=========================================================================
 
INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Sun,  4 Mar 90       Volume 90 : Issue  285
 
Today's Topics:
                           Dead On Boot Up
                           Gateway to GEnie
                            GDOS question
                          HD back-up & vault
                          Poolfix 2 (2 msgs)
             SPECTRE GCR AVAILABILITY, 5 1/4 drive speed
                         STE display hardware
                 STE DMA sound (documentation posted)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 90   0:02 GMT
From: Vision Newspapers <SOCS18%vaxb.york.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Subject: Dead On Boot Up
 
The ST will crash if you hold down mouse buttons while booting because the
mode of the IKBD chip is read from the same port that the buttons are
attached to at reset. With both buttons released, this mode is zero, as it
should be. The ROM in the IKBD can't cope with any other status, so when the
buttons are down, it's goodbye keyboard controller...
 
Regards,
Mat.
 
Mathew Lodge
***********************************************************************
* c/o Dept. Computer Science    * "Baldrick, fetch me a turkey _so    *
* University of York            * big_, you'd have thought its mother *
* Heslington                    * had been rodgered by an Omnibus"    *
* York, UK                      *                                     *
* YO1 5DD                       * JANET : SOCS18@uk.ac.york.vaxa      *
***********************************************************************
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 4 Mar 90 19:19:52 GMT
From: brunix!rjd@uunet.uu.net  (Rob Demillo)
Subject: Gateway to GEnie
Message-ID: <31475@brunix.UUCP>
 
In article <2347@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca> depeche@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca (Sam Alan
 EZUST) writes:
>Now that there is supposedly a gateway to GEnie, how can I send
>e-mail to someone with a GENIE account from my internet account
>here?
>
 
I hope David Small corrects me if I am speaking out of school here, but...
 
You can't. Not yet, anyway...the ability to send e-mail transfer will
be implemented int he future, but right now, just the
messages are being exchanged.
 
..how's that, everyone? Did I remember correctly?
 
 
 - Rob DeMillo                  | Internet: rjd@brown.cs.edu
   Brown University             | BITnet: DEMILLO%BRNPSG.SPAN@STAR.STANFORD.EDU
   Planetary Science Group      | Reality: 401-273-0804 (home)
"I say you *are* the Messiah, Lord! And I ought to know, I've followed a few!"
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 4 Mar 90 23:12:10 GMT
From: att!cbnewse!foster@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (r.w.foster)
Subject: GDOS question
Message-ID: <13366@cbnewse.ATT.COM>
 
I need a question about GDOS answered. I have a program that I
wrote some time ago which copies a graphic image into a window as
part of it's operation. This has worked out just fine for a long time
but since I have added GDOS to my system, the blit call doesn't cause
anything to happen. If I take out GDOS(or G+PLUS), everything works
fine again.
 
The call in question is a
vro_cpyfm(handle,3,xyarray,&sourcemfdb,&destmfdb);
 
 
Is there some sort of initialization that needs to be done with
GDOS-G+PLUS in addition to the appl_init(), v_opnwrk(..),vs_clip(..)
stuff?  The program doesn't use GDOS but something about GDOS being
loaded is messing things up. Any GDOS tips appreciated.
 
Thanks,
Bob Foster
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 4 Mar 90 10:15:59 GMT
From:
 imagen!atari!portal!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: HD back-up & vault
Message-ID: <27540@cup.portal.com>
 
Marshall Lake asked about problems anyone had had with the "Vault" hard
disk backup program...
 
The only thing I ran into was that the Vault appararantly doesn't get
along very well with the Universal Item Selector II. Once I disabled
that, I didn't have any problems with the Vault...
 
BobR
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Mar 90 01:18:13 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!beach.cis.ufl.edu!cr
 1@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Christopher Roth)
Subject: Poolfix 2
Message-ID: <22552@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
 
Question about Poolfix2.prg.  I have Tos 1.4 and put this patch in my
auto folder, the first program.  I get the statement 'This GEMDOS needs
this patch, but this program does not recognize this TOS.'  What does
this mean?
 
 
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
*     Christoper Roth                         *  "Machines have no
*     InterNet  :  cr1@beach.cis.ufl.edu      *   Conscience..."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Post No Bills-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Mar 90 02:32:51 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!aplcen!haven!wam!dmb@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
 (David M. Baggett)
Subject: Poolfix 2
Message-ID: <1990Mar5.023251.8954@wam.umd.edu>
 
In article <22552@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> cr1@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Chris Roth)
 writes:
>
>Question about Poolfix2.prg.  I have Tos 1.4 and put this patch in my
>auto folder, the first program.  I get the statement 'This GEMDOS needs
>this patch, but this program does not recognize this TOS.'  What does
>this mean?
>
 
It means you have an outdated version of poolfix.  Use poolfix3.prg.
It's been posted here a couple times in the past month.  If you don't
find it, mail me a message and I'll send it to you.
 
Dave Baggett
dmb@cscwam.umd.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Mar 90 01:32:22 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!winnie!zach!la062594
 @tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  ( John Karp)
Subject: SPECTRE GCR AVAILABILITY, 5 1/4 drive speed
Message-ID: <811@winnie.fit.edu>
 
>Where can SPECTRE GCR be obtained?  My local distributor is having a
>problem getting it.
>Thanks...
 
 purchased my Spectre GCR from 1st Stop Computer Systems in Dayton. Ohio.
I ordered it last Monday, and received it on Thursday.... since UPS takes
that long just to ship from Ohio to Florida, it must have gone out the same
day.... If anyone is interested, their number is 1-800-252-2787.  I don't know
whether or not they handle overseas orders, but anyone interested could try
writing them at 1st Stop Computer Systems Ltd
                7085 Corporate Way
                Dayton, OH 45459
                USA
 
Their prices are very reasonable ........
 
Also , someone was looking for a program to change the step rate of a drive
under TOS 1.4  ...  DCFORMAT will allow you to write an executable boot sector
which will change the drive speed on either drive.  Just write this boot sector
to a disk and boot from it to set ur drive speed.  I tried this along with my
hard drive boot program (ICD 4.5.1) and a program called CAUTO.PRG which allows
one to boot from a floppy, and then run auto folder programs and/
or accessories from the hard drive....   E-mail me for more info..
 
John Karp
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ian Gillan -->  The man, the myth, the VOICE !!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 90   0:14 GMT
From: Vision Newspapers <SOCS18%vaxb.york.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Subject: STE display hardware
 
OK folks, it's STE programming time again...
 
 
Data from "Atari STE Developer Information Addendum", addresses in hex, sizes
in bits (in table)
 
Video Harware Modifications
===========================
 
Addr     Access Size    Use
======   ====== ====    =================================================
FF8204    R/W    6      Video address counter (high)
FF8206    R/W    8      Video address counter (middle)
FF8208    R/W    8      Video address counter (low)
                        The change here is that these registers are now
                        read and write, allowing the programmer to
                        update the video refresh address to any word
                        boundary _at any time_.
 
FF820C    R/W    8      Video base address (low) (VBASELO) This register
                        didn't exist on the ST, but on the STE it allows
                        the positioning of the screen base address on
                        any _WORD_ boundary
 
FF820E    ??     8      Line offset (LINEWID) - the number of extra words
                        added to the address counter at the end of each
                        line, _MINUS ONE DATA FETCH_. This allows for
                        virtual screens that are wider than the actual
                        screen display. Clearing this register means the
                        STE acts like an ordinary ST.
 
FF8240 to FF825E        Colour palette
                        There are now four bits for each of the red,
                        green and blue components. To give backward
                        compatibility with the ST, the least significant
                        bit is above the most significant bit. Thus the
                        register layout is as follows:
 
                        xxxx 0321 0321 0321;  x=don't care
                             RED  GRN  BLUE
 
FF8264    ??    4       Horizontal bit-wise scroll (HSCROLL). Allows the
                        start of each line to be delayed by 0-15 bits,
                        thus giving instant horizontal scrolling.
 
 
Horizontal fine scrolling isn't quite as trivial as it looks. The pixel offset
is loaded into HSCROLL, and the documentation then says the following about
the LINEWID register :
 
"If you are actively scrolling (HSCROLL<>0), this register should
contain the additional width of the display line _minus one data fetch_
(in low resolution one data fetch would be four words, one word for
monchrome etc.)"
 
The reason for the extra data fetch becomes clearer if you think about
what is actually happening. If you fine scroll by n bits, then n bits
are effectively missed off the left hand edge of the screen. But to get
a complete line of pixels, n bits must be added to the right hand side
of the screen. This constitues one extra data fetch for the display
processor beyond the usual requirement.
 
For example, if you had three low resolution pictures side by side in
memory, and you wanted to scroll across them, you would set LINEWID to
160 when HSCROLL=0 (no extra data fetch). When HSCROLL<>0, LINEWID would
be set to 156 (four less due to the extra data fetch done automatically
by the display processor).
 
Vertical scrolling is trivial - simply set the video address base to the
required address at horizontal blanking time.
 
That's all folks - for now - more info on the new controller ports soon.
Regards,
 
Mathew Lodge
***********************************************************************
* c/o Dept. Computer Science    * "Baldrick, fetch me a turkey _so    *
* University of York            * big_, you'd have thought its mother *
* Heslington                    * had been rodgered by an Omnibus"    *
* York, UK                      *                                     *
* YO1 5DD                       * JANET : SOCS18@uk.ac.york.vaxa      *
***********************************************************************
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Mar 90 04:49:35 GMT
From: silver!kclenden@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu  (Kevin Clendenien)
Subject: STE DMA sound (documentation posted)
Message-ID: <37898@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
 
In article <1990Mar4.165145.22702@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
 cmm1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Christopher M Mauritz) writes:
]In article <37824@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> kclenden@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Kevin
 Clendenien) writes:
]]
]]FREE?????  I think not Mr. Covert.  Why do you think that Apple
]]computers with similar options to Atari computers cost about
]]twice as much?  One reason is because Apple is committed to
] [story about getting Mac IIcx deleted]
]exasperation and disappointment.  Anyway, I guess the old addage holds
]true:  You get what you pay for.
 
Chris,
   If you have some extra money lying around, or even an extra
Mac IIcx lying around, feel free to send them to me, and I will
independently confirm or refute your finding :-)
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
kclenden@silver.bacs.indiana.edu                          Kevin Clendenien
BLoomington Atari ST users group                          BLAST, President
BLAST BBS - (812) 332-0573                                FNET node #141
 
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #285
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