[net.micro.mac] Delphi Digest Volume 1 Issue 8

shulman@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Jeff Shulman) (11/16/85)

Delphi Digest          Friday, 15 Nov 1985      Volume 1 : Issue 8

Today's Topics:
     RE: PICT creation (Re: Msg 3209)
     fkey
     RE: fkey (Re: Msg 3255)
     Drafting Software
     RE: Drafting Software (Re: Msg 3258)
     RE: Drafting Software (Re: Msg 3258)
     marques
     Dialog problem
     RE: Dialog problem (Re: Msg 3266)
     Finder 5.0
     Haba 800k drives
     switcher question
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From: BILLCOX (3257)
Subject: RE: PICT creation (Re: Msg 3209)
Date: 13-NOV 20:26 Programming
 
the following works (translate unix 'gremlin' files to the mac, for display,
edit, print of my graphs:
 
I open the gremlin file (text, for what it's worth)
OpenPicture(...)
ShowPen()       so I can see while it's drawing
quickdraw calls to draw picture, translated from a similar
conceptual model (for example, gremlin uses topRIGHT and
bottom LEFT for a rectangle)
ClosePicture()
PutScrap(..) as a PICT
 
I can then go into MacDraw, and paste, and I get the 512x512 image that I
started out with on Unix.
 
Some things I didn't know (and probably everyone else does) ALL drawing calls
are captured in the picture.  I didn't check whether a SetPort() is recorded,
but I believe it is not.
 
Woe befall he or she who doesn't include your C compiler's version of
memory.h!  Using the result of GetHandle is VERY entertaining if your
compiler thinks the result is 16 bits...I used thePicture =
(PicHandle)NewHandle(...), so didn't get a warning.  I guess it just
doesn't pay to always use explicit casts... It was less tedious than I
though to build a reasonably complete, usable program on the mac.
This was my first.
 
 
bill 

p.s. I'm now changing my application (easier to debug) into a desk
accessory so I can use it in MacDraw. 

p.p.s. If anyone wants it when it's finished, they can have it...won't
be much use without a Berklix system, though.

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

From: JIMH (3255)
Subject: fkey
Date: 13-NOV 20:06 Programming
 
Lofty - At macworld dan cocran said that apple had reserved all fkeys from 1-9
he did say something about leaving others for everyone else.  I thought it was
command option - whatever but i dont remember.  Do you know if you can have
fkeys besides command shift (1-9) jim hopper

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From: LOFTUSBECKER (3280)
Subject: RE: fkey (Re: Msg 3255)
Date: 14-NOV 07:15 Programming
 
Well, command-shift-0 is another.  I didn't know there were more (and don't
think I'll believe it until I see it).  But Apple just sent out a Tech Note on
FKEYs, which doesn't say don't use 'em, and knows that one publisher (Dreams of
the Phoenix) is about to release an FKEY Installer and a whole bundle of nifty
FKEYs.

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

From: GYRO (3258)
Subject: Drafting Software
Date: 13-NOV 20:53 Business Mac
 
Hi. I don't own a Macintosh, in fact I don't even own (or use) a computer yet.
However, people (the person looking over my shoulder) tell me that the Mac is
*de rigeur* for part of my job.
 
I work for a furniture store chain and am in charge of merchandising, i.e. I
have to plan store layouts and make things look good. This means I have someone
doing substantial amounts of drafting work.
 
Does anyone know of good drafting software that will make all this drudgery go
away like my friend so rashly promises??
 
Thanking you all in advance...
 
Betty

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From: PEABO (3264)
Subject: RE: Drafting Software (Re: Msg 3258)
Date: 13-NOV 22:20 Business Mac
 
Betty,
 
There is MacDraw, from Apple ... work pretty well on a 512K Mac.
 
What I have heard is that MacDraft, from IDD, is better than MacDraw
for serious drafting ... among other things, it can rotate objects in
1 degree increments on the screen, rather than just in 90 degree
incremenets, and has some useful features for autodimensioning things.
As you might guess though, there are some things that MacDraw does
better ... I have not used MacDraft, but you can reach the company at
 
Innovative Data Design, Inc (IDD)
1975 Willow Pass Rd, Suite 8
Concord, CA  94520
(415) 680-6818
 
MacDraw is available at most or all Apple dealers.
 
peter
 
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From: INTECO (3282)
Subject: RE: Drafting Software (Re: Msg 3258)
Date: 14-NOV 12:39 Business Mac
 
I have used MacDraft for some weeks now and I can state that it is
much superior over MacDraw, which I own, too. Beside the point that
Peter mentioned: You can specify circles and arcs bei radius (3 pt).
You have a very fast Zoom, (also a Zoom-In which gives easier input
facility). The size specification of objects is better (you can
specify Grid values). Although MacDraft still lacks some important
facilities (input a point on a specified coordinate, ect), it is real
successor to MacDraw ( and I see nothiung which it don't have what
MacDraw has ...)
 
- ugo

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From: DAVEWARKER (3259)
Subject: marques
Date: 13-NOV 21:21 Programming
 
Does anyone know how to produce that nifty moving marque that MacPaint
gives for selection rectangles?  I really need assembly code but any
info would be a help.  Thanks in advance...Dave Warker.

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

From: RABBIT (3266)
Subject: Dialog problem
Date: 13-NOV 23:15 Programming
 
I am interested if anyone has experienced a problem using alerts when,
they have used FSPufFile to select a drive to save a file on.  My
program is having the following trouble.  When a user selects the Save
as... option from the file menu, I call SFPutFile to prompt the user
for the name to save the file under.  Then, if I get an error -48,
which indicates to me that a file already exists, I open the file and
call GetFileInfo to find out the type of the file.  If the file is
text, I erase the file and continue with saving it. If it is a non
text file, I call CautionAlert to display an alert box, asking the
user if he wishes to delete the file.  This works fine, when I select
the startup volume, as the one to save the file under.  But, when I
try o save it on a non default volume, the dialog box does not come
up.. I have checked the code with the debugger and cautionAlert is
getting called.  In additon, it appears like the dialog box is
"trying" to come out but can't .  The alert beeps occur..  In
addition, after this happens, all my free memory is gone, I can't open
any more windows or dialogs..  It appears as if by doing this alert
call it is allocating a block equal to my free memory..  This problem
has been driving me crazy!  I would appreciate any help or ideas
anyone may have.  After a week of trying, I am so frustrated, my Mac
is sitting in a corner idle...  Scott

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

From: JOSEF (3296)
Subject: RE: Dialog problem (Re: Msg 3266)
Date: 15-NOV 02:37 Programming
 
Your problem sounds exactly like the one I experienced when I first
tried to use the SF package. Clicking the DRIVE button in the
SFPutFile dialog box does *NOT* change the default volume.  You must
either do this yourself, or append the volume name(followed by a
colon) to your filename before attempting to access the file. Hope
this helps. -- Joe

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

From: MACINTOUCH (3276)
Subject: Finder 5.0
Date: 14-NOV 02:43 When All Else Fails
 
I've run some benchmarks that prove what seemed to be true using
Finder 5.0: Quitting from applications is substantially faster than
with Finder 4.1.  This is on a HyperDrive using the standard 4.1
System file.  Copying files from floppy seems to be faster (a little),
but other tasks (open, save as) seem to be the same on the two
Finders.  There are a number of other nice features to Finder 5.0:
 
- Put Away option
- can now copy many files when viewing by name without crashing
- view by "small icons" lets you jam in more to a window, while
keeping graphics and the display of empty space on the disk.
- launching a program from a floppy disk containing a Finder and
System does NOT change the startup disk!
 
Testing of the HyperDrive cache software shows a small 10-20% gain in speed (as
they indeed claimed) over not using the cache.  This added to the Finder 5.0
performance improvements or to Finder 4.1 performance equally.
 
Ric Ford MacInTouch

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

From: HSTARR (3277)
Subject: Haba 800k drives
Date: 14-NOV 03:43 Hardware & Peripherals
 
I have been using a Haba 800k external floppy, and find that it is quite good.
The drive is fairly quiet in operation, but has a terrible grind on long seeks.
It 'feels' faster than the normal drive (xfer and access). There appears to be
no problems with the finder or apple system s/ware. Beware, however, Hyperdrive
Backup is full of bugs driving these fellows. The drive initializes any floppy
to 800k, so beware of flaky media if you use single sided stuff. The drive is
packaged in a slim line case, and is about half the height of a normal external
drive. It has a manual eject button as well. This appears to be quite a solid
drive, and at around $399 is not bad value

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

From: ROWLAND (3295)
Subject: switcher question
Date: 15-NOV 00:29 When All Else Fails
 
I'm trying to run SlideShowMagician V1.3 under switcher (as they
recommend). I can get it to run OK, except that the screen disappears
when I switch to another application and back (the desktop remains
with menu items, and the program still works because I can select
something by feel and as soon as the screen is redrawn everything is
fine till the next switch). I had the same problem with ThinkTank512
and I thought I solved it there by using the latest version of
switcher and more space . However none of those solutions seems to
work for SSM.  What am I doing wrong with switcher ? .Mike

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End of Delphi Digest
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