Part 1
By C.J.Richardson. This program will archive up to 50
filenames into one. Especially useful
for DFS users. DFS has a filename
limit.
The program will allow you to add files
to the archive at a later date. You
cannot delete files from the archive
(the program could be adapted to do
so).
The program allows you to de-archive
all files or just one and then run it.
You may view the files in the archive.
You may also use * commands.
To use the program:
CHAIN"Arch`de"
The main menu offers you 3 options and
a * command facility:
Option 1. Archive Files.
Choosing this option takes you to a
sub-menu with 2 further options. The
first of which is to start a new
archive, the second to continue
building an existing archive. Both
options start by asking which archive
you want to begin/add to. You then
enter the name/s of the file/s to
archive. Finish by pressing RETURN.
Option 2. De-Archive Files. When you choose this option you are
first asked which archive you want to
split. Enter the filename of the
archive you wish to split. You are then
presented with the available archived
files in that archive. You may now
choose option 1 to de-archive all of
the files or option 2 to de-archive
just one of the files.
If you choose to de-archive just one
file, when de-archiving is complete,
you will be given the option to CHAIN
or *RUN the de-archived file or to
continue in the archiver/de-archiver.
If you use a twin drive, you have no
need to copy archived files to the
blank disc first. Make the drive with
the blank disc the current drive with
*DR. <num>. Then when prompted for the
source file, enter the full pathname
including the drive number.
For example. The archived file View is
in drive 2. The blank disc is in drive
1. Load the de-archiver. Type *DRIVE 1.
Type RUN. Enter 2 to de-archive.
Enter :2.View. Enter 1. The file will
be de-archived directly from drive 2 to
drive 1.
Option 3. View Archived Files. Choosing this option allows you to see
what files are in an archive. Enter
the name of the archive.
* Command. Type * followed by any * command to
change drives etc. Remember that some *
commands corrupt memory and will
overwrite the program.
Do not enter file names longer than 10
characters. This will not allow full
pathnames in ADFS, but as ADFS uses a
directory structure, there is no need
to archive files for ADFS.
This program will probably feature on
future 8BS issues as it enables single
programs to be easily fished out of a
large archive. As a lot of the programs
submitted to 8BS are short and sweet,
this will no longer pose a problem for
DFS users.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K2K (Peter Davy)
Subject: My Adult Basic Education
programs on disks TBI-46-1 to TBI-46-6
of the 8-Bit Software Catalogue.
Although the above programs were
written specifically for adults,
some members may not have realised
that many of them are of interest to
children.
Although I am not at present
spontaneously writing any new
programs, I would like to keep my hand
in by considering ideas from users for
new programs or for changes to
existing ones.
The program XNEXTDH, to be found
elsewhere on this disk, provides an
example of a program which I have
modified to meet the requirements of a
user. It also provides members with an
opportunity to see a bit of my work
and perhaps to decide to see more.
The original program is XNEXT on disk
no. TBI-46-2. It is written for the
fairly proficient reader who
nevertheless has difficulty in putting
sentences together when he comes to
write something of his own. The
program gives a choice of three
passages. The student is given the
words of the passage 3, 4 or 5 at a
time in a random order and has to put
them into the right order.
The changes made to the program are to
make it more suitable for a student
with impaired vision. In the new
version all the characters on the
screen are double height which are
easier to read. Also the student can
now choose to have just white
characters on a black background,
instead of the use of various colours,
if he finds that to be beneficial.
The passages are stored within the
program in DATA statements from line
no.2260 to no.2510. Anyone used to
putting new DATA into an existing
program should have no difficulty
in producing a version with some new
passages. Copy the program on to
another disk. Delete lines 2260 to
2510. Two data markers are used. A
hash, #, placed immediately after a
word will cause that word start a new
paragraph when the passage is printed
on the screen. An asterisk, *,
indicates the end of a passage.
Generally the DATA lines do not need
to be in inverted commas unless the
text in that line has one or more
commas. Lines 900, 910 and 920 would
need to have the new titles and lines
950, 960 and 970 would need to have the
new RESTORE numbers.
Alternatively if you would care to
write some new passages for the
program but do not feel able to
incorporate them into the program, I
would be glad to do the work for you
if you send me the passages, a blank
disk and the return postage.
Please specify DFS, ADFS, 40 or 80
track.
Peter Davy 68 Headlands Road Ossett
West Yorkshire WF5 8HX
01924 274403
To: 999 (all members)
From: K6N (Brian Raw)
Subject: AMOEBA IN C
This is the simpler version of AMOEBA
that was in issue 46 but written in C,
called via the card printing prog
which is in BASIC. The main reason for
calling the program in this way is
that there are actually two versions
available that use MODE 7 or MODE 4
and since you cannot alter the mode
while the program is running you must
set off in the MODE required.
Following the rules I had learned from
my last C program, things went fine
until it came to reading the ADC port.
It turned out that this produces a
signed 16bit number as opposed to
BASIC which produces a 16bit unsigned
number. Let me demonstrate!
paddle left paddle right
value range value range
unsigned 65536 [ 32768 32767 ] 0
signed -1 [ -32766 32767 ] 0
one solution to this problem would be
to first take the ABSOLUTE values
signed 1 [ 32766 32767 ] 0
then check the sign of the original
signed < 0 > 0
so then when the ABSOLUTE value < 1000
some action is required, checking the
sign of the original tells you the
direction.
Incidentally, the paddles now work in
unison with the keys i.e. if no key is
being pressed, then the program reads
the ADC port.
Another change to the program was
necessary, due to the toggle operating
too quickly it was difficult to stop
it re-toggling, so there is now a flag
which prevents more than one toggle
between movements.
Since the board information is stored
in a character array this is the type
of use you put *pointers to. It works
in a similar way to the indirection
pointer ?variable in BASIC.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
I * I I * I
I * I I * I
I * I I * I
I** O **I I** O **I
I * I I * I
I * I I * I
I * I I * I
The playing board in the centre of the
screen is made up of a 7*7 grid of
blocks, the size of the small flashing
square. These blocks can be turned into
two positions. See the above
representation. Press the SPACE BAR to
turn the block to it's other position.
First of all, choose the option to
print out the cards. You will use the
printout when playing the game. In the
BASIC version of Amoeba, there was an
option to see these cards on screen,
this version does not have that option.
Play the game by moving the small
flashing square in the centre pattern
on the screen around using the AZ,.
keys. When the flashing square is over
the part of the pattern that you want
to turn, press the SPACE BAR. If this
action then creates a copy in the
grid of one of your cards, remove that
card from your printout. You then get
another turn. If this action does not
create a copy of one of your cards in
the centre grid, then the turn passes
to the other player.
The game ends when one of the players
runs out of cards and the pack has
gone.
If using paddles then input is only
accepted from the paddle who's go
it is.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith)
Subject: Z88/BBC Archive Utility
I am indebted to John Allen for giving
his permission to release this
excellent Z88 Archiver into PD. On
this disk, you should find two
versions of this utility. 'Zarkive' is
an easily read Basic program and
designed for the Master. 'ZARKcom' is
a compressed version of Zarkive, so as
to fit and run on a model B.
Instructions for using the archiver
are also on this disk, as 'ZinfoWW' (a
WW+ text file), and 'Zascii' which is
pure ascii and can be read with *TYPE
Zascii or loaded into the W/Proc of
your choice.
This utility allows you to back-up
all or just some of your Z88 files to
BBC disk in one big file. Any of the
Z88 files within this file can be
restored back to the Z88. There is
also a Printer Server built-in, and
it's very easy to use, being menu
driven. It is also very quick!
If you need any help with using this
utility, or indeed any Z88 problems,
please get in touch with me on 01738-
812186, evenings or w/ends.
EDITOR..... Please note that this
utility is archived on this issue. You
will need to use the de-archiver on
this disc (info above) before you can
use the suite of programs.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 3WU (Fred Price)
Subject: A Sad Story
Not all poems or stories can have
a happy ending and in this case it is
a sad tale of many years ago.
I got this little story off an RtoR
tape I got when I first started with
our local hospital radio. When I
heard it in our local WEARSIDE accent
I then started to write it down.
This was before I started on computers.
It takes a full A4 to print it out
so if you can center your printer, put
the paper in and read the sad story of.
WHISPERING BILL
in WHISBILL .
PRESS SPACE