (cheaper) 3 1/2" 720K disks to 1.44 megs without any problems.
This leads to the problem of how to format a 720K disk to 720k for exchange with other people. An undocumented (at least in the documentation I received with my Gold Card) keyword/command is FLP_ DENSITY. This command takes | parameter - either D, H, or E and specifies the default format of the disk, where:
E = 3.2 Meg Extra high density H = 1.44 Meg High density D = 720 K Double density
The Gold Card automatically checks to see whether the media/drive combination will support the density specified - my 720K 5 1/4 still only formats to 720K.
23
MEGATOOLKIT REVIEW DILWYN JONES COMPUTING Shelby Township, Michigan, USA - John J. Impellizzeri
Megatoolkit adds over 200 new extensions to SuperBASIC (226 by my count!) that can be roughly grouped into the following categories: channels, screen handling, system, system traps, devices, basic utilities and miscellaneous. These new commands and functions can be used to help make your computing life with the QL easier.
The toolkit is available on disk or EPROM and can be used on expanded and unexpanded machines. If you get the EPROM version, you also get a copy of the toolkit on disk so that you can still use the extensions if you need to have another EPROM plugged in. The EPROM version is probably better if you have an unexpanded machine as it doesn’t take much RAM. The disk version needs about 16K of RAM.
Megatoolkit is said to be compatible with JM, JS, and Minerva 1.92 ROMs. I found it to also work on an MG ROM and Minerva 1.97. It is also compatible with other toolkits such as Toolkit 2, Turbo Toolkit and Toolkit 3. I have TK2, TK3, Turbo and Qliberator runtimes and the pointer environment loaded in my Gold Card QL along with Megatoolkit and found no problems that could be traced to Megatoolkit. Some of the new extensions are more useful if you have TK2, but neither it nor any other toolkits are required to use it
Looking at some of the new extensions it would appear that some of them replace SuperBASIC (SB) commands. Actually they complement them. An example is the MegaTK ’WINDO’ command. The standard SB command lets you set up a window with a channel number, width, height, and its origin. If you want a border around the window you have to give the BORDER command. If you want the window cleared before you start to use it you have to use the CLS command. MegaTK’s WINDO lets you do all this in one command. The manual states that SB commands are not replaced to prevent compatibility problems and also to allow the new commands to be compiled. Other extensions allow you to do more than the equivalent SB or TK2 command. An example of this is the WINS command. Similar to TK2’s WMON and WTV, but different in that you can configure how you want the default windows set up.
The defaults built into the toolkit can be altered or you can change them temporarily with another new command. Some other new window related commands allow you to easily use new fonts in a specific window (8 fonts are included and most standard QL fonts should work), easily obtain the attributes of an existing window, set the paper, ink and strip colors with one command, invert the ink and strip colors in a window while leaving the paper alone (handy for highlighting text), find the cursor and graphics cursor positions, and changing the spacing of characters by pixel without changing CSIZE. There are commands to save and load screens to memory faster than a RAM disk. These and the window commands above support the Minerva second screen. A handy UNFLASH command will stop the flashing pixels of a mode 4 screen loaded with the QL in mode 8.
Commands and functions relating to channels include the ability to test if a channel has been closed, find the next available channel that can be opened, testing a channel to see if it can be output to (useful with the pointer environment loaded), find out what type of OPEN command was used when a file was opened, and functions to extend the OPEN command so that any errors such as a device or file not found can be easily trapped and acted upon rather than stopping the program.
24
MEGATOOLKIT - (CONT’D)
System related extensions let you check to see if a specific SB extension is present in the machine rather than calling it and getting an error, another lets you remove an extension. While the memory the extension used can’t be recovered, SB will have forgotten all about it. Still another lets you rename an extension. This is great if you find extensions awkward or lengthy to type in, or if there are conflicts between multiple toolkits in the machine. You can rename them to whatever you find easier to type or to avoid a conflict with another. There is a function to determine the type of variable (such as string, integer, floating point) given the variable’s name.
Other functions return the location of the system variables, BASIC, and the channel information area. SuperBASIC PEEK and POKE are extended to allow easier access to the system variables and BASIC. TK2 contains functions and commands to control the various jobs you may have running in the QL, and MegaTK builds upon these with some useful new ones with a couple of particularly handy commands. ISJOB will determine if a specific job is present in the QL and the result can be used to take whatever action necessary. RJOBS is similar to TK2’s RJOB, but it allows multiple jobs to be removed by ID or all jobs except SuperBASIC.
More system extensions allow memory to be reserved (GRAB) and released (RELEASE) in the common heap area. This can be done while other jobs are running unlike the reserved procedure area. The RELEASE command also allows the memory to be given back if a different toolkit function originally reserved it. There are functions to determine the total amount of system RAM as well as the amount of free memory in kilobytes rather than in bytes that some toolkits give. Two functions give information about any ROM you might have plugged into the QL or loaded into RAM.
An interesting set of extensions control what the author calls "Wotsits’.. What is a wotsit?? The manual defines it as: "Wotsits allow you to name certain blocks of memory and refer to them by name rather than by address. Once the block of memory is created and named any program running concurrently or later can access the memory by name.” At first these sounded like the ‘things’ of the pointer environment, but the manual goes on to explain that ’wotsits’ are different than ‘things’. I have only a general idea of how *things’ work so 1 can’t give detailed explanations of the differences. Suffice it to say that *wotsits’ can be shared by any program running and can be accessed from other languages besides SuperBASIC. The MegaTK manual does have details on how to set up and use *wotsits’.
System trap commands allow you to use the QDOS trap calls from SB. You should have knowledge of the internal workings of QDOS and/or a QDOS reference book before using these. A somewhat easier to use trap command (VDU), lets you give the equivalent of a long SB command to control the screen.
Device extensions include the ability to set up eight user defined directories and easily set the TK2 program and data directories to any of the eight. If you find yourself changing the TK2 defaults quite often these extensions will save you some typing. Even if you don’t have TK2 the extensions can still be used to set up eight default directories and use those directories in your programs. Functions are available to find out what the defaults are currently set to.
A command to direct the keyboard queue to a certain channel is included as well as two functions to put characters and strings into the keyboard queue. Other commands and
25
MEGATOOLKIT - (CONT’D)
functions can find out the name of a disk, the amount of free space left on it and detect if the Level 2 drivers are present on a device. While you can do these functions with standard SuperBASIC, these extensions make it much easier and return the info in a variable for you to do whatever you need to. There are many other functions to easily read and set the information in a file’s header along with some that let you do file maintenance (FORMAT, DELETE, LBYTES and SBYTES) within a program and return an error code indicating success or type of error rather than stopping the program.
Basic utilities are a collection of extensions for dealing with BASIC programs, their variables, and procedures. Some examples include finding out if a variable has been defined yet, finding the line number of a particular procedure or function, finding out how an INPUT statement was ended (enter, esc, break, etc). There isa WAIT command. This functions like PAUSE only pressing a key will not end the WAIT early like PAUSE does.
Miscellaneous extensions include some extended logic functions, the ability to find and change the key used to change jobs on the QL (normally CTRL-C), change the keyboard repeat and delay settings, and force capslock on or off. While the keyboard functions above can be changed by poking the proper system variable you have to know what address to poke. The new extensions do the hard part for you. Others include finding the versions of QDOS, pointer environment and window manager. You can also find what NET number your QL is set to and the current BAUD rate.
The manual! for Megatoolkit states that most of the extensions can be compiled with either Turbo or QLiberator. Because there are so many useful new extensions the author does allow you to include a run time version of the toolkit with your program if you distribute it without having to pay royalties as long as you follow the conditions set in the manual. The run time versions are included on the disk.
There are two demo programs on the disk along with documentation for each that show examples on how to use many of the toolkit extensions. It is well worth looking at and trying these to see how the new commands work. Megatoolkit comes with an excellent 80 page manual. With the manual and the demos nearby, you will have no problem using Megatoolkit.
Megatoolkit contains many new useful extensions and shortcuts to using QDOS and SuperBASIC. If you do any SuperBASIC programming at all you will find something in Megatoolkit to make it easier.
Megatoolkit was written by Michael A. Crowe and is available from Dilwyn Jones
Computing and can be supplied in either ROM or DISK versions. See DJC’s advert elsewhere in this issue.
GREY WOLF - A REVIEW DILWYN JONES COMPUTING Cranston, Rhode Island, USA - A. PARKER LEWIS III
"YOU HAVE DIVED WITH OPEN AIRING FLAPS! YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE THAT! ANOTHER GO (Y/N)? Y"
...Oops...but how do you close the flaps? Hmm maybe “A”.
26
GREY WOLF - (CONT’D)
"YOU HAVE TRIED TO DIVE WITH THE DIESEL ENGINE! THE EXHAUST KILLS THE CREW! ANOTHER GO (Y/N)? Y"
Rats... Maybe "E" has something to do with the engines.
"YOU HAVEN’T BROUGHT DOWN YOUR PERISCOPE! SO THE WATER SPLASHES INTO YOUR SUBMARINE! ANOTHER GO (Y/N)? Y"
Well. | guess maybe [ had better read the directions.
This was my first introduction to "Grey Wolf,” a World War II submarine simulation game. Upon boot, up you are asked three questions; if you want to hear engine noise, if you want a training mission, and the degree of difficulty 1-5 with 5 being the most difficult; the default to the first two questions is yes, the last question needs direct input. After answering all the questions you arrive on the bridge; the controls are quite easy to read, the graphics are adequate but nothing really fancy; not Nintendo, but that isn’t needed for this part of the simulation game.
There are three different areas involved in running the simulation. First, as I said, you start off in the bridge which is where most of the action takes place. Next one can activate the periscope by pressing "P" and then "V", for view. You are now looking out towards the bow of the submarine. From the View area you can see the enemy; | actually did three or four times. This is also where you fire the torpedoes; providing you open the flaps first; more than once I sank myself because I didn’t open the flaps. Again the graphics are adequate, a little better than the bridge; again not Nintendo.
The final area used in the simulation is the chartroom. This is accessed by the "C" key, logical for chart This presents a grid of latitude and longitude and shows a representation of the submarine and usually an enemy. The latitude and longitude of the “enemy” are also shown as well as it’s distance.
First, it should be remembered that "Grey Wolf” isn’t as much of a game as it is a simulation. It takes time to play and requires patience; there are many times when very little activity takes place; when you are trying to catch up to and intercept the "enemy" can take several minutes, Even after you have caught up to the "enemy" it takes a lot of skill to be able to attack. Therefore, this is not a game for people who expect a lot of action, especially many young people. Like chess, this is a simulation game that takes skill, strategy and a lot of patience. It can be very challenging to catch up to the "enemy" without being sunk by either depth charges or passing planes; in several hours of play I have yet to be able to catch up to a ship to within periscope range, much less sink it. It is a good simulation.
The first problem with the game is, I think, with the QL itself. Only one key press at a time registers on any activity. This can become very difficult on the bridge, especially during an air raid; as the warning flashes you cannot take any evasive action until the flashing stops. When you want to dive each key must be pressed carefully; "A" to close the air flap, "E" to go from diesel to electric power, "P" to lower the periscope, "K" to close the torpedo flaps,"R" to increase the hydroplane angle to dive, "N" to increase the ballast, finally the up arrow to increase speed so the submarine would dive. All these keys have to be pressed individually or else your action won’t be effective; many times I have dived thinking that I had closed the air flaps, 1 had pressed the key quickly, only to suddenly see the water rising and then to read:
27
GREY WOLFE - (CONT’D)
"YOU HAVE DIVED WITH OPEN AIRING FLAPS! YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE THAT! ANOTHER GO (Y/N)? Y"
The key press hadn’t registered. This happens in other areas as well. I have sunk myself more than once knowing I had opened the torpedo flap only to find out I had fired a torpedo without "opening the flaps”. This is, I believe, a problem with the QL and not the simulation; but this must be taken into consideration when writing and playing the simulation.
The one great difficulty 1 have with the simulation is the graphics in the chartroom. First of all you can’t tell which direction any of the ships are headed, it would be nice to have the ships actually pointed in the direction they were traveling. When you are really close to the "enemy" it becomes very difficult to see who is where because the images merge when you are closer than two miles apart. It would make fighting much easier if there was a much greater detailed close battle map or view. Finally the distances and the Jatitude, longitude do not update themselves while you are viewing the chartroom; you must go back to the bridge and then back to the chartroom to see any variation on the ships positions.
In the more difficult levels of the game, air raids become very difficult to work around. I would like to see some way of controiling the air raids so one can become more proficient at maneuvering and chasing the “enemy”. Also depth charge attacks came when there were no other ships around, how could this happen with no other ships to launch the attacks? Bombs also hit with no planes having been in the vicinity recently. Finally the sounding indicator, which is supposed to indicate the direction of the "enemy" when it was within ten miles of the submarine, never seemed to work when I was near the enemy.
In summary, this is a very good simulation. I think with a little work and some corrections it could be even more enjoyable to play. But it seems this simulation is not for most young people. I showed it to about half a dozen young people and none of them showed any interest in playing the simulation, it took too much patience and there wasn’t enough action for them to enjoy the simulation. | guess its for us old folks, who can remember the days before Nintendo.
NEWS FROM DIGITAL PRECISION London, GREAT BRITAIN - Freddy Vachha
We have recently released our latest update to "PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION’. This version has a massive 35 million megabyte file handling capacity, or put another way, 4 billion lines or paragraphs (seems just about the right size for IQLR).
We realise that these upper limits are ridiculously high, but the next limit down was a mere 500 megabytes maximum file size. Perfection handles memory automatically and in chunks, making VIRTUAL memory attainable ie. say using a hard disk as if it were RAM. With the advent of the QXL and its use on PC’s with hard disks exceeding 500 megabytes (hard drives in excess of 3GB are already available) we thought we should go for the higher limit. (See our adverts in this issue.)
28
MIRACLE SYSTEMS
16MHZ 68000 HIGH SPEED 2M BYTE PROCESSOR RAM
CUSTOM LOGIC CHIP
DD, HD, ED, DISK INTERFACE
BATTERY BACKED CLOCK
QL GOLD CARD £225 inc. (£200 outside EC)
This is the expansion that has been revolutionising the QL. It is very easy to fit , it simply plugs into the expansion port at the left hand of the QL, and once fitted it will instantly increase the execution speed of the QL by about 4 times due to the presence of a }6MHz 68000 on board. There is 2M of fast 16 bit RAM of which QDOS sees a contiguous 1920K. The remainder is used for shadowing the QL’s ROM and display memory and for the GOLD CARD’s own code.
There is a disk interface which can access 3 mechanisms (4 with the DISK ADAPTER) of three different densities, DD (double density, 720K), HD (high density, 1.44M) and ED (extra high density, 3.2M) in any mix. The disk interface connector is the same type that was fitted to the Trump Card so most QL compatible disk drives can be used.
Please note: that DD drives still give a capacity of 720K per diskette. Our DUAL ED DISK DRIVE allows the GOLD CARD to access DD, HD and ED diskettes.
Another feature is the battery backed clock. When the QL is switched on the contents of the clock are copied into the QL’s clock so that the time and date are correct. The firmware in the ROM gives the GOLD CARD ail the functionality of the Trump Card like TOOLKIT II and there is a sub-directory system for floppy and RAM disks.
Physically the GOLD CARD is about half the size of the TRUMP CARD and so fits almost all within the QL. Its current consumption is well under allowable maximum so no special power supply is required. The GOLD CARD comes with a 14 day money back guarantee and a 2 year warranty.
MIRACLE
THE QXL
The QXL turns the common PC into a QL compatible. The package comprises a half card that plugs into an 8 or 16 bit standard ISA slot and a diskette loaded with a QDOS compatible operating system and a SuperBasic compatible interpreter. After installation simply type QXL and the PC will appear to be a QL allowing QL programs to be run from QL format diskettes.
The card itself has a 32 bit 68EC040 processor running at 20MHz which gives a good turn of speed. This processor has access to its own RAM and so performance is virtually independent of the host PC whether it has an 8088 or a Pentium. In fact the PC is used purely as an I/O system giving QL programs access to the PC’s floppy disk, hard disk, keyboard, display, serial and parallel ports. The card itself has QL style network ports to allow connection to a QL network. The minimum PC specification required is an XT with EGA display and a spare standard slot.
Varying RAM sizes from 1M up to 8M can be supplied. The smaller capacities can be upgraded to the larger ones and the cost is simply the price difference. Not all the RAM is available to the user programs; the 1M equates roughly with a TRUMP CARD QL memory size and the 2M with aGOLD CARD QL.
During the lifetime of the QXL we intend to enhance the software to make use of the new hardware facilities of the PC such as SVGA graphics. As has been our policy with the TRUMP CARD and GOLD CARD we intend to provide software upgrades free of charge.
SYSTEMS
QXL prices 1M £295 (£255) 2M £325 (£280) 5M £410 (£355) 8M £495 (£430)
(prices in brackets for outside EC)
See us and the entire range of MIRACLE SYSTEMS products at the events heralded by the TOWN CRIER elsewhere in this issue.
INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT (IQLR) is a regular magazine that all QL users should read. It has articles for the beginner, the advanced user and every one else in between. Also, the international flavour combined with low advertising rates makes it probably the best place to locate QL related items. IQLR is run by QL enthusiasts whose proud boast is that they have never been late with an issue.
if you don’t already get it then ‘phone us now. One year’s subscription for 6 issues to any European address is £22.00 and it’s worth every penny.
Subscribers elsewhere should contact: SeaCoast Services, ae
15 Kilburn Court, Newport, RI 02840, USA direct. VISA fue)
please have your credit card ready. For customers outside the EC we charge the prices shown in brackets.
To order by post, please fillin ¥ Expires ft the form opposite or write to us quoting your credit card number and expiry date, or enclosing a cheque payable to as
MIRACLE SYSTEMS Ltd. 9 =2oeeeee ese ecc eae SS SSS SSS ae
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Fed up of DIGITAL PRECISION telling Mone ow very good their software is?
ht surmise by this time, } am impressed by QMATHS's abilities. Having noted fey DIGITAL PRECISION’s tends to be loaded with superlatives lincredible, ultimate, superb come to mind), | had approached this evaluation with some scepticism. That scepticism has vanished.” > INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT (IQLR, available from Miracle Systems) May/June 1993 issue, Official Review M,Laveme commissioned by IQLR (who bought their review copy of the program).
"PERFECTION is an exciting, fullflavoured, general purpose word processor of incredible capacity... PERFECTION has now been outshone by the recently released PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION... The discoveries began to trip over themselves as PERFECTION SE responded to the keyboard with unexpected speed and intelligence... PERFECTION SE is blindingly fast at most things, and you are never left waiting for it, PERFECTION is everything that Quill never became: easy to use, very flexible, loaded with genuinely useful features, cleanly multi-tasking, capacious and incredibly fast. The SPECIAL EDITION offers 12 cylinder power and hixury to an already impressive package.” > SINCLAIR QL. WORLD magazine Official Review, Y: 1993 issue, by THE Mike Lioyd of Keyword Index / New QL. User Guide fame
At find ai pease PUBLISHER an outstandingly good program that really
hy professional documents to be produced. reduced. For: your interest I have perehapy a hes samples of work done for school using a combination of PERFECTION, PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, QUICKLASER and EYE-Q. You will be pleased to iknow that the quality has been rated so highly that people do not believe it can really have been done with just a QL... | must stress that | am already highly impressed with, and very satisfied by, the performance of PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER and all the other DP programs that | use... | seem to leam something new that can be done almost each time I use the program. Very many thanks for helping to keep the QL ahead of the field.” > Martin J Neave, Headteacher, Watton County Jnr School, Brandon Rd, Watton, Norfolk IP25 6AL (unsolicited letter dated 18 May 1993 opine ore momar Mr Neave had paid full price for everything).
“LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION accelerates QL operation as nothing else does... more than 10x is achievable and 2x-4x is typical... | coud not fault LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION on anything. It is a clear winner and a best buy at £49.95.” > SINCLAIR QL. WORLD magazine Official Review, April 1990 issue, by
Massey, who wrote EDITOR (bought full price) was “Superb” in an earlier review.
“PERFECTION is well named" > R.H.Petford, Kingston Hil, Surrey, KT2 7L) (unsolicited letter received May 25, 1993: another fuil price purchaser & upgrade)
“When my ideal finally arrived in the form of PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, it surpassed all my expectations... PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER ([is) in a class of its own, and makes it the only QL desktop publishing program for the very serious user... Until Digital Precision released PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, my opinion was that the use I could make of desktop publishing was mainly restricted to short documents... PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER is a very versatile program... The iDustrations for this series of articles have all been produced on PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER... My printer is a BROTHER 9-pin dot matrix printer. It does illustrate the very high quality that can be obtained from PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER even when using a simple pnnter.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine Guide to desktop publishing ("A Question of Dots’), January 1992 to December 1992 issues: the reviewer had bought PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, PERFECTION SE, FONT
(GER, TOOLBOXES, QUICKLASER etc from Digital Precision all at full price.
“Lam aware that over the ital Precision has given considers the QL scene but seldom, if ee ine Ene best ach conmiaree aT recently encountered with PERFECTION PLUS." > The Hon. W.D.R. Spens, Bridgewater, Somerset, TAS 1HG, QUANTA magazine, March 1992 issue. Mr
bought a lot of his software from Digital Precision, all at full price of course.
"The Digital Precision Desktop Publisher was rightly hailed as an extraordinary programming achievement when it was released two years ago. Mike Lloyd casts a professional eye over Digital Precision's latest page-making blockbuster (PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER and finds plenty to be pleased about... there is unlikely to be a single program of such magnitude and quality (as PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER) written tor the Sinclair QL.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD Official
jew, August 1989 issue, by M.Lioyd, who personally bought all this at full price.
“EDITOR is a liberation. After Quill, it was in jumping from an aquarium into the sea. It has become part of my professional life... Everyone is now writing about the excellence of PERFECTION. I have not tned it, not having any perceived need for it (having EDITOR) > Suzanne Cronje, QUANTA magazine, May 1992 issue, page 2, Ms Cronje naturally had paid the full price for her copy of EDITOR SE.
v “[ have found (PERFECTION) to be simply excellent, fast, packed with features
and very well thought out. I can find btte to say that will convey just how good this
program is, except to quote Digital Precision’s own advertising: PERFECTION will
blow your socks off. PERFECTION is the program that Quill users have been waiting “> SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine first Official Review, May 1991 issue.
Dew Precision (DP) decided to begin work on a replacement for Quill which would be very quick, simple to use and contain lots of excellent features - something upon which DP have built a very strong reputation in the QL market... Overall, the speed-up (of just the first release of PERFECTION - It is much faster now) on even 3 humble QL with Trump Card is amazing when compared with Quill (or any other word processor). On top of this, the program provides many excellent and well thought out features, each of which is easy to use... (i is certainly years ahead of the competition on the QL {and even on many PCs).” > R.Mellor, c/o CGH Services, Cwm Gwen Hall, Pencader, Dyed SA39 SHA; Official Review of the very first version of PERFECTION in Qi. TECHNICAL. REVIEW issue 7: and the reviewer personally bought his own copy of this program, and many others at full price, from Digital Precision. Earier QLTR reviews pronounced LIGHTNING {just the standard version} superior to the competition and ADVENTURE CREATION TOOL excellent.
V “As a recent user of PERFECTION PLUS SE, may | add my thanks and praises to es ‘ones | am sure you have already received. keep up the excellent work” > R . East Molesey, Surrey KT8 OBP(unsolicited letter from full price purchaser) e JAt about 360,000 words, the Mega SPELLCHECKER dictonary does not have much competition, on any computer! (Spelichecking) is about four times as fast as the best figures | have seen with other checkers on QL and PC.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine official review of PERFECTION spelichecker, September 1992 issue, by Bryan Davies of Troubleshooter repute (review copies of all the competing ‘oducts supplied to SINCLAIR QL WORLD by their respective publishers) v “I have been using PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER for about eighteen, months now... what you can do with it is colossal... { got Digital Precision’s QUICKLASER, The results are as good as (Osgital Precision) says in its advertisements..." > P Hamil, Peterborough, Cambs PE8 6RH, QUANTA megamne, Volume 9 issues 4/12, Mr {full price purchaser) then makes suggestions to users re optimal page sizes “Once again | would like to say thank you for your help, 1 would like to tell the world what nice guys you are but unfortunately | have no contact with the outside - > J.Bailey, Godshill, Ventnor PO38 3.U (full price purchaser, 24 May 1993) “PC CONQUEROR GOLD SPECIAL EDITION js an excelent product, . as so often with Digital Precision software, by a comprehensive and informesve manual. The program does a difficult job, and does it well... Overall, this program is much faster, more compatible and capable...” > SINCLAIR QL. WORLD ficial Review, March 1993 issue, by M. Knight (bought many DP programs full price) “Many thanks for the update of PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION, | am suitably impressed. Congratulations on producing the only word processor that 1 know thal offers the best of all workis as far as formatting is concemed. After Quil, PERFECTION 1s like a breath of fresh air.” > Geoff Wicks, 1097HL Amsterdam, Netherlands (unsolicited letter dated 13 June 1993: all software including LIGHTNING Yate SE, PRO PUBLISHER, CONQUEROR SE etc. purchased at full price} “All | can say about QMATHS is: WOW!" > Robin Wyke-Holioway, Salisbury SPS JG (unsolicited letter received Apri 1993: Mr Holoway i a full price purchase) “Fiaving used a range of desktop publishers on the Atari ST & very impressed with the superior performance of PROFESSIONAL contains everything required” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD January 1989 issue, article itled “6 of the Best” which also praised five other new Digital Precision programs, 1 take this of 10 say that I have, in the past, found the software Seve auipasd me wih LIGHTENING ete }t0 be of atreznaly high sartiacd, on a par with that found in industrystandard PC packages. Keep up the good work. Without your quality software, | would be forced to abandon the Ql. and go to a PC." > G. Reynolds, Crosby, Liverpool L23 OSS (unsolicited letter dated April 2 1993, piacing a further order for DP software: all programs old & new were purchased at full price)
W this twenty is but 3 casual sclection, drawing only on extras from letters received by DIGITAL PRECISION in the last few days and from articles (in respected, independent QL journals) that just happened to be to hand. If we really had to, we could locate-about 1,100 equally complimentary recent communications (the figure has been carcfully arrived at by sampling all our correspondence files): pleasant though such a trawl would be, we have more pressing things to do, like keep refining our programs! In case any scepticism still exists, we refer potential purchasers of our products to pages 18 and 19 of the September 1988 issue of Sinclar QL World, which contained three to four uundred other unsolicited quotations from happy Digital Precision customers (together with the customer's name and whereabouts), all of whom had bought their DP programs. That collection covered only three programs (and only partly - we ran out of space) and predated our best software (LIGHTNING SE, PERFECTION (+SE), PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, PC CONQUEROR (#SE) etc), We reproduce those pages below, duly reduced to fit (no magnifying lens supplied, nor eyesight lawsuits solicited). Don't think DP hides behind small print: send an SAE for a full-size copy, or ask for one free while ordering!
lies ofthe best QL. software and
‘Prices with our software). If you do not receive any QL. magazine containing our four o five page advertisements, please contact us for a copy of the ad, which contains bref details on all our programs, prices and special discounts. If you have been out
VW ve we
ie hardware, including GOLD CARDs and fat extra.
of touch for a while, you may be amazed at how much new software we have now produced! DIGITAL PRECISION LTD, 222 The Avenue, Chingford, London E4 9SE Telephone (24 hour): 081 $27 5493 (UK), +44 81 527 5493 (rest of the world)
¥-D PRECISION CAD SYSTEM ADVENTURE CREATION TOOL SPECIAL EDITION ARCADIA GAME.
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VERY SPECIAL DEALS FOR IQLR READERS! Deduct an additional TWENTY PERCENT (20%) from your order - and this can be combined with the Special Deals! You've never had it so good! For example, say you order (together with five other items) GAMES COMPENDIUM. Ordered individually, the games would cost 5x£9.95=£49.75. But to you the cost would be just £29.95-25%-20%=£17.97, a reduction of £31.78 - a saving of nearly two- thirds! And of course you would get both the 25% and the 20% discounts on all the other five items too! This offer is open for four weeks from
publication of this issue. Take advantage of this offer, and of the still ‘cheap’ £ sterling, by acting NOW.
DEMO VERSION OF PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION! We have prepared a DEMO version of PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION word processor. All saving, exporting, printing, automatic (manual is OK) reformatting, dictionary-maintaining and spelichecking (whether by block, page, document or disk) are disabled or slugged, and speed is somewhat reduced (it is still very very fast). But absolutely everything else works. If you have any doubts as to whether PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION can be as good as the ads say, this DEMO version will soon convince you! To really see this program fly you need large files, so we supply as part of the DEMO version over 3 megabytes of absolutely fascinating files, together with ARC, an excellent p.d. compressor/decompressor for any file. The supplied files include much of the Bible, Perfection manuals, the Maastricht treaty, a cleverly scrambled (because of confidentiality) but still hugely entertaining extract from our huge customer database and much more. When, having tried the DEMO, you order the full SPECIAL EDITION (with or without spelichecker), return disk #1 to get £10 off. The data files etc are yours to keep, of course. If you own PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION already, you can buy just the data files (+ ARC supplied free) for £9.95. We use the program as a word processor, database, technical editor, cross-referencing aid, comparator, programming assistant etc.
THE sma. PRINT * We accept payment by VISA, Mastercard, Access, Eurocard, Eurocheque, UKE cheque drawn on a UK branch of any bank, postal order, cash/travellers cheques (preferably in UKE - if USS or DM, add 10% to cover exchange costs), or even direct funds transfer to our bank account #60327808 at Barclays Bank, South Chingford Branch (sort code 20-53-00), NE London Business Centre, PO Box 2403, London N18 2BY. If you really must send a non-UKE cheque, you must add US$30 to cover the heavy clearing charges we will have to bear at our end. * Upgrades cost the difference in current price plus £10; return the original disk and documentation. Do NOT return documentation If the upgrade is to @ SPECIAL EDITION of your original program (except in the case of the LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION upgrade, as that program has an all-new manual). Upgrades count as programs for the purpose of calculating Special Deal prices, which is very good mews for you! * Mailorder to the UK, add nothing; te non-EC Europe (c.¢. Switzerland), add 5%; to outside Europe (e.g. USA), add 10%; to other EC countries (e.g. Holland), add 15%. Retail prices to UK other EC states include full-rate UK VAT as per EC regulations.
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SPECIALS GOOD TILL OCTOBER 10, 1993
FALKENSERG KEYBOARD 90 INTERFACE $98.00 Allows you to hook up an IBM keyboard to your QL, for those who are tired of membranes and want a better keyboard.
QTOP BY COWO, What many are calling the best front end system for the QL. It easily is adapted for all system configurations, from the Gold Card, Sandyboard, QXL or CST Interface. All of this for only $52.00
GOLD CARD WITH SLOWGOLD PROGRAM The number one memory and disk interface, along with a speed control program to make better use of the Gold Card. All this for your QL for only $360
LIGHTNING GOLD CARD S/E DIGITAL PRECISION LTD Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA - Mel LaVerne
Let me start with a few historical notes. During the development of the QL, much effort was devoted to keeping QDOS (and SuperBasic) as compact as possible. As a result, performance was not all it could have been, opening the way for system accelerators such as "Lightning".
The original "Lightning" first appeared in May 1988, with DP’s usual "brash (but honest)" (Freddy Vachha’s own words !) advertising. In July 1989, “Lightning Special Edition" burst forth (how else to describe the purple prose accompanying it ?). Finally, "Lightning Gold Card Special Edition" (a real mouthful, to be referred to hereafter as "LGCSE” or just Lightning !) appeared rather quietly as of about June last year.
How does LGCSE function ? To put it in human terms, QDOS “knows” where its routines are by consulting a "vector table”, a list of pointers showing where each routine is located in RAM. LGCSE resets these pointers to redirect QDOS to new routines optimized for speed. As a result, the new, faster routines are utilized with no change to the operating system itself.
LGCSE comes with a 44 page manual, not unusually large by DP’s standards. The style is considerably more new-user friendly than many I have encountered (with some manuals, “encounter” is a highly descriptive term !).
Installation of LGCSE is simplicity itself, using the supplied "CONFIGURE_BAS", and virtually fool-proof. Three windows show progress of the installation. One window tells (or asks) you what to do next; a second tells you what, if anything, has gone wrong. The third window gives a running report on the installation. At each step, you are offered a default setting; if you are not sure, the default will generally be a reasonable choice. If the final product is not to your liking, escape to the beginning of the process is possible in order to begin anew.
If you are happy simply to relax and enjoy a faster machine, there is no more to be done once LGCSE is installed. However, if you are a "knob-twiddler’, there is ample room to tune and tweak to your heart’s content.
The extensions provided by LGCSE fall into three categories: text, graphics, and mathematics. Each category has a number of new keywords accessible from SuperBasic. There is neither time nor room here to give a complete rundown on the available keywords (After all, DP needed 44 pages to do just that !).
Text scrolling is controlled by _IngZIP n, where n may have any integer value from -3 up. Negative values provide smooth pixel scrolling; positive values yield line scrolling. If you would like to see an ultra smooth scroll, quite readable as it glides up the screen, try _IngZIP -1. On the other hand, if you're in a hurry, try _IngZIP 2 for 4 times normal speed. Be careful, though, large values of n can result in highly bothersome jumpy scrolling.
Use IngINC #i,n to control line spacing for channel i, where i must refer to a screen or console window. n is the number of pixel-lines incremented for each text line printed. Normally, n will be set to character height’ n = 0 will yield overprinting of the text. Nominally, i may be any positive integer but be reasonable !
35
LIGHTNING S/E - (CONT’D)
A "drain" is provided to skip over screen printing. If, for example, you COPY a large text file to the screen but only want to see the latter portion of the file, type CTRL/Z. Now all output to the screen is "sent down the drain”, while the actual output continues at an alarming rate (DP claims about 100 times normal screen printing). Any keypress re-enables screen printing, if you’re quick enough. _IngKEYSET allows a change if you don’t like CTRL/Z.
A similar device, “nul”, is usable for much the same purpose as CTRL/Z but can be used within a program. To use the device, open a channel in the usual way. For example, OPEN #4, nul will open channel 4 to the device. Now, any output to channel 4 will just vanish, fast.
The manual contains a suggested trial of "nul": dump 100 strings of 30,000 bytes each to ramdisk (the fastest device available on the QL), first without and then with “nul”. I obtained times of 25 seconds without and 2 seconds with “nul”.
Graphics enhancements are switched on with IngGRAF n, where n is any positive integer. IngGRAF 0 switches the enhancements off. Line lengths may be adjusted with the command IngLINEWANGLE n, where nis 0 or 1. n = 0 gives the greatest absolute accuracy; n = I yields greater compatibility with QDOS’s line drawing.
Precision of the mathematical routines may be adjusted by using _IngPREC n, where 4, 2, 1, and 0 are the only legal values for nn = 4, 2, or 1 yields 4, 2, or 1 byte accuracy, respectively. Four is the default value. The lesser byte values may be used to speed up calculations where the loss of accuracy is not important. Zero causes reversion to the built-in QDOS routines.
If the newnames library is used, the corresponding command is_IngFPREC n and the legal values are 4, 2, and 1. Zero has no meaning for this command.
Finally, LGCSE provides a channel utility, CHANNELMASTER, that may be used for run-time examining or modifying of most parameters pertaining to screen or SuperBasic channels that belong to any program currently running. These parameters include, e.g., character font/size/spacing, PAPER/INK/STRIP colors, etc. Caution is advised in the use of CHANNELMASTER; tampering with the inner workings of QDOS can be hazardous to the health of your programs and/or data. As DP puts it, "If you are VERY BRAVE and like to tinker...”
And now, let us get down to the nitty-gritty: How does it (LGCSE) do?
The majority of the speed-checking was done on my Minerva (V. 1.97) equipped QL. Along the way, in order to checkout some anomalous times, the Gold Card (V. 2.32) was temporarily swapped out toa JSU ROM QL.
The QL clock can time only to the nearest second. Because it was used for timing, I adjusted loop iterations to yield a time of 100 seconds or more in the fastest loop to give a minimum accuracy of about 1%.
A further consideration is loop overhead, ie., the time cost of the necessary bookkeeping. Ina functional evaluation, one could replace, say, y = SIN(x) with the
36
LIGHTNING S/E - (CONT’D)
expression x = x, a harmless fiction retaining time cost of the assignment but eliminating cost of the function evaluation. Note that if the function involves several variables, an assignment statement must be made for each variable. For example, CIRCLE x,y,r could be replaced by x=x: y=y: r=r. Names of the variables are unimportant; x=x: x=x: x=x would be just as good.
Similarly, in a text processing loop, where strings are being printed, replace all strings by null strings. For instance, PRINT a$ becomes PRINT "".
By running two loops, identical except for these substitutions, the bookkeeping effect can be canceled out and function timing determined. If these two loops are then run both with and without Lightning active, the effective speedup can be found. This was the procedure used here.
The following tables summarize the results found for text, graphics, and mathematical function handling. The speedup factor is the ratio of net loop times without and with LGCSE activated. Except where explicitly stated otherwise, all results were obtained with a JSL1 (Minerva) ROM fitted.
Table 1 summarizes the text handling effects tested. The programs were extracted from DEMO_TEXT_BAS and modified to incorporate timing and overhead determination.
Operation Speedup Factor PRINT a string to each of 3 windows 3.62 PRINT a string: SCROLL -10 4.83 PRINT 2 screen-filling strings 9.31
Table 1. Summary of Text Handling Tests.
Table 2 summarizes the results for the graphics functions tested. DEMO GRAF BAS provided the basic program bits and pieces, which were then modified as for the text handlers.
Graphics Functions Speédup Factor Plot Points 133 Draw Lines 1.22 Draw Open Circles 1.51 Draw Filled Circles 1.14
Table 2. Summary of Graphics Handling Tests.
Tables 3a and 3b summarize results for the math functions tested. The functions were evaluated over a range in the independent variable to avoid biasing. Note also that the functions have been grouped. This means that the results are averaged over the functions of a group. Each function was evaluated 100,000 times per run.
Table 3a shows the anomalous behavior alluded to previously: the Lightning SQRT function appears to be slower than that for the QL at the 4-byte precision level. As a check, I tried the MATH_newnames library for a direct comparison between QL’s SQRT and Lightning’s FSQRT. Results were as before.
37
LIGHTNING S/E - (CONT’D) Functions, JSL1 ROM (Minerva) Speedup Factor
EXP, LN, LOG10 1.44 ASIN,ACOS,ATAN,ACOT 1.44 SIN, COS, TAN, COT 1.55 SQRT Precision, bytes: 4 0.72 (!) 2 1.33 1 1.52
Table 3a. Summary of Math Function Tests on the JSL1 (Minerva) ROM.
I then swapped computers, plugging the Gold Card into a QL with a JSU ROM. The same set of tests was run (except for the 2 and 1 byte precisions); results are shown in Table 3b.
Functions, JSU ROM Speedup Factor EXP, LN, LOG10 1.53 ASIN,ACOS,ATAN,ACOT 1.84 SIN, COS, TAN, COT 1.80 SQRT Precision, bytes: 4 1.35
Table 3b. Summary of Math Function Tests on the JSU ROM
It is immediately apparent from comparing Tables 3a and 3b that Minerva is faster than the JSU (no surprise there), so it is reasonable to get smaller speedups using Minerva. But less than 1 ?? Is it possible that the Minerva designers out-optimized DP ? I have no real answer to that.
What it all boils down to is this, is it worthwhile installing Lightning Gold Card Special Edition (to give it its full mouth-filling name) ? Well, I am installing it on all my BOOTs. I am using it in conjunction with QUILL, with which this document is being produced. Instead of leisurely meandering through the file, a F3 GT or F3 GB zips from one end of the file to the other, almost before my finger is off the last key. In short, yes; buy it, you'll like it.
DJTOOLKIT - A REVIEW Massapequa, New York, USA - Bob Gilder
I became interested in the DJToolkit after browsing through the Dilwyn Jones Computing ads in the last issue of IQLR. It was as though the author of this software had me in mind - the toolkit was totally compatible with the QLiberator compiler. Turbo and Supercharge can also benefit from the DJToolkit, with the exception of one command, DEV_NAME. This function tends to modify its parameters as well as returning a string.
38
DJTOOLKIT - (CONT’D)
The DJToolkit is very easy to use , provides 44 useful extensions and is extremely powerful. The Toolkit is less than 4 Kbytes long. There are several versions of the Toolkit: DJToolkit_BIN which is booted into the reserved memory area, DJToolkit_rom is a file that can be burned onto a 27128, 16 K eprom and DJToolkit_rpm for those users who may wish to add their own header with Liberation Software’s Resident Program Manager software (RPM). A lot of thought went into this software package to benefit a wide variety of the software user’s requirements.
A 20 page manual accompanies the disk, providing a brief description of the new commands as well as detailed description for each of the new functions and procedures. Quite a few SuperBASIC listings are provided in the detailed section of the manual, that can be used as demonstrations for some of the toolkit extensions.
Updates_doc is an extension of the DJToolkit Manual This document provides latest updates that were added to the toolkit, but were added too late for insertion into the manual.
The Toolkit areas covered include screen handling, file handling, file and date extensions, environment functions (free memory, pointer environment detection, check if given SuperBASIC extensions are present, check if level 2 device drivers are present), common heap extensions, font handling extensions, file headers, memory block move and search functions and general programming aids such as system variable address function, screen base address function, display width function for dealing with new graphics hardware and so on.
Outlined below is a brief description of the new procedures and functions as outlined in the manual:
ABS POSITION
BYTES FREE CHECK
DEV NAME DISPLAY WIDTH DJTK_VERS$ FETCH_BYTES FILE_BACKUP FILE_DATASPACE FILE LENGTH FILE_POSITION FILE_TYPE FILE_UPDATE FLUSH_CHANNEL GET BYTE GET_FLOAT
GET LONG
GET STRING
GET WORD KBYTES FREE LEVEL2
Set file position absolute.
How much free memory is left, in bytes.
Test to see if machine code PROC/FN exists. Scan the Directory Device list, returning next name. How many bytes used to hold one screen line? Return the toolkit version number as a string. Get some bytes from a channel.
Get some backup date for a specific file.
Get the file’s dataspace.
Get the file’s length.
Get the current position in the file.
Get the file’s type.
Get the file’s update date.
Flush the data on a channel to a device.
Fetch one byte from a channel.
Fetch 6 bytes from a channel.
Fetch 4 bytes from a channel.
Fetch a QDOS string from a channel.
Fetch 2 bytes from a channel.
How much free memory is left in Kbytes.
Test whether level 2 drivers are present on a channel.
39
DJTOOLKIT - (CONT’D)
MOVE_MEM MOVE POSITION PEEK STRING POKE_ STRING PUT BYTE
PUT FLOAT PUT_LONG
PUT STRING PUT WORD QPTR
READ HEADER RELEASE _HEAP RESERVE HEAP SCREEN_BASE SCREEN MODE SEARCH_C SEARCH_1
SET HEADER SET_XINC SET_YINC SYSTEM VARIABLES USE_FONT WHERE_FONTS
Move memory around.
Set a file position relative to its current one.
Get bytes from memory into a string.
Store the string in memory at a given address.
Send one byte to a channel.
Send 6 bytes to a channel.
Send 4 bytes to a channel.
Send a QDOS string to a channel
Send 2 bytes to a channel.
Is the Pointer Environment available?
Read the header for a file into a buffer.
Remove some space allocated with RESERVE_HEAP. Get some Common Heap space for a program to use. Find out where the screen memory starts for a channel Returns the current screen mode, 4 or 8.
Look into memory for a string, case is considered. Ditto, but case is ignored.
Set the header for a file.
Change horizontal spacing between characters. Change vertical spacing between lines of characters. Find out where the system variables are.
Change the fonts used by a channel.
Find the addresses of the two fonts on a channel.
There are two very important files included on on the disk; DEMOS bas and DEMOS doc. DEMOS bas is a 37K SuperBASIC file chocked full of useful procedures and functions using a variety of the DJTootkit extensions. DEMOS doc supports it’s SuperBASIC counterpart as it provides detailed instructions for use of each procedure and function in the order that they are programmed.
For owners of the QLOAD utility, the file DEMOS_sav can be loaded with the QLOAD command.
I would strongly advise the new user to print out the DEMOS doc file for use with DEMOS bas or use a multi-tasking front end, activate Quill, load in the DEMOS doc file, CTRL-C into basic and load in the DEMOS bas file. List the file and CTRL-C back and forth for instructions and operation.
Incidentally, all of those procedures and functions supplied on DEMOS bas can be extracted and used within other programs. I extracted one 8-line procedure called *"AUTO_REPEAT’ which uses the SYSTEM_VARIABLES function. J have an external Schoen Keyboard interface which suffers from keyboard ’roll-over’or repeat characters. Several different remedies have been tried throughout the years with out a correction for this problem. AUTO_REPEAT did the job! For me - the DJToolkit was well worth the purchase price of £10 for correcting this nagging problem.
There are many more useful routines within DEMOS bas. Some of my favorites are:
SLIDE SHOW for viewing a number of screen dumps, FILE_DETAILS — and DRIVE_DETAILS, MAKE DIRECTORY for Level2 sub-directories, FIND_FILE lists
40
DJTOOLKIT - (CONT’D)
the filename of files containing a user input string on the screen and a short extract of the file on either side of the string that was found. I’m sure that the many other routines nested in this program that would suit every QL user.
Four fonts are provided for use with the USE_FONT procedure. This procedure allows the user to change the standard QL character set within any channel Fonts from Digital Precision’s Lightning and Dilwyn Jones Computing Page Designer can also be loaded and used.
The DJToolkit is compatible with Toolkit2. Activating TK2_ext and typing EXTRAS’ will reveal the DJToolkit commands nested within the other functions and procedures.
The author of DJ Toolkit allows any legal owner of this toolkit to include it in QLiberator compiled programs even if you intend to sell commercially or give it away as public domain software or as shareware, by linking it to the program.
The software package is available on disk or microdrive cartridge and will operate on an unexpanded QL.
The author, Norman Dumbar and Dilwyn Jones have made this software package ‘idiot-proof’, it is that easy to use. The whole software package; the Toolkit and its supporting documentation and demo program and SuperBASIC listings make the use of DJTootkit very easy, even fora novice QL user. Most software manufacturers seem to prepare their supporting documentation for users at their own level, forgetting that, perhaps, there are QL users out there that require simple step-by-step instructions just to get a’grip’ on it It’s obvious that the team of Norman Dumbar and Dilwyn Jones really understand this problem empathizing with the vast majority of software users.
The DJTootkit is powerful, easy to get going and a steal at £10.00. Buy it! You won’t regret this purchase.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Tony Firshman and TF Services have recently moved from the big city (London), to the more tranquil countryside of Ascot. Please note the change of address:
TF SERVICES
Holly Corner, Priory Road Ascot, Berks. SL5 8RL Great Britain
and NEW telephone number: 0344 890 986, and for fax/modem : 0344 890 987.
NOTICE !! GERMAN SUBSCRIBERS
IQLR has not received notification of postal code changes from all our subscribers in Germany. Please forward your new code to IQLR as soon as possible. It will help avoid delays.
41
(GER Jochen Merz Software + Im stillen Winkel 12 ke 47169 Duisburg + Germany - Tel./Fax: 0203-501274
Deor QL-User, this page gives you an overview of our products. Of course, a complete list would not fit. If you
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QD 5 -Ql-Editor [VS.14] QD 5- Upgrade from V4 with new manual
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DISA - intelligent Disossembler 90,-
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PERFECTION PLUS S/E (version 5.09) DIGITAL PRECISION LTD Troy, Michigan, USA - Don Walterman
If you are still using Quill, you probably have a huge wish list for improvements. What would you do if you could get all these wishes fulfilled (and more)? The authors of Perfection have obviously listened to the many complaints people have with the original Quill word processor. These complaints have all been addressed. Perfection goes far beyond just improvements. Perfection is an entirely new program with modern features that manages to still be intuitive to Quill users.
When I first received the review copy of Perfection, I started reading the manual. I use a number of Digital Precision programs and from past experience thought some work with the manual would be needed. I'd like to quote a couple sentences from section 1.2 headed Don’t Panic!. "As we’ve said before, we shouldn’t be surprised if you don’t need a manual at all for PERFECTION, at least for everyday operations. Just trusting your intuition (especially if you’ve used Quill before) and relying on the menus at the top of the screen which repeated pressing of F3 (or SHIFT/F3) will bring up may well be all the instructions you need. "This sounded like a challenge to me so I stopped reading at that point. I managed to do everything I wanted to without the manual (except for using the spelling checker). This included installing Perfection on to my hard disk, reconfiguring to tun from the hard disk, converting my Quill DeskJet printer driver, creating a new printer driver and printing. This program really is user friendly. The manual is well worth Teading even if you don’t need it right away. I found this to be the best Digital Precision manual I’ve ever used. The manual starts out with the basics. Each step is carefully explained so that a new computer user will be successful. As you proceed through the chapters, features of Perfection are explained in ever increasing detail. This allows you to get as much information as you want without being overwhelmed right away. The manual contains a glossary, an index, table of contents and a section on system messages. If only other manuals were written this way!
The first impression I had of Perfection has been a lasting one. Perfection is fast. | tend to downplay claims about speed. However, Perfection lives up to those claims. I can’t see any point in doing timing tests. Enter your command and Perfection does what you want right away. The only commands that took a little time were involved search and replace commands that I used to replace carriage returns with quotes and commas. A friend asked me to help convert an MS-DOS database into a comma delimited file with quotes around each field. Perfection did the job.
Perfection is supplied with a readme file that is a very good tutorial on its own. The file cleverly gets you to interact with it and learn many of Perfection’s features as you read it. This file gives you a learning experience with visual feedback. | was impressed that the time was taken to find another way to bring a new user up to speed even faster.
When you receive Perfection, the defaults are set to run from floppy. Almost everything about Perfection can be reconfigured from the size of its windows to job priority to screen colors to how fast a keypress autorepeats. I found that if there was something I wanted to change there was a way to do it. The format of the configuration program should be familiar to users of Digital Precision products. The up/down arrow keys are — to select the item to be changed while space calls up the actual list of choices for that item.
43
PERFECTION PLUS S/E - (CONT’D)
When you first run Perfection, the initial screen contains a four line menu at the top of the screen. The bottom line of the screen is the command line which contains status messages and queries for input. The menu area is similar to Quill but better. Functions that Quill users will be familiar with:
Fl calls up the help screen. A huge amount of information is conveyed in a short easy to understand way.
F2 toggles the menus on or off.
F3 advances to the next menu.
F4 redraws the screen
Fi HELP SHIFT Fl last cad JESC E U tetes by char/ line F2 Nenu on screenISHIFT F2 HodeS ++ ISHIFT FS one/tuo -i+ SHIFT para/uord F3 Menu 1624341 {SHIFT F3 Menu3+2s1iuindous FS selects!+ SHIFT/ALT uindou F4 Refresh screeniSHIFT F4 Stze/tovelALT FS Over/InsertiCTRL C toggle job | Timex/Sinclair SIG held its meeting in roca Hfollouing the SEMCO main meeting.
iThe June meeting vas spent discussing meus from the ‘Miracle in Neuport’ meeting Iheid im Neuport, Rhode Islond on the Sth of June. The meeting vas attended by 55 Javid QL users from the United States and Canada. Uendors vere present representing EEC William Richardson & Co.), TF Services, Hiracle Systems, iMechantcal Affinity, Toronto Timex/Sinclair Users Group, Wood and Wind Computing land I@LR.
mony tions about. product. Miracle also provided free to their products. I took advantage of their lifetime free race pollcy to get the latest improvements to my Cold Card. Hirectes' talk about the QXL uas vell attended. Apparently vork on SCSI card and Graphics Card vill be delayed until the XL softuare is completed.
LIND
The Quill user will welcome these familiar functions. There are four menus: the initial screen (menu 0) plus three more menus. The most used commands are on the first menu. The lesser used commands are on the following menus.
Other commands of interest:
Shift/F5 creates two windows. This allows you to be in two places at once in your document. You can refer to one section while continuing to work on another section. F5 shifts you between windows. You can independently scroll or move around in one window without affecting the other one. When you are want to go back to one screen use shift/F5 again.
Alt /FS toggles between overwrite or insert mode
Menu 1 This menu contains a friendly set of search and replace commands. You can specify forward or backwards search and specify whether case must match or not. The replace commands allow you to choose replace the first match, all matches or query on each match Menu | also contains the autoformat Wait command. Wait allows
PERFECTION PLUS S/E - (CONT’D)
you to specify how long Perfection will wait when you have stopped typing before adjusting the page format. This menu also contains the block move, copy and export commands. You'll also find the Load, Save, Merge and Print commands here. Much of your time will be spent with this menu.
Load Save MergelForuard search TReplace ALD Tautofarmat Wait Print document |Backuard search iQuery the replace /Technical data export block/fllelCase sensitivity lEmphasise <OFf? — IZap document moWe/copY block Delete block Underline (Hot) jexXit Tas)
Menu 2 This menu contains commands related to how the document will be formatted. Here is where you'll set Margins, Justification and Tabs. You will find the reformat options, page break command and attribute options. Menu 2 also contains the Spellchecker options.
Ttalic Off) Treformat pars 1 Pages/Block /Horgins:
sUperscript (Off reformat hEreon Spell as you tupe iJustification subsCript (Off) Iforced paGe break IReinstate line iTebs Highlight CFM iback to Normal jeot insert iline
Menu 3 The remaining menu options are here. Goto options include Top or Bottom of the document as well as goto specific page or line. Set your Header and Footers, load in the printer Data of your choice, change strips , see embedded hidden Codes in files, Retrieve defaults and more. Top/Bottom jhidden Codes junde Emphasised - istart page Number goto Line/Page ispeciAl insert JUnder lined region iQuote page length pointer Goto/Mark/Header/Footer lundo ¢ ¢ ¢ strip -!Keep tabs? lo2u_ screen {load printer Data iSup/sub/ital chnoeiRetrieve defoults Perfection also supports entry of direct commands. Direct commands use combinations of Shift, Control and Alt keys to access a command immediately without working through the different menus to get to it Both modes of command entry are available at all times. For example to quit select ’X’ for eXit from menu 1 or use the direct command’ control /alt/X’ at any point.
A cycle justification
immediate replace Alt IB goto Bottom of document c
Backvard search
Copy predefined block Delete predefined block Emphasise (bold) off
0 Define hightight as block E Enphasise (bold) on
IF Foruard search G IH I
Footer edit C immediate search in direction reveal Hidden codes in line Header edit
set Indent margin here
\ hard=forced page break export predefined block
en ee ee ee Ce
1 1 | | ! | Goto line t ' i 4 4 1
iL Load file ere incaccceinaasoS a 8 TC ca
45
PERFECTION PLUS S/E - (CONT’D)
Many commands result in a visual indicator on the bottom status line. Entering Overwrite mode causes OV to be displayed. Toggling the Case Sensitive command adds the CS to the status line. These visual cues are a big help keeping track of where you are. There are no file commands since Perfection multitasks gracefully. While it is not a pointer program, it works well under the Pointer Environment.
Going by the volume of questions and articles in QL publications, the subject of printer drivers is one of the most troublesome. Digital Precision has produced a separate program to make creating a custom printer driver as painless as possible. If you use the standard Epson compatible printer, the driver is already supplied for you. If you have a driver that works under Quill you can easily convert it to a Perfection printer data file by choosing the first option: Create a Perfection printer data file from a Quill printer driver file. There are options to to edit an existing Perfection data file and to create one from scratch.
Creating a printer data file from scratch is not as difficult as it is for Quill. The program is very helpful with the mnemonics for the first 32
CREATE_PRINTER_DATA
Initial
OPTIONS
<> Create a Perfection printer data file from a Quill printer driver file
that contains the file to be converted
ASCII characters on screen (that way you aren’t stuck looking up the code for form feed). I converted my Quill
NTER to abandon
printer drivers with no problems. You will notice many more available options in the printer data file than the Quill printer driver gave you. Field sizes in the printer data field are 64 characters so even the longest laser printer command should fit. There are 64 translate strings as well as 8 strip strings available. The translate codes do as you would expect. The translate strings are where you put the codes to get the £ sign to print out properly. The strips are different. The strips allow you to add your own custom combination of features to your document. For example: shadow or outline print (if your printer supports it). One HP DeskJet 550C owner used strips to change the text color on demand. Translates convert an individual character while strips convert everything typed until turned off. Strips are represented on-screen as different paper and ink combinations.
The Plus part of Perfection is the spelling checker. The spelling checker is a separate program that runs alongside Perfection or can be used on its own. The spelichecker comes with a number of dictionaries. There is more than one so that you can use the one that fits within your free memory. The largest - the Mega Dictionary occupies over 1.2 Mbytes in its compressed format. You will need 1.5 Mbytes of free memory in order to compile the dictionary from the supplied files. The spelling checker was one of the most impressive features of Perfection for me. I found it to be easy (once I read the manual), clean and fast. I had to read the manual because I didn’t start the spellchecker running before starting Perfection. The spellchecker will ask which dictionary to use. It will then
46
PERFECTION PLUS S/E - (CONT’D)
prompt for a second dictionary which can be your own unique words that aren’t in the main dictionary. Probably technical terms, product names or surnames are the only words the dictionary won't already know about. The spellchecker is invoked by choosing P from menu 2 or the direct command ’ctrl/alt/N’. After specifying how much of the document to check, you'll see a number of red highlighted words. The checking is quick.
FL HELP SHIFT FI last cmd ‘ESC Escape/Cancel +t+4 by char/line F2 Menu on screeniSHIFT F2 Mode8 ++ ‘SHIFT FS one/tuo -'+ SHIFT pora/uord F3 Menu 1626361 'SHIFT FS Menu3s2¢1 ivindous FS selects’ + SHIFT/ALT vindou F4 Refresh screen i SHIFT F4 Size/tove ALT FS Over/Insert'CTRL C toggle job fhe Timex/Sinclair Sic held its June meeting in room 237 of Dodge Hall follouing the BEAM main meeting.
representing EEC William Richardson & Co.), §& Services, Miracle Systens, Mechanical Affinity, Toronto Timex/Sinclair Users Group, Wood and Vind Computing and $GER.
Much discussion centered around the BME introduction. Miracle Sustems officially sold the first production BME at the meeting. The harduare is complete but the softuare is still in Beta test. The BRE vas demonstrated running in a PC clone. Stuart Honeyball patiently answered many questions about progress on the product. Miracle also provided free upgrades to their products. I took advantage
Card. Miracles’ talk about the vas vell attended. ently vork on the SCSI card and Graphics Card vill be delayed until the softuare is completed.
Perfection has many more features that I haven’t described. Macros are supported. Macros are shorthand ways to get often used commands accomplished. A macro may be a series of commands used to set up all you initial favorite parameters. Maybe you find yourself going through the same series of commands while creating your document. Macros let you automate the keystrokes down to just control/F3 to execute whatever you have specified. Perfection can also do picture insertion. Perfection allows you to insert a Professional Publisher saved page into your Perfection document. There are many more features that I just haven’t had time to explore yet.
There are some features I would have liked to see included. Full support for proportional printing. You can access proportional fonts on your printer through the printer data file. However, Perfection counts characters instead of adding the actual width of the characters when determining when to start a new line. This means your right hand margin will be even more ragged than with a standard font. It also means right hand justification will not work with proportional print (see explanation on page 23 section 2.4.1 of the manual). Digital Precision states a module may be produced to support this feature. Since I rely on proportionally spaced documents, I’d welcome their efforts in that direction. I would like some sort of preview feature to get an idea of what the page will look like before I print it. Not only would it save a lot of trees, but it would give me feedback much faster than waiting for the page to print. I assume you could preview the page by exporting the Perfection file to Professional Publisher. The manual explains that Perfection files can be converted into Pro Publisher format files by using the Pubconvert program. Unfortunately, I don’t own Professional Publisher, so I can’t comment on how well Pubconvert or Propub_inserter works. Digital Precision offers various discounts to Perfection owners that decide to also purchase Professional Publisher.
Perfection is a modern word processor that a Quill user should be able to use right away. It is incredibly fast. Perfection is a FIRST-RATE word processor that deserves your serious consideration. ij
4
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We are pleased to announce an important development on the QL software scene. Thanks to plus4, QL users have been able to produce high quality text output matching that of the most expensive PC wordprocessors. However, until now, no QL program has been able to produce drawings and headline text of similar quality.
plus4 publisher is a new modular system comprising the plus4 wordprocessor, LINEdesign, and publisher's pack.
The new page design program LINEdesign allows the creation of A4 pages consisting of scalable drawings and text. Extensive commands for accurate drawing using lines, rectangles, poly-lines, ellipses, and bezier curves are provided. You can apply gray shades, fill patterns and outlining to surfaces. Once you have drawn an object, you can move it around the-page; enlarge or reduce. it, expand or squash it, rotate or transform it without losing any detail and without affecting other objects on the page. In addition, LINEdesign can do the same with text, combining any of the 57 scalable founts supplied with the program. These are not bit-mapped founts as used by other QL programs. Each fount can be printed in any size from smallprint to huge headline (even 4 inches tall) without jagged edges or loss of quality. Text can be rotated to any angle, shaded, slanted, even distorted for special effects. LINEdesign is supplied on Eleven disks which contain the program, the founts and a large number of ready- made scalable drawings for inclusion in your publications.
publisher's pack contains the component programs which combine the text editing and printing capabilities of plus4 with the graphic and fount handling power of LINEdesign. In addition publisher's pack includes two extra items: fountext93, a new high resolution upgrade to fountext88 which prints at 180 x 180 dots per inch on 24-pin and bubblejet printers and the new plus4 version 3.9 with many enhancements. Step-by-step instructions in the manual together with sample documents and ready-made page-layout objects such as shadowed boxes provide all you need to start preparing vou own professional looking publications.
A Gold Card or Atari with QL Emulator is highly recommended for this system
We also supply other exciting programs that are the best in their category. Programs such as the new spreadsheet, QSpread, the new database manager, DATAdesign, or the well established system manager, Qpac II which run under the Pointer Environment
plus4 and plus4 publisher software ‘other software | plus4 publisher (plus4 + LINEdesign + publisher's pack) | £199 | | DATAdesign v. 3 £59 please enquire about special upgrade prices to plus4 publisher if you ‘DATAdesign API £19 currently use plus4, text87 or LINEdesign | QD version 5 £55 LINEdesign ] £99 QSpread £69 plus4 wordprocessor ] £79 | QDesign Il £69 fountext88 + founted89 (graphic driver and founts for plus4) £39 | Qpac I! £39 a 2488 (drivers for plus4 for 24-pin and bubbiejet printers) | £19 | | FiFi £19 typeset90-deskjet (plus4 drivers for HP Deskjets and lasers) | £19 | QTop £29 \
You can pay by: cheque (UK banks), Traveller's Cheques, Postai Orders , Eurocheques (all in Pounds Steriing).
Software 87, 33 Savernake Road, London NW3 2JU
For all enquiries ring 071 485 9008 Monday to Friday 2pm-5pm