USE CURSOR KEYS TO SCROLL TEXT. USE CURSOR KEYS TO SCROLL TEXT. 8 Bit HELP! MESSAGES HELP! MESSAGES From : 4B2 (Ron Marshall) To : L1L (Jock Smylie) Subject : Inkjets on the Beeb I have a Canon BJ300 which is switchable between Epson and IBM modes. Works perfectly with View and WW+ on the Master, with the embedded codes (in WW) to suit. My deskjet 500C is OK too, but the HP codes are horrendous. If graphics are set up to suit Epson, the Canon is ok there too. The Canon is superb on my 486 PC with the deskjet not far behind. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K5A (Robin Moffatt) Subject: General I am 15 years old and new to the BBC. I am interested in programming and games (amongst other things) and I would be very grateful for any help from anyone on the following points: 1) I would like to use a modem with my BBC Master and would appriciate any advice on using one, setting one up and just general information eg. what the different speeds are etc. 2) WANTED!! i) Any Cheap bundles of games that you are wanting to get rid of(!) ii) A Cheap 5{+3\ drive or double 5{ drive 3) Is there any one who would like to swap information/help about the BBC (I know very little about the BBC but I know a lot about the Archimedes) 4) I have got a Sanyo Model DR101 tape recorder, and have tried, without success to run tape games from it. Whenever I try to load a game, it printthe message "Searching", and reads some blocks of data and then prints the message "Data?" and doesn't load the program. On the cassette recorder there are 3 settings; Volume, PH (2 settings- Nor an Rev) and Mode, with 3 settings, Normal, Data moni on and Data moni off. Is there anyone who has any suggestions as to why it isn't working? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K3Y (Lorna Jenne) Subject: Sideways Ram on B+ Having jut got a 64K ram upgrade kit for my B+. Plus ATPL sideways rom board,thanks to 8BS member who told us about Flowchart sale of Beeb bits. I need to fit them. I am quite good with a soldering iron, but I was wondering if any one out there has any experience of these two kits and could give me any advice on the fitting process. I have a copy of Acorns 64K Daughter Board instr. but does anyone have any special hints? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2U (DAVE BROWN) Subject: GENERAL HELLO ALL YOU BBC OWNERS I HAVE JUST AQUIRED A SECOND HAND PRINTER A ACORN AP-100A AT A LOCAL SCHOOL I HAVE PLUGEDIN THE PRINTER ON MY SPARE BBC B THE PRINTER LIGHTS UP BUT WILL NOT PRINT THE BEEB CAPS AND SHIFT LOCK BOTH LIGHT DOES THE PRINTER NEED SOMETHING I DO NOT KNOW AS A NOVICE. MY EPSON MX70 WORKS FINE ON MY OTHER BBC BOT AS I WILL BE GIVING THE OTHER ONE TO MY DAUGHTERS TO USE ANY ONE OUT WHO CAN HELP HELP HELP MANY MANY THANKS DAVID TEL 0233 621053 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: 3TR (MIKE FLEMING) Subject: HELP WITH IBM OSWORD7F I am trying to write a program that will run on an IBM PC in BASIC. I DON'T use Windows, and will probably use BASICA/GW-BASIC. The problem is that I want to develop the program on my MASTER-128/512, and to be able to access discs at BLOCK / SECTOR level...... like can be done with BBC Basics OSWORD &7F. Could somebody please supply an example routine of: A) How to pass the parameters for track no.,track size, sector no B) How to invoke the 'CALL &FFF1' equivalent C) How to access the results. I have written programs/routines that run on the BBC that can read IBM discs, now I want an IBM prog that can read BBC discs. If I achieve my aim, 8BS will be sent copies. Thanks for any guidance. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: 2J3 (Chris Richardson.) Subject: 8BS wants: A disc version of White Knight 12. Does it exist? Wanted urgently, a volunteer to continue entering data into the 8BS catalogue that YJ2 started. The catalogue details weverything that has been on 8BS issues. The latest version of this list can be found on TBI-00. Anyone wishing to continue to update this list for 8BS would be regarded as being a true hero of our times as this would save the editor a bit of his valuable time. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2E (Mick Reeves) Subject: Beebug Master Rom required, preferably with manual. Also, can anyone supply, or advise me where to obtain a longer printer lead for my son's Panasonic KX-P1081. The standard one restricts the positioning of the printer to his desk, and with that and the computer, there isn't much room for him to do any writing. Please reply to:- 31 St.Mary'a Avenue, Hemingbrough, Selby, N.Yorks YO8 7YY. Tel:0757-638643. Thank you. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K5A (Robin Moffatt) Subject: Flight sims Is there anyone out there who would like to swap information about 4th Dimensions 'Birds of War'. I think that it is a brilliant game, but that the manual is pathetic, not even explaining how to use the ILS! Also, is there anyone who can recommend a good flight simulator for te BBC Master. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K5A (Robin Moffatt) Subject: W A N T E D !!! W A N T E D !!! (All for Master 128) Red Arrows Cholo technoCAD (Seen advertised by Technomatic in BAU Oct. '89) Music Processor (Publishe by Mid-Sussex Software) Musical Dictation (Published by Musicality Software) I am studying Music G.C.S.E and I would appriciate any advice or programs for my Master 128 which would help in writing/printing music. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2I (John Wilson) Subject: Dyslexic children K3X expressed some interest in 8BS 34 in programs for dyslexic children. There is a dyslexia centre devoted to computer information as follows: The Dyslexia Computer Resource Centre Department of Psycology, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX Tel: 0482 465589 I have not had reason to contact them, but they may be able to help. There are also some specific programs written to assist in this area including "Games for Dyslexic Children" from IEC Software. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2I (John Wilson) Subject: Wordwise + Can someone please lend me a Wordwise Plus manual. I have a ROM but no details of the subtlety of operation. Guaranteed return in 72 hrs!! I will gladly refund postage or any other costs involved. 4 Rosebank, Lostock, Bolton BL6 4PE. 0204 492261 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K3H (ALBERT SCHOFIELD) Subject: TAPE TO DISC ON THE BBC'B' First I would like to deal with MR. Gallagher's problem which he is having with 'MAGIC MUSHROOMS'. It is basically a tape to disc problem as your disc version has originated from tape and has not been fully transferred. Just over half way through the main file there are two references to TAPE. Use a sector editor to change these to DISC and you will then be able to save and load screens to disc. This month I am going to deal with the problem of LOCKED files on tape. A LOCKED file on tape can only be *RUN. It cannot be *LOADed or *DUMPed. It cannot therefore be transferred to disc. However there are plenty of utilities for unlocking files on tape and locking them again. Once unlocked they can be transferred to disc in the usual way and most files work just as well unlocked as locked. On the other hand some files when unlocked will not work and locking them on disc is of no use as this is a different method altogether. So what can be done ? If you have sideways ram the ROM FILING SYSTEM is very similar to the CASSETTE FILING SYSTEM, so the file can be put into a ROM image, locked once again and will work from the RFS. A short loader program can be used to load the ROM image and *RUN the locked file something like the following:- 10 *KEY10 *ROM|MPAGE=&E00|M*OPT1,2|M *RUN filename|M 20 ?&FF34=0:*LOAD filename 8000 30 CALL!-4 The first line programs the break key to enter the RFS. The OPT command lets you see the file loading and then the locked file is *RUN. The second line selects the rom bank to be used, in this case bank 4. Alter the 4 for any other bank. Then the rom image is loaded from disc. Use the filename you have chosen. The last line 'presses' the break key which initialises the rom image and *RUNs the locked file. That is one way of doing it. But what if you do not have SWR. There is another and better way but not as simple. The reason the locked file will not work when unlocked is because the execution address is a false one so if you can find the true execution address then the file will work as normal without having to be locked. But how do you find it ? It is not always easy. It is in the file somewhere and in reverse order. In some acornsoft games such as VOLCANO the true execution address is the last two HEX numbers on the file in reverse. In the case of VOLCANO the last two HEX numbers are A0 and 44, therefor the true execution address is &44A0. Last of all there is another type of locked file which when unlocked will not work and when it is locked again it still will not work so I can only assume that it is locked originally in some special way. That is why if this type of file is backed up with a tape copier which has unlocking facilities, the resultant copy will not work. So with this type of file the SWR method cannot be used. The only way is to find the true execution address. With this type of file there is usually a short machine code loader which contains the true execution address. The file can also be *DUMPED and various addresses tried but unless you are an expert in machine code it can be a long task. Next month I will be discussing various tape to disc utilities. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K5P (ANDREW FAY) Subject: PC+ 512K EXPANSION I have recently bought a Master 128, a 512 board and an external Z80 Co-Pro. I would like to be able to expand my 512 to 1M, but I believe that it needs to be soldered in. I was wondering if anyone has an expansion board for sale, or knows where I could get one. Any suggestions here or direct to me, please: Andrew Fay, Garden Flat, 12a Northumberland Tce, West Hoe, Plymouth. PL1 3DD. Thanks, Andy Fay. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K4R (ROBIN MOROM) Subject: BUG IN SPELLMASTER (OR HOW TO LOSE YOUR USERDIC) If you are a keen user of Spellmaster as I am, then you will know that one of the many good features is the ability to create your own dictionary to add to the one supplied. This is great because we all have words, names, addresses, etc which are special to us. On starting work it is necessary to load your own dictionary to sideways RAM. According to the manual the command *DLOAD on it's own will load the file USERDIC by default. Unfortunately this is NOT QUITE correct. It will, in fact load the first file beginning with U which it comes to! There is no error message when this happens and you may load garbage to the SWR. When you finish with Spellmaster and do a *DSAVE this garbage is then written to disc and ovewrites your carefully collected favourite words! The answer of course is not to depend on the default setting and always use *DLOAD USERDIC 4 (or whatever) in full in your !BOOT file. I discovered this the hard way by starting a Directory called UGROUPS on my Interword letters disc and losing all my long accumulated words. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K3Y (Lorna Jenne) Subject: Fitting 64K RAM Upgrade to B Plus Any tips on doing the above? I have just got a kit from Watford and have some infomation from Acorn (1990) on fitting the 64K Sideways RAM Daughter Board. Any hints from anyone would be most helpful. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K3Y (Lorna Jenne) Subject: Equipment DISPLAY ELECTRONICS 081-679-4414 sell lots of electronics including computer equipment. I just got an uncased 80 track drive for Beeb for `38 (90 day guarantee),40 Track `25 They also sell printers etc and PCs. They do mail order from Upper Norwood and a shop at 215 Whitehorse Lane, South Norwood. London. They are well worth a phone call to see what is on offer. P.S. Just Got a 12" RGB Monitor from them including connection lead for `116.57 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K5L (JOHN WHITHAM) Subject: PRINTER HELP! I HAVE RECENTLY AQUIRED AN OLIVETTI JP101 PRINTER,FOR WHICH I HAVE NO MANUAL OR INFORMATION OF ANY KIND.CONSEQUENTLY I AM RIPPING MY HAIR OUT,TRYING TO DISCOVER WHY THE CONTROL CODES FOR SUCH THINGS AS UNDERLINING etc. PRODUCE RESULTS RESEMBLING "|||TEXT".(ie.vert lines & no underln) IF ANYONE CAN SUUPLY ME WITH ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS PRINTER IN GENERAL,MY REMAINING HAIR LINE WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFULL. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) & L1L From: 15A (Steven Flintham) Subject: Driving inkjet printers I don't actually know much about this (so if anyone else has offered any advice, ignore this!) but I believe that inkjet printers will happily accept text in the same way as dot matrix and daisywheel printers, probably utilising some fairly simple control codes to change typestyle etc. Graphics would almost certainly require a specially written program, but an Epson dot matrix emulation may be available (or am I getting confused with some laser printers here?) Obviously, you wouldn't want to make a purchase on this sort of advice, but it would almost certainly be safe to try connecting an inkjet. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: 15A (Steven Flintham) Subject: Reinking printer ribbons A few years ago now, I bought a can of 'ReInk 21' from the subscription pages of The Micro User (as it was then). My first experiences with this were somewhat abortive and it was left in a cupboard until recently, but spurred on by the recent comments in 8BS and increasingly faint printout I recently reinked the ribbons in both of our LX80's. ReInk 21 is (I believe - no instructions were supplied and only minimal details are given on the can) a mixture of ink, solvent and (if the original advertisement is to be believed) printhead lubricating oils. Ignoring the latter, I suppose the idea is that the ink will be absorbed by the ribbon and that the solvent will help it to spread evenly, as well as helping to spread the ink left at the 'edges' of the ribbon which the printhead does not use. It is designed to be sprayed into the cartridge with the ribbon inside. I suspect that K2T's 'Ribbon Refresh' is similar. Apart from avoiding having to take the ribbon out of the cartridge, you should bear in mind that a reinking spray will actually 'add' ink to the cartridge, rather than just spreading out the unused ink as will WD 40 (although I admit that this is probably cheaper and that there is probably quite a lot of unused ink on most ribbons) ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, PRESS BREAK