i/o board
DISKIO 2.5?
Ever since you printed "DISKIO" (Antic, January 1985), I've been using it on all my disks and loving it. However, now I'm converting all my disks to DOS 2.5 and DISKIO is not compatible. I'd hate to give it up. Is there some way to remedy this situation?
Brian Patrolia
Marshfield, MA
You're in luck. We asked the author about this and Dr Oppenheim told us that although he was now too busy to adapt the program himself (he's a nuclear medicine physician) he would send us the source code. We then contacted Patrick Dell'Era, author of the assembly language updates Fader II (Antic; May 1985) and Picture Show (Antic April 1985) as well as this issue's Fast Moves. Patrick accepted the challenge and we expect to see his all-new DISKIO in next month's Antic. --ANTIC ED
GRAPHICS ADDITION
When I use Graphics Mode 11+32, there are a number of unwanted streaks and dots near the bottom of the screen. Other graphics modes have similar streaks. How can they be eliminated without losing whatever the +32 is intended to retain?
Nelson E. Sommer
Orchard Park, NY
Each time you make a regular GRAPHICS call from BASIC, your screen RAM is cleared so you can start with a fresh slate. If you add 32 to your call, you tell the computer not to clear the screen buffer. As a result, anything that was previously on the screen remains there. The streaks and dots you see are probably leftover Graphics 0 characters. Of course, they're no longer readable because you are now in a mode with higher resolution.
If you want to experiment with this, try filling a Graphics 2 screen with letters. Now type GRAPHICS 1+ 32, and you'll see your letters shrunk down to Graphics 1 size. (Above them will be the original Graphics 2 display list.) Now, type GRAPHICS 3 + 32 and the letters become a screen of colored dots. Finally, type GRAPHICS 2+32 to get right back where you started.
SHORTEST GAME
We came across this I/O submission behind a desk, while cleaning out a work station in the editorial department. Date March 10, 1984, it's from John Pershing and Kevin O'Neil, of Falls Church, Vermont. They've probably forgotten all about it by now. Well, we're going to publish Minefield anyway--because it's the shortest code we've ever seen for agame.--ANTIC ED
10 REM MINEFIELD
20 REM BY PERSING AND O'NEILL
30 REM ANTIC PUBLISHING
40 ? "(ARROW)":? :? :? :POKE 752,1
50 ? " In MINEFIELD you have just escaped from a Communist prison camp. You have stumbled onto a minefield ";
60 ? "and must escape! You may interscreen but your object is to get to the right edge."
65 ? "You may fire a stolen laser that will destroy one pixel of a mine. Be thriftyfor you only have 5 shots."
70 ? "Best of luck!"
80 ? :? "Press START to begin."
90 IF PEEK(53279)<>6 THEN 90
100 C=60
1000 GRAPHICS 7:SETCOLOR 2,0,0
1100 FOR BOX=1 TO 65:COLOR 2
1110 A=INT(145*RND(0))+5:B=INT(70*RND(0)+1)
1120 PLOT A,B:DRAWTO A+5,B:DRAWTO A+5,B+5:DRAWTO A,B+5:DRAWTO A,B
1130 NEXT BOX
1200 N=40:COLOR 1
1210 FOR X=0 TO 158:POKE 752,1
1215 SOUND 0,N+INT(RND(0)*5)+1,12,5
1220 PLOT X,N
1230 IF STICK(0)=14 THEN N=N-1
1235 IF STICK(0)=13 THEN N=N+1
1240 LOCATE X+1,N,POO:IF POO=2 THEN 2000
1241 IF N=79 THEN N=1
1242 IF N=0 THEN N=78
1243 IF STRIG(0)=0 AND O<=4 THEN 3000
1250 NEXT X
1260 ? "YOU FINISHED!!":C=C+20:R=R+1
1270 ? "PRESS FIRE BUTTON":O=0
1273 ? "YOU FINISHED ";R;" ROUND(S)"
1275 SOUND 0,0,0,0
1280 IF STRIG(0)=1 THEN 1280
1290 GOTO 1000
2000 FOR I=29 TO 243:SOUND 0,I,8,10:NEXT I
2010 ? "YOU COMPLETED ";INT(X/158*100);"% OF MINEFIELD"
2020 GOTO 1270
3000 G=X
3010 COLOR 1:PLOT G,N
3015 SOUND 1,G,10,5
3020 LOCATE G+1,N,KO:IF KO=2 THEN 3050
3030 G=G+1:IF G=158 THEN 3050
3040 GOTO 3010
3050 COLOR 0:PLOT X+1, N:DRAWTO G+1,N
3055 SOUND 1,0,0,0
3060 0=0+1:G=0:COLOR 1:GOTO 1250
Listing: MINE.BAS Download
VIDEO OVERSEAS
I have some good news for Atari users who (like myself) work overseas. The newest generation of Japanese television sets (JVC, Sharp, Sanyo, Sony, etc.) sold in Europe and the Middle East are Multi-System. They can be used anywhere in the world with any TV signal--PAL or NTSC--and any voltage.
I have had no problems with my JVC 7-System TV which I bought in the Middle East. I used it for one year in Saudi Arabia with an Atari 800XL I bought in Holland. Then I brought the JVC back to the U.S. where I have been using it with my new Atari 130XE.
Virgil Cooper
Duncan, OK
COLOR PRINTERS
I need help and recommendations from you and your readers. I want to buy a color printer for my school to use in our art classes to dump pictures created with the KoalaPad. Is there a printer you would recommend? What software would be best to use with this?
William Brooks
Princeton, MA
Our last review of a color printer, the Okimate, was in the April, 1985 issue. In our next issue we are reviewing the Radio Shack Color Ink Jet Printer. Color graphics dump software is not exactly plentiful for the Atari, and you should check the availability of this software carefully before purchasing any color printer.--ANTIC ED
MODEMS OVERSEAS
Can I use my modem here in West Germany to call up a stateside BBS?
Karl Stephens
West Germany
I am planning to buy a modem. As direct connect modems are not used here in Switzerland, I will have to buy a 300 baud acoustic modem. Is it possible to become a member of CompuServe's SIG*Atari. Can I log onto all those numbers you printed in your February 1985 issue (200+ Atari BBS List)?
Eric Lewis
Bern, Switzerland
We get many letters like these from our overseas readers. Telecommunications between overseas and stateside bulletin boards is only limited by the clarity of your phone signal. If you have an acoustic modem, you're more likely to pick up outside noise.
But the US/Europe connection is easy now because individual telephone companies throughout Europe have agreed on a standard for digital communication lines. It's called the "X.25 Network." A high quality 1200 baud data line can be accessed from most major cities simply by dialing a local number. From there you need only hook into Tymnet or Telenet, and then into the information service you wish to access.
The only difficulty is that you must have a account with the local PTT(Postal, Telephone and Telegraph) organization in the country from where you are calling. These are government owned, except for the one in the U.K. And they can be troublesome to deal with. You may have to wait some time to get the service you want, and you may find yourself paying quite high first-time connection fees. Patience is the best approach.
SHORT STORM
Here's a thunderstorm to sync with video or film. Would you please print it for your sound-effect buffs?
Alphonso Carioti
Fort Lauderdale, FL
2 REM 4 REM THUNDER STORM
4 REM BY ALPHONSO CARIO
6 REM ANTIC PUBLISHING
10 GRAPHICS 0:POKE 752,1
15 POKE 16,64:POKE 53774,112
20 POSITION 12,4:? "LISTEN TO THE RAIN"
30 POSITION 4,6:? "PRESS THE SPACE BAR FOR THUNDER!"
40 POSITION 3,8:? "PRESS ANY OTHER KEY FOR RAIN AGAIN"
50 POSITION 14,11:? "DON'T GET WET!!!"
100 FOR X=0 TO 245:SOUND 0,X,0,ABS(15-(X/8))
110 POKE 712,X:POKE 710,X:POKE 709,X+10
120 IF PEEK(764)<>33 THEN POP: GOTO 100
125 SCR=PEEK(560)+PEEK(561)*256+4:K=PEEK(SCR)
127 POKE SCR,K+(X<68)*(INT(RND(0)*3+1)+38):POKE SCR,K
130 NEXT X:GOTO 100
Listing: THUNDER.BAS Download
PICTURE PUZZLER
I would like to be able to use the picture file created by my Atari Touch Tablet to print the picture on paper. However, I have been unable to decipher the format of the picture file. I'd sure appreciate some help.
Robert A. Tims
Jonesboro, AR
Instead of deciphering your Atari Artist picture file, try Charles Jackson's new Rapid Graphics Converter in this issue. And convert your pictures to Micro-Painter format. Now, you can use Kwik Dump by Jerry Allen (Antic, March 1985) to print your pictures to paper --ANTIC ED
MORE IN STORE
I applaud your editorial campaign urging software companies to produce Atari versions of their popular products. There is, however, an additional problem. Retail outlets refuse to carry a diverse line ofAtari software. Toys R' Us, K-Mart and Waldenbooks (to name a few) carry a good selection for other computers, but only a minimal selection for the Atari--if they have anything at all. This seems to be as much of a problem as the refusal of developers to develop for the Atari.
Dr. William F Smith
Bay City, MI
SOUTHERN ADDRESS
The wrong address was printed for Southern Supply Company in the Antic, September 1985 list of mail-order sources of the Atari 1020 Color Plotter. The correct address is 1879 Ruffner Road, Birmingham, AL 35210 and they also have Atari 850 Interfaces for sale.--ANTIC ED