Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (02/08/89)
Info-Mac Digest Tue, 7 Feb 89 Volume 7 : Issue 27
Today's Topics:
Appletalk to Ethernet
Info-Mac Digest V7 #25 (2 msgs)
Info-Mac Digest V7 #26
Macintosh Drafting Packages
mpw 3.0/macapp 2.0b5 problems
New Macintosh Virus
OmniPage and TextPert
Plea for help
Published Mac users from MacWeek
Question about, and Report on, MEdit Editor Program
Text/PICT or DRAW conversion?
TextPert/OmniPage
Your Info-Mac Moderators are Lance Nakata, Jon Pugh, and Bill Lipa.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 89 08:54:27 EST
From: Adriene Nazaretian <ADRIENE@YALEADS>
Subject: Appletalk to Ethernet
AT YALE UNIV. WE ARE CURRENTLY NETWORKING THE BIOLOGY TOWER.
WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS A VERY TALL BUILDING (14 FLOORS)
AND MOST OF THE FLOORS HAVE SMALL 5-10 NODE APPLETALK NETWORKS WITH
PHONENET CONNECTORS. MOSTLY MACS WITH A FEW IBM'S
OUR GOAL IS TO INTERCONNECT THE FLOORS TO AN ETHERNET SPINE THAT RUNS
THE LENGTH OF THE BUILDING (AND EVENTUALLY TO THE CAMPUS SPINE)
WE KNOW OF THE GATORBOX WHICH WILL GO APPLETALK TO ETHERNET...
ARE THERE ANY PRODUCTS OR OBVIOUS ANSWERS WE HAVE MISSED?
Thanks in advance ...
RESPONSES CAN GO TO THE LIST OR TO ME PERSONALLY (ADRIENE@YALEADS)
ADRIENE NAZARETIAN - YALE UNIVERSITY M.I.S
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 12:47 CST
From: "Sandro Corsi, Univ.of WI-Oshkosh" <CORSI@oshkosh.wisc.edu>
Subject: Info-Mac Digest V7 #25
This is in response to the questions From: John Sutcliffe <9663SUTC@MUCSD.BITNET
> RE: OCR software for the MAC:
There is a very thorough comparison of available OCR packages for the Mac on the
current issue of MacWorld. It covers non-trainable, trainable, and automatic
programs, including TextPert and OmniPage.
Also, I agree on the 1 year warranty from Apple: users should demand it (there
is a nat'l conference of Apple users groups coming up in Indianapolis, March 31
to April 2: it could be an appropriate forum to voice these concerns).
Sandro Corsi
Univ. of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 14:25:28 PST
From: unet!unet!aschool@sun.com (Adam Schoolsky)
Subject: Info-Mac Digest V7 #25
Please post this in the next Info_mac Digest please.
1) Does anyone have any input as to how much memory one would (should) want
to have when running A/UX and later UNIX on a Mac IIX?
2) I am looking into the purchase of a hard disk drive for me SE. I am
thinking about:
a. The 45 mb removable from *LaCie*. Any comments about their
service/support?
b. Or a 100 mb internal from *Conner*. Any comments about their
service/support? I understand they have a 5 yr. warranty, and I want to
purchase from someone that will offer excellent after the sale support.
c. Comments on other drives that seem to be reliable, or when they
weren't, how was the service?
Please reply via the net to :
Adam Schoolsky (ames,oliveb,pacbell,sun)!unet!aschool
Fone: 415-780-5773
and/or post your comments in the digest. Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 89 23:31 CST
From: "Sandro Corsi, Univ.of WI-Oshkosh" <CORSI@oshkosh.wisc.edu>
Subject: Info-Mac Digest V7 #26
This is in reply to the request for help with Braille otput. Well, it hadn't
occurred to me before, but the printouts from our laser printer sure can give
a lot of tactile feedback. Ours is an AST Turbolaser/PS, built around the Ricoh
4081 engine. We just use the standard toner recommended for this particular
model. I understand that its unusually thick application of toner is due to the
use of "write white" technology. Anyway, we bought it for its wonderfully deep
solid blacks, but it might also be useful for its bas-relief-like qualities.
Sandro Corsi
Art Dept.
Univ. of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI 54901
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 89 21:25:12 EST
From: bse@wheaties.ai.mit.edu (Brian Eberman)
Subject: Macintosh Drafting Packages
I was wondering if anyone had the names of any good mechanical CAD
packages for the mac besides Macdraft.
Brian
------------------------------
Date: 7 Feb 89 10:19 EST
From: DIXON WALTER V <DIXON@ge-crd.arpa>
Subject: mpw 3.0/macapp 2.0b5 problems
Hello,
I just purchased MPW 3.0 and MacApp 2.0B5 updates for my system at home
and exprienced a number of problems in installing this software and
building the sample MacApp applications. None of these problems have been
hard to fix (so far), but I was wondering if other people had similar
experiences.
I believe that I have read and followed the installation instructions,
but I don't rule out the possibility that I might have missed something.
Listed below are the problems I have run into so far.
(1) The installer script immediately fails because it can't
find a file.
(2) MacApp won't compile. One module has two functions which
are not typed at all, and another module incorrectly (?)
references an intermediate function value from within the
function, ie.
FUNCTION foo(VAR x:integer): integer;
BEGIN
foo := 1;
if(foo = 1) THEN ...
(3) The first two sample MacApp programs (calc and cards) fail
to build because of problems in a ".r" file. (I haven't
tracked down the cause of these errors, but I suspect that
they will not be hard to find.
Most of the problems were with MacApp. Admittedly, this is beta software;
however I don't think it unreasonable to insist that the software install
without error and the sample programs build correctly. I expect that
a vendor try his installation procedures before shipping them.
Please reply to me directly and I will summarize for the net. If other
people have seen similar problems, I will forward a list to Apple as
well.
Walt Dixon {ARPA: dixon@ge-crd.arpa }
{US Mail: ge crd }
{ po box 8 }
{ schenectady, ny 12345 }
{Phone: 518-387-5798 }
--------
------------------------------
Date: 7 Feb 89 15:29:46 GMT
From: hammen@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Robert J. Hammen)
Subject: New Macintosh Virus
This is some info on a new Mac virus. This article was originally posted on
CompuServe, and reposted on Delphi by Robert Wiggins:
Reposted message at the request of the author, Thierry DeLettre: Until
now, all known Macintosh viruses could be easily detected by the additional
resources they created. Now, it's over... There is at least one virus that
creates no additionnal resource. This virus is called ANTI, and infects only
applications (and other files, ID=1 resource. It inserts a JSR at the
beginning of the resource and all the virus code at the end. It seems to be
very recent, but we have already found infected Macintoshes in Paris and
Marseilles, and it is probably making its way fast across all Europe. This
virus is _not_ detected by VirusDetective or other utilities. It installs
itself even when Vaccine is on. Vaccine beeps only if the 'Always compile MPW
Inits' is _not_ checked. Virus Rx does not detect ANTI's presence in other
files, but, when infected itself, changes its name to 'Throw me in the
trash'. It doesn't seem to infect all applications, but only some (the ones
with a CODE 1 resource called 'Main'). We haven't found how it works yet.
It doesn't seem to change the System file, which doesn't contain a CODE
resource. The contagion seems to be spread by the Finder. To see if an
application is infected, you have to open its CODE ID=1 resource with ResEdit
and search for the ASCII string 'ANTI'. You can also use the advanced
features (resource fork search) of GOfer. We haven't yet found the way to
remove it, but only a way to deactivate it by changing the first words of the
virus code to a RTS. There is a strange story about this virus. Two years
ago, Apple France's developper's support manager, Alain Andrieux, wrote a
utility for his own use called 'Stamp', with which he marked the programs he
gave to developpers. If a confidential program was given out, he could easily
know where it came from. His program added a CODE resource to the marked
files, but did _not_ change anything in the CODE 1 resource. In January 89,
a 'new' version of this program (Stamp 1.0b5) began to spread in the French
Mac community. When run, this program installs the 'ANTI' virus into the marked
or checked applications and/or into the Finder. These infected applications
and Finders then become contagious themselves. It seems the virus author
stole the source code of this program, changed it into a virus installer,
then gave it away. Obviously, inserting a virus installer in an Apple program
was done to damage Apple France's reputation... Thierry D, Chief Mac Sysop,
Calvacom . P.S. A copy of the virus has been sent to Jeffrey Shulman and
Robert Woodhead, so that they can update their anti-viruses consequently. .
P.P.S. I don't have access to other major American on-line services, so
please upload the above information where you can. Thierry can be reached
via CompuServe at 76670,2260.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/ Robert Hammen | hammen@csd4.milw.wisc.edu | uwmcsd1!uwmcsd4!hammen /
/ Delphi: HAMMEN | GEnie: R.Hammen | CI$: 70701,2104 | MacNet: HAMMEN /
/ Bulfin Printers | 1887 N. Water | Milwaukee WI 53202 | (414) 271-1887 /
/ 3839 N. Humboldt #204 | Milwaukee WI 53212 | (414) 961-0715 (h) /
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 09:11:21 EST
From: "Bret Ingerman 315-443-1865" <INGERMAN%SUVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: OmniPage and TextPert
John Sutcliffe asks about OmniPage and TextPert.
We have a full-blown working copy of OmniPage, and a demo of TextPert (we
have a full version on order). The major difference is that OmniPage can not
be taught new typestyles, while TexPert can. Additionally, TextPert has just
announced that their software will recognize *** any *** indo-european
language. I have also heard of people teaching it Kanji and other languages
(we are interested in trying to teach it russian).
We run the software on a Mac II with 8 Mb of RAM and a 40 Mb hard disk.
OmniPage needs at least 4 Mb to run (preferably on a Mac II). TextPert
will run on any Mac with at least 1 Mb of RAM.
Hope this helps.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 89 21:46:02 CST
From: Jeff E Mandel MD MS <AS01MEF@vm.tcs.tulane.edu>
Subject: Plea for help
I run a small departmental network of 10 Macs connected via LocalTalk to a
KineticsFastPath 4, which connects to a MicroVAX II via a short run of
thin net to a DEQNA. I runVMS 4.7 and AlisaShare as a fileserver. I also
have a 2400 baud modem on my DHV-11board, and a DataSpace TeleNode
with a Telebit Trailblazer Plus connected to LocalTalk.Our only easy access
to the Internet is via the university mainframe, an IBM 3081 KX running
VM/CMS, and which runs (as of today) the IBM TCP/IP connection
package, which connects via Ethernet to several Suns, a Unix and a VMS
VAX, and a room full of Mac IIs. The mainframe is physically located on
the main campus, some 5 miles away, and I have an asynchronous 9600
baud line which operates over a multiplexor/T1 connection to a Gandalf
PACX, and then into the mainframe via an IBM 7171 protocol converter. I
would dearly love to be able to do the following:
1) Never again have to log in to the mainframe to read or send mail.
2) Be able to FTP Mac files directly from my Mac II to other sites on the
Internet.
The personnel at the computer center are only interested in solving this
problem for me within the context of "the next five year plan", which
commences in 1990. The are specifically disinterested in SLIP, and are only
willing to support an Ethernet link between the campuses if I purchase it
myself (well, I guess I could sell the VAX). I do not have a full routing
DECnet license, nor do I have TCP/IP on my VAX. While I am reasonably
adept with the VAX, I do not feel I am capable of bringing up CMU's
TCP/IP, as better men than I have demurred from trying it. I am willing to
put some money into it, but only if the chances for success are reasonable
(i.e. it works somewhere else in the world much of the time)
Does anyone out there have any ideas? Specifically, does anyone have
experience with:
1) Appletalk serial bridges over multiplexors.
2) SLIP access to internet via a Sun.
3) SLIP for IBM mainframes.
4) Mail routing from Internet to Mac mail packages such as QuickMail, MS
Mail, etc.
Thank you in advance
Jeff E Mandel MD MS
Department of Anesthesia
Tulane University School of Medicine
1415 Tulane Ave
New Orleans, LA 70112
AS01MEF@vm.tcs.tulane.edu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 11:43 EDT
From: <PJORGENS%COLGATEU.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Published Mac users from MacWeek
I'm replying to the recent posting of figures taken from a recent MacWeek
article on numbers and percentages of Macs at various institutions.
These figures are probably not very reliable at all. Colgate University has no
where near 1000 Mac (Oh, I wish, I wish) and we don't come close to 50% Mac
usage (more like a piddlin' 10%). I was very surprised to see these figures
when they first came out, and realized any or all of the other sites listed
could be equally mis-represented. (I'm still hoping that the figures are
predictive... at least for Colgate!).
Peter Jorgensen Microcomputer Specialist
Computer Center Colgate University
BITNET PJORGENSEN@COLGATEU
APPLELINK U0523
CompuServe 74010,1353
Phone (315) 824-1000 ext 742
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 89 13:06 EST
From: <TEMPLON%IUCF.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Question about, and Report on, MEdit Editor Program
Here is a submission which you may find best split into two parts.
The first is a request for help with the editor program MEdit. The
second is a report I sent to the local user's group; I thought I may as
well send it along with the request for help.
The request concerns the difference between 1) left-arrow and
shift-5, 2) right-arrow and shift-=, 3) down-arrow and shift-9, and 4)
up-arrow and shift-7. On a Mac SE standard (non-extended) keyboard,
these keys generate identical "keycodes" reported from the KeyCode desk
accessory which comes with the MEdit package. Sure enough, if I define
a macro and bind it to the keycode (224) reported for right-arrow, it
does not get executed when right-arrow is pressed. It does get executed
when shift-= (+) is pressed!
So how do I get the correct keycodes for the arrow keys? I know
there must be a way to tell them apart, or else KeyCaps wouldn't be able
to distinguish between them (it can.) I might also add that the right,
left, etc. arrows DO move the cursor around in MEdit, I just can't bind
a macro to them.
Anyone have a solution? Seems I remember a discussion about a
similar problem on this list, but I can't remember the details.
***********
Report on editor program MEdit
This is a report on an editor I received from MACSERVE@PUCC called
MEdit. The program is shareware, $25 U.S. The distribution file is a
Packit archive containing the program, a quite thorough manual, several
related macro files, a macro compiler program, and a Desk Accessory used
when binding the macros to specific keys on the keyboard (see below.)
What distinguishes this editor from programs such as MiniWriter,
McSink, etc. is the macro facility. The bare-bones editor works quite
like one of the previously mentioned programs; there is an accompanying
macro language that allows the editor to be extended to a large degree
in whatever manner the user wishes. Some of the things that one can do
within the macro language:
* cut, copy, paste, clear - in the standard Macintosh manner
* search for strings
* prompt the user for input
* select text based on file position (row,column) input
* scroll to an arbitrary file position
* ability to CALL other macros within a macro
* control structures WHILE, IF-THEN-ELSE
As an example of what one can do using these constructs, I will
point out that I am typing this report with MEdit in a fairly complete
VMS EDT environment. One of the files included with MEdit is a set of
editing tools for Pascal - macros which insert PROCEDURE, CASE, etc.
templates into the file being edited. Here is an example from that
macro file:
---------------------------------
* 7 * insert a PROCEDURE template "PROCEDURE" {
Push;
Insert("PROCEDURE {.ProcName.} ({.Parameters.});\n");
Insert("CONST\n\t{.Constants.};\n\T\n");
Insert("TYPE\n\t{.Types.};\n\T\n");
Insert("VAR\n\t{.Variables.};\n\T\n");
Insert("BEGIN\n\t{.Statement.};\n\TEND;");
Call(13); };
---------------------------------
This next section is what gets inserted into the text by invoking the
macro:
---------------------------------
PROCEDURE {.ProcName.} ({.Parameters.}); CONST
{.Constants.};
TYPE
{.Types.};
VAR
{.Variables.};
BEGIN
{.Statement.}; END;
---------------------------------
Macros can be invoked in several ways. The first is by being
installed in the program's "Macros" pull-down menu. Second is by being
installed as a command-key equivalent. Third is by being assigned to a
specific key on the keyboard (this includes option-key and shift-key
modifiers) through the use of the keycode desk accessory, which tells
you the code associated with any typed key. This latter technique is
how the EDT keypad was set up.
Problems I found with MEdit:
1) It does not seem to work completely with the SE. I don't know if
this is due to system 6.0 or due to the SE keyboard differing from
earlier versions.
2) The search command is case sensitive always; no way to swap to a
non-case-sensitive search.
3) Some of the standard interface functions are missing (e.g.
propeller-Q is not the Quit shortcut, shift-arrow does not extend a
selection in the arrow's direction,...) This is not too serious a
complaint as one can use the macros to put it in yourself.
This concludes the report on the editor MEdit. It can be acquired
>From MACSERVE@PUCC (VAX BITNET users) by sending the command
SEND MACSERVE@PUCC GET UTILITY-MEDIT-15.HQX
SEND MACSERVE@PUCC GET UTILITY-MEDIT-EDT.MACRO (for the EDT emulator)
Jeff Templon
Indiana University Cyclotron Facility
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 09:47:13 PST
From: POTHIERS%TUVA.SAINET.MFENET@nmfecc.arpa
Subject: Text/PICT or DRAW conversion?
Anyone know of a program that can convert some text representation of
objects to PICT or MacDRAW format?
I'm really looking for a easy to implement method for non-Mac applications
to build a MacDraw document. The non-Mac applications will only need to
manipulate a handful of simple objects.
Please respond to me directly, if possible, at:
pothiers%tuva.sainet@nmfecc.arpa
Thanks in advance.
Pothier
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 89 10:44 EDT
From: <PJORGENS%COLGATEU.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: TextPert/OmniPage
I am currently evaluating both TextPert and OmniPage with an Apple Scanner. I
have not had time yet to do a thorough comparison, and when I have I will post
it to this BBS.
My first impressions are:
Omnipage is good, but not infallible, at recognizing blocks of text as separate
>From one another. I tested it on a portion of the front page of MacWeek and it
did very well at isolating text blocks and graphics blocks. It has a
nice preview mode which allows you to define the area for OCR by dragging
a selection rectangle around a block of your scanned image.
TextPert is trainable, and I found, initially, that it is very easy to train,
and it "learns" fast.
I'll be posting a complete comparison as soon as I can get it done (2-3weeks).
Peter Jorgensen Microcomputer Specialist
Computer Center Colgate University
BITNET PJORGENSEN@COLGATEU
APPLELINK U0523
CompuServe 74010,1353
Phone (315) 824-1000 ext 742
------------------------------
End of Info-Mac Digest
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