Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (06/16/89)
Info-Mac Digest Thu, 15 Jun 89 Volume 7 : Issue 104
Today's Topics:
Ada compiler and ECAD query
A Finder Bug
Allegro Common Lisp 1.2.2 Record and Rom trap problems
Any more specific information on Listmanager than IM vol IV?
A PD init to re-map the DataDesk to an Extended Apple Keyboard
Apple support of Chinese Students
BinHex Conversion Drudgery, Apple File Exchange
Ethernet Boards for the Mac II
FAA DUAT flight briefing seems to like IBM
Flight simulator on a Mac II ?
Help! Having Mac problems...
Info-Mac Digest V7 #101
Interpoll
Machine types & Interpoll 1.0
Milliseconds versus the Macintosh
Problems with Laser Printer 6.0 Drivers
Sound analysis software
Undigestifier
vocabulary/spelling tutor
Your Info-Mac Moderators are Lance Nakata, Jon Pugh, and Bill Lipa.
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].
Please send articles and binaries to info-mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
Send administrative mail to info-mac-request@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 89 14:21:32 CDT
From: evans@lvagw3.csc.ti.com (Eleanor J. Evans @ 462-5330)
Subject: Ada compiler and ECAD query
I need some ammo to help convince someone to buy a mac. Does anyone know
about Ada compilers and/or ECAD software?? Existence and quality are both
relevant.
Also, how about Lisp preferences? I've read discussions before, so please
send mail directly. (I didn't save them because I thought Macdom was too
far in the future for me - I bought a Mac Plus yesterday!!! :-))).
Eleanor
evans@lvis.ti.com
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 89 21:47:32 PDT
From: mse@b2red.caltech.edu (Martin Ewing)
Subject: A Finder Bug
Is the following a known bug? Does Apple read these things? (Send me a
T-shirt, please...)
[Finder: 6.1 / System: 6.0.2
Mac II, 2 MB, various hard or floppy disks]
If you have a folder containing files of the form ".xxx", with leading periods,
an attempt to duplicate the folder or to drag the folder to another device will
fail with ID=01 (Finder) or a reinitiation of the Finder (Multifinder). [The
"reinitiation" of MF comes with the loss of a few hundred K of available memory.
If you repeat the operation, eventually you will get an "unable to start Finder"
message - or words to that effect.]
This error occurs repeatably if the duplication is tried immediately after
booting. It is probabalistic afterwards.
Inside Mac (IV-90) claims that "File names... consist of any sequence of 1 to 31
printing characters, excluding colons."
Martin Ewing
Caltech Radio Astronomy
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 89 16:48 EDT
From: "Thomas R. Ridley" <TRRRC%RITVAX.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Allegro Common Lisp 1.2.2 Record and Rom trap problems
I have been starting to investigate Allegro's interface to the ROM toolbox
but I've been having some problems and I wondered if any one out there could
collaborate my findings.
1. The default values for Pascal Records are not used by Make-Record. I have
had to explicitly set the field values with rset to get anywhere.
2. There is no set-record function as described in the Allegro Documentation.
3. The correct call for pointer addition is %inc-ptr not %inc-pointer.
4. Even with correct Parameter Block values, Low-Level File/IO traps often
crash spuriously.
5. There is now way to acess the "High-Level" Toolbox functions from Allegro.
If any one has had good luck doing this type of work I'd like to get in touch.
The Reason for my bypassing the Higher-Level lisp calls is mostly for speed
requirements.
Thanks in Advance
Tom Ridley
RIT Research Corp.
BITNET: TRRRC@RITVAX
USENET: rochester!ritcv!ma!trr1442
Tel: (716) 475-7041
------------------------------
Date: Fri 09 Jun 1989 15:17 CDT
From: <MSER001%ECNCDC.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Any more specific information on Listmanager than IM vol IV?
List Manager Question:
Does anyone know where information can be found about the Correct method of
temporarily hiding a list? Through trial and error I found a method that
works, but not really sure why?
LActivate(false,temp_list); // must be performed before the LDoDraw
LDoDraw(false,temp_list);
switch(current_cell){
case 0: temp_list=List1; // set the current list by another list
case 1: temp_list=List2;
....
}
LDoDraw(true,temp_list);
LActivate(true,temp_list);
If LActivate is not performed first to disable a list, then the next temp_list
will not have an active Scroll Bar, unless it was created(LNew) before the
other lists; with the Oldest list created of all that have been selected,
being the list which works correctly.
Inside Macintosh vol IV does not even talk about this. Has anyone seen any
information which gives List Manager specifics, or better detail than Inside
Macintosh vol IV- Fifth Printing, April 1988. LActivate has a small paragraph,
which does not say that it must be called in a certain manner( first or last).
Scott Hutinger mser001@ecncdc.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 00:50:52 EDT
From: gall@nexus.yorku.ca (Norman R. Gall)
Subject: A PD init to re-map the DataDesk to an Extended Apple Keyboard
Even with all of it's limitations, I think Macromaker is one hell of a
lot better than MasterStrokes. Does anyone have an INIT to allow me
to use Macromaker with my Mac-101?
Even if I have to hack something, I still want to switch this around.
Failing this, I understand Quickeys now comes with a remapping INIT.
I'd rather use MacroMaker... it's free. I've already paid too much for
MasterStrokes. It really is a shame that this keyboard doesn't act
like an extended Apple...
Thanks,
Norman R. Gall
--
York University Department of Philosophy Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"It's only by thinking even more crazily than philosophers do that you
can solve their problems." -- L. Wittgenstein
_____________________________________________________________________________
Punishment becomes ineffective after a certain point. Men
become insensitive.
-- Eneg, "Patterns of Force," stardate 2534.7.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 11:38 EDT
From: <PJORGENS%COLGATEU.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> (Peter Jorgensen - Micro Specialist)
Subject: Apple support of Chinese Students
I'd like to commend Princeton University for its generous donation to the
Chinese students.
I'd also like to commend Apple Computer, Inc. for it's (rumored) support of the
Chinese Students fighting for a more democratic society. The equipment and
support they provide will mean a tremendous amount to that struggle. As
someone whose parents have worked and taught in China (in the 40's and 80's),
whose brother was born there, and who was conceived there, I feel some
connection with that country and its people. Our family is enjoying a lengthy
visit by an old friend (from the 40's) who was imprisoned during the 60's and
70's because of his knowledge of English and association with foreigners. He
finally retired from a position of English Teacher, after having been restored
to grace. Now his future, indeed the future of tens of thousands of Chinese
who study English/American and who believe in democracy is in question.
Perhaps the most significant contribution Apple can make would be in providing
FAX technology. Our Chinese student friends tell use that much real news is
being made available to people in China by way of clippings from American
newspapers which are FAXed to businesses and Universities there. I'm sure
there are not enough FAXes at either end of the line.
I am personally quite willing to get involved in any way that I can. I heard
on the news this morning that there is some BITNET activity in support of the
struggle... Does anyone know more?
A tiny effort on each of our parts could mean so much.
Peter Jorgensen
Microcomputer specialist
Colgate University - Hamilton, NY 13346
AppleLink - U0523
BITNET - PJORGENSEN@COLGATEU
tel - 315-824-1000 ext 742
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 13:37:14 EDT
From: rpk@goldhill.com (Robert Krajewski)
Subject: BinHex Conversion Drudgery, Apple File Exchange
Is there a quick way to decode many BinHex files in one fell swoop ?
There doesn't seem to be a way from Stuffit, at least.
Apple File Exchange offers a way to convert many files at once. Has
anybody though of writing an HQX->Mac File driver for Apple File
Exchange ? This would be a good way to leverage AFE, instead of
changing Stuffit or BinHex (if anybody still uses that).
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 89 17:34:39 EDT
From: rpk@goldhill.com (Robert Krajewski)
Subject: Ethernet Boards for the Mac II
So, in terms of performance, compatibility, and quality, is an
Ethernet board an Ethernet board an Ethernet board ? The only one I
could find in a Mac Connection ad is one from Dove Computer (Fastnet
III, I beleive).
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 11:19 EDT
From: <PJORGENS%COLGATEU.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> (Peter Jorgensen - Micro Specialist)
Subject: FAA DUAT flight briefing seems to like IBM
Scott Hutinger writes about a soon-to-be-available FAA weather briefing on-line
system, and laments that it seems to be oriented towards the IBM (MS-DOS)
platform. That's a true assessment, unfortuneately, but the FAA is not the
only player. I know of a project nearing completion (Beta version ready by
September) of a Mac program that will far surpass anything that could be done
on a "PC". How about intelligently getting weather information based on your
flight plan? How about on-screen maps of airports, etc.
All I can say right now is that a commercial flight instructor I know is
working on this (He's also an excellent programmer, VAX system guys, etc.) and
is very close to being finished.
Stay tuned...
Peter Jorgensen
Microcomputer specialist
Colgate University - Hamilton, NY 13346
AppleLink - U0523
BITNET - PJORGENSEN@COLGATEU
tel - 315-824-1000 ext 742
------------------------------
Date: 89-06-12 16:30:14 MEZ
From: TU80070%DHHUNI4.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Subject: Flight simulator on a Mac II ?
Recently I saw the impressive Microsoft Flightsimulator running on
a Mac SE. Its quite a nice and impressive piece of software, but all
trials with my Mac II failed and Microsoft's catalog told me, that
this would not work. Since both machines are not so different and
since I have enough disk and memory space it is hard to understand,
why it should be impossible porting the simulator to newer machines.
Does anyone with good connections to Microsoft know, if such an
upgrade is planned and when it can be achieved, or is it possible
to convert the old version by oneself ?
Klaus Schnathmeier
TU Hamburg-Harburg
W. Germany
<TU80070@DHHUNI4.BITNET>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 11:44:20 CDT
From: "R. C. Davis" <RCD2403@venus.tamu.edu>
Subject: Help! Having Mac problems...
>From: THOR::RCD2403 "R. C. Davis" 9-JUN-1989 11:40:14.27
To: THOR::JWK4946
CC: RCD2403
Subj: RE: Help! Having Mac problems...
Jeff,
Thanks for the tip -- if you know Trey's THOR or CHEMVX userid, could you send
it to me?
What happened is that the Desktop file grew so that it maxed out my 30Mb hard
disk ... to the point that it was unbootable or unreadable. Thankfully, I had
everthing on floppies except my Mac Technical Notes. So I just reinitialized
the hard disk and restored the files. (Let this be a word to the wise who
don't backup their hard disk(s) and say, "It'll never happen to me...")
I've learned my lesson about messing with free/share-ware INITs and CDEVs --
try `em out on a "test" floppy system disk! (I guess that goes for other
programs as well.) Then (maybe) put them on the bootable hard drive.
Ricardo
------------------------------
Date: 12 Jun 89 06:02:49 GMT
From: bgsuvax!maner@cis.ohio-state.edu (Walter Maner)
Subject: Info-Mac Digest V7 #101
>From article <8906110004.AA06125@sumex-aim.stanford.edu>, by Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators):
>
> I am using Allegro Common Lisp on the Mac and heard that PCL (Portable
> Common Loops) was availible in the public domain. If this is indeed
> the case, could someone kindly direct me to it so that I may download
> it.
>
Here is a posting I saved from sidney%acorn@LIVE-OAK.LCS.MIT.EDU:
Portable CommonLoops (PCL) is available for free from Xerox PARC. Even
though Gold Hill includes a copy with our GCLisp 3.0, that is for the
convenience of our customers who would like a copy, and we do not make
any attempt to support it. PCL is evolving rapidly towards the
emerging CLOS standard, with new releases appearing frequently. It is
currently available for at least 9 Lisp implementations that I know
of. The most current source and documentation is available via
anonymous ftp from parcvax.xerox.com. The file /pub/pcl/get-pcl.text
contains more information. Requests for information about the
CommonLoops mailing list can be sent to commonloops-request@xerox.com.
Sidney Markowitz <sidney%acorn@oak.lcs.mit.edu>
--
CSNet maner@andy.bgsu.edu | 419/372-8719
InterNet maner@andy.bgsu.edu 129.1.1.2 | BGSU Comp Sci Dept
UUCP ... !osu-cis!bgsuvax!maner | Bowling Green, OH 43403
BITNet MANER@BGSUOPIE
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 89 19:01:54 EDT
From: jonathan@starbase.mitre.org (Jonathan Leblang)
Subject: Interpoll
There is an update to Interpoll (i think 1.0.1) that lets it know about
the SE/30
Jonathan Leblang
jonathan@mitre.org
THE MITRE CORPORATION
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 89 10:19:39 CST
From: Michael Hanrahan <C09615MH%WUVMD.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Machine types & Interpoll 1.0
Tom Coradeschi posted a question about a problem with Interpoll 1.0
not recognizing his SE/30 as an SE/30. Instead, it said his machine
was a Mac II. I'm not familiar with Interpoll but I am familiar with
the methods most applications use to determine machine types.
Most applications which do things that are heavily dependent upon
the hardware in the machine look at either the ROM version numbers
(available using the Environs procedure) or the type of CPU in the
machine (available via SysEnvirons) and make assumptions from there
For example, the version numbers of the ROMS in original Mac IIs is
120. I would bet an application written back in 87 which depended upon
having that ROM present assumes any ROM version above that indicates
that some flavor of the Mac II is being used, not a new (then unheard
of) machine.
Note that the SysEnvirons procedure will return info about pretty much
anything a program would need to know (the CPU, machine type, presence
of Color Quickdraw, etc.). Given that many people have upgraded
machines with new CPUs and that some of the new Macs have the ROMs
in SIMM modules, writing a program that looks at a single piece of
information and assumes everything from that one piece is NOT a
good idea. Some of the older programs around may do this simply
because before System 4.1, there really wasn't any formal method for
finding this type of information
I'm not sure whether Interpoll's failure to recognize an SE/30 as such
will cause any great problems. Most applications use the hardware
info to make sure a program is "downward compatible." That is, if
they do something which takes advantage of special hardware on one
machine, they need to avoid trying to do that on a "lower class"
machine. The only problem one might see with a program seeing an SE/30
as a Mac II would be if it used that faulty information to make
assumptions about the size of the disply (a definite programming
no-no). Otherwise, an SE/30 probably looks very much like a Mac II
>From most programs' perspective.
Michael Hanrahan
Educational Computing Services
Washington University
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 09:47:04 PDT
From: PUGH@ccc.mfecc.llnl.gov
Subject: Milliseconds versus the Macintosh
I'm doing some human timing studies with a Mac and some discrepancies are
showing up, so I thought I would ask you personally ;^) to find out if you
have done any timing with a Macintosh. I am using the Time Manager to do some
millisecond quality timing of human reaction times, and am wondering about the
accuracy. First of all, the Time Manager only allows you to schedule one
event for the future instead of being able to schedule a periodic wakeup which
would be more accurate for a timer. This means that my millisecond request is
probably taking more than a millisecond. This error is increased the longer
the timer runs. Longer steps of 2 or more milliseconds will reduce this
error, but not by much. My other choice is a timer loop, but that has the
problem of differing machine speeds and calibration. This doesn't even bring
up the issue of trying to read the ADB keyboards with their built in 5 ms
latency.
All in all, I have a working timer that behaves like I want but I don't know
if I should believe the accuracy. I am also curious about how constant any
error might be. Do you have any experience with this? If so, please write or
post. I would like to avoid going to external hardware, which is the next
step.
Jon
N L pugh@nmfecc.llnl.gov
M A L National Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Center
F T N Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
E L PO Box 5509 L-561
C Livermore, California 94550
C (415) 423-4239
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 89 15:53:15 MDT
From: "Bruce A. Carter" <DUSCARTE@idbsu.idbsu.edu>
Subject: Problems with Laser Printer 6.0 Drivers
Apparently some software is not fully compatible with the new 6.0
LaserWriter drivers (available on AppleLink). SuperPaint 2.0 has a
definite problem with them, as do several of the utilities that send
PostScript files to the printer.
A fix is forthcoming from Silicon Beach for their product. I spoke with
them today and they were aware of the problem and were waiting for material
to come back from duplication.
BRUCE A. CARTER | OFFICE: (208) 385-1250 /
COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR | MESSAGE: (208) 385-1433 /
> BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY, 1910 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, BOISE, ID 83725 <
/ BITNET: DUSCARTE@IDBSU INTERNET: DUSCARTE@IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU
/ APPLELINK: U0919 CIS: 76666,511 PLATO: CARTER/IDAHO/PCA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 89 15:49:31 MDT
From: "Bruce A. Carter" <DUSCARTE@idbsu.idbsu.edu>
Subject: Sound analysis software
Is anyone aware of any sound/voice analysis packages other than MacSpeech
Lab? A faculty member here is doing a study of bird and animal sounds, and
needs something more sophisticated than the software that comes with
MacRecorder. MacSpeech Lab is a little pricey at around $3500 for an SE and
$5000 for a Mac II. Are there other options available?
BRUCE A. CARTER | OFFICE: (208) 385-1250 /
COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR | MESSAGE: (208) 385-1433 /
> BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY, 1910 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, BOISE, ID 83725 <
/ BITNET: DUSCARTE@IDBSU INTERNET: DUSCARTE@IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU
/ APPLELINK: U0919 CIS: 76666,511 PLATO: CARTER/IDAHO/PCA
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 89 11:23 EDT
From: <PJORGENS%COLGATEU.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> (Peter Jorgensen - Micro Specialist)
Subject: Undigestifier
I have developed a stack which could easily be modified to "undigest" infomac (
or other) digests. I use it for Infomac, HyperHackers, and Inf0-IBM digests,
and will be posting it shortly. It countains some rather nice (I think)
features like automatically updating my Archives stack with new entries to the
Mac archives as they are posted in the digests; Auto-indexing of topics; simple
hyper-text click and find type stuff, and import, print, export functions.
Look for it in the next few days.
Peter Jorgensen
Microcomputer specialist
Colgate University - Hamilton, NY 13346
AppleLink - U0523
BITNET - PJORGENSEN@COLGATEU
tel - 315-824-1000 ext 742
------------------------------
Date: 11 Jun 1989 23:44:44-EDT
From: Jonathan.Stigelman@ampere.ece.cmu.edu
Subject: vocabulary/spelling tutor
I'm looking for a vocabulary (definitions)/spelling tutor for my two
younger brothers. They're not in high school yet, but something like an
SAT preparation program might do the job.
Any pointers would be appreciated.
Jonathan, stig@cs
------------------------------
End of Info-Mac Digest
******************************