8-bit Software (c) Duncan Webster January 1992
Issue 18 Jan/Feb 1992
UNIVERSAL MAILBOX (public & individual)
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MESSAGES issue 18 Jan/Feb 1992
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From: 4RR (Keith Dunn)
To: 2GJ (Roger Pashby)
Re: *FX Calls
There are many *FX calls which are not documented.
The one you are seeking is listed below in full.
*FX202,X Shift Caps Shift
Lock Lock Enable
where X = 0 On On No
16 On Off No
32 Off On No
48 Off Off No
128 On On Yes
144 On Off Yes
166 Off On Yes
I have used this in a few programs, especially in the field of
education, where the junior user is expecting to see the typed words
in lower case and not capitals or vice versa.
*8BS editor's note*
I have received many replies to the question posed in issue 17
regarding *FX calls. This reply from Mr. Dunn was the most
comprehensive. A big thanks to all members who so kindly responded.
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From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 994 (C. Ince)
Re: Compressing Graphics
To compress and save screen images, try using SVPIC (from one of the
issue 16 archives). I've lost my copy, so I don't know how it works,
but presumably you just type *SVPIC <filename> when you have a MODE
0 screen loaded in.
*8BS editor's note*
I don't think the SVPIC routine on issue 16 actually worked. If any
member has a working copy os SVPIC then please send it in and I shall
re-issue it as a matter of urgency.
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 2GJ (Roger Pashby)
Re: Caps On/Off
On a Master, use OSBYTE 202 to write the keyboard status byte.
Don't know whether this will work with a BBC B or not, but it
should. On entry, Y=0, X=new value. Values of the bits in X ...
bit 3 : set for shift depressed
bit 4 : set for caps lock disengaged
bit 5 : set for shift lock disengaged
bit 6 : set for CTRL depressed
bit 7 : set for shift enabled (i.e. shift-caps)
If any of these bits are not set then obviously it will have the
opposite effect. Bit 7 can also be used to set inverse shift-lock,
which can't be done from the keyboard, but is unlikely to be of any
use anyway.
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 2GJ (Roger Pashby)
Re: Password Problem
If an easier solution can't be found, a friend of mine did once
write a password program, originally intended as extra security for
Econet files, but presumably it would work for this as well. The
problem would be, is your menu going to be in machine code as well,
and if not, how do you stop hackers ignoring the !BOOT file and
loading up the menu instead. I could probably find a solution to
this one too (or perhaps the Master Utilrom (issue 15) would be
useful here). If I can find a copy of the password prog. lying around
the Econet anywhere, I'll send it to 8BS ASAP.
From: 483 (Daniel Shimmin)
To: 7GE
Re: Printer Dumps
Allan Kelly wrote a printer dump program that might (or might not)
work for your printer. It's on disc 50 of Alan Blundell's BBC PD.
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 348 (G. Davies)
Re: Floating Point Arithmetic
I'm trying to find some routines which I THINK were lying around
somewhere - with any luck I'll get them to 8BS by the next issue.
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Spellcheck
In issue 16 2GJ asked Andy Nibbs for advice on how to enlarge the
dictionary in Alan Blundell's Spellcheck program. Does Andy, or
anyone else, have any answers? (I think an improved version of
Spellcheck is planned by the author anyway.)
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Connecting Disc Drives
To repeat a similar sort of question to the one asked by User 275 in
issue 16, does anyone know if (and how) a 3.5" disc drive can be
connected to a Master 128 simultaneously with a double 5.25" drive,
with no switches or anything in between.
From: 483 (D. Shimmin)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Interactive Econet Games
I'm currently running a games system on my school's Econet for the
benefit of the pupils, and interactive adventures (such as TESTCAVE
and ARENA 2) are extremely popular. Does anyone know of any other
similar programs, either commercial or PD, available? Is anyone
prepared to try and write one, or to help in writing one? Most
important are speed and reliability of operation (considering that
it'll have about thirty people playing on the same net at once, most
of whom won't have a clue what to do if something goes wrong), and
the number of special features etc. available. Perhaps Urban War
could be modified to work on Econet, possibly even played by several
people at once (especially since the author of UW is a member of
8BS!) If anyone can be of any help in any of this please get in
touch.
*8BS editor's note*
I have just finished speaking to Mr. Shimmin on the phone who has
asked me to publish his phone number for enquiries/responses to his
last message (above) regarding Econet Games. If any member runs or
uses an Econet system and would like to chat to Mr. Shimmin then
please phone him on 0204 492613. Ask for Daniel.
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From: C83 (D. Stillman)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: SWR Commands
1. I am thinking of getting a Watford solderless SWR board for my BBC
B. I would like to know if you can *SRLOAD / *LOAD rom images into
the SRAM. Can anybody offer any advice ?
2. I would also like to know if you can buy 1 or 2 extra chip sockets
to put inside the BBC Computer.
3. Can anybody write a program that will tell how far a person can see
into the horizon depending on their height ?
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From: M8M (P. Smith)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: ROM Image
Here are a rundown of the complete commands available from the 8BS ROM
which was on the issue 17 disc ...
CHECK - Gives the checksums from the Micro User.
GRAPHICS - Mode 8,with 10k and 16 colours.
MDUMP - A Memory dump.
CURSOR <ON/OFF> - Self Explanatory
DATE - Dates the named file by altering the load and
execution addresses.
HIDE - Turns the screen in any mode (except 7) off by
defining all colours as 0.
REVEAL - Opposite of hide.
VDU - Gives VDU codes, meaning and use.
CLOSE - Closes all open files (for BASIC 1 users).
BREAK - Performs hard reset.
FILE - If you put the first line of a program as
10 REM "File" - the *FILE command will then
save the program as "file".
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From: K1P (R. Bathgate)
To: 7GE (M. Price)
Re: Football Program
Yes, it does store all the results from the division, along with a
few other things too! I suppose you could use it for a P.B.M. game to
store the results and provide tables etc., but you'd have to write
your own program or modify this one to play the games on.
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From: 238 (Graham Cooley)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: For Sale
Master Smart Cartridge .................. # 20.00
Master Reference Manuals ................ # 16.00 (both)
Masterfile II (ADFS) .................... # 15.00
Genie Junior (ADFS) ..................... # 15.00 (inc. utility disc)
Dump Out 3 .............................. # 10.00
Exile (disc) ............................ # 6.00
Repton Infinity (cassette) .............. # 6.00
Knitwear Designer (disc) ................ # 6.00
Play it Again Sam 4, 11 and 14 (disc) ... # 4.00 (each)
Clogger, Zenon, Roundheads .............. # 4.00 (all three)
All software is original and prices include postage and packing.
If interested please contact Graham direct on 091-264-2059 after 6pm
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From: 81R (S. Bodman)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Micro User Sound Sampler
I am aware that the M.U. have got an offer for a Sound Sampler. If
anyone has one of these for the BBC B, could they please review it,
explaining how it is used and the length of the samples plus the kind
of sound quality that can be expected.
*8BS editors note*
Chris Richardson's MixEd program (issue 17) contains a sample from the
M.U. sampler I beleive. Try playing this to get an idea of the
quality.
From: 81R (S. Bodman)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: For Sale
One Double Sided 40/80 switchable disk drive WITHOUT power supply.
Offers around #40.00 ish. Please call Steve Bodman direct on
0789-296534 evenings only.
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From: YJ2 (A. Snodgrass)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Popular *FX Calls
If anyone is interested here are the FX commands for turning the
Escape & Break facility on and off ...
*FX 200,0 - Enable Escape & Break
*FX 200,1 - Disable Escape Only
*FX 200,2 - Clear Memory on Break Only
*FX 200,3 - Disable Escape & on Break Clear Memory (Hard Break)
From: YJ2 (A. Snodgrass)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: For Sale
BBC Micro/Electron Cassette version of Barbarian ..... # 5.00
From: YJ2 (A. Snodgrass)
To: 999 (All Members)
Can Anyone start a series on good programming techniques, savings
memory and avoiding the "No Room" error? Can anyone tell me how to
use SVPIC from issue 16? Can anyone tell me if it is possible to
create ECF patterns on the BBC B as I know it is possible on the
Master. Has anyone got a map for Baron which appeared on "Play it
again Sam 11" as I can't get anywhere without getting killed by those
overgrown mice. My cassette recorder will not read cassettes anymore,
but they will read properly on friend's computers - Can anyone suggest
what is wrong with it? The door also keeps popping up when the
cassette is being played.
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From: 72B (J. Brook)
To: 0E7 (F. Nevin)
Re: Maps
I have a copy of the A&B Computing for June 1986 with the program
about maps in it. Let me know where to send the information you want,
and I'll be happy to do so. I have not typed out the program
concerned myself.
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From: W79 (J. Harston)
To: 999 (All Members)
Re: Music 5000 MIDI control
The Music 5000 has a Midi interface in it. I have built a BBC MIDI
interface and written the patch to send SOUND commands through the
MIDI port. My interface is a 6850 ACIA at address &FCF0. Can anybody
tell me what the M-5000 iterface is, and where it is on the i/o map?
My *MIDIon patch will take a parameter to tell it the address of a
MIDI interface, if it is a standard 6850 ACIA. Would any other
members be interested in an article telling you how to build a MIDI
interface?
*8BS editor note*
Anyone interested please contact 8BS in the normal way. Anyone who
can answer the question please also get in touch.
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From: 105 (D. Webster)
To: 722 (A. Black)
Could you please indicate whether or not you would be willing to allow
your Archiver program to be used by other P.D. libraries to archive
their software. A couple of people have been in contact and some have
made amendements to the coding in order to taylor it for their own
needs. Please reply a.s.a.p. so that I can get a message out to these
people.
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From: 6EE (M. Needham)
To: 999 (All Members)
Can anyone let me have a copy of the program disc for the Sept 1991
issue of The Micro User, 40 or 80 track. I have all the other Micro
User discs from June 1990 to date, 80 track, does anyone want to swap
for Acorn User or Beebug discs?
From: 6EE (M. Needham)
To: 348 (G. Davies)
AMX Pagemaker/Stop Press: The Extra! Extra! Utilities package for
Pagemaker is worth considering, it contains 27 fonts and a program to
convert fonts between Pagemaker and Super Art and vise versa. The
package also contains clip-art, page copier, screen stripper, a new
startup menu so the original system disc is required, only if you need
the Previewer, Definer, or Mode Converter. Will only work fully with
versions above 1.3 due to the protection used. I bought one at the
Acorn User show for 5. Well worth it!
From: L1L (J. Smylie)
To: 999 (All Members)
Has anyone come across the PD title, 'Supreme', an Elite type trading
game. Can anyone offer some help as to how to get started in this
game as so far I'm having trouble doing anything useful. I'm sure
that this is a rather good game but at the moment I've come to a bit
of an abrupt end.
Also, I have a problem with my cassette motor relay. Although I do
not own a cassette player and have never used one the relay continues
to switch itself on when using View. It actuallly switches on when I
press escape to enter text mode from command mode. Can anyone tell me
what is wrong and if possible how to fix it as I'm getting tired of
typing *MOTOR all the time.
How do you fix sticking keys - my TAB key is stuck.
From: L1J (Miroslaw Bobrowski)
To: 999 (All Members)
I am looking for a strategy game called 'Go'. This had been published
by Acornsoft in the early 80's. I know that there is also another
version of the game named 'MicroGo' but I don't remember the software
house. If there is someone who could resell this this game or
exchange it for other software please contact:
Miroslaw Bobrowski,
Waszyngtona 22 A - 41,
15-174 Bialystok, Poland.
I would also like to explain that no computer magazines such as 'The
Micro User', 'Acorn User' or 'A&B Computing' are available in Poland
and I have never seen how the 'Beebug' magazine looks like. Recently
I have received a number of old, single issues of 'The Micro User' and
'Acorn User' published in 1985 - 1988 from my Dutch friend. Also I
have bought some Acorn-orientated magazines during my trips to Britain
or to the Netherlands. Of course, I have typed in all the listings of
the programs that appeared in the magazines I have got, and here is
a problem. I have typed in the listing of the first part of the
program called 'Basic Analyser' which appeared in 1985 in the
November issue of 'The Micro User' and all I need is the listing of
the second part of that program. I believe that this appeared in 1985
in the December issue of the 'Micro User'. I would greatly appreciate
to anyone who could send me this listing.
Miroslaw Bobrowski,
Waszyngtona 22 A - 41,
15-174 Bialystok, Poland.