10:53:03 AM EDT Sunday, October 12, 1986 (Leonard E) Dave, just finished (last nite) packing all dictionary files. They take less then 85 k!!!!! (Sysop .^Dave^.) Gollee! From a couple of hundred K ?? (Leonard E) yep. I'm gonna stick 'em all on a TDD disk & have room left over! (Sysop .^Dave^.) Are you going to upload the program? T'ain't the same as your PACK.BAS is it?? That was demo. (Leonard E) I seem to have been right about bigger files packing farther. ST file packed to under 12k! And yes it WAS PACK.BAS! (Sysop .^Dave^.) Am sure Tony will be interested in the news; Denny too. Then there are lots of folks that never feedback. (Leonard E) Maybe I should upload the pack versions? with a warning to use 8-bit xmodem only of course. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Ummmm, off the top of my head, I'd say no. Very messy situation with 8-bit transfers. Lotza screams from knee-o-phrytes. (Sysop .^Dave^.) How are you coming with D/VI projects? (Leonard E) As for DVI stuff, haven't done much. I may toss together a directory editor (for changing file names/types). but no 'delivery date'. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Denny, Leonard was just telling me that with PACK.BAS he has the dictionary on ONE disk for the TDD at 85K. Whacha t'ink on dat? (Denny T) Quite a breakthrough! (Leonard E) (may actually be *smaller*!) (Denny T) does it work? grin (John M) This is in follow up to my question concerning random ^@ characters that were observed while in SuperRom. These random ^@ characters had nothing to do with SuperRom. The characters were appearing in .do files and they were also seen shen I removed SuperRom from the socket. The problem was caused by leaving the M100 connected to the T1000 through the RS232 port. I was leaving the serial link connected all the time and whenever the M100 was switched off, the random ^@ would appear in certain .do files. As long as I remove the DB25 connector from the M100, before switching it off, I have no problem. I don't know why this occurred. Perhaps someone else has observed this. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Sounds like some surging leakage or sump'n, but maybe happening when you turn ON rather than OFF. Howzabout a nice l'il NULLS.TIP file on that? (Leonard E) Well, I leave (one of) my 100('s) hooked up to the external modem all the time. No problems, but then again I never turn it off! (too much trouble rebooting DVI) (Sysop .^Dave^.) Hmmm, but I can visualize surges when turning the Tandy 1000 on while 100 connected but off. But then, I'm no technico. (John M) I am using a NULL Modem of course. The problem did occur when switching the M100 off, not on. And, it only occurred with the T1000 switched on. (Leonard E) I have a strong hunch that this is due to *power drain* thru the RS-232. The power circuit in there is a bit wierd, and maintaining the connection may be dragging memory power down to marginal levels. (John M) I "solved" my problem by disconnecting the RS232 connector from the M100 before turning it off. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Okay, ^@^@^@ are nulls and equal to CHR$(0) and I'm suggesting a file describing this phenomena for the Data Library here with the name of NULLS.TIP. (John M) OK. I understand. I'll write up a NULLS.TIP comment file as you suggest. (Denny T) Speaking of breakthroughs, I tried RELOC.BA last night; it works! I tried it on PRN100 and was able to relocate it below CDOS. Unfortunately the program needs work. There are some problems with it that have to be gotten around but now there is no reason to have a non-relocateable program on the sig. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Now THAT is a lot more significant than Bill T's CHIRPing along! But would I be correct in assuming that it ain't for knee-o-phrytes to play with?? (Denny T) ABSOLUTELY! you have to know m/l and you should have a disassembly along with you to be able to adjust addresses correctly. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Which means more extensive documentation, most likely. (Phil W) Yess; sounds like something not for everyone to use! But when someone does relocate something of high intereest to a significant location (PRN100 below CDOS MAY be one) it would be a good idea to hexify it and upload it. now maybe the author can be prevailed upon to enhance the program and provide a wee doc! (Leonard E) Wouldn't it be easier if we just re-assembled to the new address? if we have to have a disassembly to use it! (Denny T) [there is no source for PRN100] (Leonard E) (there *should* be!) (Denny T) I wasn't planning to stop at just doing a hard relocate; if you have two copies at different locations you can then use a program like RLCLDR to make it user relocatable. on PRN100 , the author has admitted that he doesn't have the source! (Leonard E) (WHAT!) (Denny T) he did it in hex! (TerryG) Eye heard earlier that someone had put the entire TDD dictionary, unmodified on a single disk with a total of 85K. If so, can it still work? (Sysop .^Dave^.) Leonard has used PACK.BAS to get the dictionary down to 85K. Did the spelling checker work Leonard? (Leonard E) I've not gotten around to doing a dl of the *checker* yet! At 25 min for a check, I'm not to interested. But unpack works, and if the checker is in BASIC it should be easy enough to patch but I don't have any TDD OS (use DSKMGR). (TerryG) I think that since the prgm sequentially ckx each letter file that the prgm should wrk ok. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Mebbe Tony, Terry, Tommy, Timmy or Tiny will czech it out and report back to us. (Leonard E) (85k is *upper* guess at size!) (KARL M.) DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A TDD DOS WHICH WILL WORK FROM WITHIN SUPER ROM APPLICATIONS? (Phil W) I think the basic problem is calling the OS from within Super ROM. UNless you can do a print or save to a '0:' type file, it won't work and Super is pretty cursor-orinted for file selection. I think the OS's are OK, but I think Super does not alllow for that possibility. Denny may have some thoughts on this. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Sounds like the answer is NO. (Denny T) [agree w/Phil] (David K.) I got a BSR X10 interface. No Model 100 software. It's pretty smart, but I need to write BASIC software for it. Problem is recieving messages from it thru RS232. Lineinput# or input# don't work. Probably because its messages don't end with a chr$(13). How do I use inp(port) or Calls to scan Serial input? (Sysop .^Dave^.) Saw your query on the board. BSR = Big Sexy Roman?? or ???? (Leonard E) David, try using ON COM GOSUB and use INPUT$(1,1) to get the chars. I'll have to read your msg later, and we can work on it. Where did you get the BSR & how much? (David K.) It was a great deal. DAK industries, $19.90 (Leonard E) (!!!!) (Denny T) As mentioned in the messages, Peter St. Clair has a fully working system using the BSR. I hope you have tried to contact him. If not, I'll try to jog him away from his Atari for a moment. (Sysop .^Dave^.) David reported Email attempt, but that only lasts 30 days, then it hits byte bucket too. (David K.) I have the DAK # for anyone interested: It's 1-800-325-0800 (Denny T) in regards to your pack prog, can you add to the file easily? (Leonard E) I'm working on that soon, but with practice, one can almost read it unaided. I *intend* to expand the files. It would most likely be a routine that read a (sorted) list of new words and copied the old file(s) to new ones adding the words as it went; but manual updates are possible, just messy. Each word does retain its identity (ie they aren't getting mixed together. (Phil W) All of this presupposes a high degree of flexibility in the disk OS; more than there is with any existing TDD OS, I believe. Assuming, of course, that you want this sorted, packed dictionary on a disk. (Denny T) yes. it would need an OS that handled more than one open file. (Leonard E) (was *not* assuming that!) (Phil W) [and append to the middle] (Leonard E) I only planned on *one* open TDD file. Have sorted (unpacked) list of new words in RAM. Read File (A.PAC,B.PAC...) from disk, write updated file to memory. at end of file 'copy' file from memory to TDD. repeat for next letter. (Denny T) [got it.] (Phil W) sounds as though it might work! YOu invent it and I will test it! (Leonard E) (ok!) (Sysop .^Dave^.) Very Good!! (Leonard E) Any TDD wizards out there? I'd *really* like some code to A. write a buffer to TDD. B. Read a sector (1280 bytes?) from TDD. C. read TDD directory. The command examples in that one file (can't remember name. CMDS.TIP?) are a bit opaque. ASM preferred. I'm going to have to write 'direct' TDD <-> DVI file xfer program one of these days. (Phil W) read DOSTIP.003 (DL5) and other new files there re POWR-DOS. The DSKO$ command will do it. And P-DOS lives in low RAM, so it should be compatible with DVI OS. (Sysop .^Dave^.) [Sounds DSKO$ting!] (Leonard E) not if it uses DSKO$!!! DVI uses that for disk i/o. I need the commands etc for the TDD *itself*. Whole thing will probably be ASM and go direct from DVI disk to TDD disk (Phil W) I have not seen that info on the SIG.. Woods' compendium is the closest we have. I would contact James Heilmann, author of DSKMGR. He is the only (non-commercial type) who has done M/L for the TDD, I think. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Heilman = 71216,1375 (Phil W) There are M/L call within POWR-DOS.They may do what you want Leonard. I will take a look. But that S/W is worth a look if you have a TDD and no OS to date. (Leonard E) I can prob'ly do the ML myself, but a 'list' of commands, formats, and responses for the TDD would be nice. (Phil W) Woods' file does have some info on the cmd structure. And some recent files by Joel Dinda in DL5 give info on the directory and sector structure. (Leonard E) I'll have to wade thru Woods' 'examples'. Maybe I can figure out what his code is *doing* this time. (Phil W) Some of us are having great fun with POWR-DOS as evidenced by new DL 5 files. It has led to new understanding of TDD disk structure and should result in some neat new applications in time, all based on having POWR-DOS. I suspect that TS-RANDOM will have similar (but later!) impact. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Yup! Still a thriving l'il machine. (Leonard E) believe it or not, I'm perfectly happy with DSKMGR. On my portable (as opposed to 'fixed') 100 I don't need to run things that require a 'real' OS. If it was my only machine, I'd feel differently. But with a 100 & DVI at home, and a PC at work, all I need is something simple for the traveling 100. (SamR) I am wondering how the t102 compares with the m100. I know it is software compatible but I want a 2nd computer for the road and am wondering if I should pick up an old m100 at special price or go t102 (Phil W) [Old M100!] (Sysop .^Dave^.) Suggest you get a Model 100, if you can find one, as there will be some delay before there can be peripheral support for the Tandy 102 due to hardware changes. The Model 100 is the way to go! (SamR) thanks, bye the bye, I did find a m100 in a store! (Sysop .^Dave^.) BUY it!! (Marty T) Re: t-102. One comment, we have 8 M-100s now, which get heavy use; we're finding a problem with the cursor keys and function keys breaking. I noticed on the t-102 they've improved them; they're like the ones on the Tandy-200. I would consider that a plus. (Sysop .^Dave^.) Concur that there are plusses in the redesign of some of the 102 features, but t'will be a while before the buffer for the buss is overcome by third party suppliers. (SamR) Marty, I looked at the t102 keys and although they are bigger, they seem to have the same switch structure. (Leonard E) I wonder if it would be possible to fit a 100 with a 102 keyboard (and top cover natch!) (Sysop .^Dave^.) If Steve Roberts can do what he's done for his Model 100 on the road then that would be NOTHING, but it might look peekoolyar. By the bye inre 102 <> 100, there is a commentary by Ed Juge in the Tandy Corporate Newsletter which, in part, quotes their early Press Release which is T102.TXT in DL 6. (Phil W) Two things. The bus problem is significant for some users. My m100 looks normal but has 256K of RAM. The same hardware will not fit in and (most important) will not work electrically with the M102 on the keyboard. The two computers are assembled differently. I'm told that when you open a 102 it all falls out; no screws holding keyboard to case, etc --- but "where there's a will" (Sysop .^Dave^.) Hmmmmm, ere long second hand Model 100s will go for $999.99 that I paid when Mortimer adopted me!! (Phil W) [Yes!] (Rob D) Some time ago I thought that I had seen mention of a BASIC program IN the DL's to drive an HP Laserwriter but I cn't find it now.? (Leonard E) we've got a Laserjet at work & while you could just send the text out the RS-232 at the right baud (88NIE?) If you want to use the special fonts, formatting etc, you have to deal with ESC sequences that *average* 5 chars long! (Phil W) There are several ways to go. A good one would be to get PRN100 and set it up for the LJ. I think that's been done. But why did you emphasize BASIC? (Rob D) I saw the manual and the escape sequences really look convoluted! I have Lapword but the escape sequences look so long that I don't think they'll fit in for the most part. I thought a BASIC program might be a quick way around. (Phil W) I belive GAry Davis did a Lapword set up for the LJ and I think I have a copy of it in the file. I will look for it. Watch for a message after the CO. (Leonard E) Multiplan may be a better alternative now. I've seen a review of Multiplan version 2.0 (for PC) and it will now read write 123 files. at last! a way to get M100 spreadsheets to a PC! (Phil W) [Huh?] M-plan for the PC that will do that does not mean that we will ever have such a beast on the M100 et al! (Leonard E) I didn't mean to imply that we would. But at least now I can get 123 spreads to my 100 (thru PC Mplan). (Phil W) [Oh! the light dawns!] (Mark C.) Jus' wanted to say that you look about 40 lbs. too thin in your pic in Online Today. Congrats on newfound fame. (mertomir) [shudda seen hym wan he was thin!] (Sysop .^Dave^.) Shut UP Mortimer!! (Rob D) [35 lbs with M100 in tow] (Sysop .^Dave^.) DEFINITELY time to close this COnference ... 1:01:03 PM EDT Sunday, October 12, 1986 User ID Nod Handle ----------- --- ------------ 70136,1007 NYJ Mel S. 70250,211 LTR PETER 70465,203 POR Leonard E 71266,125 TOR Phil W 71276,671 QKE Mark C. 72206,2776 NYJ David K. 72227,2507 NAS TerryG 72276,3505 ANA john k 72316,450 QFM KARL M. 72407,3224 SYR Marty T 73126,672 HLY Denny T 73765,605 NYJ larry l 75145,655 SCS John M 75515,1757 FWY Rob D 75735,1275 PRI SamR 75765,1124 DCQ Mike A. 75765,706 SLM BAG^@ 76317,3243 WNJ KEN CZARNECKI 76703,4311 SDE Eiji 76703,446 BMD Sysop .^Dave^.