Bubbles

The weekly meeting of our Central PA Times/Sinclair Users Group was coming up quickly, and I had promised a demonstration of my new TS2068 computer. I needed a special program fast to show off some of its new features.

As I slipped the TS2068 from the box, I wondered if it was free of defects and if it would operate properly for the demonstration. With little time for testing, it occurred to me that the demonstration program could also serve as a test for the proper operation of at least some of the features of the computer, I hooked it up and switched it on. Everything seemed to work fine, so far. Thumbing through the manual, I made notes for my program.

The completed program “Bubbles” is found in Listing 1 . The screen display in Figure 1 shows a typical printout. The desired results were achieved: a program for the TS2068 thai is short and simple, that provides some degree of testing for proper operation, and that demonstrates several of the new features of the TS2068. (And, yes, the computer has performed flawlessly since it was first switched on.)

Whal does the program do? It generates circles of random size placed randomly about the TV screen. Screen border color is changed randomly each time a circle is drawn. All the while, random musical notes of random duration arc produced. At random times, Ihe screen clears and a new pattern of circles is created. The total effect is arresting and is guaranteed to draw smiles.

“Bubbles” demonstrates some features that are not found on the TS1000, such as the BEEP and CIRCLE commands, sound, and high resolution graphics. But this little program barely scratches the surface of the sound, graphic, and color capabilities of this remarkable new computer. Books soon to be released by the Times Computer Corporation and other sources, along with articles in SYNC will describe in depth how to use these more sophisticated capabilities.

We found one more use for “Bubbles.” When displayed on a color TV in the corner of, e.g., a space age living or working area, it provides a kind of High Tech Environmental An, a moving, abstract, tonal computer painting.

Line Notes:

2: Sets the screen border color.

10: Generates a value, z. for a circle

24: Generates a duration for the BEEP commands and uses the value of z to select the pitch of the beep.

25: Checks to see if a circle centered at x,y with radius z will fit within the limits of the TV screen. If the circle fits, the next line is executed. If the circle will not fit, the program jumps back to line 10 to generate new circle coordinates and radius.

30: Draws the circle.

35: Checks to see if the current value for z falls between 50 and 60. If it does, then the screen is cleared.

40: Returns to the beginning of the program.

Listing

    2 BORDER RND*7
   10 LET x=RND*256: LET y=RND*176
   20 LET z=RND*100
   24 BEEP RND*.7,Z-45
   25 IF Z>=X OR Z>=Y OR Z+X>=255 OR Z+Y>=175 THEN GO TO 10
   30 CIRCLE X,Y,Z
   35 IF Z>50 AND Z<60 THEN CLS 
   40 GO TO 2