Archive Magazine CD 1995/Archive Magazine CD 1995.iso/text/magazine/volume_05/issue_01

Text File | 1995-06-25 | 224KB | 4,706 lines

 What a Show!
5.1
It looks as if the 1991 Acorn User Show is going to be a memorable one.
Obviously, the launch of the A5000 is the main reason but I am sure that
there is going to be lots else there to see. Computer Concepts’ HiRes4
will be the first “under £1,000” (plus VAT) high speed, 600 d.p.i. laser
printer and their 300 d.p.i. flatbed scanner is another step forward,
keeping Archimedes at the forefront of low cost, high quality, DTP.
5.1
Many other companies are using this year’s Acorn User Show to launch
their latest products, so come and see us on stand number 73.... and
don’t forget your bring and buy charity software and hardware.
5.1
Welcome to year 5 of Archive − and Archimedes!
5.1
Well, thanks for re-subscribing into volume 5 of Archive. A very high
proportion of people whose subscription ran out at the the end of volume
4 have re-subscribed for volume 5 − more than I’d dared to hope. Thanks
for the vote of confidence. I hope you will not be disappointed.
5.1
It certainly looks as if the A5000 and all the other new products are
going to breath new life into the Archimedes market as we look towards
1992 − just as long as Acorn haven’t “done an A540” on us again and
under-estimated the demand. Come on, Acorn, you can do it! You have a
superb product if you can just get it out of the factory in sufficient
quantity.
5.1
We wish Acorn, and all our subscribers, all the very best for another
year of Archimedes.
5.1
             Paul Beverley
5.1

5.1
Products Available
5.1
•    A5000, the New Archimedes Machine − At the Acorn User Show, Acorn will
be launching, and actually selling, the new ARM3 based Archimedes
computer, the A5000. It is such an exciting product that we have
dedicated a complete supplement to explaining all about it.
5.1
The basic facts are:
5.1
•    25MHz ARM3 processor (giving 13 MIPs)
5.1
•    Fast (12 MHz) 2M memory expandable to 4M
5.1
•    Bundled with Acorn multisync monitor
5.1
•    1.6M floppy capable for reading (intelligently) all the Acorn formats
and also the 720k and 1.44M PC formats
5.1
•    40M internal IDE hard drive
5.1
•    RISC-OS 3 operating system
5.1
•    Unit starting price, including m/s monitor and hard drive £1499 +VAT
(£1761)
5.1
(No, that’s not a misprint − it really is less than £1800!) This looks
like a real winner especially when you take that price into account.
Well done Acorn! All they have to do now is produce lots of them − and
quickly!
5.1
•    A5000 Learning Curve − For an extra £38, you can buy an A5000 Learning
Curve (£1799 inc VAT) which gives you PC Emulator (1.6), DR-DOS 5.0,
Genesis Plus, First Word Plus, Acorn DTP, Pacmania and Lemmings plus a
two-hour tutorial on two audio cassettes and a Home Computing magazine.
5.1
•    A410/420/540/R260 price drops − The A440 has been discontinued but the
A410 and A420 are still available and their ex-VAT prices have been
dropped by £200 to £899 and £1099 respectively (£1049 and £1284 inc
VAT). The A540 and the R260 Unix machine have each been dropped by £500
to £2495 and £3495 respectively (£2925 and £4088 inc VAT).
5.1
(The A3000 price is unchanged at £599 +VAT.)
5.1
•    Acorn badged printer − Also to be launched at the A.U. Show is a JP150
inkjet printer with an Acorn badge. The cost is £276 inc VAT when bought
with an A3000 or A5000.
5.1

5.1
•    85M Removable drives − We are now stocking the new Syquest 88M
removable drives in Mac-type external cases. I have been trying one out
and they seem fine. They run at 900 kbytes/second (cf the 42M removables
at 580 k/sec). The formatted capacity is 84.7 Mbytes. The drives cost
£690 and spare cartridges are £140 each. (More details on page 21.)
5.1
•    A310 memory upgrades − IFEL have improved the deal they are offering
us on their 4M ram upgrades so we can now do it for £320 inclusive. It
is worth remembering that, as we say in our adverts, “price isn’t
everything”. In other words, you can buy memory upgrades at less than
£320 even including fitting plus carrier collection and delivery but it
may not necessarily be a good buy. From our experience, plug-in type
upgrades which use the ROM sockets are generally OK, but if your
computer is one of those where problems do occur, the money saving may
well not be worth it in the long run. We believe that the soldered-in
variety are the best bet.
5.1
Also, you will see adverts claiming “MEMC1a not needed”. We do not think
this is a good idea. Again, from our experience, most computers probably
will get away without fitting the MEMC1a on these upgrades but some can
cause problems and the problems may only become obvious when some other
hardware is added to the computer. For example, we had an A310 returned
with a SCSI hard drive which, apparently, would not work properly. Our
engineer, Ray Maidstone, eventually discovered that, although there was
a problem with the SCSI drive, the whole thing was compounded by
interaction with the memory board. This had been fitted some time ago
and had worked properly even without a MEMC1a. However, with the
addition of the SCSI drive, the combination would not work properly
without a MEMC1a. Although neither the memory upgrade nor the SCSI
controller apparently needed a MEMC1a on its own, we found that the
combination most definitely did.
5.1
Beware, too, of cheap DIY upgrades. If they work, that’s great, but we
have had more than one computer which Ray has had to spend quite a long
time on to find what was wrong. Often it was not due to bad soldering −
with many, it was a fault revealed by doing the upgrade. Whatever the
cause, it works out to be a very expensive way of getting a cheap
upgrade!
5.1
•    Archimedes Disc Rescue − No longer should “Broken Directory” or “Bad
Free Space Map” strike terror into your hearts, even if it is on the
root directory of your 100Mb SCSI hard drive! LOOKsystems have produced
their Archimedes Disc Rescue package which allows you to repair your
discs quickly and easily. The programs work with both hard drives and
floppy discs on most Archimedes filing systems such as ADFS, SCSI, IDE,
etc. The package includes three utilities, which will repair and recover
files, directories and disc maps by selecting the appropriate filing
system and drive number or by dragging the ailing file or directory onto
the icon bar. There is also a sophisticated disc editor, for more
confident users, allowing you to navigate around, edit and repair discs.
(It is even possible to edit some non-Archimedes formats such as DFS and
IBM.) The programs are accompanied by a manual that includes a disc
repair primer and an explanation of the Archimedes’ disc formats. It
costs £35 inclusive of p&p (no VAT) from LOOKsystems.
5.1
•    Bit-Mapped Fonts − Wyddfa Software has produced a family of four bit-
mapped fonts. Anwen medium, bold, italic and upright. They cost £3 each
or £9 for all four. These are not outline fonts and so you do not need
to have a copy Acorn’s outline font manager. However, the printout is
not as good as with outline fonts.
5.1
•    Capsoft Disc Nº2 − A disc full of Draw files for just £9 from Capsoft
(B J Thompson). It has a number of drawn fonts for poster and display
purposes and frame borders for DTP use. See page 53 for a review.
5.1
•    Careware Disc 14 − consists of !FarBeyond which is Tetris with a
colourful twist, !PolySaw which is a desktop polymos, an interactive
hyper cube, the classic game of life, Mandelbrot generator, caret
blinker module, !CheckTemp which displays info on WIMP template files,
an HP Deskjet 500 setup utility, an Epson FX printer emulator, a Basic
program compressor, a word wrapped printer utility for text files, a
Lempel-Zev-Welch compression utility and some easy FNs to produce Draw
files from Basic.
5.1
•    Christmas Allsorts is a collection of Christmas oriented Draw files
from Sherston Software. The price is £16.95 +VAT.
5.1
•    Clip Art / Line Art − Some new discs of clip art are available this
month from G.A. Herdman and Southern Printers. Contact them for details.
5.1
•    Compression − Computer Concepts are releasing a new utility which uses
Lempel-Zev-Welch (LZW) compression to load and save files in compressed
format “five to ten times as fast as other utilities such as !Spark”.
This should not be confused with the LZW utility on the Careware 14 disc
(see above) which is only a set of SWI calls for use within a program
environment. It is a full desktop filing system so it operates with all
RISC-OS applications directly. This costs £49 +VAT or £53 through
Archive. This means that for just £53, you can effectively double the
capacity of your hard disc − which has to be good value for money even
with the falling drive prices mentioned below.
5.1
(We have just got hold of a copy and it looks as if loading and saving
times are never more than 50% more than uncompressed filing and file
size savings can be as much as 80% on sprites, 70% on Drawfiles and even
text files go down by 50%. Programs, however, are not compressed at all
and the utility doesn’t even bother to try. One disadvantage is that it
takes up about 200k of RAM which may not be too helpful for those with
only 1Mbyte! A de-compressor is also provided which can be freely
distributed, so you can send compressed files to other people and they
will be able to un-compress them.)
5.1
•    Enter the Realm − The 4th Dimension has extended its games list to
include Enter the Realm which is due to be released at the Acorn User
Show. This is an arcade style game with 6 layer full parallax scrolling,
sampled sound & speech, 16 colour graphics with 256 colour screens to
set the scene. It has a story line that runs throughout the game, you
have various weapons, pickups, monsters, interactive characters to
interrogate, buildings to enter, scoreboard etc. The price is £24.95 or
£23 through Archive.
5.1
•    FaxScan − SpaceTech’s Faxscan which turns an Amstrad FX9600T or
FX9600AT fax into an Archimedes scanner is now available through Archive
(see Archive 4.12 p3). The interface on its own is £110. Please check
that your fax has a label underneath saying “FX2”. If it says “FX1” you
have a very early model and will need a different version of the
interface − but it still costs £110. The complete package of FX9600AT +
interface + printer cable is £570. Remember that what you get for is a
plain paper fax that will also send faxes straight from the computer
without having to print them out, a plain paper copier, an Epson
compatible printer, an answering machine, a telephone and a 200 dpi
scanner with sheet-feeder!
5.1
•     Fireball II Extra − The popular Archimedes “Breakout” type game,
Fireball II has now been re-released with a few extra features including
an editor but with 180 “fiendishly difficult” screens to complete. The
price is down from £24.95 to £14.95 from Cambridge International
Software or £14 through Archive.
5.1
•    First Impression − At last, there is some help with Impression (as
well as Archive magazine)! Stephen Ibbs, a lecturer at Bilston Community
College, has produced “First Impression” − a tutorial package for
Impression II. It consists of 250 pages in a ring binder looking
remarkable similar to the Impression ring binder and contains 13
tutorial chapters and 11 appendix chapters plus a couple of floppy discs
with example documents and templates. First Impression contains
reminders, hints & tips and self-assessment tasks. The cost is £29.95
from Stephen’s company, “Word Processing” or £28 through Archive. Both
include p&p.
5.1
If you want even more help, Stephen is offering a distance learning
package from Bilston College which is intended for those who cannot
attend normal college classes and wish to study at home. The course will
be £35 (plus the cost of the tutorial guide) and is suitable for all
ages.
5.1
More details of First Impression are given in the review on page 17.
5.1
•    Fun & Games − HS Software has provided us with three games in one,
under the title “Fun & Games”. It is aimed at helping 5 to 9 year olds
on National Curriculum Maths and English. “Coconuts” helps children with
sequencing and devising and repeating patterns. In “Burger Boy”, you
have to help make up orders for a fast food take-away. This covers a
range of skills including reading, matching, sequencing, auditory and
visual memory and addition to 10 and beyond. Finally there is “Tidy” in
which you help Emma and her pet parrot to tidy her bedroom. This again
helps with a range of skills. Fun & Games costs £19.95 from HS Software
or £18 through Archive.
5.1
•    Guitar Chord & Piano Keyboard outline fonts − Dalmation Publications
have produced two specialist outline fonts at £5.50 each (£10 for both).
‘Guitar’ makes it easy to produce chord windows for a range of stringed
instruments and ‘Piano’ provides a chord box creator for keyboards in
general.
5.1
•    Hi-Fi Sound Upgrade Module − Ray Maidstone has produced a plug-in unit
with flying leads to connect to an external amplifier. It bypasses the
high-pass filter circuit and so gives a much clearer sound than the
straight output. The unit is user-fittable and comes with full instruc
tions. The price is £24.80 from Ray Maidstone or £23 through Archive.
5.1
•    Karaoke Performer − EMR are launching a karaoke system that will work
with any cassette player and any Archimedes computer. Each set consists
of 6 professional backing tracks on audio cassette for just £10 + £1.50
p&p +VAT. The text of the song scrolls in various ways on the screen in
sync with the audio. The control program also allows a separate graphics
program or video controller to be used to make original backgrounds
during the performance. A free graphics animation is provided with each
set. Over 90 sets are already available from 50’s to 80’s hits and
featured artists. EMR also sell a Karaoke unit with echo microphone,
mixer and amplifier + speaker system to compliment the Karaoke Performer
costing £69 inc VAT.
5.1
•    Laser Direct HiRes4 − Computer Concepts are now producing a 600 dpi
laser printer for “under £1000” (plus VAT). They are using the very
popular Canon LBP4 and combining it with their Laser Direct interface
for just £999 +VAT (£1,100 through Archive). All the comments we have
made about this combination in earlier issues apply but the price has
now dropped, thanks to Computer Concepts, from £1,255 to £1,100. HiRes4
has an Epson emulation (128 grey-level printing), Econet & Nexus network
options, PC (and other) compatibility via the serial & parallel
interfaces and a 1-year on-site maintenance is included. This will help
to keep Archimedes DTP as the most affordable and effective DTP system
available on any computer system (especially when combined with the new
A5000!)
5.1
Just think about it..... A5000 + Impression + HiRes4 gives you 600 dpi
DTP for just £1760 + £180 + £1100 = £3040 (= £2587 ex VAT). Remembering
that the A5000 has ARM3 and 40M drive, you have a very powerful system.
The only thing you might want to add is another 2M ram.
5.1
For a professional flatbed 300 dpi scanner (see below), add £990 + £200
for a SCSI interface or buy a SCSI drive and use the interface.
5.1
Surely, that’s an unbeatable system! Will someone with contacts in the
outside world (well, outside Acorn) please tell them about this system?
5.1
•    Pandora’s Box − Another of 4th Dimension’s games to be released at the
Acorn User Show is Pandora’s Box which combines classic puzzles and
arcade action. It uses isometric 3D graphics. The game play is basically
that the beast has escaped from Pandora’s box and has to be captured and
returned from whence he came before he does untold damage to mankind.
The price is £24.95 or £23 through Archive.
5.1
•    Penguin lovers should go to the Colton Software stand (59) at the
Acorn User Show. Don’t ask me why. Rob Macmillan says it’s serious!
5.1
•    Scanlight Professional − A flatbed scanner offering 300 dpi 256
greyscale scanning. It uses the SCSI interface (which many people are
already using for hard drives), white-light scanning for accurate grey-
level scans and enhanced Scanlight software which includes scan selected
region, full grey-map control of brightness and contrast, instant image
rotate by any angle, sampling options to reduce Moire patterns, image
enhance options such as blurring, sharpening, etc. The price is just
£899 +VAT or £990 through Archive.
5.1
•    Scanlight special offer − For a limited time, we are offering
Scanlight Seniors (both A3000 and A300/400) for £380 instead of £434
(CC’s full price is £468.82). This is only while stocks last. Also, we
still have some of the Scanlight Juniors (mono) at £189 (cf CC’s price
of £220.07).
5.1
•    SCSI drives prices down − The drives we introduced last month are
selling well and we’ve managed to reduce the prices. We have also now
extended the range to include internal drives. When they are supplied to
us, they come with metalwork and cables suitable for the Apple Macin
tosh. However, the prices are so good that it is worthwhile buying new
metalwork to make them fit properly into the Archimedes. Part of the
pricing table we included last month is repeated so that you can see the
improvements in pricing. Also, Oak Solutions have changed their pricing.
Some of their drives have also decreased in price. (20M drives are no
longer available through N.C.S.)
5.1
EXTERNAL drives WITH podule
5.1
    WW    HS    Frog    AW
5.1
45M    500        520
5.1
50M        560        620
5.1
65M            550
5.1
80M    565
5.1
100M    695    760    620    790
5.1
200M    1060    1180    870
5.1
300M        2100    1290
5.1
640M        2850    1690
5.1
1000M            2290
5.1
If you look at the prices without podule, i.e. for those of you looking
for a second SCSI drive, the differences in price are more marked....
5.1
EXTERNAL drives WITHOUT podule
5.1
    WW    HS    Frog    AW
5.1
45M    400        320
5.1
50M        460        420
5.1
65M            350
5.1
80M    465
5.1
100M    595    660    420    590
5.1
200M    960    1080    670
5.1
300M        2000    1090
5.1
640M        2750    1490
5.1
1000M            2090
5.1
INTERNAL drives WITH podule
5.1
    WW    HS    Frog    AW
5.1
45M    405        490
5.1
50M        470        535
5.1
65M            520
5.1
80M    450
5.1
100M    570    660    590    700
5.1
200M    995    1090    840
5.1
Again, the prices without podule, show a more marked difference....
5.1
INTERNAL drives WITHOUT podule
5.1
    WW    HS    Frog    AW
5.1
45M    305        290
5.1
50M        370        335
5.1
65M            320
5.1
80M    350
5.1
100M    470    560    390    500
5.1
200M    895    990    640
5.1
•    Stop Watch − G.A.Herdman has produced a twin timer stop watch working
in the desktop. It has a large display suitable for class viewing using
either Porterhouse fonts from Applications Disc 1 or the outline font,
Trinity for better effect. It also has a lap-timer and will give a count
down with audible warning. It displays hours, minutes and seconds to
0.01s and 100 hours. £19.99 + £1.50 p&p from G.A. Herdman.
5.1
•    Three new games are due to be released by Krisalis at the Acorn User
Show: Lemmings which, in other computer formats, won a “Game of the
Year” award, Chuck Rock which according to the advert in Acorn User,
includes “parolex scroll” (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that − but even my
spelling’s not purfect!) and Manchester United Europe which takes that
club into European knockout competitions with both management decisions
to make and arcade action matches to play. Each game is £25.99 or £23
through Archive.
5.1
•    Turbo Type is a typing tutor from Cambridge International Software
Ltd. It features an on-screen keyboard during all exercises, digitised
sounds, large text option, exercise editor, metronome for improved
typing rhythm and has four levels of exercises: beginners who can
practise subsets or the complete keyboard, intermediate for typing easy
sentences, advanced for difficult sentences and short paragraphs and
numeric for those wanting to practice the numeric keypad. TurboType is
£24.95 from Cambridge International or £23 through Archive.
5.1

5.1
Review software received...
5.1
We have received review copies of the following software and hardware:
Southern Printers’ Draw Format Line Art Disc 2, !Sinewaver, !BasShrink,
Landmarks Victorians, Landmarks Rain Forest, Hawk V9 updated software,
Genesis Script Language book, HiFi Sound Upgrade Module, PrimeArt,
Dalmation Guitar & Piano fonts, ARCtist, Imagine from Topologika,
OutLook for Eizo 9080i.  A
5.1

5.1
Government Health Warning − Reading this could seriously affect your
spiritual health.
5.1
Can you remember back to your childhood? How did you get on with your
father? What was your relationship with him like? For many people, the
thoughts raised by the word “father” are rather negative but let’s try
to be positive. What could or should that relationship be like?
5.1
Obviously, you would hope that the father would love and care for the
child and give comfort when the child was distressed. The father
wouldn’t let the child do just what it liked − that would not be loving
because the child, depending on its age, could face all sorts of dangers
and develop in all sorts of bad ways if not shown the right way to do
things. But there comes a point where the father has to let the child
make its own decisions − and that can be painful.
5.1
Suppose the child reaches a certain age and rejects the father’s
standards and ideas − and his love − and decides to go off and not have
anything at all to do with him any more. Imagine how that hurts the
father. Perhaps you know from bitter experience how that feels.
5.1
Well that’s how God feels when we tell him we don’t need his standards
or his love − we know better, we can manage perfectly well without him,
thanks very much. Maybe we’ve convinced ourselves that he doesn’t even
exist. That hurts him − He is broken hearted for us....  but....
5.1
God loved the world (and that means you and me) so much that he gave
Jesus, his own son, to die for us so that we could enjoy, once again,
that wonderful father-child relationship with God. Let me assure you
that if you decide to “come home”, you’ll get a wonderful welcome!
5.1

5.1

5.1
Norwich Computer Services 96a Vauxhall Street, Norwich, NR2 2SD. 0603-
766592 (764011)
5.1

5.1
4th Dimension    P.O. Box 4444, Sheffield. (0742−700661)
5.1
Abacus Training    29 Okus Grove, Upper Stratton, Swindon, Wilts, SN2
6QA.
5.1
Acorn Direct    13 Dennington Road, Wellingborough, Northants, NN8 2RL.
5.1
Acorn Computers Ltd    Fulbourn
Road, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, CB1 4JN. (0223−245200) (−210685)
5.1
Ace Computing (p8)    27 Victoria
Road, Cambridge, CB4 3BW. (0223−322559) (−69180)
5.1
Aleph One Ltd    The Old Courthouse, Bottisham, Cambridge, CB5 9BA.
(0223−811679) (−812713)
5.1
Atomwide Ltd (p20)    23 The
Greenway, Orpington, Kent, BR5 2AY. (0689−838852) (−896088)
5.1
Avisoft     11 Meadow Close, Wolvey, Hinckley, LE10 3LW.
5.1
Bilston Community College    Open
Business Centre, Green Lanes, Bilston, West Midlands  WV14 6EW.
(0902−353929) (−405545)
5.1
Cambridge International Software        Unit 2a,
Essex Road, London, N1 3QP. (071−226−3340) (−226−3408)
5.1
Capsoft (BJ Thompson)    8 Old Gate
Avenue, Weston on Trent, Derbyshire, DE7 2BZ.
5.1
Carvic Manufacturing    3 Shingay
Lane, Sawston, Cambridge CB2 4SS. (0223−834100)
5.1
Clares Micro Supplies    98 Mid
dlewich Road, Rudheath, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 7DA. (0606−48511)
(−48512)
5.1
Colton Software (p24)    2 Signet
Court, Swanns Road, Cambridge, CB5 8LA. (0223−311881) (−312010)
5.1
Computer Concepts (p30/31)    Gaddesden
Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 6EX. (0442−63933) (−231632)
5.1
Dalmation Publications    37 Manor
Road, Teddington, Middlesex  TW11 8AA.
5.1
David Pilling    P.O.Box 22, Thornton Cleveleys, Blackpool, FY5 1LR.
5.1
Digital Services    9 Wayte Street, Cosham, Portsmouth PO6 3BS.
(0705−210600) (−210705)
5.1
EMR Ltd     14 Mount Close, Wickford, Essex, SS11 8HG. (0702−335747)
5.1
G.A.Herdman     43 Saint Johns Drive, Clarborough, Retford, Notts DN22
9NN. (0777−700918) (also 700918)
5.1
HS Software    56, Hendrefolian Avenue, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 7NB.
(0792−204519)
5.1
IFEL (p19)    36 Upland Drive, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 6BD. (0752−847286)
5.1
Lingenuity (Lindis)    P.O.Box 10,
Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0DX. (0986−85−476) (−460)
5.1
LOOKsystems (p7)    47 Goodhale Road, Bowthorpe, Norwich, NR5 9AY.
(0603−764114) (−764011)
5.1
Micro Studio Ltd    22 Churchgate Street, Soham, Ely, Cambridgeshire.
(0353−720433)
5.1
Oak Solutions (p12)    Cross Park
House, Low Green, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6HA. (0532−502615) (−506868)
5.1
P.R.E.S. Ltd    P.O. Box 319, Lightwater, Surrey GU18 5PW. (0276−72046)
(−51427)
5.1
Ray Maidstone (p23)    421
Sprowston Road, Norwich, NR3 4EH. (0603−407060) (−417447)
5.1
Shenley Software    5 Coombefield Close, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 5QF.
(081−949−3235)
5.1
Sherston Software    Swan Barton, Sherston, Malmesbury, Wilts. SN16 0LH.
(0666−840433) (−840048)
5.1
Silicon Vision Ltd (p11)    Signal
House, Lyon Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2AG. (081−422−2274) (−427−5169)
5.1
Southern Printers    47 Drake Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent TN24 0UZ.
(0233−633919)
5.1
Spacetech (p15)    21 West Wools, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EA.
(0305−822753)
5.1
Techsoft UK Ltd (p16)    Old School
Lane, Erryrs, Mold, Clwyd, CH7 4DA. (082−43318)
5.1
Topologika    P.O. Box 39, Stilton, Peterborough, PE7 3RL. (0733−244682)
5.1
Word Processing    65 Milldale Crescent, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, W
Midlands  WV10 6LR.
5.1
Wyddfa Software    3 Preswylfa, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55 4LF.
(0286−870101)
5.1

5.1

5.1
Ace Computing
5.1
From 4.12 page 22
5.1

5.1
Hints and Tips
5.1
•    FileUtils − Anyone using Ben Summers’ FileUtils should note that
<ctrl-shift-F2>, <ctrl-shift-F3> and <ctrl-shift-F4> will still call up
the FileUtils routines even when, say, working in Impression. This can
give a nasty shock if you are, for example, trying to insert preset
styles using <ctrl-shift-F4> and a “change filetype” dialogue window
pops up. Mike Hobart, Cambridge.
5.1
•    Installing Desktop C − If you have recently upgraded from C to Desktop
C, you may have a little difficulty installing Desktop C onto your hard
disc. When you first try to run the ‘Install’ program, it will stop
abruptly half way through the second of the four discs, with no clues as
to what has happened. This is because the ‘Install’ program tries to
create a directory called $.User. Cmodule, which already exists from
your previous installation of C and so the program crashes. The solution
is simple, just delete the old $.User.Cmodule directory before attempt
ing to install Desktop C.   D R Kennard, London.
5.1
•    LBP-4 CaSPL − Switching between Video output (for the CC Hi-Res board)
and CaSPL output of the LBP-4 doesn’t appear to be documented in the
manual. Here is how it can be done:
5.1
From Video to CaSPL mode:
5.1
1.    Hold down “Menu” for 3 seconds until “Mode=Video” is displayed.
5.1
2.    Tap the “Menu” key once to display “Mode=CaSPL”
5.1
3.    Tap “Enter”. The LCD will read “01 Ex Exit” then “00 Ready A4”
5.1
4.    Tap the “Off-line” key to take the machine off-line (if the green
on-line indicator is lit).
5.1
5.    Tap “Feeder Select”.
5.1
6.    Tap “Menu”. The menu as described in the manual is now displayed.
5.1
From CaSPL to Video:
5.1
1.    Take the printer off-line.
5.1
2.    Hold down the “Menu” for 3 seconds − “Mode=CaSPL” is displayed.
5.1
3.    Tap “Menu” again − “Mode=Video” is displayed.
5.1
4.    Tap “Enter”.
5.1
5.    You are now back in Video mode.
5.1
Mike, Bainbridge, Derby.
5.1
Impression Hints & Tips
5.1
•    Adding a frame at beginning of a story − It is not immediately obvious
(well, it wasn’t to me!) how to add extra frames into a story that runs
through a number of frames. Suppose you have two frames, B and C (I’ll
get to A in a minute) − perhaps they are two main columns on this page −
and you want to split column B into two frames leaving a gap in the
middle. What you do is firstly shorten frame B using the frame handle at
the middle of the bottom of the frame. Then you use <ctrl-I> and create
a new frame wherever you want it under frame B (let’s call it frame B2).
Now click on frame B with <select> and then on frame B2 with <adjust>
and the text will flow into it so that it runs B−B2−C.
5.1
Now suppose you want the text to start in a frame before frame B. (Let’s
call it frame A.) The technique is to create the new frame, A, wherever
you want it using <ctrl-I>. Then click on frame B with <select> and then
on frame A with <adjust>. The text will now flow into it so that it runs
B−A−B2−C−etc. (N.B. This won’t work unless frames A and B are on the
same page because you cannot flow text backwards across a page bound
ary.) Then click on B and use <ctrl-X> to delete it. The flow is now
just A−B2−C−etc. Finally, you create a new copy of frame B by using
<ctrl-V>, click on frame A with <select> and the new B with <adjust> and
the flow will be A−B−B2−C−etc.
5.1
•    Dual window problems solved? − A few issues ago, I mentioned the
problem that if you open a second window on a document and then expand
and contract that window (so that you can alternately use two different
scale views) each time you shrink view 2 using the icon at the top right
of the window, it doesn’t stay at the place in the document that you
have just been working on. It always seemed (in my case) to go back to
somewhere earlier in the document. No one has offered any solution but
it seems to me that it goes back to wherever you last added a frame into
that window. So if you want to “keep your place” in the second window,
use <ctrl-I> to create a new frame at that place in the document and
then use <ctrl-X> to delete it again. Crude, but it seems to work. (No,
it doesn’t, not always. Drat, I thought I had solved it! Come on,
someone must be able to solve this one − I’ll give a free Archive mug to
the first person to solve it. Ed.)
5.1
• Equasor and matrices − The biggest drawback Equasor has for me as a
mathematics teacher is its inability − at least in version 1.00 − to
handle vectors and matrices.
5.1
There is, however, a way in which a very credible matrix can be created
− with a small amount of extra work:
5.1
I build the columns as multiple fractions, and then enclose everything
in brackets; I drop the file into Draw, remove the fraction bars and
then align the brackets with the numbers.
5.1
Jochen Konietzko, Köln, Germany
5.1
•    Special characters − Now I’m sure you ALL knew this, but I didn’t
until I read this month’s PipeLine article. The Alt key is extremely
useful for inserting special characters in the text. I had discovered
that <Alt-space> (that’s holding the Alt key down and tapping on the
space bar) gave a ‘hard’ space where you don’t what the words (e.g. the
halves of a postcode) to be split across the end of one line and the
beginning of the next, and I had discovered the idea of using Alt
together with the numbers on the numeric keypad to produce special
characters, but how about this...
5.1
      a² + b² = c³
5.1
I produced that in seconds without using superscript. The ² is produced
with <Alt-2> and the ³ with (yes, you’ve guessed) <Alt-3>. In other
words, you hold down the Alt key, as if it were the shift key, and type
2 or 3. Here is a table of the ones I have found but note that this only
applies to Trinity font which I am using. Other fonts may be different
but, generally, they tend to stick to using the same symbols for the
same ASCII numbers which the Alt key produces. The third column is the
ASCII number produced.
5.1
<Alt-1>    ¹    185
5.1
<Alt-2>    ²    178
5.1
<Alt-3>    ³    179
5.1
<Alt-9>    ±    177
5.1
<Alt-0>    °     176
5.1
<Alt-C>    ¢    162
5.1
<Shift-Alt-C>    ©    169
5.1
<Alt-M>    µ    181
5.1
<Alt-R>    ®    174
5.1
<Alt-S>    §    167
5.1
<Alt-X>    »    187
5.1
<Alt-Y>    ¥    165
5.1
<Alt-Z>    «    171
5.1
<Alt-`>    ¬    172
5.1
(top left key under <esc>)
5.1
<Alt-,>    ×    215
5.1
<Alt-.>    ÷    247
5.1
<Alt-space>        160 (hard space)
5.1
If you have found any that I have missed, perhaps in other fonts, let us
know. Ed.
5.1
• Spell checking Edit documents − Whenever I typed a longish Edit text
file, I used to regret the absence of a spell checker. For Impression
users, this poses no problem:
5.1
Simply drop the Edit file in question into an empty Impression frame,
have Impression check the spelling, then export the text back into Edit
by saving just the text story without styles. You can drag the text
story onto the Edit icon to have another look at it or save it in the
usual way directly to a disk. The import/export takes just a few
seconds, so this is nearly as good as a spell checker built into Edit
itself. Jochen Konietzko, Köln, Germany  A
5.1

5.1
Silicon Vision
5.1
New
5.1

5.1
Colton
5.1

5.1
4.12 p21
5.1

5.1
Matters Arising
5.1
•    Archimedes’ Tutor − Simon Anthony has produced a Beginner’s D.I.Y.
Introduction to the Archimedes using the !Hyper application on Shareware
Disc 19. If anyone is interested they should contact him directly at 62
Rutland Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5DG.
5.1
•    ArmSort − Fast Array Sorts − The author replies... The reviewer
(Ashley Bowden in Archive 4.12 p53) seems to have created a problem with
the flag values. The ArmSort documentation DID clearly state that for
the CALL sort “The parameters must all be variables, but may be of any
name”. If CALL sort,test%() ,128 is used, then it is Basic that objects
with “Syntax Error”, ERR=16, because it is a Basic requirement that all
CALL parameters are variables not constants. Thus it is rather unfair
for the reviewer to claim that to have to use variables is “.. very
unorthodox, and mention should be made in the documentation.” ArmSort
errors are comprehensive and are very clearly documented.
5.1
This ‘problem’ wasted about a third of the review, which could have been
better used to mention the PROCsort and SWI interfaces or the ability to
sort on absolute numeric values, or with null strings low or high.
5.1
May I also suggest that all software reviews should clearly state what
version is being reviewed: the ArmSort review copy was Version 2.12,
sent to Archive in February. The current Version is 2.51, which has the
following improvements: sort time reductions of between 30% and nearly
50%; the ability to sort strings from any position, or by length; the
ability to specify a key sequence; new procedures for a fast binary
search of sorted arrays; and all programs now do run easily from the
desktop. All users have had free upgrades and seem happy with the
product. Martin Avison, Avisoft.
5.1
(Sorry if we seem to have reviewed an out-of-date product but when
someone sends software to us for review, we have to assume it is a
“stable” version. If the software has gone from version 2.12 to version
2.51 since February, this indicates continuous development. This is fine
but, if significant changes are made, the onus is on the software
supplier to send us the latest version. This product was still on the
“software to be reviewed” list in the May edition of Archive. If Martin
had noticed this and sent us the latest version at that stage, the
difficulty might have been avoided. Ed.)
5.1
•    MidiVision Update − Koen Lefever has sent us an updated version the
MidiVision program on Shareware Disc 33. It is now compatible with the
new Acorn MIDI Podule ROM and capable of detecting real time messages.
The new version has been put on this month’s program disc.
5.1
•    PRES Disc Interface & DFS − In the review in Archive 4.11 p27 we
referred to difficulties in reading 40 track BBC discs. PRES suggested
that the problem may be due to “residual data” on the discs. In other
words, they are suggesting that the problem may lie with discs that have
been written onto by different 40 track drives, some with narrow heads,
as in 40/80 drives, and some with wider tracks as in true 40 track
drives. It would be interesting to hear other people’s experiences on
this. We have also found that it is sometimes necessary to slow the head
stepping time right down as low as it will go in order to read 40 track
discs. (We also used a rather old address for PRES. It is currently P.O.
Box 319, Lightwater, Surrey, GU18 5PW. 0276−72046, fax 51427.)
5.1
•    RISC-OS Dreaming − I would like to reply to Oliver Gunasekara’s
letter, RISC-OS Dreaming, published in Archive 4.12 p15. Many of
Oliver’s suggestions have been extensively discussed in the USENET news-
group dedicated to Acorn machines. Well-informed contributions from
Acorn staff (in a private capacity) and experienced programmers (RISC-OS
and otherwise) allow fairly definite predictions to be made as to the
likelihood of some of these suggestions being realised in later version
of RISC-OS.
5.1
Firstly, there is almost no chance of proper demand paged virtual memory
being implemented under RISC-OS on current generation ARM processors.
The problem is that much (if not all) of RISC-OS runs with the ARM
processor in its supervisor mode. In this mode, the ARM-2 and ARM-3 are
unable to implement virtual memory. Not enough information is saved to
enable execution to be resumed after an attempt to access memory not
physically present causes the MEMC memory controller to interrupt
execution. Thus, virtual memory would require a drastic rewrite of RISC-
OS so that any code that might access virtual memory runs in user mode
or avoids memory not physically present. Acorn almost certainly do not
have the resources to do the necessary rewrite. Simpler, less effective
forms of virtual memory such as swapping out non-running programs are
possible, but would still be very complicated.
5.1
Pre-emptive multi-tasking is, on the other hand, quite possible. It is
just that doing it without introducing subtle bugs into software written
under the assumption that multi-tasking is co-operative is fiddly. As
with virtual memory, the fact that RISC-OS did not allow for pre-emptive
multi-tasking, when originally written, makes it messy to implement
later on. Even running other tasks when the current task is blocked,
waiting for i/o, is rather tricky to implement though, according to the
grape-vine, this does indeed happen to some extent in RISC-OS 3.
5.1
As to nicer system fonts, better design, TCP/IP file-sharing and hot-
linking − let’s hope it happens. There’s no technical obstacle and these
are definitely things necessary for Acorn to keep up with the state of
the art. A new file-system allowing more files in a directory and longer
filenames would also go down well. It would be a real boon to people
like myself who have to use RISC-OS machines in conjunction with UNIX or
MesS-DOS boxes.  Andrew Stevens, Overton.
5.1
•    RISC-OS Dreaming − I would agree with many of the points about RISC-OS
2.0 put forward (in Archive 4.12 p15), by Oliver Gunasekara. However,
I’m not sure that making RISC-OS look more like other graphical
interfaces will necessarily bring us much benefit.
5.1
I am responsible for several different computer systems (micros and
minis) each of which has its own user interface from the quirkiness of
the Apple and Atari systems, to the smooth, powerful X-Windows systems.
Some of the staff prefer one system, some prefer another. It’s a bit
like choosing your favourite car, you get the one that suits you.
5.1
Strangely enough, considering its sales, the least popular GUI in our
department is Windows 3.0. Even allowing for its deficiencies, RISC-OS
seems to have become the preferred choice for more than half our
department. Whether this is due to RISC-OS itself, applications like
Impression or the speed of the ARM3 powered machines, I’m not sure. What
I am sure of is that RISC-OS is quite capable of winning converts from
other systems.
5.1
Even so, let’s hope that RISC-OS 3 contains a lot of those improvements
mentioned by Oliver. D Hutchinson, Sheffield.  A
5.1

5.1
Contact Box
5.1
•    Southampton Archimedes User Group is now established. They meet once a
month. For details, write (with S.A.E. please) to Dr Andrew Provan, 79
Roselands Gardens, Highfield, Southampton SO2 1QJ.
5.1
•    User Groups Unite! − We thought it would be a great idea to compile a
list of local user groups and Richard Corderoy has volunteered to be the
coordinator. So, if you run a local group, send the details to Richard
who can compile a list which can go on the monthly disc regularly and/or
be published in the magazine on occasions. The address is R Corderoy, 13
Church Walk, Worthing  BN11 2LS.  A
5.1

5.1
Techsoft
5.1
From 4.12 page 27
5.1

5.1
 First Impression
5.1
Robert Chrismas
5.1
First Impression is a guide to Computer Concepts’ DTP package, Impres
sion II. This guide is not produced by Computer Concepts, although the
letter accompanying the review copy says that it has been ‘approved by
Charles Moir’ of Computer Concepts.
5.1
The package
5.1
It would be easy to mistake the First Impression package for a copy of
Impression. The black ring binder and slip-case are just like the ones
supplied with Impression; the Computer Concepts markings are covered
with smart black sticky labels bearing the ‘First Impression’ title.
5.1
In the back are two disks in a plastic wallet. The price is £29.95
including postage from Word Processing or £28 through Archive.
5.1
The text
5.1
First Impression is divided into two parts. The first part introduces
the main features of Impression and is aimed at users new to Impression.
The second part, the appendices, explains the special techniques used to
produce some sample documents.
5.1
The first part is nearly 150 pages long and it is divided into thirteen
chapters:
5.1
• Introduction
5.1
• Starting Impression
5.1
• Starting a new document
5.1
• Saving your document
5.1
• Printing
5.1
• Inserting and removing text
5.1
• Applying effects
5.1
• Styles
5.1
• Rulers
5.1
• Frames
5.1
• Frame text
5.1
• Graphics
5.1
• Chapters and master pages
5.1
Each chapter takes the user through a series of exercises which
illustrate the topic. There are frequent reminders, helpful sub-headings
and chapter summaries.
5.1
Some of the chapters include written tasks, e.g. ‘Write down the
differences between null frames (and when they stop being null frames)
and guide frames. When would you use each type?’ Lined pages are
included to record your answers. I think this is a good idea but it does
seem a bit strange to take up a pen to write my answer when I could type
it into Impression. I looked in the back, but it did not have model
answers.
5.1
There is a comprehensive index covering the first part of the guide.
5.1
The substantial appendices (about 100 pages) form the second part of the
guide. They describe how to produce a variety of sample documents.
5.1
• Frames
5.1
• Simple questionnaire
5.1
• 2-column questionnaire
5.1
• Dropshadow
5.1
• Simple table
5.1
• Complex table
5.1
• Borders
5.1
• Overlines
5.1
• 3-column leaflet
5.1
• Superimposed text
5.1
• Master page
5.1
The appendices do not depend on one another so you could tackle them in
any order.
5.1
On the disks there are sample files which are referred to in both
sections of the guide.
5.1
Target audience
5.1
When I received this guide, one of my first thoughts was ‘the Impression
manual is pretty good and it includes a tutorial section, do we need
this?’ However, this view overlooks all the people who only use
computers in order to make a living, who regard time spent thumbing
through a manual and learning by trial and error not as a pleasant
recreation, but as time wasted. The power of the Archimedes and the
increasing availability of excellent packages like Impression mean that
more and more of these ‘reluctant users’ will be using Archimedes
software, and they will be prepared to pay for good quality instruc
tional material. We can expect to see more guides like this. Whether the
market is yet big enough to make them profitable remains to be seen, but
for Archimedes enthusiasts their arrival is an encouraging sign.
5.1
In fact, when I looked at the tutorial in the Impression manual it was
nowhere near as comprehensive as I remembered it. Also, there is quite a
lot in First Impression which would be attractive even to an existing
user. The appendices cover some of the trickier aspects of Impression
like tables with several lines of text in each box, and creating borders
in Draw, neither of which is trivial (although see later on borders).
5.1
Does it work?
5.1
For a proper opinion, I suppose that First Impression should be given to
someone new to Impression so that they could work through it, but there
was no time to try this. I felt that the exercises were well thought out
and a new user who had the patience to work through them carefully,
would be able to use Impression with confidence.
5.1
The guide covers a sensible range of features. As I looked at it, I was
again struck by the power of Impression and by how difficult it was to
introduce its features in a step by step way since so many of them are
interdependent. First Impression manages to cover each section without
assuming knowledge of topics not yet covered.
5.1
Problems
5.1
Determined students will probably welcome the thorough, systematic
design of this guide. More hasty personalities may find it hard to wait
for section seven to learn how to change the font size and style, and
they may not be prepared to wait for section twelve to learn about
graphics.
5.1
Some of the sections seemed quite difficult to follow. The text often
refers to earlier passages in the chapter and I spent some time hunting
back for the appropriate paragraph.
5.1
An example of the difficulty of introducing interdependent ideas in a
practical way can be found in the section ‘Inserting and removing text’.
In this section, there is an explanation of the terms ‘cut’ and ‘copy’,
then a list the ways in which the user can paste text, next comes a
short discussion of the function of the clipboard and only when all
these topics have been exhausted is the reader told how to highlight a
word (double click on it) or a phrase (drag the cursor). Since you have
to be able to highlight a section to cut or copy it, this chapter may
create a hint of suspense.
5.1
Although there are some illustrations, I would have liked more,
particularly illustrations of the menus and more examples of how the
document should look at different stages. However, there is a limit to
how much time can be spent producing a guide like this and illustrations
are particularly time consuming.
5.1
I could not create a new frame border with !Draw by following the
instructions in First Impression. When I put First Impression to one
side and made a few experimental borders I soon managed to copy the
border described. To be fair, First Impression does warn that the method
it describes is a ‘work around’ to cope with a problem/disagreement
between certain versions of Impression and Draw. I was not able to test
it with the versions described.
5.1
Some of the suggestions in the guide are questionable. For example, I
would not advise a user with a 1Mb machine to load a printer driver
before every session.
5.1
Other observations
5.1
It would be foolish to try to cram everything about Impression into a
tutorial guide. Neverthe-less I was sorry to see that First Impression
does not cover some features which I use regularly. For example, the
guide does not seem to mention that you can highlight a section of text
by clicking <select> at the beginning and <adjust> at the end. However,
Impression often provides several different ways to do the same thing
and users will have their own preferences.
5.1
Until I read this guide, I did not know that there was a ‘Ruler setup’
window. First Impression usually prefers to make adjustments to frames
and rulers by altering dimensions in windows, rather than by dragging
them and adjusting ‘by eye’. This is a sensible practice because you
cannot tell someone who is just starting to use a package, to adjust a
frame until it ‘looks right’.
5.1
At the moment, First Impression is only available from Word Processing
and N.C.S. However, Bilston Community College (see Factfile) is going to
offer a distance learning package based on the tutorial material. It is
thought that the cost of the course will be £35 in addition to the cost
of the tutorial guide. It will give users access to expert help on
Impression as they work through the tutorial. Extra tasks will be
available as well as telephone support. For more details of the course
write to “First Impression, Open Business Centre” at Bilston College.
5.1
Conclusions
5.1
This guide represents a great deal of work by someone who has a detailed
and comprehensive understanding of Impression. It does not cover all the
features of Impression but the author has made a sensible selection of
features and covered them in much more detail than the manual.
5.1
It will require commitment to work through all the exercises, but First
Impression will teach new users how to use Impression effectively. It
also contains information, in the appendices, which will be useful to
more experienced users.
5.1
I think experienced users who would not want to work through the first
section might feel that the price is a bit high, but Impression is so
good that some people are buying an Archimedes* so they can use it and
they will not notice an extra £30 for a good tutorial. If you have just
bought Impression and you are finding it hard going First Impression
should provide the help you need.
5.1
I was pleased to see that this sort of guide is now being produced for
Archimedes software.  A
5.1

5.1
IFEL
5.1
new
5.1

5.1
Removable Hard Drives
5.1
Paul Beverley
5.1
We have had a lot of enquiries recently about the removable hard drives,
especially as the prices have dropped over the months from £680 to £525!
We have given quite a bit of information about them in SCSI Columns and
news items but I am conscious that the information is very spread out
and nowhere is there an over-view. Here is a summary of the story so far
(with last minute added news about the new 84M drives)....
5.1
Removable hard drives have been in use on the Apple Mac computers for
several years and are now being used widely on the Archimedes. The
drives are boxed by various companies − we deal with Atomwide, well
known for its Archimedes involvement and two American companies, Frog
Systems Inc and MicroNet Technology Inc. However, the drive mechanism,
which is made by SyQuest Technology Inc., is the same in all of them.
All that each manufacturer does is to add a box, a power supply, some
connectors and, in some cases, a SCSI ID switch.
5.1
The drives look a bit like 5¼“ disc drives except that the slot is ½”
deep. The cartridge which goes into this slot consists of a solid metal
disc in a hard plastic case. To use it, you push the cartridge into the
slot and close the locking lever and the disc spins up to speed (this
takes about 12 seconds). When full speed is reached, the drive icon on
your icon bar gives you access to 42M (or 84M) of data. To change
cartridges, you dismount the drive on the icon bar and the disc spins
down to a stop (after 5 seconds). You can then remove the cartridge,
insert a new one, click on the drive icon. When it gets back up to speed
you have access to another 42M (or 84M) of data.
5.1
Removables as a back-up medium
5.1
As a back-up medium it is excellent − cheaper and faster than tapes
treamers and much quicker and easier if you want to look up the archived
data. If you want to save space, you can use a file compressor such as
David Pilling’s Spark or Computer Concepts’ new compression utility (see
Products Available). We have also just got hold of one of the long
awaited 84M Syquest drives which, with Compression would allow you to
back up a 100M drive very easily.
5.1
Removables as a main drive
5.1
However, removable drives shouldn’t be thought of just as a back-up
medium. You can use one as a main drive and have a number of different
cartridges, one for each area of work (or leisure) that you are dealing
with. Each cartridge can then have its own boot file to set up your
system in the most appropriate way. The cartridges have a write-protect
switch so they can be used in situations where data has to be protected
from deletion. My only reservations about using removable drives as a
main drive are related to reliability − see below.
5.1
Speed
5.1
These drives are fast − faster than some fixed hard drives. The average
access time is 20 milliseconds. Using the Oak Solutions’ SCSI controller
card, the 42M drive can transfer data at up to 590 kbytes/second and the
84M drive at 900 kbytes/second.
5.1
Here are some comparative speed tests in modes 0, 15 and 21 for a 45M
Worrawinnie, the two Syquest drives and a 100M Oak High Speed drive.
5.1
           45WW    42M     84M  100HS
5.1
0    659    590    900    1170
5.1
15    659    590    900    1156
5.1
21    55    361    590    735
5.1

5.1
We also did our other speed test where we copy the contents of the
Applications 2 disc (i.e. lots of files) from one directory on the drive
to another. We have in the past quoted these as the time in seconds but
to make it easier to judge the speeds we have divided the time into the
total data copied (420k) to give a rate in kbytes/sec.
5.1
           45WW     42M     84M   100HS
5.1
0    44    45    47    70
5.1
15    40    42    45    65
5.1
21    18    33    36    51
5.1

5.1
Capacity
5.1
SyQuest cartridges, when formatted, hold approximately 42M of data. The
one I am using now is 44,390,400 bytes (used + free) which is 42.33M
(where 1Mbyte = 1024 × 1024 bytes). (The new 84M I have just bought is
84.7 Mbyte formatted.)
5.1
Compatibility
5.1
The SyQuest mechanisms work with all the SCSI interfaces that we have
tried on the Archimedes (Oak, Lingenuity and Acorn). There have been
problems with the newer Acorn SCSI cards (AKA31, not AKA30) but this has
been overcome by a software fix which Acorn dealers can provide.
5.1
Robustness
5.1
When the cartridges are inserted into the drive, they should be treated
with the same care as fixed hard drives. However, the cartridges
themselves are extremely robust. At the manufacturers’ suggestion, we
threw one of the cartridges from one side of our office to the other. It
crashed onto the floor, bounced and rolled over a couple of times.
Putting it back into the drive and verifying it revealed that there
wasn’t a single error on it. I have repeated the test on occasions since
and found a similar robustness.
5.1
Reliability
5.1
When the SyQuest drives were first used on the Apple Macintosh, there
were criticisms about the reliability of the drives. It is unreasonable,
in my view, to expect that the removable hard drives should be as
reliable as fixed hard drives, because they are not held in sealed
units. SyQuest have greatly improved the quality of their drives to the
extent that, if you are wanting to use them as a back-up medium, I would
say that you are extremely unlikely to experience any problems. If you
use them as a main data storage medium and use them all day, every day,
as I do, you may find that you get an occasional data error. For me,
this is a small price to pay for the convenience that removable drives
offer. I ensure that sensitive data is backed up onto another hard drive
on a regular basis but if I do get  an error, all I have to do is
*defect the error out of the map and carry on as before.
5.1
Configurations
5.1
We sell SyQuest drives in two configurations: an Atomwide removable
drive and a “Mac-type” drive. The Mac-type drives are “Mac shaped”, i.e.
10“ x 10” and 2½“ high (designed to sit underneath a Mac computer)
whereas Atomwide’s drives are 6” wide, 4“ high and 10” deep − much
better suited to putting alongside an Archimedes computer.
5.1
Another difference is that Atomwide have used a more powerful fan and
placed it at the back of the drive unit whereas the Mac drives, being
flat, have the fan alongside the drive unit pointing downwards. The
positioning of these drives is, therefore, more critical because you
have to be careful that the fan outlet doesn’t become blocked. Never-
the-less, we still sell a lot of the Mac drives because people find the
noise of the high power fan rather distracting.
5.1
The other advantage of the Mac drives is that they have a SCSI ID switch
on the back. This is particularly useful in situations where you are
taking the drive round to a number of different computers which may
require a different ID setting.
5.1
The new 84M drives are, at the moment, only available in the Mac-type
format and look identical to the 42M drives.
5.1
Cost
5.1
Both configurations of 42M drive cost £525 each including VAT and
carriage. This includes one cartridge and a data cable. (You need to
specify the podule type because Oak, Lingenuity and Acorn all use
different types of connectors! − IDC, 25-way D-type and Amphenol
respectively.) Extra 42 M cartridges cost £75 each. The 84M drives are
£690 and the spare cartridges are £140 each.
5.1
If you want to buy a SCSI controller at the same time, we recommend the
Oak Solution’ SCSI podule because it is 16-bit for speed and not as
expensive as the Acorn one (which also needs a software patch which
Acorn are working on for us). The Oak podule adds £200 to the price and
is available as an internal podule for A300 and A400 series computers
and as an external podule for A3000. If you prefer an internal podule on
the A3000, we recommend the Lingenuity interface at £165. This is an 8
bit interface, not a 16-bit interface like the Oak podule. This does
make it slightly slower but in most applications this is hardly
noticeable.
5.1
Users’ comments
5.1
What I have written is based on the experience of the three we use in
the office and the one I have at home. The only other users I ever tend
to hear from are the few who experience problems with their drives, so I
get a rather jaundiced view of things! Perhaps others would like to
write in and let us know how all these removable drives are getting on.
5.1
The future
5.1
If you need more than 42Mbytes of removable storage on line at one time,
it is possible to get a dual 42M drive. The only problem is that the
cost is more than buying two individual drives. (I think it’s got
something to do with supply and demand!) The other possibility is the
new 84M cartridge drive which we have had a quick look at but not done
extensive tests on so far. They are apparently able to read the 42M
cartridges though they cannot write onto them. Just think, you could put
Unix on a single 84M removable cartridge!  A
5.1

5.1
Atomwide
5.1
From 4.12 page 7
5.1

5.1
Oak
5.1
New if it arrives by 9.00 a.m. on 26th September
5.1
Otherwise use
5.1
4.12 page 6
5.1

5.1
Computer Concepts
5.1
New
5.1

5.1
Computer Concepts
5.1
New
5.1

5.1
The Engineer Speaks...
5.1
Ray Maidstone
5.1
For the last few months, Ray Maidstone has been, effectively, the N.C.S.
Service Centre. He has done a great job fixing dead or dying Archimedes
computers for us and upgrading the memory of A310s. In doing so, he has
come across various recurring problems which could be avoided if a few
precautions were followed.
5.1
Here are some hints & tips which should help to keep your Archimedes in
tip-top condition. A word of warning though, some of the things I am
suggesting should not be attempted unless you really feel competent to
do so. The general rule is, if in doubt, ask for help!
5.1
•    300 and early 400 series keyboards − (See also the article on page 37)
These keyboards do not have sprung contacts coming together, but foil
closing over multiple contact points on sprung pads. Various people have
informed me that they have sprayed their keyboards with switch cleaner
to improve things when they have had intermittent contacts on one or
more keys. They may have got away with it, but it is my view that these
keyboards should never be sprayed with switch cleaner. The only
recommended method of servicing this item is to dismantle (but ONLY if
you feel competent to do so!) and remove foreign particles with a soft
brush and a vacuum cleaner. Anything sticky or difficult to remove is
best left to your Service Centre. WARNING: Using switch cleaner which
contains an organic solvent can destroy components within the keyboard
and slowly but surely render it useless. Be warned! (We have a dead
keyboard available for inspection if you are in any doubt! It was killed
by using Tandy’s Tix Electronic Switch Cleaner. Ed)
5.1
•    Mouse − If you unplug your mouse, the recommended procedure for
reconnection is to first disconnect the keyboard from the computer, plug
the mouse into the keyboard then reconnect to the computer. The reason
for this is that the mouse contains one solitary chip, which has no
protection from spikes at switch-on from the outside world, whereas the
keyboard has circuitry that is slightly better equipped to cope with any
misadventures. Plugging the mouse into the keyboard and then plugging
the keyboard into the computer is the safest method and could well save
you money.
5.1
•    Monitor smear − On the 400 series computers, it is possible to get a
composite video signal out of the sync socket which you can use for a
mono monitor. This is done by making links LK5 and LK6. However, if
these links are made, it can cause problems with certain high resolution
monitors. You get a certain amount of smearing on the ends of horizontal
lines. This effect is caused by the electronics of the Archimedes and
can only be cured by removing the links. (I have a confession to make.
Until we discovered this problem, we always tested our 400 series
computers using a mono monitor. We added links 5 and 6 but did not
remove them before sending out the computers. If you have had a 400
series computer from us, I suggest you check for this effect and remove
the links if necessary. Ed)
5.1
•    Video RGB outlet − On the 310 and early 400 series, it is possible to
destroy the VIDC chip by plugging in the video lead to either the
computer or the monitor if one or both of these items are switched on.
The electronics of this socket do not accept the slightest static
variation and any deviation will damage the VIDC chip. Whoops! − there
goes another £30! I have designed a multiple diode module as a service
modification which upgrades these old machines to the new static-
protected specification. Whilst Acorn confirm that my modification is
“Archimedes-legal”, they will not put their name to it as yet. This
modification has been particularly well received by schools, as it stops
pupils being able to blow up their computers!
5.1
•    Fan filters − With the fan driving air into the filter (lower half of
the diagram below) it is possible for the filter, in its blocked state,
to completely eliminate all airflow within the computer. However, with
the fan sucking air through the filter (upper half of the diagram
below), even if the filter becomes totally blocked, residual air
currents will still flow within the computer, providing some “last
resort” cooling. Also, with the filter on the outside of the fan,
cleaning couldn’t be easier. All that is needed is to slide the lid back
10 cm (or 4 inches for those of us still in Imperial!) and suck the dust
off the filter with a vacuum cleaner.
5.1
•    Hard drive parking − After much debate and the dismantling of two
unserviceable hard drives, I have found that, in order to give your data
maximum protection at closedown, *BYE must be followed by *SHUTDOWN.
These two commands, although slightly similar, do not seem to perform
the same task and, to my satisfaction, have been proven to be necessary
in the order stated. The effects of closing the drive down can be
verified acoustically and visually, e.g. *BYE will produce one staccato
tick noise and a short flash on the hard drive LED, but this does not
mean the drive is fully parked. Typing *SHUTDOWN will produce a multiple
wink of the hard drive LED and a triple tick noise from the drive. Take
my word that this guarantees total shutdown of the drive. If *SHUTDOWN
is typed without having typed *BYE, a single tick will be heard and the
drive will simply have moved the head to a different track, but it will
not be fully parked. (Different effects happen on different drives under
this condition.)
5.1
(Some may call this a “belt & braces” method, but when it comes to
protecting several hundred pounds worth of hard drive, I prefer to err
on the side of caution. Ed)
5.1
•    Removable hard drive parking − The command DISMOUNT brought up by
clicking <menu> on the SCSI icon, does not mean your drive is parked. It
simply means that the drive has shut its motor down and that the
software has “forgotten” about the drive in question. At this point, if
you switch the power off, the heads have been left out over the disc at
the last track you were using and will be in the same position next time
you switch on the power. In order to eliminate the possibility of power-
on destroying any data bits, the centre button on the removable drive
must be pressed and the drive fully disengaged with the lever. This
operation mechanically parks the heads off the disc and is the only way
to guarantee this.
5.1
•    Stray metalware − When removing the motherboard on the 300/400 series,
it is very possible to dislodge one or more of the spring speed nuts
(for the two rear self tapping screws that “get in the way” when
removing the board). Make sure these are firmly in place when reassem
bling − better still, remove them, clamp them slightly more closed and
refit. This will prevent any further mishap which could cause shorting
under the main PCB.
5.1
•    Stuck floppy discs − It is unfortunately possible, now and again, for
a floppy disc to become stuck in the drive. This will be due to one of
the following causes, and if you wish to keep costs to a minimum, NEVER
tug at, or forcibly remove, the stuck item.
5.1
(Again, we have u/s floppy drives available for inspection if you need
proof. Ed.)
5.1
1. The metal sliding cover on the disc can become widened, perhaps due
to being bent in the post, or being sat on or whatever. As the metalwork
of the slider opens, it will act like a ratchet allowing the disc to go
in but not to come out without difficulty.
5.1
2. The spring that returns the metal cover can become unlaced and behave
like a fish hook, snagging the unlocking post within the drive.
5.1
3. The metal screening plate on the upper disc reading head within the
drive can become dislodged and catching the plastic work of the disc
(particularly on the older Sony drives).
5.1
In ALL cases, if the drive is removed by somebody competent to do so,
you should find that delicate easing will allow the disc to come out
again without damaging the drive and, 9 times out of 10, the disc can
also be saved.
5.1
In the case of the metal head shield of the Sony drive, simply throw it
away as it was later found to be unnecessary. Where the metal gate of
the drive is distorted, it is quite acceptable to remove this item by
unfolding it and removing the spring. The disc will operate without the
metal cover but keep little fingers out − remember the 5¼“ floppies?  A
5.1

5.1
The filter is blocked but at least a little air flow remains
5.1

5.1
The filter is blocked and no through air flow is possible
5.1

5.1
Oak Tape Streamer
5.1
Gwyn Williams
5.1
My wife is writing educational packages for the Archimedes, and I use
the machine for WP/DTP work. Backup onto floppies was a time consuming
irritation on our A440 but the thought of backing up our new A540’s 100
Mbyte drive onto floppies was unbearable.
5.1
There were four practical possibilities: a second fixed hard disc, a
removable hard disc, Oak’s cassette streamer or their conventional tape
streamer, using DC600A type cartridges. The second fixed hard disc
sounded the most attractive and a 100 Mbyte hard disc is now relatively
cheap (Frog 100M drives cost £420 inc VAT, and 200M drives cost £670.
Ed)  but if you were as paranoid as I am, you would worry about a fire
destroying both or a power cut occurring during the backup. The cost of
the six disc cartridges needed to back up on a removable drive (3 for
main and 3 for subsidiary backup) was prohibitive*. I therefore went on
to discuss the choice with Oak Solutions.
5.1
The cassette streamer is not guaranteed to work with the Acorn SCSI
card, because the Oak card can output single bytes to the SCSI bus to
compensate for the slowness of the drive, but the Acorn card will only
send blocks.
5.1
The decision was therefore simple, I would have to fork out the higher
media cost of the high speed device and order a 60 Mbyte cartridge tape
streamer. In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to buy the cassette
streamer with an Oak SCSI card and throw away the Acorn one!
5.1
The arrival
5.1
It was packed in about forty times its own volume of polystyrene in two
cardboard boxes. Clearly no risks with couriers were being taken.
5.1
I was grateful that a tape cartridge was included in the package, as
waiting for that to arrive before testing it would have been like having
a Christmas toy without the batteries.
5.1
Documentation
5.1
The unit comes with clear instructions which are easy to follow, and
installation on the A540 was a simple matter of removing the terminator
from the computer and plugging in the tape streamer (remember to tell
the dealer which card you’ll be using: they have different connectors).
5.1
Instructions are given to configure the software to use a different SCSI
device number, but this was not necessary with the 540. The Acorn SCSI
card user guide has instructions about the order of turning devices on
or off, but tape streamers should cope with being turned on after the
computer, and it has given no trouble so far.
5.1
Software
5.1
The software provided (on disc) is easy to use. There is a desktop
application which loads onto the icon bar on the left, just like the
drive icons. It takes up 160k of RAM. Clicking menu on this opens a
window allowing the tape to be catalogued (to a text file: a catalogue of
a 56 Mbyte tape was 163k long), verfied, erased or re-tensioned (wound
forwards and then rewound: recommended on first use of a tape). The
software works fully within the desktop but tends to hog the computer
(except when cataloguing), leaving little or no time for other
applications.
5.1
Other options allow you to define the criteria for a backup and save them
as a file compatible with Mitre’s DiscTree format. The user has the
following backup options:-
5.1
 •    everything below one given directory (below more than one
directory at the same level is not possible, neither is it possible to
exclude a directory: a strange omission, which I hope will be remedied
in future versions.)
5.1
 •    only files matching a wildcarded name criterion
5.1
 •    only files of given filetype
5.1
 •    only files after a given date (with a handy “yesterday” option)
5.1
 •    including or excluding non stamped files
5.1
 •    only files before a given date, which can also be used with the
“after a given date” option.
5.1
 •    run automatically, and unattended, every day, week or month,
logging what it does if required.
5.1
It allows multiple backups onto one tape, and one backup (of a disc
larger then the tape, for example) to use more than one tape. It checks
each tape as you insert it and asks for confirmation if the tape already
contains a backup.
5.1
Speed
5.1
A tape streamer is obviously more convenient than floppy discs, mainly
because of increased speed of working. These timings refer to my setup
of an A540, Acorn SCSI card (the new AKA 31 card, a 16 bit interface),
internal 100 Mbyte hard disc as supplied with the A540, and the Oak 60
Mbyte TS60SCA tape streamer.
5.1
Bytes used on disc:     58 300 928
5.1
Time taken to backup:    11 mins 26
secs
5.1
Time taken to verify:    10 mins 34
secs
5.1
Time taken to catalogue:    11 mins 15
secs
5.1
These times include the time taken to reply to a confirmatory dialogue
box. They were done in Atomwide’s mode 106 (1088 × 432, 16 colours).
This is a data transfer rate of over 82 kbytes/sec, or almost 5 Mbytes
per minute for backup. A completely full hard disc could therefore be
backed up in 24 minutes. For comparison, at work I use a 20MHz 80386 IBM
clone, with a TEAC cassette tape streamer, which takes 6 minutes to back
up 10 Mbytes (and reboots the computer, a network file server, before
starting!), nearly three times slower than the Oak device at 1.7 Mbytes
per minute.
5.1
Restore
5.1
Restoring data from the tape is also very quick − about as fast as the
backup − but finding an individual file on the tape takes quite a time.
When the restore command is given, a window similar to DiscTree’s is
popped up after the tape is catalogued, so that restoring just one file
takes ten minutes; this part of the process multi-tasks, so you can
continue working, but multi-tasking during the backup procedure is
almost impossible, with long gaps between polls, and totally impossible
during verification. The restoring process is similar to using the
filer, so is straightforward and intuitive. As with the filer, the
“confirm” option can be turned off, a “newer” option can be specified and
existing files can be overwritten, and OakTape gives you the option of
keeping the original date stamp or setting it to the time at which it
was restored.
5.1
Summary and options
5.1
My decision to buy a tape streamer involved three considerations: the
value placed on my data, the value placed on my time, and cost. I would
not dream now of going back to floppy discs for backup, knowing that
backups would only be done weekly at best.
5.1
A second hard disc used purely for backup is the next cheapest option
and if I weren’t such a pessimist, I’d go for it. It would be quicker
than a tape streamer and, if your needs expanded, you could get a backup
hard disc twice the size.
5.1
If your main disc is 45 Mbytes or smaller, a removable drive would be
more realistic as you’d only need two disc cartridges for a minimum
backup regime.
5.1
The cassette streamer is cheaper than the High Speed tape streamer,
though I don’t know how slow it is. The major attraction of tape is its
speed. However, a 150 Mbyte cassette streamer could be purchased for the
price of a 60 Mbyte cartridge drive, so at least a visit to change tapes
would be avoided. When considering this option, bear in mind the
forementioned problem with Acorn SCSI cards/software.
5.1
The Oak High Speed series tape streamer is a fairly fast device, with
good supporting software, still streets ahead of that on the IBM clone
at my work place, even if it does take for ever to restore one file.
Against this is its high cost: the unit reviewed here costs a hefty
£1000 +VAT. A tape streamer for an IBM clone would cost under £600 +VAT
for an equivalent 60M external unit, remembering to add a little for
software.
5.1
Since this tape streamer was bought, Digital Services have brought out a
30 Mbyte machine for £600 +VAT (1.5 Mbytes/min, they claim), and I
understand that The Serial Port are working on one too. It may be worth
waiting, as the speed of this new offering is likely to be comparable,
and the price may be lower than that of the Oak.  A
5.1

5.1
(*To come to the defence of the removable drive, the cost has decreased
and is now just £525 plus £75 for each extra cartridge. Surely, only the
transient data needs backing up so two pairs of cartridges would be
sufficient to back up the A540’s drive. That would be £525 + 3 × £75 =
£750 inc VAT. Also, to be able to look instantaneously at any file
within the backup instead of waiting 10 minutes is rather different.
Also, at £420 for a 100M Frog, the option of buying two of them and
keeping one locked away in a cupboard (R.S.P.C.A. permitting!) is not as
daft as it sounds − we could even offer some discount on your second
Frog − say, two 100M Frogs for £790!  Ed.
5.1
STOP PRESS: The equation has just changed again. We now have 84M
removable drives available at £690 with spare cartridges at £140. Also,
CC have just released a file compressor (£53) which is extremely fast
and would make it very easy to back up a 100M drive onto a single 84M
cartridge. The sum is then £690 + 140 + 53 = £883!
5.1

5.1

5.1
PipeLine
5.1
Gerald Fitton
5.1
I find that most of the difficulties that my correspondents (and I) have
with PipeDream is because it has ‘too much’ built in flexibility! Some
of you say that many of these facilities are ‘obscure’ because they
appear as short ‘one line’ statements in the User Guide without anything
but the simplest of examples. Consider the explanation of the use of the
function Index(column, row) together with the functions Col(slot) and
Row(slot). It is limited to less than half a page but its inclusion in
PipeDream makes it possible to transfer to the cell containing Index,
the value of any cell in the document or any related document. Of
course, this flexibility means that, when you have learned the techni
ques (by reading PipeLine?), you can do much more with PipeDream than
you thought possible. I am still discovering ‘obscure’ features
mentioned briefly in the User Guide and, thanks to you, I get told of
many more ways of using them.
5.1
Colton Software have moved
5.1
Their new address is: 2 Signet Court, Swanns Road, Cambridge, CB5 8LA
and their new telephone number is 0223 311881.
5.1
The Acorn Users’ Show
5.1
Jill and I will be attending the show on the Saturday and Sunday but not
on the Friday. Colton Software have offered us a place on their stand
near the Acorn Village as a place where you can meet us and have a chat
− so look for us there.
5.1
In the Archimedes World, Robert Macmillan is quoted as saying that
“exciting things are happening at Colton Software”. Robert has confirmed
to me that this is true but emphasises that PipeDream 3, version 3.14,
is ‘stable’ and that there are no further upgrades in the pipeline (!).
So what can these exciting things be? Come to the Users’ Show and maybe
we’ll find out together.
5.1
Graphics in PipeDream
5.1
By this I don’t mean importing Draw files but converting numbers to
graphs and charts. PipeDream 3 has a Hot Link (in-memory transfer) to
Presenter II and to Minerva’s GraphBox. If you have not seen these Hot
Links working then come to the Show and have a look. Perhaps there are
some developments in this area?
5.1
Linking files
5.1
In the August 1991 PipeLine column, I asked how you might feel about
losing Linking files. I received quite a substantial response from those
of you who don’t want to see them disappear. Typical is a note from
David Crossley who has 2 linking files per month for 2 years, 48 files
in all, which would all have to be in memory if they were dependent
documents. Linking files remain on the disc all the time and so do not
use up memory. Other readers have pointed out that they use linking
files as permanent storage.
5.1
Albert W Kitchenside makes the following comment: “I use a link file to
carry forward balances in my personal accounts. Whilst the dependent
files option could be used it would lead to a cluttered screen as every
file in the total set of accounts would load every time as every one
depends on its predecessor! This is correct if any updating of back
files is required but can only be avoided if the snapshot command is
used. That would delete the dependency and then, of course, automatic
updating of files due to the updating of some previous file would also
be lost! Using a linked file option, if a previous file has to be
updated so that the carry forward is affected then it is necessary to
sequentially load all subsequent files to achieve correct updating, in
all other cases only the current file needs to be loaded.
5.1
“Thus, I think it would be a retrograde step to remove an option which
can have a distinct action in PipeDream. If one has a set of files in
which a part of one is needed by another, particularly if that part is
unlikely to be updated and the files are large, then I believe that the
linked file option is essential unless there happened to be unlimited
memory available at all times, an improbable event!”
5.1
Iteration
5.1
Having received such a good response to my question about whether
linking files are worthwhile let me ask the same question about
Iteration. I already have one most interesting letter and disc from
Gordon Nicholas who uses PipeDream extensively. One of his applications
uses iteration to find the roots of an equation which can be solved only
by numerical methods. Have you any more reasons for retaining iteration?
5.1
Help with timetables
5.1
Bernhard Gantner from Lesotho would like to know if anyone has set up
PipeDream to help with school timetables. I have already sent Bernhard
Peter Wick’s application but if you have anything more that might help
then please send me a disc copy and I will put them together and send
them off to him.
5.1
The function atn2
5.1
This function is similar to the inverse tangent function but, instead of
having only one argument and returning a value between –pi/2 and +pi/2
radians, it has two arguments and returns a value between –pi and +pi
radians. Perhaps the simplest way of looking at atn2 is to regard it as
a rectangular to polar coordinate conversion function. You enter the x
and y coordinates into atn2 and it returns the polar angle between the
positive x axis and the line joining the origin to the point (x,y). Now,
in the User Guide on page 302 the function is shown as “atn2(x,y)” but I
have found that, using the usual conventions about x, y and the polar
angle, you have to enter the parameters as atn2(y,x). For example, the
point with coordinates (x,y) at (–1,+1) has a polar angle of +0.75pi
whereas the point (+1,–1) has a polar angle of –0.25pi. To get atn2 to
return the value +0.75pi you have to enter the values of x and y as
atn2(1,–1). Hence I would have written the atn2 function as atn2(y,x)
and not as it is in the User Guide. Do you agree with me or do you
prefer the convention of the User Guide?
5.1
Matrices
5.1
Whilst on the subject of notation, let me seek out your views on the
notation for matrices. I’ve always considered a 2 by 3 matrix to consist
of 2 rows and 3 columns. Thus, to me, a matrix called A of size n by m
has an element in the bottom right hand corner which I would refer to as
A(n,m). I would call a typical element A(i,j) where i is the row number
and j the column number. To make it clear in spreadsheet terms, for a
matrix A with its top left in cell A1 I would call cell B3 the element
A(3,2). In PipeDream, the function Index, which returns the value in a
cell (see page 308 of the User Guide for details), is given as Index
(column, row) which seems to me to be the ‘wrong’ way round but I don’t
want it changed now! Have I always been mixed up about the convention
for matrices or do spreadsheets always use them the opposite way round?
5.1
Editing printer drivers
5.1
Let me try to cover many readers’ questions, problems and suggestions in
a few paragraphs before going onto more difficult matters.
5.1
PipeDream printer driver files have the file type of !Edit so, if you
double click on a PipeDream printer driver, then the file will load into
!Edit. In !Edit you will see such things as [09] which cause some
confusion. The [09] you see in !Edit (as part of a PipeDream printer
driver) is not the four separate characters [, 0, 9 and ] but only one
character, ASCII code 9. If you type in the four characters where the
printer driver should have an ASCII 9, even though it looks exactly the
same in !Edit the printer driver will not work. A further difficulty
arises in !Edit. ASCII 9 is used by many applications as the ‘tab’
character but, in !Edit, you can not enter the single character ASCII 9
by tapping the <Tab> key; you have to use <Ctrl+I> (where I is the ninth
letter of the alphabet).
5.1
I prefer to edit my printer drivers in PipeDream. To edit an !Edit file
(such as a printer driver) in !PipeDream, first you must install
PipeDream on the icon bar by double clicking <select> on the !PipeDream
icon shown in a directory viewer. Drag the printer driver file onto the
PipeDream icon installed on the icon bar and you will find that the
printer driver has been loaded into PipeDream.
5.1
In PipeDream, the second column, column B, is the column into which you
type the ON code for the effect you want. For example, underline is
highlight 1 and, for the FX80, the code to switch on underlining is the
sequence ESC “” -1. This sequence must be typed in column B. You get to
column B from A by tapping the <Tab> key and it is this <Tab> which
inserts the ASCII 9 into the printer driver file. I believe that using
PipeDream is easier than using !Edit.
5.1
Highlight 3
5.1
Now to the more difficult matters. In the May 1991 Archive, I included a
complaint from Peter Nye. He could use printer highlight 3 as a general
way of sending extended printer codes from his Z88 to a printer but he
said that this method didn’t work with PipeDream 3 on the Archimedes! In
the August 1991 Archive I reported that Stephen Gaynor used this method
successfully on his Archimedes with his printer. Now I have another
letter from Peter saying that he still can’t get it to work.
5.1
First let me explain exactly what Stephen did. Stephen modified his
PipeDream printer driver so that the row containing H3 (highlight 3)
instead of being blank included ESC (and nothing else) in both columns B
and C. He loaded this PipeDream printer driver through the <Ctrl+PD>
menu making sure that ‘Parallel’ was selected as the ‘Printer type’. In
the document he was going to print, he included the highlight 3 command
with <Ctrl+PX>. This ‘prints’ 3 in inverse video on the screen. On his
printer, the code for underline on is E so Stephen typed in the letter E
immediately after highlight 3. This method of extending printer codes
works for him.
5.1
I had a try with my printer and what I have discovered is that all is
well if the characters following highlight 3 have ASCII codes between 32
and 126. Peter’s printer requires ASCII codes (decimal) 45 and 1 after
highlight 3 for underline on. Now ASCII code 45 can be entered as the
minus sign, −, so that is not a problem but neither Peter nor I can find
a way of entering ASCII code 1 in PipeDream. (Have you tried using the
character 1, i.e. pressing the <1> key which gives ASCII 49? Some
printers accept accept ASCII 1 or character 1 (ASCII 49) for “ON” and
ASCII 0 or character 0 (ASCII 48) for “OFF”. Ed) In many applications,
for example in Acorn’s !Edit, ASCII code 1 is entered as <Ctrl+A> (the
logic of this is that A is letter number 1 in the alphabet); in
PipeDream <Ctrl+ A> does not produce ASCII code 1 because it is
recognised by PipeDream as the command for recalculating the spread
sheet. Read on.
5.1
Why is PipeDream different?
5.1
PipeDream started life as View Professional on Acorn’s BBC computer. It
was included as firmware (on a chip) on the Z88 under the name PipeDream
and went on from there as PipeDream 2 which ran under MS DOS on IBM PCs
and compatibles and on the early Archimedes under the single tasking
‘Arthur’ operating system. RISC-OS did not exist at that time. Under the
Z88, MS DOS and Arthur operating systems the <Alt> key did nothing in
particular so Colton Software used it for commands such as the recalcu
late command (now <Ctrl+A> but <Alt+ A> under Arthur and on the Z88 and
PCs). When RISC OS replaced Arthur, Acorn gave the <Alt> key a new
meaning. For example, if you hold down <Alt> and tap R, <Alt+R>, you
print ®. In the same way <Alt+Z> gives the double chevron « which is
closed with <Alt+X> ». Anyway, you will see that if <Alt+R> gives ® then
there is no way in which it can also be used for the ‘Reformat para
graph’ command now achieved in PipeDream 3 with <Ctrl+R>. In the same
way <Alt+Z> could no longer be used for ‘Mark block’ nor could <Alt+X>
be used for ‘Edit expression’.
5.1
Apart from Acorn’s own RISC-OS software (such as !Draw and !Edit),
Colton Software’s PipeDream was the first commercial software to run
‘properly’ as a ‘multi tasking’ application under RISC-OS. Colton
Software decided that their new RISC-OS compliant version of PipeDream,
PipeDream 3, would use the <Ctrl> key wherever <Alt> was used in
PipeDream 2. The loss to us users, and to Peter Nye in particular, has
been that <Ctrl+A> causes the sheet to recalculate instead of entering
ASCII code 1 into the text. Read on!
5.1
Does <Ctrl+H> always work?
5.1
Now here is an obscure ‘bug’ which is caused by this use of <Ctrl>. The
command <Ctrl+H> is used in PipeDream to set the ‘Wrap margin’ (the
right hand margin, not of the column, but the place where text automati
cally wraps round onto the next line). The letter H is the 8th letter of
the alphabet so <Ctrl+H> is also ASCII code 8. Now, ASCII 8 is the code
for a backspace and is interpreted by RISC-OS as a backspace which
deletes the previous character. Sometimes in PipeDream 3, <Ctrl+H> has
the effect of deleting the character to the left of the cursor instead
of bringing up the usual ‘Wrap margin’ dialogue box.
5.1
When does it happen? It is always a good idea to start with an easier
question and work up to the hard one so we’ll start with, “Why does it
happen?”. In fact an easier question still is “What happens when you tap
a key?” When you tap a key, let’s say ‘R’, the RISC-OS operating system
detects an ‘event’ and places ‘R’ in the keyboard buffer (if there isn’t
room in the buffer then you’ll hear a ‘boing!’). A bit later on, say a
few milliseconds, the application you are running has a look at the
keyboard buffer and, if there is anything in it, then the first
character, in our example this may be our ‘R’ or something we typed in
before the ‘R’, is taken out and used by the application.
5.1
For word processing (and many other applications) having a well stocked
keyboard buffer is a good idea because then you can ‘type ahead’ of the
application. By this I mean that if the application slows down for a few
milliseconds (or even longer) for example, by having to update the
screen display, then the characters which you type in the meantime are
not ‘lost’ but are stored in the keyboard buffer and taken out when
there is a bit more time available. However, for some applications,
storing commands in a buffer for too long can cause a disaster. Think
about what would happen if you issued a format disc command that got
stored in a buffer long enough for you to change discs! In these latter
cases the keyboard buffer is flushed so that anything inadvertently
entered is removed before it can do any damage.
5.1
Back to <Ctrl+H>. The way that PipeDream works is that, whenever it
pulls a character out of the keyboard buffer it looks to see whether you
are holding down the <Ctrl> key at the moment the character is taken
from the buffer; note that this time is later than the time at which the
character was typed. So, if you have already released <Ctrl> by the time
when PipeDream takes your <Ctrl+H> out of the buffer then the ASCII 8 is
not treated as a PipeDream command but it is passed to the text string
editor which does its thing and deletes a character.
5.1
So what is the ‘work around’ for this obscure ‘bug’? Firstly, do not tap
and release <Ctrl> and a command key simultaneously; hold down the
<Ctrl>, tap the other key smartly and then, after a decent interval of a
tenth of a second or more, release the <Ctrl> key. Secondly, if you have
got PipeDream working hard doing a recalculation or if it has passed
control to Acorn’s Window manager module (redrawing your screen for
example) then either don’t give the <Ctrl+H> command until the action
has stopped or, if you do, then hold down the <Ctrl> much longer than
usual and check to see if you have just deleted a character.
5.1
Whilst I have been caught out by <Ctrl+H> sometimes causing an unwanted
delete I have not had similar problems with <Ctrl+I> (Insert or Tab) or
anything else for that matter. Have you?
5.1
Using !SparkPlug with PipeDream files
5.1
!Spark is a file compression utility. !SparkPlug decompresses the files
!Spark has compressed. The PipeDream files on the Archive disc are
nearly always compressed and I have been asked (often on the telephone)
how to unpack them by people who have read the cryptic ?Important file
(which Paul always includes) but need more specific advice.
5.1
The Pearcy files
5.1
I don’t know how it happened but, somewhere between my disc and the
Archive disc for August 1991 (Vol 4.11), the content of all the files in
the (!Spark compressed) Pearcy directory were changed to become the
content of one of Ron Pearcy’s files. All files were the same! Anyway,
if you want a decompressed version of Ron’s files then please send me a
blank disc, a label and a stamp and I will transfer Ron’s files to your
disc.
5.1
Problems using !SparkPlug
5.1
1. Whilst unpacking a compressed file, SparkPlug uses a file called
<Wimp$Scrap>. This is usually in the !System directory so the !System
directory must be available and, whatever disc it is on, there must be
room to spare.
5.1
2. Applications (by this I mean applications such as the Interword to
PipeDream file converter, which start with a ! and not PipeDream files)
can not be run from inside the !SparkPlug environment. Applications that
have names starting with a ! must be unpacked before running.
5.1
3. Files loaded into PipeDream will be given the file name <Wimp$Scrap>
by !SparkPlug. From within the !SparkPlug environment dependent
documents, inserted graphics and linking files will not be found by
PipeDream because the file name is not known. Hence, directories
containing dependent documents, graphics and linked files (and many
macros) must all be unpacked before running onto your hard disc or onto
a new floppy.
5.1
These problems are simplified if you have a hard disc and 4 Mb of
memory. They are aggravated if you have only a single floppy disc and 1
Mb of memory (e.g. an A3000).
5.1
Hard disc users
5.1
If you have a hard disc then you will have !System on your hard disc so
you will not have problem 1. You will still have to unpack those
applications which start with a ! and those PipeDream applications which
involve dependent documents, graphics, linking files and macros. You
will not need to unpack other PipeDream files.
5.1
Floppy disc users
5.1
If you have !System on a floppy disc (and have not got a hard disc) then
you might find yourself having to keep swopping disks to overcome
problem 1. To avoid this disc swapping I suggest that you create a RAM
disc of 250 kbyte (or more if you can afford it) and copy your !System
directory to the RAM disc. Double click on the !System directory (in the
RAM disc) to install it. If you do this then the <Wimp$Scrap> used by
!SparkPlug will be on your high speed RAM disc and this will avoid the
need for endless disc swops. Alternatively, copy !System to the floppy
disc as described in the section “Copying Files” below.
5.1
Copying files
5.1
!SparkPlug uses a few hundred kbytes so on a 1 Mb machine you will have
to quit PipeDream before using !SparkPlug.
5.1
Remove the PipeLine disc and put a blank disc in drive 0; for the
purpose of this description let us call this disc :NewDisc.
5.1
Open the $ directory of NewDisc. Drag your !System directory from
wherever it is (eg on the PipeDream disc) into the :NewDisc.$ directory.
5.1
Double click on the :NewDisc.$.!System directory to install it. It is
important that you double click on this !System before you double click
(or install) !SparkPlug so that !SparkPlug finds this !System for its
<Wimp$Scrap> file and not the old !System directory.
5.1
Insert the Archive disc and open the directory viewer. Drag the
compressed file from the Archive disc to the opened :NewDisc.$ direc
tory. You will have to swop discs to complete this file transfer.
5.1
Now click on !SparkPlug. Double click on the compressed file which is on
:NewDisc to open it as if it were a directory. All the files and
directories within the !Sparked file will show in a new directory viewer
with a name that finishes with a /. In this example there might be one
called :NewDisc.$.new_arc/ which, when opened, contains another
directory called :NewDisc.$. new_arc.PipeLine/.
5.1
Select the PipeLine directory from this directory viewer and drag it to
the :NewDisc.$ directory. This effectively decompresses the PipeLine
files placing them in a directory called :NewDisc.$. PipeLine.
5.1
If you wish you can then delete the compressed file called
:NewDisc.$.new_arc. Quit !SparkPlug from the icon bar, install
!PipeDream, open the PipeLine directory and load the PipeDream files.
5.1
In conclusion
5.1
Thank you all for the continuing correspondence. Keep sending it to me
at the Abacus Training address which you will find on the inside back
cover of Archive.  A
5.1

5.1
Cleaning Archimedes 400 Series Keyboards
5.1
Mike King
5.1
After a year’s constant use, certain keys on my Archimedes 440/1
keyboard refused to work and some keys stayed depressed after use. I
decided to strip down the keyboard to its component parts and thoroughly
clean it. Described below is how I set about the task.
5.1
Static precautions
5.1
Before dismantling the keyboard, you will need to procure an antistatic
mat to dissemble the keyboard upon. I personally use a large antistatic
plastic bag, designed for the protection of large printed circuit
boards. I made up a length of wire with a crocodile clip on one end. The
other end can be temporarily attached to the earth pin of a 13 amp plug.
It is vital that these precautions are taken, as the chips in the
Archimedes keyboards are of MOS construction and are very prone to
static charges which, if great enough, will destroy all of the main
keyboard chips.
5.1
Tools and other sundries required
5.1
For disassembly of the keyboard, only two crosspoint screwdrivers are
required − medium and small sizes will suffice. The best degreasing
agent I have found is isopropyl alcohol. An alternative is methylated
spirit, which can be obtained from any good chemist. Do not use any
other kind of degreasing agents; they may well have an adverse effect on
the keyboard component parts. The only other item required is a lint-
free cloth (an old handkerchief is ideal). Do not use any paper towels
or cotton wool for cleaning − they leave behind vast quantities of small
particles which will certainly cause trouble in the future.
5.1
Dismantling the keyboard case
5.1
Place the antistatic sheet on your table top and connect the earthed
crocodile clip to one corner. Now place on this sheet the inverted
keyboard and remove all of the case retaining screws around the edge.
Remove the four screws that retain the keyboard to the upper section of
the case. Store all the screws in a small tin or egg-cup.
5.1
Removing the PCB from the key-tops
5.1
The printed circuit assembly is connected to the key-tops by very small
crosspoint screws. It is necessary to remove all of these screws to gain
access to the contact side of the board. Do not lose any of these minute
screws. They are very hard to see when dropped onto the floor! There is
also one black-headed crosspoint earthing screw that will have to be
removed from the corner of the PCB before it can be finally separated
from the top section of the case. If you now inspect the contact areas
of the PCB you will probably be able to see a thin film of dust and
other detritus* covering most of the contact areas.  (*It’s a polite
word for bits of muck − I looked it up. Ed)
5.1
Degreasing the PCB
5.1
Place the PCB on the antistatic sheet with the contact areas of the
board facing upwards. Soak a small area of lint-free cloth with the
degreasing agent and apply to all parts of the board. Once the board is
clean, check all over the board with a magnifying glass to ensure that
there are no foreign particles still attached. Put the PCB in a safe
place until re-assembly.
5.1
(Ray, our resident engineer, adds that at this point you ought also to
remove the seven large screws holding the key chassis to the upper case,
remove the chassis and thoroughly vacuum out the debris that has
collected there. Otherwise, when you re-assemble the keyboard, the
particles that collect there will soon be down onto your freshly cleaned
PCB foils.)
5.1
Degreasing the key mechanisms
5.1
Each key mechanism consists of a small circular foam pad onto which is
stuck a circular tinfoil disc. Each of these discs will need degreasing
as well as the PCB contact areas. The tinfoil discs are recessed into
each key housing. The best way to clean these discs is to press each
key-top individually until the tinfoil disc protrudes slightly from its
housing. Use the degreasing agent sparingly, trying not to get any
solvent onto the sponge material of the mechanism, and gently rub each
tinfoil disc until it is clean.
5.1
Re-assembly
5.1
Before re-assembly, thoroughly clean out the casing using a small brush.
It is prudent to check before re-assembly that each individual key
mechanism can be depressed without sticking. Should you find a key that
sticks, undertake the following procedure. Remove the key-top from the
mechanism by gently prising it off with two small flat-bladed screw
drivers. Remove the rubber cap from under each key-top. You can then
gently push out the foam pad of the key concerned, by pressing with a
match stick from the top side of the switch. Note the orientation of the
switch mechanism as it emerges from its housing: it must be re-assembled
the same way as it came out. With the switch mechanism separated from
its housing, check for grit or dust affecting the action of the
mechanism. If on re-assembly of the key mechanism, it is still sticking,
try applying a small quantity of P.T.F.E. dry lubricant, which should be
available from an electronic components’ supplier. Do not use WD40 or
any other liquid lubricant for this task.You have been warned!
5.1
The keyboard may now be assembled in the reverse order that it was taken
apart. When re-installing the small screws that secure the PCB to the
key-tops, do not over-tighten them*, or you might find that you have one
or two sticky keys once again! This is because these miniature screws
are tapped into the bottom edge of the key mechanisms and over tighten
ing these screws can cause a bulge in this bottom edge, causing the key
to stick or jam.
5.1
(*Ray reckons that it’s not so much a case of over-tightening but more
to do with getting the screw in correctly to start with. Because they
are self-tapping, it’s quite possible to cross-thread these screws. What
you should do is, as you start to screw it in, if there is more
resistance than normal, back it of a bit further than the first starting
position and try again. Ray has had a number of keyboards that have come
to grief in this way.)
5.1
I have cleaned about 15 of these keyboards for friends and a local
technical college. They have all responded to treatment.
5.1
When using your computer, please keep all drinks at a safe distance from
the keyboard. The worst cleaning job I had to undertake, was when a cup
of white coffee was spilled over the keyboard! Nearly every key
mechanism had to be stripped down and thoroughly cleaned. It took me
approximately seven hours to clean! Another culprit is cigarette ash
which usually causes keys to jam, due to its gritty nature. It is a good
policy to keep the keyboard covered over when not in use.
5.1
Cleaning a keyboard will take about an hour to perform, but it is really
worth the effort, especially if you are a fast typist. The keys feel
very smooth to press after cleaning.  A
5.1

5.1
Language Column
5.1
David Wild
5.1
The debate about languages goes on and, so long as we don’t allow
ourselves to become bigotted, this can only be a good thing.
5.1
Acorn’s C upgrade
5.1
Two specific items have interested me this time. The first has been a
complaint I have seen about the ‘C’ upgrade, with the writer disap
pointed that the new version isn’t the object-oriented ‘C++’ as opposed
to just an ordinary compiler. It might have been a good thing if Acorn
had managed to produce the newer version but I presume that there could
have been problems with licences and so on.
5.1
What we often forget is that the Acorn versions of both ‘C’ and Pascal
give us many, though not all, the benefits of object-orientation in
allowing separately compiled modules which can be re-used in many
programs. Although these modules do not give inheritance, they do use
the fundamental principle of ‘information hiding’ with the calling
program only allowed access by the authorised route.
5.1
We must remember that there is no benefit for users in object-orienta
tion − or any other language feature − except in so far as they allow
the writing of better programs. Wearing my user, as opposed to my
enthusiast, hat I don’t care what language has been used to write the
programs that I use, so long as they do their job properly.
5.1
‘C++’ security
5.1
The other item, which has connections with what I have just written, is
a report in the current issue of “Computer Shopper” saying that the US
Department of Defence will not accept the ‘C++’ compiler for program
ming, because it is not sufficiently secure, and is insisting on the use
of ‘Ada’ instead. The objection seems to be the use of machine code
libraries which cannot be validated in the same way as the ‘Ada’
compiler even though it is very large.
5.1
If this objection is sustained. it has implications for all compilers
which allow machine-code extensions and will almost certainly exclude
all “WIMP” based programs unless compilers are rewritten to include the
windowing and multi-tasking extensions as integral parts of the
language.
5.1
Documentation revisited
5.1
Usually, when we talk about documentation problems, we are talking about
the instructions which come with a program we want to use. There is
another aspect of these problems which is the documentation maintained
by the programming team so that they know what is going on and why. The
problem isn’t just confined to amateurs; at work we have received
“corrections” from a software house which have cured the immediate
problem, but have reverted to an earlier problem because the wrong
version of the source program has been used.
5.1
A solution might be the “Squirrel” database (from Digital Services)
which I bought recently. As an ordinary database it is rather expensive
(£151.58) and it has limitations which will prevent it from being as
useful as it might be in general use. One important feature, though, is
that fields in the database can be files, of any type. This means that
it would be possible to create a database of modules with fields holding
the source code, the ‘aof’ file generated, the date of last compilation
and a text file giving reasons for the modifications made. (It also has
the incidental advantage of getting over the 77 file limit for a
directory.)
5.1
To use the ‘aof’ files for linking, it will be necessary to copy them
into an ordinary directory for the linker to find them but they can, and
should, be deleted again when linking is complete. As I said, it is
expensive as an ordinary database, but the cost would soon be recovered
if you could ensure that the correct version of the module is used every
time, and that a record of reasons for modifications − and testing
experience − can be kept with the code to which it applies.
5.1
“Squirrel” is produced by Digital Services Ltd of Portsmouth and I shall
persevere in trying to persuade them to eliminate some of the limita
tions because one thing the Archimedes needs is a really good
programmable database.  A
5.1

5.1
A3000 HardCard
5.1
Barry Thompson
5.1
I have just received one of those extremely compact SCSI HardCards which
has been designed especially for the A3000 computer by HCCS. The whole
device measures 18 cm front to back, 12 cm wide and 4.5 cm high, with a
protruding tongue which locates into the base of the computer.
5.1
The 12 volt power supply is obtained from a separate moulded mains plug
unit which has a flying lead that plugs into the back of the hardcard
via one of those miniature plugs that is usually seen plugged into a
telephone base. This plug can be modified in such a way that it would
require a small narrow bladed screwdriver to remove it. (Useful to avoid
sabotage in a school environment. Ed − an ex-teacher!)
5.1
In construction there is a sandwich which contains the NEC D8385 hard
drive at the top and the SCSI card at the bottom, component side down.
These two are separated by a thin insulating board which electrically
isolates the drive from the SCSI card.
5.1
The whole is surrounded by a sturdy metal case into which, on the right
hand side, is mounted what seems to be quite a powerful fan though it is
only just over an inch in diameter. This little device seems to keep the
hard disc case and card quite cool, even over long periods of use
5.1
The drive in use
5.1
After assembling the drive to the computer and plugging in the power
lead, all that is required of the user is to type in three simple
configuration commands (which are explained in the manual), press <Ctrl-
Break>, and verify the drive. The one that I have been using came
already formatted and there is 45M free space on the disc − a 100M
capacity disc is also available.
5.1
I have been able to do some comparative tests with a 45Mb Oak Worrawin
nie connected to the A3000, see below for details.
5.1
The tests were carried out by using Paul Beverley’s method, which
involves first a large data file writing test giving a speed in kbytes/
second and then transferring the contents of Application Disc 2 from one
directory to another. In this test approximately 420k of data contained
in 65 files is transferred. An ‘equivalent speed’ is then worked out
which makes it easier to compare the drives. It is simply 420k divided
by the time in seconds. All figures given are in kbytes/second.
5.1
                raw data rate          file
copy test
5.1
               HCCS   Worra     HCCS  Worra
5.1
Mode 0    451    659    21    44
5.1
Mode 15    436    659    21    40
5.1
Mode 21    291    55    17    18
5.1
The fact that the HCCS drive runs faster in mode 21 than the Oak drive
despite being 30% slower in modes 0 and 15 suggests that it has a larger
ram cache and so can “take up the slack” when the computer is busy
updating the screen. However, on the file copying test, which is a more
realistic test, the Worrawinnie is twice the speed in the lower modes
and catches up in mode 21. This is presumably because the HCCS SCSI
podule is 8 bit whereas the Oak podule is 16 bit.
5.1
Additional feature
5.1
Like most SCSI drives, this one has a socket on the back panel for daisy
chaining other devices. I can see this drive as a real boon to academic
staff who have an A3000 computer at home and want to use this data at
school/college. No lids to come off, just switch off the computer,
remove the power supply to the hardcard, remove the securing screws,
unplug the card, place in its original packaging and away you go. It
must be the A3000 owner’s answer to the removable hard drives that are
available! The cost is in the region of £410 inclusive of VAT. (If
anyone would like to discuss this drive then give me a call on
0332−690691.)  A
5.1

5.1
Small Ads
5.1
•    A3000 floppy interface inc switch to swap drives £22 inc p&p, A310 2M,
MEMC1a £600. Fitted with 20M hard drive £150 extra. Acorn monitor £100.
A3000 1M ram £35, A3000 User port / Midi £25. Phone 0780 −54537.
5.1
•    A310 colour, 4Mb RAM, 40Mb hard drive, ROM/RAM card with 96K RAM
battery backed. Acorn C Compiler Release 3, Programmer’s Reference
Manuals and Epson RX-80 printer £1000. Phone Mr Ball on 0258−480739.
5.1
•    Archway V2 £70, Powerband £10, Wimp Game £10, Pawn/Fish/Corruption
£15, Chocks Away 2 + Extra Missions £20, Saloon Cars £15, Worldscape
£10, Voltmace joystick £15, Break 147/ Superpool £15, Arcticulate £15.
Phone Mark on 0384−455066 5.30 − 7.30.
5.1
•    Ballarena £5, Terramex £3, Arc Pinball £7, Hostages £7, Interdictor II
£15, System Delta Plus II £35, Iron Lord £7. Phone 0233−629868 after 6.
5.1
•    Interdictor £9, Interdictor 2 £14, Wimp Game £9, Trivial Pursuit £9,
Superior Golf £9, boxed originals. Phone Chris on 0256−467574.
5.1
•    InterdictorII £17.50, Genesis £10, Conqueror £10, Flying Start II £12,
Pixel Perfect £10, ArcTrivia £10, RISC-OS Companion £12. Phone Barry on
0332−701969.
5.1
•    MultiStore II £180, Multipod digitiser/sampler £80 ono, E-Type £8,
Zarch £5, EMR Rhythm Box £15, Repton 3 £8, Terramex £5. Phone Jeremy on
061−483−2983,
5.1
•    Pace Series 4 external modem (2400S) V21/23/22/22bis, £150. Phone
Chris on 0271−850355 (evenings).
5.1
•    Scanlight Junior £100, and for 600dpi laser printing service telephone
Roy on 0263−70669.
5.1
•    Sony Magneto Optical Disc Units (NWP 559) £2500 inc VAT. Stephen
Jenkins, 081− 941−7899 (Fax −7895)
5.1
•    Swap − In exchange for video digitiser, I have Beebug A6 scanner
V1.03. Also E-Type £5, ET Designer £5, Arcendium £5, Olympics £5,
Powerband £8, Conqueror £8, Voltmace joystick £10, Watford 4-slot
backplane (2 layer) £15, Monitor swivel base £4. £60 the lot. Richard on
061−445−3369 after 6.
5.1
•    Techno-I digitiser with S-VHS upgrade, two weeks old, mint condition.
Cost £410, bargain at £300. Phone Iain Cameron on 0463−75251.
5.1
•    Tuition wanted for someone trying to use PipeDream in the Norfolk
area. One afternoon or evening a week during the winter months would be
fine. Preferably someone who can teach rather than a computer whizz-kid.
Contact Tom Beevor on 095387−306.
5.1
•    Wanted A3000 users to swap hints, tips, ideas, PD software etc. Dave
Burnett, 135 Park Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 6LN.
5.1
Charity Sales − The following items are available for sale in aid of
charity. PLEASE do not just send money − ring us on 0603−766592 to check
if the items are still available. Thank you.
5.1
(If you have unwanted software or hardware for Archimedes computers you
could donate for charity, please send it in to the Archive office. If
you have larger items where post would be expensive, just send us
details of the item(s) and how the purchaser can get hold of them.)
5.1
A440 computer (yes, a complete A440 computer with 20M drive − Tandon and
not Western Digital!) offers i.r.o. £500 (the price has come down
because we got no offers last month and the coming of the A5000 has
dropped the secondhand prices. Our engineer has checked it and it is in
good working order though we cannot, of course, offer any guarantee.
5.1
User Guides £1 + £3 postage, ArcWriter £3, DT-Talk £10, Acorn & RISC-OS
book £7, Assembly Lang book & disc £12, PipeMania £12, Archway 2 £45,
UIM £12, E-Type £8, ArcPinBall £12, Boogie Buggie £14, Interdictor 1 £9,
TwinWorld £10, Inertia £8, Man at Arms £9, CIS Utilities £8, Conqueror
£10, Magic Modem £40.  A
5.1

5.1
Help!!!!
5.1
•    Disabled Users − Tim Saxton, one of our contributors, is considering a
career change into working with computers to help disabled people. He
would be interested to hear from anyone with advice, ideas, unfulfilled
needs etc − either disabled users or those working with disabled users.
Contact him at Rock Farm House, 3 Acres Road, Bebbington, Wirral, L63
7QD or ring him on 051−645−7490.
5.1
•    Impression and !Chars. The utility !Chars is used mainly to enter “top
bit set” characters into documents. However it is also useful for
entering mathematical symbols, dingbats etc. It is tedious in this case,
after having “clicked” on the required character, to have to select the
correct font. A modified version of !Chars which entered the font
information (in Impression Document Description Format) as well as the
character code would be most useful. In fact Computer Concepts’ Equasor
has a such a utility, integrated with the rest of the program. Brian
Cowan
5.1
•    Outline font bending? − How about a simple program to transform
outline fonts, for example making it bold or oblique? This would be very
useful in extending the potential of ones collection of fonts. Brian
Cowan
5.1
•    PC Emulator compatibility list − Some long while ago, John Eden did an
excellent job compiling a list of those programs that worked on the
(old) PC Emulator. With the advent of the new PC Emulator, it would be
good to create such a list again. Would anyone be prepared to be the
coordinator? In the meantime, if you would like to send your reports in
to us at N.C.S., just tell us which version numbers of which bits of MS-
DOS software work correctly and we will pass it all on to whoever wants
to volunteer to co-ordinate it.
5.1
•    PD Software − There is now something of a proliferation of PD software
suppliers, some of better quality than others. There are some very good
programs around and there are some which are not worth the discs they
are copied onto.
5.1
The trouble is, how do you find the good programs? Our idea is to use
the Archive network. In other words, if you find a program that is
really worth having, if you tell us, we can tell the rest of the
subscribers.
5.1
David Holden has agreed to help by being the link person. So, if you
have a PD program that is really good, send information about it to
David, telling him which PD library it came from and he will compile
something for the magazine. So send your information (and the program as
well, if you like − but don’t expect David to mail the disc back to you
− he’s doing this voluntarily!) to David Holden, 39 Knighton Park Road,
Sydenham, London SE26 5RN.
5.1
•    Viruses? − While I was away on holiday I read an article in the
International Herald Tribune with the headline “Computer ‘Creature’
Mutates and Wows Scientists”. The substance of the article was an
account of recent research by a Dr. Thomas S. Ray, a plant biologist at
the University of Delaware. Although I may be wrong, my inference is
that this is something like John Conway’s “Life” program. However with
this new program, called “Tierra”, creatures can evolve and develop
features to preserve their existence. This is supposed to demonstrate
Darwinian evolution in operation. I have searched the literature for
further information, but so far I have drawn a blank. Does anyone know
anything about Tierra? Brian Cowan  A
5.1

5.1
Hardware Column
5.1
Brian Cowan
5.1
Regular readers of this column may well have got the idea that I am
obsessed with DOS. Many column-inches have been devoted to discussions
of possible DOS cards and, recently, the new PC emulator has excited my
interest. Although I protest that my interest in DOS is quite minimal,
this month’s topics again have a DOS connection.
5.1
PC podule
5.1
Yes, I have some firm news about a DOS card to be marketed by one of the
quality Archimedes third party manufacturers. Aleph One are working on a
386SX card which should be ready for demonstration at the Acorn User
Show. The SX version of the 386 has a sixteen bit external data bus,
ideal for interfacing in an ordinary podule. The CPU will run at 20 MHz,
although faster versions should become available.
5.1
Features
5.1
The card also promises to provide full VGA graphics (rather than the
EGA+ of the emulator), a true bidirectional PC printer port and a serial
port. There will be a socket for a 387 maths coprocessor chip if
required. Unfortunately, at this stage, there is no expansion slot,
which is very sad. As yet no price has been fixed − “below £600” is the
official statement. One Mbyte of RAM will be supplied as standard, but I
understand that it will be possible, by replacing the RAM chips, to have
4 Mbytes.
5.1
My interest in 4Mbytes of RAM is to be able to run the DOS version of
Mathematica but really, 4 Mbytes devoted to DOS is an incredible
extravagance. The clever thing would be to be able to use the RAM of the
DOS card as a RAM disc when DOS is not running. I believe a similar idea
was mooted for the RAM of the BBC Master 512 card, but I don’t know if
it was ever implemented.
5.1
At least one other company is working on a DOS card, probably using a
286 processor. However, I have no information on that product. But I am
pretty sure that both cards will be well-integrated with the new version
of Acorn’s PC emulator. They will hook into the emulator’s multitasking
windowing code. So, for the user, these products can be regarded
essentially as “hardware accelerators” for the PC emulator.
5.1
More on the PC Emulator
5.1
Last month I gave my first impressions on the latest version of the PC
emulator. While still not giving a review of that product, I have some
more observations and comments which, I think, deserve to be mentioned.
5.1
The emulator uses a configuration file when it runs. This specifies such
things as the location of any hard disc DOS partitions and the type of
graphics emulation required. The configuration file can also contain a
sequence of commands which are executed when the emulator is run.
5.1
The clever thing is that the emulator, together with a given configura
tion, can be installed by clicking on the relevant configuration file.
So a given DOS program can have its own configuration file, with
commands to run the program, the appropriate graphics adaptor specified
together with the correct hard disc partition(s).
5.1
The configuration file can be given the name of the DOS program, and
then clicking on the file will “install the program on the icon bar”
(with the emulator icon) as if it were a straightforward RISC-OS
application; the user need not even be aware of the DOS environment. It
would have been even better with a facility to run the program directly
rather than just install it but, nevertheless, well-done Acorn!
5.1
While on the subject of configuration files, I must correct a slightly
misleading comment from last month. While it is true that the configura
tion file, together with its associated software can support up to four
hard disc partitions, it should be remembered that Acorn’s current
version of MS-DOS (DOS 3.3) will only recognise two partitions while
running. DOS 5 will support four partitions and I think Acorn are
planning on switching to this soon. (I hear that some people already
have DOS 5 running under the emulator. Can anyone confirm this? Ed.)
5.1
Emulated hardware
5.1
The manual which accompanies the PC emulator gives some interesting
technical information. We are told precisely what hardware is being
emulated. The CPU is supposed to be an Intel 80188 chip. Then there’s an
8087 maths coprocessor, an 8259 interrupt controller chip and an 8253
timer chip. DMA (direct memory access) is provided by emulating an 8237,
while I/O uses an 8255 for both sound and the keyboard, with 8250 for
the serial interface.
5.1
80188 CPU?
5.1
So what is an 80188? The original PC CPU chips were the 8086 and the
8088. These were identical except that, while the 8086 had a sixteen bit
external data bus, the 8088 only had an eight bit external data bus.
Internally, the data bus was sixteen bits wide in both. In making the
usual boring PC from these chips, there was a considerable amount of
support circuitry required. The 8018(8/6) was essentially an 808(8/6)
with much of the support circuitry provided on-chip. Some minor CPU
enhancements were also added but, at the object code level, the chips
were supposed to be compatible with the older original CPUs.
5.1
New machines?
5.1
My understanding is that Acorn will be abandoning the ST506 interface
standard for hard discs. SCSI will remain for the “posh” machines while
IDE will be adopted for the lower end models. It goes without saying
that floppy disc drives will be the high capacity type.
5.1
There is a super fantastic chip which provides almost all the I/O one
could decently desire. That includes driving the floppy disc drive (high
density), hard disc drive (IDE), serial port at amazingly high speeds
and a bi-directional printer port. This sort of device will bring the
chip count of any new Archimedes down, whilst, at the same time,
providing enhanced performance. Unfortunately, things like dongles will
not work with the different printer port hardware.
5.1
The October issue of BBC Acorn User contains an “exclusive” rumour about
such a new machine, with an ARM3, pitched between the A3000 and the
Archimedes 540. DOS compatibility and the business market seem to be
important considerations. While BAU speculates on various bundled
packages, including DTP and PC emulator, thinking along these lines, I
am sure that an Archimedes (or even an A3000) bundled with an Aleph One
DOS card would be a highly desirable and competitive product. How about
it Acorn?
5.1
Floppy disc drive upgrade
5.1
You may have seen some publicity for a high density floppy disc drive
upgrade from Arxe Systems Ltd. This looks to be quite an exciting
product. The upgrade will consist of a replacement (high density) disc
drive together with a half width podule. The main features of the
product will be provision of a 1.6Mbyte ADFS format and the DOS 1.44
Mbyte format (using MultiFS 2). Later on, there should be a software
product to access Mac discs as well.
5.1
There are other features of this disc drive system which might not be so
apparent. The disc controller chip is one of the newer types with many
integrated features. Thus, formatting a disc and reading disc files into
RAM will use the minimum of CPU effort (unlike the situation with the
old 1772 disc drive controller). This means that even with the old 800k
format, the new drive will be a considerable improvement.
5.1
The disc controller chip can also support the higher density (4 Mbytes
unformatted) drives. At present, the drives are too expensive and not
terribly reliable but, at the right time, upgrading to these will be
simple.  A
5.1

5.1
Nature Clip Art Pack
5.1
Peter Jennings
5.1
Clip art has become something of a boom industry for the Archimedes in
the wake of all the DTP programs which have appeared. One of the
companies playing a leading part in providing sets of illustrations is
Micro Studio who now have 19 packs of Paint and Draw files, some in
colour, in their graphics library. Prices, some of them introductory,
range from £17.25 to £29.95 including VAT and postage.
5.1
Animals and natural history are strongly represented, with World
Wildlife and Pre-Historic Animals now joined by a two-disc Nature pack,
version 1.00. The discs come in a video-type case without a printed
manual and, although one is not needed, its absence does leave the case
strangely empty.
5.1
Wildlife and plants
5.1
The discs are not numbered and just have label pictures showing two
insects and a leaf respectively, to identify them as “Wildlife” and
“Plant Life”. Both have a ReadMe file which indicates that the Wildlife
disc is number one and contains the main program for viewing the
pictures. These are displayed in Magpie “binders” and a Magpie browser
is supplied for them. Clicking on the title page leads to an index of
the drawings, grouped under subjects. Clicking on an arrow beside each
name takes you to the page where the drawing can be found.
5.1
The Wildlife disc has seven pages of pictures in five categories. These
are, in order of size: Birds (18), Insects (14), Reptiles etc (6), Fish
(5) and Animals (3). The three animals are badger, watervole and
woodmouse, which has two illustrations. The number of animals is
surprisingly small but others have already been issued in the World
Wildlife pack.
5.1
The Plant Life disc has just two categories: Trees (23) and Plants (7).
There are 33 pages, plus the index, 27 of tree details (leaves, flowers,
fruits), five of tree shapes and one of plants; again rather a dispro
portionate mix.
5.1
The pages can all be printed out to produce a full, illustrated,
catalogue and any picture can be copied onto another disc or direct into
an application by clicking on it to produce a save box. Although the box
shows a Paint icon, the pictures can be saved as either Paint or Draw
files by dragging them to the appropriate application window.
5.1
There is an invitation on one of the discs to copy a form onto a blank
disc and send it to Micro Studio to be held for future free updates.
5.1
Clip art packages all have their limitations. Obviously, the subject of
this one is too wide to include illustrations of everything in nature
you may require. The small number of animals has already been mentioned
and there is, for example, only a single drawing of a spider. These come
in so many shapes that a similar sized pack could be filled with spiders
alone.
5.1
Do you need it?
5.1
The Nature pack costs £19.95 at its introductory price, which may seem
expensive for two discs with fairly simple drawings of 76 subjects.
However, there must be a very limited market, confined almost entirely
to DTP users and schools, for packages of this type. This means they can
not be sold as cheaply as more popular programs, despite competition
from public domain libraries.
5.1
This is a package which will either be of no use to you or you will need
very much, and would be happy to buy at almost any price, to save a good
deal of work and to provide a professional standard of artistic
skill.  A
5.1

5.1
Comment Column
5.1
•    Emulators/Software − The advent of the multitasking PC Emulator brings
into focus the question of good software. Suppose you have a choice
between an Archimedes non-multitasking program and a PC program to do
the same job: which do you choose, supposing they work the same and cost
the same? Answer, the PC version, because it now multi-tasks. The
writing is really on the wall for old-fashioned programs, and even
proper RISC-OS programs need to be at least as good as their PC
competitors. We do have a reasonable quantity of really good software
but not a wide range compared with the PC and Mac, and now the standards
for even small-user-base software are that much higher. I am not sure if
this is going to be a good thing, as it may put off authors. If the
applications do come forward, then it is a very good thing!
5.1
Mike Hobart, Cambridge.
5.1
• Public Domain libraries The growth in public domain software for the
Archimedes has been phenomenal over the past 18 months. Public Domain or
PD software is very cheap software written by programmers voluntary so
no profit is made. It was very prolific on the Amiga but did not really
start on the Archimedes until RISC-OS appeared. When I first got my
A3000 and started subscribing to Archive in March 1990, the amount of PD
for the machine was small. Started by pioneers such as Norwich Computer
Services and Alexander Goh (alias Sandie the Walrus) the PD libraries
have sprung up. Although poor quality programs have appeared on many
discs from many libraries, some useful utilities can be acquired − as
shown, for example by the review of DrawPlus (Careware 13) in Archive
4.9 p19.
5.1
Many pieces of PD software are too valuable to be without − some are
nearly up to commercial standard. For DTP enthusiasts, apart from the
excellent DrawPlus, John Kortink’s !Translator (Careware 13 or Shareware
32) is a extremely useful, converting foreign picture formats into
sprites for use in DTP. Some libraries also have a great variety of line
and clipart, and I notice that some outline fonts are appearing in the
Public Domain. Those who cannot warrant the expense of Lingenuity’s
Presenter 2 or Minerva’s GraphBox, will welcome !ChartDraw (Careware 5)
which, although only having a few features, draws graphs well and they
can be saved in Draw format.
5.1
For music enthusiasts, the ubiquitous Soundtracker by Hugo Fiennes is an
important piece of software. It plays very impressive tunes ported from
the Amiga and there are vast banks of these tunes available.
5.1
Unlike other types of programs, games seem to be under represented in
the PD world and those which exist tend to be of poor quality. However,
a few are worth having, such as Ballroom Blitz (Shareware 24), in my
opinion the best PD shoot-em-up, and YAIG (Shareware 16) which is
another fast invaders game. For the people who prefer slower relaxation
a ray traced version of Hangman exists (Careware 6), not to mention a
plethora of small desktop games such as Battleships (Shareware 18 &
Shareware 20).
5.1
PD really comes into its own in the field of small applications and
utilities. !PCDir (Careware 7), an excellent MS-DOS disc manipulator, is
a perfect complement to the PC Emulator, and numerous utilities for ADFS
hard and floppy discs are available. !Format, a simple truly multitask
ing disc formatter is the most useful, but for hard disc users, !Menon
(Shareware 38) is ideal to escape trudging through endless directory
structures.
5.1
For the mathematically minded, there are some really powerful fractal/
Mandelbrot generators around, and a Norwegian application called !3D-
Graph (Shareware 36) can plot equations, manipulate them and print them
out − almost commercial quality.
5.1
Demos and novelties are very common − these tend to be written by bored
programmers wanting to show off. Some of the best come from the
continent, !Cubitus is a cute animation from Bavaria and NoahDemo3
(Careware 5) is an excellent German effort. However, the golden demo
award must go to the Norwegian Brothers In Arm − if you haven’t got one
of their demos, get one, it really shows what the Archimedes can do (I
recommend !ARMScroll).
5.1
The world of the Public Domain is well worth exploring, but some words
of warning. Firstly, Public Domain is virtually free, so be prepared to
take the rough with the smooth. Some programs are excellent but some you
would not give disc room. The only PD source that I know of that selects
only the good programs for its discs is Norwich Computer Services (who
publish Archive), whose Shareware and Careware discs are good but, some
may say, a little expensive (I don’t think £3 is expensive!).
5.1
Secondly, do not expect outline fonts to be of high standard − if they
were good they would sell them at a much higher price, so only really
use them for headings. Thirdly, some unscrupulous libraries do not fill
their discs up. I do not see any point in this as it is only money-
orientated, and no one should make any profit out of PD.
5.1
Finally, keep an eye out for viruses − the situation is as yet not
serious but it could get worse.
5.1
The variety of discs and the number of libraries is confusing, so I
recommend to only use one or two − using too many you may find yourself
duplicating programs. Prices vary from £6 for the very best disc full of
programs (these are the Careware discs from NCS and, as all the profit
goes to charity, are a bit of an exception) down to 50p from some
libraries, if you send a blank formatted disc. Most of the programs I
have mention are available from most PD libraries so send an SAE to a
couple of the following for their PD catalogues.
5.1
Norwich Computer Services (Archive) − address on back page.
5.1
APDL    96 Lanehouse Road, Thornaby, Cleveland.
5.1
Arch PD    109 Ferry Road, Hullbridge, Hockley, Essex SS5 6EL
5.1
Cotswold PD    391 Cromer Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 6LX
5.1
Telstar PD,    40 Alderbrook Close, Rolleston, Staffs. DE13 9AH
5.1
A more comprehensive list of libraries is on the monthly magazine disc
as a text file.
5.1
E. Hollox, Holt
5.1
•    Upgrading the PC Emulator − Before I start, I would like to point out
that I view the PC Emulator as an excellent piece of software and one
that most Archimedes users should seriously consider owning. These
comments relate to my experiences upgrading from an early version to
1.6, the multi-tasking version.
5.1
After having read the news about the new version of the emulator, I
quickly posted by discs and money to Acorn Direct and received my
upgraded version from them after three weeks. What I had been hoping to
emulate was a PC with EGA graphics and MS-DOS 3.3. However, this was not
to be.
5.1
The first disappointment came when I read the accompanying letter which
revealed that upgrades do not come with MS-DOS versions 3.3 and you are
stuck with version 3.21. This annoyed me, although not much, since 3.3
offers little advantage over 3.21. What was far more annoying was the
statement on page 25 of the manual saying that MS-DOS 3.21 had been
“briefly tested with the PC Emulator”. (I gather that 3.3 supports 1.44M
floppies whereas 3.21 doesn’t so A5000 owners may well want to look to
getting the MS-DOS updated. Ed.)
5.1
I then came to look at the emulator itself. There are two versions of
the emulator supplied, one for owners of 1Mbyte machines and one for
those with 2Mbyte or more of RAM. Now I suspect that there are still a
lot of Archimedes owners who have, like me, still only got 1Mbyte. This
limits you to !PCEms, the single tasking CGA version.
5.1
For those of you who do not know, CGA is a PC graphics standard which
basically allows 4 colours. EGA, EGA+ and MDA, (all of which are on the
2MB+ version) are better graphics standards. CGA is limited, to say the
least, and the ability to run in an EGA mode was perhaps my main reason
for upgrading. It was therefore a disappointment to find myself still
stuck with the same graphics as the previous versions.
5.1
Actually, the CGA emulation is slightly different. This becomes evident
when you first load in the new emulator and see a larger screen.
Unfortunately, it does not seem to be as good an emulation as old one. I
tried to run a game under the emulator that uses various tricks to get
different grey shades out of the CGA screen. It had worked fine under
the old emulator but, for some reason, instead of black and white I was
getting white with a mixture of cyan and magenta. The manual does,
however, state that the new CGA emulation may not work on all monitors
and even suggests a cure − a cure which, sadly, failed to correct this
problem.
5.1
I then tried to load a piece of copy protected software from disc. Now,
I accept that some disc based copy protection schemes will beat the
emulator, and I have encountered several pieces of software that I was
unable to use because of this. What surprised me was that this particu
lar software failed to load, even though it had previously worked fine
with my old version of the emulator.
5.1
The new version of the PC Emulator boasts that it now emulates a maths
co-processor and that this gives a speed increase of 14 with floating
point mathematics. Do not be fooled into thinking that this will mean
the emulator as a whole runs faster. According to Norton’s SI (a
standard speed check), the emulator was now only running at 90% of the
speed it ran at under the old emulator. I was running this without the
ARM 3 upgrade and I can only assume that the new code has been written
in such a way that it is more efficient for ARM 3 users. While speeding
it up for them, it has slowed it down for the rest of us. However, this
is only speculation − it may run slower on their machines as well for
all I know.
5.1
I did encounter one or two very minor advantages to the new emulator.
Firstly, I was able to use the mouse and it worked fine on every program
I checked. !PCEms can also be configured in such a way that you can now
return to the desktop from the emulator. Alternatively, you can
configure it so that you are unable to return and this gives you a bit
more memory to play around with, although fractionally less than was
available with the old emulator. Sound has also been improved to a
bearable level, although if you configure the emulator to run so it
cannot return to the desktop, you do not get the full available sound
due to one of the vital sound modules being unplugged. The Emulator
should also now work with CD-ROMs.
5.1
The manual is a great improvement over the last pitiful attempt and it
includes some useful details, like how to connect up to a modem or
another PC/Archimedes. My only criticism of the manual is that it still
says far too little about MS-DOS itself. Actual installation was easy
and there were no problems in accessing previously created hard disc
partitions or creating new ones. An extra utility is also supplied for
transferring files between MS-DOS and Archimedes formatted discs.
5.1
Overall, the latest version of the emulator is simply not worth
upgrading to unless you have 2Mbytes or more, or you desperately need to
be running a PC with a maths co-processor. If the latest version runs
faster than the older version under ARM 3, it is probably also worth
upgrading but you would have to check first to see if this is the case.
If you have 2Mbyte+, you should upgrade as soon as possible, if only for
the enhanced graphics that will be available to you.
5.1
Richard Forster, Altrincham.   A
5.1

5.1
DataKing Plus and DataKing Plus Junior
5.1
Dave Morrell
5.1
In Archive 4.7 p46, I reviewed DataKing, an educational database. That
version, although very good, was not a true RISC-OS program. DataKing
Plus is a fully multitasking, RISC-OS program complete with its own file
type for datafiles. It is also written in ‘C’ rather than in Basic.
5.1
The version I am using is 1.01 − a slight pre-release version. i.e.
there are a few minor changes still to be made to it. The manual comes
on disc at the moment as both an Impression document and as a text file.
When the final version is complete a full printed manual will be
available.
5.1
Once loaded, the DataKing icon sits on the icon bar and seems to happily
interface with any program I have tried it with. The icon bar menu
contains five entries: Info which gives the usual information about the
program the author and the user etc, New File which is fairly obvious,
DataKing Plus Junior which is a simplified version of DataKing Plus for
use by younger children, DataKing Plus which is the full version of the
program and Quit which, again, is obvious.
5.1
You can select which version of the software is used, the full version
or Junior and this decides what happens when you click <select> on the
DataKing icon or when a DataKing file is double clicked. All previous
DataKing files are compatible with DataKing Plus.
5.1
DataKing Plus
5.1
When creating a new datafile, a window comes up containing a set of
video recorder type controls in the top right hand corner, “Record
Number:  x of y” in the top left hand corner and a blank field A. The
field is grey and clicking on it changes the colour to light blue and a
grey caret appears at the left hand end. The field name is typed in and
if <return> is pressed, field B appears with the caret inside it. Field
B name is then typed in and so on. It is very easy, much quicker to do
than to explain. Once the empty database is set up, data entry is just
as fast. Clicking to the right of the first field produces the usual red
caret and the data can be typed in immediately. Data can be string or
numerical data.
5.1
The other way to set up the fields is to click with <select> as the
mouse pointer is dragged down the window.
5.1
Menus
5.1
If the menu button is clicked over the datafile window a five option
menu appears. These are as follows:-
5.1
Info gives information on the file in use. i.e. number of records and
fields and the total size of data in the file.
5.1
Charts leads to a graphical submenu of the different charts that the
program will produce.
5.1
Workshop leads to a submenu containing four entries, Print, Search, Sort
and Statistics which in turn lead to further submenus.
5.1
Edit leads to another submenu containing four options.
5.1
Save allows you to save the data in either DataKing format or CSV
format.
5.1
Graphical output
5.1
The ‘Charts’ menu contains twelve different types of chart for display
ing data. They are grouped in four sets of three. The first set deals
with the manipulation of raw data. You can produce a single field bar
chart of one field in each record of the datafile, a multi-field bar
chart of two or more fields from each record in the datafile with each
record having two or more bars side by side or a summative bar chart of
two or more fields but this time the fields sit one on top of the other
giving a combined height for the bar.
5.1
The next three give the same three bar charts but this time as a
percentage of the totals for the fields rather than just raw data.
5.1
Chart seven gives a comparative line graph of two or more fields from
each record with each field represented by a different colour.
5.1
Chart eight gives an X − Y Line graph showing the correlation between
any two fields.
5.1
Chart nine gives a frequency distribution of various data expressed as a
bar chart.
5.1
Chart ten gives a percentage comparative line graph between two fields.
5.1
Chart eleven gives a scattergram, with a line of best fit, showing the
correlation between two fields.
5.1
Chart twelve does the same as chart nine but expresses the data as a pie
chart.
5.1
All the charts can be saved as Draw files for use in DTP packages etc.
All the bar charts can be produced as colour filled charts or as outline
charts for children to colour in themselves.
5.1
Printing
5.1
The ‘Workshop’ menu contains four entries. Print has three further
submenus for formatting the printout. All the print options work on the
whole datafile unless a search has been applied, in which case, only the
‘found’ records will be printed.
5.1
The first is ‘Line’ which prints out each selected field of a record on
a separate line and, if required, will put a blank line between each
record.
5.1
The second is ‘Column’ which prints out a tabular set of data, again
with each record separated by a blank line.
5.1
The third is ‘Label’. This prints out all the data from a record on to
one label. The number of lines per label can be specified but only
single labels seem to be supported. I use an H.P. DeskJet and my labels
are either two or three across. I would like to see this supported as I
know several schools in my local authority now use laser or inkjet
printers.
5.1
The program itself does not seem to be printer dependent and printed
most things on my DeskJet. I would have preferred the program to use the
RISC-OS drivers or give an option for changing the printer commands. On
all the print options there is an option to use condensed print. This
did not work on the DeskJet but gave me a nice smiling face at the
beginning of the printing.
5.1
Searching
5.1
There are two types of search − simple or complex.
5.1
The simple search allows you to search for an item containing or not
containing a word or part of a word, or containing a number equal to,
less than or greater than a specified number. It searches one specified
field through all the records in the datafile.
5.1
The complex search allows a search for a match or not-match of a search
string, including or not-including a search string, values equal or not-
equal to a specified value, values less than or greater than a specified
value or values less than or equal to or greater than or equal to a
specified value on up to three fields per record.
5.1
Normal numerical values are recognised but a numerical value such as
£1.54 will not be recognised as it begins with a non-numerical charac
ter. Also, a number such as 10,000 will be recognised only as 10 because
‘,’ is not a numerical character. I think that this could lead to
problems with younger children. A possible better solution might have
been to specify either numerical or string data when the database was
first set up and then ignore any non-numerical characters in a numerical
field. This, of course, would introduce another complication for younger
users. As DataKing’s design brief was for ease of setting up and data
entry I can understand why this was done.
5.1
Sorting
5.1
The third item in the workshop menu is a sort facility. Records can be
sorted on up to three fields either numerically or alphabetically, in
ascending or descending order. One of the things I liked particularly
about DataKing1 was its speed. DataKing Plus is slightly slower in its
searching but it is a lot slower when sorting. When sorting the
‘Placenames’ file converted from ‘Key’ into alphabetical order of names,
DataKing took about 1½ minutes including writing the new file to disc.
DataKing Plus took 19½ minutes including sorting the file in memory but
not writing to disc. Writing to disc is done in the normal RISC-OS
manner. Files probably will not need sorting very often so I could live
with this but it was a bit of a disappointment.
5.1
Statistics
5.1
The final option on the workshop menu is statistics. This will give the
total, mean and standard deviation of a selected field.
5.1
Editing data
5.1
The Edit menu contains four options. The first is Advanced Editor. This
leads to another menu containing six entries. The first four are self-
explanatory, Go to record, Insert record, Delete record and Delete
field. Adding a field is done by selecting the last fieldname on any
record and pressing <Return>. Another field appears underneath and is
repeated throughout the datafile. This needs to be done carefully as the
auto repeat on the Return key could add too many fields. To add another
record to the datafile select the last item of data in the last record
and press <Return> or place the mouse arrow under the last field and
press <Select>. Another blank record is added to the end.
5.1
The fifth option is Auto Entry. This sets up the Return key to move to
the same field in the next record when editing or adding data rather
than to the next field in the same record.
5.1
The last entry is Copy. This will copy a selected field throughout a
specified number of records. i.e. If we were making an address database
of a class of children then the town and county fields could be entered
into the first record and copied throughout the rest. This could be a
tremendous time saver when you consider the typing speed of most
children (and some adults).
5.1
The next item on the edit menu is ‘Fast Data’. This is another time
saver for data entry. If you are entering data into a database and some
of the fields have entries coming from only a small choice, this choice
can be entered into the Fast Data option whilst the field is high
lighted. When entering data into that field afterwards, clicking on the
menu button brings up the standard DataKing menu with the fast data
options listed underneath. Clicking <Select> on one of these options
places it into the datafield.
5.1
The last two options on the edit menu are parts of the same facility.
Using the ‘Define as Function’ option, one field can be defined as a
function of one or more other fields and clicking on ‘Calculate’ will
change the function in that field to a numerical value. This works in a
similar way to the ‘Calculator’ function in DataKing.
5.1
Saving data
5.1
DataKing Plus will save data as its own files or as CSV files to be
loaded into other application, not necessarily databases. It will also
accept CSV files from other applications by dragging the CSV file to the
icon on the icon bar. This was not explained in the temporary documenta
tion and was found by trial and error. I loaded in a large file that had
been saved from PipeDream as CSV and the load time was fast.
5.1
DataKing Plus Junior
5.1
DataKing Plus Junior is a cut down version of the program designed to be
used by younger children. The main menu has only four options, Info,
Charts, Workshop and Save.
5.1
Info gives the same information as the full program whereas the charts
menu has only four options. There are bar charts for single or multiple
fields or for frequency distribution and a pie chart for frequency
distribution. This makes it much easier for younger children to make a
choice. Again the charts can be colour filled or outlined for own
colouring.
5.1
Workshop is limited to three options.
5.1
Print will only print the datafile record by record as it appears on
screen with a line between each record and Search will search the
datafile either alphabetically or numerically. The alphabetical searches
are for word or not word finds and works for whole words or part words.
The numerical searches are for less than, equal to or greater than a
specified number. The searches are simple searches, i.e. only work on a
single pre-chosen field at a time.
5.1
Sort will sort on up to three fields, alphabetically or numerically in
ascending or descending order. As with DataKing Plus, the sort seems to
slow exponentially with the addition of data. I am not a programmer and
have been told that in order to gain the flexibility and ease of data
entry there was a loss of speed on the sort routine. DataKing does get
there in the end though and I am fairly happy to accept the slow sort
speed because of the ease of data entry.
5.1
Conclusions
5.1
In use, I found DataKing Plus to be as easy as the original DataKing.
Data entry is very easy, setting up a new datafile is simplicity itself,
searching data is quite fast though not as fast as the original, sorting
is very slow but may not need doing very often and graphic output is
excellent and is everything most schools would need.
5.1
I would recommend this for most school use provided the datafile does
not need sorting very often as this could be very time consuming.
5.1
For a home database, I would like to see a more flexible label printing
facility and some way of changing the few printer codes that are used.
5.1
Improvements in final version
5.1
Several improvement have been made to the software since this version
was issued: When saving a file, an overwrite message is now given if a
file of the same name already exists. ArcLaser and Laser Direct printers
are now fully interfaced. When a field is set up as a function, it now
shows up in red rather than blue when selected. On screen the record
number and, if it is on, the ‘search on’ message now appear below the
tape recorder style icons on the top right. They now remain there when
the window is scrolled so they are always in view. When printing out in
column format, the left hand column, the first record, is now left
justified. All the others remain right justified. On the graphics side
the ‘line of best fit’ on the scattergram is now optional as many
teachers preferred their pupils to put in their own line.
5.1
At the moment, there is no intention to change the label printing
facility to cope with two or three labels across a sheet.
5.1
It is also a bit difficult to set up a printer configuration file to
cope with non-Epson standard printers. To get condensed print on a
printer such as the DeskJet, set the printer up for condensed print and
then print out as normal.
5.1
DataKing Plus is available from Shenley Software at £59 +VAT or from
Archive at £64. Prices include a site licence.  A
5.1

5.1
Capsoft Disc Number Two
5.1
John Schild
5.1
Capsoft Disc 2 is the second offering from Barry Thompson − an 800k disc
crammed full of Draw files. There are drawn fonts for poster and display
purposes and frame borders for use in DTP applications. Having spent
some time exploring its contents, my verdict is very quickly stated:
Impression 2 users who ever have a need to put a decorative border
around a frame should certainly buy a copy without delay. Users of other
DTP applications should seriously consider doing so.
5.1
The contents of this excellent disc have been prepared using !DrawPlus
and are presented in Draw format. Graphic and artistic quality is
consistently high. The file directories are arranged as follows:
5.1
Complete borders
5.1
A “borders” directory contains some 40 ready assembled borders designed
for A5 reproduction, but a helpful paragraph in the Readme file offers
stage by stage instructions for re-scaling to other sizes. These may be
used in any graphics application but a timely warning is given that some
of the lines might prove too thin for the comfort of Acorn DTP.
5.1
Impression borders
5.1
21 different styles of Impression borders are offered, all ready to drop
into the borders set-up routine. To meet the needs of different sized
frames, they are presented in several different proportions, a total of
something over 60 borders. A drawfile is included as a visual index to
the border designs.
5.1
I recall that when reviewing the earlier Capsoft disc I asked “How do
you prevent black frames looking funereal?” Mr Thompson’s response is
highly effective: you employ multiple thin lines. The almost delicate
tracery style of some of the Capsoft 2 frames is most attractive and
entirely free from the Funeral Director’s influence. This is the most
imaginative set of Impression borders so far encountered.
5.1
Drawn fonts
5.1
A fonts directory contains a number of striking and attractive alphanum
eric characters designed for headings and posters, and the Readme file
offers useful guidance on the use of DrawPlus to assemble these into
headings etc. As they stand, these are of limited value and Mr Thompson
could usefully consider assembling them into outline fonts accessible
from the keyboard.
5.1
Capsoft 2 may be obtained on payment of £9.00 by cheque payable to B. J.
Thompson at Capsoft Computer Services.  A
5.1

5.1
Competition Corner
5.1
Colin Singleton
5.1
We have a collection of Calendar Trivia this month. Some of my regular
correspondents may well say this is too easy. Perhaps we will see some
new names in the postbag.
5.1
Firstly, Friday the Thirteenth. There was one in September − one of two
this year. What is the largest possible number of Fridays the Thirteenth
in a year? And the smallest?
5.1
Is the thirteenth more likely to be a Friday than any other day of the
week? More specifically, in what proportion of months, in the long term,
does the thirteenth fall on a Friday? What are the proportions for the
other days of the week?
5.1
Secondly, Bank Holiday Monday. For non-English readers, I must explain
that there are eight English Bank Holidays in the year. These are New
Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the first and last Mondays in
May and the last Monday in August, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. If any
of the Christmas/ New Year dates falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the
official Bank Holiday is on the nearest available Friday or Monday
(occasionally Tuesday).
5.1
What is the largest number of Bank Holiday Mondays in a calendar year?
In the long term, in what proportion of years does this happen?
5.1
Repeat for every other day of the week.
5.1
Don’t forget the Gregorian Century Leap Year rule. A year divisible by
100 is only a Leap Year if it is divisible by 400.
5.1
Entries and comments please, either via Paul at NCS, or direct to me at
41 St Quentin Drive, Sheffield S17 4PN.
5.1
P.S. My apologies for an unfortunate error in last month’s puzzle, Prime
Gaps. The prime associated with the longest known gap certainly does
exceed 215, but I meant to say that it exceeds 1015. Sorry if you were
confused.  A
5.1

5.1
The winner of the August competition is Paul Skirrow of Ipswich with his
caption: “This ARM3 sure helps the allegro passages!” but we have given
a runner-up prize to Mr A. Shooter of Dunedin, New Zealand for “My name
ain’t Sam!”. Unfortunately, these were the only two entrants!
5.1
I have asked Colin if he’d like to take a rest from his monthly
competition work. (The £50 a month prize money being given to a small
number of entrants was a factor, I have to admit.) If anyone else has
any ideas for a competition, let me know. To add a bit of spice to it,
we could have the prize being the option to chose which charity should
receive the prize money which could be as much as, say, £500 − now that
would be worth playing for! Ed.
5.1

5.1
This ARM3 sure helps the allegro passages!
5.1

5.1
Render Bender II
5.1
Malcolm Banthorpe
5.1
Render Bender II is an updated version of Clares’ already successful
ray-tracing and animation package which was launched over two years ago.
As might be expected, it is now fully RISC-OS compliant so that it is
now possible to ray trace in the multitasking mode and consequently the
computer can still be available for other tasks during the often lengthy
process of rendering. It comes on two discs with a 56 page manual.
5.1
There was some criticism levelled at the original version of Render
Bender concerning the method employed for designing a picture. While
capable of producing some very impressive results, the scene had to be
defined in text using a scene description language. This meant that you
either needed to visualise the scene in some detail in your head or plan
it on paper before you started. Then you needed to work out the
coordinate position of each object before writing the scene description.
5.1
Defining how an object would move in an animation, similarly required
the estimation of an appropriate formula to describe the movement. In
other words, the picture initially generated by the program was often a
bit of a hit and miss affair depending on how skilled you were at
translating the picture you first thought of into numbers. Usually
several attempts were required, each time generating a thumbnail ray-
traced picture, before the desired result was obtained.
5.1
The fact that a number of impressive pictures and animations were
produced shows that many peop le were not deterred by this and it was
still probably quite a lot easier to use than the alternative, public
domain, QRT and MTV ray-tracers. According to Clares, with the new
version “you no longer have to be a mathematical genius” (so that’s why
the old version took me some time to achieve results).
5.1
Graphical front end
5.1
The major improvement in the new package is the inclusion of a graphical
front end application called ‘!Illuminator’. This allows you to create,
interactively, a wire-frame version of the scene by drawing and
positioning your own objects in a !Draw-like environment. There is even
a toolbox similar to that used in !Draw, although all operations are
also available via menus.
5.1
The ready-defined primitives such as sphere, cube, cone, disc, etc. are
still available, as in the original version, to build up into more
complex solids and, in addition, irregular surfaces and swept volumes
can be defined. The latter would allow, for instance, a vase or
wineglass to be defined by drawing its profile.
5.1
As with !Draw, objects may be grouped so that all future operations such
as repositioning, colouring, scaling or rotation will apply to the whole
group.
5.1
Clares have provided 14 basic predefined colours and surface character
istics include glass, metal, shiny, normal (matt) and glass. The range
of colours is adequate for most purposes but could perhaps benefit from
a mid grey to augment the included extremes of black and white.
5.1
As well as clicking <adjust> to select a number of objects, an alterna
tive method is provided by drawing a box around them. All objects, apart
from spheres, may be ungrouped into their component surfaces.
5.1
Lamps, observer position and observer target are also represented and
may be moved as required, as may the points on which directional lamps
are shining. Lamps cannot apparently be assigned a colour and so always
give white light. However, I found that, by placing a filter of coloured
‘glass’ in front of a lamp, a very satisfactory effect of coloured
lighting could be achieved.
5.1
Similarly, although the spotlight has a fixed beam width, it is easily
narrowed by creating an opaque ‘shade’ from a cylinder or cone. Three
different fonts are available, should you wish to include three-
dimensional text in your picture.
5.1
Illuminator gives you a choice of views of the scene such as front, top,
left, right. You can have as many or as few of these windows open on the
screen as you like and dragging an object in one window will cause all
the other views to change accordingly.
5.1
In addition, although you can’t use it to move objects, there is a view
window which shows the scene from your chosen viewpoint and lens and
therefore is a reasonable representation of the perspective as it will
eventually appear when ray-traced. If the scene is particularly complex,
it can take an annoyingly long time (well, long in Archimedes terms
anyway) to update all windows. In this case, it is possible to disable
the update in all windows apart from the Render Bender view. An object
can then still be dragged in another window but only the perspective
view will be updated and in much less time. The other windows can later
be forced to update.
5.1
As well as the wire-frame view, it is possible to select a solid view
which employs a simple form of hidden surface removal. Although this is
not guaranteed to give the correct view under all circumstances, and
certainly not where inter-penetrating surfaces are involved, it works
well most of the time and may give a better idea of how the final
picture will look.
5.1
Animations
5.1
In order to produce an animation, there are two main methods by which
you can define how an object moves. Firstly, and most easily, you can
define key frame positions. You simply enter a frame number, say 1, and
enter an object’s starting position, enter a new frame number, say 10,
drag the object to a new position and register it. Clicking on ‘compile’
will then cause Illuminator to calculate the object’s positions in
frames 2 to 9 and a ‘show all frames’ option will display the complete
move as a repeated image of the object.
5.1
Alternatively, you can enter a formula with ‘frame’ as a variable to
define the movement. It probably still helps here if you are something
of a mathematical whizz kid but more realistic movement incorporating
acceleration and deceleration, and hence giving the impression of an
object’s inertia, can be achieved if you are prepared to persevere with
it. You can also move the observer position in order to fly through a
scene.
5.1
Your finished scene can be saved, either as an Illuminator file for
future modification, or for direct use by !Render as a scene file. It is
possible to build up a library of useful objects as separate Illuminator
files and use them later in new pictures by dragging the object file
into an Illuminator window. In creating a scene file, a text file
consisting of the original scene description language is automatically
generated. This may subsequently be edited using !Edit or another text
editor, if required. Illuminator is also capable of loading a scene file
and interpreting it, but grouping and animation information will be
lost, so it is always best to save a picture as an Illuminator file if
you are likely to want to do any work on it in future.
5.1
The !Render application, as before, allows the sky, floor and viewing
lens to be defined and also whether you wish to produce a picture with
or without shadows. The latter will produce results faster. For an
initial idea of what the the picture will look like, you can choose to
generate quarter size, sixteenth size or even smaller pictures.
5.1
Although !Illuminator will give you a good general idea of what to
expect, it is not able to show the effect of the lighting arrangement
that you have defined and so these smaller, quicker traces are still a
good idea. Any 256-colour mode may be chosen for the final picture. If
you are producing an animation rather than a single picture, then once
all the frames have been generated they will need to be combined into a
film by the !Animator application.
5.1
Single pictures are stored in compressed form which is the same as that
used by ProArtisan. A supplied application called !Converter is used to
convert the compressed files into normal sprites. I note from the manual
that the same file format is being used for another forthcoming Clares
product called Illusionist, which is perhaps worthy of a brief mention
here.
5.1
As I understand it, Illusionist takes an alternative approach to ray-
tracing in order to produce realistic-looking pictures. It has, as one
of its main strengths, the ability to apply smooth shading to curved
surfaces, which (apart from spheres) in Render Bender and in most other
ray-tracing packages, have to be represented as a series of flat
polygons. Another major feature is the ability to apply texture maps to
surfaces so that, for instance, a wooden table really does look like
wood. I look forward to its release with interest.
5.1
Render Bender II is a major advance on the original which has, as noted
above, already shown itself capable of excellent results. The program is
now easy for almost anyone to use and looks set to attract a lot of new
users. If you’re interested in ray-tracing but have been deterred up to
now by the numerical aspects and if you don’t want to get involved with
the more comprehensive 3D editors such as Euclid and SolidCad, you would
be well advised to look at Render Bender II. (£135 from Clares or £120
through Archive.  A
5.1

5.1
!DrawAid
5.1
Tristan Cooper
5.1
It is an inevitable part of the computer programmer’s role in life that
he must spend a considerable part of his time re-inventing the wheel −
that is, writing procedures that he knows others have written before.
However, if he needs the function, then he has little choice but to
write the necessary code. Fortunately, the advent of Public Domain
software has begun to reduce this tendency, so that many well written
utilities are now becoming available at negligible cost. Beyond PD,
however, are those assemblies of useful and powerful routines that are
(a) too good to be given away and (b) need a manual to explain their
operation.
5.1
!DrawAid from Carvic Engineering of Cambridge is a good example of this
category of software. William Graham has recognised the need (within his
own engineering environment) for a means of producing a wide variety of
graphic and text images that are not easy to make with !Draw, but which
can be subsequently imported into !Draw, !Impression etc.
5.1
As he so rightly states ... (using !Draw) “Text entry into tables is
rather laborious and if you require text at an angle other than
horizontal, each text string has to be prepared from an outline font
using !FontDraw or !FontFX. All this takes time and can be frustrating.”
How true! (But you could use DrawPlus − Careware 13. Ed.)
5.1
To alleviate this problem, William has prepared !DrawAid which allows
the generation of !Draw files directly from Basic. This is not a Desktop
application in the normal sense, but is essentially a library of text
and graphic routines in Basic, plus a core program in which to assemble
them. To get the most out of this utility you would need to be reason
ably familiar with programming in Basic, though a non-Basic person might
manage reasonably well.
5.1
!DrawAid is supplied with a very well written, clear, concise manual
which explains the philosophy behind !DrawAid and goes on to take the
user through a demo program which produces a neat and nicely annotated
graph. This is followed by a listing of the core program called AidBlank
which is the bare bones of any user program and to which one can add
routines to call the various Library procedures. It is at this point
that a working knowledge of Basic becomes useful. Essentially, what you
are doing is using PROCs such as PROC_polygon or PROC_arrow _in. These
PROCs take a number of parameters that specify details like line width
and colour, fill colour, origins, centres, lengths and angles. By using
the occasional FOR-NEXT loop with suitably inserted variables, one can
quickly assemble a few routines that will draw quite complex and
colourful illustrations.
5.1
It is worth referring to the chapter entitled Other Facilities at an
early stage however. This gives details of the scales used i.e. metric
or imperial. This explains why my initial attempts came to nought, as I
had assumed I was working to Basic’s normal 1279 by 1023 screen, but my
graphics were nowhere to be seen, being halfway up the wall! William has
sensibly designed DrawAid around an engineering environment so that you
can specify either inches or millimetres with the result that is WYSIWYG
on screen and printer.
5.1
It is also relevant to note that a number of global variables are
predefined. These usefully cover such things as line and fill colour,
text style and weight, scales and line widths (from 0 to 5, but not 6 as
stated in the manual). Some of these variables may be usefully altered,
while others are best left alone.
5.1
Following on from the simple stuff, there is the facility to group
objects together. Initially, it appears that all objects produced by
DrawAid are in one group and cannot be separated. However, using ungroup
from the Draw menu will separate them so that they can be individually
manipulated. But what if you want some of them permanently grouped? No
problem − just specify the start and end of a group when using DrawAid.
These objects remain grouped within Draw.
5.1
No doubt you were as disappointed as I with Draw’s limited text handling
facility. Being unable to rotate text is a serious nuisance. With
DrawAid you can assemble text in a variety of colours and styles and it
will be produced as any other Draw object − scalable and rotatable to
your heart’s content; very handy for graphs and illustrations where
annotation frequently needs to be vertical or angled. The font available
is Vector, which is essentially Latin 1 (ISO 8859/1) with Greek and
other extensions.
5.1
Path objects are catered for within DrawAid with a number of path
procedures including rotate, shear, locate and scale. Thus, it is
possible to use the flexibility of path manipulation in the construction
of complex shapes. If you’re familiar with the use of path edit mode in
Draw, then these PROCs will be of use to you.
5.1
A file entitled UserFiles.Demos contains an interesting selection of 16
Basic routines which include Pi_Chart, CeltKey, Sprocket, Tables _1 &
_2, Maths and even Airfoils. These demonstrate how DrawAid may be used
with recursive routines, assembly of detailed tables, complex fancy
graphics and mathematically defined shapes for subsequent use in
engineering drawings.
5.1
Conclusion
5.1
The overall impression of this package is that it is professionally
written and not difficult to use. The manual is clear, concise and
complete, with only one error noted. If you use a DTP package and rely
on Draw for your graphics, you will already have discovered its
limitations. The combination of DrawAid and Draw will allow you much
greater versatility when producing graphics and will speed the prepara
tion of drawings and documents considerably. What must you pay for all
this effort? − a mere £10.
5.1
(Obtainable from Carvic Engineering, 3 Shingay Lane, Sawston, Cambridge,
CB2 4SS. Phone & Fax: 0223−834100)  A
5.1

5.1
The Engineer!
5.1

5.1

5.1
Sherston Software    Swan Barton, Sherston, Malmesbury, Wilts. SN16 0LH.
(0666−840433) (−840048)
5.1
Silicon Vision Ltd (p11)    Signal
House, Lyon Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2AG. (081−422−2274) (−427−5169)
5.1
Southern Printers    47 Drake Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent TN24 0UZ.
(0233−633919)
5.1
Spacetech (p15)    21 West Wools, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EA.
(0305−822753)
5.1
Techsoft UK Ltd (p16)    Old School
Lane, Erryrs, Mold, Clwyd, CH7 4DA. (082−43318)
5.1
Topologika    P.O. Box 39, Stilton, Peterborough, PE7 3RL. (0733−244682)
5.1
Word Processing    65 Milldale Crescent, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton  WV10
6LR.
5.1
Wyddfa Software    3 Preswylfa, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55 4LF.
(0286−870101)
5.1

5.1
The review was based on a laser-printed proof copy of First Impression.
Stephen has already edited his tutorial guide in the light of Robert’s
comments and the modified version will be available at the Acorn User
Show a special show price of £25. The power of Impression DTP strikes
again! Ed.
5.1

5.1

5.1
Canon BJ-300/330 Printers
5.1
Martin Geddes
5.1
Many Archimedes users are finding their old 9 pin dot matrix printers
increasingly inadequate. Purchased at some expense several years ago to
accompany some venerable 8 bit micro, they are still capable of
acceptably legible output, but at a snail’s pace. Thus many people are
reluctant to invest in an expensive new printer when their previous one
is still performing. Having myself been forced to abandon my bulky old
printer when moving to university, I decided to take the plunge and buy
a high quality inkjet printer.
5.1
Attracted by the high speed and print quality of inkjets, combined with
their quiet operation, the 24 pin dot matrix option was rejected. This
left two contenders − the HP DeskJet 500, and the Canon BJ-300. (The BJ-
330 is the wide carriage version of the BJ-300). The Canon had one
overriding factor in its favour − it can handle fan fold paper whereas
the DeskJet cannot. Having seen the output from both, I can vouch that
the print quality is virtually indistinguishable, despite the Canon’s
higher (360dpi) resolution.
5.1
The BJ-300 is attractively styled and sturdily built. Consequently, it
is not particularly light compared to some cheaper 24 pin printers of a
similar size. However, measuring only 18“ x 13½” x 5¼“ and being able to
handle A3 portrait paper means it is not bulky. Paper can be fed in a
sheet at a time in the front, or tractor fed from the back. A cut sheet
feeder is available, and envelope handling is very satisfactory. A paper
park facility means that the fan fold paper need not be removed when
using cut sheets.
5.1
It works on a slightly different principal to other inkjets. Instead of
vaporized ink squirting on to the paper, the ink enters a microscopic
tube in which a small patch heats up rapidly. Some of the ink vaporizes
into an expanding bubble, which then forces a tiny blob of liquid ink
out. The bubble then recondenses in the tube. Hence Canon prefer to call
it a bubble jet.
5.1
Setting up
5.1
Setting up the BJ-300 is relatively simple, with easily accessible DIP
switches and a well laid out front panel. The only word of caution is
with the removable plastic cover over the printing area. This is too
darkly tinted, so you can barely see what is appearing on the paper
until it emerges from the printer. Also, the instructions are vague as
to how to fit it. For those still struggling, the two notches fit on the
two hinges in the very far corners of the printing area, and if you
press it down, it clicks firmly in place.
5.1
My first experiences with the BJ-300 were very discouraging, with lots
of smudged print emerging. After experimenting with several types of
paper, I found that this printer definitely dislikes paper easily able
to soak up ink while being poor at letting the solvents evaporate.
However, most types of paper produce good results − you too will need to
experiment. (Glossy paper seems to fare worst, along with certain very
slightly shiny coatings.)
5.1
Unlike the older BJ printers, the BJ-300 needs no special printer
drivers, working with !PrinterDM. Emulation of the Epson LQ printers and
the IBM ProPrinter range is provided. The Epson option, although it is
already supported by !PrinterDM, restricts vertical resolution to
180dpi. Included below is a minimal PrDataSrc file for the new
!PrinterDM (2.46), operating in IBM mode at 360×360dpi. Tack the usual
page/configuration data at the end. Ensure that you set the “control
codes” to “ignore” in !PrinterDM if you want the pure text output to
work.
5.1
The documentation is much better than average. A User’s Manual gives
setting up instructions and general advice, while an exceptionally
comprehensive Programmer’s Manual details every command sequence.
5.1
In use
5.1
The BJ-300 is very fast − the draft mode is the fastest I have ever seen
from a line printer, and is of a quality not dissimilar to a 24 pin
printer in NLQ mode. Draft mode means less of the expensive ink is
consumed. Letter quality is excellent (especially for pure text
printing), although careful inspection will easily differentiate it from
laser printed output. This is particularly noticeable for large expanses
of black where the paper gets slightly soaked. The letter quality speed
seems very favourable compared to 24 pin printers.
5.1
Although cut sheets as wide as A3 (portrait) can pass through the BJ-
300, only the usual 80 column area may be printed on.
5.1
For best results (even with an ARM3) you dump graphics output into a
file and then use Filer_ OpenDir Printer: to get a printer filer window.
Redirect printer output back to the parallel port and drag the file into
this window. In this way, the printer has less time to pause at the end
of lines and fewer minuscule gaps appear between lines.
5.1
Ink usage seems to be reasonable. I have used my Canon heavily for a few
months now with the original cartridge. There seems to be one ‘bug’ in
the printer. If you try to park a very long piece of fan fold paper, it
stops after about 1 foot of reverse feeding, beeps and dies. Only
turning off and then on will recover the situation.
5.1
The supposed problems of older inkjets with jets blocking up when the
printer is not in use seems to have been totally overcome with this
printer.
5.1
Conclusion
5.1
This is a very competent printer which is a good substitute for a laser
printer for those on a medium budget. It represents a major leap up from
dot matrix printers, while the tractor feed combined with draft printing
leaves plenty of flexibility for the programmer. The printer costs about
£420 (inc VAT); ink cartridges are £15, lasting for 500 000 characters.
However, the potential purchaser should be aware of the distaste with
which this printer regards some types of paper.
5.1
Sample PrDataSrc file for BJ-300 in IBM Proprinter Mode
5.1
version:               2
5.1

5.1
total_printers:        2
5.1
total_draft_printers:  1
5.1
total_nlq_printers:    1
5.1

5.1
nlq_mode:              0
5.1

5.1
features:       16_00000000
5.1
interlace:      0
5.1
line_interlace: “”
5.1

5.1
text_tab:             “<9>”
5.1
text_formfeed:        “<12>”
5.1
text_return:          “<13>”
5.1
text_return_lf:       “<10><13>”
5.1
..........................................
5.1

5.1
printer_name:   Canon BJ300 (360 by 360 dpi) (IBM mode)
5.1
printer_number: 0
5.1
text_alias:     -1
5.1

5.1
pxres:          360     ; dots per inch
5.1
pyres:          360
5.1
pxres_halftone: 360/8
5.1
pyres_halftone: 360/8
5.1

5.1
dump_depth:     48      ; 48 nozzles used, not interlaced
5.1
line_prologue:  “<28>CB<4><4>” ; select appropriate mode
5.1
line_epilogue:  “<28>CJ<04Introducing the Acorn A5000
5.1sp
Paul Beverley
5.1sp
On Friday 27th September 1991, Acorn Computers launched, to the
assembled press representatives, an exciting new computer to extend
their range − the A5000 (admittedly, not a very striking name!) The look
of the new computer didn’t exactly bowl anyone over either. It was quite
smart, but looked remarkably similar to many three-piece microcomputers
produced these days. But it was when Acorn revealed the power of the new
computer and we saw the price tag that we realised that Acorn have again
made a major step forward in terms of computing power per pound
(Sterling).
5.1sp
The A5000/2HD package
5.1sp
The package on offer is a 2 Mbyte (upgradable to 4M), ARM3 based
computer with their new operating system, RISC-OS 3. It has a 1.6M
floppy and a 40M IDE hard drive. There is also a high resolution multi-
sync colour monitor on a tilt and swivel stand. The price of this
complete package is an amazing £1499 (+ VAT) including the monitor.
Regardless of its looks or its uninspiring name, the A5000 is, without
any doubt, going to sell extremely well. Demand is going to far outstrip
supply for quite some time, I would guess, although Acorn say that mass
production of these new computers is due to start in January. They
wouldn’t be drawn on what they class as “mass” production but current
production rates are something in the region of 1,500 a month which is
tiny compared to what they could end up producing if this takes off in
the way I think it will. (Remember that, so far, Acorn have sold over
150,000 ARM3 based machines.)
5.1sp
Adrian Look and Brian Cowan, who also witnessed the birth of the A5000,
have written about the software and hardware aspects of the new
computer, so I will confine myself to the implications of the new
machine for the existing range of Archimedes computers and look at some
of the possible applications of the A5000.
5.1sp
The current version is an A5000/2HD to give it its full title but in the
new year, Acorn will be releasing the A5000/1FD. This will be a basic 1
Mbyte machine with no hard drive and it is planned to retail at £999
+VAT (= £1174). The reasoning behind this decision is, presumably, that
in this autumn quarter, the demand will be extremely high and they might
as well sell the full system while they can. In the new year, when the
full production comes on stream they will be more prepared to allow
people to choose to start with the basic machine and do their own memory
and drive upgrades.
5.1sp
(Actually, I’ve thought through the pricing of this and cannot see that
is likely that anyone will be able to beat the price of the A5000/2HD as
it is so aggressively priced.)
5.1sp
A5000 Learning Curve
5.1sp
If you want even better value for money than you should buy the A5000
Learning Curve package. This comes with the A5000/2HD and some extra
software plus a two-hour tutorial on two audio cassettes and a Home
Computing magazine. The software includes PC Emulator (1.6) with DR-DOS
5.0, Genesis Plus, First Word Plus, Acorn DTP, Pacmania and Lemmings.
For this, you pay an extra £38 − a total of £1799 inc VAT.
5.1sp
What about the opposition?
5.1sp
How does this new computer compare with the opposition? Is it really
more powerful? Well, I don’t profess to be a great expert on the current
generation of Apple Macs although, until the Archimedes came of age,
Archive magazine was produced on three Macs!
5.1sp
Acorn quoted a few figures for computing power saying that a top end Mac
Ci ran at 6.3 MIPs and a 386DX PC would run at a similar speed, whereas
the A5000 runs at 13 MIPs. Some will argue that Acorn are not comparing
like with like because they are comparing complex instruction set
computers (CISCs) with their own reduced instruction set computer
(RISC). However, the whole philosophy of RISC machines is based on the
observation that, for a large proportion of the time, CISC processors
are executing only simple instructions, so at twice the number of
instructions per second, albeit simple instructions, the A5000 really is
faster.
5.1sp
Having used Macs for quite some time, one thing I am certain of is that
having the operating system in ROM is a considerable advantage. Now,
with RISC-OS 3, the A5000 also has the Font Manager, 12 outline fonts
(i.e. 3 sets) and eight core applications also in ROM − !Edit, !Draw,
!Paint, !Configure, !Calc, !Alarm, !Chars and !Help. As one who has
spent many happy hours waiting for Mac applications to load from disc(!)
I believe that ROM based fonts and applications increase the “power” of
a computer significantly.
5.1sp
The other aspect of computer “power” which the Archimedes and the A5000
in particular demonstrate is programmability. At the hardware level, for
example, the video mode can be set at the flick of a mouse to any of a
wide range of standard modes provided on ROM. This can be extended by
using further screen mode modules which could be written quite easily by
third party suppliers like Atomwide and Computer Concepts. For the
programmer, there is a vast array of routines with appropriate “hooks”
to allow them to be used from within any programming language or from
machine code routines. There is also, in ROM, a “shared C library”
showing Acorn’s commitment to supporting those who are developing
applications using the C language.
5.1sp
With the new PC emulator and the processing power of A5000, we will no
longer have to apologise for the lack of speed when running MS-DOS
software. We can also now read 1.44M discs from PC’s and I believe that
a Mac disc reader is now a possibility with the new floppy drive
interface hardware.
5.1sp
What about the A3000/410/420/440?
5.1sp
How does the new machine fit in with existing Archimedes computers?
Indeed, does it fit in at all? Acorn have discontinued the A440 and
dropped the ex-VAT prices of the A410 and A420 by £200. So let’s look at
a few VAT inclusive prices to see how the different computers compare.
(These are prices as quoted to Archive members. They include discount on
monitors and memory upgrades but not on the computers to keep in line
with Acorn’s pricing policy.)
5.1sp
Each is priced with 2 Mbyte of memory.
5.1sp
               monitor:    standard
multisync
5.1sp
A3000     £935      £1185
5.1sp
A410    £1316      £1566
5.1sp
A420    £1500       £1750
5.1sp
A5000    (£1474)     £1761
5.1sp
That price comparison says to me that no one in their right mind, or at
least, who is in possession of the full facts, is going to buy an A420
since the A5000 has twice the floppy drive capacity, twice the hard
drive capacity, a lot more than twice the processing speed and RISC-OS
3! Even the A410 has very little to recommend it unless you really
cannot afford to stretch beyond £1316, and are prepared to make do with
low resolution display.
5.1sp
If you can wait until January(-ish), you could buy a 1M, floppy only,
version of the A5000 at £1174. If we guess at £90 for the 1 to 2M
upgrade and add a standard resolution monitor, that gives us £1474 or
£1724 if you want a multisync monitor − but that takes you to within £37
of the A5000/1HD with its 40M hard drive and Acorn multisync monitor. I
think Acorn are onto a winner − I can’t, at the moment, find any
sensible way to beat their pricing.
5.1sp
What about the A540?
5.1sp
The next question to ask is where the A5000 stands in relation to the
A540. The low price of the A5000 makes the A540 look grossly over-priced
at £3524 and so they have lopped £500 off the ex-VAT price bringing it
down to £2936. Acorn have also tried to separate the two by keeping the
memory of the A5000 down to 4M maximum (which obviously also keeps the
cost down) and by making VGA+ the highest graphics mode available. The
A540 has an SVGA mode but it is equally possible to give the A5000 an
SVGA mode by writing an appropriate screen mode module.
5.1sp
So how do the prices compare? If we take an A5000 and add 2M of ram
(£140) and a SCSI controller with a 100M drive (£790), we get something
that is on a par with the A540. On this basis, we get, for the two 4M
machines:
5.1sp
A5000 + multisync
£2691
5.1sp
A540 + multisync
£3392
5.1sp
The processor speeds are the same, they both have 4M of ram and a 100M
SCSI, so what does the A540 offer for the extra £600? Firstly, the A540
is easily expandable up to 16M by using plug-in memory boards (at £540
per 4M). Secondly, because the processor is on a separate board, it can
easily be upgraded to ARM4 or whatever becomes available. Thirdly, it
offers the high resolution monochrome mode (1152 × 900) which is not
available on the A5000 as it requires extra hardware to implement it.
5.1sp
However, at £600 less, the upgraded A5000 offers RISC-OS 3 (which could
be made available on the A540 but Acorn are making no promises), the
extra 40M IDE drive, a 2M floppy drive, space for a second 2M floppy and
the possibility of adding a 4M floppy when the prices come down
sufficiently. As far as memory upgrades are concerned, although Acorn
have “no intention of providing further memory upgrades for the A5000”,
they have provided contact points which would allow for the connection
of add-on boards with extra MEMC’s and memory and there is certainly
enough space in the box to fit them. It looks to me as if Acorn wouldn’t
be too unhappy to let the A410, A420 and A540 quietly slip into oblivion
− but I hasten to add that this just my own personal opinion.
5.1sp
Applications
5.1sp
Let’s turn our attention now to what we can actually do with all this
raw processing power. The three areas which Acorn quote as being ripe
for the A5000 are image analysis, multimedia and DTP. As I know little
or nothing about the first two, I’ll share my vision for the latter!
5.1sp
DTP systems − Cheap, but powerful !
5.1sp
If you are interested in setting up a DTP system then the A5000 must
surely be the best value on the market. To start with, the A5000 gives
you the speed of the A540 − about 13 MIPs, which compares well with the
6.5 MIPs of Apple’s latest, and most powerful, Mac Ci. Then you add to
that the improvements in the RISC-OS 3 operating system which Adrian
Look outlines for us in his article. In particular, the font manager is
in ROM and the facility is provided to have rotating fonts. Next, you
look at the price and speed of laser printers available for your DTP
system, e.g. Computer Concepts’ 600 d.p.i. Laser Direct HiRes 4 at £1100
inc VAT. This means you can get an extremely fast 600 d.p.i. DTP system
for just about £3,000 inc VAT and I challenge anyone to find a DTP
system of comparable power at under £10,000!
5.1sp
If you need a scanner, you can get a Computer Concepts 300 d.p.i.
flatbed scanner for £990 plus £200 for a SCSI interface which again is
well below prices of scanners for other DTP systems. Alternatively, you
could think of a Faxscan system. For £110, you can get an interface to
an Amstrad FX9600 fax machine which acts as a 200 d.p.i. flatbed
scanner. The interface plus an FX9600AT is £570 and this gives you a
fax, an answering machine and a telephone as well as a scanner!
5.1sp
Actually, if you want the HiRes 4 laser printer to be able to operate at
the full 600 d.p.i. instead of 300 d.p.i., you need to add a 2M to 4M
upgrade for the A5000 at £140. This gives you a total price of almost
exactly £3,000 (including VAT) plus a scanner if you need one. Also,
until the end of October, there an offer from Computer Concepts of a
free copy of Impression II with every laser printers − we think it is
the best DTP package available for the Archimedes and it normally
retails at an Archive price of £180.
5.1sp
Floppy based DTP?
5.1sp
It is also quite possible to think of being even more economical by
using a floppy disc A5000 for doing DTP. There are three families of
fonts held in ROM (which, with the Font Manager, would normally occupy
450k on disc − a significant chunk out of an 800k disc) along with many
other facilities that might otherwise have to be held on disc. In any
case, the floppies will hold up to 1.6 Mbytes, so even large publi
cations such as Archive, which averages 1.2 Mbyte per copy, could be
done on a floppy-only A5000. (This will have to wait until January when
Acorn release the A5000/1FD − the 1 Mbyte, floppy disc version of the
A5000.)
5.1sp
What is the future of the A5000?
5.1sp
By “1992 Q2” Acorn are supposed to be having a floating point accelera
tor available which will speed things up yet again on anything involving
floating point calculations. The only thing is that we don’t know how
realistic Acorn’s assessment is of the development time needed.
5.1sp
Even without the floating point accelerator’s extra speed, the A5000 is,
in my book, an absolute winner. As long as Acorn manage to ramp up their
production rates sufficiently to meet the demand, this could be the
start of another major success for Acorn and a shot in the arm (ARM?)
for the UK computer industry.  A
5.1sp

5.1sp
A5000 − The Hardware
5.1sp
Brian Cowan
5.1sp
At the Press Launch, we managed to get a fair amount of information
about the hardware of the new A5000 and we even persuaded Acorn to take
the lid off for us. There will be more information available once Paul
or I get hold of an A5000 ourselves, but here is the basic information
that I was able to glean.
5.1sp
Physical layout
5.1sp
The layout of the computer is very similar to the A300/400/540 in that
it has a separate keyboard, a box housing the main p.c.b., floppy
drive(s), hard drive and up to four podules, and then the monitor, on a
tilt and swivel stand which sits on the top of the main box. However, in
terms of the internal hardware, the A5000 is a substantially different
from the A300, A400 and A540, all of which were much the same −
certainly, they all used the same casing.
5.1sp
The physical differences are:
5.1sp
1)    The box is a wider but it is not as deep. I have illustrated the
importance of this by comparing the positioning of an A440 and an A5000
on a 30“ wide desk which is up against a wall so that cables cannot
over-hang the back of the desk. (The dimensions of the box are 100 × 430
× 340 mm − height, width and depth)
5.1sp
2)    The keyboard plugs in at the back of the computer. It has a
somewhat longer and more flexible cable than existing machines, so that
shouldn’t be a problem. In some circumstances, notably schools, it
should be an advantage because it is less easy for the plug to be pulled
out.
5.1sp
3)    The on/off switch is on the front of the computer beside the
floppy disc drive. Many people have told Acorn they don’t like having
the switch at the rear − particularly for special needs users.
5.1sp
Keyboard
5.1sp
The keyboard is not new; it the same one that is supplied with the A540.
Indeed, A410s and A420s are also now supplied with these same keyboards.
The only obvious difference is the lack of a pop-up keystrip holder.
Your keystrips have to rest on a ledge above the function keys. This
means that it is easier to swap keystrips because you don’t have to
force them into a keystrip holder but the negative side is that you can
lose them more easily.
5.1sp
Inside the box
5.1sp
When I looked inside the box, the first thing that I noticed was the low
chip count. I had speculated in my Hardware Column (Archive 5.1 page 43)
that, in addition to the ARM chip set, it might include a PC-type,
single chip I/O device covering IDE, floppy drives, parallel port and
serial port. It does so and this considerably reduces the number of
chips needed and provides more compatibility with PC devices.
5.1sp
Ram & processor speed
5.1sp
The RAM runs at 12 MHz as it does on the A540 (cf 8 MHz on the other
Archimedes) and the ARM3 clock is 25 MHz so it works a lot faster than
the older Archimedes computers. Acorn were claiming that it ran at 13
MIPs. It also has space to fit a FP accelerator chip though there wasn’t
a socket. This means that it can only be fitted by dealers and then only
by those with a “surface mount re-work station”. (Acorn say that it will
be a user-fitting job. Production machines will have sockets. Ed.)
5.1sp
The currently available A5000 comes with 2M of RAM, upgradable to 4M and
Acorn have “no plans to make higher memory versions available”. They
did, however, say that contact points have been made available which
would make it possible for third parties to add further MEMC’s and
memory boards. The RISC-OS software can, presumably, handle larger
memory because the A540, even with RISC-OS 2, can go up to 16 Mbytes
already.
5.1sp
Podules
5.1sp
There are the usual four podule slots which is an advantage over the
A540 which has one slot already taken up by a SCSI podule. RISC-OS 3
allows up to 16 podules but obviously the physical size and power supply
availability limit what can be done internally though it would be
possible, in theory, to build a 16-way backplane and supply a new metal
cover, tall enough to fit an extra power supply and a 12 more podules.
(And an extra big fan! Ed.)
5.1sp
Display options
5.1sp
In terms of hardware, the video output of the A5000 is the same as the
A540 or as an A300/400/3000 with a VIDC enhancer. In terms of software,
you can select any of the standard modes offered by RISC-OS. These
include modes up to VGA and VGA+ (640 × 480 in 256 colours) but stops
short of the Super VGA offered by the A540. This seems to me to be more
of a marketing ploy than anything − to provide an extra reason to
persuade potential purchasers, who are deciding between the A5000 and
the A540, that the extra features are really worth the extra money. As
far as we can tell, the A5000 is quite capable of generating SVGA. All
it needs is someone for someone to write the appropriate mode module. In
any case, those of us who have become used to modes like 102 (1152 × 448
in 16 colours) can have them as soon as someone writes the appropriate
mode module.
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The computer apparently detects the type of monitor it is attached to
and sets the monitor type accordingly. I cannot immediately see how this
would work, but it must have something to do with the fact that it now
uses the PC standard D-type monitor socket with three rows of pins −
about 12 in total − instead of the 9 pin D-type used on the other
Archimedes computers.
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The monitor which Acorn are bundling with the A5000 is a 14“ colour
multisync with micro-processor control. What happens is that, in the
automatic mode, it “learns” what settings to use for signals of a given
frequency and so automatically changes, for example, the x shift when
you change between certain of the Archimedes’ modes.
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Floppy drive(s)
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There is a single 3½“ floppy drive which works in a high density format
providing up to 1.6M on a single floppy disc. It also supports, as you
might guess, ADFS 800k in both D and E formats. However, there is no
mention on the Technical Specification sheet of whether it will handle
the older ADFS 640k L format. We were told that it would also read, but
not write, DFS discs and there is support for 720k and 1.44M MS-DOS
formats. (Acorn’s press information also mentions Atari formats up to
720k. Ed.)
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There is space underneath the existing floppy drive for a second one and
there is a detachable front panel is provided to accommodate this. This
is in addition to, and not as an alternative to, the hard drive −
another improvement over existing Archimedes computers.
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The floppy disc controller will actually handle 4M unformatted floppy
drives as well as the 2M drives supplied and so it would, in theory, be
possible to replace the drive with one handling the higher capacity
although the software would have to be changed (RISC-OS 4?) to deal with
it. Acorn have not used them in this unit as the aim of keeping the cost
down was far more important than getting extra capacity on the floppy
drives.
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One other major improvement is that, because they have used the
intelligent PC I/O controller, floppy disc drive operations can take
place in the background. The effect of this is that loading and saving
are faster and formatting can take place while you continue with other
tasks.
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Hard drive(s)
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There is a single 40M Conner IDE hard drive (average access time 25 ms)
which feels fairly fast though we weren’t able to do any speed tests on
it. We couldn’t see anywhere obvious for a second IDE drive to fit or be
connected, but a 2½“ IDE drive might fit underneath the floppy drive
where the second floppy should go. There are no connectors for a second
IDE drive − you would have to daisy-chain onto the existing cable and,
if it was an external drive, somehow run the cable out of the back of
the computer. If you wanted other external drives, you could put in a
SCSI podule and connect to any of the available SCSI drives (which
currently go up to 1,000 Mbytes).
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Although IDE has been used, this is transparent to the user as it has
been worked in with ADFS. The internal IDE drive is simply ADFS drive
:4.
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Parallel port
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Because they have used the PC I/O chip, the parallel port is fully bi-
directional. The advantage of this is that many more of the (cheap) PC
peripherals will be able to be used. One disadvantage (for the likes of
Computer Concepts and Oak Solutions) is that their dongles will no
longer work. CC are actively working on an alternative!
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Serial port
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The serial port is again more PC compatible in that it works to the
(earlier, lower spec) RS232 standard rather than the RS423 used on all
existing Archimedes computers (as used on the original BBC Microcomputer
back in 1981/2). The I/O chip is capable of somewhat higher speeds than
we have been used to although the Technical Specification only quotes
9600 baud.
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To maintain backwards compatibility with Archimedes peripherals using
the serial port, Acorn have had to emulate the “features” of the old
(bugged) serial chips.
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PC keyboards
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The PC peripheral chip also provides facility for a (PC-type) mouse and
keyboard and although this has not actually been implemented, it only
needs a separate board with a couple of chips on it to do so. Acorn have
made provision for this by providing space for an extra socket on the
back panel of the computer.
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EMR interference protection
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Great care seems to have been taken to avoid the kind of electro-
magnetic radiation interference that characterises many of the Archi
medes computers. (In the research work I do, I have to switch the
Archimedes computers off while the readings are being taken. They are
then turned on again automatically and are set to boot up in order to
download and process the data that has been gathered.) Acorn have tested
the A5000 against a whole range of EMR regulations for different
countries and are, apparently, satisfied that they are going to be able
to sell it in a wide range of other countries.
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PC Emulation
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The comments I made in my Hardware Column about the PC Emulator (Archive
5.1 p43) apply to the A5000 except that it now runs as fast as it does
on the A540. The A5000 Learning Curve Pack apparently comes with DR-DOS
5 which should be an improvement over MS-DOS 3.3 currently supplied with
the PC Emulator if you buy it on its own.
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Another important improvement which the A5000 provides is easy access to
PC format discs. You can format, read and write MS-DOS discs at 720k and
1.44M densities. When you put any disc into the drive and click on the
drive icon, it checks to see what disc type it is. If it is any of the
Acorn formats, things proceed in the, now familiar, fashion. If, on the
other hand, it detects a PC disc, it catalogues it (with full length MS-
DOS filenames) in a RISC-OS window and you can move and manipulate the
files as you would in RISC-OS. If you try to edit the files then a
certain amount of automatic filetype translation takes place. For
example, a .TXT file would automatically be loaded into !Edit. When you
try to transfer files across from PC to ADFS, again, filetypes are
translated where possible and, if necessary, filenames are truncated.
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Also, MS-DOS partitions can be read from within the RISC-OS environment
which makes file handling much easier.
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Actually, it is RISC-OS 3 that provides these extra facilities and this
should, eventually, be available for the other Archimedes computers,
although they would be limited to reading 720k discs.  A
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View inside the Acorn A5000 box − A rough diagram drawn from memory!
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A view showing the how the A5000 fits better onto a 30“ wide desk than
the A440.
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A5000 − The Software
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Adrian Look
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Acorn Computers have been developing a new version of RISC-OS for quite
some time now and we have all been waiting (patiently?) and wondering
when it would see the light of day. I gather that the original intention
was to make it available for existing Archimedes computers before now
but the development has taken longer than had been hoped. Anyway, it has
now seen the light of day as RISC-OS 3 on the newly launched Acorn
A5000.
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We have been able to try it out for a short while on the A5000’s that
were on show at the Press Launch and what we saw was very impressive.
Until we get hold of one ourselves, all we can do is list the new
facilities that we observed and supplement that with the information
given to us by Acorn themselves.
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Firmware
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Acorn’s spec sheet sums up the A5000’s firmware as consisting of RISC-OS
3, ADFS, ANFS, BBC Basic V and character sets ISO 8859 Latin 1 − 4 and
Greek. However, it looks as if the release ROMs have Basic VI which has
its own compression utilities and a facility to link in the floating
point emulator (also held in ROM) which will be very good news for some
people. Obviously, “RISC-OS 3” is where most of the goodies are, so I
will unpack that a bit more.
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RISC-OS 3
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RISC-OS 3 is a huge bank of operating system software which it is
difficult to do justice to in such a short article. So, in order to make
the best use of space, I will concentrate on the additions and improve
ments to RISC-OS 2, since I am assuming that this article will be read
by those who are already, at least vaguely, familiar with the current
operating system. So here is a list in no particular order:
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•    Extension modules − All of the standard extension modules of RISC-OS 2
are included in RISC-OS 3 − Floating Point Emulator, ColourTrans,
Outline Font Manager and Shared C library.
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•    Tasks − RISC-OS 3 can have up to 128 tasks running together as
compared to 32 with RISC-OS 2.
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•    Compression routines − Basic VI has its own compression routines but
there are also compression routines for other types of files included in
the ROM.
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•    Broadcast loading − RISC-OS 3 contains support for broadcast loading
which improves the speed at which applications and data can be loaded on
multiple computers on a network.
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•    Named hard drives − Instead of just “:4”, “:5” etc on the icon bar,
you get the discname displayed.
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•    Icon bar icons − The icons on the icon bar are grouped by RISC-OS 3,
regardless of the order in which they were installed. This means that
all the drive icons appear together, as do all fileservers etc.
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•    High resolution icons − If you are working in a higher resolution, you
can change over to a set of icons that make better use of the hi-res
modes.
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•    Interactive help − Facilities are provided within RISC-OS 3 to make
the setting up of interactive help much easier. In particular, it allows
help to be provided on menu items as well as on icons and windows.
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•    Hot keys − Some new hot keys have been provided for opening a task
window (which no longer has to be done through Edit), moving the icon
bar to the front and initiating a shutdown procedure.
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•    Screen blanker − This will shut down the screen display after a
specified length of time to preserve the monitor. The screen display is
restored as soon as a key is pressed or the mouse is moved.
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•    Multi-tasking filer − Copying, moving and deleting files now take
place in the background. This is facilitated partly by improved
intelligence within the hard and floppy disc controller circuitry. The
same is true of format, verify and backup commands.
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•    Multi-format filer − RISC-OS 3 allows MS-DOS files to be written to,
read from and even formatted. You can even access any MS-DOS partition,
as if it were a normal RISC-OS directory, and manipulate the files.
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•    Multitasking free space display − The amount of free space available
on the floppy or hard drives can now be displayed continuously, being
updated as file operations take place. It can also be displayed in
Mbytes rather than the almost indecipherable numbers like 65587200.
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•    Extra filer operations − You can now search for a file, set a filetype
or datestamp a file from the filer menu.
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•    Windows facilities − There is now no limit to the number of windows
that can be open at one time and you can have windows which move off the
edge of the screen.
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•    Font facilities − The new font manager allows fonts to be rotated and
transformed without having to be replaced by bit maps first; it can
cache single characters rather than blocks of characters; it supports
right-to-left scripts; it can cope with multiple font directories and it
supports different character set encodings.
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(As a result of these changes, although documents produced on RISC-OS 2
will be usable on RISC-OS 3, the reverse is not true. This has signifi
cant consequences until such time as Acorn make RISC-OS 3 available to
the 150,000 existing ARM3 machines which, apparently, they are not
necessarily intending to do, according to comments they have made to
date.)
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•    Fonts − There are 12 fonts in the RISC-OS 3 ROMs, i.e. Times, Homerton
and Corpus. This has a very significant effect on the possibility of
doing DTP and other font-dependent applications on a floppy disc system.
A font directory with Times, Homerton and Corpus occupies 450k. On a
1.6M floppy, that’s not too bad but it is a significant proportion of an
800k disc.
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•    Desktop saving − An option on the Task Manager provides the facility
for saving the state of the desktop. This includes applications that are
running, open directory viewers, any logged-on fileservers, any icons on
the desktop background and the backdrop picture. This desktop state can
be restored on boot up by making it into a boot file. This makes it much
easier for non-technical users to customise their own boot up condi
tions. The “state” of the computer does not, however, include any
iconised windows or any opened application windows.
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•    Shutdown − The Task Manager also provides a shutdown facility to
ensure that no applications have unsaved data, all network links are
disconnected and all hard drives are shut down.
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•    Printer support − There is now a full printer queue facility; you can
drag several files to a printer icon and you can suspend the printing
and/or remove items from the queue; it indicates what proportion of a
file has been printed so far; you can have more than one printer active
at one time; it is much easier to create new printer types; printer
drivers can be named, so you can call them, say, “MyLaser” or
“YourEpson”; they will print transformed or rotated fonts or sprites;
they support font-downloading which is particularly important with
PostScript printers since it allows printing of Acorn fonts without
having to purchase the appropriate PostScript font for the printer.
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ROM based applications
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There are now eight ROM based applications. The fact that they are in
ROM means that they are always available on the icon bar and it also
means that they use less memory. !Edit, for example, needs at least 160k
to run from disc but only 64k from ROM. Also, you can choose whether any
(or all!) of them should start up automatically on boot-up although
there seems little point as they are always available on the icon bar
anyway.
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Most of the applications have also been improved in various ways. The
following list of features is mainly based on Acorn’s documentation and
there are likely to be a number of other added features which come to
light as the A5000’s are used more widely.
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•    !Paint − You can now replace a colour with transparent and transparent
with a colour. It offers scale x, scale y and shear. It has a timed
screen snapshot facility so that, after the snapshot has been requested,
you have time to get out the menus you want to be recorded as a sprite.
It allows you to use circle, triangle and square as a brush.
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•    !Edit − This now provides column tab, overwrite and word-wrap modes.
It has support for wildcarded expressions in find operations as well as
the original magic characters. It works with an unlimited number of
fonts. It has support for editing Basic programs.
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•    !Draw − This looks to have been substantially improved. (One wonders
if the programmers have seen DrawPlus!) There are now many keyboard
short-cuts; colour interpolation is provided to provide smooth colour
grading from one path to another; automatic scrolling of the window as
the mouse approaches the edge with <select> or <adjust> held down;
operations can now be undone; there is text to path conversion, though
this is not needed as desperately as on RISC-OS 2 because fonts can be
rotated without converting them to paths; text can be edited in situ;
sprites can also be rotated.
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•    !Alarm − This has improved support for setting and resetting alarms, a
listing of alarms available in text format, repeating alarms to be set
within a working week, more control over repeating alarms (e.g. on the
second Sunday of every second month!), automatic changing between summer
and winter time and the facility to start up a task when an alarm time
is reached.
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•    !Calc − At last, it uses the keyboard keys for input!
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•    !Chars − Little obvious change here.
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•    !Configure − This allows easy control over the configuration options
including the number of hard drives (plus some control over SCSI drives)
and floppy drives, various aspects of the network including those
relating to the broadcast loader, mouse sensitivity, keyboard auto-
repeat, memory allocation, sound, thresholds for fonts and the window
manager (including whether windows can move off-screen).
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•    !Help − This now provides help on menu items as well as about icons
and windows.
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Disc based applications
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There are now sixteen or more disc based applications
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•    !Pinboard − Files, directories and applications can be “attached” to
the desktop. Simply drag the file/directory onto the desktop. Windows,
including active ones, can be “iconised” to enable best use to be made
of the available desktop space. Clicking on a iconised window restores
it to normal. Backdrops can also be created from sprites in various
patterns.
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•    !Printeredit − This allows you to create printer drivers and to
“common control” your printer. Apart from having printer drivers for
different printers available on the icon bar at the same time, you can
also have more than one printer driver relating to the same printer,
though obviously not more than one can be active at the same time on a
given printer. You can therefore, more easily, print out to one printer
in different formats. Just click on the driver to make it the active
driver (other drivers to the same printer are then shaded to show that
they are inactive) and just drop the file onto the active driver or
print from within the application you are using as you would normally.
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Printer drivers are provided for Apple LaserWriter, PostScript, HP
LaserJet, Canon & Integrex 132 colour, Dot matrix Epson compatible.
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•    !FontPrint − This allows RISC-OS fonts to be printed on a PostScript
printer. It will translate and/or download fonts as necessary.
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•    !Scicalc − scientific calculator
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•    !Puzzle − sliding block puzzle
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•    !65host − 6502 emulator
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•    !65tube − 6502 second processor emulator
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•    !Clock − analogue face and hands
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•    !Mailman − manager to send and receive electronic mail
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•    !Maestro − This includes some new tunes and a score printing facility
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•    !Patience − card game
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•    !Tinydirs − This application, which allows directories to be kept on
the icon bar, is made virtually redundant by !Pinboard’s ability to
iconise windows. The only advantage is that it can be run from a boot
file whereas iconisation is only available as an immediate operation.
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•    !Lander − Remember this one on RISC-OS 2?
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•    !Madness − and this one?
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•    !Magnifier − You do not need to run this application each time you
need it. When you run it, it installs itself on the icon bar and can be
picked up from there when needed.
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•    !Usage − Shows the usage of the processor. If you have this running
during floppy disc operations, you will see a major difference between
the A5000 and the other Archimedes computers!
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•    !Squash − (This was on the computer we tried but doesn’t appear on
Acorn’s current spec sheet for the A5000.) Simply drag a file onto the
squash icon on the icon bar and the file is compacted and replaces the
original file on the disc (or other filing system). The file icon is
replaced by squash’s own icon and, if you double click on the compacted
file, it is restored to its full size (assuming there is room on the
filing system) and the original filetype icon is also restored. If you
drag a directory onto the squash icon, the individual files within the
directory are compacted but the structure of the directory remains
intact and instantly accessible. (Until someone writes a PD uncompactor,
this will only be of use on your own computer or for file exchange
between A5000 owners.)
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Conclusion
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There are many facilities here that will make life much easier both for
the programmer and also the end user. It is a very exciting step forward
and I just hope that not too many extra “features” appear and that those
bugs that are already known will soon be put right. RISC-OS 3 is still
in EPROMs which are somewhat more expensive than ROMs, so Acorn will,
for a number of reasons, be keen to get RISC-OS 3 into a stable form. I
wish them well!
5.1sp
(That’s all very well for those lucky enough to get hold of an A5000,
but what about the rest of us? When will we be able to get our hands on
RISC-OS 3? Acorn will only say that they are “considering making it
available on other Archimedes computers”. In view of the fact that they
have sold over 150,000 ARM based machines, I suspect that they will make
every effort to get it working on other machines, and especially on the
A540 because it is supposed to be a “better” machine than the A5000
which it isn’t really if it only has RISC-OS 2 and an 800k drive.
However, Acorn have “no plans to provide an IDE interface or 1.6M drive
for the A540”. See also my comments about the relative merits of A5000
and A540 in the Introduction. Ed.)  A
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My thanks to Brian and Adrian for all their hard work in getting this
supplement out so quickly after having first seen the new A5000. We are
all agreed that this is a very exciting new computer and wish Acorn well
with it and hope that it receives the coverage it deserves.
5.1sp
Paul Beverley, Editor of Archive Magazine (1/10/91).
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5