SHULMAN@sdr.slb.COM (Jeffrey Shulman) (01/28/88)
Date: Thu 28 Jan 88 09:37:56-GMT From: Jeff Shulman <SHULMAN@SDR> Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #2 To: Delphi-List: ; Message-ID: <570361077.0.SHULMAN@SDR> Mail-System-Version: <VAX-MM(218)+TOPSLIB(129)@SDR> Delphi Mac Digest Thursday, January 28, 1988 Volume 4 : Issue 2 Today's Topics: ImageWriter/AppleTalk (3 messages) HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (3 messages) RETURN FROM INTERUPT (2 messages) Print 11 x 17 Paper Help with Kanji Talk RE: Help Kanji Talk RE: LSC, function pointers, and segments RE: DNA and protein sequence analysis? re: LightSpeed C gripes Memory re: MultiFinder & DAs (2 messages) Mapping Software HELP (2 messages) Disk Initialization of foreign drives Universal Cut&Paste? (3 messages) RE: About box searches?? RE: cheap spreadsheet? Using Sound RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs Re: Re: Suitcase versus Font/DA Juggler MultiFinder and RamStart (2 messages) Bidirectionality? more FullWrite bugs (3 messages) Word Perfect ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: SYMBIOSYS Subject: ImageWriter/AppleTalk Date: 12-JAN 22:16 Programming Help... <> I am developing software to drive the ImageWriter II with AppleTalk. <> The Problem : How can I send low-level data to the ImageWriter, i.e., take advantage of 160 dpi via escape codes, etc., and still maintain some kind of higher-level, job oriented reality on AppleTalk ? <> There will be at least two Macs competing for the ImageWriter, possibly more. Low-level printer driver control calls don't provide any feedback, e.g. "printer busy now, try later". <> Is there some tech note or document concerning this sort of thing ? <> Please... ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: RE: ImageWriter/AppleTalk (Re: Msg 2283) Date: 14-JAN 21:05 Programming Techniques Well, I used low level printing from miniWRITER, and I'm told it works with an AppleTalk ImageWriter. I'm not 100% sure what happens when two people try to use it, however. Be advised that low level printing is no longer very viable with the LaserWriter. Apple has changed most of the rules without telling anybody. ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: RE: ImageWriter/AppleTalk (Re: Msg 2287) Date: 20-JAN 02:30 Programming Techniques You're warned against mixing high and low level calls, but you might want to check out PrGeneral (in Inside Mac V). ------------------------------ From: DEWI Subject: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch Date: 13-JAN 21:44 HyperCard Command-Shift-Clear activates the "Mouse Keys" feature of Easy Access. Command-Clear is an undocumented "Delete Card" command (the manual mentions Command-Backspace, but not Command-Clear, in Chapter 7). Enough said? Blew away a card in one of my stacks because a finger missed the shift key. Unfortunately, aliasing Command-Clear to Command-Shift-Clear with QuicKeys doesn't work. If you use Easy Access for precision alignment, watch out for this "feature". Dewi ------------------------------ From: HALL Subject: RE: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (Re: Msg 24740) Date: 13-JAN 22:01 HyperCard Did you try using QuicKeys to have Command-clear make a menu selection? (Like getting the message box, or something similarly non-destructive.) Brian ------------------------------ From: DEWI Subject: RE: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (Re: Msg 24741) Date: 14-JAN 02:10 HyperCard That did the trick! It's just the alias that doesn't work. You have to move Easy Access out of the way and reboot to do it, though. Dewi ------------------------------ From: RABBIT Subject: RETURN FROM INTERUPT Date: 13-JAN 23:33 Programming Techniques I have an interesting little problem I could use some advice on if anyone is willing to help. I wrote an application a while back (a multiuser BBS) that depends on changing the program counte ((via a return from an interrupt). This is no problem. However, I noticed when reading through the multifinder compat ability documentation that they said the Mac while one day be running out of ( sounds like one day will not be far away). If I understand the 680X0 series correctly the system stack in user mode will not contain the return address. Any ideas for changing the program counter in user mode? Scott ".... if it didn't walk away it must still be there!" ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: RETURN FROM INTERUPT (Re: Msg 2284) Date: 20-JAN 00:01 Programming Techniques Machines with a separate system and user stack always have some way to access the user stack from system mode, possibly with a privileged instruction or by some kind of special addressing mode that temporarily uses the other stack pointer for the duration of the instruction). Look for that in your 680X0 manual. The other thing you have to consider is whether you are actually going to be in system mode or user mode when you get the opportunity to return from interrupt. You may have to use an operating system call to play with the stack because the operating system (and there will be a real OS on any such Mac) may not give you control barefoot off the interrupt vector. peter ------------------------------ From: JSTIFF Subject: Print 11 x 17 Paper Date: 18-JAN 22:55 Hardware & Peripherals We just got a PrintServer 40 hooked up to our AppleTalk/EtherNet. Does anyone know how to modify the laserwriter driver so you can recognize the "B" size paper tray in the Printserver and thus print out on 11 x 17 shets? PageMaker can do it, but we need to be able to do it from other applications. ------------------------------ From: MGNEWMAN Subject: Help with Kanji Talk Date: 19-JAN 22:40 Programming I just got the Kanji Mac System Software from APDA (after ordering it three times and waiting almost six months!) However, fool that I am I don't iknow how to use it! It seems that the System shipped is an older version than the System and Finder I have on my hard disk (4.2, 6.0). How do I install the Kanji system on my hard disk without having to go backwards to an older version of the System and Finder? Since the Installer shiped with the Kanji stuff has Japanese dialog boxes (which I can only partly read) I can't figure out if I can use it to install all the stuff on my disk. What I wan't to do with it is to develop some flashcard type of software that will help me (and perhaps others) to improve their ability to read Japanese. I was hoping to use the Japanese font file that comes with Kanji Talk to create a set of Kanji flashcards (perhaps in HyperCard). Any help that anyone has to offer would be greatly appreciated. Regards from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: Help Kanji Talk Date: 20-JAN 00:03 Programming Techniques Script Manager docs are available from APDA, both as part of IM 5 and in more detail as a separate manual. There is also some sketchy information in various Tech Notes, but of course you need to basic info to understand it. peter ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: LSC, function pointers, and segments (Re: Msg 24773) Date: 20-JAN 00:42 Network Digests >From: gardner@prls.UUCP (Robert Gardner) >Subject: LSC, function pointers, and segments >Date: 5 Jan 88 00:29:25 GMT >Organization: Philips Research Labs, Sunnyvale, California >I started working on segmenting a large program that uses function >pointers rather extensively and got worried about assigning a function >pointer in one segment, unloading that segment, and having it accessed >later from another segment. Is the function pointer still valid? Function pointers are addresses of entries in the jump table, and are therefore both non-relocatable and always valid targets for a jump. HOWEVER, using one can cause heap compaction when you might not expect it (as can calling any entry point explicitly in an unloaded segment). Beware. peter "In any context, half of all references PEABO @ DELPHI are local and half are global." ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: DNA and protein sequence analysis? (Re: Msg 24794) Date: 20-JAN 00:53 Network Digests >Date: Wed, 6 Jan 88 23:06:40 EST >From: David_Detlefsen@ub.cc.umich.edu >Subject: DNA and protein sequence analysis? >Has anyone seen any public domain or shareware programs for DNA >and protein sequence analysis for the Macintosh? There was a program available from Dartmouth a few years ago which might be useful. I have forgotten the details, but it allowed you at least to transcribe sequences, and had a neat feature for speaking back the sequences using MacinTalk so you could proofread them by yourself. peter "In any context, half of all references PEABO @ DELPHI are local and half are global." ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: re: LightSpeed C gripes (Re: Msg 24775) Date: 20-JAN 02:28 Network Digests > From: gleicher@duke.cs.duke.edu (Michael Gleicher) > Subject: LightSpeed C gripes I LIKE the editor (now that it has Undo). Then, I really miss the mouse when I have to use text-based Unix. (The editor could use a few improvements, but at least it's been getting better with each new version, not worse [like QUED].) One way to avoid "Data Segment Too Big" is to avoid having your variables on the stack. Instead of THING thing[thing_max]; use THING *thing; thing = (THING *)NewPtr((long)sizeof(THING) * thing_max); This isn't the nicest thing to do to the heap, but it's handy when you're porting code that uses lotsa globals. LsC runs under MultiFinder for me -- I do have a 2MB Mac II. It stops on the first error because it's fast enough that another compile to get the next one is no big deal. Having the editor go to the error is worth it for me. David Dunham "Whenever you see a sign 'No Exit,' it means Maitreya Design there is an exit." ------------------------------ From: HALL Subject: Memory Date: 20-JAN 20:52 Hardware & Peripherals How many wait states does Mac II memory use? What's a good price for used Mac II 256K SIMMs? Brian ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24792) Date: 21-JAN 00:06 Network Digests >From: apple!claris!apple!goldman@decwrl.dec.com (Phil Goldman) >Subject: Re: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #1 >I think the optimal solution would be to have a separate layer for each DA. >The easiest way to do this is to re-code each DA as an app, or stick it in a >simple DA wrapper. The wrapper idea would be very simple since the DA would >not even need to be re-coded (i.e. have a DA Handler per DA). How is this done? I.e. how would a wrapper get a DA to open in its partition, rather than the system heap? David Dunham "The more laws there are, the more people are Maitreya Design inclined to break them" ------------------------------ From: BRECHER Subject: RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24948) Date: 27-JAN 22:11 Network Digests No conflicts -- private DAs are really private: in another layer, the private DA's DCE handle is removed from the unit table, and the resource map of the application which owns the DA is not in the chain. That's under MultiFinder. Under not-MultiFinder (as author of PowerStation I don't say "UniFinder"), the usual rule applies: application-embedded DAs should have DRVR IDs in the range 27-31. Therefore, a "wrapped" (by a wrapper) DA should have an ID in 27-31. F/DAM doesn't renumber a DA unless it needs to, I'm pretty sure. The creator of a wrapper+DA can give the DA any DRVR ID he wants to. With Suitcase, any DA can have any DRVR ID in the range 12-63, since there is no link between DRVR ID and unit#. ------------------------------ From: TRAINBRAIN Subject: Mapping Software Date: 22-JAN 02:25 Macintosh II Can anyone out there point me to map making software for the II? I am particula rly interested in programs that would accept Defence Mapping Agency data, permit its modification, and display it. Thanks Steve Seidensticker ------------------------------ From: VASMUG Subject: HELP Date: 23-JAN 08:39 Hardware & Peripherals Greetings, and help! 1. Does anyone know what a text doc named "AFM" means. when downloaded along with a Laser font? 2. Does anyone know if there is a top limit to the number of documents that should be contained in the System Folder? 3. Does anyone know what happened to ZAP Computer products? They made and marketed ZAP harddrives last summer. We would like to buy some more. Number now disconnected! Thanks for all your help! Fred ------------------------------ From: JEFFS Subject: RE: HELP (Re: Msg 24878) Date: 23-JAN 12:51 Hardware & Peripherals It stands for Adobe Font Metric. It is used (more by IBM machines) to figure out the letter spacing. On a Mac this is contained in the FOND resource for the font. Also, a few applications like MacTeX can make use of this information to generate width files for TeX word processing. In the normal course of Mac events you will not need this file. Jeff ------------------------------ From: TONYN Subject: Disk Initialization of foreign drives Date: 23-JAN 14:43 Programming Techniques I am the author of RamStart. I am trying to make RamStart's RAM disk compatible with the Disk Initialization package so, eg, Finder Special menu Erase Disk will work. What does my driver need to do to make Pack 2 happy? Where does Apple document it? Also, it might be an advantage to my users to be able to make (at will) either an HFS or MFS RAM disk. How do I control this, when a RAM disk can be nearly any size at all? Tony N.:' ' ------------------------------ From: NATURAL Subject: Universal Cut&Paste? Date: 24-JAN 03:18 Business Mac I have an interesting problem (I think so anyway). It seems that there is no way to export graphic images from any page layout programs out there. Why would I want to do such a silly thing you ask? Kerning. There's a logo for a client I am doing work for (a design firm) that has been perfected in both PageMaker and Xpress but, much to my chagrin, I can't copy and paste that graphic into, say, FileMaker+ or 4D because the layout programs don't support it. Therefore, I can't get the logo into the account system. I guess I could always digitize it but that seems a little excessive since all it is is some kerned text and 4 pict shapes, all grouped together. Any ideas anyone? Joshua ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: Universal Cut&Paste? (Re: Msg 24898) Date: 24-JAN 17:36 Business Mac Use the Cmd-F trick to get the graphics in PostScript form and then fiddle with the PostScript to eliminate dependencies on the Apple LaserPrep definitions. Then convert it into an EPSF file (I don't know how to do this). peter ------------------------------ From: NWOLF Subject: RE: Universal Cut&Paste? (Re: Msg 24898) Date: 24-JAN 23:40 Business Mac Have you tried (Super)Glue? ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: RE: About box searches?? Date: 24-JAN 21:12 Network Digests > From: mfi@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Mark Interrante) > Subject: About box searches?? I thought about doing Get Info searches in Findswell, but decided not to, because it probably wouldn't be real fast, and because AppleShare handles file comments completely differently. I suppose if there's lots of demand, I'll investigate it for the next version of Findswell. David Dunham "If it has syntax, it isn't user-friendly." Maitreya Design ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: RE: cheap spreadsheet? Date: 24-JAN 21:13 Network Digests > From: mkhaw@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA (Mike Khaw) > Subject: cheap spreadsheet? There's a shareware spreadsheet for $40, BiPlane. I looked at it for 5 minutes and found numerous user interface bugs (frex, the DA version hogs the menu bar and won't give it back to applications!), not to mention an incredible lack of proofreading in the brief manual. I imagine it works. It saves in SYLK format. David Dunham "The more laws there are, the more people are Maitreya Design inclined to break them" ------------------------------ From: RAMARREN Subject: Using Sound Date: 25-JAN 04:24 Programming Techniques I am currently working on a program that would benefit from being able to play some digitized sounds. I have MacRecorder, and I understand that there are a couple of formats, IE HyperCard sound, 'snd ', SoundCap, etc. Are there in existence any sample sources that will read a digitized sound and make an output for one or another of these sound file types, and is there on line somewhere a good description of the file format? ------------------------------ From: BRECHER Subject: RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24832) Date: 25-JAN 02:18 Network Digests > How is this done? I.e. how would a wrapper get a DA to open in its > partition, rather than the system heap? A DA embedded in an application file is opened in that application's layer, and its DRVR and owned resources are loaded into that applications's heap. Normal DAs are opened in the DA Handler layer unless the Option key is down at OpenDeskAcc time. System resources -- including normal DAs and their owned resources -- are always loaded into the system heap. Note the distinction between layer and default heap. A normal DA opened with Option down is loaded into the system heap and the system zone is made current when the DA is entered; but it is opened in the current application's layer rather than the DA Handler's layer. A layer denotes (in addition to a set of windows and menu bar on the screen) an application "world" consisting of low-memory system variables, a system heap (common to all layers), an application heap, and application globals. A "wrapper," then, would be just a skeletal application with a DA embedded in it. The wrapper would presumeably open its private DA when the wrapper is launched. If it were a friendly wrapper, it would also provide a full DA menu so that other DAs could be accessed from its layer ('though they would open in the DA Handler layer sans Option key). ------------------------------ From: BRECHER Subject: Re: Re: Suitcase versus Font/DA Juggler Date: 25-JAN 02:20 Network Digests To: Ray_Ray_Davidson@cup.portal.com Subject: Re: Re: Suitcase versus Font/DA Juggler > First, F/DA J is MF compatible, allowing opening and closing fonts and > DAs under MF. (Suitcase is coming out with a free upgrade Real Soon > Now.) Suitcase 1.2, which allows opening/closing suitcase files "on the fly" under MultiFinder, shipped Jan. 15 and was available from several retailer booths at MacWorld Expo. (Suitcase 1.0 worked under MultiFinder, but provided access only to those fonts and DAs in a set of suitcase files opened automatically at startup -- i.e., a reboot was required to alter the set of open suitcase files.) Suitcase 1.2.1, which fixes a couple of 1.2 bugs, will be sent as a free upgrade to registered 1.0 or 1.2 owners Real Soon Now (awaiting disk duplication and mailing label printing -- should go out within a couple of weeks). > One wonders why Suitcase (which is certainly a fine program) has gotten > all the press, even winning a MacUser award, and Font/DA Juggler has been > virtually un-talked about in the press. I believe the reason is that Suitcase 1.0 was shipped on Aug. 11, 1987, (the same day MultiFinder was *announced*) and Font/DA Juggler 2.0, which was really ALSoft's first competitive offering, was shipped around the beginning of November. Font/DA Juggler Plus was first shipped Jan. 15, 1987. In sum, Suitcase was first by several months. It is reasonable to speculate that Suitcase inspired development of, or at least features in, Font/DA Jugglers 2.0 and Plus. 'Scuse me now, gotta get back to work on Suitcase 2.0... Steve Brecher Author/publisher of Suitcase ------------------------------ From: TONYN Subject: MultiFinder and RamStart Date: 26-JAN 18:07 Programming Techniques MultiFinder and RamStart ------------------------ Working on my RamStart program in the last couple of days, I have ferreted out a few secrets of MultiFinder. MultiFinder is an operating system extension that adds capability to the Macintosh OS and Toolbox. In no sense does it replace the Finder; it only allows the Finder to do new tricks. The file MultiFinder is an application that installs the extensions. This means that RamStart can launch MultiFinder as its exit application, by using a script file, and that TMON can be used with MultiFinder if it is launched first. Apple describes this technique in the document, "Are You MultiFinder Friendly?" (but I find that the Finder crashes every time I exit TMON, and it seems odd that a couple of seconds after I option-interrupt into TMON that the cursor changes to the Watch). _Launch is one trap that behaves differently under MultiFinder. RamStart normally gets the space for the RAM disk by adjusting BufPtr (the way debuggers and the HD 20 file do), but it will have to work differently to run under MultiFinder. BufPtr affects InitApplZone, which is no longer called during Launch (I infer) because the real ApplZone, the one just above the System heap, is now the MultiFinder heap. When MultiFinder launches an application, it creates a new sub-heap for it in a locked handle at the top of its own heap (using _MoveHHi?). The Temporary Memory Allocation calls also allocate handles in the MultiFinder heap. They are simple wrappers around the usual Memory Mgr calls that set the MultiFinder A5 world (except keeping the current QD vars) and the MultiFinder heap zone and then call glue code. Either MultiFinder is written in C using a very clever compiler, or in assembler by a very dull programmer. Since the temp mem calls are so simple, you may allocate memory that lasts until MultiFinder quits. This is good for RamStart. On the other hand, you must be careful to dispose of any temp memory you get, as MultiFinder will not, even when your application quits. As Apple has not documented this behavior, they may change it in the future. It would be a disaster for RamStart if the calls start tagging the blocks with the originating application, but they might someday. The MultiFinder temp mem calls are accessed by a selector passed to the new trap OSDispatch (A88F). The dispatch table holds 40 entries, and I am curious to know what the other entries are for. I will post a LightspeedC interface to the temp mem calls after I have tested it a bit. I may also post a version of DrvrRemove that works even if the driver is no longer a Resource (i.e., a detached resource). Tony N.:' ' ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: RE: MultiFinder and RamStart (Re: Msg 2301) Date: 26-JAN 22:28 Programming Techniques I've been using TMON with MultiFinder all along. Don't tell me you don't have the INIT loader for TMON? If not, get it! ------------------------------ From: PSTAR Subject: Bidirectionality? Date: 26-JAN 21:07 Business Mac Does anyone know how the Apple development of a bi-directional version of Systesoftware for Arabic and Hebrew use is coming? I saw a very buggy pre- release version of System 3.2 / Finder 5.3, but that was a while b ack. I assume the work has been continuing, but calls to Apple (I've left several messages) have never been answered. (Their international division seems to consist of an answering machine.) Any info would be much appreciated. ------------------------------ From: DDUNHAM Subject: more FullWrite bugs Date: 28-JAN 00:29 Bugs & Features Hmm, I'll bet a future version of FullWrite has an equation processor built in. Check the SICNs -- there's a panel with a sigma in it. I found an amusing spelling mistake in the program -- the Preferences dialog refers to "Linguabase," while the title window calls it a "Linguibase." It would be nice if they knew how to spell their own spelling checker. Which, incidentally, doesn't know how to spell "FullWrite." And is it intentional that when you use the thesaurus on FullWrite, the first word you see is "frustration?" ------------------------------ From: NWOLF Subject: RE: more FullWrite bugs (Re: Msg 24966) Date: 28-JAN 01:45 Bugs & Features hmm.. it seems to understand Claris OK... ------------------------------ From: PEABO Subject: RE: more FullWrite bugs (Re: Msg 24966) Date: 28-JAN 02:22 Bugs & Features This isn't necessarily the explanation of Linguinibase or whatever, but ... Quality Assurance departments in the know let a certain number of known bugs go out with a beta release to evaluate the effectiveness of the testing. If 80% of the known bugs are found, it might mean 80% of the unknown bugs are. peter ------------------------------ From: NWOLF Subject: Word Perfect Date: 28-JAN 02:06 Bugs & Features I'm surprised that not much discussion of Word Perfect has appeared in these annals. Their shenanigan of pre-selling their beta versions at Expo has earned them a great deal of animosity, no doubt. In any event, there's not much to say until you've seen the product, right? Well, mine arrived today. Now wait a minute - before you all jump on my case for going along with their gag... Please understand that it is going back tomorrow! When you talk about full of bugs - geez... the thing is a walking cockroach farm. First of all it wouldn't boot using the system on my hard disk. I didn't bother to check out why - probably Suitcase or some other init, perhaps SuperLaserSpool - who knows - it would hang before it opened completely. OK - so off to the floppy system (plain vanilla 4.2/6.0). No problem. It even runs off the hard disk providing this system is being used. Thank goodness. It even runs - slowly - in 512K. But when reading the Read Me First type doc that comes with the program, all the menus (except 2) blank out; they need to be scrolled and descrolled before they show any entries, and then the fonts are ALL messed up. Wotta nightmare. Then it won't print in anything but draft mode. Try to spell check something.... it doesn't like things like "34th" ... says it found, get this, 85 phonetic 'somethings' in a 1-page letter. Of course it won't replace or anything like that. Wait - it gets better. It doesn't treat graphics any better than MacWrite! Keep in mind that this program has been in active beta tests for at least 3 months! It was almost a year ago that we first got word about shipping betas. Despite this being labeled as betaware version 1.0, there is no NDA with the program. The documentation appear alright but is lame in some areas. (2 check boxes on the print dialog box were not explained at all - but there was a note saying that there might be some incompatabilities.... Back to the, er, drawing board, I guess. It's probably gonna be OK for IBM people who occasionally work on a Mac. And if you like keyboard commands - the Saratoga function keys are fully implemented. (I wonder if that applies to some of the other (nonMac) keyboards available?) Plus, there are myriads if keyboard equivalents, some requiring 2 strokes, some 3, others perhaps more... some use the cursor keys in combination with command and other keys. Hmm... mebbe the mouse might be easier after all. Any other brave (dumb, foolish, numb) souls out there go for this one? Neil ------------------------------ End of Delphi Mac Digest ************************ -------