I/O Board
DESIGNING LABELS
Designer Labels (Antic, April 1987) is an excellent program, but here's my simple fix that will allow readers to use graphics from the original Print Shop disk as well as the Print Shop Graphics Library disks:
Boot Print Shop as usual, and enter the Graphic Editor. Then GET any of the 60 designs on the original disk and SAVE the design to a data disk formatted by Print Shop. The saved graphics are now compatible with the Designer Labels program and may be used exactly as you would use graphics from the Library disks. You still can't use images directly from the Print Shop disk itself, but you can use the graphics from it once you've followed this procedure.
Robert Conklin
Liverpool, New York
EDU-WARE LIST
I am computer-using educator who has compiled a database of over 350 commercial educational software titles for the 8-bit Atari. In order to keep this database current, I welcome any update information that Antic readers might send me. I am also glad to send a copy of my seven-page, single-spaced list to anyone who sends me a stamped, self-addressed envelope plus 50 cents to cover printing costs.
William Brooks III
Naquag School
Rutland, MA 01543
DVORAK TOOL
The Dvorak Keyboard (Antic, March 1987), when combined with the Multi-AUTORUN program from the same issue, can be used with the Writer's Tool word processor from OSS. Format a disk and write the modified DOS from Multi-AUTORUN on the disk. Save the Dvorak file to disk as AUTORUN.SYS, and copy the AUTORUN.SYS file from the Writer's Tool disk, saving it to the new disk as AUTORUN1.SYS. When the program initializes, the Dvorak program operates as advertised. Now--if I can just figure out how to type on my Dvorak keyboard.
Brian Pendergrass
APO, NY
SOUND OFF
Can I permanently modify DOS to disable all input/output sounds? I realize that POKE 65,0 turns it off, but pressing [RESET] brings it back.
Arnel Gallanosa
If you are a machine language programmer; you could write a routine to store a zero at location 65 during every vertical blank interrupt, preserve this routine under a new MEMLO, and trap the RESET vector to keep it there. Readers, let us know if there's an easier way to do this. - ANTIC ED
SILENT TYPEWRITER
We have received a lot of letters and phone calls regarding the Talking Typewriter (Antic, January 1987). Many praised the project and asked us to print the advanced version of it, while others said it didn't work at all. We tested our prototype for an entire month at Antic before printing the article, and we can think of no reason for a properly built board and a properly typed program not to work. Here are some common errors:
- Some people wired the serial connector backwards. The diagram shows the pins as you look at the computer-- that is, from the rear of the plug (as the diagram states).
- The .022pF capacitor in Figure I should be a .022uF--our mistake.
- The notes at the bottom of the parts list on page 23 explain some workble substitutions.
TTY FOR THE DEAF
Regarding Deaf Modem Help (Antic I/O, April 1987), it has been brought to our attention that that page 69 of the Atari 850 Interface Manual contains a listing for a Baudot terminal emulator. This may be helpful to persons wishing to to communicate with their deaf friends via Atari computers and modems.--ANTIC ED
PRAISE ATARI CORP.
When two keys broke off the numeric keyboard of my 1040ST--after the warranty expired--I figured I was in bad shape. However, I ran into a beta tester for Atari Corp. at the Las Vegas CES, who told me I should write to Jack Tramiel and explain the problem.
Three weeks later I received a letter from Atari Technical Services Manager Randy Hain, and 10 days after that I received--free of charge-an entire new ST keyboard.
I was only looking for two replacement keys, but to have a large company replace an expensive part at company expense was really unexpected. I can't say enough good about Atari Corp.--if yoy want a computer that you know is supported and backed up, then look to Atari.
Richard Draude
Kingman, Arizona
MONITORING THE ST
Is the Atari monochrome monitor the only "brand" of monitor that works with the ST, or will green or amber monitors manufactured by other companies work?
Mark Brown
Ashland, OR
Any monitor, color or monochrome, can display the ST monochrome signaI provided the monitor can lock onto the non-standard "sync" signals sent out by the ST. The ST monochrome signal runs at about 70 Hertz vertical and 31.5 kiloHertz horizontal. The NEC MultiSync can handle the 31.5 kHz, but the picture might roll while trying to lock onto the nonstandard 70 Hz. Even if you found a compatible monitor you 'd have to build a customized hookup cable running from your monitor to the Atari's DIN 13-pin video plug. You'll also need to hook pin 4 of the video plug to the ground to alert the ST to send out a monochrome signal. Why not just stick with the inexpensive, rock-solid Atari SM124 monitor?--ANTIC ED
FIND MY RAM
I have an 800XL with 8K of RAM missing. I changed all eight RAM chips and got the same result. The BASIC FRE(0) function shows 37,902 bytes available. What could be the problem?
George Simon
CompuServe
ID 72347,2657
Newer users often ask this question. Your Atari 800XL (as well as the Commodore 64 and the APPle Ile) is advertised as a 64K computer. Putting it simply, this means that the 6502 microprocessor chip which is the heart of the computer can address a maximum 64K of memory. But approximately I6K of memory is reserved for the operating system and other overhead such as screen memory. DOS uses a little more. When you use BASIC, 8K of the remaining RAM is replaced by 8K of ROM.
FRENCH DOS
With regard to Clement Carbonneau's question about re-writing the DOS menu in French (Antic, April 1987) Anything can be loaded to AtariWriter. Therefore, you can load the DUP.SYS file from the DOS menu into AtariWriter. Edit the file-- making sure that your new text message has exactly the same number of characters as the original text--and save it just like any other file. Some files come up weird when you do this, but not DUP.SYS.
Beth Jane Freeman
CompuServe ID
71777,3172
MILES AWAY
I'm trying desperately to find the Miles Computing accounting programs (General Iedger, Payroll, etc.). Can anyone help me?
J.P. Coggins
Fernadina Beach
Florida
Antic reviewed the Miles Payroll Accounting System in January, 1987. Here's the address: Miles Computing Inc., 21018 Osborne Street, Building 5, Canoga Park, CA 91304. (818) 341-1411. -- ANTIC ED
1200XL BLUES
Readers still ask if the Atari 1200XL is really incompatible with most 800 and 800XL programs. The answer is that, with a translator disk such as FIX XL ($10, The Catalog, PD0026) the 1200XL should work with almost all 800 and 800XL programs--but since some modems and other devices (such as ICD's P:R: Connection) draw their power from the serial port, the software controlling the devices won't work because the 1200XL serial port doesn't supply power the same way as other Atari 8-bit computers. There will also be problems with Atari 800 multiplayer games that access joystick ports 3 and 4. -- ANTIC ED
ROTATE FIX
If you tried and failed to get Rotate from the February, 1987 Tech Tips to work, here is the fix:
1. Change the 2317 in line 40 to 217.
2. Change the 233 in line 40 to 223.
3. Change the 4C in line 70 to 40.
4. Change the 102 in line 80 to 1024.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Exactly what do I need in order to transfer Atariwriter text files from my Atari 800XL or 130XE to my IBM-compatible Leading Edge D at work?
Patrick Lyle
Wheeling, WV
Each computer needs its own modem and communications software. The modems should both be capable of transmitting at the same baud rate, usually 300 or 1200. Your software must use the same file transfer protocols ("handshaking"), so look for two programs with a common file transfer method. Far the Atari, we suggest Backtalk 1.2 ($19.95, The Catalog, APO154), which supports both XMODEM and XON/XOFF protocals and can translate the weird Atari carriage returns into standard ones. It works with the XM301, as well as other modems. -- ANTIC ED
ULTIMATE PRINTER?
You called the Star SB-IO "the ultimate dot-matrix printer" (Antic, February 1986). Print Shop and Megafont II+ don't work on the SB-IO. Broderbund said its programs don't work with 24-pin printers, and Star Micronics said the SB-10 isn't compatible with any other printer. Since you claim that it's the ultimate printer and use it for your listings, please tell me what programs do work with the SB-10.
Roger Brownell
Compuserve I.D.
71777,164
Antic considers 24-pin printers like Star SB-10 the "ultimate" because of their near laser printer resolution. We never claimed that the SB-10 was Epson-compatible. When we decided to use the SB-10 to print our program listings, inhouse programmer Patrick Bass created a complete 24-pin font editor/listings printer program, which runs on any Atari 8-bit computer with at least 48K.
For those who can program, the SB-10 printer manual has plenty of information on sending commands to the printer. If you don't program, you should still be able to teach any wordprocessing software allowing the creation of a "printer driver" such as AtariWriter or AtariWriter Plus--how to converse with the SB-10. We have not, however, succeeded in getting PaperClip to work with the SB-10.
On the ST we use the SB-10 for letter quality printouts by simply double-clicking on a textfile and then selecting "Print File" from the desktop. Any ASCII file printout should be fine. For printing ST pictures, DEGAS includes an SB-IO printer driver --
Antic welcomes your feedback, but we regret that the Iarge volume of mail makes it impossible for the Editors to reply to everyone. Although we do respond to as much reader correspondence as time permits, our highest priority must be to publish I/O answers to questions that are meaningful to a substantial number of readers. Send letters to: Antic I/O Board, 544 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.