Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (11/10/89)
Info-Mac Digest Thu, 9 Nov 89 Volume 7 : Issue 197 Today's Topics: Another Black Box Problem APPL Icon question & graphics tablets... BlackBox 1.5 gripes BlackBox bugs Filetransfer Archives -> Mac Summary Gogo INIT Problem Looking for the Human Interface Guidelines regarding COLOR usage Memory-Upgrade Query Minihost - A Red Ryder Proceedure Need hard disk backup program. Networking mac backups Network task to task communication b/n Mac and VAX? printing postscript files Problem Obtaining OzTeX via BITFTP Readable Read Me files startupscreens on MacII TeachText for documentation Temperament 2 Why can't the Macintosh adopt a standard text output... Wingz 3D graphs XCMD and SwapMMUMode ZTerm 0.85 Sit {Why can't the Macintosh adopt a standard text output...} 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: 7 Nov 89 10:36:00 EST From: "Jeffrey Templon" <templon@venus.iucf.indiana.edu> Subject: Another Black Box Problem I too have a Black Box problem similar to Mr. Prasad's which prevents me >From using this very nice INIT. The problem comes when using VersaTerm; when the screen is cleared either by doing a soft reset ("Clear Page" menu item) or when swapping from Tek 4010 emulation back to VT100 (which seems to do an implicit soft reset) the VT100 window gets moved to some sort of default location. This is OK on my Mac SE's 9 inch screen without the task strip. Somehow with Black Box installed, this default location gets translated into a screen position which is shifted to the left so that about three characters or so are lost past the edge of the screen. Thus any time I show a graphic, I have to re-position the window next time I want the VT100 window back. I am trying to contact VersaTerm tech help to see if they have a solution, but it seems that we shouldn't have an INIT that changes screen positions like this! I hope it gets fixed, because otherwise I really like this software! Jeff ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 13:48 EST From: WATTS@urhep Subject: APPL Icon question & graphics tablets... Hey y'all, Two questions. I noticed that someone recently asked how to create a finder icon for an application (I don't recall who it was). I have followed the example in Vol III, but to no avail (even inserted a vers resource0 -- right down to the names. But the finder stubornly displays the std. APPL icon. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance. If you respond to me, I will summerize. Second question is about graphics tablets. I have been thinking of buying one -- but for a perhaps unusual application: entering handwriting. Has anyone ever used a board for this purpose? Is the pen easy to hold/manipulate? Can someone recomend a particular board (yes, price is always a factor). Does the board interface with the usual draw-type applications on the Mac? Is there a way to see (on the board) what has been entered (ie, if the graphics pen was a real pen and left a mark on paper), etc. Again, if you mail to me, I will summerize. Thanks, Gordon. BITNET: WATTS@UORHEP ARPANET: gwatts@ruthep.rutgers.edu USMAIL: Gordon Watts Dept. of Physics and Astronomy University of Rochester Rochester, NY 14627-0011 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 01:52:50 -0500 From: mjkobb@athena.mit.edu Subject: BlackBox 1.5 gripes In #195, Sundar Prasad (SUNDAR_PRASAD@mtsg.ubc.ca) writes: >1. As the author of BlackBox mentions, no other screen saver blanks out the > task strip. I like Moire (esp. in color) and so allowing BlackBox's screen > saver version of StarTrek to take over was a little sacrifice, but I didn't > mind (the advantages still outweighed the losses). I think FadeToBlack does, actually. At least it did when I tried BB 1.5... --Mike ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 09:00 N From: "Rainer Fuchs (EMBL)" <FUCHS%EMBL.bitnet@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: BlackBox bugs I have got BlackBox v1.5 a week ago, and this is just what I was looking for. But I have one big problem: I can't launch applications from within a running application by clicking a panel icon. This takes me back to the Finder with subsequent system errors when clicking on a panel icon. This behaviour is independent of the setting of the "Shell Launch" option. My system: Mac plus,1 MB, 30 MB hard disk, system 6.0, no inits. Rainer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainer Fuchs, Ph.D. | Post: EMBL Data Library | European Molecular EARN/Bitnet: fuchs@embl.bitnet | Biology Laboratory Internet: fuchs%embl.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu | Meyerhofstr. 1 | D-6900 Heidelberg "Waiter, there's a bug in my soup!" | FRG "No, Sir, it's not a bug, it's a feature!" | Phone: +49-6221-387467 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 07 Nov 89 10:58:34 CET From: Klaus Koehler <KOEHLER%DMRHRZ11.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Filetransfer Archives -> Mac Summary Hello, some weeks ago I asked how to access files from the archives and I had a special problem because I had no chance to connect the Mac directly to the host computer (an IBM :-( ) and I had to transfer the files to an IBM PC first (even worse :-((( ).... here the answers: The first thing is: You MUST have a copy of Binhex, otherwise there is no way to access the files. You can get it from some companies distri- buting PD software or from a friend... If you are able to connect your Mac to the mainframe you should also have a copy of Kermit or any other Terminal Emulation / Filetransfer package. I am using Kermit - it is powerful enough for me. To receive the files, you can use TEXT-mode transfer of the .HQX files (if you use an ASCII mainframe) and Binary-mode transfer for .BIN or .SIT files. If you use the Binary transfer mode, which is faster, you need a copy of Binhex5.0 to convert the files in valid Macintosh file format... (at least if you choose 'receive as data fork' in Kermit). Another problem may occur, if your host computer is an IBM (EBCDIC)... The EBCDIC-->ASCII conversion table in Kermit had some errors (maybe only in Germany, because we have some non-standard characters). I will post a replacement conversion table to everyone, who is inter- ested... But if you have Binhex5.0 you can receive your files as binaries as well (without conversion). To convert .HQX into .BIN files you can get Binhex for IBM mainframes under VM/SP CMS from the archives ( I think /util/vm-cms-files or so). It is also very helpful to check incoming files, so you dont have to download files which are trashed. If you dont have your Mac connected to the host but an IBM (compatible) PC with 5.25" drive and a second 5.25" drive for your Mac you can transfer text files (remember the EBCDIC->ASCII conversion in the case you are on an IBM mainframe) and convert them into Mac format using the Apple File Exchange. Then run Binhex4.0 to convert the data file (document) into an application or whatever it is. Hope that helps... -Klaus +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Klaus Koehler Private: Steinweg 32 | | Fachbereich Chemie / AK Reetz D-3550 Marburg | | Philipps-Universitaet Marburg West-Germany | | Hans-Meerwein Strasse Phone: +49 (0)6421 66972 | | D-3550 Marburg / West-Germany | | Phone: +49 (0)6421 28-5548 Earn/Bitnet: KOEHLER@DMRHRZ11 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Oct 89 20:08 CST From: Matt Helgren <291HELGREN%MASTER@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Gogo I was trying to figure out what I could contribute to all the people on Info-Mac for all the wonderfull advice and software. Then it hit me. My favorite DA, Gogo (Yes, as in dancer)! This is a must for any serious Mac user. Check it out. G.H. [Archived as /info-mac/da/gogo.hqx; 70K] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 07 Nov 89 10:30:10 CET From: Klaus Koehler <KOEHLER%DMRHRZ11.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: INIT Problem Hi, I've got problems with some INITs/CDEV's as well... Especially Moire CDEV/Init and Freshstart won't work together with some others... I've got SysErr 02 as well when trying to use Freshstart. Any comments how to use Freshstart correctly?? I have a Mac II running system 6.0.3. -Klaus +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Klaus Koehler Private: Steinweg 32 | | Fachbereich Chemie / AK Reetz D-3550 Marburg | | Philipps-Universitaet Marburg West-Germany | | Hans-Meerwein Strasse Phone: +49 (0)6421 66972 | | D-3550 Marburg / West-Germany | | Phone: +49 (0)6421 28-5548 Earn/Bitnet: KOEHLER@DMRHRZ11 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 16:50:03 EST From: vita@disney.crd.ge.com (Mark F Vita) Subject: Looking for the Human Interface Guidelines regarding COLOR usage "Juan M. Courcoul" writes: > I recall reading somewhere about a book on human interface guidelines that > also included information on the use of colors. It was supposedly authored > by Apple Computer. > > Does anybody know if such a book exists, and if so, it's classification ? > I'd love to get ahold of a copy. I think you are probably referring to the official Apple technical reference called "Apple Human Interface Guidelines: The Apple Desktop Interface". This is the "style guide" for creating applications with the Macintosh look-and-feel. There is a small section on the usage of color (one-line summary: be conservative). The book is a paperback published by Addison-Wesley; ISBN 0-201-17753-6; list price $14.95. Mark Vita vita@crd.ge.com General Electric CRD ..!uunet!crd.ge.com!vita Schenectady, NY ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 09:24:00 EST From: williams@cbl.umd.edu (Bill Williams) Subject: Memory-Upgrade Query I've just got a mini-grant here for $500 to upgrade my SE's memory. I'd be most happy to get suggestions (and anti-suggestions!) about where to get the most memory for my money. I'm not frightened by electronics, but I'm not really an electronic tech, either. I have 1 meg now, and I understand that by doing a little scrimping and searching I can probably upgrade to 3 megs for my $500, or I can buy MacSnap and blow the whole $500 on upgrading to 2. If there's sufficient interest, I'll summarize replies - this must be a subject of ongoing interest and rapid change. A specific question: anybody ever do business with "Maya Computer" in northern New England somewhere? Sounds like they're in my price range. -Bill Williams Williams@cbl ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Oct 89 21:16:00 EDT From: Michael Kazlow <KAZLOWF%PACEVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Minihost - A Red Ryder Proceedure Attached is Mini-Host 3.0 is a Red Ryder 10.3 procedure that allows you to setup a small but sophisticated BBS. It was writtten by Frank Ventura and is shareware. [Archived as /info-mac/comm/minihost-part1.hqx; 150K /info-mac/comm/minihost-part2.hqx; 100K] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 14:05:16 est From: Rocky_Olive@dgc.mceo.dg.com Subject: Need hard disk backup program. CEO file contents: Hello. I want to back up my 40 Mb HD onto 1.4 Mb floppies using my SuperDrive (I have a IIcx). However, the HD backup utility that came with my system is _extremely_ slow, and last night I got an ID=24 bomb!!! Does anybody know of any better backup programs? What kind of features do they have? Thanks! Rocky .......................................................................... .Rockford L. Olive...... <rocky_olive@dgc.mceo.dg.com> ..Data General Corp..... ...Technology Drive.... #define PS2 NULL ....Apex, NC 27502... #define OS2 NULL .....919/362-4800x5392.. #define MSWINDOWS NULL ......919/362-4914 home. #define DISCLAIMER "It just slipped out." ------------------------------ Date: 7-NOV-1989 16:15:15.35 From: SENN@LOVAGE.PSY.CMU.EDU Subject: Networking mac backups I'm interested in how people are doing Mac backups in a nominally-trained user environment. For instance we have 20+ Macs that we backup nightly using the CAP stuff (slightly hacked) running on a SUN workstation to schedule/spool full and incremental backups over appletalk. The backups run primarily without user intervention. We're probably going to double our population of Macs in the near future, and users are tending toward larger disks every day...so I'm trying to evaluate our options. If anyone is using Mac networking products for UNIX/VMS/MAC or has information I would appreciate some e-mail...Ideally I'm interested in systems that allow remote scheduling of at least 2 levels (e.g. full...incremental) of Mac backups. I'm especially interested in any VMS appletalk implementations. -Jas ============================================================================= Jeff Senn Arpa: Senn@Psy.cmu.edu Research/Systems Programmer Psychology, Carnegie Mellon (412) CMU-SKY1 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 13:21 CST From: <BERNSTEI%TAMODP.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Network task to task communication b/n Mac and VAX? I'm looking for a product which allows task-to-task communication (not just file transfer) between a MAC and a VAXcluster. I'm creating a Hypercard front end for a VAX-resident non-SQL database. I'm aware of SQL based databases that now come with Hypercard links, but changing our database is currently not an option. Instead I am looking for networking software with an API. I've identified TSSnet and CommUnity as possibilities for task-to-task communication via DECnet. Has anyone used the programming interface for these product? If so, what were your experiences? How well did it work, how easy was it to use, how was the technical support, what languages or products were used for interfacing with it, and what limitations did it impose? Can anyone suggest other products using DECnet or some other protocal (i.e. TCP/IP)? I'd like to do the programming on the MAC side with Think's Lightspeed C. Anyone with experience with this type of programming, your insite and advice for getting started on this project would be greatly appreciated. Please respond directly and I will summarize. Thanks, Larry Bernstein BERNSTEIN@TAMODP (BitNet) Ocean Drilling Program BERNSTEIN@ODPVAX.TAMU.EDU (InterNet) Texas A&M University 409-845-4870 (Office Phone) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 07 Nov 89 14:44:27 EST From: Mark Seidenberg <INMK%MUSICB.MCGILL.CA@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: printing postscript files On another bulletin board that I access, there is an archive of documents that are formatted with post-script commands. How do I tell a Laserwriter to use these commands when printing out the document? I gather that this is easy to do in Unix--there's a parameter on the lpr command. But, what's a poor Mac to do? Mark Seidenberg INMK@MUSICB.MCGILL.CA ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 8:21:28 EST From: Tom Coradeschi <tcora@pica.army.mil> Subject: Problem Obtaining OzTeX via BITFTP > I have been unsuccessful obtaining OzTeX by ftp from tank.uchicago.edu. >When I learned that those of us at Bitnet only sites could access ftp sites >via the ftp server at PUCC, I tried the following message > >ftp tank.uchicago.edu >user anonymous >cd /pub/sources/OzTeX >dir >quit > > and got a directory listing including "oztex". > > When I tried changing "dir" to "get oztex", I got a message "not a plain >file". I've tried "get oztex/*" as well as "cd /pub/sources/OzTeX/oztex" >followed by "dir", with no results. > > Has anyone successfully ftp's OzTeX through the server at PUCC? I'd >appreciate any advice. > I'd suggest that the files you're trying to get are binaries. So, you need to change to binary format ftp. Whether or not that can be done via BITNET type mail messages, I don't really know for sure. But you can try adding one line to your msg, ie: ftp tank.uchicago.edu user anonymous cd /pub/sources/OzTeX binary get file.name (add what you need here) quit If there are multiple files, follow the 'binary' command with: prompt (turns off file name prompting) mget * (gets all files in that subdirectory) quit > >Alan H. Stein | stein@uconnvm.bitnet >Department of Mathematics | stein%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu >University of Connecticut | ...psuvax1!UCONNVM.BITNET!STEIN >32 Hillside Avenue | >Waterbury, CT 06710 | Compu$erve 71545,1500 >(203) 757-1231 | GEnie ah.stein > tom c Electric Armaments Division US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000 ARPA: tcora@pica.army.mil UUCP: ...!{uunet,rutgers}!pica.army.mil!tcora BITNET: Tcora@DACTH01.BITNET ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 13:23 EST From: Josh Smith <JBS92@swat.swarthmore.edu> Subject: Readable Read Me files An even better way to distribute Read Me files or documentation is through Take A Letter, a shareware program, the author of which eludes me. This ingeneous utility transforms any text file (there's probably a maximum file size, but it's not prohibitive) in to a double-clickable application, totally eliminating the need for formatting troubles. It can't deal with graphics or with font or style changes, but for plain information dispersal, it's hard to beat. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | Reality: Josh Smith | "I swear, by my life | |Internet: JBS92@CAMPUS.SWARTHMORE.EDU | and my love of it, | | BITNet: JBS92@SWARTHMR.BITNET | that I will never live | | USMail: Josh Smith '92 | for the sake of another man, | | Swarthmore College | nor ask another to live for mine." | | Swarthmore, PA 19081 | -John Galt | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 17:03 EST From: Maurice Volaski <V050FN5R@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu> Subject: startupscreens on MacII I downloaded several gif files from the archives. I used the giffer 1.03 to convert them to startupscreens. When I statup, however, the pictures do not look as they do in the Giffer. The colors are all washed out. Any ideas what could be causing this? What is the proper way to make a startupscreen on the Mac II? Maurice ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 14:02:56 est From: Rocky_Olive@dgc.mceo.dg.com Subject: TeachText for documentation CEO comments: I agree with Mr. Robert J. Brenstein's comment that there should be a standard for program documentation. TeachText does seem to be the most logical choice since it is free. Edit would be my other choice. MacWrite and MS Word are not good choices because they are expensive word processers that not everyone has access to. I don't know about the graphics abilities of TeachText, but 95% of the documentation out there doesn't have any. I just wanted to say that. :) Maybe the info-mac moderators could try to establish something??? Please. No flames. CEO file contents: .......................................................................... .Rockford L. Olive...... <rocky_olive@dgc.mceo.dg.com> ..Data General Corp..... ...Technology Drive.... #define PS2 NULL ....Apex, NC 27502... #define OS2 NULL .....919/362-4800x5392.. #define MSWINDOWS NULL ......919/362-4914 home. #define DISCLAIMER "It just slipped out." ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 07 Nov 89 11:59:37 EST From: Jean Brunet <R31631%UQAM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Temperament 2 Someone told me that Temperament 2 could not eliminate the Word Temp files at startup if one uses national systems (french etc). In order to make it work you need to do the following: 1) Keep your system, finder, multifinder, drivers.... as it is... BUT..... 2) Use the English set of desk accessories. I would suspect (though I have not verified it ) that using only the English Control Pannel would be enough. For more information, do not hesitate to contact me. Jean. ****************************************** ** * JEAN BRUNET * QQQ QQQ QQQ -------- * DEPT. DES COMMUNICATIONS * QQQ QQQ QQQ NETNORTH * UNIVERSITE DU QUEBEC A MONTREAL (UQAM) * QQQ QQQ QQQ BITNET * C.P. 8888, SUCC. 'A', MONTREAL, QC. * QQQ -------------- * CANADA, H3C 3P8 * QQQ R31631@UQAM.BITNET * TEL: (514) 282-4897 * QQQ ------------------ ****************************************** ****************** ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 10:07:23 EST From: rpk@goldhill.com Subject: Why can't the Macintosh adopt a standard text output... I asked before how one creates TeachText files with pictures and font changes, but I never got a response. I suspect that it's close to MacWrite format, but I haven't bothered figuring it out. ImageSave -- is that what came with BlackBox ? I don't like it; even if something is read-only, I'd like for my text to be treated as text, not a big picture. Besides, what if I don't *like* viewing online documentation as an A4 piece of paper ? I'd like a simple viewer with mouseable intra-document links, a mildly structured view of sections, adaptive on-screen formatting based on user-controllable window size, and reasonable hardcopy. Hmm, sounds like Hypercard would be the right platform for documents that result in five or more printed pages... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 07 Nov 89 08:53:39 MST From: Bob Bolt <BBOLT%UALTAVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Wingz 3D graphs I have been using Wingz for a while now and have found it to be quite a good spreadsheet. However, one problem I am unable to resolve is in creating 3 dimensional graphs for use in other applications. Wingz can draw and print a wicked 3D graph, but I can't find a way to use it in a page layout or word processing application. Exporting via the usual methods (clipboard, scrapbook) cause all kinds of distortions - heavy line weights, labels misaligned, etc. Does anyone have any experience with this problem? I have heard that others have successfully exported their charts. Any help would be appreciated. ================================================================== Bob Bolt Bitnet: BBOLT@UALTAVM Instructional Tech Centre CI$: 75410,2754 University of Alberta AppleLink: BBOLT@UALTAVM.BITNET@DASNET# ================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 17:24 O From: <IRMSCHER%DHDMPI5.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: XCMD and SwapMMUMode Dear fellow Macers! I have a problem with XCMDS: whenever I switch into 32 bit modus using SwapMMUMode, I'm seeing the blue (by the way, I'm using MPW C). TN#228 tells me I have to clean up the PC before doing this; this doesn't seem to help. So, after days of re-booting - who can help me? Thanx a lot Detlef Irmscher (IRMSCHER@DHDMPI5) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 06 Nov 89 04:03:59 CST From: "Eric H. Romo" <UD069225@vm1.nodak.edu> Subject: ZTerm 0.85 Sit Here is the most current version of the first and only shareware implementation of the ZModem protocol for the Macintosh. [Archived as /info-mac/comm/zterm-085.hqx; 206K] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Nov 89 08:30:06 CST From: hallett@pet3.med.ge.com (Jeff Hallett x5163 ) Subject: {Why can't the Macintosh adopt a standard text output...} Regarding std README-style documents... A while ago there was an application called TakeALetter. Basically, given a formatted text file, it allowed one to create a double-clickable application that simply presented the original document in a scrollable window. The author made it publicly available and encouraged people to do just this, put their README documents into a "letter" and distribute it with their applications, stax, etc. The obvious advantage is that no other application is required to read it (all self-contained). The letters could even print themselves. The question is, is TakeALetter still available somewhere? If so, are its letter applications Multifinder, MacII, etc. compatible? If this approach still works, why not use it? Jeffrey A. Hallett, PET Software Engineering GE Medical Systems, W641, PO Box 414, Milwaukee, WI 53201 (414) 548-5163 : EMAIL - hallett@gemed.ge.com "Your logic was impeccable Captain. We are in grave danger." ------------------------------ End of Info-Mac Digest ******************************