stuart@adiron.UUCP (K. Stuart Shea) (06/06/84)
<a sacrifice to the line muncher; eat this line if you're hungry>
I am a new user to the net, but have recently marveled at
some of the problems that have been solved through collective
thought (this is my first submission - I hope it makes it!).
I have a few COMMODORE 64 problems that I can't figure out, and
a few questions about some COMMODORE software availability, and
I was wondering if someone out there in netland could assist me.
I decided it was better to ask them all in one article than to clog
up the net with a bunch of short ones. Any help would be appreciated.
First off, my hardware configuration is:
1. COMMODORE 64
2. COMMODORE 1541 Disk Drive
3. OKIDATA Microline 92 Printer
4. CARCDO/?+G Centronics Parallel Interface
The first query I have is with my Home Accountant package
from Continental Software. In the HA software, they want you to
specify the CHR$ codes to change to and from 80 and 132 column
printing, the type of interface you're using (COMMODORE, PARALLEL,
SERIAL), and the serial control register. At first I thought this
would be an easy task. It's a parallel interface, and the CHR$
codes were 29 and 30. Unfortunately, that left the serial control
register; which I couldn't figure out at all (They state that the
COMMODORE 1525 printer has a serial control register value of 6).
Well, regardless, nothing happened -- no printing. Then I
thought -- WAIT, according to all the information that I was able
to come up with from the CARDCO "manual," and I use that term
loosely, the CARDCO emulates a COMMODORE Serial interface, and as
such, all the settings might need to be set for a COMMODORE
printer (not OKIDATA) and a serial interface (not parallel).
Lo and behold, the printer now works, but is SO SLOW -- it seems
like it is a screen-to-printer copy as opposed to the normal
printing mode I am used to with the OKIDATA. Even when printing
blank lines the printer sits there and chugs away for a second.
Also, the printing is coming out double-spaced for some reason.
If anyone out there has the software package, maybe you can give
me some guidance; what should the settings be (maybe a dump of your
hardware and haprog files would do the trick. Then again, maybe
it's my DIP switch settings inside the OKIDATA and inside the CARDCO.
What should they be set to?
My second problem is more of a query. I'm interested in
purchasing a good word processor for the 64. I have been rather
spoiled by nroff/troff and would like something that can do footnotes,
page numbering, tables, equations, etc. Is there something out there
for the 64 or am I asking for too much.
My third query is that of spreadsheet or checkbook/expense
programs. I need one that doesn't have to be too robust, but should
at least be able to let me input something like the $$$ I spend on
various expenses every month and let me figure out averages, means,
etc. I want to be able to have at least 25 expense categories. Does
anyone recommend a package in particular (such as ORACLE, MultiPlan ??).
My final query is: I want to use my 64 to do work at home on a
VAX 11/780. More Specifically, I just want to use the editing capabilities
of a full-screen editor such as vi or emacs. From someone who knows
nothing about terminal emulation or up- and down-loading, how and where
do I get started, what is needed besides a modem -- along with the
access line to the VAX -- and this "emulation" program?
Finally, I noticed an article recently where someone had a
problem getting in touch with CARDCO relative to acquiring their
manual. I called them on 6/1/84 and requested the updated manual
for the CARDCO/?+G. I was informed that the manuals had just come
back from the printers that day. I requested one and got it on
6/3/84. Let's just say it is a vast improvement over the first
version I had with all its addendum sheets. If anyone is waiting
for the update, just give them a call; they seemed more than happy
to accomodate me.
Thanks in advance,
I guess you can reply through mail,
adiron!stuart