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![[Q]](../images/i_q.gif)
Making Tracks
I'm currently using Trackman sequencer software on an STe. I've
been giving some thought to the possibility of running it under
emulation on another machines, ideally a Mac.
One of the obvious problems is that Trackman requires a cartridge
to run and I'm wondering if there is a way around this?
I've tried to contact the Trackman authors, Hollis Research, to
ask for a copy of the program which does not require a cartridge
but have been unable to find any trace of them.
Assuming the cartridge problem can be solved will an Atari OS
emulator running on another platform support MIDI based software?
Ian Nicol, Weymouth
![[A]](../images/i_a.gif)
Your question prompted us to track down Hollis Research - we
didn't have to look far because John Hollis is still on CiX!
By an amazing co-incidence John had already stripped out the
cartridge copy protection and released Trackman and MIDIman as
freeware!
We wasted no time buying up his remaining stock of manuals and
we're delighted to offer these to readers - refer to page 9 of the mgazine for
details!
Joe Connor
The German PC TOSWin95 Atari emulator supports the MIDI ports
provided on some PC sound cards. I had it working here with an
AWE64G sound card and Band In A Box but I only had a demo version
so it might be worth following up. I downloaded the demo version
from Dan Duskins independent Cubase Users web pages at:
http://www.instanet.com/~thedusk/
Brian Robson, CiX ataricomputing conference
TIP |
AV MagiC |
In my experience Thing is the best desktop implementation of the
AV-protocol and I've just discovered this neat trick. If you are
using CAB under MagiC and have TTP/TOS programs, such as the Apex
file viewers, installed as external viewers you may have noticed
your console screen is not set to close automatically after
viewing - which I find really annoying.
With Thing installed as your AV Server, you can install Thing in
CAB as an external viewer for certain file types, such as JPEG
pictures and so on. CAB then sends the AV-View command to Thing,
which in turn calls APEXJPG.TTP because I have installed this as
my default viewer for *.jpg files in Thing's applications menu.
Viola! The Apex viewers now start in a VT52 window and doesn't
mess up the screen.
Lars Kramer, via NeST
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![[Q]](../images/i_q.gif)
Last Croak?
I just had a depressing conversation with Toad Computers here in
the US. I was told that they will no longer be supporting the
Atari in any way, shape or form. Does losing the last Atari
Hardware outpost in the US mean we must abandon our platform when
they break?
Carl Hafner, PA, USA
![[A]](../images/i_a.gif)
Kent from Systems For Tomorrow replies:
I am happy to report that Toad was not the last Atari Dealer in
the United States. Here at Systems For Tomorrow we feature a
growing product line, including companies like System Solutions,
HiSoft, Electronic Cow, WB Systems, and many more that you read
about here in Atari Computing.
But we're not the last Atari dealer check out these other fine US
dealers:
- ATY Computer (510)836-2309
- B&C ComputerVisions (530)295-9270
- Best Electronics (408)243-6950
- chroMAGIC (417)623-7393 or (888)660-4041
- Computer Dungeon (708)547-7085
- STeves (530)661-3328
-
Systems For Tomorrow, PO Box 3034, Independence MO 64055, USA,
Retail: 11006 East Winner Road, Independence MO 64052, USA
Email: sales@SystemsForTomorrow.com
URL: http://www.SystemsForTomorrow.com
Tel: + (816)833-4738 Info
+ (800)875-4943 Orders only please
Fax: + (816)252-3611
Tip |
Epson 400 Colour Printer |
I was wondering if these printers would work with Atari machines -
in particular with First Word. I telephoned Epson's Technical
Department (at premium rate of course) and the technician laughed
when I said Atari and proceeded to state the obvious "the 400 is
mainly for use with Windows". Anyway I'll enjoy phoning them back
and telling them they were wrong! Imagecopy, Positive Image and
First Word (using EPSON_MT.CFG), all run fine - and I'd expect
other programs to work as well.
Pete Wood via CiX
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![[Q]](../images/i_q.gif)
Virtual Memory
Am I under a misapprehension about virtual memory operation?
The machine in question is a PAK equipped STFM running the Outside
virtual memory software which gives me 29Mb memory - 4Mb ST-RAM
and 25Mb virtual memory. Recently when working on some JPEG images
in Positive Image, which includes its own virtual memory routines,
some images which only take up 3Mb of disk space result in Out of
memory messages! Does Positive Image only unpack images into ST
memory?
What would happen if I upgraded to a Magnum expansion memory board
- effectively adding TT memory? Would I then be able to manipulate
images bigger than available ST RAM?
John Ash, Kent
![[A]](../images/i_a.gif)
A 3Mb JPEG image could easily take up 60Mb or more when it's
unpacked - compression ratios of 20:1 are common with JPEG
compression.
Jeremy Hughes, CiX ataricomputing conference
Positive Image includes a useful info screen before loading JPEGs
which shows the uncompressed size of the image along with the
available RAM - both ST or TT-RAM.

There's also a Preferences option which allows you to declare
whether the image should be loaded into ST-RAM, TT-RAM, or TT-RAM
preferred - this is independent of the flag settings of PI itself.
Finally there's a swap file feature that's described in the
manual.
I don't think adding a Magnum board would make any difference
because, as I understand it, Outside treats its virtual RAM as
TT-RAM.
Viewing JPEG images larger than TT-RAM isn't necessarily a problem
if viewing is the only consideration. For example 1stGuide in
hi-res mono mode can display large JPEGs using a small amount of
RAM by dithering to the current screen resolution bit-by-bit - so
you don't need to have the full memory required to display the
image!
Harry Sideras, CiX ataricomputing conference
![[Q]](../images/i_q.gif)
Old Chestnut
I've had my 520STFM for a year now, and consider myself fairly
experienced but I have recently come across a problem with my
machine. When changing disks and updating the window in the file
selector on HyperPaint 2, the machine (or the program) puts
corrupted folders from the HyperPaint disk onto my data disk. I
don't know why - and it's happened more than once.
I'm worried because a want to sell this machine soon and upgrade
to a Mega STe. Is this a virus at work?
James Bennett, Worksop, Notts
![[A]](../images/i_a.gif)
This is happening because your machine is not recognising a disk
change - some drives do this.
- There are a couple of practical solutions.
- Install FMC.PRG, available from most PD libraries, in
your AUTO folder - this forces a media change.
- It's also worth
arranging to save your data to drive B: instead of A: - even if
you only have one drive because your machine will prompt you to
place a disk B: in drive A: and will re-read the directory.
- From the desktop the simplest solution is to press the [Esc] key which
re-reads the directory.
Peter West, CiX ataricomputing conference
And ensure you're using a disk formatter which allocates disks
with unique serial numbers. If this a recent problem this is more
likely to be the problem than the drive itself. Now if I had £1
for each time I've said this...
Paul Glover, CiX ataricomputing conference
![[Q]](../images/i_q.gif)
Canon Bubblejet support
I'm an Imagecopy 4.1 user and have recently bought a new Canon
BJC-250 colour bubble jet printer and was looking forward to
printing in colour with my Falcon030, but no matter how many
different drivers or colour settings I have tried the best I have
managed is black.
I realise the BJC-250 is a new printer and was wondering whether
Imagecopy should work with this model - hopefully it's just have a
problem with my set-up? If this model is unsupported are there any
plans to support it?
Ian Rudd, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
![[A]](../images/i_a.gif)
The BJC-250 supports a wide range of BJ and Epson emulations which
can be programmed by a series of pushes on one of the buttons at
the front so it might be a good idea to try some of these.
John Stean, CiX ataricomputing conference
I have used a BJC-3000 and am now using a BJC-4500 and have had no
problems at all printing anything with Imagecopy in B&W or colour
- or any other program for that matter!
Martin Milner, CiX ataricomputing conference
I'm planning to support it directly as soon as I can get some
information about the printer codes it uses.
Jeremy Hughes, CiX ataricomputing conference
AC8 Bug Report
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OOPS 1! |
Alexander Clauss reports:
- The explanation of co-operative and pre-emptive multitasking in
the MagiC TIME SHARE? boxout on page 24 is not correct.
In co-operative multitasking the OS is passive, so the currently
active application will run until it allows a task switch. No
other applications or the OS can stop or interrupt the active
program because neither the application nor the OS gets any
processor time. For example, if a program to calculate the first
million digits of pi without allowing task switches was launched
the system would be blocked for hours. Also the currently active
program is not necessarily the application with the top window.
In pre-emptive multitasking the OS is active all the time. It
switches to the next program once its time slice has elapsed. The
applications themselves do not have to allow task switching
regularly because they can be suspended by the OS at any time. In
this case the pi-calculator mentioned above would not block the
entire system.
- In the same article, you mention WDialog is written by Thomas
Much. It's not, it's written by Sven & Wilfried Behne (maybe with
some co-operation from Andreas Kromke - I don't know).
- The BubbleGEM Release 04 review on p45:
The feature to set the font for BubbleGEM should be only used by
Desktops or a desktop accessory and not by "normal" applications
because the setting will affect the help bubbles globally for all
applications irrespective of the application which set the font.
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OOPS 2! |
The CiX mail switching Q&A included the wrong email address for
Derryck Croker which should have read:
derryck@cix.co.uk |
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