CALENDAR

Wednesday, January 20, 1988. 7:00 pm. General meeting. Subject: File transfer between storage devices on Sinclair gomputers. This is a catch-all title that will inelude some

interesting work with the TS2068.

January 16, 1988. QL sub-group

Saturday, 11:00 am ta 4:00 pn.

meets at John Mitchell's home in Weatwood, Visitors welcome, but call John for directions to let

him know you are coming and bring some food. 366-5420.

Future event: Telecommunications

with Sinclair computere. Deson- strations of BEBSes and various terminal programs for going on-line with your Sinclair. This event will be scheduled when we can find a location with a telephone jack to meet. Call

Peter Hale 723-8545 if you know 4 Place. Schedule for the third Vadnesday of a month.

PHOSE DIRECTORY

General Questions John Kemeny

263-3347 Machine Language John Kemeny 263-3347 Hardware Library Lee Bali 492-8662 Software Library P?? + Editor (pro tem) Peter Hale 723-8545 QL-sub group Peter Hale 729-8548 Plexi-BBS 648-7652 Sysop: Bob Cutter 640-4425 TIMEWARP 481-0555 Sysop: Jim Rodlin 481-2155 Will Stackman 547-0655

SINCLAIR/TIMEX WEVSLETTER EDITOR! AL

1988 will be the year Str Clive turns the lap top computer market upside down with his new 7288 based on the Z80 microprocesscr. - Available for under $400.00.

1988 will also be s renewal for the Sinclair Timex Newsletter. In the past year the QL sub-group has grown from 5 to 22 out of the i688 BCS members checking off Sinclair/Timex.

year of

(More than Victor's 106, than Heath/Zenith'e 212, long way from IBM’s 14785.)

leap and a

The renewed newsletter grows out of QL sub-group activities, sa there ts focus on QL-abita. That

ia etrictly a result of current active interest, but we support ail Sinclair compute Ve

solicit material from everyone.

Note our own Calendar elsewhere for an example of the range of activities we will be having.

Of particular interest we are pleased to announce that there are two Sinclair BBS's in the Boston area. Both will soon be operating at 1200 baud, as well as 300 baud.

I will be editor pro tem, a role fron my stint aa ‘editor’ for the QL sub-group newsletter.

Please don't hesitate to contact ma at (617) 723-8545 with your ideas. Send contributions to me at Box 8763, Boston, MA 02114.

Peter Hale

Bioclair/Timex Fewsletter January 1986 page 1

T/S_1000 CORNER

l wrote thie program one day abile trying to figure out how to read the TS1000 display file.

10 REM MINES by Jin Rodlin

20 LET x=15

30 LET y=10

40 LET acPEEK 16396 + 256% PEEK 16397

50 PRIBT AT 21, RND*31;CHRS 4; AT 21,RND*31;CHRS 4; AT 21,31;" "

60 LET y#y+(1 AFD INKEYS = "6") + (-1 ABD INKEYS = "7")

70 LET x=xt+(1 AND INKBYS = "5") + (1 AND ISKEYS = "6")

80 IF PEBK (SC+33KCy?+x+1> = 4 THEN GOTO 120

90 PRINT AT y,x;"+"

100 SCROLL

110 GOTO 50

120 FOR Z* 1705

130 PRINT AT y,x¢"*" | AT yx; “C INVERSE ASTERISK)"

140 HBXT z

140 PRIST AT y, x;CRR® &

Rotes: Line 130: Use SHIFT-9 "x" SHIPT-9 for inveree asterisk.

The point of this program is to figure out what's on the ecreen eat a particular print positton.

It's a game of driving «4 jeep through a minefield. Use arrow keys to avoid the mines. If you

hit amine, the jeep biows up and the game stops.

Most computers (including the 2068) e«tore display filea as 24 rows each with an even number of characters. It 19 sore compli- cated [Simpler? Ed.) in the T/S 1000 mand 2X-81. To conserve memory, the engineere at Sinc- lair Research developed an ingenious wethod of storing the display file: a blank screen consists of 25 ENTERS. What a T/S 2068 takes over 6 kilobytes to do is done on a T/S 1000 with only 25 bytes! The first byte in the display file is an BANTER and each row of the TS1000's display consists of the characters in that row, plue ENTER,

(This dats storage method 16 only used when there ‘es leas than about 3 174 K af free RAM.

With expanded memory, the ecreen ia stored conventionally. with 32 bytes + ENTER for each line. >

However, this creates a nightmare for the programmer who wants to read the display Ddut does not know what is on the ecreent Since the contents of the computer's memory are conetantly changing, the display file movea around a lot. This ie because the display file te stored abowe a etored program in memory. When program lines are added or deleted, the display file ie shifted up or down in RAN to fill in the gape. <Thie ie why the soreen clears each time you enter a command).

variable called keepe track of the file'e location. The 16396 + 256% PREK 10397 returne the start of the display file. In line 40, »scr holde thie value.

A eyeten “D_FILE" dieplay formula PEBK

Line 50 printe a epace at the right edge of the screen every time. In an unexpanded machine

thie ie neaded to ensure

that each line hae 32 characters.

Line 40 finds the beginning of D_FILE. Bach line has 32 bytes pilus RBTEBR, so for each row down the screen add 33. To look at the Eth column of that row, look forward WN bytes plus one (the firet byte of D_PILE ie alwaye ENTER>. PEEK that location to get the character code for the character FRINTed there. The character at 12,14 will be: CHRS (PEEK D_PILE+33%1241441)

The magic formula ie in line 80 of the program. When it finde a mine printed in thie location, it meane you've run over it and the gane ends. Have funt

- Jim Rodlin

Sioclatr/Timex Newsletter January 1988 page 2

SUPPLIBR NOTES

Henry April. familiar to all as the owner of EZ-Key, has retired from national retailing. HOWEVER, Henry's contacts are as good as ever to help new customers and old with bardware and software for various Sinclair computers.

itena Bits

Henry has in stock some for all Sinclatr computers. of software and various books, and items of hardware. Henry's number ts 773-9520 in Wollaston.

Don't forget that Curry Computer Box 5607, Glendale, AZ 85312-5607 (602) 978-2902 is a well stocked supplier to all Sinclair computer lines as wall as a wide range of software and hardware for the QL.

For all who have for the price of a

been waiting QL to come

down, BE IT KNOWN that you can now get a complete QL for only $99, 00. A+ Computer Response, P.G. 220, Centre St., Sullivan,

WH 03445. Phonat (603) 847-9561 is closeet and worth the driva to meet the folks.

Bob Dyl, who many of you remenber aa the owner of English Micro-Connections is back in business providing supplies and accessories to computer users. Bob trades as Diaka 'N’ Things, 15 Kilburn Ct, Bewport, RI 02840. Phone: (403) 849-3808.

-Although freight from Newport may make some prices uncompet- tive with your favorite local supplier on the heavier items, Bob haa very good prices on high qualtty dieca and can eupply low cost replacement ribbona for virtually any printer made. You can also choose colors for only a dollar a ribbon more. Write for a catalogue.

Telecomainucations and the Timex/Sinclair Computer

It is often difficult for ba- ginners to find help with Tele- communications with Timex/Sin- elair computers. Thies column may ease the situatian a bit.

Besides a computer, you need a

modem and the software cailed a terminal program. The terminal progran turns your emart

computer into a 'dumb' terminal. The modem allawm communication over telephone iines to a anart computer running at the other end. You transfer computing powar to the other computer.

The T/5 2068, T/S 1000, and 21-81 use the same modem. Made by Westridge Communications, the 2080 modem runs at 300 baud (about 30 chare per second) and caste © $40.00. It plugs in tha back of the computer and a cable connects to your telephone fack.

Two terminal programs are available. One, called NTERR, te about $15.00 and ie very eney to vee. It is available for the T/S 1000 or the T/S 2068. A more versatile (but more expen— @ive) one (for the T/S 2066 or Spectrum only) te Specterm-64. It ham 64 column dieplay, eupports Xmodem file tranefere and ia generally a batter buy.

Two dealers that carry the 2050 modems and software are:

RAG Boterprices

1419 '/> Seventh St.

Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 655-7484

BBS (803) 686-8072

G & C Computer Products

P.Q. Box 2186

Inglewood, CA 90308 (213) 759-7406

BBS (213) 329-3922

Binclair/Timex Newsletter January 1988 ‘page 3

The Sinclair OL can use any ‘etandard' Hayes compatible 300/ 1200 baud modem @ $90.00 and up. A device called a ‘Modaptor’ ie needed to run at 300 baud (many BBSee can only run at the slower 300 baud rate). {See MIKE_TBRM

for the QL, elsewhere in this newsletter. Ed.) There are e@everal terminal programs out

for the QL, the lateet of which ie O-Link. {Reviews of this and others, please. Ed.] These and other QL products are carried by:

SRARP'S Inc.

Route 10, BOX 489 Mechaniceville, VA 23111

(804) 746-1004 (Ganm-4pm) (804) 730-9607 (Opm-10pm BST?

Por -» long tise there was no one source of information for the T/S telecommunications user. Then Pete Fiecher and Steve lebiit cape up with The Guide to Timex/Sinclatr Telecommunica— tions. Thie 100 page booklet is the single sost comprehensive source of itnformation for the T/S modem umer (ZX-81 to QL). $7.50 ppd from Pete Piecher, P.O. BOX 2002, Tempe, AZ 85281.

The woet common use of the moden is to call the numerous free Bulletin Board Systems, or BBSea, that are scattered across the country. In most cases, a BBS 1s eomeone's personal compu~ ter with special software hooked up to a modem so people can call it and leave messages for aach other. Some BBSee have software that let you download to your computer while you're onlina. Boards provide a place for T/5 and QL anthusiaeta from all over the cauntry to meet and exchange ideas, news, and software for their favorite computers.

For local support, thi are two: T/S BBSes in Massachusetts. Both are running on T/S 2068 compute 24 hours a day. The

firet ite called Fiext-BBS at (817) 648-7651. The other is TIMEWARP at (617) 481-0555. Give them both a call!

The next article will go more deeply inta the how-to's of teleconsunications, with some wore detaile about available

-hardware and eoftware.

- Jim Rodlin

(Jim Rodlin ie a racent convert to Sinclair computing. Mostly he vee the 2068 but is exploring

the QL. Jin ie Sysop of TIMBQRP, a BBS running on a T/S 2068 at (617) 481-0555. Jim ie

aleo reeponsible for eeveral articles in this newsletter. Ba.)

SOFTWARE LIBRARY

Commencing with the BCS fiscal year beginning April 1, 1988, the S/TUG will offer public domain software at a price of $5.00 per microcartridge, disk or cassette,

Watch for a catalogue oft intraductory software in the

upcoming March issue of this newsletter.

We need members to contribute interesting utilities aa well as more extensive programs. Bxisting copies of public domain software may also be tncluded.

See the article elsewhere on TELECOMMUNICATIORS.

Sinclair/Timex Wewaletter January 1968 page 4

2068 WINDOWS

bardware techno- logy progressed, software tm proved as well, although at a slower pace. Progran front-ends (the program's display) have become more sophisticated, evol-— ving from simple prompts and menus, to pull-down menus, icons, and now apltt screane and windows. Today, it is not uncom mon to see computer displays with multiple, independant, scrolling windows running dif- ferent programs in each. While the unexpanded T/S 2068 has insufficient memory to evpport the complicated windowing and graphics you see on the newest computers, it is enpable of some very impressive diaplays.

Ae computer

Did you know that the 2068 is capable of 80 column displays? Or dual screen mode? These are advanced video modes of the T/S 2068 which we will explore in future articles.

The 2068 ia quite manipulating windows,

capeble of too.

Vindows may be tuplenented in

ready to be closed, you can

copy the stored data back to the display file and restore the screen. This ie the method that the program below uses. In fact, the key to the whole program ie in the M/C routine DATA state- mant in line 5. The disaesembly of the routine te in Figure 1.

The inetruction "LDIR" does the actual copying. The BC regi~ eter holds the number of bytes

ta move (1800 hex = 6144, which la the number cf bytes in D_FILE, the area of RAM where the screen is kept). DB holde the destination address (2757 hex = 59223, the firet byte after the end of the code! Thie

ie where we copy the ecreen ta),

and AL pointe to the etart of D_PILB. So LDIR copiea BC bytes from HL to DB. RBT eends us

back to basic.

The s92i1, in revers

mecond part, beginning at does the me thing - but order. The data that

we eaved to 2757 the first time i@ now copied back into the dieplay file (You may have

several ways but there is one noticed that the addressee in DE requirement for any windowing and HL were switchad). eyetem <A window must preserve any underlying text when it If you don't understand any of opens. Tha simplest way ts to thie, don't worry. Tt is6 not copy the entire display ftle tao necessary to know how the a@ place in memory before it is routine works in order ta use opened. After the window ie itt All you need to know is

Address HEX Addr Bytes Mneronicea Botes

89199 R73F ,010018 LD BC, 1800 How many bytea to copy

s9202 E742 1157E7 LD DE, E757 E757 = destination

59205 E745 210040 LD HL, 4000 4000 = start of D_FILB

59208 E748 EDBO LDIR Copy from HL to DE

59210 E74A co RET RETurn to bastc

59211 E74B 010018 LD BC, 1800 #* Bytes to copy

59214 E74E 110040 LD DE, 4000 Deetination = screen

$9217 E752 2157E7 LD HL, E757 Where ecr its stored

59220 E754 EDBO LDIR Move bytes back again

59222 E750 cg RET RETurn to basic

~Hate; All numbere are hexadecimal except firet column-

Figure 1

Sinclair/Timex Newsletter January 1988 page 5

1 REM 2068 WINDOWS by Paul Binghas 2 REM From SYNCVARE HEWS 4:2 4 REM The program shows three examples of windows. The key routine is the GOSUB 9000. E.G. line 120 gives the width, depth, row and column of the window. Any text we want in the window can be done in BASIC ae usual as in lines 140, 180 and 220. 5 CLEAR 59198: DIM w$(3,11): LET a$="VINDOW': LET bS="prese": LET store=59199: LET renew=50211: LET lower=23659: POR teatore TO 59222: READ f: POKE t,f: NEXT t 6 DATA 1,0,24,17,87,231, 33, 0,64, 237,176, 201,1,0,24,17,0,64,33, 87,231,237,176,201: REM (sets up LDIR code) 10 POR t*65368 TO 68431: READ a: POKE t,a: FEIT t 11 DATA 15,8, 8, 8,232, 232,232, 232,255,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,285,2,1,1,2, 1,1,2,232, 232,232, 232,232, 232,232,232,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1, 232, 232, 232, 239, 224, 253, 255, 255, 0,0, 0,255, 0, 288,253, 255,1,1,1, 255,0,224, 224,224 100 POKB lower,0: FOR f=1 TO 76: PRINT "1234567690";: NEXT ¢: PRINT "12345678": POKE lower,2 210 LET x=USR store 120 LET n=i: LET wS(n>e"11,12,02,03": GO SUB 9000 140 PRINT AT 4,6;a8;AT 6,8;"#1"; AT 11,5; bS; "2" 180 IF INKBYS$<>"2" THER GO TO 150 160 LET k=USR renew 170 LET n#®2: LET w8(n>="13,20,02,17": GO SUB 9000 180 PRIET AT 5,21; a8;AT 7,23;"@2"; AT 19, 20; b&; "3" 100 IF I1NKBYS<>"3" THEN GO TO 190 200 LET k=USR renew 210 LET n#*3: LET w$<n)="10,08,16,04": GO SUB 9000 220 POKE lower,0: PRINT AT 17,6;a8;AT 19,8;"@3";AT 22,6; b$;"E": POKE lower,2 230 IF INKBYS<>"2" THEN GO TO 230 240 CLS: PRINT AT 8,6;°";: FOR t=l TO 20: READ a: PRINT CHRS a;: NEXT t 245 DATA 77,111,118, 101,32, 2111, 118,101, 114,32, 77, 65,67, 105,120, 216,111,115, 104,33 280 GO TO 99909 9000 LRT weVAL w8(n, TO 2): LET d=VAL wS(n, 4 TO 5): LET r=VAL w8(n, 7 TO 8): LET ceVAL w&in, 10 TO 21) 9010 IF r+d>24 OR c+w232 THEN PRINT AT 21,10; "Window's too bigt": STUP 9020 IF r+d>22 THEN LET lowe0: let r3“24-r-d: GO TO 9040 9030 L&T low=2: LET r3=2 9040 LET rd=r+d-2: LET ewect+we3 9050 POKE lower, tow: PRINT AT r,o;CHRS 144;: POR tec TO cw: PRINT CHRS 145;: NBXT t: PRIHT CHRS 146 9060 FOR ter+1 TO rd: PRINT AT t,c;CHRS 147; 9070 FOR f=c TO cw: PRINT " ";: WEXT f: PRINT CHRS 148;: WEXT t 9080 IF r3=0 THEN OVBR 1: FOR t=1 to 32-w: PRINT " "it WEXT t: OVER 0: PRINT CHRS 149;1 POR tec TO cw: PRINT CHRS 150;: BRXT t: PRINT CHRS 151: POKB lower,2: RBTURN 9000 PRINT AT rd4+i,c;CHRS 149;: FOR t=c TO cw: PRINT CHRS 150;: REXT t: PRINT CHRS 151: POKB lower,2: RETURN

Listing t (cnr)

Sinclair/Timex Wewsletter January 1988 page 6

that RANDOMIZE USR 59199 will eave the current screen, and RANDOMIZE USR 59211 will copy it back. Try thie: LIST, RANDOMIZE USR 59199, CLS, then RANDOMIZE USR 59211.

In the listing, STORE address cf the first RENBY is the second, je oa eysten variable that controls the lower part of the screan (the 2068's edit line). Line 10 redefines some UDG charactera for the window borders.

is the routine, and LOVER

WS holda the window width, depth, row, and column position

for a window. GOSUB 9000 checks that your window will fit on the

eersen, blanks out that part of the ecreen, printe a nice looking border around the

window, and returns. At thie point, your program can print what it wante to in the window; bowever, {it is up to the programmer to keep the text within the borders of tha window by printing at the right locations!

When you are through with «a window, RASDOMNIZE USR renew will reosl] the ortginal screen.

In the next iseus, we will take a look at what ie required to implement a more sophisticated windowing utility that can bandle wraparound, ecrolling within a window, and multiple windows.

-Jim Rodlin

Comments? Queetiona? Write to mal My address is 66 Chandler Street Marlboro, MA 01752.

TELECOMMUSICATIONS on the QL

The QL, for all {ts power and versatility, is limited in tele- communicating at 300 baud without a hardware link between the serial port and the maden.

Mike Mitchell submitted the following. It will get you on Line at 300 (or even 1200) baud

with a Hayes compatible modem.

1 REMark 300/1200 baud terninal 2 REMark MIKE_TERE

3 REMark developed by

4 REMark MICHAEL KITCHELL

S REMark attribution requested © REMark Sinclair/Timex User Group 7 REMark Boston Computer Society

100 WINDOW 405,204,6,0

105 BORDER 1,0,7: LB=127

110 CLS: POKE 163976,255: CLS#0

120 PRINT#O,, "Choose Baud: H=1200, La=300"

130 IF IWKEY$(-1)=<='h' THEW BAUD 1200: ELSE BAUD 300

140 CLS#0 : OPEN #5, ser2t

150 PRIBT@O, ,"PS=quit”,"ALT*C="c", “t=<BEL”

160 REPeat term

170 terminal: PRINT#O, ,°Exit?(y/n)!

180 [FP IBREYS(-1)=="y' THEM BXIT term

190 EBD REPeat term

200 CLOSE#5

205 PRINT#O, ,"Re-run/Quit? (r/q>"

210 IF INKEYS(-1)2="r" THEN RUN: ELSE STOP

220 DEFine PROCedure terminal

230 REPeat key_loop

B40 a=CODE CISKBYS (#5, 0)>&&LB

250 IF a=13 THER PRINT

260 IF a=7 THBN BEEP 2000, 15 270 1P 9>31 THEW PRINT CHRS (a); 280 b=CODRUINKEYS>

290 IP b=248 THEN EXIT key loop 300 LF b=258 THEN b=0

310 IF b=O THEN NEXT key_loop 320 IP b=10 THEN b=13

330 IF b=208 THEN b=7 340 PRIET #5,CHRS$(b); 350 BND REPeat key_loop 360 RETurno

370 EXD DEFine terminal

Save as MIKE _TERM_bas

Bloclair/Timex Sewsletter January 1988 page 7

This is not bare-bones progran. t has a bell (but no whistles).

Also, it gets around a problem or QL's communicating with many inclair BBS'’s that cail for CTRL : to end a message.

The QL's operating system trape [TRL C. MIKE_TERM uses ALT CTRL C so send & CTRL C. See line 300.

After toad) =oand run attached to ser2 ate and then go on-line. Fow yet the modem's attention by atarting any command with AT.

keying in the program, it with the modem Choose a baud

Send any improvements and/or

facilities for up-loading or jown-loading files to the Editor.

MIKE_TERM worke even better when compiled.

Try 4t out on Sob Cutter's Plexi _BBS at 648-7651, Arlington, or on Jim Rodlin's TIME_WARP at 481-0555 in Marlboro.

PSION PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

This column will carry tips on making your life easier with the

Psion programs that come with a QL computer. After all product— ivity is supposed to be what a

computer is all about.

Tom BENT, CATS, suggests not printing letters one by one when typing a series of letters. Instead, ‘print’ the letter toa file. (F3, P, <BNTER>, <ENTERD) followed by the name of the letter, instead of the default

Sinclair/Timex Fewsletter January 1988

offered by Quilt. ALL printer control codes are now in the file.

At session's end, in SuperBASIC, use a TOOLKIT Il extension. With the printer_dat in drive 1, type either SPL mdv2_xyz_lis (a series of which can be easily chained)

or WCOPY mdv2_,serl. Either way can set the QL to print «a series

of files while you get on about (the rest of) your life.

Peter Hale, BCS, suggests making custom labels, trom return addres@es to:

WARRING MAGNETIC DATA MEDIA DO NWOT X_RAY OR MAGFETISE

are useful. Pive hundred 15/16" jabels cost under a 1/2¢ each.

In a Quill document set the design ta Battom 0, Upper 0, Page O and set the Footer ta none. Create 5 61x line label (blank lines included) and copy it ten times (11 in all> for a 66 line document. Print as many sets as needed in the short term and sava asa _doc file for future use.

Por a quick and dirty address book use ABACUS. Reserve a

column for each category (first_ nape, last_name, phone, Christmas

card, e@etc.>.

Enter information without regard for alpha order, one row to & Listing. Now use the command F3, O(rder? on the column with the last name. Frint it out.

To revise a listing, prese FS, last. jones to go directly to the row with your friend John Jones.

Are you constantly turning aft your printer to formfeed the last page of your Quill docusent? Is your printer dat file set to have FR as the postamble code?

page &

BOOK REVIFV

Taking the Quantum Leap py Mike dea Sosa. Published by Time Designs Magazine Co. $26.00 ppd.

Mike ie a regular contributor on subjects QL to magazines. He has a love affair with this computer.

That love affair does not extend to the QL User Guide, which fails short of what enthustasts have expected from Sinclair manuals.

Taking the Quantum Leap its a

professtonal tratner's rewrite of

the User Guide the way it should have been done the firet time.

Where TtQL succeads it suceeds edmirably. It ie well written and shows the professionalism of an expertenced trainer. The writing style ts easier to follow and program examples are a lot more versatile and = instructive than many in the QLuG.

The book cross-references the @LUG AND has an tndex, a feature madly lacktng in the QLuG.

Bach PSION application progran is covered as is SuperBASIC. The keywords in SuperBasic have their own Appendix and wieely have sin ilar keywords grouped together. The book would have been even better !f the pattern had been consistently followed.

, TteL is not without ita failings. Reviews elsawhere have spoken glowingly of this book. but unfortunately it haa many of

the same failings as the Luc, primarily in ite lack aft thoroughness, but also with tts share of typos and errors.

There are good tips, but sume are plain wrong. Page 51 implies that you can save a Quill or

Abacus file with an underscore in ‘the middle of thea name. It just doesn’t work.

One helpful tip with Archive is to export files to QLWP by using “text’ instead of ‘quill', a point not covered in the QLUG.

Where [ftQL really shines is its tabiea that lay out commands and

functions in a readily viewed form and in examples and tips for getting immediate praductivity gains from your Psion programs.

Setting up your printer p160-162 has really helpful tips, but the saction on using translate codes to accesa type face options seems like it left out a page of explanation.

Taking the Quantum Leap should have a eecond edition with about 50 more pages. The chapter on New Developments should either be more expansive on its software reviews and descriptions or do away with many of thes. There is asense that some descriptions were written from advertisements.

An Appendix of useful Pokes would be helpful, and alone worth the price of the book. More

examples in the SuperBASIC key- words Appendix wouldn't hurt.

As a supplement to QLUG, ItQL is terrific. But it qs “net a replacement nor does it try toa be. Keep that in mind and you won't be diteappointed. And if

the clear writing style helps you understand only a few new aspects of your computer, you will, as I did, cheer Mike's book and give thanks in your nightly prayers for bie hard work.

Binclatr/Timex Newsletter January 1988 page 9

CLOUDS OW A QL

Al Boehm uses his QL at the Air

Force Geophysics Laboratory and takes it on trips to demonstrate the results of his work. He submitted this delightful Super- BASIC program to display mean eloud contours.

It ig a good demonstration of how SuperBASIC passes parameters and how to use SCALE coordinates. lowas taken with Al's use of variables to set WINDOV's.

1 REMark test of contour using a math function. e REMark 20 Dec 1987 3 REMark by A. Boehm 100 nnx*6: ony*6: DIM z(nnx, nay) 110 FOR i20 TO nanx 120 FOR j=0 TO ony 130 201, $>*LOKSINCL/10K24P1+ J/OX24P1)+ 14572 135 RBMark also try z(1,J)=104RBD 140 «NEXT J 150 NEXT 1 160 contour 7, nnx,nny 170 STOP 180 DEFine PROC contour (z, nx, ny?) 188 REMark Prints banded contours of the values in z. Use MODE 6 for best results. A contour interval of 1 16 aesumed. For other contour intervals, let zi, jo=z2(1,§)/contour_interval before calling contour. 190 across=611: down=253: lafted: top=0 200 WIBDOW across, down, left, top 210 PAPER 0:CLS 220 SCALE ny,0,0 225 dxsacrossx, 628/downkny/nx 230 yline=ny/down 240 FOR j=0 TO ny-1 250 x1=0: x2=dx 260 FOR 1=0 TO nx-1 270 con_a_block z(1,J?,2(1+1,)>, zh JF1?, 2441, 419,45 280 x12x2: x2"x2tdx 290 WEXT 1 800 WEXT j 310 RETurn 320 END DEFine contour 330 DEPine FROCedure con_a_block (a,b, ¢,d, ystart> 340 LOCal dz,fx,x,1.3

Sinclatr/Timex Newsletter January 1986

350 aa=a:bb=b

360 daylinek(c-a>

370 db=ylinex(d—b>

380 FOR y=ystart TO ystart+1 STEP yline

390 PDINT xil,y

400 i=INT(aa>: J=INT (bb)

410 INK 1 KOD &

420 IF t=) THEE LINE TO x2,y: GO TO 530

430 Gz2ABS (bb-aa): n*ABS(j-1)

440 fxeaa-1:1F 1<j) THEN fx=1-fx

450 1P n=1 THEN LIBB_R TO fxktdx/dz,0: GO TO 520

460 fy=b-J: IF j>1 THEN up=i: ELSE up*-1:fyel-fy

470 x=edx/dz

480 LINE_R TO fxtx,0

490 FOR k=i+up TO j-up STZP up

500 INK k MOD 8:LINE_R TO x,0

510 EXD FOR k

820 INK J MOD 8:LINE TO x2,y

530 aasaatda: bbebpotdb

340 END FOR y

880 END DEFine con_a_ block

Save this as contour_it_baa.

POKING A OL

Before loading an executable vrogram. FOKE 98403. 126.

Although the screen goes nasty and vou lose the curser. Exec the

program. Watch the screen.

Still without a cursor? POKE 99403.0.

Kevboardd too slow on vour OL?

FORB_W 163980,12: POKE_W 363982.0 This can be included as a line in your Quill boot. if you are a rapid typist. If 12 is too much. try a lower number tn the first POKE.

For more POKE's. trv the QDoSs

Companion. hv Andrew Pennell. and published by Sunshine Fress.

page 10

QUAETA

Most QL owners are now aware of QUANTA (QL Users And Tinkerers Ase@ociation) which publishes a monthly newsletter of software and hardware reviews and worldwide doings with the QL. Annual weabership witb airmail delivery is £17 from:

The Secretary Brian Faine

24 Oxford St.

Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes United Kingdom, MK11 1JU

Phone: O11 44 908 864271

You can charge to VISA cr MC. Membership entities yor to the library of software tor the QL

which currently runs 350 programs on 16 DS/QD datsks and covers

everything from desktop publish— ing to dozens of games and 157 utilities.

Some programs have royalty fees ranging up to $12.00 but are otherwise at-cost for the discs.

The most recent library update has arrived in the States and can be purchased from Tom Bent, the QUANTA sub-librarian here. Tom is at 9016 Flicker Fl., Columbia, xD 21045. Phone: (301) 730-7187.

TER RETURE OF ‘ VAL"

Dne of Sinclair Bagtcs' mor valuable contributions ta th BASIC language were the keyword

VAL and VALS. These permitte formulae to be entered as tex strings and then be evaluated. BF other BASIC was 6c cooperative.

QL SuperBaSIc instituted feature called coercion the maaot that if as2°4* ang »v=2, on could print a$t*b and get 5.

tn theory coercion did away wit

the need for VAL. However coercton would terminate at tr first sign of a non-numerice

character. Thus, if as='4*2'° ar b=3, the result of a$tb would ft 7 and not 11.

Now comes VAL for thea QLt!

The most recent update of tk QUANTA library tncludes a serte of files and extensions that aa VAL to your repeatoire of Super BASIC keywords and allow it to t included in compiled programs.

For those who need it, it’

worth the memberehip in QUART? Available on DISK 15, for whic there ia a small royalty charge

Contact Tom Bent, (301-731-7187? the American sub-Librarian fc QUANTA, for more information.

Sioclair/Tigex Sewaletter January 19688 page 11

WEVSLETTFR FEATURES

Do you want any special features .0 this newsletter?

The following are suggested.

WANT ADS - to buy or sell sur- aius software/hardware. Up to 6 lines free to BCS member with ghotocopy of current BCS member- ship card; £3.00 to othere.

THE DEDICATED COMPUTER. O1d microprocessors never die; they ryecome dedicated computers. Many aave used the ZX-81/TS-1000 as a dedicated interface with the real world. The column will solicit now-to articles.

SINCLAIR PROFILES. Do you or gomaone you know vee a Sinclair somputer ina novel, interesting ar profitable way for bueineses or pleasure? Write a profile for thie column. (A PROFILE, nota biography.) Get to it or the aditor may do it on yout

Contact the editor, me, Peter Yale through the BCS Offica mail

syatem (slow) or my Box 8763, Boston, MA 02114 Phone (617) 723-8545 (better).

Einclatr/Timez Newsletter January 1988 page 12

Sinclair/Timex Newaletter January 1985 page 13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Calendar 1 Phone Directory 1 Edttorial 1 TE Crner 2 Supplier Rotes. 3

Telecommunications and the

Timex’Sinclair Computer 3 SOFTWARE Library 4 2068 Windows 3-7 Telecommunications on the OL 7 PSION Productivity Tivos 8 Book Review (Taking the Quantum Leap) 9

Clouds on a OL 16 POKING a OL 10 QUANTA i The Return of ‘VAL’ 12 Rewsletter Peatures 12 Hardware Tin for OL 12 Calendar 14

CALENDAR CHANGES

THE OL SUB—-GROUP MEETS ON JANUARY 16. 1988.

THE LISTING $3IN THE BCS CALENDAR IS WRONG.

SEE PAGF 1

Sinclatr/Timex Newsletter January 1988 page 14