CS656@OUACCVMB.BITNET (06/21/88)
Speaking of DOS 3.3 <---> PRODOS conversions I wonder why DATA TRANSFORMS has never ported FONTRIX to PRODOS? It's one of the few DOS 3.3 programs that I sti ll use. The time spent accessing the disk drive with this program is maddening. I've overcome part of the problem by configuring my /RAM card as DOS 3.3 and loading the program files into it. It makes switching between GRAPHIC WRITER and the print routine, etc, bearable. However, you cannot load fonts, graphics or graffiles from the /ram card. They have to be on floppies. Does anyone have a patch to for this? By the way, since we're kicking Apples for not doing multitasking I think I'll yell about the fact that I can't run FONTRIX on the IBM 370. It seems to be about as appropriate.
bird@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Walters) (06/22/88)
>TRANSFORMS has never ported FONTRIX to PRODOS? It's one of the few >DOS 3.3 programs that I still use. The time spent accessing the >disk drive with this program is maddening. When I called up Data Transforms to order Printrix I talked to someone who seemed to be the owner. I asked, "why hasn't Fontrix been ported to ProDOS?" He said, "they had started the conversion, unfortunately, things had been a little slow so thay had been forced to lay the programmer of temporarlly. With luck it will be out this summer." Right. Just like Softronics was going to have a IIgs version of Softerm out last year. (I also pointed out that the interface to Fontrix is not graphical and that seems real strange for a graphical program.) As you point out, working with Fontrix from a 5.25" disk is like kicking a dead whale down the beach. There is a solution, it is called the Apple Fontrix club. They have a number of mods and add-on's for Fontrix that do make it tolorable. In addition, you can modify the Applesoft program to automatically load in a Graffile from drive 2 when you boot. (Much of the above assumes that you have an extended memory card such as Applied Engineering or a IIgs). Joe Walters ihnp4!ihlpf!bird IHP 1F-240 (312) 416-5356 -- Joe Walters ihnp4!ihlpf!bird IHP 1F-240 (312) 416-5356