INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA.UUCP (09/09/86)
INFO-MAC Digest Monday, 8 Sep 1986 Volume 4 : Issue 111
Today's Topics:
problem with servant posting
Lightspeed Pascal bug
need help with generic hard disk
Two graphic tablets for the Macintosh
SCSI drives FCC Class B compliant?
just when I thought I'd play it safe ....
MCS 1.0c
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #72
Delphi Mac Digest V2 #43
MacPublisher II WARNING!!!
Re: MDS 2.0 Upgrade
Desk Accessory Idea...
spelling checker reviews
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon 8 Sep 86 22:44:16-PDT
From: David Gelphman... <INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: problem with servant posting
Sorry to say, there has been a problem with the servant posting
to info-mac and it will be fixed as soon as possible. Please
don't send any more complaints since I am aware of the problem.
David Gelphman, moderator
------------------------------
Date: Sat 6 Sep 86 15:55:13-PDT
From: Robert Gardner <G.GARDNER@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU>
Subject: Lightspeed Pascal bug
A friend found the following bug in Lightspeed Pascal while porting a
scientific program from MacPascal. The following short program will
terminate with an array index out of bounds with the variable m equal
to MaxIndx+1, whereas it should never get above limit (5):
program BugTest(output);
const
MaxIndx = 10;
var
RecArray: array [1..MaxIndx] of integer;
limit, l, m, n: integer;
function IDString(RecNum: integer): string;
begin
IDString := StringOf(RecArray[RecNum])
end;
begin
ShowText;
limit := 5;
for n := 1 to MaxIndx do { initialization loop }
RecArray[n] := n;
for l := 1 to limit-1 do
for m := l+1 to limit do { bug loop }
writeln(IDString(m));
end.
I haven't pursued this, but he claims that the problem rests with the
function returning a string. The obvious workarounds seem to work, but
he also hasn't spent much more time than reducing the program to this
minimal size that recreates the bug. Something is clearly fouling up
the loop termination condition since you can observe m being incremented
right on past limit until the array lookup in IDString goes out of bounds.
Also, he is a novice to intermediate (scientific) programmer but is able
to use the environment very effectively. I've been impressed with what
he has been able to figure out and do with the system. However, he was
quite disconcerted when the sample editor program that comes with the
system crashed when he tried to select Print. I can ALMOST understand
why printing wasn't implemented in the example program, but why it
would be left in a state that crashes when selecting print is beyond me.
My friend found the problem very easily using the debugging environment,
but doesn't know how to implement printing. (I'll have to do it for him
sometime when time permits.)
Despite these bugs, the Lightspeed Pascal environment is impressive.
I'll probably convert my Megamax C work-in-progress over to it (I never
have liked C, so I'm excited a nice Pascal environment is FINALLY
available.)
Robert Gardner
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 86 15:45:13 EDT
From: Mike O'Dell <mo@seismo.CSS.GOV>
Subject: need help with generic hard disk
Greetings,
At the hamfest today, I became the proud owner of a Xebec 4000
disk drive. It is, essentially, a 10-meg drive with integral
Xebec S1410A controller. In the past, I have noted the
"hard-disk-it-yourself" messages only in passing, but now
facing the integration task first hand, I am soliciting wisdom and
suggestions. I have all the appropriate IM volumes and all the
supplements. My first order of business is to get the cabling
arranged, packaging, power, etc. The software comes after that.
Anyway, any gems any of you can share would be deeply appreciated.
-Mike O'Dell
[ note from moderator: The file UTILITY-SCSI-DRIVER.HQX in the
info-mac directory should be of help. It contains utilities to help
you write the SCSI drivers necessary onto a hard drive including
a format, etc. DAVEG ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 86 01:41 N
From: <INFOEARN%HLERUL5.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: Two graphic tablets for the Macintosh
Following are two messages about graphic tablets for the Macintosh which were
sent to me after my request for information a couple of days ago on Info-Mac.
This kind of response really makes me use Info-Mac again and again!
-- Thomas
FRUIN@HLERUL5.BITNET
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Date: 29-AUG-1986
From: oster%lapis.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU
Subj: Graphics Tablets for the Mac.
I've been writing the software for PenMac version 4.0. Let me describe it.
Kurta Corporation makes the following tablets:
an inexpensive 6"x9" CORDLESS tablet (batteries in the pen, scavenges tablet
power from the serial interface.) 200 points per inch.
8.5"x11" 200 points per inch.
12"x12" 200 points per inch.
12"x17" 200 points per inch and 1000 points per inch.
24"x24" 1000 points per inch.
plus a few larger sizes.
The smallest has a sensor in the pen tip, and two extra buttons on the pen
denoting double-click, and mouse-down respectively.
The other tablets (except the 24x24 and larger) have a row of menu items
printed on the tablet above the active area. PenMac version 4.0 provides
a macro package to allow associating each of these with arbitrary strings
of mouse presses and key-presses.
The larger tablets are available with multi-button digitizing pucks. The
macro package allows you to associate strings of mouse and key presses
with the buttons.
The tablets connect to either serial port (though for the moment, the
cordless tablet needs to use the modem port unless you use an external
power adapter.) You can continue to use the mouse even while the tablet
is connected and running.
The software:
1.) a tablet driver that is read in at system start-up, so you can use
your tablet with no further thought. The driver lives in a separate file,
not in the system file, so installing and deinstalling the driver is very
easy. User programs can communicate with the driver through Control
calls, to get full resolution numbers out of the driver. (The tablet has
much higher resolution than the screen.) The Control mechanism is used to
imlement the desk accessory:
2.) a desk accessory for setting up the tablet. At any time you can use a
desk accessory, you can change which serial port is in use (or disconnect
the tablet from the serial ports entirely to use them for something else.)
You tell the system to use "mouse mode" - in mouse mode the tablet
produces relative positioning information instead of absolute positioning
information. You can change the mapping in absolute mode, so any area of
the tablet can be mapped into any are of the screen. You specify active
areas of the tablet and screen by either typing in coordinate numbers or
pointing with the pen/mouse. You can force equal aspect ratios, so squares on
the tablet will be squares on the screen. You can save configurations in
files, and use the desk accessories Open command to read them back in, or
designate a configuration to be the boot-time configuration.
Configurations are saved in text files in a PostScript-like language
called PreScript, and can be edited with any text editor. The parser in
the desk accessory produces decent diagnostics. By opening a series of
configuration files you can move the point of attention around on the
tablet and easily make use of the full resolution of the tablet.
The larger tablets have DIP switches on their back for setting the
speed of their serial port. The desk accessory draws pictures of the
correct setting of the switches to match the current setup.
I am currently working on the macro recorder/playback system. The rest of
the system exists and is in daily use.
3.) an installer to make putting all of this on your application disks be
just a button click.
Date: 30-AUG-1986
From: BOLSON@UWALOCKE.BITNET
Subj: MacTablet
I have been using the Summagraphics MM-1201 (now packaged as the
MacTablet) for several years now with a Mac (i.e., since Mac's
came out!). It has .001 inch resolution, about .01 inch repeatability
(their claim, I think it is better than that) and they supply
a driver which makes it act like a mouse. The good news is that you can
also use their driver directly! It is written as a standard Mac
device driver and can be used to obtain digitized coordinates at
high resolution.
Also, the tablet is easy to program directly. I had to, since no
driver was available when I started. At 9600 baud, the thing can
send over 100 points per second, if you want "dense" digitizing.
Please contact me if you want more info. I am a Summagraphics
"certified developer", which costs nothing if you have real applications
to develop.
Ed Bolson
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 86 08:20:15 pdt
From: gould9!joel@nosc.ARPA (Joel West)
Subject: SCSI drives FCC Class B compliant?
About 3 months ago, Infoworld ran an article on what appeared to be
a scandal in the IBM XT/AT clone world, in which startup clone companies
were building machines without worrying about compliance with the
FCC RF emissions requirements.
Does anyone know what the situation is with all the startup Mac SCSI
drive companies? In particular, does anyone:
1) Have a drive that claims to be Class B certified on its
back panel? (Manuals are preprinted and thus meaningless.)
2) Have a drive that causes significant interference?
3) Know of any FCC action here?
As I recall from the clone case, if you bought a non-conforming machine,
the FCC said you couldn't use it, so unless the manufacturer fixed it,
the customer sufferred at least as much as the mfr.
I've got some serious interference problems with my drive, but needless
to say, I'm not stepping forward without further information.
Joel West
{cbosgd, ihnp4, pyramid, sdcsvax, ucla-cs} !gould9!joel
joel%gould9.uucp@NOSC.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Mon 8 Sep 86 16:40:35-CDT
From: Werner Uhrig <CMP.WERNER@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: just when I thought I'd play it safe ....
after the recent Micah disaster, I thought I play it "safer" and back-up the
DataFrame last night using a LowDown 60Meg tape cassette and LowDown's
program "LoDown Tape 1.4V" ...
after watching the tape spin back and forth for about 30 minutes (odd way of
going about it), and messages appearing on the screen reporting on the progress
of different files and folders getting "saved" ... I went to sleep.
....and guess what I woke up to this morning ??? .....
Error Writing One File
File was NOT backed up
Error ID: -4
SysError: -36
in dobackup
so I clicked OK (or whatever) and.......: BOMB-city ID=25
great software! doesn't tell me what the "One File" name was, if it was able
to back up all other files or if this was in the middle of the back-up
somewhere, and if the tape-backup is otherwise usable ...
Running the "Restore" software actually reported a backup-directory on the
tape, but would you trust it????
From the message, I'd guess it encountered a bad spot on the tape (well, it
said it couldn't write ..) now if I only knew if the tape back-up is otherwise
of any use ....
the documentation is as you would expect ..... @#%^%$^# computers ....
or rather: &^%$#@~*$# programmers .....
------------------------------
Date: 7 Sep 86 12:11:21 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: MCS 1.0c
[ Uploaded from Delphi by Jeff Shulman ]
Name: MCS VERSION 1.0C
Date: 7-SEP-1986 11:51 by YVES
[ Updated 6-SEP-1986 16:00 by YVES to version 1.0c. ]
Version 1.0c of "Multichannel Communications System". This program will allow
simultaneous Upload, Download and Chat between two Macintoshes using Hayes
compatible modems. It uses X.MS, a windowing protocol similar to X.25 and
MacBinary format for file transfers.
-- Yves Lempereur [YVES]
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>COMM-MULTCHANNEL.HQX
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 7 Sep 86 18:20:58 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #72
Usenet Mac Digest Sunday, 7 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 72
Today's Topics:
Re: Geneological Software
Re: MacWorld Show impression
Re: MacWorld Show impression
Re: Geneological Software
Re: Neon v1.5 update
Misc: Imagewriter; HFS Backup; Rebuild-Desktop...
Re: MacTutor Magazine
Re: Tops for the PC and Mac (Long)
TML Pascal and MacIsh Stuff
Funding/Sponsors need for graphics project
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>USENETV2-72.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 7 Sep 86 18:42:30 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V2 #43
Delphi Mac Digest Sunday, 7 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 43
Today's Topics:
news in fits
RE: news in fits (Re: Msg 12418)
RE: news in fits (Re: Msg 12418)
Goodbye Kisses
RE: TScan blues (Re: Msg 12395)
RE: TScan blues (Re: Msg 12409)
RE: TScan blues (Re: Msg 12419)
RE: DataFrame Print Spooler (Beta 1.2) P (Re: Msg 12385)
RE: DataFrame Print Spooler (Beta 1.2) P (Re: Msg 12385)
Radius FPD
RE: Radius FPD (Re: Msg 12417)
RE: Radius FPD (Re: Msg 12509)
RE: Medical/Dental (really Cauzin comments)
RE: PostScript Film Recorder
Hyper2000 vs. HFS
RE: Hyper2000 vs. HFS (Re: Msg 12438)
RE: Hyper2000 vs. HFS (Re: Msg 12469)
TOPS vs. HyperDrive 2000
RE: TOPS vs. HyperDrive 2000 (Re: Msg 12440)
RE: TOPS vs. HyperDrive 2000 (Re: Msg 12440)
RE: TOPS vs. HyperDrive 2000 (Re: Msg 12523)
interlace fields
Dasch vs. TOPS
Disk Tags?
RE: Disk Tags? (Re: Msg 12455)
Steve Capps Monkey DA
RE: Steve Capps Monkey DA (Re: Msg 714)
RE: Steve Capps Monkey DA (Re: Msg 716)
RE: TOPS
Greek Fonts?
RE: Greek Fonts? (Re: Msg 12487)
Sector Tags
RE: French/Italian Fonts? & HFS Disk checker
RE: French/Italian Fonts?
TROUBLES WITH ODD/CONSULTANT USED IN A M
RE: TROUBLES WITH ODD/CONSULTANT USED IN (Re: Msg 12510)
HyperDrive 2000 and MazeWars+
PRINCETON MACFEST'86!
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DELPHIV2-43.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 86 21:56:32 edt
From: Gavin Hemphill <hemphill@nrl-aic>
Subject: MacPublisher II WARNING!!!
In the usenet-mac digest Chuq Von Rospach gives a brief review of MacPubII
and mentions (as does the MacPubII manual) that the program is not HFS
compatible. This leads to some interesting problems. If you use the
standard getfile dialog to get a file in another folder, then munge around
the directory tree to put the file that results from the MacPubII conversion
in another directory you may be surprised to find when you quit the program
that the converted file is still in the original directory. Consequently if
you chose to use the same name for the converted file instead of the
"copy of xx" default you will find that the file is unreadable by both MacPubII
and whatever program you created it with. OOps!
A second, more serious problem might be present in the program.
In the course of the last couple of weeks I've had the disk I was using
with MacPubII corrupted. The first time I put it down to bad media, recovered
what I could with the standard Copy][ tricks and continued on. The second
time I started to get suspicious but still thought it may have been something
I'd inadvertently screwed up. The third time I noticed that the protection
override on my working copy of MacPubII had just expired while the program was
active. On thinking back I'm almost positive this was also the case the first
two times the problem occured. I'd love to verify the problem but I'm getting
tired of recovering the damn data. For now I'd suggest that people make a new
working copy of MacPubII whenever they start a session thats likely to run over
the protection override time (24 hours from the last master use).
Even with the above problems I find the program a good buy and very useful
for all sorts of odd document generation tasks.
G++
------------------------------
Date: Sat 6 Sep 86 07:27:58-CDT
From: CS.RICHMANN@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
Subject: Re: MDS 2.0 Upgrade
> I don't remember a registration card for MDS I don't expect to get
> a letter. Does anyone know about this update and if so please post
> the necessary information for those of us who are not registered or
> certified developers. Thanks,
Attached is a binhexed MacWrite document which describes the MDS 2.0
upgrade (HFS support, new smart linker, etc.) and how to get it (send
$25 and a disk from MDS 1.0 as proof of ownership.) One important
point to consider is that MDS 2.0 only works on a 512K or larger Mac.
If you have a Mac+ and a hard disk, I would recommend you contact the
Apple Programmer's and Developer's Association (phone: 206-251-6548)
and get a copy of the beta version of the Macintosh Programmer's
Workshop shell and assembler. You can get the beta version for $100,
which does not include an upgrade when the final product is released.
You will also need to pay a $20 "membership" fee, but until Oct 1, 1986
you get a book worth more than $20 as a membership incentive.
[ ARCHIVED AS
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>INFO-MDSUPDATE.HQX
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: Sat 6 Sep 86 11:29:57-EDT
From: "Bob Soron" <Mly.G.Pogo%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Desk Accessory Idea...
I'm no programmer in any meaningful sense, so I thought I'd pass this idea
along to see if someone else wants to hack it. I use RR/MockWrite on the
nets, and a desk accessory that would take selected text, indent it, and
put a > at the beginning of the line would save a bit of time per message.
(I don't even know if DAs can work together this incestuously. You see why
I'm passing the idea along...)
Bob
------------------------------
Date: 6 Sep 86 18:16:09 EDT
From: Duane.Williams@k.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: spelling checker reviews
The May 1986 issue of The Macintosh Journal contains reviews of eight
spelling checkers. Journal reviews are more than just feature reports. The
Journal's writers actually test products to see what their limits are.
"Spellswell" got the highest marks among the programs tested. "Spelling
Champion" also got a good review. ("The Right Word" received the Journal's
"crippled turtle award" for performance.)
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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