Andy Barton's Son of Infobits (Antic, May 1985) is a terrific
little database with a wide range of practical applications. However, I
have a problem. The program lets you store and search several hundred logical
lines of data, but any attempt to edit or delete an item causes all but
the first 10 logical lines to be lost. Is there a fix for this?
R.C. Beckett
Hamilton, OH
In the 18 months since we published this program, no one else has brought
this problem to our attention. In fact, we literally spent hours trying
unsuccessfully to duplicate the problem. Did you check the program with
TYPO II (also by Andy Barton)? If not, you should have. Did you use DOS
3.0? If so, shame on you-switch to DOS 2 or 2.5 (available on Antic Monthly
Disk or from users groups). -ANTIC ED
NX-10 HELP
Regarding Josh Stark's I/O letter (January 1987), the Star NX-l0 will
take downloaded fonts in both draft and NLQ modes. My program Font Maker
(Antic, March 1985) should be used in the Epson FX-80 version, since
the NX-10 is Epson-compatible. I've also created programs to make and download
NLQ character sets for the NX-10 which run on the 8-bit Ataris, as well
as a GEM-based NLQ font maker program for the NX-l0 and the ST.
Dr. James Duffin
274 Glen Manor Drive
Toronto, Ontario
Canada, M4E 2Y2
BUMBLE HIGH SCORES
Eddie Carsten's Bumblbee (Antic, August 1986) stores the high
score in Page Six so it's "remembered" between games. Unfortunately, if
the previously executed program also used Page Six, Bumblbee might report
ridiculously high scores. To clear this up, halt the game and type POKE
1536,0:POKE 1537,0 in the immediate mode. The high score should then be
zero.
James Hague
Richardson, TX
DEAF MODEM HELP
I have an answer to Lowell. Goldberg's January 1987 I/O request for
information about how to use an Atari to communicate with the special telephone
machines for the deaf. The newer Terminal Devices for the Deaf (TDD) are
switchable to 110 baud ASCII code with proper modem carrier signals. I
have used my Atari 800 with the MPP (Supra) 1000C modem which allows changing
baud rates between 100 to 450 baud.
When I got an ST, I found that Flash modem software (beginning
with version 1.2) includes a 110 baud patch that creates an automatic answering
machine for the deaf. My ST not only communicates with TDDs in real time,
it can answer the phone, type an acknowledgement, capture any message sent,
sign off, hang up and the reset for the next call.
Most Hayes-compatible modems will not respond to commands
or send codes below about 150 baud. You must establish a 300 baud connection,
change to 110 to talk and then change back to 300 to hang up.
The older deaf teletype stations (TTY) operate at about
40-50 baud speed, use a Baudot code instead of ASCII and have in-compatible
carrier tones. Still, I understand there are IBM and Apple programs for
communicating with Baudot machines.
Ed Waldorph
CompuServe I.D.
73637,42
ATTRACT MODES
On my Atari 800, if there isn't any input on the keyboard for a couple
of minutes, the screen starts changing colors. I have a display program
that gets messed up by the screen's color-changing. Is there any way to
prevent this?
Todd Donovan
Chagrin Falls, OH
Oh no.. your Atari is suffering from the rare Chameleon Syndrome. a
dreaded computer disease requiring major electro -surgery! Okay ..sorry about that bit of April Fool silliness.
To stabilize the colors in your program, POKE 77,0. When using commercial
software, stop the colors by pressing a key that won't change the work
you've done. The automatic color-changing is known as "attract mode"-because
(some say) it's similar to the flashing lights with which Atari arcade
machines attract players. On your computer, attract mode prevents overheating
the video phosphors so an image won't be "burned" into your screen. This
problem occurs only in color sets used for many hours on end, such as in
store displays. Home users essentially don't need to worry about burning
out their picture tubes. -ANTIC ED
DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
Is there some sort of directory "reorganizer" on the market that will
let me alphabetize my disk directories?
Stephen Waldorf
Hamilton, GA
DISKIO (Antic, January 1985) and DISKIO Plus (December1985) will
alphabetize your disk directories-ANTIC ED
HARD DISK HELP
In the January, 1987 I/O Board, Del Jenson wrote that he uses business
software and is looking for a database that can run on his 10Mb SupraDrive
hard disk. Our Micromod program is a legitimate business database that
fully utilizes the SupraDrive. It stores the bulk of files on drive 3 and
runs under MYDOS 4.2 and SpartaDOS 2.3 or 3.2.
Antic welcomes your feedback, but we regret that the large
volume of mail makes it impossible for the Editors to reply to everyone.
Although we do respond to as much reader correspondence as time permits,
our highest priority must be to publish I/O answers to questions that are
meaningful to a substantial number of readers. Send letters to: Antic I/O Board, 544 Second Street,
San Francisco, CA 94107.
ANTIC VOL. 5, NO. 12 / APRIL 1987 / PAGE 6