PD ROM 1/PD ROM Volume I - Macintosh Software from BMUG (1988).iso/Electronic Messages/USEnet Digests/USEnet Vol. 4/USEnet 4.78

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Usenet Mac Digest     Friday, June 17, 1988          Volume 4 : Issue 78

Today's Topics:
     Bounding Box info for MacDraw files
     Re: Mac II backup device - reccomendations?
     Re: Foxbase question on external procedures
     Re: Databases for the Mac
     WARNING!!! Sigma Edit 1.11 problem
     Re: stand Mac II vertically --> Hard disk problems may arise
     musicworks and concertware
     Epic 2400 baud modem
     Using new keyboards on Mac Pluses
     how does MultiFinder handle DAs? how do I select DA-partition directly?
     will running MultiFinder out of a RAMdisk buy anything?
     Re: Spoolers for the Mac
     Lightspeed C projects
     Re: Vertical Retrace Queue Problem
     Folder Icons
     Re: Help!  My program disables Finder double-clicking somehow.
     Lap mgr bugs in MPW C 2.02
     Re: Database toolkits
     Re: Bounding Box info for MacDraw files
     Re: Databases for the Mac
     Finder LAYO ?Feature?
     Re: Using new keyboards on Mac Pluses
     Importing text to Omnis3em.
     numerical libraries
     Re: Any utilities for auto-running apps?
     Re: Spoolers for the Mac
     SuperLaserSpool 2.0
     mac kermit

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

From: [e-mail] (Tom Cianflone)
Subject: Bounding Box info for MacDraw files
Date: 8 Jun 88 15:54:29 GMT
Organization: Gould CSD, Fort Lauderdale, FL

I need an easy way to determine the Bounding Box parameters for
PostScript files created by MacDraw.  Right now we are calculating this
stuff by hand -- very time consuming and no fun. Are there any public
domain programs that can do this automatically?  Or perhaps any easier
way than doing it long-hand?

I tried sourcing a pict-format MacDraw file into MacDraft if
MacDraft would give BB parameters, but it doesn't.  Are there any Mac
programs that can read pict format that also will spit out a PostScript
description with BB parameters?  How about MacDraw II?  I remember
reading something about this.  Does it exist and does it supply BB
parameters?

Please sendas it is difficult to keep up with this group.

Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks as usual...
--
=>      Regards, Tom Cianflone ([e-mail])      <=
=>   ...!{uunet,sun,pur-ee,brl-smoke}!gould!tcianflone      <=
=>    ...!ihnp4!{codas,allegra}!novavax!gould!tcianflone    <=
=>  NOTE: Disregard header info. Email to above paths only. <=


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

From: [e-mail] (Alexis Rosen)
Subject: Re: Mac II backup device - reccomendations?
Date: 8 Jun 88 11:23:48 GMT
Organization: The Big Electric Cat, NYC, NY

I have several CMS T-60 tape units. They are the best backup
units available for the Macintosh. This is not a simple matter of
opinion:

1) 100% reliable hardware. TEAC. It has been around for a long time
   The only alternative available is the 3M stuff. That's OK too.

2) Flawless software. I've had to recover stuff dozens of times. It has
   never failed me

3) Good (not perfect) software features. File-by-file, some nice
options, but
   not all the bells and whistles. Image backup too. No backup sets yet-
too
   bad. A new version is coming soon, though, that should correct this
MINOR
   lack, and also permit multiple file sets per tape.
   Permits selective file recovery.

4) THIS IS THE FASTEST UNIT YOU CAN BUY, BY A WIDE MARGIN!!!
   I *CONSISTENTLY* get 4.1 MBytes/minute off of a 1-mbyte Mac II.
Pluses and
   SE's aren't much slower. Extra RAM helps a

5) This is also the CHEAPEST unit I have seen, with a LIST price of
$995.
   Street price should be $750-$800.

6) I don't know about AppleShare compatability suse TOPS.

Another rave review. Believe me, I *HATE* lots of products out there,
but I don't usually bother to write about them... However, contrast
Apple's 40 MB tape drive, with buggy software, < 1 MB/min. speed, and
$1300-1400 list price... there's no comparison. None of the other
vendors match 'em, either.

If anyone knows of something better, tell me. I'm not counting on anyone
doing so, however...

I have no affiliation with CMS other than as a *HIGHLY* satisfied
customer (they also make killer hard drives)

--
Alexis Rosen                       {allegra,philabs,cmcl2}!phri\
Writing from                       {bellcore,harpo,cmcl2}!cucard!dasys1!alexis
The Big Electric Cat            {portal,well,ihnp4,sun}!hoptoad/
Public UNIX                         if mail fails: ...cmcl2!cucard!cunixc!abr1


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

From: [e-mail] (Alexis Rosen)
Subject: Re: Foxbasion on external procedures
Date: 8 Jun 88 11:39:27 GMT
Organization: The Big Electric Cat, NYC, NY

Foxbase doeupport external procedures in this release. However,
they will definitely be supported in the next release, which will likely
arrive within a month or so. In strong contrast to Ashton-Tate, Acius,
and Blyth, Fox Software actually ships on time. They also turn out
improvements in astonishingly short times. A month after the first
release, I'm already being impressed by the early betas of the forms
generator and the network support. You can expect Foxbase to surpass all
the other software, all of the time. With these expectations, you will
be disappointed... but not often...

In a week or so I will attempt to post a longer article on foxbase, time
permitting. When reading netnews it is easy to forget that I actually
must work for a living, like other mortals...

BTW, the next release is free to current owners. The runtime is a
one-time charge of ~$300.

My advice to the person asking about external procs: start developement
now. I also must have them for serial port access. I trust this company
to deliver the new version on time. It's the only company I know of for
which this holds true.

I have no affiliation with Fox Software except as a VERY satisfied
customer.

--
Alexis Rosen                       {allegra,philabs,cmcl2}!phri\
Writing from                       {bellcore,harpo,cmcl2}!cucard!dasys1!alexis
The Big Electric Cat            {portal,well,ihnp4,sun}!hoptoad/
Public UNIX                         if mail fails: ...cmcl2!cucard!cunixc!abr1


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

From: alexis@dUCP (Alexis Rosen)
Subject: Re: Databases for the Mac
Date: 8 Jun 88 11:49:03 GMT
Organization: The Big Electric Cat, NYC, NY


Refer to my other articles about FoxBase+/Mac. relevant features:

1) FULL USAGE OF MAC USER INTERFACE. This is all-important. If it looks
like
   a PC, it might as well run on one.

2) Despite the above, it's fully compatible with dBase III Plus. It also
   features significant extensions to the language, both for more
programming
   power and to control Mac Interface objects (windows, menus, buttons,
etc.)

3) Blazing speed. This program makes Omnis, dBase Mac, Helix, and 4th
Dimension
   look absolutely rediculous. They don't even come close. Often the
difference
   is orders of magnitude, not hundreds of percent.

4) One-time charge for Runtime.

5) Etc. I could go on for hours... This product has quartered my work
load. I
   can do things with it that I wouldn'tonsider with any of the
others.

I have no affiliation with Fox Software except as a VERY satisfied
customer.
--
Alexis Rosen                       {allegra,philabs,cmcl2}!phri\
Writing from                       {bellcore,harpo,cmcl2}!cucard!dasys1!alexis
The Big Electric Cat            {portal,well,ihnp4,sun}!hoptoad/
Public UNIX                         if mail fails: ...cmcl2!cucard!cunixc!abr1


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

From: [e-mail] (Tom Carstensen)
Subject: WARNING!!! Sigma Edit 1.11 problem
Date: 8 Jun 88 18:48:16 GMT
Organization: Mentor Graphics tion, Beaverton Oregon

Sigma Edit 1.11 was recently posted to GEnie, and I assume it will
quickly spread around the mac community.  There is a problem/bug with
SAVING files from within Sigma Edit.

When editing MPW or other editor's text files with Sigma Edit, and then
saving them, via SAVE, Sigma Edit changes the creator, and deletes
information that was in the resource fork, which  contains info for the
original owner of the text file.

This is not good practice.  Any MPW text file I touched with Sigma Edit
would lose all of its formatting information.

It's OK to added your own formatting resource (ie EFNT and ETAB), but
don't delete the previous resource data IF IT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY CREATED
BY YOU.  This also means you should never change the CREATOR unless the
user does a SAVE AS..., whereby YOU are creating the file.

Sigma Edit 1.1 does not have this problem.  It was introduced in 1.11
because saving E ETAB resources was added.
--
:------------------------------------------------------------:
: Tom Carstensen         Usenet: [e-mail]      :
: Mentor Graphics                Delphi: CARSTENSEN          :
:                                GEnie:  CARSTENSEN          :
:                                                            :
:         If you are sick and tired, of all your dreadful    :
:         dimensions, let me stretch your TIME!              :
:                                       - Time Operator      :
:------------------------------------------------------------:


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

From: [e-mail] (news)
Subject: Re: st II vertically --> Hard disk problems may arise
Date: 6 Jun 88 11:38:53 GMT
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland

I had one thought about problems with putting Mac II on its short side
(mounting it vertically). As Mac II's hard disk is mounted sideways in
the Mac II case (it's front panel is to the right, and in PCs etc it is
usually mounted so that it faces the user, so that it's on its side if
you tilt the case 90 degrees (pi/2 radians for math :-)).

Now if you put the mac II vertically, the hard disk has its front panel
downwards, and this is a NO-NO with most hard disks (usually they should
be mounted only one way horizontally or on either of the longer sides).

I think this might lead to some problems, and it may alo void the
warranty on the drive (for example Seagate does not allow this
orientation for their drives).

So I recommend you should carefully check the documentation of your hard
disk about the allowed orientations before trying to use your Mmounted vertically.

rgds//haa

#include <std_disclaimer> /* I don't know what I'm talking about, etc */
--
Hannu Aronsson, Helsinki University of Technology, CS lab.
[e-mail] [e-mail] ...!mcvax!santra!hutcs!haa


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

From: [e-mail] (Ralph Martin)
Subject: mus and concertware
Date: 1 Jun 88 15:12:17 GMT
Organization: Univ. Coll. Cardiff, Cardiff, WALES, UK.

I'm sure I read somewhere that concertware could read old musicworks
files and  convert them to cone files. However, I just bought
concertware+midi 4.0 and there seems to be no reference to this. Did I
dream it up - or can someone fill me in?!

Ralph


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

From: ron@muCP (Ron Voss)
Subject: Epic 2400 baud modem
Date: 7 Jun 88 16:56:42 GMT
Organization: Motorola GmbH Microsystems Munich

Does anyone know if the Epic 2400 baud modems are still vaporware? I
want one.  Thanx.

--
------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Voss                Motorola Microsystems Europe, Munich
mcvax!unido!mucmot!ron                         CIS 73647,752
my opinions are just that, and not necessarily my employer's
------------------------------------------------------------


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

From: [e-mail] (James H. Cloos Jr.)
Subject: ew keyboards on Mac Pluses
Date: 9 Jun 88 08:02:45 GMT
Organization: Cornell Computer Services, Cornell Uny, Ithaca, NY 14853

Is there any way to use one of the new keyboards (ie the ones avaiable
for SE's and II's) with a Mac Plus??

Would it need some kind of interface box, or just a custom cable?

Thanks for any info.

-JimC
--
batcomputer![e-mail]  |James H. Cloos, Jr.|#include <disclaimer.h>
[e-mail]|B7 Upson, Cornell U|#include <cute_stuff.h>
[e-mail]    |Ithaca, NY 14853   |"Entropy isn't what
[e-mail]    |  [phone]  | it used to be."


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

From: [e-mail] (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: how doesinder handle DAs? how do I select DA-partition directly?
Date: 9 Jun 88 03:43:36 GMT
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX


The following summarizes what I know about DAs under MultiFinder:

When you open a DA under MultiFinder, it gets allocated in a separate
"partition"; if you hold-down the OPTION-key while selecting the DA, it
gets allocated in the partition of the currently active application.

Questions:

1) how much space is allocated for a DAion?

2) what happens when several DAs are active?

3) what happens with DAs that need a variable amount of space, such as
   DA-editors?  I believe to have noticed that whereas I can open a
   file of a certain size when the DA is running in an application's
   partition (with sufficient unused space), I cannot do so when I let
   MultiFinder allocate the space.

4) is there a way to switch to a/the DA-partition other than clicking on
   the mini-Icons in the top-right of the menubar?  the DA does not show
   under the Apple-icon where all the other applications running under
MF
listed ...


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

From: [e-mail] (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: will running MultiFinder out of a  buy anything?
Date: 9 Jun 88 04:36:41 GMT
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX

I've been wondering if I am buying anything with this set-up I've beeing lately:

My start-up application at boot is RamDisk+ creating a 404K RAMdisk (4K
over 400K to make sure it gets created HFS) with nder and
ToMultiFinder being copied onto it.  Upon exit of RamDisk+ I execute
ToMultiFinder (which was recently posted here) and am given the choice
of running the regular Finder or the MultiFinder then.

What I am wondering is, am I gaining anything in performanceecuting MultiFinder out of the RAMdisk?  I've been kind of forced to
put MultiFinder in RAM because I could not figure out a way teither RamDisk+ to execute ToMultiFinder inside the blessed folder, or
to get ToMultiFinder once loaded onto the RAMdisk, toe
MultiFinder when it is not also on the RAMdisk (I tried to specify the
path as HD:BlessedFolder:ToMultiFinder as the name of the application to
be executed when RamDisk+ exits ... but that didn't work).

I'd be interested to read how other people set up their environment and
try to get the most out of their Mac...  (mine is Mac+ with 2.5Meg,
100Meg of HDs)


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

From: [e-mail] (Matthias Urlichs )
Subject: Re: Spoolers for the Mac
Date: 8 Jun 88 10:29:24 GMT
Organization: CSD., University of Erlangen, W - Germany

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
writes:
>
> I bought a Dataframe hard disk.  The current verson of SLS doesn't run on
> a Mac II, but I understand SuperMac is preparing a new version that solves
> these problems.
>

I got SLS 2.0 (DataFrame-only version) from Compu$serve yesterday.
There's one thing you can say about it: It works. Period. More
specifically, it works with ALL printer drives, Finder, MultiFinder,
spools PageMaker rep) without problems. (Didn't do extensive
testing, however; just checked if it works. It does an INIT now
(the DA's still there). If you have a startup program other than Finder
or MultiFinder,s a dialog box flashing up asking if you want to
print under MultiFinder. Hold the Command key or click the mouse to
change the default. Under MF, take Backgrounder and PrintMonitor and
throw them away; they're not necessary any more. De-spoolin MF
works with a background program (it's hidden inside the INIT). If
there's an alert ("Please insert the next sheet of paper")
SuperLaserSpool switches itself to the foreground automagically. The
Setup dialog has been changed; you now can set up not only the disk to
spool to but also the folder name (VERY useful for shared HDs). The
"Drop folder" and "Default printer" capabilities of the olre
gone, though. Preview now works with all files (even if they're
currently printing). There's a new button you can use to re-roujobs for
AppleTalk printers. The Pause button lechoose between aborting
the current job and stopping at its end.

Problems: 1) When Restart-ing from the Finder, the current print job is
aborted. (Next startup, you get a dialog asking if you want to try
again.) This isn't good... 2) Some user interface problems, eg. the
Preview,Printer,Delete buttons do nothing if no job is selected, instead
of being disabled. But other than that,it's definitely (again) the best
printer spooler for the Mac.

--
Matthias Urlichs     rve: 72437,1357  Delphi: URLICHS
Rainwiesenweg 9      Phone: +49+911-574180
8501 Schwaig 2       NetMail: [e-mail]
West Germ          or: (r)eply and (h)ope


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

From: [e-mail] (Andrew Vignaux)
Subject: Lightspeed C projects
Date: 8 Jun 88 03:42:07 GMT
Organization: Comp Sci, Victoria Univ, Wellington, New Zealand

Something that I would like to see in LSC is the ability to define
preprocessor symbols for the *project* as a whole (ala Unix "cc -D").

I think there is a need for a conditional compilation facility even when
writing Macintosh-only code.  Consider a "change cursor" module to be
used in two programs, one event-driven and the other a more batch-like
processor. There is no need have the "maintain cursor" code when there
will be no event loop to call it.

One solution is for LSC to define the symbol `LSC' and the "project
symbol" (a canonicalized version of the project file name ?).  Then the
programmer can define whatever s/he likes in a header file.

A better solution might be to "include" the data fork of the project
file before compiling each file so s/he can do anything they want --
this fork is currently unused.

"Putting the definitions in an include file" doesn't work because I want
different definitions depending on the particular project.  LSC's
#include search path partially solves the problem, except it means that
you can only have one project per directory, and the "library" file must
be in a distinct directory.

Of course if LSC (2.eady has things predefined and they are in
TFM, or there's a nicer/better way, i'll shutup and go back to doing my
Masters :-)

Comments?

Andrew
--
Domain address: aomp.vuw.ac.nz   Path address: ...!uunet!vuwcomp!andrew


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

From: [e-mail] (Michael Friedman)
Subject: Re: Vertical Retrace Queue Problem
Date: 9 Jun 88 04:25:00 GMT
Organization: Murder Inc.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Newton Lee) writes:


>I've written a program that "VInstall" a function onto the vertical
>retrace queue. The function does simple "PlotIcon". It works. Now
>disabling VInstall, the main program calls "MacinTalk". It also works.
>However, enabling VInstall, the whole thing suddenly stops working!
>Why? I know there is a sound manager VBL problem in old System files.
>But I'm using System File 4.2 that supposedly has fixed that problem.

I've also got a problem with the Vertical Retrace Interrupt Queue. I've
included Mr. Lee's posting in case they are related.

I've written a program that installs a short program into the vertical
retrace queue.

The installed program is about ten lines long. It reads a value from a
board, nots it, writes it to another location on the board, updates the
counter in its queue entry, and leaves.

This is a SHORT program. It only uses A0 and D0.

Both programs were written with LightSpeed C. The installation program
contains liberal amounts of assembly. The program I install is totally
inline assembly.

The queue entry is allocated with NewPtr from the system heap. I have
tried using ResEdit to place my installed program in both the system and
the application heap. (One at a time, of course.)

The program works beautifully. When I  an oscilloscope I can see
the expected 30 herz square wave.

The problem comes when I run it on a MAC II and move windows around. To
make it show easily I run it with the stdio library and use a gets at
the end.

If I move the stdio window it crashes about three quarters of the time.
Sometimes you can move it once. Then it crashes the second time.

As far as I can tell, it always crashes if you use the control panel to
change to colors.

I also managed to crash it once by changing the time of the alarm of the
alarm clock.

If you don't touch it it runs for hours without a problem.

I'm using TMON to debug. I always end up in trap AB05. I assume that
this is the result of a jump rather than an actual trap call because
TMON can't catch it.

I have not been able to make it crash while stepping through using TMON.

If TMON leaves the VBL Queue running then the square wave continues to
be output while it runs. If it stops the VBL Queue but I reboot from
TMON then the square wave comes back for a few seconds while TMON exits.

My code is not being trashed. Somehow it is trashing other code.

This afternoon I ran a clock program that installs itself in the
interrupt queue. Then I used TMON to replace it with my code. It worked
and would not crash. I have no idea why.

This problem can not be duplicated on a Macintosh SE.

Does anyone have any suggestions whatsoever?

If I get no help then I will take some installation code that does work
and slowly modify it until it installs my code. Hopefully this will
work.

Even if it does I won't be too happy - this code is going to go in a
real program that will be sold for a lot of money. We don't want a bug
to pop up out of the woodwork.

HELP!!!
--
How can a man die better     | Than facing fears     |||Mike Friedman
For the ashes of his fathers | And the temples of his gods? |||Quoting Macaulay


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

From: [e-mail] (Newton Lee)
Subject: Folder Icons
Date: 8 Jun 88 17:53:03 GMT
Organization: AT&T ISL Middletown NJ USA

How does one create new folder icons? For instance, System Folder has a
different folder icon compared to other typical folders.

Thanks in advance for your info.


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

From: [e-mail] (Lee Atchison)
Subject: Re: Help!  My program disables Finder double-clicking .
Date: 8 Jun 88 22:25:43 GMT
Organization: HP Technical Networks, Cupertino, Calif.

In particular, check to see if you are disabling the "mouseup" events.
This event is necin order to recognize double-clicks (at least
using the "correct" algorithm to recognize double-clicks, according to
Inside Mac v1).

            -lee
--
Lee Atchison
Hewlett Packard, Business Networks Division
CuperA 95014
[e-mail]


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

From: [e-mail] (Ragnar S)
Subject: Lap mgr bugs in MPW C 2.02
Date: 6 Jun 88 02:39:44 GMT
Organization: The Royal Inst. of Techn., Stockholm

I just discovered a (or two) bug(s) in the Interface libraries in MPW
2.0;

SIntInstall and SIntRemove glue code takes the arguments in the wrong
order. They are correctly defined in the "Slots.h" file.

Perhaps these glue routines are not very often used....


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

From: [e-mail] (Yossie Silverman)
Subject: Re: Database toolkits
Date: 9 Jun 88 12:25:10 GMT
Organization: National Semiconductor (Israel) Ltd.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Dan Allen) writes:
>Using the Resource Manager for a database manager is *** NOT RECOMMENDED
>**. PERIOD.
>
Now I don't know about this.  You see, I know these people who wrote an
entire database (of 4D quality) on a mac using the resource manager as
the database manager.  They were aware of the shorgs of the
resource manager as far as speed goes so they wrote a patch for it which
made it work somewhat faster (I seem to recall something like 50 times
(yes) faster).  These patches even worked on the normal system which
made loading programs VERY FAST!  They had an idea to clean it all up
and sell iself, not as part of the DB but that fell through the
floor when the company did.  I don't know what the current status ofatch is, if it works with current system releases or only old ones or
what.  I could ask around but I can't promise anything. The problem they
ran into were some silly limits in the resource manager's original
definition, namely the amount of resources you can define (2^16-1)
distinct IDs of a single resource type, and possibly other limitations.
I myself had only marginal dealings with them (they were my neighbors).

Hypercacrd is NOT a database maanger.  What I would like to see is Apple
come out with something like VSAM (IBM world) which would be a set of
database access routines accessed either via trap's or library calls.
Usable by any high level language through glue.
--
Yossie Silverman                                   What did the Caspian sea?
National Semiconductor Ltd. (Israel)                - Saki
UUCP: taux01![e-mail]
NSA LSD FBI KGB PCP CIA MOSAD NUCLEAR MI5 SPY ASSASSINATE SDI -- OOCLAY ITAY


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

From: [e-mail] (David Gelphman)
Subject: Re: Bounding Box info for MacDraw files
Date: 10 Jun 88 01:38:36 GMT
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated, Mountain View


 The Adobe Illustrator(tm) 88 package includes an application called
DrawOver(tm). This program converts PICT format files into Adobe
Illustrator format. I believe that any bitmaps which are part of the
PICT file are ignored but I haven't tried that myself.

The resulting Illustrator file is aostScript(R) language file
which can be sent to a PostScript printer. There is one caveat: the
coordinate system used for an Illustrator 1.1 document (by default) is
the top left corner of the document (I think this was changed in the
latest release but you can check it when you select Rulers). Move the
origin of coordinates to the lowecorner of the page so that it
matches the default coordinate system in the PostScript language. Again,
I think that the new version of Illustrator uses the lower left corner
by default so this may not be necessarOne other point: Illustrator documents do not have a 'showpage' imbedded
within them. You need to add this to your file if you send it directly
to the printer with something like SendPS instead of using the Print
command in Illustrator.

Hope this is useful,
--
David Gelphman
Adobe Systems, Inc.


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

From: [e-mail] (Peter Merchant)
Subject: Re: Databases for the Mac
Date: 9 Jun 88 18:01:15 GMT
Organization: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY

In article <[e-mail]>, Alexis Rosen writes:
>Refer to my other articles about FoxBase+/Mac. relevant features:
>1) FULL USAGE OF MAINTERFACE. This is all-important. If it looks like
>   a PC, it might as well run on one.

Well, yes.  And no.

FoxBase applications have various built-in commands to support dialog
boxes, butnd that sort of thing.  However, FoxBase's user
interface is the same old dot prompt that Dbase is famous for.

We have some Dbase folks around here who have seen Foxbase, though, and
salivated quite effectively.  Unfortunately, they are tied to the MS-DOS
machines, but it almost had theming.  If you knew these people,
you'd be impressed.  I do.  I was.  It must be pretty good...
--
"Livin' it up..."                     Peter Merchant (merchant@eleazar.                                            ([e-mail])


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

From: [e-mail] (Phil Hunt)
Subject: FinderO ?Feature?
Date: 10 Jun 88 14:01:21 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Cion

I was looking with RESEDIT 1.2d0 at the Finder LAYO resource.  I am
running Finder 6.0.  I noticed some fields I never knew about oany idea what their meaning is:

1) Inherit Copy 2) Folder Inherit 3) Use Physical ICONS

and last but not least,  Color Mask, which takes a numeric argument.  I
set mine to 236 (by accident) but on returning to the Finder on my Mac
II, my Icons were filled in with their color and the outline lines were
in Black!! This looks really sharp except for icons that are Black
outlines, because you can't see them anymore, they completely fill in.
Anyone know any other values for this field?

Phil Hunt


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

From: [e-mail] (Chuq Von Rospach)
Subject: Re: Using new keyboards on Mac Pluses
Date: 9 Jun 88 15:58:55 GMT
Organ: Fictional Reality

>Is there any way to use one of the new keyboards (ie the ones avaiable for
>SE's and II's) with a Mac Plus??

Not that I'm aware of, but then it's really not necessary. Check outatadesk-101 extended keyboard. It's got the same general layout as the
ADB extended, plugs right into your Mac+ or 512Ke, and is cheap,
after having played with both for a while, a better keyboard).

Neat stuff. Then go out and get your A+ optical mouse, and you're
home free.
--
Chuq Von Rospach            [e-mail]        Delphi: CHUQ

    Robert A. Heinlein: 1907-1988. He will never truly die as long as we
                           read his words and speak his namein Peace.


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

From: rober.ips.oz (Robert Milne)
Subject: Importing text to Omnis3+ problem.
Date: 7 Jun 88 12:55:39 GMT
Organization: RUNX Un*x Timeshare.  Sydney, Australia.


Hello, I hope someone can help me out with a small problem. I have been
cataloguing disk volumes of mine and my friends, (about 3000 files in
all!) so
 we can work out who has got what and where. First I read the volumes
contents
 using Cat.Mac and convert its file to a text file. CatMac reads each
volumes
 directory and gives the files type (eg. APPL), name, creation date,
size etc.
 and sorts them etc. Now CatMac is not too easy to control vast
quantities of  files and make enquiries on the contents. So what I plan
to do is load the data

 into Omnis3+ to control the data set up linked files that have files,
volumes,

 owners and owner details. Useful for finding info. like a library.The
problem
 I have is when I try to load the text file into Omnis3+ via the data
file
 utilities function for import of data. Import data should be able to
accept
 data from a Mac text file seperating the data for each field by Tabs or
commas

 etc. The problem I have is when I begin to loaile I get the
error
 message from Omnis that says this file contains control characters and
then
 refuses to accept it. Now I have tried editing the files using
 RedWriter (MockWrite), MacWrite and Word to strip them of everything
except
 for Tabs but I still get the same problem. I do have some text files
imported
 from outside sources and these seem to load ok. So Omnis seems to be
ok.
 What's the problem and what should I do ?

Help !

                        Robert Milne.


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

From: [e-mail] (dick Bierman)
Subject: numerical libraries
Date: 8 Jun 88 13:05:43 GMT
Organization: Psychology Dept. Univ. of Amsterdam.

There are a few people here who are currently condemned to the use of
MS-DOS machines because according to their info. there are no good
numerical libraries available for the Mac-(II). It concerns the
following libraries: LISREL, IMSL, GLIM and especially NAG. They should
be callable  from a FORTRAN environmenhe NAG-library the
optimalization function E04VAF is very important.This function
originates from the National Physical Algorithms Library (and had the
nameR' in that library). Has anybody out there info. on possible
availability of these libraries for the Mac(-II)?

bierman@uvapsy


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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Any utilities for auto-running apps?
Date: 8 Jun 88 17:16:53 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

Peter Espen  writes...
|Are there any utilities that will allow a Mac to run applications
|AND specicfic operations in the applications un-attendedpecific
|time of day?

You might take a look at Tempo II, I've heard it has the ability to do
what you want.  It is a keyboard macro packa has those features.
I've never used it, however, so I can't say that it works.

|        Peter Espen
-- Jerry Whitnell [e-mail]
..!sun!cup.portal.com!jwhitnell


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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Spoolers for the Mac
Date: 8 Jun 88 23:14:10 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

Greetings,

SuperMac Software's SuperLaserSpool 2.0 is now shipping and the
DataFrame version (SuperLaserSpool 2.0df) is now available from our
SuperMac BBS (415-962-1618), CompuServe's MACPRO DL 7, and GEnie.

SuperLaserSpool 2.0 is compatible with the Macintosh 512Ke/Plus/SE/II
and MultiFinder.  It will work with all Apple printers (LW, LW+, LW II
SC/NT/NTX, AppleTalk IW II/LQ, and direct connect IW I/II/LQ) and any
PostScript compatible laser printer that uses the Apple LaserWriter
driver.  SLS 2.0 will also allow you to spool PageMaker 3.0 documents
with (and without) the rep file.

The biggest feature of SLS 2.0 is that it is now an INIT, simply drag
the SLS icon into your System Folder and reboot.  SLS 2.0 will then load
automatically. The Laser Queue DA can be loaded into the System file by
using the Font/DA mover and it is compatible with Suitcase.

For those who have placed an upgrade order and would like to confirm iase write to:

          SuperMac Software
          295 N. Bernardo Ave.
          Mountain View, CA  94043

          Attn: Software Upgrades

Just a short note about compatibilities, SLS 1.1 is compatible with
LaserWriter driver 5. the Command-Shift-4 feature no longer works
because of a change from driver 4.0 to 5.0.  SuperLaserSpool 2.0 is
compatible with LaserWriter drivers 5.0, 5.1, and 5.2.  It should be
noted, as Rich stated, LaserSpeed 1.6 (aka TOPS Spool 1.6) is compatible
with LaserWriter 5.0; however it is not compatible with the new
LaserWriter II printers.  Though Think is working on another version of
LaserSpeed that will be compatible.
--
Fabian Ramirez
SuperMac Technology

[e-mail]
sun!cup.portal.com!fabian_fabe_ramirez


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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: SuperLaserSpool 2.0
Date: 9 Jun 88 00:46:37 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

Greetings,

SuperMac Software's SuperLaserSpool 2.0 is now shipping and the
DataFrame version (SuperLaserSpool 2.0df) is now available from the
SuperMac BBS (415-962-1618), CompuServe's MACPRO DL 7 (filename
SLS20.SIT), and GEnie.

SuperLaserSpool 2.0 is compatible with the Macintosh 512Ke/Plus/SE/II
and MultiFinder (and even System 6.0).  It will work with all Apple
printers (LW, LW+, LW II SC/NT/NTX, AppleTalk IW II/LQ, and direct
connect IW I/II/LQ) and any PostScript-compatible laser printer that
uses the Apple LaserWriter driver.  SLS 2.0 will also allow you to spool
PageMaker 3.0 documents with (and without) the Aldus Prep file.

The biggest feature is that SLS 2.0 is now an INIT, simply drag the SLS
icon into your System Folder and reboot.  SLS 2.0 will then load
automatically. The Laser Queue DA can be loaded into the System file by
using the Font/DA Mover.  The Laser Queue DA is compatible with
Suitcase.

For those who have placed an upgrade order and would like to confirm it,
please write to:

          SuperMac Software
          295 N. Bernardo Ave.
          Mountain View, CA  94043

          Attn: Software Upgrades


The following is a list of the most current versions:

    Application               Commercial          DataFrame
Availability

    DiskFit                      1.41               1.41df              now
    SuperLaserSpool              2.0                2.0df               now
    SuperSpool                   4.0                4.0df            5.0
2nd Qtr 88
    Sentinel                     1.0                1.0df            2.0
2nd Qtr 88

    Network DiskFit              1.41               n/a                 now
    Multi-User SLS               2.0                n/a                 now

    PixelPaint                   1.0                n/a              1.1
RSN

    Manager                      n/a                3.26                n/a

At this time, SuperSpool 4.0 is incompatible with the Mac II and
MultiFinder and Sentinel 1.0 is incompatible with MultiFinder. For
Spectrum 1000/8 owners, there are two (2) upgrades available for you:

     1) ROM only - this upgrade consists of the new Spectrum firmware
(ROM rev. 1.92) and two manual suppliments (SuperMac Video Addendum and
the Programmer's Guide).  This upgrade is only available through
SuperMac Video Product Management, contact Nancy Metzger at (415)
962-2488.  The cost is approximately $20.00.

     2) ROM/PixelPaint - this upgrade consists of the new Spectrum
firmware, the two manual suppliments, and a "Spectrum-specific" version
of PixelPaint. This upgrade is available through SuperMac Authorized
Dealers at an approximate cost of $100.

The new Spectrum firmware upgrades your "Spectrum 1000/8" to a
"Spectrum/8." This new firmware support the following
monitors/resolutions:

    SuperMac 19" Trinitrons     1024 x 768
    SuperMac 16" Trinitrons
    SuperMac 19" Standard Color
    SuperMac 19" Grey Scale

    Apple 12" Monochrome         640 x 480
    Apple 13" AppleColor         640 x 480

    Multisynchronous             640 x 480

    Apple NTSC RGB               640 x 480

    NTSC RGB                     640 x 480

    PAL RGB                      768 x 576

The Spectrum/8 comes standard with a 64 MHz oscillator crystal that
supports the SuperMac monitors and with a user-supplied cystal,
Spectrum/8 can support the above mentioned monitors/resolutions.

A/UX users: an A/UX-compatible ROM is in the works for our DataFrame/XP
drives; however, no announced availability as of yet.

NTX users:  At this time the DataFrame/XP HDs are not compatible as a
font storage device with the LaserWriter II NTX.  A ROM upgrade is in
the works; however, no announced availability as of yet.
--
Fabian Ramirez
SuperMac Technology

[e-mail]
sun!cup.portal.com!fabian_fabe_ramirez


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

From: [e-mail] (Dave Thompson)
Subject: mac kermit
Date: 9 Jun 88 16:57:04 GMT
Organization: California State University, Northridge

I just finished a cursory evaluation of Kermit 0.9(40) and found one
rather fatal flaw.  There is no option to make the delete key send a
backspace rather than a delete character.  While many of our mainframes
(if not most) accept, or can be made to accept the delete key, we have a
few that require use of the backspace character.  While I guess you
*can* use control-h, that's sort-of tedious.  For those of you who wrote
this program, how about an option to change this (rather as VersaTerm of
MacTerminal does)?

--
Dave Thompson             uucp:   {ihnp4|hplabs|psivax}!csun!csuna!dlt
CSUN Computer Center         phone:  [phone]
18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330

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

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