podar@sbcs.UUCP (Sunil Podar) (04/18/85)
*** !!!BUT MY MESSAGE IS MORE THAN ONE LINE!!!??? ***
I have looked through many possible candidate net groups and haven't
come across any discussions about xenix, scripsit, profile, and the rest. I
wonder if this group is the appropriate forum. We are involved with trs-80
equipment upto our necks: model16B (2)nix3.0, lots & loard diskdisks,
printers, and would like to share (of course I hope to be the beficiary in
most cases, hence this note) my experiences, problems, solutions, etc.
It has been quite quiet here on net.micro.trs-80 lately!!.
I invite you all RS-lovers to start talking.
waiting to hear from you all,
sunil podar
SUNY at Stony Brook
uucp: {allegra, hocsd, philabs, ogcvax} !sbcs!podar
CSNet: podar@sbcsehr@ecsvax.UUCP (Ernest H. Robl) (04/20/85)
While I can only speak for the Model III versions of Scripsit and Profile, I can only say that I find that both programs are much under-rated and don't get much mention in the general computer magazines' comparisons of word-processing and database processing programs. I've used a number of wp programs/systems, up to the IBM DisplayWriter, and *really* like SuperScripsit program for the writing I do. (I also have and use the regular Scripsit program, mostly for generating ASCII files to transfer to other systems. I used the latter program to do much of the editing for listings in a reference book [Picture Sources, 4th ed.], the final compilation of which was done on an IBM mainframe. I've also found the Model III version of Profile (Profile 3+) a very usable database program, even though it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some more expensive programs. I use it both for an address database (including generating form letters with SuperScripsit) and as a circulation file for tracking color transparencies submitted to publishers. It has just the right amount of features for what I need, and it's very easy to change screen, report or label formats. Back to SuperScripsit (which I understand is essentially similar to that for Tandy's larger computers) -- I even use that to produce catalog cards for my transparency catalog -- using the form letter option to overtype subject headings. It offers more options than any program that I've seen advertised specifically for printing catalog cards. (The reasons I use a card catalog rather than a computer database are a little complex, but include [1] There's greater flexibility for length of records and fields than in a structured database; [2] the type of computer necessary to handle the size and complexity of the database would be beyond my current means; and [3] the catalog is still available even if the computer breaks down.) I was sorry to see Radio Shack discontinue its own magazine a while back, because the series it had been running on Profile offered much useful informtion. Yes, I too would like to hear what others are doing with Scripsit and Profile -- I think there's a general similarity between the versions for various machines -- and think there must be other users of these programs out there in netland. -- Ernest H. Robl (ehr@ecsvax) : ... (decvax,ihnp4,akgua)!mcnc!ecsvax!ehr
podar@sbcs.UUCP (Sunil Podar) (04/23/85)
*** BUT MY MESSAGE IS MORE THAN A LINE!!?? ***
To my invitation to all the RS-lovers, I got a few personal replies.
Thank you all for that; it was indeed informative. I learnt about the
INFO-68K mailing list. I am already on a couple of mailing lists, so
instead of receiving all that personal mail, I would really prefer to
communicate through net.micro.trs-80 unless the norm is INFO-68K;
please let me know. I was sort-of asked to specify what was in my mind.
So here it is. I have a few comments, requests, & problems and I would
really appreciate your response to them. The trouble is that we have
only binaries in most cases and highly inadequate RS supplied manuals
which are absolutely no help once you want to do anything more than
behave like a layman and/or a word-processor, and I'm sure you are all
in the same boat.
Our setup includes two model 16B's, upgraded a couple of days ago to
xenix3.0 (only core xenix, still havn't heard from RS about development
system and are running a hotch-potch xenix with a lot of 1.03.05 : is
the complete new xenix available?), lots of primary & secondary disks
(=> memory no problem) and lots of printers which can't be used since RS
promised us local printing a year ago, but scripsit hasn't been
modified for that yet ( I know xexix3.0 can do local printing, but only
from shell, I don't think the application programs can handle that).
Unfortunately the main thrust of the use in our office is scripsit
& profile. (I must clarify that I am a CS grad student but work as a GA
in an administrative office.)
scripsit:
--------
1. scripsit seems to be VERY sensitive about printers. Every day we get
our printers locked up ( you see "bp" and "bp.dwp...." processes
running and a lock in lpd). Each time I've had to clean up the /tmp,
../lpd and /usr/lib/scripsit/queues directories and sometimes even have
to reboot the system in order to clear the mess. I have been doing that
for a few months now and still haven't figured out why, what causes the
lockup & what simple way is to deal with the problem. Often I am able
to do lpr from shell, but subsequent attempts at printing from scripsit
still fail. Any ideas?
2. we have a esprit terminal which supposedly emulates an adds25 but
doesn't quite do so (remember that RS has wholeheartedly adopted adds25
for everything they do + dt100 now). It also emulates a tvi925 and I
have been writing a scripsit config file for it. Is there a program
that makes the executable version of config files or will scripsit
automatically make such a version the first time it encounters it?
If any of you have set up a esprit6310 terminal to use with 16b ,
please let me know all the info, and if not and you would like me to
let you know the results of my indulgence, then too let me know.
profile
-------
1. carrying on with 2. above, I noticed that profile keeps its own
termcap file and uses lots of non-standard entries like GS, GE, P0 etc.
I managed to figure some of them out by looking at examples and manuals
but does any one know what ALL the variables are?
2. I have been compiling a list of quirks, bugs, peculiarities, & a
wishlist for profile (there are quite a few of them, hence I will not
post it now, perhaps later). How about you? Just to give an example, it
is claimed that you can post data to any file in output processing,
fine, it does that in "request processing" BUT IT DOES NOT DO IT IN "F"
option in "inquire, Update, Add" i.e. when you print a form directly
from the record. What is worse is that If the posting is made to the
same record (e.g. you want to simply record the fact that form X was
printed) then the record seems to get updated on the screen, but watch
it, ITS ONLY ON THE SCREEN; go to next record & then come back!!! the
posted data has disappreared & the original entry in the field remains.
We still have the old version of profile ( i think its called 1.00.00).
xenix & general
---------------
1. Have any of you ported one of the many versions & varieties of emacs
editor to xenix or do you know of availability of such commercially?
what about UNIPRESS emacs or the new GNUemacs? I would really like one.
You might argue that it would require too much memory, but as far as I
know it would be less than profile & scripsit ( e.g. GNUemacs is supposed
to require ~ 1/2 Mbytes to run ). I think with the latest upgrades to
1Mb & lage capacity disks it should not be a major issue.
2. the xenix csh is really primitive ( I don't know if they have an
improved version on xenix3.0). Is there a more powerful csh available
for xenix (that atleast includes the command completion & job control
features) or is it possible to have such features by simply having
appropriate .c files?
3. Has anyone ported some nice programs to xenix that he would let
others derive benefit from? There are lots of public domain programs
floating around, but I don't know C or the xenix system calls.
My apologies for making it so long, but I really had a lot to say & I
still have a lot to say, but later & only if I don't get flames ( I am
very scared of getting burnt by professionals).
You are welcome to send me personal mail regarding the above issues,
and I will be glad to summarize useful stuff for all.
Thanks in advance. I realize that I appear to be the one who wants all
the answers, but I assure you that I will try my best to be a
contributor as & when possible.
I patiently await your responses.
Sunil Podar
SUNY at Stony Brook
CSNET: podar@sbcs.csnet
ARPA: podar%suny-sb.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
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