Questions & Answers


AWOL hard disk

[Q]
My System is an Atari STe with 4Mb and external 120Mb Quantum hard drive. I have a problem with my hard drive. I accidentally substituted my DESKTOP.INF on drive C: with the DESKTOP.INF from my SPAT scanner master disk in Drive A:. Now the STe clashes during "loading configuration". I have tried the usual procedure to reboot the hard disk:
  • Booting from Drive A: using ICD 5.5.0 with the HD connected but switched off.
  • Switching on the HD.
  • Double-clicking on ICDBOOT.PRG to boot the HD.
  • I then tried creating an icon for Drive C: but TOS reports "This drive does not exist" and removes the icon.
Is it possible to salvage my files without reformatting the hard disk?

R Berni, by post, Torino, Italy

[A]
It seems likely the DESKTOP.INF is only part of the problem. It's possible ICDBOOT.SYS on C:\ is corrupted and it's a hidden file so it doesn't show up in the directory window. Try this:
  • Turn off everything.
  • Turn on Atari computer, wait for desktop to appear.
  • Turn on hard disk
  • Insert back-up copy of ICD software disk into floppy
  • Run ICDBOOT.PRG, it should display your hard disk name and partitions
  • Run HDUTIL.PRG. Click on [BOOT] Set hard disk auto boot, make sure the C radio button is selected then select OK.
  • Copy ICDBOOT.PRG to Drive C:\
  • Quit to desktop
  • Re-install hard disk desktop icons.
  • Delete DESKTOP.INF file from drive C.
  • Save a new DESKTOP.INF file
  • Reset machine and everything should run normally again.

Bob Culverston


[Q]
I am using Geneva with a 4Mb STe, TOS 2.06. It seems that the Blitter is not switched on when using Geneva - how do I get it to function?

John Cloke, Bodmin

[A]
From TOS 1.02 the desktop has a Blitter option in the Options menu. Make sure it is ticked then Save Desktop.

[Screenshot]

If you're using Neodesk enable the Blitter in the Neo Control Panel then save your Neodesk configuration.

Bob Culverston


Mega DMA

[Q]
I've recased my Mega ST into a mini tower but currently have an unsightly cable looping from the external DMA port back into the case to join a Link and a SCSI hard disk. I notice the Mega ST has internal DMA pins but there are more pins internally than externally and I don't trust my multimeter readings. Can anyone help?

garnett@ihug.co.nz

[A]
The internal DMA pins were used with internal drive kits including the ICD AdSCSI Micro ST. The ACSI internal connector pins are:

Pin
 1 GND      2 D0
 3 *RESET   4 D1
 5 GND      6 D2
 7 GND      8 D3
 9 GND     10 D4
11 *ACK    12 D5
13 GND     14 D6
15 GND     16 D7
17 GND     18 #CS
19 A1      20 GND
21 GND     22 R/#W
23 DRQ     24 #INT

# signal: active low

The extra pins are all additional ground pins with the rest directly connected to the respective pins of the external 19 pin ACSI connector. Source: Atari ST Profibuch

Peter Rottengatter, via Usenet.


Palette switching


[Q]
How do I convert an image so I can use it as a background image in Thing?

Mike Kerslake, via CiX

[A]
You need to change the colour palette of the image. To do this using Imagecopy set Options/Screen/Mapping/Palette to "Screen" with "Match colours" selected, and display the image in the appropriate screen resolution before saving it in image (IMG) format.

[Screenshot]

Jeremy Hughes


Self extracting archives

[Tip]
Here's a trick which makes it much easier to extract Reader Disk software from TOS 1.04 onwards.
  • Open a desktop window to display the self-extracting TOS file to be unpacked.
  • Open another window to where you would like the archive unpacked to.
  • Without "topping" the first window (i.e. the second window remains highlighted) click and hold down the right mouse button while double-clicking on the archive with left mouse button - it sounds more painful than actually doing it.
  • Release the right button and the TOS program will run from the inactive window and unpack the archive into the active window!

Derryck Croker


CAB conjecture

[Q]
I haven't tried to use CAB online yet but reading the manual I first get the impression that I need multitasking for full capability but that I can probably use it without (I also have Geneva). I also get the impression PPP-Connect will only work under Magic?

Oliver Skelton, atari.st conference on CiX

[A]
  • PPP-Connect needs MagiC because SOCKETS.PRG is written for MagiC (although we have heard unconfirmed reports it does run under MiNT).
  • CAB will run under TOS, Geneva, MiNT, MagiC etc BUT...
  • Most of the new modules in CAB 2.5 offer enhanced functionality when run in parallel so a multitasking OS is desirable.
Effectively this means use MagiC for everything or don't use PPP-Connect. If you already have a working STiK/STiNG set-up there's no compelling reason to change.

Joe Connor


Icons in Freedom

[Q]
I'm trying to set up the Freedom replacement file selector on my machine. The only problem is I don't get any of the groovy icons. I guess it's something to do with the path to the image folder, but I can't pin it down.

Martin Franklin, via CiX

[A]
For Freedom v1.15e edit FREEDOM.CNF so the #IMAGEPATH points to a folder containing FREEDMXX.IMG where XX equates to the number of blitplanes for your screen resolution:
  • FREEDM01.IMG Mono resolutions
  • FREEDM04.IMG 16 colour resolutions
  • FREEDM08.IMG 256 colour resolutions
Snippet from FREEDOM.CNF:
------------ 8< ----------------
; Path to Images (FREEDMxx.IMG):
; Note: Use upper case only
#IMAGEPATH C:\FREEDOM
------------ 8< ----------------

Martyn Dryden


[A]
If you're using Freedom 2 the icons are called from compiled GEM files called:
  • Colour: F2ICONSC.CVD
  • Mono: F2ICONSM.CVD
Locate these files and set the path to these from within Freedom using the CONFIG.CPX.

[Screenshot]

Joe Connor


SPEEDBALL 2 Playing Guide

Having spent getting on for five years honing my skills at this game, I've decided to share my experience with y'all!
Attributes: The key attributes to boost are POWER, THROWING, SPEED and STAMINA - the others can wait until needed. If your first match in the league or cup is against one of the vastly better sides such as Steel Fury, concentrate on SPEED and STAMINA. In the team management game INTELLIGENCE is more important. There are several key tactics:
  • Get control of the SCORE MULTIPLIER. This should be your first priority because the ELECTROBALL is much more effective and you score more points. Use of the ELECTROBALL can also help you to score goals and gain control of the SCORE MULTIPLIER, but be careful you aren't robbed of the ball while you have the ELECTROBALL because you'll probably find your player takes a beating, your opponents will take control of the SCORE MULTIPLIER, and you'll be in serious trouble. Most teams don't make a big effort to take control of the SCORE MULTIPLIER which works to your advantage.
  • Always tackle from behind. You are virtually guaranteed a successful tackle, even if your opponents stats are much higher than yours.
  • Collect money. Without cash you'll have little chance of doing well.
Transfers: There are only a few players really worth buying, unless their stats over 220 you can build up any team member instead. Here's a few pointers:
  • Attack: JAMS is brilliant up front and NORMAN is worth buying.
  • Midfield: STRAVOS is the man, despite being ugly with a sixties style haircut!
  • Defence: GARRICK is worth a look.
Of course, you'll need good reflexes, an unbreakable wrist and a sturdier-than-sturdy joystick, but if you follow my tips, you'll be winning the league and cup fairly easily!

Dave Seaman


GOT A PROBLEM?

Our team of experts are on hand to investigate and solve almost anything you can throw at them. However, we do not enter into individual correspondence so please try to ask questions to which the answer is likely to be of interest to as many people as possible - this will greatly increase the chances of us being able to answer your question in these pages. Please send questions on disk in ASCII format to:

Atari Computing
Q&A
"Rois Bheinn"
Overton Crescent
JOHNSTONE
PA5 8JB
Scotland
Or by email to: editor@ataricomputing.com


AC#6 BUG REPORT

  • N.AES is an AES replacement not a multitasking OS. N.AES must be used with MiNT to provide a multitasking OS, however MiNT can be used without N.AES or with other AES versions, such as MultiTOS.
  • In the News pages we reported PPP-Connect was the first software offering PPP internet access for the Atari platform. This is not true because PPP support is available using MiNTNet - although it's not easy to set up. STiNG now also offers PPP support.
  • In the Letters pages we incorrectly reported Infopedia is a product developed by Homa Systems to access PC-based CD-ROMs on the Atari. In fact the product is called Atari CD Master and this does support Infopedia, an encyclopaedia CD-ROM from Softkey.


PURE C ISN'T


If you upgraded an Atari ST with a 68882 maths co-processor (FPU) you may run into problems using programs compiled with Pure C or Pure Pascal.
The Pure C/Pascal compilers insert code in a program to detect the presence of an FPU and to use it if it is there.
On 68020/68030 equipped machines it calls subroutines written in FPU machine code but on 68000 equipped machines it has to use subroutines which emulate the CPU/FPU communication protocol built into the 68020 and later chips.
Unfortunately the Pure C/Pascal code is not a true emulation of that protocol and in many cases 68881/68882 FPU's return different responses.

The Reader Disk contains a more detailed explanation of the problem, and an executable program called FIX_FPU.PRG along with commented assembler source code and HiSoft BASIC listings. The following programs have been tested and appear to work OK:

  • Pre v1.5 CAB was performing floating point calculations, although Alexander denies this!
  • Kandinsky contains five subroutines which can be patched.
  • HDDriver utility program (partitioning won't work without the patch)
  • DA Vector, DTP package (demo version).
  • Zorg registered version (the un-registered version appears to unpack itself at run-time - in any case this patching program won't fix it)
  • Five to Five, sound file conversion utility.
  • Gemview v2.24 and maybe other versions.
  • Atari CD Master from Homa Systems House (INFOPEDI.PRG and PLAYSND.PRG)
  • Probe House DMA Sample Player (PHPLAYER.PRG).
The patch program may work on other problem programs but neither I nor Atari Computing accept any liability or responsibility for any direct or indirect damage that may arise, either financial, material or any other kind from either the use or misuse of this software and associated documentation. All trademarks used are recognised and acknowledged.

David Leaver



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