SHULMAN@slb-test.CSNET (Jeffrey Shulman) (04/20/87)
Delphi Mac Digest Sunday, April 19, 1987 Volume 3 : Issue 23
Today's Topics:
Administrivia - Oooops :-)
RE: Bernouli Box (2 messages)
RE: AppleShare
RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (6 messages)
DF 20 & Human Touch/etc.
Fragmented Disks (2 messages)
Mac Parallel Printing
re: Optical Mouse for the Mac ? (2 messages)
RE: Rolodex and Quickfile
re Optical Mouse for the Mac ?
serial port
Keyboards (2 messages)
Init File (2 messages)
Request for Donations
weird (Finder?) bugs...
Halftone
tmon
Debugging on the Mac II (2 messages)
sound problem (2 messages)
MPW
how can you tell if a font will download
RE: how can you tell if a font will down
IDD/MacDraft (2 messages)
DiskTop 2.0 bug
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Shulman (MacNet Moderator)
Subject: Administrivia - Oooops :-)
Date: 19-APR 21:10 Network Digests
Seems that there were two issue #20's :-) So, number #21 to be #22, the
last #20 to be #21 and this will be #23. I didn't catch it when I
re-Rez'ed my digestification program which stores the issue number
internally.
While I have your attention, I have been receiving personal mail replies
to digest messages. That is a no-no, please send all your replies (for
either Usenet or Delphi digests) to INFO-MAC on the Arpanet or post it to
the latest comp.<whatever>.mac on Usenet. My system isn't really geared
for getting digest replies through VAX Mail (if you get my drift.)
Oh yeah, if all works out between me and the CSNet coordinator, this may
be the last digest you get showing the entire mailing list ;->
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: Bernouli Box (Re: Msg 18952)
Date: 12-APR 10:44 Hardware & Peripherals
Rick,
We reviewed the 10+10 SCSI last fall, and found it surprisingly free of
vices. It has all the reliability and convenience features well known
to be inherent in the unique technology (if you open the cartridge, it
looks just like a big floppy). In addition, one of our subscribers,
with whom we stay in contact, has been using a 20+20 for quite a while,
with complete success. Some of the software is quite good, written by
DANTZ (they're here on Delphi).
The disadvantages are: 1) performance is *not* quite as good as with a
hard disk 2) they tend to be noisy, though the noise is like "white
noise" and not a high-pitched noise (probably mostly the fan) and 3) the
company, Iomega, is not in as good shape as they used to be, although I
don't expect them to go out of business any time soon.
Ric
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: Bernouli Box (Re: Msg 18983)
Date: 12-APR 16:36 Hardware & Peripherals
One additional point: the cartridges *do* wear out in time, and should
probably be replaced every year given normal use.
Ric
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: AppleShare (Re: Msg 18954)
Date: 12-APR 10:47 Business Mac
Mirror Technologies has a special backup program for AppleShare. PCPC
(HFS Backup) and SuperMac Software have also announced AppleShare backup
programs, although I don't know that they handle priviliges. You might
want to check with Mirror.
Ric
------------------------------
From: MOUSEKETEER
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 18984)
Date: 12-APR 14:00 Business Mac
Well, on the surface, $700 seems a bit high for a database program. But
I've spent well over that for my current Helix versions, in total, and
would consider it a good investment IF IT WORKED! I have recently
gotten so fed up with Helix I moved everything into Filemaker Plus... it
has limitations, but at least I can know what they are in advance. I
need a lot more flexibility than filemaker offers, but in the time until
something worth using comes out, it will do. Alf
------------------------------
From: PDNNOG
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 19019)
Date: 13-APR 18:58 Business Mac
I must say at this point, that Omnis clearly appears to be the USUable
database system. But does it do bathrooms?(asks my wife)
------------------------------
From: MOUSEKETEER
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 19027)
Date: 13-APR 19:20 Business Mac
Oh, I tried Omnis out for a couple of weeks and found it, if anything, a
bit more limiting than Helix... in Helix you can find a way to do most
things, even if your screen starts looking like a quilt your grandmom
used to do ;-). Either Helix or Omnis in use is a bit more akin to
self-abuse than S&M (grin).
I don't know that 4th will be the answer... I probably just need to get
a VAX and hijack Peter for a couple of weeks....hehe.
Alf
------------------------------
From: BMUG
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 19028)
Date: 13-APR 23:31 Business Mac
This was just posted on AppleLink to all user groups, and I thought it
would be of interest. Please excuse me if the formatting comes out
poorly.
Item forwarded by UG0056 to N0364
Item forwarded by ERTEL1 to KLINE1
Item 8264308 13-April-87 17:01
From: KAWASAKI2 Kawasaki, Guy
To: UG$ User Groups
Sub: News
The time has come for me to leave the Apple nest and fly on my own.
I am starting a a company called Acius (pronounced ay-see-us) to publish
Silver Surfer and other Macintosh applications. Scott Knaster, the
Manager of Developer Technical Support, is joining me.
Acius will be a philosophy not just a company. Our goal is to improve
the productivity of our customers and to make our customers into fans.
We love Macintosh and want to do it proud.
I don't look at this as leaving Apple. It's a way to do an even better
job now that Macintosh has great software, and my evangelism job is
done. Wherever I am, however, I will always bleed six colors.
Silver Surfer will be called 4th Dimension. It is the most powerful
data base for any personal computer. It is a relational data base with
a programming language and MacDraw-like graphics. If you've got some
real hard-core data base users or SIGs, please let me know.
I've enjoyed working with you and coming to your meetings. I will
always cherish my memories of working with user groups. I hope that
someday you will allow me to visit your group and evangelize you on the
Acius way...
Warm Personal Regards,
Guy Kawasaki
------------------------------
From: MCOHEN
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 19020)
Date: 15-APR 01:20 Business Mac
for a less expensive database, Reflex is *hot*. Yes, I know the manual
sucks, but if you can figure out how to use many of the features Reflex
can do more than FileMaker or other similar programs. Reflex has one of
the best report writers I've seen, with the ability to easily combine
data from several files & include calculated fields. Unfortunately, the
manual makes it almost impossible to figure out a lot of the features.
I've had my copy of Reflex for about a week & I'm figuring out a lot of
things DESPITE THE MANUAL, which is so bad I couldn't find out how to
include data from a linked file in a report (I did locate it in the
manual 2 days after I figured it out by experimenting).
- Mike
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: 4th Dimension (1st report) (Re: Msg 19064)
Date: 15-APR 13:04 Business Mac
Mike,
I may be getting into Reflex myself because of its capabilities. It
would be nice to have a group effort for solving the
documentation/understanding problems -- that's the one thing that's held
me off from using it so far. JIMWEINRICH gets on here about once a week
and he's done extensive work with the program.
Is there anyone else here who can give us novices hints from time to
time?
Ric Ford
------------------------------
From: MOUSEKETEER
Subject: DF 20 & Human Touch/etc.
Date: 12-APR 14:04 Hardware & Peripherals
Thanks to all who helped with info on the DataFrame 20 running with
Human Touch and Novy gear. The trick that worked was finding a copy of
Init 2.51 for the DF... all is now going as well as could be expected
(in other words, he should have just waited for a Mac II.... grin).
Alf
------------------------------
From: MACENGLISH
Subject: Fragmented Disks
Date: 12-APR 17:16 User Supported Software
I have seen ads recently for programs which are supposed to fix disk
fragmentation. Now granted that most of them are designed for hard disk
users, some of the ads claim that all disks (400K and 800K) can become
fragmented. My question is does anyone who doesn't have a hard disk
really have to worry about disk fragmentation.
When I make a backup of a data disk using the finder (putting one icon
on top of another) is the copy which results exactly the same as the
original? In other words, if the first disk is fragmented, will the
copy be too? If I make a backup of a data disk (which is fragmented)
with Copy II Mac, will the copy be fragmented? (i.e. Is there any need
for these programs if one doesn't have a hard disk?)
Debbie
------------------------------
From: PEABO
Subject: RE: Fragmented Disks (Re: Msg 18996)
Date: 12-APR 17:26 User Supported Software
The easiest way to defragment a floppy disk is to use the Select All
menu (in Finder under Edit) to select all the files and folders on the
disk, and drag them to the new disk. There are some cases where this
wont work (such as master disks of some copy-protected programs, which
don't need defragmenting anyway).
peter
------------------------------
From: HECKENDORN
Subject: Mac Parallel Printing
Date: 14-APR 23:23 Hardware & Peripherals
Does anyone have experience with BLUESTART, from Softstyle, which has
allegedly been shipping for the past few weeks? I want to use it to
interface a Mac + with an IBM Wheelwriter 5 typewriter/printer (which
emulates a Proprinter and a Wheelprinter). Speaking of which, in terms
of serial/parallel interfaces, any suggestions? One company, Tigershark
(or something like that, in S. Calif.) advertises a unit in BYTE for
about ninety bucks. Or should I spring for a Macenhancer? All comments
would be welcome.
John
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: re: Optical Mouse for the Mac ? (Re: Msg 19053)
Date: 15-APR 13:14 Network Digests
To: michel jacquemin <jacquemin-michel@YALE.ARPA> Subject: Optical Mouse
for the Mac ?
One thing to note about optical mice is that they may require the mouse
to be aligned with a grid on a special mousepad. When I tried the A+
mouse, I found this annoying, being used to the complete independence of
the Mac's mechanical mouse.
Ric Ford
------------------------------
From: BBAKER
Subject: re: Optical Mouse for the Mac ? (Re: Msg 19053)
Date: 16-APR 23:27 Hardware & Peripherals
I wanted to respond to Michel Jacquemin's request for information about
optical mice (in INFO-MAC Digest V5 #78; message 19053), primarily
because I recently purchased an A+ Mouse and couldn't be happier. It
tracks very well and I very much appreciate the clicking action. When I
have to go back to the old mechanical mouse, it feels very awkward and
difficult to use. It also seems much bigger than the A+ Mouse.
Interestingly, I purchased mine based on the recommendation of a chap in
the computer store who had recently purchased his and said just what I'm
sharing now. I wonder why Apple hasn't gone to optical mice?
-- Bob
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: RE: Rolodex and Quickfile
Date: 15-APR 21:21 Network Digests
>From: Tony Siegman <SIEGMAN@Sierra.Stanford.EDU>
>Subject: Rolodex and Quickfile
I suspect you could use my desk accessory outliner, Acta; many people do.
There's even a 'public domain' program called Quacta that converts from
rolofiles to Acta files. (While Acta isn't optimized for rolodexes, it can open
a specific outline automatically, and has your basic searching and sorting. And
it can do a _lot_ more than just rolodexes [rolodices?].)
I also know of a commercial rolodex-type DA in development. Since I just got a
call today from the developer asking how to do something, I doubt you'll see it
soon.
David Dunham "If it has syntax, it isn't user-friendly."
Maitreya Design
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: re Optical Mouse for the Mac ? (Re: Msg 19053)
Date: 15-APR 21:22 Network Digests
>From: michel jacquemin <jacquemin-michel@YALE.ARPA>
>Subject: Optical Mouse for the Mac ?
The only wear I've noticed on mechanical mice is in the feet, and those can be
replaced by the very inexpensive mouse feet available from Tacklind Design in
Palo Alto, CA. Everything else can be cleaned.
David Dunham "The more laws there are, the more people are
Maitreya Design inclined to break them" (Swiss saying)
------------------------------
From: JMARTINEZ
Subject: serial port
Date: 16-APR 00:19 Telecommunicating
does anyone out there have experience programming for the serial port . I spec-
ifically have difficulty doing the PBReads. any help would be appreciated.
thanks jorge martinez
------------------------------
From: BBAKER
Subject: Keyboards
Date: 16-APR 23:28 Hardware & Peripherals
I just recently received my upgrade to Word 3.0. Included with the upgrade was
an advertisement for a "Mac-101" keyboard and macro software (for *only*
$149.95--if I acted now). I bit, and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my
keyboard (in probably 3 to 5 weeks). Question: has anyone else bitten? Does
anyone have any experience with the manufacturer, DataDesk? Does anyone have
any rumors to share? I recently read in one of the mags (MacUser, I think) that
there were one or two "high-quality" third-party keyboards about to reach the
market. Is this one of them?
-- Bob
------------------------------
From: PDNNOG
Subject: RE: Keyboards (Re: Msg 19118)
Date: 17-APR 22:06 Hardware & Peripherals
I called them two days ago. They are revising the software, the manuals are at
the printers, they will not cash checks or debit credit cards until shipment,
and they now have over 3000 orders. In about two weeks names will be on
computers so you can check for ship date. I'm anxious, too., but I think they
are on the up and up.
------------------------------
From: MACENGLISH
Subject: Init File
Date: 17-APR 00:48 User Supported Software
What in simple terms is an Init File? I know it is a file you can put in the
system folder to customize a disk, but is Immortality an Init File? Is the the
program which causes my Mac to speak to me when I boot up, which also has a
StartupSpeech that goes with it, an Init file? If I put both programs in the
same system file, would it self-destruct? Why do these programs have to be
inside the system folder to work?
Debbie
------------------------------
From: PEABO
Subject: RE: Init File (Re: Msg 19127)
Date: 17-APR 12:16 User Supported Software
An INIT file is a file containing an INIT resource, which is a kind of program
that is run automatically as part of the system startup procedure. Once upon a
time, all INIT resources had to be put into the System file in order to be run
during startup. Recent systems no longer require this, but they still need a
way to find the INIT files without having to search every folder on the disk (a
time-consuming task if you are using a hard disk). So the idea of the System
Folder was invented as a place to put things required by the System (it is
actually called the "Blessed Folder" because it answered the prayers of
developers who disliked installation procedures that needed to mess around with
people's System files [ONLY KIDDING :-) "blessed" means "distinguished" in this
context]).
In addition to containing the INIT resource, an INIT file has to be marked as
type 'INIT' or 'RDEV' in order for the system to even look inside it for the
INIT resources, even if it's in the Blessed Folder.
You can have as many INIT files in your system folder as you like, and the
system will try to run them all, but not in any particular order. Many INIT
files are completely independent of each other and can be used together without
any problem, but you might sometimes run into strange side-effects of one INIT
upon another. It's usually pretty easy to uncover what is wrong by moving
things in and out of the Blessed Folder and rebooting.
peter
------------------------------
From: MUSEUM
Subject: Request for Donations
Date: 17-APR 14:29 SIG Business
The Computer Museum is working on a new gallery, to open in June, on Artificial
Intelligence and Robotics. There are a number of useful programs that we would
like to display that run on the Macintosh. Soooo: This is your chance to get rid
of that old 128k Mac that doesn't seem worth upgrading, or that 400k disk drive,
or the Thunderscan that seemed like a neat toy, but that never gets used
anymore...
All donations are fully tax-deductible. If you are interested, please call:
Mike Bergman
426-2800 x349 or write:
The Computer Museum
300 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: weird (Finder?) bugs...
Date: 17-APR 14:56 Bugs & Features
Rick LePage and I have been having a series of crashes that have been
very hard to pin down. I have a slight feeling, but no proof, that they
may be related to possible bugs in disk initialization routines in System 4.0.
They happen in various programs, and don't seem to be caused by lack of
memory (we're both using 2MB or more of RAM, with enlarged system heaps,
and the symptoms seem different).
Just thought I'd post this to see if anyone else could correlate problems
with disk initialization...
Ric
------------------------------
From: MACNUT
Subject: Halftone
Date: 17-APR 00:52 Public Domain
Does anyone know how to make Halftone work with Thunderscan files? I can't seem
to make Halftone recognize their existence, altho the )brief) instructions say
that it can be done. Help!
------------------------------
From: JIMH
Subject: tmon
Date: 16-APR 20:46 Tools for Developers
I have been checking for mac II software and have found a couple of things folks
might be interested in.
Lightseed Pascal has an unofficial policy to provide a 68020 compatable upgrade
to all registered owners who have a 20 based machine. This upgrade requires you
sign a non-disclosure aggreement.
TMON - They are providing an upgrade for 20 based machines for a $50 fee which
is the difference between the current price and the old price. more as it
becomes available
best jim
------------------------------
From: RCONGDON
Subject: Debugging on the Mac II
Date: 17-APR 00:14 Programming Techniques
Exactly how is debugging done on the Mac II under A/UX? I understand that "well
behaved" Mac OS applications will run under A/UX. But how do you debug them? I
doubt that hitting the programmer interrupt switch and using MacsBug or TMON is
a winning proposition under a multi-tasking operating system. ..Then again, how
is this going to work under "Juggler"? Are we finally going to get a decent
debbuger from Apple?
Just curious...
------------------------------
From: PEABO
Subject: RE: Debugging on the Mac II (Re: Msg 1443)
Date: 17-APR 11:57 Programming Techniques
There's really no reason why the interrupt switch couldn't work with A/UX. If
you press it is during the operation of a process, it would interrupt the
process in the usual way, and if you press it during operation of the system, it
would eithr invoke a system level debugger or allow you to select which process
you wanted to interrupt. The debugger could also presumably be primed to deal
with a specific process regardless of when you press the switch. It is pretty
clear that the debugger would have to be a lot more aware of the environment it
is running in than MacsBug is.
peter
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: sound problem
Date: 17-APR 03:27 Programming Techniques
Why doesn't this routine work in LightspeedC? It did in Aztec C.
void sound(pitch,duration) int pitch, duration; {
SWSynthRec s;
s.mode = swMode;
s.triplets[0].count = (int)(783360L / pitch);
s.triplets[0].amplitude = 128;
s.triplets[0].duration = duration;
StartSound(&s,8L,-1L); /* Synchronous */ }
------------------------------
From: BRENNER
Subject: RE: sound problem (Re: Msg 1444)
Date: 18-APR 02:30 Programming Techniques
This is one of the inconsistencies of C. Kernighan & Ritchie never really
decided how structures should be passed as parameters, leaving it up to the
writers of individual compilers.
If you change the function call to StartSound(s, 8L, -1L); I would guess that
it'll work. The reason is that some compilers are capable of passing the actual
values of a structure as a parameter, while others resort to passing a pointer
to the structure.
Try this, and if it doesn't work, give another yell.
------------------------------
From: JOSEF
Subject: MPW
Date: 18-APR 03:20 Macintosh Developers
I understand that Apple is beatin' on 3rd party developers to use MPW as their
programming environment of choice. Why should they care? They certainly aren't
concerned about selling a few dozen extra $100 packages. It seems to be working
too. Not only that, but a lot of these guys are apparently using Pascal (maybe
to take advantage of MacApp?). Really makes it tough on LSC addicts like
myself.
Joe
------------------------------
From: DEWI
Subject: how can you tell if a font will download
Date: 18-APR 03:49 Developers' Corner
At the moment I'm playing with the Font Manager, finding out what makes it tick.
The one thing that I can't find out in IM IV is how exactly a font is marked as
downloadable postscript to the LaserWriter.
I wrote a font dump program to look at the tables, but nothing looks very
appropriate. Kerning tables look nice, though!
So... do I need to buy a copy of Inside LaserWriter to find this out? I was
under the impression that it was somewhat out of date.
Many thanks,
Dewi Williams
------------------------------
From: DSACHS
Subject: RE: how can you tell if a font will down (Re: Msg 1449)
Date: 19-APR 16:11 Developers' Corner
The FOND resource for a font contains the name of the file supposed to have the
postscript image of the FONT. At the start of each job, the LaserWriter driver
requests, and receives a list of fonts already present in the LW. When a font
not on that list is encountered, the driver will send either the font file (if
it is found) or a bitmap of the largest size.
------------------------------
From: JOSEF
Subject: IDD/MacDraft
Date: 18-APR 03:19 Business Mac
Anybody out there know anything about Innovative Data Design (IDD) Inc., the
makers of MacDraft? How about Ricardo Salas, their manager of R&D? How about
MacDraft itself? Is is a pretty solid package?
Joe
------------------------------
From: VASMUG
Subject: RE: IDD/MacDraft (Re: Msg 19165)
Date: 18-APR 06:11 Business Mac
MacDraft is a very good program. It seems a little strange at first if you have
been using MacDraw a lot. Many of its features are best learned by sitting down
and doing. I do not use a drafting program on a daily basis but use it mainly
for graphics in DTP. Many times when I need to knock out a quickie I will
revert to MacDraw.
MacDraft has several very good features which to me, are the payoff. 1.
Zoom into and out-of page is fantastic. 2. Circles from the center and radius
from center or dim have been helpful 3. The ability to change and modify line
values 4. The reforming and smoothing of Polygons
The program has a strange way of printing type. The fit and look is not as
good as MacDraw. The program also loads up very quickly. As you increase
objects it slows down to the point of 4, 5, 6 and even longer screen redraws. I
use it a lot to draw up-size drawings which are then reduced for use in our stat
camera. Once you set an enlarged page (in the page set-up) the program then
slows down very much. Maybe I need another meg or two of ram.
I'd say if you can afford it, or can get your business to buy it, or if you
do a lot of drafting - buy it. It's also very nice for real estate planning and
drawing, because of the AREA feature. You can rapidly draw lots or building
footprints according to sq. ft. This will pay for itself in your first
development! Best to you, Fred <VaSmug>
------------------------------
From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: DiskTop 2.0 bug
Date: 18-APR 13:47 Bugs & Features
I love DiskTop (2.0) and its associated program, Widgets, and I recommend
running out and buying it ($39.95 from CE Software). However, I have
found one problem so far. I tried to copy a 6MB Hard Disk Partition
file to an empty 40MB hard disk and got an error message saying there
wasn't enough room! Oh well.
Ric
------------------------------
End of Delphi Mac Digest
************************