info-mac@uw-beaver (03/02/85)
From: Moderator John Mark Agosta <INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
INFO-MAC Digest Saturday, 2 Mar 1985 Volume 2 : Issue 9
Today's Topics:
New files from compuserve
RE:PICT format
Mac/MIDI device
RE: User Interface Guidelines.
RAM prices
AN "Expert System Designer" for the Mac?
PROLOG for the Mac ?
Mac Zap ?
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Date: Thu, 28 Feb 85 21:26:19 pst
From: Gustavo Fernandez <gus@Pescadero>
Subject: New files from compuserve
The following files have been transfered from Compuserve.
FEDIT 2.0 (FEDIT.HQX and FEDIT.DOC) - Note that I suspect a
transmission error in the .HQX file. Unfortunately I have not been
able to try it out yet.
Updated version of the font doubler utility (FONTDOUBLER.HQX)
A primitive dis-resource (DISRESOURCE.HQX) do convert a resource file
into an MDS assembler source file.
Paint Grabber (PAINTGRABBER.HQX) - A desk accessory to manipulate
MacPaint documents
Yet another version of John Conway's game of life. (LIFE.SHAR) This
one allows patterns to be loaded and saved. It comes with a
documentation file and 12 example files. I bundled all fourteen files
into a UNIX shell archive which can be unbundled with 'sh life.shar'
Those users not on UNIX systems can easily pick the text file apart
with a standard text editor.
All files above except for LIFE.DOC are in .HQX format and must be
converted
with BINHEX 4.0
Have fun
Gus Fernandez
------------------------------
Date: Wed 27 Feb 85 17:21:06-PST
From: Gustavo Fernandez <FERNANDEZ@SU-SCORE.ARPA>
Subject: RE:PICT format
I asked Bill Atkinson himself about this question. I got the answer I
expected. The best way to decompose a picture file is to play it back
(DrawPicture) but to intercept the calls through the QDProcs record.
Everything in a QuickDraw picture goes through here. The actual byte
codes are not documented and can change. Unfortunately, MacDraw also
puts out a bunch of picture comments for its own use and for the use
of the Laser printer. (Even through Quickdraw doesn't understand 90
degree rotated text, the printer does.) These are not documented and
will not be until this stuff is stable.
Gus Fernandez
------------------------------
Date: 25 Feb 1985 16:08-EST
From: Kevin.Dowling@CMU-RI-ROVER.ARPA
Subject: Mac/MIDI device
The latest issue of Keyboard Magazine had an advertisment for Mac-MIDI
interface units so I called for information and received a flyer in
the mail a couple of days later describing the following:
MMU 501/502 Mac/MIDI Master Units
MMU 501:
Connects any MIDI equipment (keyboards, drum machines) to you
Mac.
Allows simultaneous transmission and reception on up to 16
MIDI
channels.
MMU 502:
Contains two complete MMU 501 interfaces plus drum box sync
and
tape sync.
Allows simultaneous transmission and recception of up to 32
MIDI
channels OR 16 MIDI channels plus drum sync in/out
plus
FSK tape in/out
Typical application: Receive drum sync from a drum box and
record
FSK to tape while recording to or playing back on up
to 16
MIDI channels and recording all the available audio
outputs
to tape, all controlled from one MIDI keyboard and the
Mac.
Multiprocessor MIDI network capability [?]
Complete self-contained interface between Mac and
MIDI-compatible
instruments.
Supports all MIDI message formats.
Full-duplex operation. Input and output are completely
independent,
and can operate simultaneously.
Complete electrical isolation between devices.
They also have a MegaTrack product:
N-track multifunction MIDI recorder
Looks and works like standard multi-track deck with many
user definable options.
Unlimited independent overdubs - each overdub creates a new
track.
Each track can have a descriptive name.
Accepts all MIDI data inccluding velocity, aftertouch, pitch
bend,
system excl., etc.
Allows flexible filtering and redirection of MIDI data.
Records up to 36,000 MIDI note events with 512K Mac (6,000 w/
128K)
Compose and edit from synth keyboard or Mac keyboard/mouse
Graphical editing of individual MIDI note events.
Functions:
Record/Playback/Overdub/Punch In-Out
Erase track/ Merge Track/ Cut & Paste/ Step Entry
Interactive graphical editing of musical scores.
Real-time looping. Labeled pointers.
Chaining commands corresponding to traditional musical
pointers.
Timing autocorrection.
Click track/metronome
Time scaling of individual sequences to
predetermined references.
Timing Indicators.
Sync to analog or digital tape recorders w/ the
MMU-502
MusicLand:
Four integrated music game/tools by Dr. Martin Lamb of
the University of Toronto. They allow
music keyboard input.
Music Doodles:
Use the mouse to draw pictures or melody
patterns
on a five line staff.
Timbre Painting:
Play painted doodlings and here the sound of
pictures you've drawn.
Music Blocks:
String doodles together as a composition.
Sound Factory:
Tools to make different tone colors.
This is all from:
MusicWorks
18 Haviland
Boston MA 02115
(617) 266-2886
As an aside I highly recommend Keyboard Magazine for it's informative
articles and editorials. J.C. Cooper, Bob Moog are regular
contributors. It's a good mix of music information with the technical
stuff too. Some of them however still need some education on the
electronic issues involved. e.g. "RS-232 is a common parallel
interface for home computers." SoundSheets (records) are included in
each issue with this month's having this too-cheery but hilarious ad
for Sequential Circuits Max Synthesizer and a recording of a
synthesizer made in the late 40's that sounds really good! "Now for a
new peak in lowdown-ness..."
Prices:
MMU 501 $150
MMU 502 $250
MegaTrack $150
(I didn't make this clear, but this is a software
program
for the Mac and not hardware)
MusicLand $150
They also sell
DX-7 Librarian
which allows you to organize and regroup voices using
the mouse and interactive graphics. You can
rename voices and cartridges. Instant aural review and
selection from a disk of voices. Comes with a virtual
cartridge of new useful voices.
display printout of voice patch parameters.
DX-7 VoicePatch Disk
One Mac disk containing 40 virtual cartridges of
patches for the DX-7. Developed by Dave Marsh,
Director of Performance Synthesis at the Berklee
College
of Music.
nivek Arpanet: nivek@cmu-ri-rover Bell:
(412) 578-8830 USmail: Robotics Institute CMU
Schenley Park
Pgh, PA 15213
------------------------------
Date: Tue 26 Feb 85 21:23:15-PST
From: Gustavo Fernandez <FERNANDEZ@SU-SCORE.ARPA>
Subject: RE: User Interface Guidelines.
Replying to your two expansions on the Mac user interface.
Insert file: This is already available from the clipboard, albeit
inefficiently. The insert file option sounds useful IN ADDITION TO
open. You should think about the other features that this implies,
however. In this case, the oposite operation: Save selection, to save
a partial file to the disk would be the logical complement.
Zoom bar: This is often useful for some applications. I used a
thumbwheel in my 3D graphics program, MacView which would act as a
screw to translate and zoom objects in the Z axis. Whatever you decide
to do, don't just use a standard scroll bar. That is too comfusing. Do
something original which gives a definite idea of zooming. Try a
rectangle with the same dimensions as a scroll bar but which has a
dark gray rectangle in the center who's width is the same as the
larger rectangle but who's length is variable with the mouse.
+---------------------------------------------------------+
| XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------+
| XXX |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------+
| XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
The top figure is close to normal. The middle is zoomed out and the
bottom is zoomed in. The user controls the edge on either end but the
center remains fixed. This works vertically too.
I would like to add my own ideas to the Mac user interface:
Thumbwheels, treadmills, and icon bars.
I mentioned the thumwheel above. It is good for two purposes: twisting
and screwing. Twisting is good for general N degree rotations.
Screwing is good for translations and zooms along the Z axis. A
clockwise rotation screw the object in. Counterclockwise screws it
out. This model will be used in my upcoming product from United
Software of America.
Treadmills are like scroll bars with no thumb. They are used for a one
dimentional cylidrical tumble operation. I use these also in MacView
to allow rotation along the X and Y axes. Although I first allowed
arbitrary rotation about any line on the Z plane, it became obvious
that a more restricted rotation along one axis was also useful. This
was initially implemented by holding down the Shift key, but is now
done graphically with the treadmills. Note that these have a position
foldover problem. I simulate 'motion' of the treadmills by drawing
equally spaced lines across the treadmill with the first being a
variable offset from the end. If the user moves the treadmill too
fast (faster than 1/2 line spacing per refresh) the treadmill will
seem to be moving erratically.
Although I use icon bars as well in MacView, a better implementation
appears in my public domain Dataflow program. Icon bars were first
introduced by Bill Atkinson in MacPaint. The Dataflow program expands
on this concept by providing "pull over" menus which act much like the
pull down menus in most Mac applications. The main differenc is that
they are icons and thus convey a pictorial message. Also note the use
of screen real estate using pull down text menus vs. pull over icon
menus. The former is useful for complex operations which don't have a
good iconic symbol. The latter is more useful for commonly used tools.
The pullover function provides some degree of nesting to allow closely
related objects to be grouped.
Any comments?
Gus Fernandez
FERNANDEZ@SU-SCORE
------------------------------
Date: 28 Feb 1985 18:44-EST
From: Kevin.Dowling@CMU-RI-ROVER.ARPA
Subject: RAM prices
The $8.99 price on 256K RAMS is from
Microprocessors Unlimited
24,000 South Peoria Ave.,
Beggs, OK 74421
(918) 267-4961
I got the data from the EETimes. They also have ads in BYTE but their
prices there are a couple of months out-of-date. The EETimes price has
been stable at $8.99 for a couple of weeks. No sales tax outside OK.
These are quantity one prices. Will ship orders and get them to you by
Fed-Ex the next morning.
nivek Arpanet: nivek@cmu-ri-rover
Bell: (412) 578-8830
USmail: Robotics Institute CMU
Schenley Park
Pgh, PA 15213
------------------------------
From: imagen!geof@Shasta
Date: Friday, 1 Mar 1985 09:31-PST
Reply-to: imagen!geof@shasta
Subject: AN "Expert System Designer" for the Mac?
Some time ago I remember reading about an expert system designer for
the Mac. It was a program that let you set up a knowledge base and
was able to do deductions on it, based on your input.
Anyone know more about this (like a product name and company)?
- Geof Cooper
Imagen
------------------------------
Date: Thu 28 Feb 85 17:10:06-CST
From: Bob <CP.PAVER@MCC.ARPA>
Subject: PROLOG for the Mac
I'm looking for a version of PROLOG that runs on the Mac. Any
information or leads would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bob Paver (512)
834-3316 Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp. (MCC) 9430
Research Blvd, Echelon Building #1 Austin, TX 78759-6509
ARPA: paver@mcc UUCP: {seismo ! ihnp4}!ut-sally!mcc-db!paver
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 85 11:51:17 CST
From: Mike Pearlman <canuck@rice.ARPA>
Subject: Mac Zap
Has anyone had any experience with a utility program called Mac Zap
sold by Micro Analyst Inc.. I am particularly interested in the disk
and file recovery utilities that this program is supposed to support.
Thanks
Michael Pearlman <canuck@rice>
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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