Sinclair Survival Column

Believe it or not, this month’s column marks the start of the third year here in Computer Shopper. Yet, unlike when it started, coverage includes an actively produced computer–the Sinclair (not Timex) QL. But all of those other models have not disappeared by any means, and so to start our third year together, let’s look at something new for each model– from the ZX-81 through the QL.

It’s not that often anymore that I come across new products for the T/S 1000 family (ZX-81, T/S 1000 & T/S 1500), but when I received a copy of E. Arthur Brown’s (3404 Pawnee Drive; Alexandria, MN 56308; (612) 762-8847) newest catalog that is just what I found!

This month we will look at two new products for the T/S 1000 range of micros. Both of them take what is already a very powerful computer and add to its power and usefulness.

When I graduated from my T/S 2040 printer to an AERCO Centronics interface and full size printer, I got spoiled and put the small Timex thermal printer away. From time to time I found it necessary to make listings, printouts or screen dumps from my ZX-81, but as it was no longer my primary computer, I did not purchase an interface to enable me to use my Gemini 10X. Unfortunately the printout from the T/S 2040 would not serve many of my current needs. Now, however, that situation has been addressed by Fred Nachbaur, and Silicon Mountain Computers (C-12, Mtn. Stn. Group Box; Nelson, BC VIL 2J3; Canada).

The product which they have developed is a Universal Printer Driver (UPD), which allows any of the popular printer interfaces available to be used with the ZX-81, T/S 1000 – 1500 computers. It is, in fact, a collection of utilities which can be used to control a full size printer. The Loader program is in BASIC, allowing a certain amount of user customization. It is totally relocatable, so that it can be used with practically any existing software regardless of memory requirements of the program. It may be merged with existing programs, used as an independent program, or have software developed around it. UPD can be located in the normal RAM locations (16K-64K) or the “transparent” 8K-16K area. The machine code itself uses just 1/2K (512 bytes) of RAM.

UPD can be used just as it comes, with most of the popular interfaces (both parallel and serial) available for either the T/S 1000 or T/S 2068. (Note: This is T/S 1000 software and not for use with a T/S 2068.) However, if you have a non-standard interface, or have constructed one of your own, full instructions on its use with UPD are included.

UPD supports COPY (full screen or partial screen), LLIST, or three different LPRINT forms-allowing use of upper and/or lower case printing with your T/S 1000 as well as ASCII codes. These routines are called via USR statements, which are given in the documentation. The exact calls are determined by where in memory you have located UPD, but the manual describes quite simply how to figure the correct entry addresses.

As an added bonus, there are other routines included with UPD in addition to the print routines. There is a CHECKSUM routine which when used both before SAVEing a program and upon LOADing it back (quite a chore with the T/S 1000) will verify a correct LOAD. An improved SCROLL is also included which improves upon the Sinclair BASIC version. Those of you familiar with the SCROLL in the original ROM know of the quirks which using it produces–such as delayed screen clearing. These drawbacks are eliminated using this new SCROLL.

A full disassembly of the code is provided, and the developer is very generous in permitting UPD’s use in commercial software provided credit is given to Silicon Mountain Computers, and they are informed of its use.

Since a large number of T/S 2068 owners also have the earlier model(s) this is quite a useful piece of software.

A second T/S 1000 range program is a toolkit which adds more than a dozen new features to the operating system. The Delphic Toolkit uses 4K of memory in a location of the user’s choice. As with UPD, the Delphic Toolkit can be located either within a program (in a REM statement), in any 4K region of the 8K-16K area, or in upper memory.

The toolkit is available in two forms, an EPROM version from its developer – Delphic Enterprises (P.O. Box 72205, Corpus Christi, TX 78472), or on tape thanks to a license agreement with Thomas B. Woods (P.O. Box 64, Jefferson, NH 03583) of Pro-File fame. Incidentally, the tape loader was written by Fred Nachbaur.

The routines in this package are invoked by way of a USR call rather than new keywords. A single entry address is necessary, and a call to that routine produces a menu from which the individual functions are selected. The routines which require additional information–such as start and end positions–prompt you for the required data.

When you first run this program, you are prompted as to where in memory you want to place the toolkit. The only requirement is that it reside in a single 4K area, as the program jumps around within that reserved area. The entry address is determined by the location in which you place the toolkit, and making a USR call to that address brings up the toolkit menu. These are the routines included in this program:

Renumber-As the name implies, you can renumber your BASIC program listing from any line you desire through any later line. All GOTO and GOSUB arguments are automatically changed as well. An exception to this are GOTO and GOSUB statements which use computed destination addresses- such as GOTO 10*N. These statements will be ignored by the toolkit. You are able to specify the increment for the renumbered lines.

Copy-Like copy routines in word processors, this routine will take a block of your pro- gram and copy it at other points) in the listing. When it is inserted, the program lines are automatically renumbered to accommodate the additions. No changes are made, however, in the arguments of GOTO and GOSUB statements.

Move-Similar to the Copy routine, this function inserts a block of program lines into a specified spot. Unlike the previous routines the original block is deleted, and GOTO and GOSUB routines are renumbered

Search-This routine will find each occurrence of a specified string. The type of string (characters, shifted characters, graphic characters, commands or functions) makes no difference to the toolkit. This can allow all variable names, prompts, etc. to be changed at every point in which they appear. The BASIC program lines are printed to the screen, and you are given the option of having a copy sent to your printer, if one is attached.

Delete-This is used to simply remove from your program all lines specified.

REM Kill—In order to conserve memory you might want to remove all REM statements with this selection.

REM Generate-If you want to create REM statements to store machine code routines in your BASIC programs, this function will generate the line with the number and type of characters you indicate.

Variables Print-For a list of all the variables and their current values, you would choose this function. The listing includes the type of variable (number, string, array or for-next), the variable names (and dimensions if it is an array) and the values. For-Next variables will show the current value, limit and step. You are also given the option of copying any screen to a printer.

Hex-Decimal Conversion- By invoking this function, you can toggle back and forth between hex to decimal or decimal to hex conversion.

Free Space-This routine will display the number of bytes between STKEND and the machine stack pointer SP. This will, under normal circumstances, show you the amount of spare memory.

Program Size -The amount of memory used by any given segment of a BASIC program is displayed by this command. The number of bytes used by the variables may also be included.

Non-Volatile Memory Storage — This routine is for use with the Hunter Non-Volatile Memory Board. There are both Store and Restore routines included.

Merge- By placing the program currently in memory above RAMTOP, you can LOAD another program and then have it MERGEd with the original. You may have to first use the renumber routine so that line numbers do not conflict. You may make multiple MERGEs.

Tape Index-When you select this option and play a program tape, you will get a directory of the programs recorded on that cassette. A hard copy may be made and stored with the tape.

Unlock-This routine would be used when you want to LOAD a self-starting program without having it automatically execute upon LOADing. This works with any program SAVEd using the normal BASIC.

Quit-A simple procedure for leaving the toolkit and re- entering normal Sinclair BASIC method.

Delphic Toolkit comes with a well written 12 page user’s manual. For anyone still doing serious programming on a T/S 1000 compatible computer, this is a definite help.

Moving along to the T/S 2068, we look at two Spectrum games which can be played on an emulator equipped American computer. The vast majority of new releases for the Spectrum are games, and these two are among the best I have seen.

The first of these games is World Series Baseball from Imagine Software, Ltd. (It is also available for the Commodore 64.) What is so unusual is that it is for the British Spectrum owner- -who may have little or no idea of the game of baseball. The promotional material reads, “Prior knowledge of baseball not essential-self demo for instructions… with real Baseball features including-Steal Options, Curved Balls, Pitcher Throws, Cheerleaders and all the razamatazz of the U.S.A.” But terminology aside-and when did you ever see cheerleaders at major league games? The rules seem to be quite well understood by the programmers. The insert that comes with the program attempts to compare baseball to the British game of rounders from which baseball evolved. I must admit that this made reading the rules a bit confusing me-terminology again-but having been a baseball fan since rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers, I proceeded to actually playing the game.

This game can either be played using joysticks or keys, and two players can compete against each other or a single player can play against the computer. If you are going to use the keyboard, you may define your own keys. You may also set the number of innings you wish to play (3, 6 or 9) and the difficulty. You even have the choice of colors for each team.

When you first enter the program the national anthem is played and the cheerleaders (?) romp across the field! The home team takes the field and the first batter comes to the plate. The pitcher’s delivery and pitch are followed close-up on the scoreboard, as well as showing the batter when the ball reaches the plate. The shadow of the ball creates an excellent feeling of perception and helps the batter’s timing. The pitcher controls both the speed and height of the pitch. Balls, strikes and outs are shown on your display.

Once the ball is hit, the computer selects the most reasonable fielder to field the ball and attempt the put-out. Sometimes however, I found the choice of fielders to be questionable at best. The batter can be put out by either tagging the runner off the base, or through a force play. If the lead runner is adventurous enough, he can steal a base.

You have some control over placing your outfielders only-the infielders are assigned positions. Between each pitch you may either move your outfielders in or out. When you pull them in, they are practically in the basepath, and sending them out can only be described as shallow. I would have liked to play them deeper than allowed.

Between innings music is played, and advertisements (for British companies and products) are displayed on the scoreboard. A nice touch.

The graphics are superb, and some of the extra touches really add to the value of this program. For a sport with which the British are not familiar, this is quite a good simulation of our national pastime.

Elite Systems, Ltd. has brought boxing to the Sinclair gram, “Frank Bruno’s Boxing.” Aside from the excellent graphics and animation, this program is unusual as it allows you to fight eight different opponents. In order to meet your next opponent however, you must defeat your current adversary.

There are eight different nationalities represented in this stable of fighters. When you first play the game you go against the Canadian Crusher-big but not very smart. If you defeat him you receive a code which allows you to LOAD the next boxer on the tape. You then attempt to defeat Fling Long Chop (Japan), Andra Puncheredov (U.S.S.R.), Tribal Trouble (Africa), Frenchie (France), Ravioli Mafiosi (Italy), Antipodean Andy (Australia) and finally Peter Perfect (U.S.A.). Each boxer is more difficult to defeat than the one before. I still haven’t gotten past Fling Long Chop who continually jumps up and kicks me in the head!

The game is keyboard controlled, utilizing eight boxing moves (guard up, duck, guard down, right hook/uppercut, dodge left, left punch, right punch and dodge right). It is your job to combine these moves to protect yourself, find your opponents weakness, and knock him out. Rounds are timed for three minutes and you must knock your opponent down three times before you can achieve a knockout. Of course you also have to protect yourself from being knocked out. Time and players status (strength remaining) are displayed on the top half of the screen while the bottom portion displays the scrolling action-like watching the bout on T.V.

Aside from being one of the finest animation jobs I have ever seen, this game will keep you at your computers for hours on end. Quite an improvement over the earliest computer games. These programs can be bought from many American Sinclair dealers or directly from software dealers in the U.K

The amount of QL software available at the moment is not overwhelming, but as programs are checked for compatibility, the American QL dealers are making them available. However, the QL is targeted as a business computer, and the software which was developed for the British market often doesn’t meet the needs of the American business. This is being addressed by U.S. programmers such as myself who are now developing U.S. specific packages. It will probably be late in 1986 until these programs reach the market. In the meantime the British importers have the field to themselves.

One of the currently popular imports is Icon Controlled Environment (I.C.E.) from Eidersoft. For those of you unfamiliar with this system it is a system which makes cataloging, copying and backing-up files simpler than by using the SuperBASIC commands (such as dir, copy and delete). However, that is not what makes this product so popular-it is the I.C.E. screen which is its main feature. Instead of a blank screen upon pressing F1, I.C.E. shows a screen with a number of icons, or pictures— a calculator, calendar, micro- drive cartridge, floppy disk, RAM disk, trashcan and ESC. The time is displayed on the top, and a menu along the bottom.

A small arrow is controlled by the cursor keys, a joystick, or (soon) a mouse. By placing the arrow over the picture of one of the storage devices you have in operation, and pressing the joystick button (or spacebar) twice in succession, you get a graphic directory of the files on any media in that device. (To catalogue a cartridge in microdrive 1, SuperBASIC requires that you type: dir mdvL_.)

Each file is represented by a graphic and the name of the file. The type of file determines the type of icon shown. An Archive file is represented by a filing cabinet, Easel files by a small graph, Abacus files show an abacus, and Quill files are displayed as a dog-earred sheet of paper. A SuperBASIC file shows up as a microdrive cartridge bearing the inscription SB, while executable files say EX. Export files are represented by a small suitcase. Any other type of files are represented by a standard file folder.

A backup cartridge can be created in one simple step by selecting the BACKUP option on the menu. In SuperBASIC, each file would need a statement to copy from one cartridge to another. (Assuming you are copying from microdrive 1 to microdrive 2, each file would need a statement such as:

COPY MDVI_filename TO MDV2 filename 

A cartridge with many files can be quite a project! I.C.E. will even enable you to copy files from and to the same device. If you have to update a particular file which already exists on a backup cartridge, you first have to delete it and then re-COPY it. With I.C.E., this is done in one quick procedure. To completely delete a file, you just have to “place it in the trashbin.” Many other file handling and viewing options are simplified using I.C.E. A bonus of using I.C.E. is that each file is created with the data and time included so that when you use the INFO menu option, you know when the last update was made.

By selecting the calculator, a calculator appears on the screen which you can use as needed, and the calendar page opens a window with a calendar. This calendar starts with the present month, and you can move back and forth as required. If you use either of these features while a directory is on the screen, it is still intact when you remove them.

I.C.E. is supplied on a ROM cartridge which fits into the slot on the back of the QL, so it is always available, using virtually no RAM (a so-called Front end program). A microdrive cartridge is also included (although many dealers are now selling each component individually), containing CHOice. CHOice contains mailmerge, multitasking and RAMdisk capabilities. To fully make use of the multitasking and RAMdisk features, you should, however, have more than the 128K that comes with the QL. The RAMdisk ability is especially useful when using a program, such as Quill, which swaps information back and forth from storage, particularly when the file gets so large that Quill sets up a temporary file (def_tmp). When setting up and directing data to a section of RAM, this makes the transfer of data almost instantaneous. Keep in mind, however, that this information will be lost unless it is ultimately copied to a permanent storage medium. I.C.E. makes this procedure a snap.

A major drawback of I.C.E., however, is of concern to those who use F2 because they are using a TV or their monitor overscans on the Fl setting. Using F2 causes the menu portion of the screen not to show up. For all practical purposes this makes I.C.E. unsuitable for those who cannot use F1.

At the time of this writing, Foundation Systems (17620 26 Mile Road; Washington, MI 48094; (313) 781-5800) is including I.C.E. with CHOice free with each QL purchase.