I/O BOARD

QUADLINK

I have recently become aware of Quadlink, a card that allows the IBM PC to run Apple software. I would think that a similar piece of hardware might be easy to make, since they both use the 6502 IC as their main processor. This would give ATARI owners access to many more programs.

Craig Beaurline
Cary, IL

Though thr Apple and the ATARI use the same processor, their Operating Systems (the program that allows the computer to run other programs) are completely different. Thus, to allow the ATARI to run Apple programs, you must replace the Operating System, not a simple proposition. The Quadlink card costs more than a new ATARI 800. Of more interest may be the recently announced expansion unit for the ATARI XL machines that will accept Apple-like cards when these become available. -ANTIC ED

RESET TO RERUN

I have written a little routine that will cause any BASIC program to restart when [SYSTEM RESET] is pressed. The effect is the same as if you had stopped the program by any normal means, then typed in RUN again. Follow these rules:
1. These lines must be the first three lines of the program.
2. The name of the string variable (here, RESET$) must not be used else where in the program.
3. Once the program has been RUN you cannot access the disk drive unless you reset the values of DOSINIT by doing a POKE 12,64:POKE 13,21, and then press [SYSTEM RESET] again.

0 DIM RESET$(60)

2 I=ADR(RESET$):H=INT(I/256):L=I-H*256:POKE 12,L:POKE 13,H:POKE 842,12:GRAPHICS 0
To use the routine, type it in and LIST to disk or cassette. Then LOAD a BASIC program and check to see that it doesn't use lines 0-2. If it does, renumber those lines. Then ENTER the LISTed routine. After you RUN the program for the first time, pressing [RESET] will automatically RUN it again.

To disable the [BREAK] key, include POKE 16,64:POKL 53774,64 after every GRAPHICS command. To even further protect your program ,create a RUN-only file by adding the following line:

32767 POKE PEEK(138)+ 256*PEEK(139)+ 2,0:SAVE "D:filename.ext":NEW

For cassette, change "D:filefiame.ext" to "C:". Making sure that you have another version of the program saved somewhere else, type GOTO 32767. The file that results can only be executed with RUN. It can be LOADed, but not LISTed. Even you will no longer be able to see the listing.

Robert Glover
Jensen Beach, FL

ANTICIPATION

Eric Verheiden's "Autoboot for BASIC" (ANTIC, June 1983) stimulates me to ask if the same can be done for assembly programs.

Richard Dawes
Huntsville, AL

See "Binary Autoload," by Ed and Jeff Schneider in ANTIC, Sept. 1983, if you haven't discovered it yet. --ANTIC ED

ANNOYING DEATH

I have an ATARI 800 and play Choplifter (Broderbund) a lot. It's annoying to have to be "killed" three times to start a new game. I experimented with the keyboard and discovered that if you press [BREAK] and then [OPTION], it will restart the game.

Brian Short
Hamilton, Kansas

DRAGONSMOKE MYSTERIES

Since purchasing my ATARL 800, I look forward to Dragonsmoke every month. I see, in reviewing those programs, the statements PRINT #6 and PRINT CHRS(125). What do they mean and do!

Larry Herrman
Rosell, NJ

PRINT CHR$(125) clears the screen. PRINT #6 is usedd to print large-sized characters to the screen in Graphics Modes 1 and 2, which are text modes. The #6 refers to Input/Output Channel 6. If a program uses none ofthe special screen graphics statements, Channel 6 can be used for other things. Thank you for the kind words about Dragonsmoke. -- ANTIC ED

PRIZE WINNING THANKS

I just wanted to let you know that I have received my Cover Art Contest prize. Thank you for selecting my entry. The real prize, for me, was seeing my entry published in your magazine.

Cecelia Gaxiola
San Jose, CA

We would like to thank Atari Program Exchanged, Broderbund Software, Data-Soft, Educational Software and Synapse Software for making available software prizes for our Cover Art Contest winners. --ANTIC ED

ANIMATED FAN WITH ANIMATION PROGRAM

I have been a loyal reader from ANTIC #1. Your magazine has since gotten bigger and better. One noticeable improvement is Steve Switzer's ATARI CLINIC. It is, by far, the most helpful new article in any magazine.

Here's a little program I hope you enjoy!

10 DIM S$(2000):open #1,4,0,"K:"
20 GET #1,C:? CHR$(C);
30 S$(LEN(S$)+1)=CHR$(C)
40 GOTO 20

This program will let you type anything you want and move it around, using the control keys, shift insert, and shift delete keys to make animation. When finished, break the program, and type PRINT S$ to see your animation sequence. The way this program works is that it gets a character from the keyboard (without return), and tacks it on to the end of S$. The animation comes in when you use the edit keys to move the text around, that is also put in S$.

Afshin Mokhtari
Hillsborough, CA

BURP

Real computers do eat Quiche and love it (also, pizza and beer). We, at HuRee Technologies, are pleased to announce that a Nutrition Analysis Program, by our company, is targeted for marketing in the third quarter of 1983. Anyone interested in this program can write to us at P.O. Box 3611, Santa Clara, CA 95055.

D. Hunt
Santa Clara, CA

Real computers had better watch their figures. --ANTIC ED

STALKING THE WILD DISK DRIVE

We are in the market for disk drives and a printer for our Atari 800. Are you going to compare the various types of drives in a future issue?

Ann Clark
Corry, PA

We will review the new disk drives as soon as possible. The printers will be evaluated early next year. - ANTIC ED.

UNSAVORY CHARACTERS First, the good news. I find ANTIC to be a very helpful, first-rate publication! There have been far too many worth-while features and articles to list here, so I'll just offer thanks to your staff and contributors.

The bad news? Your new program listings, while generally quite good, are at times quite awful. Without monospaced characters it is very difficult to tell how many spaces are being indicated. If a listed line breaks in the middle of a string of spaces, and the lines are not of equal length, by what mysterious process does one divine the number of spaces indicated?

Indicating control characters this way, i.e. "[T]" "ESC[CLEAR]", is also more sensible. Having control characters appear in the listing as they do on the screen is a neat trick, but serves no useful purpose unless you've memorized which key produces which character. I haven't, and I don't plan to. Nice try, but no cigar.

Sidney Schwartz
Port Jefferson Station, NY

We acknowledge the criticism and are moving on severel fronts to improve the situation. We are attempting to monospace our custom font, and looking at alternative ways of printing high-quality listings. --ANTIC ED

ROOT OF THE MATTER

I'm responding to Darron Bacall's letter in June I/O Board. An easy way to find any root of any number is: ? X [UPSIDE DOWN V](1/Y). X is the number and Y is the root. It won't yield exact results, but it's easier than a ten-line program.

Alan McMindes
Oklahoma City, OK

Same solution also submitted by Rhett Anderson of Canton. OH. --ANTIC ED

SEARCHING FOR SCROLLING

Your magazine has helped me learn about display lists and PlayeyMissile graphics, and now I am ready to learn about scrolling. Do you know where I could find an article on the subject?

Scott Sheck
Gaithersburg, MD

Expect to see a tutorial on scrolling early in 1984. - ANTIC ED.