Letters

Micro-Prolog

Dear Sir,

Reference the question in your last magazine about the availability of the program “Prologue” for the ZX Spectrum computer. Sinclair Research commissioned a version of the Prolog language for the Spectrum and sold it for about 30 Brit. pounds. However, when the rights to the Spectrum were transferred to Amstrad, all production ceased. Morever, Amstrad refuses to publish the Prolog software. So much for the bad news, now the good news…a copy of “Micro-Prolog” is available from: Logic Sales Ltd.

The cost for this program is §3.95 + £ 4.00 (airmail postage); total £7.95. The pound is currently worth about $1.45 (U.S.). Anyone who wants a copy had better hurry; there are only a few copies left. The reason that the airmail postage is £4.00 is that the cassette comes in a presentation case with a 24 page introduction booklet, plus a 301 page primer on Micro-Prolog.

Sincerely,
Charles R. Byler
Ft. Riley, KS

A & J help request

To the Editor & Readers,

I have a major problem (and others may have this same problem) with “self-starting” programs. This involves trying to put these programs on to an A&J Micro Drive for the TS-2068.

Does anyone have a program that can be pre-loaded into the computer then merged with the self-starting program, so that the Save instructions can be changed to allow it to go to the A&J instead of the cassette recorder? Sure hope someone out there can help.

Thanks kindly,
Vince Stimmel
Hendersonville, NC

Editor: While I heartily endorse and support the A&I as a Low-cost mass storage device, I found that it’s user guide 44 very skimpy. We regularly receive all kinds of requests for help with this system. I do hope that others will shaee info and tidbits for the A&J. 18 there such a routine similar to an “007” on “Spy” routine?

2068 Music

Program Contributed By: Joe E. Jenkins, Amarillo, TX

10 FOR z=1 TO 18: READ a,b,c
20 SOUND 7,60;8,15;9,15;0,a;1,b;2,a+2;3,b
30 PAUSE 10*c: SOUND 8,0;9,0:NEXT z:STOP
40 DATA 92,4,2,209,5,2,92,4,2,209,5,2,92,4,1,158,4,1,47,5,1,15 6,4,1,92,4,4,226,3,2,289,5,2,226,239,2,289,5,2,225,3,1,289,5,1,47, 5,1,289,5,1,92,4,4

MSCRIPT

First of all, I would like to encourage all of the suppliers (magazines, newsletters, developers of software and hardware) to continue offering useful software or modifications to existing software. I suspect that the majority of Timex computerist are not all that interested in learning the “ins and outs” of programming, hacking, and hardware development. We just want something practical which we can use on a day to day basis. Please don’t think I am knocking those who have a more technical interest. But neither do I wish to be criticized for my lack of technical interest.

As examples of the above comment, I offer MSCRIPT (especially Jack Dohany’s customized version CMS-5), Tasword Two, Omnicalc 2, Pro/File 2068. There are more of course but these represent the ones most useful to me.

Second, a word about MSCRIPT. I have seen almost nothing about this tremendous program. I used WordStar for quite a long time on my brother’s computer and I can honestly say that MSCRIPT has some distinct advantages over WordStar. Admittedly, it is not perfect but it is VERY GOOD!

I have not always felt this way about MSCRIPT. It wasn’t until I saw a small note in T-S Horizons about Jack Dohany’s “Jack’s Fairware”. The article mentioned a customized version of MSCRIPT which I immediately sent for. This is the best piece of software that has been written for the 2068 computer. The original version of MSCRIPT, and Tasword Two are nothing by comparison. In fact, the only deficiency I have found is that end of page markers are not available (as in WordStar). You have to print the document to see where the pages break. Tasword Two does not do this either.

I would like to see Jack get the recognition and credit he deserves for this fine word processor. I use it several times a week, every week.

Looking forward to my next issue of Time Designs.

Richard Templeton
Springfield, MO

Editor: While giving Jack proper recognition, I might mention that he has a new address: Jack Dohany, 390 Rutherford Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061. Folks who send a Legal size S.A.S.E. can get complete details on the Customized MSCRIPT Vers.5 and other “fairware”.

Sinclair Joysticks

In regard to the recent query from a Time Designs reader about using the Kempston protocol joystick interface by modifying the program or use of user-definable keys (for reference, see the article “Adding a Joystick To The Spectrum-ized 2068” in May/June ‘86 issue of TDM); there is no easy way to do that short of modifying the program itself. However, there is one simplistic joystick interface which is “cheap and dirty” (but it works), which can be used with both Sinclair joystick interface and keyboard options.

Very simply, the Sinclair interface mimics the keyboard keys 6,7,8,9 and 0 for joystick control. This can be done by simply wiring a joystick in directly, or providing a socket for attachment. The following diagram indicates the wiring as viewed from the wiring side of a DB9 socket. This type of interface would have to be the low cost leader as far as joystick interfaces go.

Jack Keene
Dallas, TX

80 Col. VU-CALC

Dear Tim,

Here are some program lines for people with Timex’s VU-CALC and an 80 column printer.

After calculating and saving your calculations to tape or disk, break out of VU-CALC (Enter #Q then Option #1). Merge your printer interface software (it can’t occupy addresses 34573 to 52072). Add these lines:

9700 FOR P=0 TO 280 STEP 70 
9710 FOR Z=34573 TO 52072 STEP 350
9720 FOR L=0 TO 69 
9730 LPRINT CHR$ ( PEEK (Z+P+L));
9740 NEXT L
9745 LPRINT
9750 NEXT Z 
9755 FOR T=0 TO 30: LPRINT : NEXT T
9760 NEXT P

A “GOTO 9700” will print 5 pages of VU-CALC (the total worksheet, not just the screen copy ‘”window’).

To keep 7 digit numbers from running together, add these lines (this also separates every 7th letter if you have TEXT):

9735 IF (L+1)/7= INT ((L+1)/7) THEN LPRINT " ";
DELETE line 9745

If you do not use the workspace below line “AN” and want a neat looking double spaced work sheet, change these lines:

9710 FOR Z=34573 TO 48500 STEP 350
9745 LPRINT: LPRINT
DELETE 9755

If you only want one page, change these lines:

page 1 - column 1 to 10: 9700 LET P=0
page 2 - column 11 to 20: 9700 LET P=70
page 3 - column 21 to 30: 9700 LET P=140
page 4 - column 31 to 40: 9700 LET P=210
page 5 - column 41 to 50: 9700 LET P=280
DELETE line 9760

A “GOTO 3000” will give you the option to return to VU-CALC.

Carl Green
East Liverpool, OH

Spinning Wheel

This short program for the TS2068 draws several different “views” of a wheel, then “spins” the wheel for an interesting animated effect. Try it out!

Program Contributed by:
Charles Goyette
Drummondville, Quebec
Canada

4 REM If you don't want to see the wheel being drawn, insert 90 PAPER 7: INK 7
5 CLEAR 29999
15 LET a=30000
20 READ q
25 POKE a,q
30 LET a=a+1: IF a<30047 THEN GO TO 20
35 DATA 33,0,64,17,0,120,1,0,24,237,176,201,1,0,40,197,62,5,33,0,120,0,17,0,64,1,0,24,237,176,6,20,14,220,13,32,253,16,249,61,32,235,0,193,16,225,201
100 GO TO 900
110 LET L=USR 30000
115 LET R=PEEK 30004+256*PEEK 30005+6144
120 POKE 30005,INT(R/256)
125 POKE 30004,R-256*PEEK 30005
130 NEXT F
135 CLS
140 REM MACHINE ROUTINE STARTS HERE
145 LET L=USR 30012
150 STOP
910 FOR F=1 TO 5: CLS : CIRCLE 126,85,80: CIRCLE 125+(Q/3),84+(Q/3),83: CIRCLE 126,85,10
920 FOR T=0+Q TO 95+Q STEP 5
930 LET A=T/50*PI
940 LET SX=126+79*SIN A
950 LET SY=85+79*COS A
960 PLOT 126,85: DRAW SX-126,SY-85
970 NEXT T
980 LET Q=Q+1
9999 GO TO 110