PD ROM 1/PD ROM Volume I - Macintosh Software from BMUG (1988).iso/Electronic Messages/Delphi Digests/Delphi Vol. 3/Delphi 3.20

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Date:     Mon, 30 Mar 87 10:51 EDT
From:     Jeffrey Shulman <[e-mail]>
To:       arpadigests#[e-mail],
Subject:  Delphi Mac Digest V3 #20

Delphi Mac Digest     Sunday, March 29, 1987         Volume 3 : Issue 20

Today's Topics:
     Problems Using SuperMac SuperSpool 3.2
     RE: servant
     RE: Stresed Nodes
     Re: Head parking and shutdown?
     Bug in Insect (2 messages)
     Acta converters
     RE: interrupts
     SmallTalk "resources" (2 messages)
     PageMaker 2.0 and WriteNow (2 messages)
     RE: PostScript
     SE internal disks
     efficient reading (5 messages)
     Font/DA mover
     Word - again (3 messages)
     Useful MPW C "Feature"
     2,-108 bug; Font/DA Mover; heap space
     RE: 2,-108 bug; Font/DA Mover; heap spac (2 messages)
     TextEdit length limitations
     mouse feet
     a NEW word 3.0 bug
     RE: potential problem in lightspeed DAs

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: SPERRAZZA
Subject: Problems Using SuperMac SuperSpool 3.2
Date: 22-MAR 13:41 Bugs & Features

Has anyone had unusual problems using SuperSpool? I have v. 3.2 and was
very pleased with it until: MDS Edit 2.0 bombed while printing in Draft
Quality (I use System 4.0 and IW driver 2.5); MockPrint won't work at
all (I figured it wouldn't); and. most mysteriously, MockWrite worked
for a while and now doesn't (same problem as MockPrint - It prints junk
to the printer). As the problems I' ve had are spectacular
paper-wasters, I haven't experimented much. Has anyone else had similar
problems? I expected MockPrint not to work, hoped MockWrite would, and
am distressed by Edit's problems. Thanks for the info - Joe S. P.S. Any
idea when (if ever) a new version of Edit will be released. 2.0 has a
problem if you're too deeply nested in HFS, but the Beta version has its
own problems (I think). - JSS

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: RE: servant (Re: Msg 18448)
Date: 22-MAR 18:31 Public Domain

"The latest version of Servant is .92, which features Get Info, Mac II
and Mac SE compatibility (with a hack for coloring existing application
windows on the Mac II), and some other fun new features.  I will make my
next upload as soon as file copy is implemented.  I'm currently working
on it about half-time or so and expect the version with file copy to be
available in April."  [Andy Hertzfeld]

Andy told me he's been delayed on Servant because he's making the Radius
FPD work with the Macintosh SE - its 256K ROM is very different from the
128K ROM in the Macintosh Plus.

------------------------------

From: MOUSEKETEER
Subject: RE: Stresed Nodes (Re: Msg 18443)
Date: 22-MAR 21:45 Business Mac

While I'm not "happy" to hear it, thanks for posting the note on
MSC/pal. The brochures included with the press release seemed to show
some Mac-ish looks, but I would certainly take the word of a user over a
hype kit.

Actually, the primary thing I found interesting about the program's
release was the idea of using a somewhat crippled, but inexpensive
version for students and casual interest folks.  I have been hoping that
one of the companies doing advanced CAD/CAM programs for the Mac would
take that approach, as there are some rather basic things I would like
to use a CAD/CAM program for, but could not justify the price of the
nice programs. (Related...I read somewhere recently that Generic CAD or
such is working on a Mac version to be offered at two levels, an
inexpensive but limited set, and a full-blown mega-buck version.)

Alf

------------------------------

From: BRECHER
Subject: Re: Head parking and shutdown?
Date: 23-MAR 06:15 MUGS Online

To: Stuart Strand <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Head parking and shutdown?

The Shut Down process takes the disk offline.  When an HFS volume is
taken offline, the master directory block near the beginning of the
volume is written to.  If the disk is not taken offline before the Mac
is restarted, there is a delay, possibly a substantial one, upon
restarting.  Hence, a head-park DA or utility really ought to also
perform the Shut Down function.  If it doesn't, and you Shut Down after
using the head-park DA, the heads are not parked and the DA usage was a
waste of time.

------------------------------

From: PEABO
Subject: Bug in Insect (Re: Msg 18497)
Date: 23-MAR 20:14 Network Digests

>Date: Thu, 19 Mar 87 04:49:33 est
>From: [e-mail]
>Subject: Bug in Insect

>There's a subtle bug in my version of the Insect DA which I recently
>distributed.  In my defense, let me say that it's a smaller bug than the
>one it replaced!

Hmmm ... if Random is the only thing you need, why not use your own
pseudo-random number generator?  It probably wouldn't have to score well
on the spectral test to be good enough :-)

peter                          "In any context, half of all references
PEABO @ DELPHI                  are local and half are global."

------------------------------

From: BRECHER
Subject: Re: Bug in Insect
Date: 24-MAR 06:28 MUGS Online

To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Bug in Insect

> A VBL which persists across program launches cannot depend on *any* qd
> globals [such as RandSeed, used by Random()], because it can't tell whether
> CurrentA5 is valid.

The byte WWExist ("Window World Exists") at $8F2 is set to $FF by
InitApplZone (and by rebooting), and cleared by InitWindows.  Given the
state of its values, it should really be thought of as "Window World
Doesn't Exist."  In short, if (WWExist)=0, then ((CurrentA5)) points to
QuickDraw globals.

If you need to use Random() regardless of whether QD globals are
available, and are willing to get a little tricky, you could temporarily
set A5 to a value such that

        Move.L  (A5),An
        Lea     -124(An),An

will cause An to point to your own private random seed.  Or, you could
just not use Random, which is a simple linear congruential generator,
and substitute your own routine.

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: Acta converters (Re: Msg 18497)
Date: 24-MAR 21:10 Network Digests

 > From: <[e-mail]> (Thomas Fruin)
 > Subject: WANTED: converting Acta documents to others and v.v.

Offhand I know of the following programs which use Acta format:

 Convert/Configure [Symmetry, part of Acta] - ThinkTank and TEXT to Acta
 Ripper [Jim Hopper, shareware] - PageMaker 1.2 to Acta
 Quacta [Daniel Smith] - Rolodex and Scrapbook (and ?) to Acta
 Dir-Acta-ry [David Dunham, free] - Disk directory to Acta
 Laser Author [Icon Technology, $?] - opens Acta documents with styles

I'll be interested in seeing your summary, since I have the feeling I've
forgotten someone.

I can't say much about it, but the next release of Acta will work with a
_lot_ more file formats, including MORE.  Right now, your friend will
have to open Acta and paste topics into MORE (MORE 1.1 does a reasonable
job with this).  To get from MORE to Acta, use Acta's "smart paste," or
save the document in ThinkTank format and use Convert/Configure.

Just as a reminder, the Acta file format is available on the nets (don't
ask me where, I only posted on Delphi and Compu$erve) or from Symmetry
Corp.  It's only one page long (someone once wrote asking for the
missing pages).

 David Dunham     "Whenever you see a sign 'No Exit,' it means
 Maitreya Design   there is an exit."

------------------------------

From: JOSEF
Subject: RE: interrupts (Re: Msg 1353)
Date: 24-MAR 00:37 Programming Techniques

I found out the answer to my problem:  apparently the hardware on the
Mac detects the fact that both the level 1 and level 2 interrupts have
been applied and then masks the level 1 interrupt.  So the level 3
interrupt only appears for a fleeting instant if at all.  Very clever
solution--only takes a gate or 2 and competely avoids the necessity of
fancy decoder logic.

Joe

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: SmallTalk "resources"
Date: 24-MAR 01:12 Tools for Developers

Does anyone know where I can get the various cursors used in Smalltalk?
I'd also like the font.  (I have 0.3, but it doesn't use resources to
speak of.)

------------------------------

From: RCONGDON
Subject: RE: SmallTalk "resources" (Re: Msg 1369)
Date: 24-MAR 03:28 Tools for Developers

Cursor bitmaps are hardcoded. The Cursor class initialization code has
code to build each of the various cursor types which are referenced as
class variables by Cursor class. If you have the 0.3 source you can
browse the class methods of Cursor class to look at the code that does
this.

I'm not too sure about the fonts: it's likely to be somewhere among the
classes DisplayText, Text and TextStyle likely to be hard-coded as well.

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: PageMaker 2.0 and WriteNow
Date: 24-MAR 22:24 Business Mac

.. just looked at a press release for PageMaker 2.0, still scheduled for
the end of March... It's supposed to support *WriteNow* formatted
documents. In addition, it's supposed to also support Glue documents for
"placing" into PageMaker layouts.  I sure hope they have more bug-free
conversion than MS Word 3.0 does.  (And PM 2.0 is supposed to be able to
*save* documents in Word 3.0 format.  But I'll still be glad to have
Ripper around...)

Ric

"A Mac program never makes you type a filename twice"

------------------------------

From: JIMH
Subject: RE: PageMaker 2.0 and WriteNow (Re: Msg 18515)
Date: 25-MAR 19:29 Business Mac

Ric, Pagemaker 2.0 has gone to everything in the data fork (PC type
implementaition)  So i havnt the foggiest of how to decode it.  unless
they wont give me the file specs, i afraid there will be no ripper for
2.0.

Oh and by the by, someone i know took a small file from current
pagemaker ( something like 17k) and resaved id in 2.0 and it became a
44k file.  He is seriously unhappy about the data file size expansion
with no increased functions.  best jim

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: PostScript (Re: Msg 18521)
Date: 25-MAR 11:27 Creative Pursuits

I think the only option would be to save the file by hitting Command-F
or Command-G just after telling the Mac to print, then sending the saved
file with a telecommunications program like MockTerminal or Red Ryder.

Ric Ford

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: SE internal disks
Date: 25-MAR 21:28 Business Mac

I've just been reading some technical information from Apple, and it
says that Mac SE's with internal 20 MB hard disks can *NOT* be
"upgraded" to a two-800K configuration; also, the two-800K configuration
can *not* be changed to a 20MB configuration.  Does anyone know of any
reasons this would be true?  Are the logic boards different somehow?

Ric Ford

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: efficient reading
Date: 25-MAR 03:37 Programming Techniques

Is it bad practice to read through a file as in:

    count = 1L;    /* Read a single character */
    error = FSRead(infil,&count,&c);

IV-95 indicates that this will only hit the disk one time in 512, so it
seems like a good idea to keep the de-buffering overhead in the ROM and
out of my program.

------------------------------

From: DWB
Subject: RE: efficient reading (Re: Msg 1371)
Date: 25-MAR 07:56 Programming Techniques

Other than the fact that it's a lot more to type than
    c = getchar(infil);
 I guess not.  I have a preference for hiding that type of stuff even
farther away.

David

------------------------------

From: PEABO
Subject: RE: efficient reading (Re: Msg 1371)
Date: 25-MAR 22:57 Programming Techniques

I like to use moderate sized buffers because I think that the overhead
of calling the read subroutine (even with 512 bytes in a I/O buffer
somewhere) is substantial enough to make the program run maybe half as
fast as it might.

There are cases where the read logic really wants only one character at
a time and keeping track of the unbuffering is enough of a pain that
it's not a good idea to buffer the read within the application code.

peter

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: RE: efficient reading (Re: Msg 1372)
Date: 26-MAR 22:04 Programming Techniques

Problem with using stdio is in converting from Standard File to Unix
files (or is that in the part of the LsC manual I haven't read?).  Plus
the atrocious overhead you get with libraries like that.  (The specific
example is from a non- application program, i.e. a code resource like a
desk accessory segment.)

------------------------------

From: DWB
Subject: RE: efficient reading (Re: Msg 1374)
Date: 27-MAR 04:50 Programming Techniques

Who said anything about standard io.  I was talking about writing a very
simple routine which did basically what you code segment had in it, and
calling that from all over the place.  Isolate that nasty bit of code.
Guess I wasn't really very clear on that was I.  For what it's worth, I
havn't used LS stdio yet.

David
 (oh yeah, and I'm a unix hack too!)

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: Font/DA mover (Re: Msg 18436)
Date: 27-MAR 10:08 Network Digests

Jan, did you patch 3.4?  How do you do it?

I tried Nevai's Font/DA Mover patch on F/DAM 3.4 with poor results.  The
program came up with Fonts, rather than DAs selected, despite the fact
that the MacUser patches had been applied; and I could not install a DA
(got the "too many DA's" message) after patching, although I could do it
with the patched 3.2 F/DAM.

Ric

(Maybe I should have turned cache off ...)

------------------------------

From: MOUSE1
Subject: Word - again
Date: 27-MAR 20:24 SIG Business

I quote from a letter just received from Microsoft: " Your document has
been reformatted and hopefully looks like what you desired.  One thing
that helps me when reformating is to "show paragraphs" which shows
paragraph returns, line feeds, tabs and spaces."  That is all fine and
nice of MS to re do my document ( which I havent received yet) but did
nothing to answer my question why did it loose formatting when converted
from Word 1 to Word 3.  I am well aware that showing paragraphs can help
in formatting if you need it.  As you may - or may not- recall, I had a
14 page  document which was formatted in columns, sometimes 2 to a page,
sometimes just a regular page, and when I converted it, all formatting
was lost, headers disappeared, plain text became underlined when only
headers were underlined, etc.  At the time this happened, I screamed,
kicked the Mac -- and made 3 phone calls to MS before I got someone
reasonably intelligent who informed me something must have happened in
the converting process. Obviously. And I still dont know what or why!
Oh, well, as I said, I have a love/hate relationship with Word, and I
just had to vent out a little steam. Thank God, I printed the document
before converting or I would have been in terrible trouble.  And may God
also be good enough that I may never have to format in columns again!
   Judy

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: RE: Word - again (Re: Msg 18566)
Date: 28-MAR 09:14 SIG Business

Judy,

Sorry to hear about the lousy experience you're having.  I'm very
disappointed in the quality of Word 3.0 myself, especially the
translation programs, but Rick LePage reminds me that Word 1.00 wasn't
too swift either, and it wasn't until Word 1.05 came out that we had
something useful.  Of course, even then, we had a lot of trouble losing
data and everything until we learned the little idiosyncracies of its
temporary files and the way it keeps files "open" even after you "close"
them ...  (apparently also still a problem that causes crashes in Word
3.0).  I don't know what Microsoft is going to do about distributing
fixes.  They're going to get an "ear-full" of reaction if they *charge*
to fix these bugs, but I expect a $20 "upgrade" fee, being a pessimist.

Anyway, it's reasons like this that have built ICONtact, user groups
like the BCS and BMUG, and newsletters like MacInTouch.  Hope we can
help!

Ric

------------------------------

From: MOUSE1
Subject: RE: Word - again (Re: Msg 18582)
Date: 28-MAR 13:46 SIG Business

As an addendum to my message, the "corrected" disk arrived today -- and
still needed some reformatting.  When I checked page preview, I found
errors that did not show up in viewing the screen.  And Im damned if I
can figure out why they put division breaks in where there should have
been page breaks -- but at least it looks ok on page preview and mine
not to reason why --especially with MS! Interestingly enough, the only
document that I had problems with was the one formatted in columns --
the others converted just fine.
   Judy

------------------------------

From: DSCHLESINGER
Subject: Useful MPW C "Feature"
Date: 26-MAR 23:47 Tools for Developers

I've discovered a very useful undocumented "feature" in MPW C.  In
addition to being able to define pascal routines as follows:

pascal void myMDEF(message, theMenu, theRect, thePoint, theItem)
    short message;
    MenuHandle theMenu; Rect *theRect;
    Point thePoint;
    short *theItem;

you can alternatively use the following:

pascal void myMDEF(short, MenuHandle, Rect *, Point, short *);

The second format is very useful for defining fields in structures which
are actually ProcPtr's (or ProcHandles).  I'm defining the MenuInfo
structure as follows now:

typedef struct MenuInfo {
    short menuID;
    short menuWidth;
    short menuHeight;
    pascal void (**menuProc)(short,MenuHandle,Rect *,Point,short *);
    long enableFlags;
    Str255 menuData; } MenuInfo, *MenuPtr, **MenuHandle;

I can then call the MDEF directly as follow:

(**((*theMenu)->menuProc))(message,theMenu,&theRect,hitPoint,&itemHit);

Comes in handy when you need it...  It saved me some assembler glue...

------------------------------

From: MACINTOUCH
Subject: 2,-108 bug; Font/DA Mover; heap space
Date: 27-MAR 23:01 Bugs & Features

A lot of you probably already know this and a lot probably don't.  I
wasn't paying attention, and only got enlightened by Jan Eugenides...

Ever get "Serious System error 2,-108" in Font/DA Mover?  And not know
why? It turns out to be simply a case of insufficient heap space.
What's that mean?  It means you've got to get out Fedit and modify your
boot blocks to give more space to the System heap.   Works like a charm.

Ric

------------------------------

From: PEABO
Subject: RE: 2,-108 bug; Font/DA Mover; heap spac (Re: Msg 18571)
Date: 28-MAR 03:54 Bugs & Features

Or, alternatively don't try to update the system you're running on ...
boot a floppy with Font/DA Mover on it.

peter

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: RE: 2,-108 bug; Font/DA Mover; heap spac (Re: Msg 18571)
Date: 28-MAR 04:28 Bugs & Features

That's exactly what the error means.  You need to use Fedit+ if you've
got 128K ROMs.  A simpler solution for people who don't own/are afraid
of Fedit+ is never to install anything into an active System -- boot
from a floppy with a System, Finder, and Font/DA Mover on it, and run
that copy of F/DAM.

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: TextEdit length limitations (Re: Msg 18568)
Date: 28-MAR 04:27 Network Digests

 > Subject: TextEdit length limitations
 > From: David M. Gelphman

According to IM V-13.2, if txSize >= 0, fields have their old meanings.
If txSize == -1, edit record has style info.  It doesn't say what
happens if txSize < 0.  I've heard rumours that the TextEdit from the
Mac II would appear on the Mac Plus/SE as System patches...

 David Dunham     "Whenever you see a sign 'No Exit,' it means
 Maitreya Design   there is an exit."

------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM
Subject: mouse feet (Re: Msg 18570)
Date: 28-MAR 04:28 Network Digests

 > From: [e-mail] (Armond G. Hall)
 > Subject: mouse-feet

I've gotten mouse feet from Tacklind Design, 250 Cowper St, Palo Alto,
CA 94301. They're made of teflon, and cost something like $3.

Disclaimer:  Tacklind once sent me a free set of mouse feet, thinking I
was a dealer.  But I liked them well enough to buy a set for another
Mac.

 David Dunham     "Efficiency is intelligent laziness."
 Maitreya Design

------------------------------

From: CHUQ
Subject: a NEW word 3.0 bug
Date: 28-MAR 22:26 Bugs & Features

I just found out after an hour of beating my head against a wall that
side-by- side paragraphs do not work in a header.  The same format that
works fine in a regular document window will not format when moved to
the header (or in my case, special first page header -- I was trying to
clean up my brute force letterhead into something elegant).

foo.  to reproduce, open a new document, set the 'first page special' in
the section, open the special header, and type in two paragraphs.  right
justify the second paragraph, select each paragraph and turn on the
side-by-side option. works fine in the main document, not in the header.

Sigh.  So I got to redesign my letterhead.  Another rough edge on the
diamond in the raw.  I'm beginning to wonder if all those glowing
reviews in the magazines this month were done after the reporters were
promised all the bugs would be fixed, or whether they were so enamoured
at getting advanced copies they forgot to be critical?  I think word 3.0
brings the whole question of doing reviews from advanced software into
question, frankly -- MacUser, Macworld, and just about everyone else who
drooled over this product blew it royally.  It's good, but it is really
not shippable software.

feh.

chuq

------------------------------

From: RMUHA
Subject: RE: potential problem in lightspeed DAs (Re: Msg 1363)
Date: 29-MAR 03:12 Programming Techniques

Incidentally, the lightspeed DA glue routines lock and unlock the
handles directly (via BSET and BCLR).  According to IM-IV (the Memory
Manager Chpt) this virtually guarantees incompatibility with future
versions of Mac... I'm definitely going to call and complain about that
one.

------------------------------

End of Delphi Mac Digest
************************