Moderators.Jon.Pugh.and.Dwayne.Virnau...and.Lance.Nakata@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (01/24/88)
INFO-MAC Digest Sunday, 24 Jan 1988 Volume 6 : Issue 5 Today's Topics: sort in hypercard Problem with Hypercard hardcopy from hypercard Re: Kermit file transfer problems on a VAX Kermit and TACs Installing Custom Application Icons Overhead-Projector Mac Displays, and a New Scanner General sound questions Adult art Spellchecking and TeXtures (TeX) Tek 4107 terminal emulator request MAC gatepost.. Macintosh ][ Ethernet & NFS Printing with Red Ryder 9.4 More on the Mac 512K, and LW 5.0 Problem Request for info for PICT translators uVax <-> AppleTalk Mac Bernulli Boxes new software-versionlist.txt Laserwriter II TP filesystem/interface Architrion Inverted/Ball mice Startup application Latest round in 68020 vs. 80386 wars ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ralph Martin From: <ralph%geometry.computing-maths.cardiff.ac.uk@NSS.Cs.Ucl.AC.UK> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 88 16:36:40 GMT Subject: sort in hypercard Can anyone enlighten me as to what the message "It would be bad to sort this stack" means, and why Hypercard refuses to sort the stack - I am just telling it to sort the stack by the first word of field "Title". Note that it doesnt moan about the syntax of my sort command. It just says it would be bad to sort the stack, whatever that means?! [Moderator's Note: There is a script in the stack like so: on sort answer "It would be bad to sort this stack" with "OK" end sort This is done to prevent sorting in the Help stack because they use card numbers to keep track of links - JP] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 00:01:28 est From: bell@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Mike Bell) Subject: Problem with Hypercard I've run across a weird problem with Hypercard. I'm running it on a MacII with the Apple video expansion installed. Until yesterday, all was fine. Then when I booted the program yesterday, weird things happened. First of all, when the cursor is in the Hypercard window, it is invisible. When you are out of the Hypercard window ( i.e. on the desktop ) it re-apprers. Also, the tools menu pulls down, but the tools are invisible. I havr tried to reload the program, but the problem persists. Is it a hypercard problem, or a hardware problem ? Any suggestions would be appreciated ( A.S.A.P. PLEASE......) Please send all responses to me. Thanks in advance. Michael Bell University of Pennsylvania Bell@Eniac.seas.upenn.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 21 Jan 88 11:03 From: <OPTON%JAN_LOCAL_NODE.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: hardcopy from hypercard Hi, everyone I have started working in Hypercard. I am contemplating using it in place of a normal database program for keeping track of the status of projects, inventory, purchase orders, etc. Here's my question: How does one generate reports, say, a purchase requisition, on 8.5" x 11" paper, you know, the stuff that all conventional offices use. I know how to print a card, but the battleaxes in purchasing would scream bloody murder if I sent them anything that deviated too significantly from their normal form. I have spent most of the day looking through Goodman, and did not find anything that lookied remotely useful. The closest thing is the 'print report' (?) menu under File, but that is incredibly primitive. I can't believe that Hypercard would be so useable, but leave such a glaring gap in their scripting as ignoring hardcopy in general, and 8.5x11 in particular. I must be missing something. Any help and guidance is gratefully accepted. Thanks, Lee Thomison BITNET:OPTON@UHVAX1 landline: (713) 749-3127 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 15:22 CST From: <MPARK%UTMEM1.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Re: Kermit file transfer problems on a VAX We too had problems with Red Ryder and Vax Kermit 32. Kermit 32, in its default settings, times out before you can initiate a transfer from the Macintosh. This is prevented in the following procedure that we now use. Note that we run more current Red Ryders, the range in our department is 9.4 to 10.3. MEMO Red Ryder 9.4 supports Kermit transfers of text files to and from our Vax. Use the default Red Ryder settings for Kermit. Run VMS Kermit: $Kermit Kermit32> {its response} Set a sufficient delay, as: Kermit32>Set delay 20 Depending upon the direction of the transfer, type Send <file spec> or Receive to Kermit32 before you initiate the transfer with Red Ryder. During Sends (from the Vax), the report of file length and number of blocks that Red Ryder gives is 10 times too large, but the transfer is correct. --Mel Park ------------------------------ Date: Fri 22 Jan 88 23:42:28-EST From: Mark McCall <MCCALL@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA> Subject: Kermit and TACs Fellow Mac Users: I wish to solicit help in using Kermit through a TAC (Terminal Access Controller) on the Arpanet. I am using Red Ryder through a TAC to a DEC System 20 and am having no luck at all. Some of my associates have experienced similar problems going through the TAC but could not help me with my MAC problems. Please send any responses directly to me. Thank You. mccall@radc-tops20.arpa ------------------------------ Date: 18 Jan 88 21:53:11 AST Subject: Installing Custom Application Icons From: Glen Jordan <JORDAN%UNBMVS1.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Sender: <JORDAN%UNB.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> I've investigated various sources of information concerning making and customising application icons; however,I'm unable to locate any info as to how I might "permanently install" a custom icon in a compiler- generated (in my case MS FORTRAN) application. I suspect the best way would be with appropriate RMaker instructions? What might they be? Can any of you INFO-MAC readers help? Thanks, Glen Jordan Faculty of Forestry University of New Brunswick CANADA E3B 6C2 ------------------------------ Date: Tue 19 Jan 88 08:07:27-PST From: A. E. Siegman <SIEGMAN@Sierra.Stanford.EDU> Subject: Overhead-Projector Mac Displays, and a New Scanner I looked at all the liquid-crystal overhead-projector display units I could find at MacWorld, and I wouldn't recommend spending $1500-$1700 on ANY of these units, until the technology has improved. The "Macnifier" from Comtrex seemed to be the best engineered unit, and the one with the best display. It's the only one I'd consider, if I really had to have one of these now. It has several useful adjustments on the display unit itself, and there's a good discussion of the technical problems with LCD displays in the Comtrex catalog. The "Flat Top Display" from Network Specialties was on display in their booth, and was being used in a sizable number of other booths throughout the show. I thought the display looked pretty poor everywhere. It has poor contrast and brightness, a grainy mottled-blue background, and very slow response to screen changes (move the mouse too rapidly and it totally disaoppears). The unit lacks adjustments, and a discussion I had with one of their engineers in the booth said they had some problems with temperature stability. The "Multiscan" from Learning Services looked really bad to me. Finally, Kodak has been advertising one of these units, but I didn't see anything related to it at the show. One would hope Kodak would do a good job, if they do it at all. Further general comments: 1) If you're going to use any of these units, plan on buying a really good, high-power, expensive overhead projector to go along with it. When the LCD unit itself isn't very good, a weak projector makes things even worse. 2) The basic problem here is in the LCD technology itself. While this technology will improve with time, my guess would be it's going to a while before it gets a lot better. The LCD technology is inherently slow, very temperature sensivitive, and subject to permanently burnt or disabled pixels. I wouldn't look for a lot of rapid improvement. Add'l notes: 1) If someone really needs to display what's on a Mac screen to small to medium sized groups of people, rather than using any of these LCD projection units it would make more sense to spend the same amount on half a dozen "EasyView" 14" external monitors from Nuvotech ($395 list, probably buyable for under $300 each). This is not a genuine "big screen" display, but it is a 14" screen against the regular Mac 9" screen; it's bright and sharp; easily connected to any kind of Mac; and multiple units can be daisy-chained. The Nuvotech booth had a bank of 8 or 10 of them running in parallel; looked good. I'll probably buy one for myself, just to use in showing programs to people. 2) Another promising display-related gadget demonstrated at the show was a moderately low-cost "Mirror Image Scanner" demonstrated by Mirror Technologies, Hugo, MN. Instead of putting a scanning unit in the ImageWriter print head, a la ThunderScan, or feeding a page through a page reader as in all the higher-priced scanner units, this unit has a head something like a desk lamp which looks down on the desktop level tablet where you set the document to be scanned. A moving mirror in the head then scans the document image onto a linear CCD photodetector array, with selectrable 100 to 200 dpi resolution, 6 shades of gray, and about 12 seconds scanning time for a full 8-1/2 by 11 inch page, using only normal ambient room lighting. It's reminiscent of the Couzin Soft-Strip scanner, except the scanning head is a lot smaller, and about 12" off the table top. This approach makes a lot of sense optically, and means among things you can scan directly from a book or magazine page without an intermediate xerox copy. Price should be about $700, promised availability April '88. Looks good. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 11:50:26 EST From: "William E. Williams" From: <BSQUARE%YALEVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: General sound questions Can someone point me at descriptions of importing, sampling, and playing sounds on the plus and SE? I am interested in sampling hardware, software, utilities, and virtually any other information about how to get, modify, and play sounds on the Mac. I have an application in Pascal that is used by someone looking through a microscope for long hours, and the program has to be informative and interesting without requiring the user to take his/her eyes from the 'scope. References to articles in Mactutor, Macintouch, Macuser, Macworld (unlikely) are welcome, as is direct information via mail. Thanks in advance, B2 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 11:55:59 EST From: "William E. Williams" From: <BSQUARE%YALEVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Adult art Dare I say this isn't for me? Well, it's true even if no one believes it. A friend of mine (really.... oh, forget it!) is interested in collecting examples of "adult art" for the Macintosh. He claims he's interested in seeing whether there is any obvious difference between the kind of stuff computer buffs are apparently interested in and the stuff more ordinary folks like. Can anyone point me to online sources? Educomp sells some disks, apparently, but they're said to be in the public domain, so there must be some way to get them without paying Educomp's fee. -B2 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 15:11:08 EST From: Steve Buyske <ST401266%BROWNVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Spellchecking and TeXtures (TeX) Can anyone give me recommendations about a spelling checker DA that will work well with TeX? I'm not concerned about it interacting well with the program, as it only has to check an ASCII file, but I want it to work gracefully with the TeX commands. For example, I would like it to know (or learn) "alpha" (better yet, "\alpha"), and just ignore "\alpha_i|j", not consider it a new word. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 10:10:03 EST From: geg@ORNL-MSR.ARPA (Gary Giles) Subject: Tek 4107 terminal emulator request We have recently acquired a Mac ][ and are searching for a terminal emulator for the TEK 4107 or newer terminal. We have ordered VersaTerm-Pro but are searching for a better graphics emulator to interface with such mainframe codes as PATRAN. Gary Giles Computing and Telecommunications Martin Marietta Energy System, Inc. Oak Ridge, TN ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 15:29:10 EST From: rjj@mathvax.msi.cornell.edu (Rich Jaenson) Subject: MAC gatepost.. A couple of weeks ago I saw a news item about a program called 'gatepost' for the MACS. It supposedly would allow UNIX systems to dump postscript files to a MAC, which would then send them to a laserwriter. The program was written by Paul Menon. If you have any information on this or an archive where I could look for it, I would appreciate it very much. Thanks..Rich Jaenson rjj@mathvax.msi.cornell.edu Dept. of Mathematics Cornell University ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 18:43:46 EST From: rang%cps45x@cpswh.cps.msu.EDU (Anton Rang) Subject: Macintosh ][ Ethernet & NFS Does anyone know if there is an NFS system running on the Macintosh ][ using Apple's Ethertalk card? We would like to network the Mac ][ with our Sun workstations. Please send responses to rang@cps.msu.edu or ihnp4!msudoc!cpsvax!rang . Thanks, Anton Rang Michigan State University ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jan 88 02:15 EST From: <SEGAL%NYUACF.BITNET@CIMSA.NYU.EDU> Subject: Printing with Red Ryder 9.4 It's strange. Since September I have been without a printer, when a screw came loose, fell into the lower Circuit Board and blew the fuse that you have to remove the entire bed of the ImageWriter II to get to. Well, I finally fixed it and have since actually tried printing things. Most of them work. Unfortunately Red Ryder 9.4 doesn't. Using Finder 5.5 and System 4.1 on a Mac+ with no internal (or external) modifications [I'm a student! I can't afford anything!] and RR9.4, whenever I try to print, using either the printer button in the general status menu bar or the Echo To Printer local menu command I get a "The Printer Resource File Could Not Be Found on the System Disk. No Printing Can Be Done Without That" dialog box. The problem is the fact that I have put {that is, tried individually} Every version of the ImageWriter file I can find into the System Folder, onto the top layer of the Disk, every place I could think of and have still ended up with a silent printer. This is very annoying, as it means I must send all printer output from my mainframe acct to school printers or spend the time Downloading it to home. I don't know if it ever worked before, as I got my modem after I blew the fuse, but it seems that this is a simple problem (yes, the printer is Chosen in C Chooser) than should have a simple fix that I'm just missing - over and over and over. Ah well, I trust you folks. You people actually write code for this thing, as apposed to my proud User Only status. You can solve this problem. I know you can. Right? Please? Pretty please? Anyway, Slack To You All, Richard Segal, SEGAL@NYUACF.bitnet SEGAL@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU Oh, by the way, the end to my story about the pinout for the modem port, I ended up Jury rigging, using stereo speaker cable and double-alligator clip test leads for a month untill I could afford a real Cable. Thanks for the help folks. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jan 88 12:35 AST From: Peter J Gergely <Peter@DREA-GRIFFIN.ARPA> Subject: More on the Mac 512K, and LW 5.0 Problem More on the 512K, KE; Laser Driver 5.0, and Systems 3.2, and 3.3. To date I have received only the following message, on our problems with 512K's and Laser Drivers (LDs) 5.0. Date: Fri, 15 Jan 88 11:54 EST From: <ELFJ%CRNLVAX5.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> Subject: Laserwriter 5.0 bugs We have also had problems with the latest version of LaserWriter and LaserPrep, but they stem from using them with System 3.2 on 512E's. When trying to print a non-laser font, system crashes may occur that permanently destroy the disk. We've had both system and data disks go bad and thought all our disk drives were dying until we diagnosed the problem. Problems occured with Word 3.01 and MacDraw, but not Word 1.05 or WriteNow. Our only solution was to go to version 4.0 of laser files. Linda Iroff Humanities Computing Center Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 elfj@crnlvax5.bitnet In the meantime, I contacted Apple Canada, whose first and immediate response was to go back to LDs 4.0. Stating that this response was unsatisfactory, and that the documentation for the v5 System Software specifically states all machines on an Appletalk must run the same LDs, they said they would inquire to the US. The following answer was received (as best as I could transcribe the voice answer): "The LDs 5.0 were designed to function correctly ONLY with machines containing one or more MB of Ram. There is no simple cure that would allow this driver to work properly with the 512K Macintoshes, regardless of 64K or 128K rom. We will inform engineering that we have clients in the field requesting a compatible driver for Mac512K machines". This is a partially satisfactory answer, but we still cannot upgrade our 512K macs at the moment at the current upgrade prices, and our users really do prefer LDs 5.0. I wonder how many Macintosh Environments are being hurt with our problems, and the ones mentioned by Linda Iroff. Well, I wish I could talk to someone in Apple USA, as my call to Public Relations got transferred to International Customer Relations, and they have yet to return my call. Come on, Apple, there are some of us out here in the world that once believed in you for your upward compatibility and your upgrade policies. - Peter Peter J. Gergely (DREA, P.O. Box 1012, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Z7 Canada) ARPANET: gergely@DREA-XX.ARPA (preferred) or Peter@DREA-GRIFFIN.ARPA DIALNET: Peter@DIAL|DREA-GRIFFIN CSNET: gergely%cs.dal.cdn@ubc.csnet UUCP: gergely@dalcs.UUCP GENIE: GERGELY ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jan 88 16:48:00 CST From: "ESDC::WEYWADT" <weywadt%esdc.decnet@garfld.msfc.nasa.gov> Subject: Request for info for PICT translators Reply-to: "ESDC::WEYWADT" <weywadt%esdc.decnet@garfld.msfc.nasa.gov> HELP! I need a routine that translates PICT files, i.e. to UIS files for a VAX station. Anyone out there having or knowing of such a routine please drop a line of what and where to obtain it. Thanks! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jan 88 19:48:04 -0500 (EST) From: "Philip H. Dye" <pd1h+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: uVax <-> AppleTalk We have a couple of Macs and two uVaxs in a computer room. The Macs produce postscript code and print it over Appletalk to a Laserwriter. The uVax also prints postscript to a Laserwriter. However, this is quite a wastes to have a two several thousand dollar printers in the same room doing the same thing, processing postscript. Is one of the following possble? - Put the uVax on AppleTalk for printing - Have the uVax receive the ps from the macs and act as a server. - Run a Laserwriter off of the Mac's serial line. to send it's ps to the uVax making it a spooler. Does anyone have any knowlege, suggestions, comments, or experience with some of the above methods or any otehr methods I may have overlooked? Philip Dye pd1h+@andrew.cmu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jan 88 20:31:37 -0500 (EST) From: "Philip H. Dye" <pd1h+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Mac Bernulli Boxes Anyone have any comments about using bernuli boxes with a Mac II. Philip Dye pd1h+@andrew.cmu.edu ------------------------------ Date: 21 Jan 1988 10:32:56-EST From: Bob.Walker@faraday.ece.cmu.edu Subject: new software-versionlist.txt Could someone post a new version of "software-versionlist.txt" to the archives? The current version is dated April 1987. Thanks. - bob ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Jan 88 18:52:13 GMT From: "Kieran Carrick,UCD,Ireland" From: <CARRICK%IRLEARN.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Laserwriter II Here is a message I posted on MAC-USER@IRLEARN (.BITNET). Perhaps you could copy it to INFO-MAC. MAC-USER is a listserv list based on the EARN network (effectively BITNET) and is a non moderated Mac discussion list aimed at a European audience. Subscription is now open. Bitnet people can send a TELL message to LISTSERV@ IRLEARN with the command "SUBSCRIBE MAC-USER <USER@NODE> Firstname Secondname" If you are not on Bitnet then please feel free to mail me Kieran Carrick <CARRICK@IRLEARN> University College Dublin, Ireland - Irish National EARN node. p.s While I am here could someone contact me if they know the whereabouts of the latest MACKERMIT implementation. Thanks. Kieran [ The latest version of MacKermit will be posted soon. Watch for it in the digest soon. JP ] [ Start original message ] I've just seen the new LaserWriter II. It's a much better designed box than its trusty predecessor. The prices are pretty attractive too! One aspect of it worries me though, the mode selection is now done by dip switc hes on the back. Most of our LaserWriters are in public areas and are used by Mac users, PC user s and mainframe users who select either Batch or Appletalk modes on the switch at the back. Dip switches cause terrible user problems in these circumstances. Does anyone out there have a suggestion (however fancifull) as to how I can continue to offer both an RS232 interface and an appletalk interface to users using the same physical device **without** requiring them to change the dip switches? Kieran Acknowledge-To: <CARRICK@IRLEARN> ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 21 Jan 88 11:26:45 CET From: EDB87003%NOBIVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU Subject: TP filesystem/interface Date: 21 January 88, 11:23:15 CET From: Georg Moe 47-2-123050 EDB87003 at NOBIVM To: INFO-MAC at SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD The filesystem/interface on the Macintosh (using Turbo Pascal). Is there anybody out there with some experience on this subject? My problem is as follows: It is the first time that I am writing a program on the Mac, but as long as one doesn't need to think about Resource-files everything is OK. However, the menusystem is easy, but the filesystem worries me at the moment. To be precise: I want to save a matrix (array(1..30,1..130) of Real;) to the disk, and later be able to launch the application by double-clicking the datafile. After reading the TP-manual and Inside Macintosh about the file-system/Finder-interface, I must admit that it is not the easiest piece of litterature I have read, although I have understood some of the concepts behind it. My first problem then is how (where) to tell the program who the CREATOR is and the file-TYPE, and how to implement it. The next problem is the definition of the icons for the application and the datafiles. So far I have only modified one of the demo-(resource)files included with Turbo-Pascal (actually MYDEMO.R on the samples-diskette). One section of this file seems to concern icons: TYPE ICN = GNRL ,1100 .H FFFFFFFF 80000001 . . . The mask FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF When I have compiled the application to disk this gives me an icon looking like a ladder. One day I changed some of the Hex-numbers, and voila, I got two spots in the ladder. The problem is now to get rid of these spots, and let the icon look like something more intelligent. The application icon should in fact look like a treble clef and the datafile icon like a note. By the way, it seems to be impossible to get rid of these spots, whatever I write (and recompile the .R file), why? Is there some good litterature covering these subjects? I hope that there is someone out there who can help me. Thanks a lot. .............................................................. ... So long .................. Bedrifts:konomisk Institutt ... ... Georg Moe ................ Pb. 69, N-1341 Bekkestua ...... .............................. Tlf +47 2 12 30 50 ............ ------------------------------ Date: 21 Jan 88 11:52:56 PST From: lamming.pa@Xerox.COM Subject: Architrion Reply-to: lamming.pa@Xerox.COM Apparently there is an architecture package for the MAC called ARCHITRION that is getting rave reviews in Europe. I understand it was developed by some French Institutions for the French government. Anybody out there got any info/experience/pointers to help substantiate/refute the rumour. -- Mik -- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 21 Jan 88 20:31:04 -0500 (EST) From: "Philip H. Dye" <pd1h+@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Inverted/Ball mice Does anyone have any experience with inverted mice ? (just a block with the ball facing up) What supplier are there ? What are common problems ? Are there any special advantages or disadvantages to using them ? Philip Dye ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Jan 88 17:01:26 EST From: tom coradeschi <tcora@ARDEC.ARPA> Subject: Startup application Is anyone aware of a method of bypassing the startup application on an occai- sional basis? Sometimes I just want to go straight to the desktop. I'm looking for something like a couple of keys to hold down or whatever. thanks, tom c ------------------------------ Date: 23 Jan 88 10:58:00 EST From: <bouldin@ceee-sed.arpa> Subject: Latest round in 68020 vs. 80386 wars Reply-to: <bouldin@ceee-sed.arpa> This may bore some readers to death, but I just can't pass a chance to further rebut the "big lies" circulating in the popular computer press about the relative speeds of the 68020 vs. 80386. To be specific: The hardware is the Compaq 20 mhz 80386 and 80387 versus a Mac+ with a 25 mhz Novy systems 68020/881 accelerator board. The results: Novy Compaq(From Nov. 87 Byte) Sieve 3.1 sec 4.76 sec Sort 7.3 sec 6.15 sec I didn't run the floating point tests, since it is already clear (Byte, Nov. 87, pg. 109) that even a 16 mhz Mac II is faster for floating point than a 20 mhz Compaq. Finally, these tests were run on the Compaq with a highly optimizing Metaware C compiler, while the Mac results are with the one-pass Lightspeed C. I hope now we don't have to worry anymore about the "powerful" 80386. ------------------------------ End of INFO-MAC Digest **********************