[net.micro.mac] Delphi Mac Digest V2 #24

shulman@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Jeff Shulman) (06/15/86)

Delphi Mac Digest          Sunday, 15 June 1986      Volume 2 : Issue 24

Today's Topics:
     Re:  carrying Macs on airplanes
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #46 (Re: Msg 8933)
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #46 (Re: Msg 8963)
     RE: HFS Backup 1.1 (Re: Msg 8952)
     help with MountVol
     RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 154)
     RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 155)
     RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 158)
     Internal disk drive 2?
     RE: Multiplan
     Finder Switchin
     Dimmed font names in scrolling font menu
     RE: Dimmed font names in scrolling font (Re: Msg 9007)
     Attn rumor mongers !
     smalltalk
     turbopascal/turboprolog
     RE: turbopascal/turboprolog (Re: Msg 9048)
     RE: turbopascal/turboprolog (Re: Msg 9060)
     more mountvol fun
     RE: more mountvol fun (Re: Msg 163)
     RE: more mountvol fun (Re: Msg 166)
     RE: DIZero problems (Re: Msg 46)
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #47 (Re: Msg 9095)
     Re: 3' party keyboards for Macintosh
     RE: Help on reading messages & Hard Disk (Re: Msg 9140)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- 

From: PEABO (8953)
Subject: Re:  carrying Macs on airplanes
Date: 10-JUN 23:32 Network Digests
 
There is no such thing as a standard sized under the seat compartment.  I have
sometimes been able to fit a Mac underneath and sometimes not.  Ditto for the
overhead compartment.  I have never been able to fit a Mac in the overhead of a
wide-body plane.  I have had reasonable success with carrying the Mac on the
plane, and upon finding it doesn't fit, having a flight attendant stash it in
one of the many closets they have.
 
I really like the idea of pulling the Mac out of the case, putting that
undearneath, and putting the case up above, except for the possibility that it
might slide around.  I'm nervous around large containers of glass enclosing a
near-vacuum!

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM (8961)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #46 (Re: Msg 8933)
Date: 11-JUN 05:02 Network Digests
 
beekman@orstcs Umm, Lotus is affordable?  Just to use a spreadsheet,
why not the desk accessory ClickOn Worksheet, retail $79?  And for
outliners, I humbly suggest the one I wrote, Acta.  It's a DA and
retails for even less.  (I'm told the latest MacInTouch has a review,
and the next MacUser should also review it.)  FreeTerm is the terminal
program I use; it's indeed free (and supports MacBinary downloads).
For word processors, I'd definitely recommend _against_ MS Word, as
it's very complicated and is not 100% what-you-see-is-what-you-get.
I'd possibly suggest Filevision as database...it isn't all that
standard, but it is fun.  As well as very easy to use for simple
queries.

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH (8968)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #46 (Re: Msg 8963)
Date: 11-JUN 09:47 Network Digests
 
I am having my wife, a Mac novice, use Word after the problems she had with
MacWrite.  I much prefer Word myself because of the speed with which I can
format text.  It's one of the few programs I consider worth what I paid.
 
For databases, FileMaker is outstandingly Macish and seems to lack no power,
unless you need something on the order of Omnis 3.
 
Ric

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH (8965)
Subject: RE: HFS Backup 1.1 (Re: Msg 8952)
Date: 11-JUN 09:42 Bugs & Features
 
I'm having good luck just by putting applications, System, and Finder near each
other at the beginning of the disk.  It made a _big_ difference on the
HyperDrive, and the Hyper demands that the Startup drawer be the first drawer,
complicating the matter of putting oft-used stuff in the middle of the disk.
 
I allocate a bunch of dummy files next to the System file, which are
deleted as room is needed for System expansion, and this is working
well, although it slows the DA-add process a little.  I think the best
approach is to create dummy files (named as to the order) followed by
System, Finder, any hard disk manager, then oft-used applications and
printer files, followed by a big section at the end for changing data
and development/test files.  The idea is to have a compact,
contiguous, constant area in the first half of the disk with all the
goofing around in the second half.
 
Ric

------------------------------

From: LOGICHACK (154)
Subject: help with MountVol
Date:  11-JUN 04:10 Programming Techniques
 
Help!  I have been working on a hard disk partition program for almost
a month and one bug has stopped me dead in the tracks.  My program is
very similar to the one presented by Mike Shuster in MacTutor.  The
program hangs in FlushEvents (waiting for ioResult to clear) at the
first Read in MountVol.  That is, when I (or DIZero) call MountVol to
install the disk, the program croaks.
 
I think it has something to do with the way I am installing the
driver. I am doing all the normal stuff like Opening the driver,
finding a free drive number, and then adding it to the drive queue
just like Apple showed in Tech Note #36.  I have written a RAMDisk
program in the past and didn't have this kind of problem at all!  I
hope one of you wizards out there will be able to shed some light on
this. Oh yeah, I am doing this in assembler.
 
Thanx,
 
Paul

------------------------------

From: MACLAIRD (155)
Subject: RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 154)
Date:  11-JUN 05:01 Programming Techniques
 
Let's get this straight, you're doing an asyncronous call to Read?

------------------------------

From: LOGICHACK (158)
Subject: RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 155)
Date:  12-JUN 03:00 Programming Techniques
 
No, I have to do a syncronous call cuz if I used an async call, and I am being
called from MountVol, the buffer will not be examined .  Oopps.  I meant the
buffer will not be correct when MountVol later inspects it, resulting in an
error.
 
I am been tracing around for a couple of days and have come to the
conclusion that I can't do file io when the file system is busy (such
as when MountVol is executing).  If someone has an idea to get around
this, please let me know.  I have tried to sneakily take out the info
starting at the FSBusy globals before I do my Read call and then
replacing it right after.  The Read call then works but the system
croaks later.  Could be something else in my driver tho.
 
Thanks.
 
Paul

------------------------------

From: MACLAIRD (160)
Subject: RE: help with MountVol (Re: Msg 158)
Date:  12-JUN 04:31 Programming Techniques
 
Paul,
 
Sorry I can't offer more assistance, but thanks for the clarification.  I wish
I was in there with you sluggin' and debuggin'.
 
The problems you spend the most time on often appear the simplest in the end,
you know...have you tried inspecting someone else's driver to see how this
function is handled there?
 
By the way, you could probably get away with the async call, but you would have
to wait until the ioCompletion routine executes to return to the caller, I
guess.
 
Laird

------------------------------

From: RICKLEPAGE (8974)
Subject: Internal disk drive 2?
Date: 11-JUN 20:43 Hardware & Peripherals
 
We just added the Mac Memory 2MB to our Plus, and an interesting
thought came to mind - with the new 800K drives being half-height and
all, what would be the feasability of adding a second internal drive?
i know you would have to cut the case, which pretty much damns the
idea, but what about other considerations?  Could you just plug the
cable for the external floppy port into an internal floppy?  what
about heat/ventilation problems?
 
I remember seeing one developer at the MacExpo in January that had two internal
drives, and Ric mentioned recently someone else who has one that will stick out
the side of the Mac, which seems pretty stupid to me.  I am talking about
fitting one in that space above the other floppy drive?
 
Just curious, that's all.  I think it will be a lot more cost effective to add
an internal hard drive than to disfigure your Mac.
 
Rick

------------------------------

From: DSACHS (8980)
Subject: RE: Multiplan
Date: 11-JUN 21:51 Network Digests
 
The latest version of MULTIPLAN has an option to set the spreadsheet font.

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH (8998)
Subject: Finder Switchin
Date: 12-JUN 14:50 Bugs & Features
 
According to the mini-manual you get with the 800K upgrade, the
"startup" disk gets switched whenever you launch an *application* on
another startup disk (page 36).  There are some other, more obscure,
circumstances where this happens as well.
 
It's long been recognized that this is a big pain in the neck, and the
MacBottom people are the only ones I know of who've done something
about it. We'd like to use a patch or have this fixed for the new
Finders, so RAM disks become practical.
 
Does anyone have a fix for Finders 5.2 and above?
 
Apple, there's gotta be a better approach than the current one.
 
Ric Ford

------------------------------

From: JIMWEINRICH (9007)
Subject: Dimmed font names in scrolling font menu
Date: 12-JUN 20:53 Bugs & Features
 
Here's a question about the scrolling font menus now on many Macs.  I
installed about 50 fonts in my system file, using the latest Font/DA
Mover.  It was System 3.0, which I used with Finder 5.1.  Then I had
some bugs having nothing to do with fonts, and went thru the 3-hour
process of building the fonts in the right order into System 3.1.1,
used with Finder 5.2.  When that happened, I found that the last 19 or
so of my fonts are always dimmed when they appear in Font menus in
MacWrite, KeyCaps, MacPaint, and so on.  (They are completely OK in
Microsoft Word, because Word uses a scroll box for fonts, not a menu.)
Moreover, the fonts that were available scrolling up from the bottom
scrolled at a much slower speed than seemed to happen in System 3.0.
1.  Has anyone else heard of this problem? 2.  What is the cause? 3.
Is there a cure?  Thanks, guys! --Jim Weinrich 74726,36l0

------------------------------

From: BRECHER (9092)
Subject: RE: Dimmed font names in scrolling font (Re: Msg 9007)
Date: 14-JUN 05:48 Bugs & Features
 
A menu resource contains a set of 32 flags to keep track of whether the menu as
a whole (one flag) and individual items (31 flags) are enabled or disabled. So
menus of more than 31 items don't ork.
 

------------------------------

From: RAYSANDERS (9017)
Subject: Attn rumor mongers !
Date: 12-JUN 22:07 Hardware & Peripherals
 
I heard from a source today that Apple is adjusting some prices
effective Monday June 16th. The Hard Disk 20 will drop $300 to $1195.
The external 800k drive will drop $100 to $395. There is a $100
reduction in the price of the Unidisk 3.5, for the Apple //, which is
available in various configs at different prices.  Any body want to
speculate if Apple is starting a "move'em out the door" sale on the
Hard Disk's in prep for announcement of a SCSI drive ?  OK guys ( and
gals) start mongering !

------------------------------

From: OPPENHEIM (9041)
Subject: smalltalk
Date: 13-JUN 11:13 Programming
 
Has anyone heard of a fix for smalltalk that will make it work under HFS
correctly?
 
Thanks, Alex

------------------------------

From: DEANA (9048)
Subject: turbopascal/turboprolog
Date: 13-JUN 17:41 Programming
 
Has anyone started working with Turbo-Prolog; has anyone even been able to buy
it? I am interested in developing an expert system . Please leave me a message.

------------------------------

From: MOUSEKETEER (9060)
Subject: RE: turbopascal/turboprolog (Re: Msg 9048)
Date: 13-JUN 20:09 Programming
 
I'm not aware of the status of Turbo-Prolog (though I've not noticed
it in ads from several software houses I expect would carry it).
Another avenue you might inquire about, though, is Prolog II for the
Mac released by PrologIA in Marseilles, France, and distributed here
by ExperTelligence, Inc. (559 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
(805) 969-7874).  It is a new package, so I haven't had a chance to
see it.  High Price, $495.  for June and July they are offering a $100
discount.  Registered ExperLisp or ExperLogo users get an additional
$100 discount.  They neglected to mention a discount for people with
names starting with "D" born under full moons, but it might be worth
inquiring (grin).
 
Alf

------------------------------

From: PEABO (9064)
Subject: RE: turbopascal/turboprolog (Re: Msg 9060)
Date: 13-JUN 21:33 Programming
 
You might also want to check out Prolog/m, which has recently been
ported to the Mac.  Send MAIL to TRAINBRAIN for more information.
 
peter

------------------------------

From: LOGICHACK (163)
Subject: more mountvol fun
Date:  13-JUN 00:34 Programming Techniques
 
I FINALLY figured out what was causing the file system to hang.  It
turns out that the file system is NOT reentrant.  So when I try to use
a file system read call, the system croaks.  The obvious solution
would be to use the device driver read call to read the PHYSICAL
sector off disk. This is more complicated since the file might not be
contiguous.
 
Thanks for you help.  The program still doesn't work but at least now I know
why.
 
Bye,
 
Paul

------------------------------

From: DWB (166)
Subject: RE: more mountvol fun (Re: Msg 163)
Date:  13-JUN 05:14 Programming Techniques
 
In order to achieve any kind of efficiency from the harddisk you ought to
allocate the space using the AllocContig trap.  That will give you the largest
possible chunk of contiguous space less than what you order. That way you have
less seeking around to do when accessing the new disk. You also have the
advantage of being able to bypass the inefficiency of yet another
logical-to-physical conversion cycle by doing precisely what you suggested,
keeping your starting address somewhere it won't go away and then offsetting
from that using the driver read calls.
 
Oh yeah, all of this assumes that you are running HFS and therefore have access
to the AllocContig trap and that you don't mind making your program require HFS
to be present.
 
David
 
------------------------------

From: LOGICHACK (167)
Subject: RE: more mountvol fun (Re: Msg 166)
Date:  13-JUN 19:49 Programming Techniques
 
It is not a problem to use a contiguous file BUT I have the sneaky
feeling that large amounts of contiguous space will not be easy to
find on the user's hard disk.  I have less than 800K of contiguous
space free on my HD-20 which has about 5MB of free space.  I will try
to remember the extent information and then do the logical to physical
translation in my driver. There shouldn't be any efficiency problems
beyond a few clock cycles since I will have the extent info in memory
(system heap).
 
Thanx,
 
Paul ( (
 
[-:

------------------------------

From: FRACTAL (170)
Subject: RE: DIZero problems (Re: Msg 46)
Date:  14-JUN 01:03 Developers' Corner
 
A correctly written disk SCSI driver should not have to issue DIZero
at all, the Finder will do it for you when you 'erase disk'. All you
have to do is write the correct stuff (i.e. the driver and control
blocks) onto the 'invisible' low part of the disk and generate a disk
inserted event for the drive the first time you bring it online. The
finder will call DIBadMount and take it from there. Once it is setup,
of course, you don't need to generate any more disk inserted events.

------------------------------

From: PEABO (9108)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #47 (Re: Msg 9095)
Date: 14-JUN 14:31 Network Digests
 
Replying to:
From: kim@analog.UUCP (Kim Helliwell          )
Subject: Re: Megamax bug?
Date: 11 Jun 86 15:44:00 GMT
 
I'm sure someone will point this out, but Kim's for statement is an infinite
loop because it has no termination condition, and the if statement following
it contains an assignment of -1 to i, rather than a comparison!
 
The original code:  for (i = ntables; i--;) {statements} should indeed have
terminated with -1 in i unless some side effect of the statements altered i
and terminated the loop.
 
 
===================
 
reply to:
From: dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Subject: Rascal Fun
Date: 10 Jun 86 18:31:25 GMT
 
I am not puzzled that the second modules should resolve its own TestProc
definition to the TestProc call, but I am surprised that a linker, "smart" or
not, would fail to complain that there are two procedures with the same name.
 
peter
 
------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH (9109)
Subject: Re: 3' party keyboards for Macintosh
Date: 14-JUN 14:32 Network Digests
 
Tangent Technologies is producing a small number of keyboards for the
Mac. We tried one and liked the feel better than the Mac's.  It has
function keys and a keypad, and is larger than a Mac keyboard.  It
lists for something like $300 and is aimed at IBM PC users switching
to a Mac.  Tangent Technologies 5720 Peachtree Pkwy., Norcross, GA
30092; 404-662-0366.
 
There are rumors only that Keytronics may do a Mac keyboard.
 
A company in Palo Alto is selling a converter for PC keyboards to use them on
the Mac.  See previous postings.
 
Ric Ford, "MacInTouch" newsletter

------------------------------

From: RICKLEPAGE (9148)
Subject: RE: Help on reading messages & Hard Disk (Re: Msg 9140)
Date: 15-JUN 11:07 Hardware & Peripherals
 
We have been using the DataFrame 20 from Supermac for a while now,
with few, if any problems.  We are currently evaluating the Mirror
Magnet 20x, which seems to be as good as the Dataframe.
 
I like the Dataframe - its quiet, unobtrusive, and fairly easy to carry around.
It comes with _no_ software utilities (other than a format/initializer
aprogram), but it is definitely the cheapest of the hard drives out there.
 
The Magnet 20x comes with two boxes - power supply and drive unit - so it isn't
as portable as the Dataframe, but it comes with MacServe as disk utilities,
which offers a fair amount of power for standalone or networking applications.
 
Both azre fast, inexpensive (900 for Magnet 20x; 800 for Dataframe at
ComputerWare in Palo Alto).  One note about Dataframe -- they promise
that, if your drive ever fails, they will ship you a replacement drive
FedEx immediately.
 
Rick LePage
MacInTouch
 
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End of Delphi Mac Digest
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