* BOSTON COMPUTER SOcietv 2 * Newsletter of the BoSTUG (Sinclair/Timex User Group) * * vol 3 No 1 x

EDITOR'S NOTES

This is asad issue to compile.

tt marks my final issue as editor

of the newsletter, and announces the disbandment of the Sinclair Timex User Group of the Boston - Computer Society.

Eight years ago the Sinclair Group was a major force in the establishment of the BCS. Sir Clive turned ona generation of computer users with tha ZX~-81 and ts = North American clone the TS-1000.

With the demise of Timex as a computer manufacturer the group began a sure decline to a little over 100 members.

The decision to abandon the S/T

User Group resulted from a combination of factors. First, it had been over a year

since anyone had shown up ata general meeting.

Second, the active core of QL users were the only ones who were involved. This generated a lot of work to put out a newsletter that no one except Qi users were interested in.

Third, came the increase in BCS membership fees that made annual membership cost more than a new computer.

Finally, the BCS red tape grew to the point where it stopped being fun to look after the affairs of state.

As a result the QL users voted in January to start the independent. New England Sinclair Qt User Group (NESQLUG), with $10.00 annual fees, meeting bi-monthly (for now) and = planning a quarterly newsletter.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

None of the above should pass without appropriate recognition of Pam Bybell, the BCS Manager of User Group Support. Throughout my tenure as general factotum she has provided cheerful support and general assistance in many areas.

'f | have any regrets about the QL users decision to separate, it is that | will miss Pam.

Thank alive.

you Pam, for being so

Peter Hale

interested QL users who wish to jein the New England Sinclair User Group should contact Richard Taylor, 309 Holly Cir., Tiverton,

Ri 02878.

Membership is $10.00 per year.

The newsletter's exchange policy will remain the same. Sinclair/ Timex User groups should forward exchange issues to Joyce Blaho, $71 Fellsway, Medford, MA 02155.

SIMPLE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT (what goes around comes around)

Many fans of Sinclair computers have thought that Sir Clive’s

genius is not fully appreciated

because Alan Sugar of the British firm AMSTRAO refused to license Q@bOS, the operating system for the Sinclair @L.

it was believed that he saw the Ql as a major threat to his investment in the manufacture and marketing of MS-DOS clones.

The January 1, issue of Barron's listed the major loser’s on the Lendon Stock exchange during 1989. Of companies with market capitalization over £25 million, AMSTRAD tied for first place posting a 77% drop in share value over the 12 month period.

= OF March 1990

TABLE of CONTENTS

aod o a o

Editor’s Notes Simple Justice Department An Apology Letter to the Editor KEYWHIZ CDIR Directory Printer BE SMUG INNOCENTS ABROAD Pubtic Domain Library

for TS-1000 and TS-2068 UPDATE Lives ALTKEY Boot Meeting Notes SMUG Announcement

MOMUNNINA

as onanas

AN APOLOGY

The back cover of the September/ Octber 1989 issue reproduced two scatalogical cartoons. A number of people found them to be in poor taste.

The most charitable comments were that it reflected a lapse of

judgement by a here-to-fore responsible editor. Others were of the opinion

expressed by the letter to the

editor below.

1 wish to apologize to any and all who found the reproductions offensive and to observe that the decision to terminate the ST User group was a totally unrelated event.

Peter Hale

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Please remove my name from your

BoSTUG mailing list. [tf | want bathroom cartoons, ‘ll look elsewhere,

Cisgustedly,

(Signed) Stephen D. Pratt

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

KEYWHIZ by Ed Kingsley

The following ALTKEY utility lets you enter the computer’s date in European (military) format in any document,

It is useful in Quill to date a letter, but may be used in any program to avoid typing out the date each time.

“Caution! It is first necessary to

set the data onthe QL. These lines must appear in a boot after the date setting routine.

To use, position the cursor where you wish the computer's date to appear. Then press ALT SHIFT D.

!f you want US standard format of the date, replace lines 1240 and 1250 with lines 1270 and 1280.

1000 REMark 1010 REMark 1020 REMark 1030 REMark 1040 REMark = 1050 REMark 3 Nov 89 e 1 kingsley 1060 : 1070 REMark Prints Date @ Cursor 1080 REMark -~--------------- ass: 1090 D$=DATE$: d=10 1100 1F D$(10)=0 THEN d=11 1110 1120 1130 1140 1150 1160 1170 1180 1190 1200 1210 1220 1230 1240 = 1250 ALTKEY'D', D$(d To 118mg 80$(1 TO 4) 1260 REMark Alternate for US format 1270 REMark Dm$=Dmgs" " 1280 REMark ALTKEY'D', Dm$éO$(d To 11)&", “8D$(1 To 4)

+ Om$="January™

+ Dmg$=“February”

Om$="March" Dmg="Apr i"

- 2 - March 1990

CcDIR A SUPERBASIC PROGRAM

CDIR displays and prints directories in column format. If there are more files than can be seen on the screen at once, it breaks them up inte ‘pages’ which can be quickly displayed. There is also an option to mark (in the display screen) files whose name contains a specified string. This allows for quick searches for files. It works by putting the directory into a temporary scratch file and putting all the file names in a string array. They can then be easily printed in column format (up to four per screen). If you have ever frantically looked through old microdrives or floppies for a file, you will appreciate this program. If you are industrious, you can use the program to print out the directory of each medium and keep it handy so you can locate a file when needed.

100 REMark CDIR

110 REMark Column Directory Program

120 REMark Bill Cable V1.1

130:

140 REMark This program puts the

150 REMark directory of a medium in

160 REMark columns on the screen and

170 REMark prints them out if desired.

180 REMark File names containing a

190 REMark specified string will be found

200 REMark and marked for easy spotting.

220 seratch$=""sindSe™

230 cdir

240:

250 DEFine PROCedure done

260 WINDOW#1,512,206,0,0

270 CLS#0:CLS#i:STOP

280 END DEFine done

290 :

300 DEFine PROCedure cdir

310 WINDOW#1,512,256,0,0

320 WINDOW#2,512,206,0,0

330 heading"Column Directory"

340 IF scratch$="""

350 get_device “For Scratch Pad"

360 scratch$=device$

370 «IF scratch$="" THEN done

380 END IF

390 get_device "To Directory”

400 source$=deviceS

410 IF source$="":done:END IF :AT 10,10

420 PRINT#1,"{making list of files. If error, type : ‘close #5<ENTER>"}"

430 DELETE scratch$&"tmp_tmp"™

440 OPEN_NEW#5,scratchS&"tmp_tmp”

450 DIR#5,source$:CLOSE#5

460 OPEN#5,scratch$é"tmp_tmp"

470 INPUT#5,a$,b$

480 cnt=0:max=1:pos=1

490 REPeat all

500 IF EOF(#5) THEN EXIT all

510 ent=cnt+LINPUTE#S,is

520 IF UEN(i$)>max THEN max=LEN(is)

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 3 - March 1990

1000 1010 1020 1030 1040 1050 1060 1070 1080 1090 1160 1110 1120 1130 1140

BoSTUG Sinclaix/Timex Newsletter - 4- March 1990

END REPeat all CLOSE#5:npg=0:page=1 IF cnt>o

DIM files$(cnt,max):pos=1 OPEN#5,seratch$&"tmp_tmp" INPUT#S,a$,b$

FOR i=l TO cnt

INPUT#S5,i$:files$(i)=is

END FOR i

CLOSES

DELETE scratch$&"tmp_tmp" neol=INT(80/(max+2))

IF ncol>8 THEN ncol=8 i=INT({ent-1)/20)+1

IF i<ncol THEN ncol=i set_columns 0,0,0:lpg=0 END IP AT 10,0:CLS 4:AT 24,0:CLS 4 REPeat options

3$="[1-"Snpg$&"] page, C(ols),D(ir),P(rt),F(ind),Q(uit)

show_files Lpage:key$=keyin$(1,24,20,3$) IF key$>="1" AND keyS$<="9"

page=key$

IF page<l:page=1

ELSE :IF page>npg THEN page=npg END IF END IF IF key$=="c"

set_columns 24,20,ncol:page=1:lpg=0 END IF

AT 24,20:CLS 4 INPUT"Find file names containing : ":fnd$

Ipg=0

END IF

IF key$=="p" THEN dir_print IF key$ " THEN done

END REPeat options

END DEFine cdir

DEFine PROCedure set_columns(l,c,d) IF 1<>0

i$=keyin§(1,1,c,"How many columns {<ENTER= "&d&"] : ")

IF CODE(i$)=10 THEN isd: ELSE i="0"&is IF 8 OR ix] THEN i-d neol=i:END IF

cwid=INT(80/ncol):npg=INT((cnt-1)/(20*ncol) }+1lmpg$=npg

END DEFine set_columns

DEFine PROCedure show_files(chn,pg) iso IF pg<>0 IF lpg=pg THEN RETurn theading source$&" : "&aS&" “&bS

IF cnt=0 THEN AT 4,10:PRINT "No Files Found":RETurn

AT 2,0:CLS 2

beg_index=20*ncol*(pg-1)+l:end, |_index=20*ncol*pg IF end_index>cnt THEN end_index=cnt

ELSE :beg_index=l:end_index=ent

END IF

FOR k=beg_index TO end_index

1150s lin=IN'T((k~beg_index)/ncol)+3

1160 col=((k-1) MOD ncol)*ewid

1170s«IF chn=1 THEN AT lin,col

1180 ELSE :IF lin=l] THEN PRINT#&chn,TO col;

1190 ELSE :PRINT #chni:ll=lin:END IF

1200 =END IF

1210 «IF ncol=1 THEN PRINT#chn,TO 4-LEN(k);k;TO 6 1220~=«ig=""

1230 IF fnd$=""

1240 PRINT#chn,” “;files$(k):

1250 ELSE 1260 IF f£nd$ INSTR files$(k) 1270 IF chn=1 THEN UNDER 1:ELSE is="*"

1280 END IF

1290 PRINT#chn,i6;files$(k);:UNDER 0

1300 4=END IF

1310 END FOR k

1320 Ipg=pg

1330 IF chn=l THEN AT 24,1:PRINT"Page ";pg;" of “"jnpg 1340 END DEFine show_files

1350 :

1360 DEFine PROCedure get_device(m$}

1370 REPeat d_loop

1380 = device$="":AT 23,0:CLS 4

1390 PRINT"Device ";m$;"_ "j:PAPER 2

1400 =PRINT TO 40;"[Press number key for choice]";TO 80 1410) PAPER 4:AT 24,0:CLS 4

1420 PRINT" 1/MDV1_ 2/MDV2_ 3/FLP1_ 4/FLP2_"; 1430 PRINT" S/RAMI_ 6/RAM2_ 7/Other 8/Exit 1440 REPeat key_loop

1450 IS=INKEYS(-1):AT 24,74:PRINT i$;:d="0"si$:d$=' 1460 IF d>0 AND d<9 THEN EXIT key_loop

1470 BEEP 1000,90:AT 24,74:PRINT" ";

1480 END REPeat key_loop

1490 = SELect ON d

1500 1510 1520 1530 1540 =4:a$:"FLP2_"

1550 =5:d$=""RAM1_"

1560 =6:d$="RAM2_"

1570 =REMAINDER

1580 END SELect S 1890 «IF d$<>"" THEN deviceS=d$:EXIT d_loop 1600 IF d=7:AT 24,0:CLS 4

1610 INPUT" Device name : “;deviceS

1620 IF LEN(device$)=5

1630 IF device$(5)="_" THEN EXIT d_loop 1640 END IF :END IF

1650 END REPeat d_loop

1660 END DEFine get_device

1670 :

1680 DEFine PROCedure heading(i$)

1690 PAPER 4:INK 0:BORDER 1,7:CLS

1700 PAPER 2:INK 0:AT 2,0:CLS 1

1710 i=(40-LEN(i$))/2:CSIZE 2,1

1720 AT O,i:PRINT i$:CSIZE 0,0

1730 PAPER 4:INK O:AT 3,0

1740 END DEFine heading

1750 :

1760 DEFine FuNction keyin§(c,lin,col,m$)

RoSTIGQ Sinclair/Timer Neweletter - & — ‘Warceh 190Q0n

1770) = AT#c,lin,col:CLS#c,4

1780 PRINT#c,m$;:PAPER#C,7:PRINT#C," ";

1790 i$=INKEYS(#c,-1)

1800 IF c=l THEN PAPER#c,4:ELSE PAPER#c,2

1810 AT#c,lin,col+LEN(m$):PRINT $c,i$;:RETurn i$

1820 END DEFine keyin$

1830 :

1840 DEFine PROCedure dir_print

1850 kS$=""theading"Print Directory to printer"

1860 AT 4,1:INPUT"Give heading : "shdS

1870 AT 24,20:CLS 4

1880 PRINT"{Printing to printer (serl). Have printer online}" 1890 OPEN#?,serl

1900 PRINT#7,"DIRECTORY of ";source$;" : ";a$;"_ ":b$;TO 60;DATES 1910 PRINT#7,\hd$\:show_files 7,0:PRINT #7,\\\\:CLOSE#?

1920 END DEFine dir_print

1930 :

1940 DEFine PROCedure sav:SAVE flp2_cdir_bas:END DEFine sav

Ed note:

The above program is an abbreviated version of DIRLUX, available as @ one of three programs on CHAOS BUSTERS, from Wood and Wind Computing, RR 3, Box 92, Cornish NH 03745. Other programs are Filex, a transfer program to place all your directories in an ARCHIVE Database, and DBEasy, a front end for ARCHIVE that accesses much of its power without need to learn database programming. Price $29.95 on disk, $33.95 on microcartridge.

BE SMUG

The Sinclair Milwaukee User Group will host the 1990 Sinclair Computer Exposition in (where else) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the weekend of June 2 & 3.

If you plan to attend, contact Peter Hale at (617) 889-0830 to co-ordinate transportation.

The flyer for the exposition is reproduced on the inside back cover.

INNOCENTS ABROAD

We recently received a copy of the QL Australia, from a QL User Group in New South Wales.

We understand that the group may have as few a 11 members, but you would never now it to look at their newsletter.

It has the look of offset, and may not have been produced on a QL, but its content is meaty.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

It had the most understandable exposition of C programming | have come across and an innovative program to let the QL act like an overhead projector.

We also received QUASAR, the newsletter of Germany's Sinclair QL User Club which jis promoting interchange with user groups throughout the world.

Unfortunately my German is not as good as it once was, but several tidbits are worth passing on.

The group has 950 members through out Europe, and publishes a handsome quarterly newsletter.

They have a multi-lingual public domain software library.

The group's interests range from Packet Radio to Pascal and from Machine Code to adventure games.

The Group supports all @pos machines, including the THOR, the QL-Atari and the QL-Amiga.

7 6 March 1990

PUBLIC DOMAIN LIBRARY for TS-1000 and TS-2068

(The following announcement was received from Tim L. Ward)

Timex/Sinclair User Groups:

The Timex/Sinclair Public Domain Library has collected an extensive library of information that could be of use to your group.

In addition to our software Vibrary (386 TS-1000 programs, 1286 TS-2068 programs, RLE graphics, LKDOS utilities) we

offer a user group mailing list,

a TS/user address file and a index of Time Designs Magazine articles.

We plan to offer much more, but we need your help.

We need program submissions to help the library grow, but we would also like ideas for things that you'd like to see.

How about cross-referenced index for all TS-related magazines? We can do it with your help.

We would be glad to trade public domain libraries or mailing lists with your group, as we are trying to build the largest amount of TS-related data in North America, at the lowest cost to users.

Our library offers discs in LKDOS format for both TS1000 and 2068 as well as cassettes; any disc or tape is $4.00 ppd for those interested in buying the library {3 tape/discs-2068, 8 tapes/10 discs-1000). Please get in touch with us if we can be of help to your group or if you would like to help our library grow.

Thank you.

Sinceraly,

Tim Ward, TS-1000 Librarian Tony Willing,TS-2068 Librarian

5412-D Ginko Or. S.W., Tacoma, WA 98439

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

UPDATE TO LIVE

The last reliable magazine for TS-2068 and QL users in North America has had some difficulty the past year but now will live.

UPDATE Magazine (1317 Stratford Ave, Panama City, FL 32404) had developed as Bil] Jones’ hobby in support of the Sinclair computer.

In the past year the required energy level has been more than Bill wanted to handle alone and

he wants to sail the Caribbean

with his wife.

After several pleas for help, Frank Davis stepped forward and beginning with the October 1990 issue he will be the publisher.

UPDATE has been successful in a field littered with shreds of failed publications.

Some of the remarkable features of UPDATE are a sense of humor and useful educational articles.

it has proved that you can publish a magazine that appeals to advanced users without leaving the neophyte confused.

The subscription price of $18.00 for four 50 page quarterly issues is a steal, given the cost of printing and postage without subsidy from advertising.

The magazine has supported North American software programmers with the innovative concept of pubishing ‘issue discs’ with software at reasonable prices.

Bill has always maintained a supportive role for the Sinclair community - a community not without its divisions.

There has been a tradition at UPDATE of not paying authors. And yet it has survived with a hopper full of articles waiting to be published while other magazines that paid have folded.

Who says the spirit of volunteerism is dead in America?

-7- March 1997

ALTKEY BOOT by Al Boehm

This little boot sets some ALTKEY variables used when programming SuperBASIC. The choices are in- teresting, but not the point.

The point is that it’s easy to forget the values assigned to some ALTKEYS.

This boot LISTs on the screen the ALTKEY assignments. They stay there only for a short time, while extension files are being loaded. Then they disappear with the NEW command.

90 REMark AL BOEHM'S BOOT - PLOT, WINDOW, & EXTENSIONS 4 Mar 89

95 REMark = SS

100 PAPER #2,0:CLS #2

110 PAPER #2,4:INK #2,0

120 WINDOW #0, 459,255-210,24,211

130 WINDOW #1, 459,210,24,0

140 WINDOW #2, 459,210,24,0

150 CLS:LIST 170 TO 270

160 REMark ALTKEYS

165 REMark == Sz

170 ALTKEY ‘b',"window 511,255,0,0 : paper 0: cls”

180 ALTKEY ‘d’,"def proc "

190 ALTKEY ‘f',"def fn "

200 ALTKEY ‘e',"end def

210 ALTKEY ‘1',“paper#0,0 : ink#0,7 : paper 2:ink 7

220 230 240

250 ALTKEY ‘t',"window #0,459,45,24,211 : window #2,230,210,24,0 : window #1,229,210,254,0"

260 ALTKEY ‘w',"window #0,459,45,24,211 : window #1,459,210,24,0 : window #2,459,210,24,0"

270 REMark CALLS FOR EXTENSIONS AND PROGRAMS

275 REMark ==

280 a=RESPR(640) : LBYTES flp2_extensions_code,a : CALL a

290 a=RESPR(250) : LBYTES flp2_screens_obj,a : CALL a

300 a=RESPR(600) : LBYTES fip2_plot,a : CALL a

310 NEW

MEETING NOTES

The most recent meeting of the QL group was held at Al Boehm's home on Saturday, March 3rd.

Dick Taylor demonstrated QL World software that showed molecular structure in rotation by loading a series of screens in rapid sequence.

Al Boehm demonstrated further skills with the new Thor. Ernie Wider, having just acquired a new office Thor, was an apt pupil

Networking from microdrives on a Qt te the THOR was a major part of Ernie's learning.

Mike Mitchell demonstrated a monitor interface for the QL that permitted paper and ink colors to be changed. By rotating a wired switch in the interface, it was possible to have Blue ink or Paper in Mode 4. Quill on a light blue screen with dark blue text is very fine indeed. Mike plans to develop a more sophisticated hardware version that will work in Mode 8 as well.

Another of Mike's demonstrations was an application of the Prairie Digital Analogue/Digital [tnput/ Output (ADIO) interface board to position retating cams at will once the QL had ‘learned’ the cam's configuration.

Mike’s final demonstration in networking was less sucessful. The object was to permit one computer to write directly to the screen of a networked remote QL. Unfortunately, the Thor showed some incompatibility in the demo.

The idea is part of a game that Mike is developing for playing BATTLESHIP on a pair of QL's.

If you remember the children's game, the object is to destroy an enemy's fleet without being able to see its position - hence the

networked QL's.

Lunch was fantastic, and we welcomed first timer Norm Shein.

S.M.U.G. Presents the 1990 SINCLAIR COMPUTER Exposition

MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN

June 2 & 3 /Banquet Friday Night June 1 SEMINARS, DOOR PRIZES, SWAP SHOP, SOFTWARE, PERIPHERALS, HARDWARE,

AND LOTS OF OTHER STUFF

Location WAUKESHA HOLIDAY INN (414) 786-0460

Hwy 18 & 194 Waukesha, WI 53186

There will be a SNUG meeting Saturday Night June 2, 1990 Ticket Information:

in advance at the door One day : $4.00 $5.00 Bothdays : $ 7,00 $9.00 Banquet : $16.00 $16.00 Limited seating Table : $25.00 (incld. 2 day badge) $25.00 Limited table space

Tables are 6 feet by 30 inches For MORE INFORMATION contact

Bill Heberlein Neal Schultz 5052 N. 91st Street or call 7 - 10pm Milwaukee, WI 53225 (414) 353-4522

for RESERVATIONS mail to: Expo Reservations

P.O. Box 101 oc 7 Butler, WI 53007 PaaS SD) SURG 2nd MAN acd aceuesvandacesz.in fase geeasseapeastecbibeasbene uate eave esteateate Name Phone ( } Address City State Zip. Please reserve _ one day badge @$4.00 each=§$ Please reserve two day badges @$7.00 each=$ Please reserve Banquet tickets @ $16.00 each = § Picase reserve 6 x 30” tables @ $25.00 each = $

Ihave included a check/money order for total =$

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 10 - March 1990