Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (03/15/90)
Info-Mac Digest Wed, 14 Mar 90 Volume 8 : Issue 54
Today's Topics:
Ada-Compilers
Announcing TechMail for the Macintosh
AppleTalk boards
BEWARE OF HARD DRIVES INTERNATIONAL
COPYBITS
Field size in Hypercard
File format for sound files
Hard Disks
International Phonetic Alphabet
Internet to GEnie path
KERMIT/BINHEX4.0
Looking for a video card
MathWriter & Multifinder
Mouser is not ShareWare!
MS SYLK Spreadsheet format
New files from Apple
NuBus Prototyping boards
Online America
Preventing lab piracy
Switchable power supplies
two things
What does "bomb!" mean in the Think C Debugger!?
WriteNow 1.00 problems.
Your Info-Mac Moderators are Bill Lipa, Lance Nakata, and Jon Pugh.
The Info-Mac archives are available (by using FTP, account anonymous,
any password) in the info-mac directory on sumex-aim.stanford.edu
[36.44.0.6]. Help files are in /info-mac/help. Indicies are in
/info-mac/help/recent-files.txt and /info-mac/help/all-files.txt.
Please send articles and binaries to info-mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
Send administrative mail to info-mac-request@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 11:33:24 SET
From: Christoph Reichenberger <K331670@AEARN.bitnet>
Subject: Ada-Compilers
Does anybody know anything about existing Ada-Compilers for the Mac??
Please mail any information available directly to K331670@AEARN.BITNET.
advTHANKSance
Christoph Reichenberger
Johannes Kepler University, Linz / Austria
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 19:36:12 -0800
From: Mark Eggers <Mark-Eggers@uci.edu>
Subject: Announcing TechMail for the Macintosh
Ron,
Does this really require MH. While I use xmh, and have used
mhe (emacs macros for mh), I really do not think that mh provides
a good user interface. Does the reliance on mh stem from the fact
that you use a pop3 server? If so, will other pop3 implementations
work ??
Mark Eggers, Network COmmunications Analyst
University of California, Irvine
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 08:51:09 -0800
From: Mike Shoemaker <shoemake@apple.com>
Subject: AppleTalk boards
In comp.sys.mac.digest you write:
>I need help! I have a client who, with the intention
>of adding Macintoshes, put Appletalk boards in two
>IBM XT's, connecting them to a QMS PS-810 postscript
>printer.
>He has the AppleTalk boards that ship with Appleshare PC
>desk accessory. (I'm sorry I don't know what version of
>the da.)
>He wants to know why it's taking so long to print. The
>QMS has 2MB of memory. Another interesting problem is
>that he gets the message that the printer is being
>initialized each time he sends a print job. I would
>understand this if he had Macs attached...but I am
>at a loss on this one. It's the second or third
>such complaint I've had about the XT in this configuration.
>My guess is just that the XT is slow, but that probably
>isn't the whole story...
>Thanks
>Judy Frawley
The printer is initialized every time AppleShare PC prints -- A decision
was made in the design of the product, NOT to download a "permanent"
postscript dictionary (a la laserPrep for Macs) If both Mac and PC users
printed to a laserwriter, there would have been two sets of downloaded
dictionaries eating up memory in the LaserWriter.
The "Initializing" message you see is displayed while AppleShare PC downloads
PostScript definitions it uses later -- I.E. two-letter commands to change
fonts rather than having to spell out font name and styles in full every time
they are used.
As to why it takes so long to print; that depends upon a lot of factors.
Are you printing straight postscript or are you using Epson emulation?
IF POSTSCRIPT:
This should be the fastest way to print -- in theory, you will be limited
to the print engine speed plus network overhead to get the data to the
printer. I am currently investigating another "slow-printing" problem
involving QMS printers. In this other case, it appears that the QMS accepts
characters fast enough that AppleShare PC is sending PAP data packets with
only one byte of data in the packet. (I.E. DOS gives ASPC a character and
the character can be sent/acknowledged before DOS gives us the next.) The
result is heavy network usage, but a very slow flow of data.
Maybe the application generating the PostScript is just slow? I.E. a CAD
package on an XT? If possible, try printing to disk (and time it.) Then
copy the disk file to the printer. This might tell you where most of the
time is being spent.
IF EPSON EMULATION:
Are you printing heavy graphics (I.E. Lotus graphs)? This also causes
heavy network traffic, but it is making full use of the bandwith -- the
problem is that the graphs are sent as PostScript bit-maps which are
GIANT! Are you using lots of different styles? I.E. underlined, bold,
etc.? If so, this will cause the printer to stall on the first page while
it creates the font bit-maps.
--------------
The latest version of AppleShare PC is 2.0.1. In the 2.x versions, you
can configure your LocalTalk card for either polled or interrupt driven
mode. Changing the configuration may provide enough of a timing variation
so that in the first case (straight postscript), single-byte packets are not
sent.
Mike Shoemaker
Network Connectivity Development
Apple Computer Inc.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 90 18:19 PST
From: Ron Webster <IC6JRHW@oac.ucla.edu>
Subject: BEWARE OF HARD DRIVES INTERNATIONAL
Dear Macphiles,
BUYER, BEWARE OF HARD DRIVES INTERNATIONAL. HDI has convinced me
that they have no regard whatsoever for their customers (and I know of
other cases similar to mine). First, HDI shipped me the wrong
merchandise. Then they stalled me while taking more than three weeks to
correct their error. After all of the delay, they were about to ship me
the same incorrect merchandise a second time. Throughout this fiasco,
HDI, and a Ms. Kim Cummings in particular, made no effort to keep me
informed regarding the status of my order. And, to add insult to injury,
Ms. Cummings has not even extended me the courtesy of a reply to my
subsequent letter of complaint. Even if this were an isolated incident, I
would still regard it as totally inexcusable and of a sort that should
NEVER happen.
On 17 November 1989, I ordered a POWERDrive 80 from HDI (which is an
80 MB external drive for Macintosh computers). I received a 60 MB
INTERNAL drive for an IBM PC (which was supposed to have been shipped to a
man in Piscataway, NJ--and he had received my drive). I called HDI
immediately and was assured that the drives would promptly be picked up
and shipped to their proper destinations.
During the next three weeks, I directed several inquiries to the
office of Ms.Kim Cummings--HDI's person in charge of such matters--and was
offered various excuses and assurances that persuaded me not to cancel the
order. Still awaiting delivery, I called HDI again on December 14th, and
was told that my drive was ready to be shipped out that very day--A 60 MB
INTERNAL DRIVE FOR AN IBM PC!
I yelled "No! No! No!," set them straight, and HDI finally shipped
the correct drive--unformatted! (A nice touch, and contrary to the
documentation.) It was now nearly a month since I had placed the order:
For over three weeks a new Mac SE had been sitting in my office,
unwrapped, in the company of all the other peripherals and accessories
that had been ordered for it, during which time the price for that
particular SE configuration was reduced by $150. Forced to wait nearly a
month for a drive that I had expected overnight, I might just as well have
waited to buy the computer and saved $150!
I realize that everyone makes mistakes (occasionally, even stupid
ones). But the way a person or company responds after making a mistake
separates the "good guys" from the "bad guys," so to speak. Not shipping
a replacement drive as soon as the mix-up was discovered is, by itself,
reprehensible. But after more than three weeks of piss-assing around, to
be on the verge of deliberately sending me the same incorrect merchandise
that had originally been shipped to me accidentally--well, that goes a bit
beyond the limits of my forgiveness.
So, on 5 January 1990, I wrote to Ms. Cummings, relating my complaint
and proposing that HDI make some sort of compensatory gesture. Consonant
with the rest of this experience, I have not received a reply.
I suppose, at least to some extent, a business gets the customers it
deserves. Probably too, to some extent, consumers get the merchants they
deserve. To me, saving money isn't worth this sort of aggravation. But
even putting the pocketbook first, there are many vendors providing the
same merchandise as HDI, at comparable prices, and with far more
consumer-friendly policies. I, for one, prefer to avoid doing business
with the likes of Hard Drives International and Ms. Kim Cummings.
Ron Webster (ic6jrhw@oac.ucla.edu or ic6jrhw@uclamvs.bitnet)
* Disclaimer (why should I be different?): The views expressed here are
mine, and may not represent the views of UCLA or any of its departments.
-------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 11:50:15 SST
From: ISSTTH%NUSVM.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu
Subject: COPYBITS
My previous problem concerning the right way of importing foriegn image files
was solved by reading tn120 on offscreen pixmaps. Many thanks to those
who have responded.
But now it seems there is a different problem.
My setup consists of a Mac IIci with 8Meg Ram. I use the built-in
video as the startup screen, and a RasterOps 224. My program works
fine. Then I disconnect the built-in video and use the 224 as the
startup device in 24-bit mode. My program doesn't display pictures
anymore - just blanks. I then changed the color setting to 8bits and the
pictures were displayed. Any depth but 24-bit works fine. My image files
are eight bits.
Any clues?
Please reply directly to me at ISSTTH@NUSVM.BITNET
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 90 23:15 EDT
From: GORDON DOHLE <DOHLE%Vax2.Concordia.CA@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Field size in Hypercard
Hypercard chokes on files of text more than 30k when I try to insert them
in a field. Is there some way of expanding the default?
Thanks
Gordon
Dohle@Vax2.Concordia.ca
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 90 21:45:38 EST
From: Michael_Webb@ub.cc.umich.edu
Subject: File format for sound files
Can anyone tell me how to get a hold off the file format for sound files?
For example, the files soundmaster will play? I want to open them myself, a
just for kicks do some signal processing, etc. I also will be building
a SID, and want to have this information as a foundation. Please respond
to me directly, and when I get all that wonderful infomation (you 'netters
have been VERY helpful in the past -- THANKS! ahead of time), I'll summarize
and post it here. Thanks!
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Michael Webb University of Michigan Physics Dept. |
| 1038 Randall Laboratory |
| Michael_Webb@ub.cc.umich.edu Ann Arbor, MI 48109 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 12:57 EST
From: "NAME L.G. LEDUC" <F1400004%LAUVAX01.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Hard Disks
I am looking for an inexpensive 60 MEG hard disk for my MAC SE. I have looked
at the Cutting Edge 60+ and the Ehman 60+. Does anyone know how reliable
these hard disks are? I would appreciate your comments. Please send them
directly to me. Thank you for your help.
Leo G. Leduc
Department of Biology
Laurentian University
Sudbury, Ont.
Canada
LAUVAX01.LAURENTIAN.CA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 14:57:20 PST
From: AEIC0456%VAX1.CENTRE.QUEENS-BELFAST.AC.UK@forsythe.stanford.edu
Subject: International Phonetic Alphabet
Received: from RL.IB by UKACRL.BITNET (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 8730; Sat,
10 Mar 90 19:26:25 GMT
Received: from RL.IB by UK.AC.RL.IB (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 5297; Sat, 10
Mar 90 19:26:25 GM
Via: UK.AC.QUB.V1; 10 MAR 90 19:26:22 GMT
Date: Sat, 10 MAR 90 19:14:08 BST
>From: AEIC0456@VAX1.CENTRE.QUEENS-BELFAST.AC.UK
To: "info-mac@SUMEX-AIM".STANFORD.EDU
Subject: International Phonetic Alphabet
Bruce Carter was looking for an International Phonetic Alphabet. Dave Elbon
supplied the following information in last year's digest 187. We sent off
for some bumf for one of our users and it all looked good. I'm not at my
office now to dig the stuff out but I could forward more details in a few
days if required.
> NeoScribe International sells an International Phonetic Alphabet font
> called LaserPerfect Phonetique. I have the following address for them:
>
> NeoScribe International
> 188 Cosey Beach av/PO Box 633
> East Haven, CT 06512
> Phone 203/467-9880
While I'm here I'd like to thank all contributors on the net and the Info-
Mac moderators for all the info that arrives via these digests, and contacts
made via such.
George Munroe, Queens University Belfast
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 09:16:32 SET
From: Alexander Falk <K360950%AEARN.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Internet to GEnie path
At this point it is absolutely impossible to send mail to GEnie users
>From ANY other network, because GEnie administration refuses to offer
connections to anyone.
If you are interested in more details on how to get from one network
to another, here is a book tip:
John S. Quarterman: "The Matrix - Computer Networks and
Conferencing Systems Worldwide", Digital Press, 1990
This book has VERY detailed description on the various networks and
their relationships (including commercial services such as CompuServe
or GEnie).
Alexander
Disclaimer: I have no connection with either John S. Quarterman or
Digital Press, except that I bought the book a couple of
weeks ago and it has helped me a lot so far!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 13:10:41 CET
From: Joergen Haug <SIV89039%NOBIVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: KERMIT/BINHEX4.0
HELP||
As a new user of the net I've run into some problems downloading files.
I manage to transfer them to my Mac, but when I try to unbinhex/unpack
them using Binhex4.0 / StuffIt 1.4 I get the following message
A disk related error has occured (-39)
I have set Kermit on the mainframe to binary-mode. I have received the files
on my mac as "binary","data".
It would be nice if someone could send me some instructions on a step by step
basis, how to download files and make them WORK.
Joergen Haug, Student
Norwegian School of Management
Bitnet: SIV89039@NOBIVM.EARN
Phone: +47 9 94 34 74
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 12:11 EST
From: pascal%altitude.UUCP@iro.umontreal.ca (Pascal Gosselin)
Subject: Looking for a video card
In comp.sys.mac.digest you write:
> I'm looking for a monochrome video card that will let me drive the Apple
>Portrait Display from my SE/30. Anyone know if such a beast exists, and if so,
>where and how much for I can find it? Reply to me directly and I will summarize
>to the net.
RasterOps makes such a board.... The ClearView SE/30 APD.
The APD stands for Apple Portait Display... Costs about $700-800 ???
--
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pascal Gosselin | philmtl!altitude!pascal@uunet.uu.net |
| Computer Connection Inc. | (514) 674-1514 CIS: 72757,1570 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 09:24:02 EST
From: Bull Durham <WCD@vtvm1.cc.vt.edu>
Subject: MathWriter & Multifinder
For those of you who have been using MathWriter for equation typesetting,
and who wish you didn't have to quit Multifinder and run Switcher to use
it, there is a simple workaround. As you know, MathWriter treats the
Clipboard differently than virtually every other application, and
"Command-C" doesn't allow you to export the highlighted equation, but
rather copies to a local scrap. "Command-K" is used under Switcher to
get the equation out.
It turns out that, under Multifinder, the sequence
"Command-K" followed by "Command-C" puts the equation on the Clipboard
for export.
Interestingly, the second keystroke doesn't appear to do
anything (i.e., the Edit Menu doesn't flash), but it works. No crashes,
either. I made the key combination a Macro with MacroMaker, and now I
don't have to trash all my ancient equation files and move up to some
other typesetter. MathWriter may not be the best, but for the price ...
Bull
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 09:23:16 SET
From: Alexander Falk <K360950%AEARN.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Mouser is not ShareWare!
Hi Eric,
Mouser is not ShareWare, but is an application developed by Apple
Computer, Inc. and is distributed as part of the MacApp 2.0b9
package. You may obtain it from:
APDA - Apple Programmer's and Developer's Association
c/o Apple Computer, Inc.
20525 Mariani Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
Best regards,
Alexander
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 09:45:22 PST
From: Dan_MacIsaac@mtsg.ubc.ca
Subject: MS SYLK Spreadsheet format
I recently obtained a copy of the technical description of the Microsoft RTF
format from this list/digest. I would like to obtain similar references to
the MS SYLK format used by Excel and MS Works, so that my own applications can
write files importable by these spreadsheets.
If you have such documentation in machine-readable form and would mail me a copy
I would appreciate your assistance.
Thanks in advance,
Dan
..the screen may go haywire as the
computers' software dies, making horrible
'machine gun' noises. If this happens, Dan MacIsaac, Computers in
just press the Reset switch or turn off Education Research Group,
the computer's power. Dept of Math and Science Education
University of British Columbia
- p 188, Technical Introduction to the USERCERG@UBCMTSG.BITNET
MacIntosh Family, Apple Computer Corp Dan_MacIsaac@mtsg.ubc.ca
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 1990 17:56:45 PST
From: The Moderators <Info-Mac-Request@sumex-aim.stanford.edu>
Subject: New files from Apple
I recently downloaded a whole bunch of things from Apple, including the
informative human interface digest, the new movable modal dialog WDEF, and
the source code (!) to the system defprocs. These are all residing in the
/apple directory. Check /help/recent-files.txt for the actual file names.
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 17:22:07 GMT
From: Kevin 'fractal' Purcell <KPURCELL%liverpool.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk>
Subject: NuBus Prototyping boards
I am in need of a NuBus prototyping board to build up some simple
DA hardware for the mac, probably interrupt driven.
Which cards have you used for prototyping?
I'll summarise if there is an interest.
_________________________________________________________________________
Kevin 'fractal' Purcell ...................... kpurcell @ liverpool.ac.uk
Surface Science Centre, Liverpool University, Liverpool L69 3BX
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 90 10:46:29 EST
From: Ted Charrette <charrett@erl.mit.edu>
Subject: Online America
I recently wrote a letter to info-mac about a $5.95 charge from Online
America. Here is an explanation from a fellow info-mac reader who was
kind enough to respond. I hope this is useful to someone, it was to
me.
> From: "Bruce A. Carter" <DUSCARTE@idbsu.idbsu.edu>
> Subject: America Online
>
> Greetings,
>
> You have to explicitly cancel the service. There is an icon in the customer
> service section to do this. Just not using the system still leaves you open
> for $5.95/month. This was in the material you received when you joined up
> for the sample (if you got the same stuff I did).
>
> Chances are you can get them to remove the charges...
>
> I just recently quit AOL because it wasn't giving me anything in addition
> to CompuServe. Nice interface, though...
>
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 13:24:22 CST
From: "Jeff Balvanz" <GR.JLB@isumvs.iastate.edu>
Subject: Preventing lab piracy
To all folks responsible for Mac support in a University-like
environment:
We are currently in the throes of putting together our first major
public Macintosh lab. We do not intend to put monitors in the lab;
although we will have surveillance cameras to prevent the machines
>From walking away, it will be quite simple for someone to walk in
with a box of diskettes at 3 AM and purloin the entire software set
using HDBackup (or FastBack or whatever your favorite backup utility
is). One of our consultants has proposed patching the application
files in such a way that they will be unusable if they are copied to
any other machine (either by looking for an invisible file or
checking the path or some such technique). He's qualified to do
that (used to be a Mac programmer by trade) but I'm not. Is this a
feasible approach? Has anyone else on the net attacked this problem
and in what way? Please respond by e-mail and I will summarize (if
I get any responses, anyway) to the network. Thank you.
Jeff Balvanz BITNET: GR.JLB@ISUMVS
Senior Technical Consultant INTERNET: gr.jlb@isumvs.iastate.edu
Microcomputer Services PHONE: (515) 294-8683
Iowa State University Computation Center USMail: 191 DURHAM CENTER, ISU,
AMES, IA 50011
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 09:26:16 SET
From: Alexander Falk <K360950%AEARN.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Switchable power supplies
I bought an Apple CD-ROM drive in California in the summer of 1989 and
took it home to Austria with me in the fall. Even though there was a
label on the back of the drive saying "110V operation only" disassembling
the drive and looking at the power supply (produced by SONY) proofed
that the power supply is self adjusting and it has been working without
any problems with the 220V, 50Hz power in Austria, Europe. So it should
work find with 240V in Australia.
To the best of my knowledge Apple currently produces all of their machines
with self adjusting power supplies. The only product I'm not quite sure
about is the Macintosh Plus.
Regards,
Alexander
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 15:01:49 CST
From: shaggy@cs.utexas.edu (James Blieden)
Subject: two things
Some had a problem with reassembling parts off binhex files:
The best thing I have found is MacWrite II I load in the first part, jump to the
end and click. I then do a command-shift-I (insert file) and repart for each
part. I then save it as filename.whole (using TEXT only save option).
I have found that this works extremly well. I'm sure that Word and others can
do this as well. I have nver had any luck using StuffIt to do the Joining...
[Yes, StuffIt joining is a different thing. But you can use /util/unity to
do this operation automatically. -Bill]
Someone asked about lock file for read/execut only. At UT we use a combination
of locked partitions and invisible files and false files to protect our stuff.
Another good and SIMPLE thing is MacTools which has a lock option. This takes
care of most users.
About the false files: change the name of the original application, make it
invisible, create another application with the name of the original that calls
the invisble file. This way all someone even copies is the false application
that calls the real one...
Hope this helps. We mostly just use MacTools for the ease.
Disclaimer: I didn't say it.
jAMES bLIEDEN
Univ of Tex @ Austin
shaggy@cs.utexas.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 90 20:06 EST
From: WATTS@urhep
Subject: What does "bomb!" mean in the Think C Debugger!?
Hi y'all,
I have been using the Think C debugger lately. I have a small test
application that calls the HFS routines via JSRs (after loading a0, d1,
etc.). They work fine, and I get the expected results. However, when I quit
the application (I am using the console, so I have to hit <<enter>>), the
debugger source window comes up and displays "bomb!" where the execution
control buttons usually are. Any idea why this is happening?
This only happens in the debugger. If I create an application, every thing
runs fine (no Mac crashes yet!).
Thanks much,
Gordon.
BITNET: WATTS@UORHEP
INTERNET: gwatts@ruthep.rutgers.edu
USMAIL: Gordon Watts
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
14627-0011
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 90 12:22:20 CST
From: Bruce <Florman@dsg.csc.ti.com>
Subject: WriteNow 1.00 problems.
My wife has been writing her masters thesis using WriteNow 1.00, but has
been having a number of problems recently. On one occation, a figure
pasted into the document from SuperPaint caused an illegal instruction
error whenever WriteNow tired to display it (i.e. _DrawPicture was
branching out into never-never land). More recently, one of her files
has become corrupted with garbage which seems to be made up of fragments
of other parts of the text and earlier versions of the text.
I know that the current version of WriteNow is something like 2.2, but
I'm hesitant to buy the later version if it's not going to be any more
robust than this one. I think I'd rather that she use one of the more
popular word processors (i.e. MS Word), but we'd need to be able to
convert the files without losing all the formatting information (they're
full of equations with greek symbols, bold vectors, and superscripts).
If anyone can give me information about either the reliability of
WriteNow 2.2 when working on files with 80+ pages, or techniques for
converting WriteNow 1.0 files to MS Word 4.0 format, I would be greatly
appreciative.
-- Bruce Florman
florman@dsg.csc.ti.com
------------------------------
End of Info-Mac Digest
******************************