8-Bit Software Online Conversion

8-BIT SOFTWARE ISSUE 20 DOCUMENTATION Please note that this article contains not only an overview of what is contained in the issue, but also the instructions for many of the programs on side 2 of the disk. DISK MAGAZINE The disk magazine this month is effectively split into two parts, the Teletext part and the non-Teletext part. The teletext part (a separate menu accessed by entering code 107 from the magazine menu) is entirely written by Chris Richardson, and contains: Wordsearch Instructions -instructions for the wordsearch-creator on side two of this disk ECG Simulator 3 Instructions -instructions for version 3 of Chris' ECG Simulator, also on side 2 Cheats 1 -A massive selection of cheats for several games. Most of these are quite easy to use Cheats 2 -A similar, but shorter cheats file Rombuilder Instructions -instructions for a program on side 2 which can be used to generate ROM header code (presumably as specified in the Master Ref. Manual) To exit from any of the above articles, you will have to press <BREAK>. The articles scroll up and down using the cursor keys. The remainder of the disk magazine is accessed directly from the magazine menu by typing in the number of the article you want to read and pressing RETURN. Note that if you wish to print out an article, simply enter the letter "P" before the article number. For example, P103 <RETURN> would display and print the questionnaire instructions. The magazine options are as follows : What is 8-Bit Software? -A brief introduction for new members Changes to 8-Bit Software -a massive article detailing new procedures etc., including recommendations for submissions and other information. All members should read this carefully. Questionnaire instructions -Instructions for the 8-Bit Software computerised questionnaire FILL IN QUESTIONNAIRE -this is not an article, but will load up the questionnaire for you to fill in. The questionnaire will allow me to store details of all members on disk. If you do not wish me to do this, don't fill in the questionnaire. You can of course fill parts of it in, and miss out the questions you don't want to answer. About this Issue -Overview of issue 20, including program documentation BASIC Program Protection - M.T. Farnworth -outlines different ways of protecting programs and data Teletext-format Articles -this will lead to the Teletext menu as previously described Messages section -Messages to all members and messages to you personally (if any), including adverts, requests for help/information, and general info New TBI Arrangements -an explanation of what additional PD software is now available from 8-Bit Software, and how to obtain it GLM PD catalogue -the June update of the GLM PD catalogue, kindly supplied by Gareth Moore, including a special discount offer for 8BS members (I am hoping for an extension of the deadline!) BBC PD Catalogue Notes -The "BBC PD" and "BBC PD News" files from the BBC PD Catalogue and Sampler disk, to accompany the BBC PD catalogue which can be accessed from the Software Menu on side 2. Some small alterations have been made to the texts, as indicated within them. Note that the catalogue is dated April 1992 and might be out of date! The files "ORDER" and "SUBMIT" are included for your use, but are not accessed via the menu (*TYPE them yourself). Optimising 6502 Code - Steven Flintham -an article describing how to reduce the number of bytes needed in your coding, including a digression by me on the subject of compatibility Conclusion -those of my comments that I couldn't think where else to put Members are encouraged to reply to/enquire about any items in the magazine which they can add anything to/don't understand etc. The software menu is reached by entering "999" at the main magazine menu. To exit from a piece of software that you have loaded, press CONTROL-BREAK and re-boot the disk on side zero. Note that, although all games, demos and music will run properly when loaded from the software menu, some software (especially utilities which require a source file, or disk space to create their results, or which work in ADFS) may have to be copied onto another disk of your own for use. The software selection is split up into a number of different sub-menus. Games/Demos - this includes : Power Raider by M.T. Farnworth. This was written to demonstrate the power of MTF's arcade game designer - as you can see, it has multi-layered parallax scrolling, multiple sprites, pixel accuracy in various things, and a rather weird series of lamp-posts (yes I know the graphics are a bit strange). The keys are the usual Z=left, X=right, *=up, ?=down, RETURN=fire. A few hints: Everything is dangerous except the lamp-posts, and most things require several hits! Stay low at the start to shoot the rockets - don't try dodging them. Your shield won't last long. The helicopters carry a nasty surprise. Shoot the red blob that appears at the top right to get a mega-weapon - you'll certainly need it for the end-of-level monster! (What happened to the next level?) Note that the file POWCODE also includes the actual routines for the arcade game designer - I am currently trying to convince MTF to give me the 44K instruction file for the designer, so I suggest all would-be games programmers hold onto the routines. Loopy Loop by Sattar Shakoor An excellently-presented implementation of a familiar theme. Avoid crashing into anything, but luckily the score counter is cumulative - so if you score highly on one level it doesn't matter if you're killed immediately on the next. Press S for the speed (or connect up a co-processor) and see how long you can last! Unfortunately Sattar's next game, Satellite Havac II (featuring multi-coloured graphics, parallax scrolling, and brilliant sound effects - it is similar in theme but different in layout from version I) arrived just a few days too late for Issue 20, but it will definitely be in Issue 21. SWAT Demo by Andrew Pepperell Sorry if this has been widely-published before, but I am very short of demos that haven't! (Andrew is not a member, but is currently on my list of "people to be recruited", along with Lars Osterballe and a few other people). The "Music" section contains a variety of titles from Mad Rabbit PD's MR-17 disk, available for ADFS L users via the TBI pool. Two of them were written (some time ago!) by Joel Rowbottom (user ID 66Q). Note that I am not sure whether any of the bulletin board numbers quoted are still operational. The "Text/Printer Utilities" section contains a variety of programs to deal with text, especially for submissions to 8-Bit Software. If you are submitting text, please follow these steps (I don't insist totally, but...) : IF YOU ARE USING VIEW Firstly use the VIEW to ASCII converter, then the ASCII unformatter. This will change the format to pure ASCII, which can be viewed using the *SPECIAL routine, which prints unformatted ASCII without breaking up words. IF USING EDIT, OR ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T INSERT MANY CONTROL CODES If you have inserted RETURNs or additional spaces at the end of lines, use the ASCII unformatter. If you have not, send the text without altering it. IF YOU ARE USING ANYTHING ELSE Print the text to a disk file using the Printer Redirection Utility ("*PrintTo"). Then use the ASCII unformatter. PRINTTO :: Printer Output Redirection Authors: Steve Greenley & Mike Brudenell This was originally obtained by BBC PD from Lancaster NPDSA. The original instruction file was too long to include (apologies to the authors), but there follows a summary: To set up the User Printer Driver at any time, run the file as: *PrintTo <filename> where "filename" is the name of the file to which printer output is to be redirected. Once the User Printer Driver has been set up, using *FX5,3 will cause a disk file to be opened. From then on, all information that would normally have gone to the printer will be redirected to the disk. When you have finished using this facility, type *FX5,n where n is the number of the printer type you wish to use (for the default, parallel, printer n=1) If the micro gives a Beep when the User Printer Driver is selected using the *FX5,3 command, the file you specified could not be created/emptied for some reason, and the "printer sink" is selected (ie. all print output discarded). I have assembled the PrintTo file to run at &A00, in an attempt to get it to function simultaneously with the following program, by Dr. H.L. Clarke, which corrects printer output. Unfortunately, this appears to be impossible as the programs clash in other ways. However, SUBSGEN should be very useful for hard copies of listings and other purposes. Program SUBSGEN (Titled as "Printout Correcter Generator" in the menu) This BASIC program, which is a development of 'HASHGEN' on disc no. 19, generates a machine code program to enable a parallel printer with software selection of national character sets to substitute one character in a different national character set for one specified character without affecting the screen display. A default character set is selected (which may or may not be the usual default for the printer), also the character for which a substitute is required, with the character set and the ASCii value of the actual character which is to be printed. This could be used, for example, instead of 'HASHGEN' to create a machine-code program to make the printer print the 'hash' sign for ASCii(35) and the 'pound' sign for ASCii(96). This would be done by specifying the default character set for the printer the 'USA' set, with ASCii(35) in the 'ENGLAND' set to substitute for the 'pound' sign. The machine code program sits at &900 and works with any language or application which does not make use of page &9. Its name is chosen by the operator when it is assembled by the BASIC program. The routine is loaded by typing *<name> when it is immediately enabled. This should be done when the printer is disabled. When the printer is next enabled the character set selected by the program will be used. The routine can be temporarily disabled by function key f0 (giving the screen message '*CODE 0'), following which it may be re-enabled by function key f1 (giving the screen message '*CODE 1'). These keys should only be used while the printer is disabled. Alternative function keys may be specified by altering lines 680 and 690 in the BASIC program. Note that even after disabling the routine, the printer will still be using the default character set specified by the routine, and if it is desired to return to the usual default character set, it may be necessary to switch the printer off and on again. The program will be corrupted by any use of page &9, e.g., by any use of the series port or the cassette port, or by the presence of any other machine-code routine using that page. It will not work in the presence of a program denying use of the command line vector. It should also be noted that the program alters the contents of both the user vector and the write-character vector, which may give rise to incompatibilities. Problems may also be expected if used with those VIEW printer drivers which include a pound sign printing function. This last difficulty can be avoided by disabling the routine, with function key f0, when in VIEW's command screen. The program is disabled by <BREAK>, when it will be found that a 'Bad Command' message will be produced if function key f0 or f1 is pressed. (This is due to vectors defaulting.) The program may normally be re-activated by entering <CALL &900>, if necessary after first re-entering BASIC. Also available from the software menu is a ready-assembled machine-code file, SUBS1, to implement the changes suggested above (i.e. print hash and pound properly). This has been created for a Panasonic KX-P1081, but appears to work perfectly on my Star LC24-10, and perhaps also on any other standard printer. It is titled as "Printout Correcter" in the menu. Dr. Clarke has also mentioned that Issue 19 contained the undocumented routines JPHASH and KXHASH, which were routines generated by HASHGEN for use with the JP101 and KX-1081 printers. Both have been tested. Teletext Article Printer by Chris Richardson This program can be used for printing articles from the teletext section of the disk magazine, or (presumably) any other teletext-based textfile. Display Unformatted ASCII by Andrew Pepperell This routine, also known as "Pretty Print" and *SPECIAL, is used in the form "*SPECIAL <filename>" to display an unformatted ASCII text file in any Mode or text window. The "Other Items" section contains the following software: Presenting Poland Part 1 by Miroslaw Bobrowski An excellently-presented introduction to Poland, including music, graphics and text, with particular emphasis upon the geography of Poland. This version is supposed to require a colour monitor, but seemed OK on my television. ECG Simulator V.3 by Chris Richardson A very highly-detailed and interesting simulation - see the Teletext magazine for instructions. I think the "Window" command is missing. ROM Header Code Generator by Chris Richardson For anyone who wants to put an assembly language routine into sideways ROM/RAM. See Teletext magazine for details. Automatic File Scrambler by M.T. Farnworth As detailed in his BASIC Program Protection article, this will scramble and unscramble files that you load/save. Make sure your machine is NOT set to auto-BOOT before you run it. Wordsearch Creator by Chris Richardson This will allow you to create wordsearches, using whatever words you like, very easily. Refer to the Teletext Magazine for full instructions. Unfortunately there was not room to include the program which reveals the answers. Remember that, if you find any piece of software useful/interesting/enjoyable, you should do your best to note down any ideas for improvements, or (constructive!) criticism, so that these can be returned to the programmer. See "Changes to 8-Bit Software" article for details.