Magnum One/Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso/d18/pascal1.arc/PASCAL.A09

Text File | 1989-01-09 | 171.0 KB | 5,296 lines

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From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #2, 01-Jan-89 08:16pm
Subject: Re: Self-Taught

 JG> Why not?  The original Adventure game (I believe it is now called 'The
 JG> Colossal Cave') was written in FORTRAN.  (FORTRAN II, I believe.)
 JG> That's REALLY a self-abusive feat.

 AL> No, not really.  FORTRAN is just a brain-damaged BASIC.

FORTRAN is NOT brain-damaged BASIC.  FORTRAN antedates BASIC by a good
five years.  (The languages are also quite different as anyone who has
written significant code in both - ME for example - can tell you.)

(Massive subject change follows.)

One of the first things that got me when I started writing programs in
Pascal, after switching over from BASIC was the way that you had to
declare the (maximum) sizes of strings at compile time.  I understand
why this needs to be done, but it would be real nice if I was able to
deal with strings without all the crap.

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #196.


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #3, 01-Jan-89 08:18pm
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 DG> hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement do you
 DG> prefer?         CASE .... OF
 DG>           ...... : .....;
 DG>           ...... : .....;
 DG>           END;
 DG>       -or-
 DG>         CASE ....
 DG>           OF ....... : .....;
 DG>              .....   : .....;
 DG>              END;
 DG> What does the distinguished panel of experts here think?

I prefer
        CASE .... OF
           .... : ....;
           .... : ....;
        END;

(I like the CASE and the END to line up.)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #51.


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #4, 01-Jan-89 08:23pm
Subject: Re: TP w/Fossil

 EG> Thanks a LOT! for all that stuff!  I'm using TP v3.0 now, and I
 EG> think I'm gonna get a second hand (well, outdated copy of 4.0 from
 EG> a friend for $30 - that's all of it, original manuals, disks,
 EG> etc.)  I'm not into spending $100 yet on TP 5.0 when just
 EG> learning.  [Only reason I have 3.0 is because we had to get it at
 EG> school for a class and never used it anyway.  Had a student
 EG> discount though] Eric

If you are purchasing the old compiler from someone who has upgraded,
then you and your friend are violating the user agreement.  If this is
the case, my advice is:

1) Buy your own copy from a dealer.

-or-

2) When V6.0 comes out, upgrade real quick so that when your friend
calls Borland to upgrade, he gets told that 'that registration has
already been upgraded.'

(The second suggestion is NOT serious.)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #100.


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #5, 01-Jan-89 07:55pm
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 AL> const
 AL>   HellFreezesOver = false;
 AL>
 AL> repeat
 AL>   ...
 AL> until HellFreezesOver;

Hey!  Somebody who codes like I do.

(I actually have that chunk of code in one of my programs, but then I'm
the guy who made 'pick a lucky direction, and erase the wall' famous.)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #32.


From:    Eugene Baral
To:      Patrick Sheppard                         Msg #6, 31-Dec-88 06:02pm
Subject: Re: Turbo Professional packages


 -> I have Turbo C 2.0 and have ordered Turbo Pascal
 ->Professional 5.0.  I am wondering if there is any
 ->difference between the Turbo Assembler/Debugger as
 ->delivered with the two "Professional" packages.  Are there
 ->language specific files/utilites delivered with these
 ->packages?

No difference and no language specific addons with either package.  All the
"Professional" packages do is add in the Assembler/Debugger package at a price
tag slightly lower than buying the indivual packages (Professional[Pascal or
C] = $249, Pascal = $149, C = $149, Assem/Debug=$149).

                                        -= Gene =-

--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Philosopher's Stone (#2), Orlando  407-299-3661 (1:363/23)


From:    Darren Humphrey
To:      Robert Gibson                            Msg #7, 31-Dec-88 04:09pm
Subject: Re: Pascal Programming BBS

-> Where in the world are all of the BEST BBS's for Turbo
-> Pascal programming?  If you know of a board that has a good
-> Pascal area (both files and/or message base), please leave
-> a message so we all can get in on the action!  Most boards
-> have a Pascal section, but I mean one where REAL
-> programmers meet, and where GOOD source code is available
-> to learn from.  Come on folks, let's hear from you!

A lot of BBS's around here have the PASCAL echo--an international forum
where real programmers and beginners, and those in-between mingle.

I have it, and about 3 megs of pascal downloads.

Darren Humphrey

The Sanlando Connection : 407-834-5717
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Sanlando Connection | 407 / 834-5717 | (1:363/19)

*** There is a reply. See #144.


From:    Alain Geenrits
To:      Zeljko Horvat                            Msg #8, 29-Dec-88 02:41pm
Subject: Re: database libraries

Thank you, I will consider it.

See you, Alain

--- ConfMail V3.3
 * Origin: Belgium echomail backbone (2:513/11)


From:    Bruno Rijsman
To:      Johan Zwiekhorst                         Msg #9, 30-Dec-88 05:17pm
Subject: >16 Files

Does anyone know how to have more than 16 files open at the same time ?
I'm using turbo pascal version 4.0 and the database toolbox. $Fnn is
not implemented anymore in v 4.0, and putting FILES=xx in the config.sys
files doesn't seem to help either.
Johan zwiekhorst suggested that the problem is with DOS and not with
pascal; according to him no single process can have more than 20 files
open at any instant (which makes me wonder what the FILES command was
invented for in the first place). He suggest that keep track of my own
"DCB Tables" (Frankly I have no idea what a DCB is, even after carefully
searching Advanced MS DOS from micro soft press).
If anyone has any experience with this solution, or if anyone has a
simpler solution, your help would be very much appreciated.
16 files really sucks when your using databases with multiple indexes!
** Bruno Rijsman **
--- ES v2.41
 * Origin: AINEX-RBBS 033-633916 [NL] Home of the BBSlijst (RBBS 2:2/102)

*** There is a reply. See #64.


From:    Bruno Rijsman
To:      Djoerd De.fost                           Msg #10, 30-Dec-88 05:30pm
Subject: Exec

This is how the exec procedure works:

EXEC

The exec procedure spawns a child process and passes control to that
process. When the process terminates, control returns to the statement
folloing Exec. The syntax is:

Exec (str_var1, str_var2);

where str_var1 identifies the path and file name (including a .COM or
.EXE extension) of the executable code file and str_var2 is used to
supply any command-line parameters. If no command-line parameters are
required, str_var2 should be a null string. Exec me be used to spawn a
DOS command shell be executing COMMAND.COM. If you want to use
COMMAND.COM to perform a service such as copying a file, str_var2 must
contain the desired command preceded by a /C switch. For example:

Exec ('\COMMAND.COM','/C COPY C:\MYSTUFF\MYFILE.TXT \OLDSTUFF');

The predefined variable DosError should be examined following a call to
Exec. The child process will fail to execute and DosError will have a
value of 8 if you do not limit the size of the parent program by
specifying a maximum heap size.

-------- FROM USING TURBO PASCAL VERSION 4
              STEVE WOOD
              BORLAND * OSBORNE / McGRAW HILL

So basicly Exec executes another program, and continues with the next
program when the called program is finished. You must however limit ther
size of your programs heap using the compiler option menu or a command
line parameter or a compiler directive. I even believe (but I'm not
shure of this) that Exec doesn't work when you execute a program from
the integrated development environment.

I hope this get you started. Succes !

** Bruno **
--- ES v2.41
 * Origin: AINEX-RBBS 033-633916 [NL] Home of the BBSlijst (RBBS 2:2/102)


From:    Bruno Rijsman
To:      Dre Mathys                               Msg #11, 30-Dec-88 05:32pm
Subject: Resident

USING TURBO PASCAL VERSION 4 from BORLAND * OSBORNE / McGRAW HILL
discusses resident programming in turbo pascal extensively. I'm afraid
it's a little too complicated to explain you everything, so I'd suggest
you buy the book.

** Bruno **
--- ES v2.41
 * Origin: AINEX-RBBS 033-633916 [NL] Home of the BBSlijst (RBBS 2:2/102)

*** There is a reply. See #193.


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      All                                      Msg #12, 02-Jan-89 02:41am
Subject: Copyright

Can someone please give me some information on how to get a copyright on a
program? I read the msg that states that it is better to have a registered
copyright than to have to prove you wrote the program originally at a later
date with only your own documentation. If this is the case: (1) How do you
obtain a registered copyright?
          (2) Is the copyright still valid for subsequent updated
versions of the program?
Thanks for your help- Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** There is a reply. See #26.


From:    Bill Swenson
To:      Gene Leduc                               Msg #13, 02-Jan-89 05:34pm
Subject: Re: Filling up a window

{Gene,  This is direct screen writing, an alternate to using a BIOS interrupt.
 You have to know your monitor type, and it will snow slightly on older CGAs.
 It will show through on things like DoubleDos.  It won't work on things that
 rely on the CTTY, or output redirection.

 Bill Swenson}

uses crt;

var videoseg :word;
begin
  videoseg:=$b800;  { $b000 for monochrome,  $a000 for some Hercules,  I
think}
  clrscr;
  textcolor(15);  textbackground(5);
  gotoxy(80, 24);  write('x');
  gotoxy(79, 25);  write('x');
  mem[videoseg:3998]:=ord('y');
  mem[videoseg:3999]:=textattr;   {textattr comes from unit CRT}
end.

{I think Turbo PASCAL 5.0 also advances the cursor.  Most high level languages
do.}


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)


From:    Bill Swenson
To:      Karsten Huster                           Msg #14, 02-Jan-89 05:59pm
Subject: Re: Pointer to Screen

{Karsten,  You can get a pointer's segment and offset values by typecasting
      and shifting and anding.  Then you can get the pointer value, or
      absolute memory location by typecasting, shifiting and adding.

      Hope this helps.  Bill Swenson,}

type str10 = string[10];
var
    point :^str10;
    pseg, poff :word;
    pointcheck :pointer;
    long :longint;

begin
  point:=nil;
  pseg:=longint(point) shr 16;  poff:=longint(point) and 15;
  writeln('pointer to segment ', pseg, '  pointer to offset ', poff);
  long:=pseg shl 4 + poff;
  writeln('pointer value is ', long );

  writeln;

  new(point);  point^:='hello';

  pseg:=longint(point) shr 16;  poff:=longint(point) and 15;
  writeln('pointer to segment ', pseg, '  pointer to offset ', poff);
  long:=longint(pseg) shl 4 + poff;
  writeln('pointer value is ', long );
  pointcheck:=ptr(pseg, poff);      {check to see if it worked}
  writeln('checks OK ', pointcheck = point );
  writeln( str10(pointcheck^) );
  writeln;

  new(point);  point^:='goodbye';

  pseg:=longint(point) shr 16;  poff:=longint(point) and 15;
  writeln('pointer to segment ', pseg, '  pointer to offset ', poff);
  long:=longint(pseg) shl 4 + poff;
  writeln('pointer value is ', long );

  pointcheck:=ptr(pseg, poff);      {check to see if it worked}
  writeln('checks OK ', pointcheck = point );
  writeln( str10(pointcheck^) );
end.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** There is a reply. See #89.


From:    Chuck Venter
To:      Charles Falconer                         Msg #15, 01-Jan-89 10:54am
Subject: Re: Turbo4 Bug

 > Turbo 4 would be greatly improved if a method existed
 > to replace system procedures.  However Borland has not
 > seen fit to publish the System unit interface

I thought that they were selling the runtime library code for version 5.0.
That does not include the code you want to replace?

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: New Haven Opus 'Are we having fun yet? (1:141/0)

*** There is a reply. See #53.


From:    Chuck Venter
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #16, 01-Jan-89 11:05am
Subject: Re: TURBO POWER vs TURBO JOCKS

 >  One last thing, and I hope this doesn't turn into an
 > ad for them.
 >  I see by the magazines that there are TWO Turbo Power
 > products,
 >  one called TURBO SCREEN and the other called TURBO
 > POWER TOOLS
 >  PLUS.  I assume these are BOTH worth the cash?

I believe Turbo Screen and Turbo Power Tools Plus are from a different vendor.


The package that I know and love is Turbo Professional (either 4.0 or 5.0)
from Turbo Power Software in Scotts Valley, CA. The tech support number is
[phone].  I believe it's less than $100, and to me it very worthwhile.


--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: New Haven Opus 'Are we having fun yet? (1:141/0)

*** There is a reply. See #244.


From:    Chuck Venter
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #17, 01-Jan-89 11:11am
Subject: Re: Word/LongInt

 > I've seen these used in several programs and was
 > wondering . . .
 > are these supported in 3.0?  I'm working/learning it
 > and have not
 > found them in any books.  I've seen String, Real,
 > Integer, Byte, Char,
 > and then records and stuff.  Are these new 'types'?

Yup, they were new with version 4.0.   There are many other advantages to 4.0
and 4.0, it definatly worth the upgrade.

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: New Haven Opus 'Are we having fun yet? (1:141/0)

*** There is a reply. See #35.


From:    Chuck Venter
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #18, 01-Jan-89 11:15am
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

 > In version 4 & 5 of Turbo Pascal, when you save the
 > file
 > in executable form, is it in .COM or .EXE???

It's an EXE.

 > And do both versions support 'use as needed' object
 > libraries
 > in the executable forms??  I mean does it not save the
 > entire
 > object library.

Yup, it only includes the code that's called.  (4.0 included all data, 5.0
includes only the data referenced.)

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: New Haven Opus 'Are we having fun yet? (1:141/0)

*** There is a reply. See #34.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Andreas Golz                             Msg #19, 02-Jan-89 10:56am
Subject: Re: WORK WITH RAMFIELDS > 64 KB

Sorry andreas, I don't know about
such things.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)

*** There is a reply. See #54.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Joel Sumner                              Msg #20, 02-Jan-89 11:03am
Subject: Re: APPLE

Sometimes I use Apple Pascal, and the compiler I use is hopelessly slow, too,
so I con't recommend that one.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)

*** There is a reply. See #93.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Randy Wilson                             Msg #21, 02-Jan-89 11:08am
Subject: TURBO CITY

Randy, I tried to log on to turbo city a few days ago, and after reading the
log-on text, I was rudely told 'you can''t log on at 300 baud, and was
disconnected.  I''d like to ask you (and while this is off-topic) if you could
find out why that is, beacause it cuts out a large number of possible users.
Thanks.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #22, 03-Jan-89 06:57am
Subject: Re: Graphics And Text?

 RD> The Tandy's scare me when it comes to graphics..
 RD> You can use 80 col. in color graphics mode?
 RD> That would be plus.  The standard would be for
 RD> 80 col. only in text and 640x200 mono (black and white graphics).
 RD> And good ole' 40 in 4 color 320x200.  Is this different on the
 RD> Tandy be much?
 RD>
 RD> Ron

In High Resolution, you get B&W text.  In medium-res, you get 16 colors
(the 'famous' Tandy 16-color graphics mode that nobody uses because no
real language supports it.)  I must have misunderstood the original
message.  (I really don't use graphics that much.)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #23, 03-Jan-89 12:27pm
Subject: Style Debate #4006

 TG> In my opinion, there's only one way to be fully planned before one
 TG> writes a program and that is flowcharting. That means spending
 TG> many  hours doing paperwork before the first line of code is
 TG> written. I don't  see too many programmers who do it for fun and
 TG> don't write very long  programs doing that, so why don't you let
 TG> people do their hobby the  way they want and let the job critique
 TG> to the systems analysts?

RE: The value of flowcharting:
"...the programmer cannot debug a detailed flowchart and the flowchart
is often more difficult to design than the program itself."  (p 13-18
_Z80 Assembly Language Programming_ 1979 Lance A. Leventhal.)

Many techniques are used to reduce the number of errors in writing
programs, including (but not limited to) flow charts, pseudocode, and
data flow diagrams.  None of these methods works 100% of the time
because even if the diagram is correct, you have to make sure that the
text of the program represents the same thing as the diagram.  What with
the ambiguity of most computer language semantic definitions and even
the usual typographical errors, that's a pretty tall order.

The argument has concerned itself with the aesthetics of programming.
(Is a program have an aesthetic quality independant of what the program
actually does?  I.E. Is the source code 'beautiful?')  Aesthetics are
something which vary from person to person.  Personally, I'm glad that
goto's and exit's and global variables are included in Pascal.  They fit
my image of what is 'pretty.'

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #166.


From:    Robert Becker
To:      All                                      Msg #24, 02-Jan-88 02:29pm
Subject: JoyStick Routine

Hi, Does anyone know how to read the joystick using turbo pascal? I     have
asked around but so far no one really knows. Interrupt 15
    service 84 didn't work for me and someone else. If someone knows
    please let me know!
                        Bob.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Dave's Place, Milwaukee, WI [phone] (1:283/655)

*** There is a reply. See #141.


From:    Hal Smith
To:      All                                      Msg #25, 03-Jan-88 10:53pm
Subject: TProf Analyst 5.0

Is anyone else besides me having problems with TP50 and Turbo Power's Analyst
version 5.0??
  I seem to have problems getting things to run in the integrated environment,
TPC especially, but to a lesser extent the object program, PSA and PF.
EXEINFO and TINFO do not seem to be affected.
  The one thing that I have not done, yet, is recompile with TP5.0, since I
have not brought the BINED unit home from the office, keep forgetting to do
it.
  The mouse support is a good as you could expect, and the THELP for TP5.0
will co-exist with the online help for Analyst.  If everyhing would work like
I expected, it would be *real* fine.  I missed the Analyst environment when I
upgraded to TP5.........
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Transient Technologies *PASCAL* Programming echo <HST> (1:280/302)


From:    Ray Buti
To:      Anne Wilson                              Msg #26, 03-Jan-89 01:55pm
Subject: Re: COPYRIGHT

Write to the Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.,
20559 and request the Form TX.  Thats all you'll need and it comes with a page
explaining how to fill it out.  The cost is $10.00 to file a copyright.
  ...Ray
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      All                                      Msg #27, 03-Jan-89 04:23pm
Subject: <WIRTH> AND <STYLE DEBATE #9,005>

PART I: What does Wirth rhyme with
if not with mirth?
(in other words, how do you say
this guy's name?)
PART II:
What my style debate asked specifically, was do you think
CASE ... OF <-- of here or
CASE ...
  OF <-- of here
is better.  in any CASE, thanks
for your ideas.
 or REAL programmers. BTW, want to know my definier TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)

*** There is a reply. See #121.


From:    Chuck Venter
To:      John Wilfong                             Msg #28, 02-Jan-89 10:04am
Subject: Re: Tutorial on FillChar

 > Note that even though BlankString's length byte is set
 > ...
 >
 > This was a little long but I hope it helped someone!
 >
 >     ---- John

Very nicely done!  Thanks for participating!

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: New Haven Opus 'Are we having fun yet? (1:141/0)


From:    Robert Wilton
To:      David Vins                               Msg #29, 03-Jan-88 07:15pm
Subject: I made it!

Hi Dave,

      I finally got on this board.  I have been trying off and on for
the last few weeks to get on this board but the number is ALWAYS busy!!!


*** There is a reply. See #58.


From:    Frank Barrus
To:      Udo Kunze                                Msg #30, 01-Jan-89 05:12pm
Subject: Re: Is...

One minor thing I would like to add...
I wouldn't recommend doing Exec('C:Command.com','whatever'),
but rather, for compatability,
Exec(GetEnv('ComSpec'),'whatever')
This will find command.com wherever it is.


---
 * Origin: Dave's OPUS!*Binkley*HST* Lowell,Ma (Opus 1:324/275)

*** There is a reply. See #210.


From:    Frank Barrus
To:      Joaquim Homrighausen                     Msg #31, 01-Jan-89 05:21pm
Subject: Protocol Engine

Someone told me you have a generic protocol engine for Turbo Pascal
5.0 that supports X/Y/Zmodem, etc... how would I be able to get this?
I currently run a BBS written with my own software, and am using
DSZ to do my file transfers for now, but would rather have it built
in.  I've written X and Y modem routines before, but I never really
had the time to try to write one for Zmodem, although I've studied
the specs for it.


---
 * Origin: Dave's OPUS!*Binkley*HST* Lowell,Ma (Opus 1:324/275)


From:    Tim Geisweit
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #32, 03-Jan-89 06:16am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 > As to flowcharting, I haven't written one since my BASIC/FORTRAN
 > class back in 10th grade.  What I do now, if the program
 > is very big, is write a bunch of empty procedures that
 > will help me visualize the program flow, top-down.  For
 > instance, a program to print a report of payroll might look
 > like:
 >
 > begin {main program loop}
 > GetParameters(FirstDay,LastDay,FirstEmployee,LastEmployee);
 > OpenFiles(PayRecFile,EmployeeFile,PrintFile);
 > while not eof(file1) do
 >   begin
 >   case recordtype of
 >     employee_header : process_header(PayRecFile^);
 >     in_out_record   : process_inout(PayRecFile^);
 >     ....

It sure looks like a flowchart to me. Flowcharts don't have to be boxes and
lines and arrows. Actually, I have to apologize for my last message since it
probably was too nasty. My original intent was to say that distinguishing
coders from programmers only sets up barricades for people who might be GOOD
programmers and don't know it yet because they haven't reached their
potential. Those barricades, in my opinion, can discourage prospective
programmers from finding out. That's the only reason why I don't like to see
terms used like GOOD or REAL programmers. BTW, want to know my definition?

REAL programmer - one who codes one original program in his lifetime
   and continually modifies that one program to fit the application.

GOOD programmer - a REAL programmer who is too busy coding to realize
   that the people who make the REAL bucks are the ones who CAN'T
   program.
<grin>




---
 * Origin: CrossFire  Harrisburg, PA [phone] (Opus 1:150/514)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Brian Corll
To:      Les Fenison                              Msg #33, 03-Jan-89 09:08am
Subject: Re: HELLO???????

I got your message here in Pennsylvania, Les, but I don't recall seeing any
others from you.  I make it a point to read any messages addressed to all.


---
 * Origin: Mdtn_BBS,  [phone]  Middletown Pa  Fidonet (Opus 1:150/511)


From:    Brian Corll
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #34, 03-Jan-89 09:10am
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

Turbo Pascal versions 4 and 5 produce compact .exe files, which are usually
significantly smaller than the .exe files produced by Turbo C for similar
code.


---
 * Origin: Mdtn_BBS,  [phone]  Middletown Pa  Fidonet (Opus 1:150/511)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Eric Givler
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #35, 03-Jan-89 04:32pm
Subject: Re: Word/LongInt

Do thank you for the quick answer Andy.  It's nice to have knowledgable
people to turn to when problems arise.

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Megaboard ]I[ RBBS-PC [phone] on Hayes 9600v (1:150/513)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Gary Drake
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #36, 02-Jan-88 04:14pm
Subject: TP 4.0 and the case statment

No, Eric, this is not true. TP4.0 supports the case statment.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: LOGIC Systems BBS Rochester,NY [phone] (1:260/202)


From:    Charles Cremer
To:      All                                      Msg #37, 03-Jan-89 08:18am
Subject: TP 5.0 and intelligent linking

I've been reading on the echo that TP 5.0 does not link in unused data
structures.  This seems to me to be a bit dangerous.  What if I have a
data structure that I don't use directly, but use via a dynamic pointer?
seems like the linker ought to give the programmer a chance to decide
some things.


---
 * Origin: The Antenna Farm - Austin, TX (512-444-1052)  (Opus 1:382/40)

*** There is a reply. See #117.


From:    Bill Swenson
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #38, 03-Jan-89 12:16pm
Subject: Re: Large Pascal Files

Turbo Power's Turbo Optimizer produces smaller .COM files than Turbo PASCAL's
4.0 or 5.0 .EXE files.

Bill Swenson


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)


From:    Roland Brown
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #39, 03-Jan-89 02:04pm
Subject: Re: Tp?

 > Well, I'm about to undertake this on-line database door
 > for my system.
 > I'm going to make it generic (work com 1 only first) and
 > see if I

Sorry to but in, but if you really want to make it generic why not just to i/0
through stdin/stout (in other words don't use crt unit) and let something like
OUTER or someother program (even ctty) redirect the i/o?

Just a suggestion.

roland

---
 * Origin: Sky Pilot Point Mail Box Off 261/1004 (Opus 1:26102/4)

*** There is a reply. See #66.


From:    Mark Hopkins
To:      Steve Enns                               Msg #40, 31-Dec-88 10:15am
Subject: Re: Pascal source for data compression

Look for a file called MDCD10.ARC.  This is another LZW data compression
routine in Turbo Pascal.

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Snoqualmie Valley Towne Crier [phone] (SeaSoftNet)
(1:343/8.11)

*** There is a reply. See #42.


From:    Mark Hopkins
To:      Bill Swenson                             Msg #41, 31-Dec-88 10:29am
Subject: Re: Greetings

BRAVO!!!


--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Snoqualmie Valley Towne Crier [phone] (SeaSoftNet)
(1:343/8.11)


From:    Steve Enns
To:      Syd Kahn                                 Msg #42, 02-Jan-89 11:48am
Subject: Re: Pascal source for data compression

Another response on this topic revealed the following BBS which has quite a
bit of data-compression stuff:
    Amiga + PC Tech  (209)-298-8453
This BBS has several sources for various compression methods, including an
excellent package MDCD10.ARC which contains assembler LZW routines with Pascal
interfaces.     I don't recall if there is any Huffman coding
stuff, but it may be worth checking out...
   Still no luck finding any src for a GIF ENcoder though...
Happy Hunting
  S.E.


---
 * Origin: The North Village, Saskatoon, [phone] (Opus 1:140/26)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Steve Enns
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg nd in a simulated assembler language.      \Jim\:

    a MOD b  shoce for data comsitive value, in the range 0..b-1.
This is t* code controlled  requires an EGA card and a pure
Pascal version which is very slow. If you just want a gif viewer and don't
need the src then  RDGIF.ARC produces good representations on the HERCULES
card, GREY.ARC works on both HERCULES and CGA. Don't know offhand were you can
get these, other than on local boards.  They should both be quite
common...Look around in your area...
   Still lookin for Pascal/C src for a   GIF ENcoder...
  S.E.


---
 * Origin: The North Village, Saskatoon, [phone] (Opus 1:140/26)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Charles Ford
To:      Randy Wilson                             Msg #44, 02-Jan-89 11:06am
Subject: Re: Tips


 RW>
 RW>I must have missed his message! I cannot even believe that anyone
 RW>would suggest not posting code in the Echo!?!?

 RW>I am getting mad about this. I sincerely hope that no one takes
 RW>this seriously!!

 Don't take it seriously, Randy.  Post whatever code you want and let's talk
Pascal :-).  Stuff like this, and especially second hand stuff is best
ignored.

        Charles

---
 * Origin: Educators' BBS: ~Crying for light in the darkness~ (Opus 1:134/19)


From:    Norbert Lange
To:      Mark Howard                              Msg #45, 03-Jan-89 12:46am
Subject: Re: Ansi

 > -> assign(Output,''); rewrite(Output); Then, to restore
 > -> screen writes to their previous direct write state, use
 > -> AssignCrt(Output); Rewrite(Output);
 >
 > Yes, but does this still allow STDIO-style redirection?


Yes it does, with or without using the CRT unit.


---
 * Origin: ESP BBS: WOC'ing Tall! (Opus 1:134/12)


From:    Tom Freedy
To:      All                                      Msg #46, 31-Dec-88 03:46pm
Subject: Inline

Can anybody help me learn it?
                      Tom.


---
 * Origin: Brad & Mikes BBS Vancouver B.C. HST 9600 (Opus 1:153/123)


From:    James Macneil
To:      All                                      Msg #47, 01-Jan-89 03:13pm
Subject: Interrupts in 5.0.

Hi Kids!

     Could someone please outline (in detail) how I would go about setting up
an interrupt in TP 5.0.


Thanks.


---
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Who's WAZOOming Who? (Opus 1:153/104)

*** There is a reply. See #135.


From:    Lee Hamel
To:      All                                      Msg #48, 31-Dec-88 12:33pm
Subject: Turb 3.0 shell

How would you perform a shell to DOS in Turbo 3.0?
I am using PC-DOS 3.2, if that helps any. I know
it has something to do with the EXEC command, but
don't know exactly how to use it... thanks.

---
 * Origin: Uptown Underground (Opus 1:105/15)

*** There is a reply. See #179.


From:    George Butts
To:      Jim Jinkins                              Msg #49, 01-Jan-89 01:39pm
Subject: Re: Turbo very long integers


 JJ> >See Fundamentals of Computer Programming, Vol 3:  Seminumerical
 JJ> Algorithms
 JJ> >by D.E. Knuth.  The algorithms are described in pseudo-code, flow
 JJ> charts,
 JJ> >and in a simulated assembler language.      \Jim\:

    a MOD b  should return a positive value, in the range 0..b-1.
This is t* code controlled by the else *); END;
etc.

back to CASE

        CASE thing OF
label1:   (* statement controlled by label1 *);
label2:   BEGIN
          (* compound statement for label2 *)
          END;
        ELSE
          (* default statements - (which are non-standard) *);
          END; (* case *)

the point being that the case items are REALLY LABELS to which control is
transferred.  The (again non-standard) Turbo extension of allowing range
labels, i.e.:

val1..val2:

doesn't really affect the argument, but leaves the problem of overlapping
cases (which can never happen in STD Pascal) and associated bugs.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Hal Smith                                Msg #52, 03-Jan-89 12:57pm
Subject: Re: TP4 (quasi) bug

 >   Don't know about TP4 and TPower's Analyst 5.0, but would
 > seem to me that if you took TPUMover and extracted the
 > system unit in question, then TINFO's interface and implementation
 > would give you the formal parameters as needed.
 >   I have looked at the TP5 TPU's interface on a commercial
 > unit that I've bought, and it *appears* that I can get
 > enuff info to surplant it!
Never heard of TINFO - just checked my original disks in case I had missed
something.  This is TP4 by the way.  All I can see is a list embedded in thesystem.tpu (after extraction) of the original .obj files.  I have disassembled
areas of it, to get a decent understanding of the start/end and file system
code, so I could interface properly
(See TXTFILES.ARC which allows ISO std text input semantics, and saves
a ton of effort in porting programs).  If you have info on the structure of
TPU files, and/or the system interface, I would appreciate it.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Chuck Venter                             Msg #53, 03-Jan-89 12:03pm
Subject: Re: Turbo4 Bug

 >  > Turbo 4 would be greatly improved if a method existed
 >  > to replace system procedures.  However Borland has not
 >  > seen fit to publish the System unit interface
 >
 > I thought that they were selling the runtime library code
 > for version 5.0.  That does not include the code you want to replace?

I have TP4 here, also TC 2.0, TD, TASM, and the best assembler OPTASM. TP5 may
come later, but for now sticking here (by the way, TD can be used on TP4, via
the MAP interfaces - some features missing).  If you have the TP5 interface
specification it would be close enough to enable me to do something.  I have
disassemblies (which reassemble) of the key start/exit and file control areas,
which enabled me to make an accurate interface in TXTFILES.ARC (Iso std text
read interface).

The TP5 run time does not come with it, as I understand, but a fairly large
outlay, especially for me at present.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Andreas Golz                             Msg #54, 03-Jan-89 12:09pm
Subject: Re: Work with ramfields > 64 kb

 > In the future i need a connected ramblock with more than
 > 64 kb. (ca. 200 Kb)
 >
 > How did i can solve this problem under TurboPascal 3.0/4.0/5.0.

Bearing in mind your "connected" specification, I suggest you set up your
program to use a MINIMUM of memory, and then use a DOS call for memory (if you
haven't limited program usage DOS will have none to supply).  Call the memory
request for a large value, 0ffffh paras, and it will refuse and return the
amount available.  Addressing it from within your program is another problem,
although you can create the appropriate pointers.

Without the connected, I would much prefer using a linked (or indexed) list
approach, getting pieces with new.  This is much more portable. For example,
you can have

  TYPE
    arrayelement  = ARRAY[1..maxel] OF whatever;
    arrayelptr    = ^arrayel;

  VAR
    bigarray      = ARRAY[1..maxitems] OF arrayelptr;

and make sure to initialize bigarray to NIL
  FOR i := 1 TO maxitems DO bigarry[i] := NIL;

Now you can detect non-allocated areas by checking for NIL,

  IF bigarray[index] = NIL THEN new(bigarray[index]);
  (* operations as needed *)



---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Jim Colligan                             Msg #55, 03-Jan-89 12:18pm
Subject: Re: Turbo Professional packag

At least, between TD, TC2.0, and TASM, the same-named files, even tho dated
differently, are identical.  I checked this with FDIFF, so I don't need to
mount more than one copy.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Sten Schmidt                             Msg #56, 03-Jan-89 12:20pm
Subject: Re: Memory problems

 > HELP
 > Since MemAvail and MaxAvail works relative to heap size
 > specified by the $M compiler directive, I would like to
 > know how to find out how much free memory I've got, not
 > only on the heap but "in the machine".

To examine the machines memory, use the DOS call for memory (see MSDOS
reference manuals - not handy right now) and request 0ffffh paras. This will
fail, but the amount available will be returned.  With TP4 at least the
available will be zero, unless you have limited the heap and stack sizes on
compilation, because by default TP gobbles all available memory for its heap.
The specification is in the EXE file header, and can be changed (I think one
changer is EXEMOD in the MASM package).

The basic call (in tp4) call be made with the "msdos" procedure.  Check the
flags on return, (Turbo stores them as an available variable). Carry means
failure.  AX returns the available amount.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)

*** There is a reply. See #236.


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Sten Schmidt                             Msg #57, 03-Jan-89 12:26pm
Subject: TP FOR loops

 > Recently debugging some code, I found out that "for do"
 > loops in TurboPascal are really much slower than repeat
 > until and while do. Is there anyone out there who can confirm
 > that. Also it seems like vars of the type
 > "byte" is converted to integers before being used???

The generated code must be larger, because the FOR must advance the index, and
checks for an empty range on entry.  You should also be aware of a TP4 range
checking bug in FOR loops, ex:

   CONST
     min1    = -10;
     max1    = 20;
     minfor  = 0;
     maxfor  = 5;

   TYPE
     forindex = minfor..maxfor;

   VAR
     i        : forindex;
     n        : integer;
...
   n := max1;
...
   FOR i := n TO maxfor DO BEGIN   (* range error!! *)
     (* whatever *) END;

Since the range is null, the FOR should never be executed.  Turbo is checking
the limits rather than the i variable.  This sort of loop is very useful, and
(should) take advantage of the null loop ability.

On most systems, you will find that in order of speed, the loop controls are:
REPEAT; WHILE; FOR;  WHILE is longer than REPEAT because it ends with a JMP to
the initial condition checking code, while REPEAT puts the checking code at
the end, (JZ label or such) and just falls thru at the appropriate time.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)


From:    David Vins
To:      Robert Wilton                            Msg #58, 04-Jan-88 02:12pm
Subject: Re: I made it!

  Good!!   Great, I shall send you E-MAIL, were costing the sysops money by
putting our messages in the echo!!!
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Outpost │ Nashua NH »HST« (1:132/113)

*** This is a reply to #29.


From:    Tim Geisweit
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #59, 04-Jan-89 08:47am
Subject: Re: Exit

Don't let people get you down here. Everyone has their own
*idiot-syncrasies*. <grin>


---
 * Origin: CrossFire  Harrisburg, PA [phone] (Opus 1:150/514)


From:    Tim Geisweit
To:      Loyd Craft                               Msg #60, 04-Jan-89 08:54am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 > course, I was introduced to Warnier Diagrams....   They
 > are Nice in the fact that you do not have all the Boxes/Triangles/Paral
 > ellograms/Tums/Rolaids/etc...  that Flowcharting mandates.
 >   They let you be as structured or as casual as you want,
 > and when you have one finished, it LOOKS like a pseudo-coded
 > pascal program.
 >
Hmm. Sounds very interesting to me. I've never heard of them. Where can I find
out more?

---
 * Origin: CrossFire  Harrisburg, PA [phone] (Opus 1:150/514)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Randall Smith
To:      George Butts                             Msg #61, 03-Jan-89 10:28pm
Subject: Re: File Access


 DC> You have to register first!  I will NOT give you full
 GB> access until you
 DC> register!
 DC> --- TBBS v2.0
 DC>  * Origin: The Coop - Striving for Exellence [phone]  (7101/6)

 GB>   I have run The Buffer Board for nearly four years now
 GB> and have never required registration or validation.  I

 GB>   Give it some thought folks.  We are, after all, running
 GB> these boards for the users.  Aren't we?

My thoughts on the matter. When young, a saying went "The guy who owns the bat
and ball makes the rules". On the other hand there was a kid with a bat and
ball, but nobody wanted to play with him!  We didn't like his rules! If I were
a SYSop, I might require registration, but if I responded, to a file request
message I would add that persons name to my users list and send him a private
netmail with a password he could use as a guest to perform the download.


Later....             Randy.

--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: Point #10 ===> The Mdtn_BBS Point #10  (1:150/511.10)

*** There is a reply. See #240.


From:    Randall Smith
To:      Chuck Venter                             Msg #62, 03-Jan-89 10:43pm
Subject: Re: Turbo4 Bug

 > Turbo 4 would be greatly improved if a method existed
 > to replace system procedures.  However Borland has not
 > seen fit to publish the System unit interface

This is for TP5: Look in the file SYSTEM.DOC it contains the interface section
for the system unit.  Borland doesn't provide the list of procedure/function
calls.

 CV> I thought that they were selling the runtime library code
 CV> for version 5.0.  That does not include the code you want to replace?

Yes, but you don't need the Runtime Library Code to replace standard
procedures/functions. TP4 and TP5 both allow qualification. To replace a
procedure say GotoXY in the CRT unit.  Compile a unit with the replacement
called MyCrt that contains the new GotoXY. In use, code a "uses MyCrt;" in the
program. When invoking type "MyCrt.GotoXY();"




Later....             Randy.

--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: Point #10 ===> The Mdtn_BBS Point #10  (1:150/511.10)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Randall Smith
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #63, 04-Jan-89 12:00am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 > As to flowcharting, I haven't written one since my BASIC/FORTRAN
 > class back in 10th grade.  What I do now, if the program
 > is very big, is write a bunch of empty procedures that
 > will help me visualize the program flow, top-down.  For
 > instance, a program to print a report of payroll might look

 TG> It sure looks like a flowchart to me. Flowcharts don't
 TG> have to be boxes and lines and arrows. Actually, I have to
 TG> apologize for my last message since it probably was too
 TG> nasty. My original intent was to say that distinguishing


I couldn't let this one go by! Someone asked me what I did for a living, and I
said "I try to get people to tell me what they want!" Its harder than you
think. My personal favorite flowchart is a Warnier/Orr diagram.  This is a
type of decision tree.

Later....             Randy.

--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: Point #10 ===> The Mdtn_BBS Point #10  (1:150/511.10)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Randall Smith
To:      Bruno Rijsman                            Msg #64, 04-Jan-89 03:39pm
Subject: Re: >16 Files

 BR> Does anyone know how to have more than 16 files open at the same time ?

Yes; but it isn't easy to do.

 BR> Johan zwiekhorst suggested that the problem is with DOS and not with
 BR> pascal; according to him no single process can have more than 20 files

Right on target!

 BR> open at any instant (which makes me wonder what the FILES command was
 BR> invented for in the first place). He suggest that keep track of my own
 BR> "DCB Tables" (Frankly I have no idea what a DCB is, even after carefully
 BR> searching Advanced MS DOS from micro soft press).

DCB Tables are one of those "undocumented functions" Microsoft is so fond of!
Info here is excerpted from things I read on the C-ECHO AND MAY *NOT* BE
CORRECT.  Please research carefully if you want to use this technique.
Everytime a file-handle is opened, MS-DOS keeps track of the file info in a
table that has space for 20 entries. This table size is in the program's PSP
(program segment prefix).  The table area is found in a pointer (I rummaged
but didn't find the specifics) in the PSP also.  IT IS POSSIBLE (but
dangerous) to change this pointer and allocate a larger area to this.  MAKE
SURE YOU RESTORE THE TABLE before terminating your program.  You may want to
repeat this question in the C ECHO.


 BR> If anyone has any experience with this solution, or if anyone has a
 BR> simpler solution,

There isn't a simple(r) solution.  Hope this helps point (pun intended) you in
the right direction.

Does anyone out there know the specifics of this thing???   NOW IS YOUR TIME
TO SHINE!!!


Later....             Randy.

--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: The Knot in the End of the Thread.    (1:150/511.10)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Randall Smith
To:      Russ Panula                              Msg #65, 04-Jan-89 04:11pm
Subject: Windows

 RP> What's the best window making type package out?
 RP> Preferably public domain or shareware or whatever.  I'm
 RP> look for one that'll let me draw boxes around it, draw
 RP> around 10-15 windows on the screen at once, etc.
 RP>
 RP> Need the full source too..  I don't like the TPU units, I
 RP> can't understand what's going on then.

Russ;  Look at QWIK/WNDW by Jim LeMay.  This has every windowing capability
you can think of and some you couldn't imagine!  Windows:
irtual;moveable,hidden;sized. Lightning fast. Small size.  I could go on, but
try it. You get full source when you register, about $40? BUT much some? of it
is in assembler for speed.  This MAY not be the best but I don't want to pay
$495 for this.  I have no commercial interest in QWIK/WNDW just a satisfied
user.




Later....             Randy.

--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: The Knot in the End of the Thread.    (1:150/511.10)


From:    Eric Givler
To:      Roland Brown                             Msg #66, 04-Jan-89 04:41pm
Subject: Re: Tp?

Thanks for suggestion.
ERIC

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Megaboard ]I[ [phone] Hayes 9600v (1:150/513)

*** This is a reply to #39.


From:    Walt Fair
To:      Brian Corll                              Msg #67, 04-Jan-89 09:15pm
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

 BC> Turbo Pascal versions 4 and 5 produce compact .exe files, which are
 BC> usually significantly smaller than the .exe files produced by Turbo C
 BC> for similar code.
 BC>
       No joke!! Have you compared the exe's for Borlands MicroCalc from both
the C and Pascal sourses? I took a look at both and they are about as
identical algoithms as possible, but the C EXE is about 3 times as large as
the Pascal version.
       Anyone know why? I'd be interested in finding out.

                                                               Walt



--- msged 1.943S ZTC
 * Origin: The ComPort - Slidell, La - 504/643-6380  (fidonet 1:390/1)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Kurt Grutzmacher
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #68, 02-Jan-89 08:51pm
Subject: Re: absolute addresses...

 KG> Well, It wasn't DSEG, it was PTR... I just put in
 KG> SYSTEM.PTR( foobars ); and it worked great.  I forgot that you
 KG> could specify which unit to look into for code ... now, to
 KG> hack some more at it....  yippie...

 AL> Hooray!  Another problem we can quit talking about! :-)

Yea, it feels good to have one problem over with... ....

now, for the NEXT problem..... <smirk>  naaah

 KG>  * Origin: Pascal, hmm, is that some sort of breakfast drink?

 AL> Great origin line!  I love it.

Thanks.  It's great what ConfMail will let ya do!   Hehehe, and being a sysop
helps too..... |_)



--- Msg V3.2
 * Origin: A Pascal Echo - oh great, a clone program! (1:124/3224)

*** There is a reply. See #191.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Alex Ten.broeke                          Msg #69, 31-Dec-88 07:04pm
Subject: Turbo very long integers

 > I'm working with TP4.0. I need the possibility to work with significant
 > very large integers. At least 200 digits must be significant.
 > Can anybody tell if p.d. routines exist or how to programm this 'type'
 > in Turbo Pascal without the need for an 80x87?

You'd be best off (in terms of speed of execution, at least) to write your own
in assembler.  Take a look at the ADD/ADC, SUB/SBB instructions - they are
designed to make arithmetic with arbitrarily high precision straightforward.
(I'm not sure if you'll find it as easy to multiply and divide, but you can't
have everything :-)

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Andreas Golz                             Msg #70, 31-Dec-88 08:11pm
Subject: Disk-sectorproblem

 > I need a procedure, which returns the absolute sectornumber of a file or
 > a directory. I call the procedure with the string C:\BINKLEY\OUTBOUND.
 > Than the procedure must return the sector, where the directory OUTBOUND
 > on the disk C: can be found. The other time i call the procedure with
 > the
 > string C:\COMMAND.COM , than the procedure must return the sector, where
 > the program COMMAND.COM begins.
 >
 > Regards Andreas.
 >
 > PS. I need also informations about the file and directory organisation
 > of a harddisk.

No documented DOS service (that I know of) will tell you the physical location
of a file or directory.  You have to figure it out yourself.
It's a fairly involved process, as I recall:  look in the boot record to
figure out how big clusters are and where the root directory is, then trace
the path to your file by looking at the root directory and each subdirectory
in the path.  Each directory entry will tell you the cluster number of the
first cluster in the directory; if you need to find more clusters, you'll also
have to decode the FAT to trace through the allocation chain.

I'm sure there are easier (undocumented) ways to do this: presumably the
reserved areas in file records contain this sort of information.

The Norton Programmer's Guide gives adequate information on this sort of
stuff, though the edition I have (copyright 1985) makes a lot of mistakes when
it talks about hard disks.  The current one should be better. (One would
hope!). s

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Paul Allen                               Msg #71, 02-Jan-89 09:42pm
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 > > hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement
 > > do you prefer?

...

 > Neither!  I always do it like this:
 >
 >  Case .... Of
 >     ...... : .....;
 >     ...... : .....;
 >  End {case};

Me too!  And for debate number 9,006, where do Begin and End belong?  I use

if ... then
begin
  ...
end;

but no one else seems to.  (I like to be able to line up the begin and end in
the same column to make finding missing ones easier, and the end should be in
the same column as the if to mark the block clearly.)

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #72, 02-Jan-89 09:47pm
Subject: Word/LongInt

 > I've seen these used in several programs and was wondering . . .
 > are these supported in 3.0?  I'm working/learning it and have not
 > found them in any books.  I've seen String, Real, Integer, Byte, Char,
 > and then records and stuff.  Are these new 'types'?

Yes, TP3 doesn't know about them.  Words are unsigned 16 bit integers (i.e.
0..65535), longints are signed 32 bit integers (-great big..+great big-1).
There are also shortints (signed bytes -128..127) and a bunch (i.e. single,
extended, comp) of new 8087 types that TP3 never heard of.

Yet another reason to upgrade...

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #73, 02-Jan-89 09:54pm
Subject: version 4 & 5

 > In version 4 & 5 of Turbo Pascal, when you save the file
 > in executable form, is it in .COM or .EXE???

They're EXEs.

 > And do both versions support 'use as needed' object libraries
 > in the executable forms??  I mean does it not save the entire
 > object library.

Yes, both compile to a Borland designed library called a TPU if you want. Only
the required routines get copied to the EXE.  (Version 4 TPUs are not
compatible with version 5 ones, and there is no known way to convert them.
Don't spend a lot of time or money on someone else's TPUs unless you get
source code.

Neither one supports LIB files, but both can link OBJ files if you're very
careful.

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Andreas Golz                             Msg #74, 02-Jan-89 10:09pm
Subject: Work with ramfields > 64 kb

 > In the future i need a connected ramblock with more than 64 kb. (ca. 200
 > Kb)
 >
 > How did i can solve this problem under TurboPascal 3.0/4.0/5.0.
 >
 > I try to solve the problem with the TurboPascal procedure GETMEM, but
 > i recognize that the procedure can only organize fields less/equal 64kb.

If your memory is unfragmented, I believe getmem (in 4 and 5 at least) is
guaranteed to allocate successive blocks contiguously.  Thus you could just
use:

getmem(part1,50000);
getmem(part2,50000);
etc.,

and "part1" would end up pointing to the beginning of a large block of memory.

You should check the technical discussion about the heap manager in the
reference manual for the details I've forgotten.

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Murdoch's_Point  - - (1:221/162.1005)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Jeff Rosen
To:      Thomas Groff                             Msg #75, 03-Jan-89 09:21pm
Subject: Re: Cursor Curses


TG> People I have a couple of questions that have been bothering me
    for some time now.
TG> 1.  just what is a cursor and where does the little booger reside?
TG> 2.  does each video page have its own cursor (when I change pages
        some very strange things happen on different monitors.)?
TG> 3.  how far off the screen can you move a cursor?
TG> 4.  bit change = scanline change in cursor shape?
TG> 5.  I have written 5 different cursor toggle routines and none
        of them work in all cases. is there one method that is a
        cureall?
TG> 6.  Is it necessary to check for a specific type of card and monitor
        before making a successful cursor routine?
TG> 7.   Have I missed anything?

    The cursor for text pages has a 2-byte (word) definition which is
    used by the BIOS. BIOS interrupt services $10 provides two sevices
    for setting(AH:=1) and ascertaining(AH:=3) the cursor attributes.
    Executing interrupt $10 (service 1 or 3) will use/return the
    cursor setting in register CX as follows:

           -  15
           |  14
           |  13  ---  0 = On, 1 = Off
           C  12
           H  11  ---  Top scan line
           |  10    |  0..13 Mono, 0..7 CGA
           |   9    |  0..7 (I think) for EGA
           -   8  ---
           -   7
           |   6
           |   5
           C   4
           L   3  ---   Bottom scan line
           |   2    |   0..13 Mono, 0..7 CGA
           |   1    |   0..7 (I think) for EGA
           -   0  ---

    For some reason the scan lines are numbered from top (0) to
    bottom (7/13). Strange things happen when the top scan line is
    set larger than bottom or either is out of their allowed range.
    I believe there is only one cursor definition (at least the
    above services provide no means of specifying a text page),
    while each text page can have its own cursor location.
    This may explain question 2.

    Hope this helped some. If anyone can set me straight on legal
    values for EGA and EGA 50 line I would appreciate it (I only
    have Mono now).

    Jeff

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Fort Worth Opus [817 246-0959] (1:130/8)


From:    Lou Garner
To:      Anne Wilson                              Msg #76, 04-Jan-89 07:09pm
Subject: Re: Copyright

 >>Can someone please give me some information on how to get a
copyright

 >>............. (1) How do you obtain a registered copyright?
 >>          (2) Is the copyright still valid for subsequent updated
 >>              versions of the program?

Write or call the U.S. Copyright Office, Washington, D.C., 20559, and
ask
for a copy of Circular 1, "General INformation on Copyrights."  It's
free, and they will send you other materials for free as well.

General rule is that you have the burden of proving something is
yours.
That means documentation of some kind.  Best is to copyright your
stuff.  Costs $6, lasts 25+ years, and only requires filing one piece
of paper with that office.

Updates are covered, but generally you will find that people will
re-file
on major revisions.

Getting a copyright establishes your legal ownership to something, but
does NOTHING to fight people who infringe.  Even if you have the copy-
right, you would have to file a lawsuit against someone imitating your
product.  You would be in a good legal position with the copyright,
but
that is all it does.

--- Via OpXpress V1.03ß       Don't you MESS with Texas, son....!!
 * Origin: David's Place - **HST** (1:124/215)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Lou Garner
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #77, 04-Jan-89 07:34pm
Subject: 300 BAUD

 >>reading  the log-on text, I was rudely told 'you can''t log on at
300
 >>baud, and was  disconnected.  I''d like to ask you (and while this
is
 >>off-topic) if you  could find out why that is, beacause it cuts
out a
 >>large number of possible  users.  Thanks.

Are you sure?  300 baud modems belong in a museum, not on-line.  Also,
ALLOWING 300 baud access DOES cut out a large number of users, but the
ones cut out are the OTHER callers who have to wait behind someone
slogging along at 300 baud.  With 1200 baud modems selling for as
little
as $40 now, the person who stays at 300 BAUD and takes four times (or
more) as long as a 1200 BAUD user on public boards is the real
drawback.

--- Via OpXpress V1.03ß       Don't you MESS with Texas, son....!!
 * Origin: David's Place - **HST** (1:124/215)


From:    Roland Brown
To:      Bruno Rijsman                            Msg #78, 04-Jan-89 07:32pm
Subject: Re: >16 Files

 > Does anyone know how to have more than 16 files open at
 > the same time ?
 > I'm using turbo pascal version 4.0 and the database toolbox.
 > $Fnn is
 > not implemented anymore in v 4.0, and putting FILES=xx
 > in the config.sys
 > files doesn't seem to help either.
 > Johan zwiekhorst suggested that the problem is with DOS

He's right.

 > command was
 > invented for in the first place). He suggest that keep
 > track of my own
 > "DCB Tables" (Frankly I have no idea what a DCB is, even

I assume he means device contro blocks.  A kludge but simple way to do the
tracking would be to establish a global variable initialized to a value of 5
(for stdin stdout stdprn stdaux stderr 4 four if you don't count stderr) and
add 1 to it each time you open a file.  BEFORE you open the file check to see
if the open will exceed twenty files, if so, close something first.



---
 * Origin: Sky Pilot Point Mail Box Off 261/1004 (Opus 1:26102/4)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Roland Brown
To:      Anne Wilson                              Msg #79, 04-Jan-89 07:36pm
Subject: Re: Copyright

 > Can someone please give me some information on how to
 > get a copyright on a program? I read the msg that states
 > that it is better to have a registered copyright than
 > to have to prove you wrote the program originally at a

Contact the U.S. government Office of Copyrights.

 > later date with only your own documentation. If this is
 > the case: (1) How do you obtain a registered copyright?
 >           (2) Is the copyright still valid for subsequent
 > updated               versions of the program?

The Government will send you forms for the registration.  I think the fee is
very nominal but I don't remember how much (I've only had one such copyright
application and that was several years ago).  I believe that the copyright is
valid for subsequent versions, but you have have to send some notification of
the new version to the copyright office. I THINK that you send a copy of your
source code as well, but again I don't remember.

roland

---
 * Origin: Sky Pilot Point Mail Box Off 261/1004 (Opus 1:26102/4)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Grant Dixon
To:      John Gemmill                             Msg #80, 02-Jan-89 07:18pm
Subject: TURBO PASCAL & PROLOG


 JG> I would like to use some prolog in my Pascal program.
 JG> Does anyone know if
 JG> ...
 JG> Any ideas ?
 JG>

     In Volume one number three of "TURBO TECHNIX"  there is an
article about linking Turbo Prolog to Turbo Pascal (Language
Connections pages 134 to 139).  Before you get excited I will the
author Peter Immarco, "Before we go to far, we should mention two
restrictions. First, the Turbo Prolog-to-Turbo Pascal bridge is a
one-way connection.  You can call a Turbo Pascal procedure from
Turbo Prolog, but you cannot call a Turbo Prolog predicate from
Turbo Pascal."

     Although the above quote was about Turbo Pascal 4.0, I can
find nothing in the documentation of Version 5.0 indicating that
it would not hold true for this newer version of Turbo Pascal.

     As you may or may not know that "TURBO TECHNIX" was the
Borland official language journal.  The cost was $10.00 a single
issue and I believe Borland has some left.  The source code that
accompanied this article can be down loaded from Compuserve as
PROPAS.ARC (five listings).  Peter Immacaro can be reached
Thought Dynamics, 1142 Manhattan Ave., Suite CP-310, Manhattan
Beach, CA90266, where he is the national sales manager.

                                    Happy computing Grant
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: INFO-SOURCE - HAMILTON, ON *HST - 8 LINES* [phone]  (148/264)


From:    Bob Stearns
To:      Andreas Golz                             Msg #81, 03-Jan-88 09:27am
Subject: Re: Work with ramfields > 64 kb

What do you want to do with such a large chunk of memory? If you will be
accessing it as an array or linked list of records, you could create the
individual pieces on the heap and just keep pointers to the pieces in the main
data area. But until we know what you need to do we can't advise you
particularly well.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: -=< Athens FORUM Georgia >=< 404-546-7857 >=- (1:370/5)

*** This is a reply to #74.


From:    Bob Stearns
To:      All                                      Msg #82, 03-Jan-88 09:41am
Subject: Findfirst/next

I used the procedure call FindFirst('*.*',Directory,mysearchrec); followed by
a loop until DosError<>0 of FindNext(mysearchrec). I expected to have only the
directory  type entries returned, but all entries were returned and I had to
check mysearchrec.attr to see if I had a directory or not. Is that what should
happen? If so, what is the purpose of the second argument to FindFirst? My
examination of the manual was singularly unenlightening.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: -=< Athens FORUM Georgia >=< 404-546-7857 >=- (1:370/5)

*** There is a reply. See #216.


From:    Mark Reeves
To:      Randall Smith                            Msg #83, 03-Jan-89 11:41am
Subject: Re: REPLY TO MSG# 4445 (RE TP3.

C is like the space shuttle, when it works fine, but lots of problems in
getting a launch, and sometimes when it does go it still may go BOOM.. 'nugh
said.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: Triangle Message Base BBS 1-919-383-4905 HST /NCRTP  (151/120)


From:    Moshe Boochbut
To:      All                                      Msg #84, 04-Jan-89 04:09pm
Subject: Turbo Pascal 5 bug!

There is some bug in turbo Pscal 5, in the environment. It some time leave a
"left-over" from the previous file in the new one when you use Alt-F3 (pick)
and it can cause sever problems. it caused me some, so be careful!
/\/\oshe Boochbut
    \/\/izard's Castle CoSysOp
  24Hr, 2:40/200, [phone]


---
 * Origin: N.C. Central * REC18 * [phone] * PCP/HST/PEP (Opus 1:151/100)


From:    Bob Stearns
To:      Keld R. Hansen                           Msg #85, 04-Jan-88 10:31am
Subject: Re: Turbo very long integers

There is a program called PI going around which implements large precesion
reals, and since reals are a superset of the integers, I suspect you can do
what you want with tht file. If you can't find it locally (do a search for a
file named PI*.ARC) we have it on the Athens (GA,USA) IBM PC UG BBS
[phone]. Good luck.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: -=< Athens FORUM Georgia >=< 404-546-7857 >=- (1:370/5)

*** This is a reply to #69.


From:    David Cressey
To:      Mike Copeland                            Msg #86, 03-Jan-89 12:23pm
Subject: Re: Philosophy

I have not taught programming as you have, but I do teach in a more
industrial setting than college.

I differ with your comments, as you expressed them, but I'm not sure whether
the difference I see is real, or just a matter of choice of words.

I think the language PASCAL can be learned just about like any other language:
try it, you'll like it.

I don't think that PROGRAMMING (as opposed to any of the languages that one
uses to express a program in) is suitable for learning without some formal
instruction.  This is where a lecture course can be really helpful.
Programming, to me, includes such skills as using control structures instead
of GOTOs, and data hiding, etc. etc.

I think that one of Niklaus wirth's largest reasons for devising PASCAL is
that the traditional languages of his day were so full of quirks that students
often ended up supposing that programming skills boils down to mastering a
languages peculiar features.  It doesn't.  One of the things I like most about
Pascal is it's relative absence of quirks.

Of course, one man's quirk is another man's indispensable feature,
but then ....

  Dave


---
 * Origin: Eagle's Nest (Opus 1:321/150)

*** There is a reply. See #112.


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      All                                      Msg #87, 03-Jan-89 09:58pm
Subject: Copyright

Can anyone help me find out how to get a copyright on a program?  Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Paul Allen
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #88, 02-Jan-89 09:50am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

>> Personally, if we're gonna talk elegance, I think I'll take Wirth's
>> opinion over most any other on this echo 8-).
>
> I'm wondering:  How much real-world experience does he have?

Well, I remember reading that before he came out with M-2, he was working at
the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.  That was where he got a tall pile of
ideas for M-2.  If you read his book "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs"
I think you'll be of the opinion that he has had plenty of "real world
experience".


---
 * Origin: BIKENET, Missoula MT [phone] (Opus 1:346/5)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Matt Franckiewicz
To:      Karsten Huster                           Msg #89, 03-Jan-89 10:22pm
Subject: Re: Pointer to Screen

To write the address a pointer points to try this:
WriteLn (Seg {(Pointer^));
Writeln (Ofs ((Pointer^));


---
 * Origin: THE SMORGAS-BOARD  Monroeville, PA  1-412-733-3010 (Opus 1:129/32)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Neil Sharma
To:      All                                      Msg #90, 03-Jan-89 06:22pm
Subject: bbs's in TP??

Hi, i am planning on setting up a bbs for pascal programmers and i am just
learning TP so i thought it would be a good idea if i had a bbs it would be
easier for me to learn it. But i was wondering are there any other bbs
software except for Tpboard and Forum-Pc that comes with a TP 4.0 source that
you can modify?? Thanks for any help!!


---
 * Origin: Waterford Software BBS, Silver Spring, Md. (Opus 1:109/505)

*** There is a reply. See #155.


From:    Rod Bartlett
To:      John Wilfong                             Msg #91, 03-Jan-89 09:41pm
Subject: FillChar

 JW>     RB>  procedure StringOfBlanks( var BlankString : string;
 JW>     RB>                            LengthYouWant : byte);
 JW>     RB>  begin
 JW>     RB>     fillchar(BlankString, LengthYouWant, ' ');
 JW>     RB>     BlankString[0] := char(LengthYouWant);
 JW>     RB>  end;
 JW>
 JW> However, both of you are using fillchar incorrectly.  I've notice this
 JW> among others on the echo too so the next message contains a short
 JW> tutorial.

That's one of the dangers of typing in examples off the top of my head!  I
probably would have caught my error (filling from character position 0 instead
of character position 1) had I actually compiled the routine and run a few
tests but I must be getting lazy in my old age, eh?  Thanks for being so
observant and my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone.


--- msged 1.94S ZTC
 * Origin: Norwegian Fjord  (1:109/716.102)


From:    Rod Bartlett
To:      Mike Hinds                               Msg #92, 03-Jan-89 09:48pm
Subject: Re: StringOf

 MH>  > I hate to nit-pick but you forgot to assign the length byte a value
 MH>  > in your function so the results will probably be a bit unpredictable.
 MH>
 MH> Yup, I sure did! And I don't think it was too long ago I ragged on
 MH> someone else for the same thing! Thanks for nit-picking and I hope the
 MH> person I intended it for sees this.

You're quite welcome.  I only wish that I had written an error free function
myself.  Someone was nice enough to point out that I was telling fillchar to
fill from character position 0 instead of position 1, so I was actually
getting one less character than what was requested.  One of the dangers of
coding on the fly, eh?


--- msged 1.94S ZTC
 * Origin: Norwegian Fjord  (1:109/716.102)


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Joel Sumner                              Msg #93, 03-Jan-89 07:22pm
Subject: Re: APPLE

 JS> Well, Actually, I was looking for someone that programmed in the Apple
 JS> IIgs toolbox (or the Mac toolbox for that matter).. Do you know about
 JS> programming in it?? Also, do you know of any Apple Pascal compilers
 JS> that make SYS files that run under ProDos instead of the Pascal OS?

Oh, well you didn't say THAT!  Sheesh, under ProDOS?  I dunno if any animal
like that exists.  Apple Pascal that I'm using uses it's own version of the
UCSD p-system as the OS.

Andy


--- msged 1.94L MSC
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(1:115/790.2)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #94, 03-Jan-89 07:26pm
Subject: MLC versus PASCAL

>>-> Right.  And languages like Pascal are for sissies who aren't  smart
>>-> enough to do it in machine code.

 LG> PASCAL is the easiest to learn of the high level langauges, and what
 LG> difference does it make WHAT the program is written in if the thing
 LG> works?!

Ah, but it DOES make a difference, which is what makes the original statement
so laughable.  I can't imagine trying to maintain an assembly program (I'm
assuming he meant assembly and not machine language) that somebody else wrote.
The difference in terms of maintenance costs between assembly and any given
hi-level language is staggering.  BASIC over assembly, even, unless you're the
only one touching it.

Andy


--- msged 1.94L MSC
 * Origin: CONST PointName='Paradise City'; death=true; taxes=true;
(1:115/790.2)

*** There is a reply. See #109.


From:    Loyd Craft
To:      Colton D. Edwards                        Msg #95, 03-Jan-89 11:25am
Subject: Re: Directory names

In a message of <01 Jan 89 11:21:00>, Scott Samet (1:135/990) writes:

> > Only problem with searching for *. is that a subdirectory named
> > TEST.PAS
> > is completely legal in dos. So you always have some idiot who names
> > there subdirectories that way and the program won't run properly.
>
>One doesn't have to be an idiot.  How about a directory called "DOS3.3"?
>

 Or how about outbound.001 used for zone-aware Matrix Mailers?


lOYD



--- msged 1.96S ZTC
 * Origin: MicroCosm Opus Owosso, Mi (517)-725-8077 (1:159/900)

*** There is a reply. See #202.


From:    Dee Wu
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #96, 02-Jan-89 04:16pm
Subject: Re: Ttt405.arc

I saw your message and was wondering if you had the number to that "college
corn" BBS, PS. I just recompiled mine in TP5.0 with no problems. If you know
of any other good scientific boards please put them up. I have two numbers
here both public. PC-OHIO II #(216)-291-3048  and Enlightenment (in Virginia)
#(703)-578-0120.
                 Dee


--- Lynx v1.20
 * Origin:

*** There is a reply. See #230.


From:    Thomas Nichols
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #97, 02-Jan-89 12:06pm
Subject: version 4 & 5


 [u]-> In version 4 & 5 of Turbo Pascal, when you save the file
 [u]-> in executable form, is it in .COM or .EXE???
The versions you ask about compile to .EXE files to avoid the 64K limitation
of .COM files. They are smaller because they do not include the run-time
libraries.

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Shen_Valy_Educ. -- Where Pascal Source Code is Found ! Sharpsville,
Pa. 412-962- (1:237/85)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Frank Barrus
To:      Juan Ho                                  Msg #98, 03-Jan-89 08:01am
Subject: Re: I/O

Yes, would someone PLEASE let me know the details of a Fossil,
and let me know where I can obtain a standard one. I have the feeling
a fossil is basically like what I wrote to handle all the I/O for
my BBS, and if so I'd still like to have a standard fossil to se
if I want to standardize my BBS or not...


---
 * Origin: Dave's OPUS!*Binkley*HST* Lowell,Ma (Opus 1:324/275)


From:    Buckaroo Banzai
To:      Joaquim Homrighausen                     Msg #99, 02-Jan-89 07:38pm
Subject: PROTOCOL

If it is true about that protcol engine, I would be interested in it also..As
I am working on a BBS also...
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: The County Morgue ^ Chelmsford, MA ^ [phone]  (324/260)


From:    Frank Barrus
To:      James West                               Msg #100, 03-Jan-89 12:40pm
Subject: Re: TP W/FOSSIL

Thanks a hell of a lot for that information on accessing
a fossil from Turbo Pascal, mainly because I'm trying to write
a fossil, and can't find the info. on it on any of the BBS's
around here. (Thank God for national echos... they've saved me
a ton of work many times)
So, hopefully using that code I can figure out what functions
the fossil needs to have to make my serial interface compatable
with all other programs that use fossils.  I guess the one I wrote
before was already basically a fossil, but I used INT 9C for it.
(I hope INT 90- INT 9F aren't used for anything, because that's where
all my INTs for graphics, serial control, keyboard input, etc. are)
Well, again.. thanks.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: The County Morgue ^ Chelmsford, MA ^ [phone]  (324/260)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Mark Howard
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #101, 03-Jan-88 03:27pm
Subject: Re: Calling ANSI Graphics from TP


-> I'm sorry for putting in my two cents.

Hey - no problem, my comments were in jest.  Thats what the little cruptogram
:^) means in a message (look at it sideways).

-m

--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: QuickBBS East [HST] - Pascal Programmers welcome! (1:260/340)

*** There is a reply. See #197.


From:    Ron Dexter
To:      Chuck Venter                             Msg #102, 04-Jan-89 04:42pm
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

Okay, why did they go to EXE after using COM in v.3.0???

Ron


---
 * Origin: Burrell's Ballpark (Opus 1:138/52)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Ron Dexter
To:      Neil Sharma                              Msg #103, 04-Jan-89 04:43pm
Subject: Re: boolean

I'm glad to have helped and see that your on your way!

If you have any more questions or need more explanations,
please ask!!

Ron


---
 * Origin: Burrell's Ballpark (Opus 1:138/52)


From:    Colten D. Edwards
To:      Scott Wilson                             Msg #104, 03-Jan-89 06:56pm
Subject: opus user list

Try calling Northern Nights in Saskatoon for TP4 src code. There is a file
called OPINT102.pak or arc for TP4 opus structures. There is also another
program there somewhere that has all the file structures in with src whereas
102 doesn't have the src. I've also been trying to find the TP5 opint unit for
those of us that have TP5.

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Treasure Isle Private Mail System (1:140/51)

*** There is a reply. See #242.


From:    Kevin Lowey
To:      Scott Samet                              Msg #105, 04-Jan-89 06:11pm
Subject: Re: Tp5 Kidding


 SS>I don't know about that.  The TP5 books have a light style.
 SS>Management may have approved.


 Another reason for the GNU etc. references could be to protect
copyright.  Occasionally people add silly things in the manuals, deliberately
misspell things, etc.   If someone else publishes an exact duplicate of your
book, these little ideosyncracies will also be copied. For example, I have
heard that one book (forget the title) put Marylin Monroe in the index, even
though the book never mentioned her.

-- Kevin Lowey

---
 * Origin: University of Sask. Computing Services (Opus 1:140/43)

*** There is a reply. See #186.


From:    Steve Enns
To:      Sam Sysop                                Msg #106, 04-Jan-89 01:17pm
Subject: Re: Pascal source for data compression

Best I've found so far is MDCD10.ARC from BBS at  [phone] which
is an arc program made from an assembler module with Pascal interfaces.
Still looking for a GIF Encoder...
  S.E.


---
 * Origin: The North Village, Saskatoon, [phone] (Opus 1:140/26)

*** This is a reply to #43.


From:    Ross Wentworth
To:      Alan Ten                                 Msg #107, 04-Jan-89 03:48am
Subject: Pascal4 & CCDos

 > Hello people out there.....Does anybody know how to start
 > CCdos (Chinese Dos) with TP4 program...I had hear of TP5 is

I've never heard of Chinese DOS so can't help you with that.

 > Ah! but now TP5 came out...So could anycody tell me what
 > the diff.
 > b/w TP4 and TP5...

Features of TP5:

o 8087 detection and emulation
o Overlay support (better than TP3) that can use expanded
  memory to speed it up.
o Built in debugger.
o Support for a more powerful external debugger.
o Enhancements to BGI (graphics).
o Procedural parameter passing.
o Smart linking of data as well as code.
o Constant expressions, i.e. CONST MAX = WIDTH * 2;

                                    Ross Wentworth

--- FD 2.00
 * Origin: Serendipity Software via Torrance BBS [phone] (1:102/345.1)


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #108, 04-Jan-89 08:35pm
Subject: Re: TURBO PASCAL 4 LINE

 AL> Never take things as an absolute, as all generalities are false.
 AL>
 AL> Andy

All generalities are false, including this one.  (Cute, very cute, but
can she tap-dance?)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** There is a reply. See #219.


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #109, 04-Jan-89 08:27pm
Subject: Re: MLC versus PASCAL

 LG> People who look down on those who use a high-level language always
 LG> make me laugh.  Since the purpose of the compiler is to convert
 LG> your clear  text to ML anyway, the person that decides to forego
 LG> the compiler and write in ML directly is REALLY wasting time.
 LG>
 LG> Not to mention that the compiler certainly knows more about writing
 LG> compact ML than the usual programmer does.

Well, I use all kinds of different higher-level languages, but the
latest really large project is all in assembly, and I would like to
rebut your second point.

The compiler is a program and, therefore, knows absolutely nothing about
anything, and that includes programming.  All it does (on a basic level,
this is all oversimplified, you understand) is convert one string of
bits into another string of bits.  Now, the guy who wrote the compiler
may know quite a bit about assembly language, but he DOES NOT know
anything about the programs that his program will compile.  (Other than
the fact that they are going to use Pascal syntax.)  This puts the
compiler at a tremendous disadvantage when it comes to execution speed.
An assembly-language program can take advantage of his knowledge of the
problem he is trying to solve to generate code that is VASTLY (10 times
or more) faster than that produced by a typical compiler.  It has been
my experience that poorly coded assembly language always beats well
coded (and highly optimized - not that I've had any real experience with
highly optimized compilers) HLL code.

What's the upshot of all this?  Well, I don't want to recommend the use
of assembly language to the exclusion of all else.  Higher level
languages were first invented so that the programmer could ignore
irrelevant detail.  Since the programmer doesn't have as much to worry
about, his work goes faster with a HLL.  Also, usually, the execution
time saved by a hand-coded assembly program is not worth the extra
programmer effort.  I don't want to convert you all to assembly (this
is, after all, the Pascal echo) but I DO want YOU to know that there are
(I believe) compelling reasons to code directly in assembly language.

(Soapbox mode off.)

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #110, 04-Jan-89 10:25pm
Subject: Re: MLC VERSUS PASCAL

GOOD POINT THERE LOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #111, 04-Jan-89 10:27pm
Subject: MODULA-2 CONF

  In my opinion, a Modula-2 conference
would be great, and I hope that my board decides to go for it.  I think every
language has an equal right to exist, and be used by those who like it.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)


From:    Wendle Windles
To:      Mike Copeland                            Msg #112, 05-Jan-88 02:40pm
Subject: Re: Philosophy


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From:    Tibor Polcsak
To:      All Pascal Programers                    Msg #113, 01-Jan-89 07:05pm
Subject: VER.5.0

I HAVE RECIEVED THE NEW VERSION OF TURBO PASCAL 5.0
MY FIRST IMPRESION WAS,IT IS VERY MUCH MORE FRIENDLY
AND THE ABILITY TO USE UNITS.
ALSO A GREAT HELP SYSTEM
BYE
TIBOR POLCSAK


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From:    Martin Cenerelli
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #114, 03-Jan-89 12:14am
Subject: re. Word/LongInt

The types: Word, longint, shorting, extended, comp have all be introduced in
turbo pascal 4.0.


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From:    Martin Cenerelli
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #115, 03-Jan-89 12:22am
Subject: re: Style Debate #9,005

Well since you asked me, i have to say the first one. Its the one I use
enyway.


---
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(Opus 1:167/116)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #116, 05-Jan-89 09:53pm
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 TG> REAL programmer - one who codes one original program in his lifetime
 TG>    and continually modifies that one program to fit the application.

That certainly sounds like me!  I don't have a "toolbox" of routines, but I do
have about 15 "core" programs from which I can piece together any new program
I need.  Need an audit trail for receivables?  Just plagiarize it from the
audit trail for sales.  Scrolling window for in inquiry program?  Steal it
from mail.

It's kind of interesting to see my routines evolve over the years.  There's
one, the scrolling window routine for the Wang VS (a pain in the hiney, to say
the least), that has become SO fancy it bears little resemblence to the
original that I wrote, and after having gone through about 7 other programs.

Besides the obvious advantage of saving programming time from rewriting the
wheel, it helps the user community:  If they know how to use Mailer, they can
use PO Entry, and Transfer Document Inquiry, and....

Andy


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From:    Andy Lester
To:      Charles Cremer                           Msg #117, 05-Jan-89 09:59pm
Subject: TP 5.0 and intelligent linking

 CC> I've been reading on the echo that TP 5.0 does not link in unused data
 CC> structures.  This seems to me to be a bit dangerous.  What if I have a
 CC> data structure that I don't use directly, but use via a dynamic
 CC> pointer?  seems like the linker ought to give the programmer a chance
CC> to decide some things.

Perhaps it shouldn't be referred to "linking in" data space, but rather
"allocating" data space.  If I say
   type list_type : array[1..100] of string[40];
   var  name_list : list_type;
but never refer to name_list, 3.0 & 4.0 will allocate (40+1)*100 bytes of data
space in my data segment, but Turbo 5.0 won't, because it's never used.

Now, if all I declare is the type, but access it with, say:
  var list_ptr : ^list_type;  {not sure if that's correct syntax}
then neither 3.0 nor 5.0 will allocate any space, except for list_ptr.  Why?
Because it's all dynamic.  The amount of space used is determined as the
program is running by how many times the new() proc is run.

Does that make sense?

Andy


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From:    Andy Lester
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #118, 05-Jan-89 10:06pm
Subject: Re: Word/LongInt

 JG> USES statement tells the compiler that there is a file that contains the
 JG> descriptions of some functions, variables, or procedures that might
 JG> prove useful.  The actual executable code is linked in later, with its
 JG> details hidden from view.  The descriptions let the compiler do the
 JG> same sort of type checking on external stuff that it does on internal
JG> stuff.

It's important to say when "later" is:  Is the code linked in at compile time
or at run time?  Turbo and UCSD differ, respectively.

Turbo:  Links in at compile time, so the same code may be redundant in a
series of programs (say, "GetNum" for keyboard input), increasing disk space.
If something in a unit is changed, the program that uses it must be
re-compiled.

UCSD:  Links in at run time from a "library" file of units, so there's no
redundant code, less disk space.  Takes time for the unit to load into memory
(separate file, y'know) from disk.  Programs that use a unit that's been
changed don't need to be changed, to an extent.

I say "to an extent", because the SCUD (that's how >I< pronounce it) is
stupid:  It goes off of unit and procedure number.  "I need to bring in
procedure 12 from unit 34", which just happens to be out GetNum routine.
Then, you can change GetNum later on to fix a bug, and don't have to
recompile.  The problem is if you stick another procedure in front of GetNum,
so that new proc becomes 12, and GetNum becomes 13.  Now, the linker brings in
the new proc, which can cause all kinds of fun results!  (At the least
harmful, the system will lock or reboot; I've not had random disk writes, but
I have had my hard drive wind down.)

Andy the long-winded


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*** This is a reply to #72.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #119, 05-Jan-89 10:14pm
Subject: Re: Fido Routines in TPascal

 AL> Hey, I use /* */ in Wang BASIC.  You can either declare a comment
 AL> by starting  the line in column 6 with a * (a la FORTRAN),
 AL> starting a statement with REM  (a la BASIC) or delimiting the
 AL> comment with /* */s (a la C).
 AL> Andy

 JG> According to the standard definition, FORTRAN comments are blank lines,
 JG> lines with C in the first column, or lines with * in the first column.
 JG> Anything in column 6 indicates a continuation line.

OK, I was close.

 JG> I don't like to use {} because I program in C a lot of the time, so I
 JG> stick with (* *).

I find that the {}s stand out more.  I see asterisks and parens all over the
place.  I usually put comments like {Calc the date & return 0..6} in {}s, and
then use (**)s for "commenting out" big blocks of code.  That way, I don't
have mismatched comment delimiter problems.

Andy


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*** There is a reply. See #176.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #120, 05-Jan-89 10:17pm
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 AL> repeat
 AL> until HellFreezesOver;

 JG> Hey!  Somebody who codes like I do.
 JG>
 JG> (I actually have that chunk of code in one of my programs, but then I'm
 JG> the guy who made 'pick a lucky direction, and erase the wall' famous.)

Dare I ask the significance of "pick a lucky direction"?  Am I missing out on
some bit of computer folklore?

Andy


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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #121, 05-Jan-89 10:17pm
Subject: <WIRTH> AND <STYLE DEBATE #9,005>

 DG> PART I: What does Wirth rhyme with
 DG> if not with mirth?
 DG> (in other words, how do you say
 DG> this guy's name?)

Nick-louse Veert

There's a potentially true story about somebody who used to pronounce Wirth's
name as "Nickels Worth".  Wirth said that he should be called by name, not by
value.

(Ahhh, good esoteric programmery triple-puns :-)

Andy


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From:    Andy Lester
To:      Gene Leduc                               Msg #122, 05-Jan-89 10:21pm
Subject: Re: A LITTLE PROBLEM

{machine language for Real Programmers}

 GL> Sigh...  Sarcasm really doesn't work very well in an echo, does it?  Too
 GL> bad, I'm very good at it!  Actually I do all my serious programming in
 GL> Pascal (and I freely use EXITs also).

That's why God created the smiley face. :-)

Andy


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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #123, 05-Jan-89 10:21pm
Subject: Re: APPLE

 DG> Sometimes I use Apple Pascal, and the compiler I use is hopelessly
 DG> slow, too, so I con't recommend that one.

Tell me about it, Dave.  Thing is, that's the only Pascal I know of...

I love waiting 10 minutes for 4000 line compiles to/from a hard drive.  I
can't imagine if it had to run off of floppies...

Andy


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From:    Joel Sumner
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #124, 05-Jan-89 10:15am
Subject: Re: APPLE

I think there is something called Kyan Pascal but I have never heard anything
about it

Joel
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From:    Joel Sumner
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #125, 05-Jan-89 10:18am
Subject: Re: MLC VERSUS PASCAL

Then again, well written ML will usually be smaller and faster than compiled
code.. That doesn't mean it is the best thing to use due to the higher time
requirement and more debugging.. It all depends on what you need.

Joel
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From:    Joel Sumner
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #126, 05-Jan-89 10:21am
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

'That's the neat thing about standards, there are so many of them'

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From:    Joel Sumner
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #127, 05-Jan-89 07:19pm
Subject: Re: APPLE

Well, thanks anyway..

Joel
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From:    Bennet Deliduka
To:      Anne Wilson                              Msg #128, 05-Jan-89 10:35pm
Subject: COPYRIGHT

All that is needed to legally copyright anything is to put a copyright notice
in the work that is displayed to the user/viewer of the work.
 the notice must contain the following...
 1) the word "Copyright" or the abreviation "Copr"
 2) the date [year(s)] of copyright.
 3) the holder of the copyright.
 4) [optional] the letter 'c' in a circle [not in "("'s]

Example:  Copyright 1989 Bennet Deliduka
 or
 Copr 1989 Bennet Deliduka

- Ben

--- TMail v1.7 - 8812
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Winthrop Chan
To:      Alan Ten                                 Msg #129, 05-Jan-89 09:30pm
Subject: CCDOS...

Ouch. Chinese DOS?? As in the heavily modifed command interpreter that is
often used before using the Chinese Word Processor? I can think of a few ways
to invoke it from a TP5 program (mainly using EXEC('CDOS.EXE',' '); ). But if
I remember right, CDOS.EXE is HUGE. I hope that your TP program is small and
takes very little memory space because CDOS is supposively one heck of a
memory hog. I'm not even sure if you can exit out of CDOS to get back into
your TP program using the normal EXIT command. Try it out. I'll dig out my old
copy of CDOS and test it out here as well.

Winthrop Chan (yer typical A.B.C.)


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From:    Winthrop Chan
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #130, 05-Jan-89 09:36pm
Subject: 19 Megs of files...

You said you also do US Mail transfers? I logged onto your system last night
and found your library of routines the most comprehensive that I've even seen.
Unfortunately, being a student, I can't afford to call LD to California to get
all the files I want. If I sent you a large amount of blank disks & postage
money, could you send me a copy of all your TP routines? Also what type of
disks do you prefer? 5.25, 720k 3.5", or 1.44M 3.5"?

Thanks
Winthrop Chan (the staving student)


---
 * Origin: Space Sprockets ][ Bowie,Md (Opus 1:109/744)


From:    Kelly Drown
To:      Gene Leduc                               Msg #131, 05-Jan-88 07:40am
Subject: Re: ZMODEM

-> Kelly, if you post the filenames for FReqing here, please
-> be sure to also
-> include that you're only open for FReq during NMH.

I honor file requests right now from 6pm to 6am, and very soon I will
simply honor them all 24 hours. I don't know if those files are in my F'Req
path but I'll check it out and post the full F'Req names if anyone is
interested in them.

-Kelly
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*** There is a reply. See #211.


From:    David Michael
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #132, 06-Jan-88 12:04am
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

-> hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement
-> do you prefer?

  this one:
  case whathaveyou of
      1:dothis;
     10:dothat:
     end;

How do you do repeat untils?
My own preference:

  repeat
     dothis;
     dothat;
  until done;

...david...
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From:    David Michael
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #133, 06-Jan-88 12:31am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

-> In my opinion, there's only one way to be fully planned
-> before one writes a program and that is flowcharting. That
-> means spending many hours doing paperwork before the first
-> line of code is written. I don't see too many programmers

   I agree that a lot of paperwork is necessary before sitting down at a
terminal.  It's my own style.  I 'most always will write a program 3 times.
Once on paper.  Then I scrap.  Again on paper.  This one I type in.  The
third time is when I realize I had it all wrong, and do it again.  On paper
before typing it in.
   However, I think flowcharts are a ridiculous waste of time.  Drawing
pictures and programming are two separate areas of m'life.  I guess I'm a
member of the pseudocode generation.  I was using pseudocode even before I
went to college and learned that was what it was called.  If you, or
anyone, feels comfortable w/ flowcharts, more power to you.  The preceding
has been a bit of personal opinion.
...david...
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From:    Mike Hinds
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #134, 04-Jan-88 01:17pm
Subject: Style Debate #9,005

 > My indentation rule:  If it's subservient, indent it.  Therefore, BEGINs,
 > ENDs and the code they enclose should all be indented the same, i.e.
 > if x>2 then
 >   begin
 >   do_this;
 >   do_that;
 >   end;
I have done that for years - and I haven't met anyone else so far. Most folks
would indent the do_this stuff an extra niche. My difference from your example
is to put all RESERVED words in caps and IdentiFiers in mixed case.

Anybody do it C-style?

PROCEDURE ProcName; BEGIN
  Statement1;
  Statement2;
  END;

I don't like that. BEGIN-END pairs should match columns, right?



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From:    Mike Hinds
To:      James Macneil                            Msg #135, 04-Jan-88 01:29pm
Subject: Interrupts in 5.0.

 >      Could someone please outline (in detail) how I would go about
 > setting up an interrupt in TP 5.0.

Do you want to write an interrupt handler, or simply call an interrupt?


--- msged 1.94S ZTC
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*** This is a reply to #47.


From:    Mike Hinds
To:      Paul Bowser                              Msg #136, 04-Jan-88 01:43pm
Subject: Modula-2 & a possible M2 Conf.

There is a Modula 2 conference. It's known as MODULA2 (catchy name). Don't
know what "backbone" it's on but it shows up on my hub (343/400) and looks
like a national echo.


--- msged 1.94S ZTC
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From:    Mike Hinds
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #137, 04-Jan-88 01:47pm
Subject: QEDIT 2.07

 > BTW, seems like 2.07 (at least the version being circulated down here)
 > describes itself as the REGISTERED version.  I.e., that one should not
 > be posted on boards.  Correct me if I am wrong.

The .DOCs on the one I found describe it as v. 2.07, and state "this version
is being distributed as shareware". Seems safe enough to me - at any rate it
is good enough that I will register it, because I intend to use it!



--- msged 1.94S ZTC
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From:    Kevin Lowey
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #138, 05-Jan-89 08:38am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem


 AL>The rule I like is "about a page long".  It fits on printed output
 AL>about right, and if it's too short, it'll look ugly on the page
 AL>and should probably not be a routine unto itself.


  You mean you still use PAPER when you program ?!?!? #8-)


---
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Kevin Lowey
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #139, 05-Jan-89 08:50am
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5


 RD> Okay, why did they go to EXE after using COM in v.3.0???


  The Intel processors used in MS-DOS computers arrange memory into
SEGMENTS. There are different types of segments available.  One type  is a
CODE segment, which contains the actual machine code instructions  for the
program.  Another type of segment is the DATA SEGMENT which  contains program
data.  There is also a STACK segment for holding  parameters for subroutines,
etc.  The maximum size for any segment is 64K.

  A .COM file is limited to the "small" memory model.  This is at most
one 64K code segment, one 64K data segment, and 1 64K stack segment.   This is
why you were limited to small programs in TP3, even if your computer had a lot
of memory in it.  This was made even worse because  in TP3 ALL the run time
library (about 11K) was linked into your program even if it didn't use some of
the functions.  That meant that the largest your program could be was 64K -
11K = 53K.

  An .EXE file on the other hand has more control over how memory is
used.  Turbo Pascal 4.0 and 5.0 uses the "Medium" (or was that "Large", I
can't remember) memory model.  This model is still limited to one 64K data
segment and one 64K stack segment, but it can have more than one  CODE
segment.  In TP4 and TP5, the code for each UNIT is stored in a  different
code segment.  Each unit is still limited to a maximum of 64K, but a program
can use more than one unit, so the overall program can be as large as you
want.  Also, the linker is smart enough to get rid of code that isn't used, so
you don't get 11K eaten up by the Turbo runtime library.

  The global data for all the units and the main program are all stored
in ONE data segment.  This is why you should try and use the HEAP in  your
units for large data structures instead of variables, because  HEAP variables
are not stored in the DATA segment.

  The limitations on one 64K data segment are not really that bad,
because we can always get around it by allocating variables on the HEAP
(extra memory left over in the system) by using the GETMEM or NEW
procedures.

Hope this helps,
-- Kevin Lowey



---
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Hal Smith
To:      Charles Cremer                           Msg #140, 05-Jan-88 10:19pm
Subject: Re: TP 5.0 and intelligent linking

Charles,
  If I understand correctly, *any* reference to a variable name will tag it
for inclusion.
  Also if you have:

Var
  dah: word;
  lah: string;
Var
  golly: array[1..Max] of byte;
  gee:   string;

and you refer to dah, then the scoping rules will include lah in the object.
If you don't refer to golly or gee, then neither is included.
 -Hal
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 * Origin: Transient Technologies *PASCAL* Programming echo <HST> (1:280/302)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Gary Lagier
To:      Robert Becker                            Msg #141, 05-Jan-88 12:28pm
Subject: Re: JoyStick Routine

-> Hi, Does anyone know how to read the joystick using turbo
-> pascal? I     have asked around but so far no one really
-> knows. Interrupt 15

Robert, there is a TP5 routine on TurboCity BBS that is supposed to handle
that. I have never used it however.

Have fun!
                                        gary

--
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: TurboCity BBS  Ripon CA  [phone] (1:161/205)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Joel Sumner
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #142, 04-Jan-89 06:42pm
Subject: Re: APPLE

I have Apple Pascal 1.3 but I can't say I like it that much.. I have a IIgs
and now program in the Toolbox.. Really nice.. I have started a project making
the program Monopoly.. It uses pull down menus and such.  So far. all it does
is ask if you want to use the free parking jackpot, it then shuffles the CC
and Chance cards and shows the gameboard.. If I click the mouse on a deed, it
will pop up with a description of the deed.  Later I will include if it is
owned and by who but now it just has the description...  My next task is to
add players and have it roll the dice

Joel
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: RCN 450MB 4-Line *Multi-Line* S.Bend,IN [phone]  (227/2)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Babul Mukherjee
To:      Loyd Craft                               Msg #143, 05-Jan-88 01:22am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

->     Last year when I was taking an AP Computer Science
-> course, I was introduced to Warnier Diagrams....   They are

Can you type up a sample Warnier Diagram?  I've always used the pseudo-code
method.  Flowcharts are simply a waste of time in most cases.  I think most
of us think about the flowcharts where EVERY LINE corresponds to a single
or several boxes.  A more general flowchart becomes more like an outline
with flow arrows.  Not a bad tool.  Now, what's all this CASE hoopla
<grin>...

Babul Mukherjee
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: C&M Research Group's BBS - [phone] (1:387/1)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Justin Marquez
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #144, 05-Jan-89 08:28am
Subject: Re: Pascal Programming BBS

 GL| TurboCity BBS (phone number in origin line) has over 350 files devoted
 GL| exclusively to Turbo Pascal 4 and 5. It is not Freq'able
 GL|

       Boo! Hiss!

(But otherwise, it sounds fantastic!)
JJM


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*** This is a reply to #7.


From:    Justin Marquez
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #145, 05-Jan-89 08:32am
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 JG|  DG> What does the distinguished panel of experts here think?
 JG|
 JG| I prefer
 JG|         CASE .... OF
 JG|            .... : ....;
 JG|            .... : ....;
 JG|         END;
 JG|
 JG| (I like the CASE and the END to line up.)
 JG|

     I agree, Jon.  To me, that most easily shows where the action starts &
stops!


--- msged 1.96S ZTC
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Walt Fair
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #146, 05-Jan-89 04:38pm
Subject: Re: TP w/Fossil

 JG>  EG> Thanks a LOT! for all that stuff!  I'm using TP v3.0 now, and I
 JG>  EG> think I'm gonna get a second hand (well, outdated copy of 4.0 from
 JG>  EG> a friend for $30 - that's all of it, original manuals, disks,
 JG>  EG> etc.)  I'm not into spending $100 yet on TP 5.0 when just
 JG>  EG> learning.  [Only reason I have 3.0 is because we had to get it at
 JG>  EG> school for a class and never used it anyway.  Had a student
 JG>  EG> discount though] Eric
 JG>
 JG> If you are purchasing the old compiler from someone who has upgraded,
 JG> then you and your friend are violating the user agreement.  If this is
 JG>
       Interesting concept! <sarcasm off>

       Actually the agreement I got with my Borland upgrades (all of them over
the past few years, TP5 included) say nothing about not selling them. In fact,
I called Borland to make sure I could give my old copies away without hurting
their feelings or violating anything.
       What I was told (and the guy read something out of their policy stuff,
too.) was that you are NOT purchasing an upgrade, per se, but you are really
buying the new software at a discount. They do NO track serial numbers from
one person to another and will indeed give technical support to the second
purchaser. They did ask that I wait until the upgrade offer was over to give
the stuff away, since they said that the new owner could call in and order the
upgrade and there is nothing they could/would do about it.
       I also asked why they handled things that way and the rep said that
they've found that they sell a lot of software to people who have used their
out-dated releases and then want the latest release. It also why they never
copy-protected such things and is consistent with their overall policy.
       It's also a good reason that I like doing businesswith Borland; they've
always treated me reasonably and I like that, even if their prices weren't so
good.

                                                                       Walt



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*** This is a reply to #100.


From:    Walt Fair
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #147, 05-Jan-89 04:52pm
Subject: <WIRTH> AND <STYLE DEBATE #9,005>

 DG> PART I: What does Wirth rhyme with
 DG> if not with mirth?
 DG> (in other words, how do you say
 DG> this guy's name?)

       Having never met the man, I can't speak from personal experience, but
since he is of Germanic origin and the name appears to be Germanic, my guess
would be that it is pronouced Veert.
                                                                       Walt



--- msged 1.943S ZTC
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    George Butts
To:      Ed Swierk                                Msg #148, 02-Jan-89 12:36pm
Subject: Re: Turbo Professional 5.0


 ES> Can registered users of Technojocks Toolkit 4.0 get a copy of 5.0 and a
 ES> manual at some kind of discount?

  I believe Bob is considering that, but hasn't as yet made any firm
decisions.  As soon as I have the details and the distribution date, I'll psot
it here.

                                       George ...





--- msged 1.91S ZTC
 * Origin: The Buffer Board  [phone] (opus 1:152/2)


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      Ray Buti                                 Msg #149, 05-Jan-89 10:11pm
Subject: Thanks

Thanks for the information- I'll write.   Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #150, 05-Jan-89 10:13pm
Subject: Re: Copyright

Thanks for the information. It's just what I needed.  Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      Roland Brown                             Msg #151, 05-Jan-89 10:15pm
Subject: Re: Copyright

Thanks for the information. I'm going to check it out.  Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Anne Wilson
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #152, 05-Jan-89 10:39pm
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

I agree- If the CASE & END line up it's easier to read.  Anne.


---
 * Origin: SoundingBoard 713-821-4148 Houston `Just Say NOpus' (Opus 1:106/12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Dave Goggin
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #153, 05-Jan-89 09:21pm
Subject: Re: A LITTLE PROBLEM

  sounds to me like you mean REAL programmers and NAIVE programmers.  Your
definitions are correct.  and also the flowchart method, I like it.
--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: G.A.D.M. Multi-User TBBS Hayward,CA.[phone]  (161/208)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Bob Cunningham
To:      Joel Sumner                              Msg #154, 06-Jan-88 08:21pm
Subject: Re: APPLE

Yes, I used Apple II pascal, little slow. I wished that it would of complied
to a normal disk in a binary file.
But now I have an IBM clone.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: One World BBS - Land of Blue Guitars [phone] (1:282/10)

*** This is a reply to #142.


From:    Ben Lindstrom
To:      Neil Sharma                              Msg #155, 07-Jan-89 09:07am
Subject: Re: bbs's in TP??

Try WWIV 3.0 that shuold have the Pascal source code but for TP3.0
.. If you what to try to convert it.. It's a pain in the neck.
But it's a good BBS (If you got a 3.0 compilar)
Ben Lindstrom

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Late Night With Norton St. Louis Park, MN [phone] (1:282/19)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Ben Lindstrom
To:      All                                      Msg #156, 07-Jan-89 09:11am
Subject: Output to ...

Can any one help me... I am writing a program and I can't get it to
print text graphics from a file. Here is how I set it up..
Var f:text;lin:string;x:integer;
begin
  assign(f,'Welcome.BBS');
  reset(f);
  while not eof(f) do
  begin
    readln(f,lin);
    writeln(f,lin);
  end;
  close(f);
end.

Can any one help me with this?? And I can't get any modem procedure working..
could some one help me with that??
Thanks
Ben Lindstrom

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: Late Night With Norton St. Louis Park, MN [phone] (1:282/19)


From:    Brian Corll
To:      Walt Fair                                Msg #157, 06-Jan-89 09:10am
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

Walt,
     I'm new at Turbo C, and don't know a lot about it yet, but I assume the
big difference in .EXE file size as compared to Turbo Pascal is attributable
to a more complex runtime library, and possibly a linker which isn't as smart
as TP.  Anyone else have any ideas ?
                                    Brian Corll


---
 * Origin: Mdtn_BBS,  [phone]  Middletown Pa  Fidonet (Opus 1:150/511)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Brian Corll
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #158, 06-Jan-89 09:15am
Subject: Re: <WIRTH> AND <STYLE DEBATE #9,005>

The correct pronunciation of Wirth is Veerth or Veert.


---
 * Origin: Mdtn_BBS,  [phone]  Middletown Pa  Fidonet (Opus 1:150/511)

*** This is a reply to #147.


From:    Charles Cremer
To:      Randall Smith                            Msg #159, 05-Jan-89 08:22pm
Subject: DCB table revectoring

Randall, you do not have to restore the DCB table pointer before
terminating a process. The PSP is released to available memory when
a process ends, and the next child process gets a copy of its parent's
prefix. (Don't mess with the parent!!). I *suspect* that the Dos
terminate operation (Int 20H or Int 21H Functions 0 and 4CH) may use
the current DCB for housecleaning.  If that is the case, you are safer
to leave it alone after it's revectored.

I uploaded source for a unit to revector the process DCB table to
Bruno Rijsman's origin board (Ainex, Holland). Also, posted it to the
Buffer Board in Oregon. I am sure there are others who have done the
same thing in perhaps slightly different implementations. I would NOT
term this operation either difficult or hazardous! I personally have
never needed to do this in Pascal programming, but use it all the time
in a compiled database language environment.

                          (:-) Charlie (-:)


---
 * Origin: The Antenna Farm - Austin, TX (512-444-1052)  (Opus 1:382/40)


From:    Bob Hodge
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #160, 05-Jan-89 02:37pm
Subject: <Wirth>

Pronounce it "Veert"
  Bob Hodge (Pronounce it Hadji Baba)


---
 * Origin: PC-OHIO II HST (216-291-3048) (Opus 1:157/200)


From:    Bob Hodge
To:      All                                      Msg #161, 05-Jan-89 02:38pm
Subject: CRT unit

  Does anybody else on this echo have a problem with the .EXE size of
programs that use the CRT unit?  It appears that the "smart linker"
gives up and goes home on this particular unit.  I have done some
browsing around on the assembly level in CRT, and it appears that some
real ugly interrupt handling and initialization code is present for
the sake of three procedures : Delay, Sound, and NoSound.
  Has anyone shelled out the $150 for the source to the standard
units?  If so, can you shed light on this?  Better yet, can you strip
out the non-screen stuff, compile to .TPU, and distribute?  (I think
this should be legal.)  Would this really help the size much?
  Bob Hodge


---
 * Origin: PC-OHIO II HST (216-291-3048) (Opus 1:157/200)

*** There is a reply. See #218.


From:    John Wolter
To:      All                                      Msg #162, 05-Jan-89 07:08pm
Subject: Accessing clock

Can anyone tell a self-taught Pascal programmer who just discovered Turbo
Pascal how to access the system clock?  Thanks.

---
 * Origin: NEOH IBM PC Club BBS #2 (Opus 1:157/1)


From:    Roland Brown
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #163, 06-Jan-89 02:17pm
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

 > Okay, why did they go to EXE after using COM in v.3.0???
 >
 > Ron
 >

Ron,

A COM file must have all its code and data in 64k segments (although heap
storage can go to the limit of memory).  By going to EXE format Borland
overcame the main gripe a lot of programmers had about Turbo Pascal (i.e.
limitation on program size).  Now Turbo Pascal can have programs a large as
memory.  Being exec type programs also allows easier access to doing things
like calling a program from within your program etc.  There are a lot of
advantages that more than make up for the slower load time for the program
over a COM file.

roland

---
 * Origin: Sky Pilot Point Mail Box Off 261/1004 (Opus 1:26102/4)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Charles Falconer
To:      Randall Smith                            Msg #164, 06-Jan-89 10:09am
Subject: Re: Turbo4 Bug

 > cf>Turbo 4 would be greatly improved if a method existed
 > cf>to replace system procedures.  However Borland has not
 > cf>seen fit to publish the System unit interface
 >
 > Yes, but you don't need the Runtime Library Code to replace
 > standard procedures/functions. TP4 and TP5 both allow qualification.
 > To replace a procedure say GotoXY in the CRT unit.  Compile
 > a unit with the replacement called MyCrt that contains the
 > new GotoXY. In use, code a "uses MyCrt;" in the program.
 > When invoking type "MyCrt.GotoXY();"
However you will find that the file fundamentals are totally undocumented at
least in TP4, thus you don't know what to replace.  There is no readln call,
rather far calls to anonymous system units.  In practice it appears most of
these calls are sequences, i.e. one call to write and one to flush.  This also
makes following the assy sequence when debugging a pain.  Such units as CRT
are documented, and there is no great problem writing replacements.  For
example, one of my units goes to great pains to catch internal run-time
errors, and stuffs the error into system.errorcode on exit, after getting to
an installed exit procedure. The system gives the appropriate error on exit,
but doesn't interface properly to the integrated environment.  The exit
mechanism has save the callers address in the unit, so it knows where the
outer block produced a bad call, but to find it again you have to go thru the
find error mechanism.  If I knew how the system interface worked I could avoid
using non-standard names for routines like readint, to replace the buggy
operations that come with the system (try read(i1, i2) sometime and answer it
with "123,456" and watch everything crash - after reading 123 correctly we
should have input^ (which is missing) showing a ',', and be able to skip it
accurately with "get(input)".  This functionality is all in TXTFILES.ARC, but
not as clean as I would like it.


---
 * Origin: Alice's Restaurant (Opus 1:141/488)

*** This is a reply to #62.


From:    Rob Fletcher
To:      All                                      Msg #165, 06-Jan-88 04:19am
Subject: calling procedures

Is it possible to call a procedure in your main program from one of your
units using some kind of FAR call and procedure variable similar to the way
exitproc works?
--- QuickBBS v2.03
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From:    Justin Marquez
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #166, 06-Jan-89 08:43am
Subject: Style Debate #4006

 JG|  TG> In my opinion, there's only one way to be fully planned before one
 JG|  TG> writes a program and that is flowcharting. That means spending
 JG|  TG> many  hours doing paperwork before the first line of code is
 JG|  TG> written. I don't  see too many programmers who do it for fun and
 JG|  TG> don't write very long  programs doing that, so why don't you let
 JG|  TG> people do their hobby the  way they want and let the job critique
 JG|  TG> to the systems analysts?
 JG|
 JG| The argument has concerned itself with the aesthetics of programming.
 JG| (Is a program have an aesthetic quality independant of what the program
 JG| actually does?  I.E. Is the source code 'beautiful?')  Aesthetics are
 JG| something which vary from person to person.

       Odd. Nobody ever accused MY code of being beautiful...

 JG|  Personally, I'm glad that
 JG| goto's and exit's and global variables are included in Pascal.  They
 JG| fit
 JG| my image of what is 'pretty.'
 JG|

       I think it was done to make former BASIC programmers feel more at home
in the PASCAL world.    -:)

       Pretty is as pretty does. Sometimes global variables are real handy &
other times they'll sneak up and bite you in the debugger! GOTO's are about
as pretty as a mud fence, but frequently, it is the easiest way to GOTO there
from here.

--- msged 1.96S ZTC
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*** This is a reply to #23.


From:    Justin Marquez
To:      Robert Becker                            Msg #167, 06-Jan-89 08:48am
Subject: JoyStick Routine

 RB| Hi, Does anyone know how to read the joystick using turbo pascal? I
 RB| have asked around but so far no one really knows. Interrupt 15
 RB|     service 84 didn't work for me and someone else. If someone knows
 RB|     please let me know!
 RB|

       Turn it over and look at the label, maybe.....?  <grin>


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*** This is a reply to #141.


From:    Justin Marquez
To:      Ron Dexter                               Msg #168, 06-Jan-89 08:49am
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

 RD| Okay, why did they go to EXE after using COM in v.3.0???
 RD|
 RD|

       Two reasons I suspect -

       1) .COM programs are limited to 64K size.

       2) .COM files always load to a specific, FIXED, location in memory.
The .EXE files are loadable to wherever the opsys finds convenient. When
'real multitasking' gets here, I doubt if you'll be able to use .COM format
programs at all. The opsys MUST be able to tuck the code any place it wants
to!

.COM programs can load a little faster, however, I have heard.

Justin Marquez


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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Micah Bleecher
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #169, 06-Jan-89 05:52pm
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 TG> REAL programmer - one who codes one original program in his lifetime
 TG>    and continually modifies that one program to fit the application.
 TG>
 TG> GOOD programmer - a REAL programmer who is too busy coding to realize
 TG>    that the people who make the REAL bucks are the ones who CAN'T
 TG>    program.
 TG> <grin>




TO: ANYBODY

Funny !, but all kidding aside, I was just wondering what kind of salary
ranges do most programmers command.... And what kind of background/training
does it require ??


Thanks

--- Msg V3.2
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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Brian Foley
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #170, 05-Jan-88 01:40pm
Subject: Re: TP5 Files

-> We are open to U S Mail disk trades. Send us what you have
-> and we will
-> return the disks filled with whatever you want. If you
-> desire the entire
-> library of TP stuff then you should send enough disks to
-> amount to 19
-> MegaBytes!

 Ok, can you put those one 1.2 Mb disks?? if so then may i get an address>
 Thanks alot
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: ══> Rochester Protocol [phone] <══ (1:260/222)

*** There is a reply. See #213.


From:    Scott Samet
To:      Jim Colligan                             Msg #171, 05-Jan-89 07:34pm
Subject: A Little Problem

 > Bear in mind, though, that the compiler can do a better job of
 > optimizing the
 > code of the longer functions and procedures than the shorter ones.  If

In theory, the size makes no difference.  The compiler could analyze the flow
structure of the program and do global optimization.

--- FD TosScan .16 (286)
 * Origin: Friends of Dorothy: Flying House doing Mach 10 (1:135/990)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Bruno Rijsman
To:      All                                      Msg #172, 02-Jan-89 08:43pm
Subject: >16 Files

I FOUND A SOLUTION TO THE >16 FILES PROBLEM ! (Almost, anyway)
It seems that in DOS version 3.3 there is a DOS call (int 21h) to
increase the number of available handles. Unfortunately I use the first
print of advanced MS DOS by ray duncan, which only documents up to
version 3.2. Can anyone give me a description of this DOS call ?

Thanks !      ** Bruno **
--- ES v2.41
 * Origin: AINEX-RBBS 033-633916 [NL] Home of the BBSlijst (RBBS 2:2/102)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Karsten Huster
To:      Bruno De.montis                          Msg #173, 03-Jan-89 10:43am
Subject: Inc and Dec

Hello Bruno

Thanks for your help. I see, if you use I:=I+2000 the processor loads the
variables into his registers. With inc (i,2000) he won't do it.
That was my question. In my programms I often use inc and dec also with
parameters like ,2000. In assembler the INC and DEC commands have only one
parameter, the variable. So I wondered how TURBO translate inc (x,2000)

Thanks again..
    Karsten


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From:    Karsten Huster
To:      Ola Garstad                              Msg #174, 03-Jan-89 10:49am
Subject: Re: 43 col mode (screen size)

Hi Ola

 > If you don't find any try Commodore Danmark. They use ATI cards in there
 > PC's.
 >
 > If that doesn't help I could give you a copy of my BIOS PROM.
 >

Can you tell me your version of your ATI Bios. I have a very short ATI card,
very integrated, and I have problems with the BIOS because some programms
don't recognize the card as an EGA card. My BIOS version is "800 BIOS Version
1.04". I've you or anyone else have the same short card and or a
newer BIOS I would be very glad.

Ciao
   Karsten


--- ConfMail V3.3
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From:    Karsten Huster
To:      Holger Schurig                           Msg #175, 03-Jan-89 11:36am
Subject: Re: Pointer to Screen

Hello Holger

Yes, your program works quite well. I needed that for a little error handler
for TURBO PASCAL 5.0 where the pointer ERRORADDR points to the command who
have caused the error. I always got the adresse of ERRORADDR but not the
adresse it points to. Now I can easily locate errors with turbo's finderror
routine.

Thanks a lot...
    Karsten

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*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Djoerd De.fost
To:      Rolf Thomassen                           Msg #176, 04-Jan-88 09:58pm
Subject: Re: Fido Routines in TPascal

Fine, I read youre message, but why did you have to put it in a Pascal Area?
For these things you have other areas!

Greetings from Jolly Djoerd from Holland.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
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*** This is a reply to #119.


From:    Peter Stewart
To:      Bruno Rijsman                            Msg #177, 06-Jan-89 01:01pm
Subject: >16 Files

 > I FOUND A SOLUTION TO THE >16 FILES PROBLEM ! (Almost, anyway)
 > It seems that in DOS version 3.3 there is a DOS call (int
 > 21h) to increase the number of available handles. Unfortunately I
 > use the first print of advanced MS DOS by ray duncan, which only
 > documents up to version 3.2. Can anyone give me a description
 > of this DOS call ?

Sure:

INT 21 - DOS 3.3 - SET HANDLE COUNT
        AH = 67h
        BX = desired number of handles (max 255)
Return: Carry clear if ok
        Carry set if error (and error code in AX)

--- FD 2.00
 * Origin: The Academy at Waghdas (1:135/20.2)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Jeff Sandfort @ 902/1
To:      Ross Wentworth                           Msg #178, 05-Jan-89 06:42pm
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

Ross,
   You are completely right (my opinion). Then END should line up with
the "BEGIN statement". It makes for a more readable code, especially
if you have a large code or one that is nested deep. I also use 3 spaces
instead of 2. I think, again, that the code is more readable.

                                     Jeff
--- Echodor v2.50

 # Origin: Bigfoots RBBS - Tucson,AZ - HST - (1:300/11) or  (8:902/1)
 * Origin: Network Gateway to RBBS-NET  (RBBS-PC 1:103/710)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Richard Louie
To:      Lee Hamel                                Msg #179, 05-Jan-89 11:23am
Subject: Re: Turb 3.0 shell

  There is a book out there with the listing needed to execute a dos shell in
TP3.0.  It is called The complete Turbo Pascal Reference Manual from
Borland-Osbone Press.
   I would suggest; however, that you upgrade to the new Turbo Pascal V5.0.
It includes many features which I have found very useful. Intergrated Debugger
is great for longer programs.  Compiling units (parts of the program compiled)
will cut down on compilation time. It compiles faster and makes better code.
Besides all of that, I was able to begin up a DOS shell with only a few lines
of code.

Richard


---
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Who's WAZOOming Who? (Opus 1:153/2)

*** This is a reply to #48.


From:    Richard Louie
To:      Jeff Fuller                              Msg #180, 05-Jan-89 11:32am
Subject: Re: RS232 Calls

You can use a TP4.0 unit called Jcomm (or something like that) to do these
calls.

Richard


---
 * Origin: Basic'ly Computers: Who's WAZOOming Who? (Opus 1:153/2)

*** There is a reply. See #239.


From:    Lee Hamel
To:      All                                      Msg #181, 04-Jan-89 03:31pm
Subject: Turbo 3.0

I have a few questions...

1) How do you do a shell to DOS in 3.0?

2) How do you pass parameters to a compiled .COM file?

I am using DOS 3.2, and have 640k.

Please respond. Thanks.

---
 * Origin: Uptown Underground (Opus 1:105/15)


From:    John Young
To:      All                                      Msg #182, 04-Jan-89 08:01am
Subject: Can not figure...

this out.  It keeps giving me "Error 10: expected end of file."   Here is my
program,  Can someone help me out?  Any advice is welcome.    Thanks in
advance.

John

unit inunit;


interface

  uses crt;

  type
    validset = set of char;


  function inreal (promt:    string):   real;
  function inbyte (promt:    string):   byte;
  function inchar (promt:    string;
goodchars:    validset):char;

implementation

  function inreal; { 184 }

    var
 tempreal:        real;
 goodinput:       boolean;
 savex, savey:    byte;


    begin
 repeat


 savex := wherex;
 savey := wherey;

 write (promt);

 {$i-}
   readln(tempreal);
 {$I+}

 goodinput := (ioresult = 0);

 if not goodinput then
    begin
 gotoxy (savex, savey);
 clreol
    end
 until goodinput;

 inreal := tempreal

    end;

  function inbyte;  { 257 - 8 }

var
  tempinterger:   integer;
  goodinput:    boolean;
  savex, savey:   byte;

begin
  repeat


savex := wherex;
savey :=wherey;

write (promt);

{$I-)
  readln (tempintger);
{$I+)

goodinput := (ioresult = 0) and
   (tempineger >= 0) and
   (tempinteger <= 255);

if not goodinput then
   begin
gotoxy (savex, savey);
clreol
   end
until goodinput;

inbyte := tempinteger
end;

  function inchar;

var
  tempchar, codediscard: char;
begin

  write (prompt);

  repeat

tempchar := upcase (READKEY);

if tempchar = #0 then codediscard := READKEY

  until tempchar in goodchars;

  inchar := tempchar
    end;
end.

--- D'Bridge 1.18m
 * Origin: Yahweh's BBS Grangeville, ID [phone] 3/12/2400 (1:17/55)


From:    George Butts
To:      Lou Garner                               Msg #183, 05-Jan-89 12:41am
Subject: Turbo Jocks 5.0


 LG>  >>-> TECHJOCKS has issued their nice toolkit in a 5.0 version, and it
 LG>  >>
 LG>  >>It is here at TurboCity (not freq-able). First time users get full
 LG>  >>access after completing a questionnaire.
 LG>
 LG> I found that file described as compatible with TP 5.0 on another
 LG> board.
 LG> When I posted that fact here, someone else said that the 5.0 version
 LG> WASN'T available yet, although that was what the board was calling it.
 LG> (Someone might have just converted the source on their own).

  If the archive in question does not have names like NestTTT5 and StrnTTT5
then it is NOT the 5.0 version.  5.0 is still undergoing Beta and will release
soon.

                                       George ...





--- msged 1.91S ZTC
 * Origin: The Buffer Board  [phone] (opus 1:152/2)


From:    Bob Wiley
To:      All                                      Msg #184, 06-Jan-89 01:40am
Subject: TP 4.0 and different problems

I've been playing around with Turbo PASCAL version 4.0, and have been having a
few little problems that the manual isn't too specific at explaining.

The first problem that I've been trying to solve is color.  What exactly is
the correct way to change text colors in this version of Turbo Pascal?

Another problem I've been trying to figure out is the ability to draw a
rectacle.  I've taken classes in college using the Macintosh's Pascal, and
it's correct syntax would be something like:

Showdrawing;
Drawrect(Top,Right,Bottom,Left);

I realize that T.P. doesn't have a drawing window, so the Showdrawing wouldn't
work, but does the Drawrect statement somehow work?

Another thing I'm curious about... I've been thinking seriously about
upgrading to TP 5.0, is there as much difference between TP 5.0 and TP 4.0 as
there is between TP 4.0 and TP 3.0 when the Syntax is concerned?

Any help would be appreciated.....

                                        Thanks,


                                        Bob Wiley


---
 * Origin: Cross-Fire BBS -- Columbus, Ohio [phone] (Opus 1:226/170)


From:    Martin Cenerelli
To:      Gary Doughty                             Msg #185, 04-Jan-89 10:22pm
Subject: Tp 4.0 (5.0) bug?

Hi, I would recomend the you verify the save screen feature in you options
menu. That might be it.


---
 * Origin: Arcane BBS -- The After Effect GT part three..the meatballs return
(Opus 1:167/116)


From:    Brian Collins
To:      Scott Samet                              Msg #186, 05-Jan-88 10:01am
Subject: Re: Tp5 Kidding

-> I don't know about that.  The TP5 books have a light style.
->  Management may have approved.
-> Of course the ever popular FUBAR can't even be expanded in
-> this echo.

or better yet!.. if you hit F1 in the editor to read the editor help
screens, (in TP5 now,) under Block Commands, mine says something to the
effect of:

^KR Read Block From Disk
^KW Write Block From Disk

always thought it should be "Write block TO disk"... hmmmmm

                Brian
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: B.C. Board - Boulder Creek, CA /CASJO/ [phone] (1:143/4)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Jon Guthrie
To:      Tim Geisweit                             Msg #187, 06-Jan-89 10:38am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 > course, I was introduced to Warnier Diagrams....   They
 > are Nice in the fact that you do not have all the Boxes/Triangles/Paral
 > ellograms/Tums/Rolaids/etc...  that Flowcharting mandates.
 >   They let you be as structured or as casual as you want,
 > and when you have one finished, it LOOKS like a pseudo-coded
 > pascal program.

 TG> Hmm. Sounds very interesting to me. I've never heard of them.
 TG> Where  can I find out more?

You might try the January 1989 issue of _Computer Language_ magazine.
In it, there is an article called "Mastering the Methodology" which
supposedly is a beginners guide to W-O diagrams.

--- Via OpXpress V1.06ß "Silver"  SCIGUY -  The Scourge of Delphi!
 * Origin: FOG-LINE;FOG#51;USR HST;515-964-7937 (1:14/627)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Steven Rubin
To:      All                                      Msg #188, 06-Jan-88 07:19pm
Subject: Byte Structues

I am writing a over the modem user editor for QuickBBS 2.0, and i was
wondering how i wood acces the structures that have BYTE in them

thanks
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: ==>Night Of Crash Test Dummies - [phone]<== (1:143/35)


From:    Walt Fair
To:      Brian Corll                              Msg #189, 07-Jan-89 04:49pm
Subject: Re: version 4 & 5

 BC>      I'm new at Turbo C, and don't know a lot about it yet, but I
 BC> assume the big difference in .EXE file size as compared to Turbo Pascal
 BC> is attributable to a more complex runtime library, and possibly a
 BC> linker which isn't as smart as TP.  Anyone else have any ideas ?
 BC>
       I don't think that's it, Brian. I'm going from memory, so the sizes may
not be exact, but the TP5 version of MicroCalc creates about a 45K exe file
and the TC2 version is about 135k. (at any rate, they differ by close to a
factor of 3).
       When you run them, though, the available memory that the programs
display is less than 2 or 3 k different. In other words, the difference in the
size of the EXE files doesn't give a very good indication of the memory
requirements.
       I don't know a whole bunch of the details of EXE file formats and
structure, but I think TP5 just puts the EXE file together better than TC2,
but the program code, memory utilization, etc is very little different,
besides obvious differences in the language definitions.
                                                                       Walt


--- msged 1.943S ZTC
 * Origin: The ComPort - Slidell, La - 504/643-6380  (fidonet 1:390/1)

*** This is a reply to #168.


From:    Walt Fair
To:      Micah Bleecher                           Msg #190, 07-Jan-89 04:57pm
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 MB> TO: ANYBODY
 MB>
 MB> Funny !, but all kidding aside, I was just wondering what kind of
 MB> salary ranges do most programmers command.... And what kind of
 MB> background/training does it require ??
 MB>
       In my experience, most of them command about twice what they get.

                                                               Walt



--- msged 1.943S ZTC
 * Origin: The ComPort - Slidell, La - 504/643-6380  (fidonet 1:390/1)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Mike Hinds Of 512/16
To:      Kurt Grutzmacher                         Msg #191, 25-Dec-88 04:12pm
Subject: Re: absolute addresses...

 >  > I'm trying to get a pointer set with using the PTR
 >  > function, I use this:
 >  > curdevice := P

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: PBBS -*- Het enige Psychologen BBS -*- (2:512/120)

*** This is a reply to #68.


From:    Arjen Merckens
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #192, 04-Jan-89 01:30pm
Subject: TurboCity BBS

Gary-

I just called from Holland to TurboCity and I must say that it is
interesting enough for me to spend some more guilders on phoning
to your BBS. However, I would like to propose some changes you might
care to make to enable foreigners like me have a faster login:

a) Possibility to skip the
      READ THIS! -- NEWS!  -- READ THIS -- NEWS!
   -section.
b) Possibility to DISABLE the search for personal mail, since this takes
   quite some time. Or is it already possible, by pressing another key
   when the message "Press <Return> to Check Your Mail" appears?

Furthermore, I have question: Do you have an archive of all the files
that can be found in a specified directory on TurboCity, so this archive
can be downloaded and looked at OFF-line?

You might like to hear that I have uploaded the two files I downloaded
- STAY50.ARC and DARC31.ARC - on a bulletin board in Holland with your
BBS as 'download-origin'.

                                                  Bye, Arjen.


---
 * Origin: SDG-9 >> Going back in the future, Amsterdam ++31-20 665 49 19
(Opus 512/20)


From:    Arjen Merckens
To:      Dre Mathys                               Msg #193, 04-Jan-89 01:32pm
Subject: resident


Bij BBS SDG-9 is inmiddels STAY50.ARC gearriveerd. Kijk hier maar eens
naar. (tel. [phone])
Arjen


---
 * Origin: SDG-9 >> Going back in the future, Amsterdam ++31-20 665 49 19
(Opus 512/20)

*** This is a reply to #11.


From:    Arjen Merckens
To:      Michael Leichsenring                     Msg #194, 04-Jan-89 01:32pm
Subject: STAYRES - resident programs


In case you did not download STAY50.arc from TurboCity USA,
you can also download it now from SDG-Ger 9 - Holland, (31)20-6654919
I just downloaded it from TurboCity..
I assume hereby ofcourse that you don't live in the USA....
Arjen.


---
 * Origin: SDG-9 >> Going back in the future, Amsterdam ++31-20 665 49 19
(Opus 512/20)


From:    Bruno De.montis
To:      Karsten Huster                           Msg #195, 02-Jan-89 06:43pm
Subject: POINTER TO SCREEN

 > Does anybody know how to write the adress a pointer points to to the
 > screen?
 > Something like writeln (seg (Pointer),':',ofs (Pointer)) only writes the
 > adress OF the pointer to the screen.

  So - what about WriteLn(Seg(Pointer^),':',Ofs(Pointer^)) ??

<BdM>

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: ▐≡=- De.Montis on Brixius -=≡▌ (2:290/1.12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Bruno De.montis
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #196, 02-Jan-89 06:51pm
Subject: Re: SELF-TAUGHT

 >  GL> You wrote a Star Trek program in *COBOL*????  Pretty amazing (as
 >  GL> well as self-abusive) feat!
 >  GL>   -gene-
 >
 > Why not?  The original Adventure game (I believe it is now called 'The
 > Colossal Cave') was written in FORTRAN.  (FORTRAN II, I believe.)
 > That's REALLY a self-abusive feat.

Why self-abusive ? Anybody out there knowing Fortran (and liking it) ?

<BdM>

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: ▐≡=- De.Montis on Brixius -=≡▌ (2:290/1.12)

*** This is a reply to #2.


From:    Bruno De.montis
To:      Eric Givler                              Msg #197, 02-Jan-89 07:08pm
Subject: Re: CALLING ANSI GRAPHICS FROM TP

 > I would cut that Write(F, Chr(27)+'2j'); to
 >                  Write(F,#27'2J');           <-- Still works.
                            ^^^^^^^                 ^^^^^^^^^^^

Still *doesn't* work, you mean...

Try something like

  Write(^['[2J');

And remember that ANSI commands must start with <Esc>[ !


<BdM>

--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: ▐≡=- De.Montis on Brixius -=≡▌ (2:290/1.12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Bruno De.montis
To:      Bruno Rijsman                            Msg #198, 02-Jan-89 07:30pm
Subject: >16 FILES


More than 15 open files ?

  Your best bet is to close the Standard devices (handles 0 to 4)

More than 20 open files ?

  a. use FCBs - lots of fun
  b. use DOS 3.3 + and Int 21h, Fct 67h

<BdM>


--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: ▐≡=- De.Montis on Brixius -=≡▌ (2:290/1.12)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Christophe Mathy
To:      Joe Derosa                               Msg #199, 03-Jan-89 02:02am
Subject: Re: PARSING


 > would assume there are better books. Getting started with a book on
 > compiler design may be easier. There is a good book on this topic with a
 > dragon on the cover I believe it is called compiler design.

the right name is "Compilers Principles, Techniques, and Tools" by
Alfred V.Aho, Ravi Sethi & Jeffrey D.Ullman (Addison-Wesley) or maybe its
ancestor : "Principles of Compiler Design" by Alfred V.Aho & Jeffrey
D.Ullman.


--- ConfMail V4.00
 * Origin: >> Apple is good, IBM is better << (2:290/1.99)


From:    Rolf Thomassen
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #200, 03-Jan-89 08:26am
Subject: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

Dave,

 > hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement do you prefer?
 >         CASE .... OF
 >           ...... : .....;
 >           ...... : .....;
 >           END;
 >       -or-
 >         CASE ....
 >           OF ....... : .....;
 >              .....   : .....;
 >              END;
 > What does the distinguished panel of experts here think?

 I prefer this form of CASE:

   CASE .... OF
     .... : ....;
     .... : ....;
   ELSE BEGIN
     ....;
   END;

Live long and prosper

   Rolf Thomassen

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Thunderbolt CBCS, Denmark [[phone] #CM] (2:234/11)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Rolf Thomassen
To:      Andy Lester                              Msg #201, 03-Jan-89 08:31am
Subject: Re: Calling ANSI Graphics from TP

 >  EG> I would cut that Write(F, Chr(27)+'2j'); to
 >  EG>                  Write(F,#27'2J');           <-- Still works.
 > And I would do it as:
 > const
 >   ESC = #27
 > ...
 > write(f,ESC,'2J');
 >
 > There's no need for someone else reading a program to have to fetch an
 > ASCII chart.
 >
Andy,

I would do it like this,

const
  CLS = #27'2J';
...
  write(f,cls);

So you don't have to lookup a ANSI chart to know what you are doing.

Live long and prosper

   Rolf Thomassen

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Thunderbolt CBCS, Denmark [[phone] #CM] (2:234/11)

*** This is a reply to #197.


From:    Jesper Wolf
To:      Colten D. Edwards                        Msg #202, 04-Jan-89 08:45am
Subject: Re: Directory names

 > Only problem with searching for *. is that a subdirectory named TEST.PAS
 > is completely legal in dos. So you always have some idiot who names there
 > subdirectories that way and the program won't run properly.

If you want to list subdirectorys then do it the right way the first time.
Its not hard at all, I made a little example that lists the subdirectories of
the current directory. To make sure that you are getting a directory you have
to check the attr at return, this will be 16 if its a subdirectory.

program directory;
uses dos;
var
       srec    : searchrec;
       st      : string;
begin
 getdir(0,st);
 writeln;writeln;
 Writeln('Sub directory list for : ',st);
  { find all files with  > Are we talking of the same thing here ?  I;40;36mTo:indfirst('*.*',16,srec);
  { as long as there is stil some to get do }
 while doserror=0 do
  begin
    { If subdirectory then write }
   if srec.attr=16 then writeln(srec.name);
   findnext(srec);
  end;
end.

Hope this is helpfull to someone.

Greetings from Denmark.


--- msged 1.943S TC (JW)
 * Origin: Wolf's Point. Nærum, Denmark.  (fidonet 2:230/30.10)

*** This is a reply to #95.


From:    Jesper Wolf
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #203, 04-Jan-89 08:56am
Subject: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 > hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement do you
 > prefer?
 >         CASE .... OF
 >           ...... : .....;
 >           ...... : .....;
 >           END;
 >       -or-
 >         CASE ....
 >           OF ....... : .....;
 >              .....   : .....;
 >              END;

I prefer the first form. It is clearer what values lead to what branch than in
the second form.
Readability is very important if someone else has to read the code, or even if
you want to be able to read it in a year or two. And I think the first form is
easyer to read than the second.

Greetings from Denmark.



--- msged 1.943S TC (JW)
 * Origin: Wolf's Point. Nærum, Denmark.  (fidonet 2:230/30.10)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Ole Aaboe
To:      Bruno Rijsman                            Msg #204, 03-Jan-89 11:29am
Subject: >16 Files

Hello Bruno.

If you want to have more than 16 open files at a time, you can (if you are
using DOS v.3.30 or higher) issue the Dos function 67H. It's described here:

       DOS Function 67H : SET HANDLE COUNT

               AH : 67H

               BX : Number of open handles allowed. Max. FFFFH.

This should give you up to 65534 open files at a time. I think this should be
more than enough for most of us. You must also notice, that Dos has made room
for at most 15 files in the PSP, and if you access more, Dos creates an
extended file table in memory, which of course eats more memory.

I hope this can help you.

Happy Computing.

Ole Aaboe.


--- MsgEd 1.94L MSC
 * Origin: ≥ Scout's Honour ≤  (2:230/42.3)

*** This is a reply to #198.


From:    Mik Tuver
To:      Dave Goggin                              Msg #205, 04-Jan-89 10:18am
Subject: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 DG> hello.  which of the following forms for the CASE statement do you
 DG> prefer?
 DG>         CASE .... OF
 DG>           ...... : .....;
 DG>           ...... : .....;
 DG>           END;
 DG>       -or-
 DG>         CASE ....
 DG>           OF ....... : .....;
 DG>              .....   : .....;
 DG>              END;

             CASE ....
             END;

How is this one for a start ?


/\/\ik.

--- msged 1.96S TC (MT3)
 * Origin: "Beyond Frontiers BBS" 45-6-941609 (fidonet 2:230/101)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Ola Garstad
To:      Heikki Levanto                           Msg #206, 04-Jan-89 03:50am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 >>    2)  When Wirth decided to improve Pascal by writing Modula-2, he
 >>        added LOOP and EXIT, where you have an infinite loop and the
 >>        only way to get out is to use the EXIT command.
 >
 > Are we talking of the same thing here ?  I;40;36mTo:      Keld R. Hansen                           Msg #210, 06-Jan-89 01:28pm
Subject: Re: Is...

Didn't I tell him that already, though not in so many words?


---
 * Origin: Dave's OPUS!/BINK *SDS*SDN*HST* Lowell MA (Opus 1:324/275)

*** This is a reply to #30.


From:    Moshe Boochbut
To:      Adam Knipfer                             Msg #211, 07-Jan-89 04:25pm
Subject: Re: Zmodem

Hi!

 I left the Zmodem protocol Turbo Pascal source in the "The ASCII
table BBS" in Raleigh, NC. in Area #1 (I think) under the name
TPZSFZ.ARC. The BBS phone number is [phone]. I know that
this BBS is a connected to FIDO, so a file request is applicable
(I hope so). Also I left a source for a de-arcer, yes! a program
that works like PKXARC including the Squashing mathod!


 I hope that it will help you all. And I hope you will help me as
well... If you think that you have sources or units of anything that
will intrest me, don't be a shame to leave me a message, ok?

                               no one else seems to.

Nope, they belon returned and I had to izard's Castle BBS CoSysOp (Israel)
                                        1-972-503-3166 2:40/200what is the
 BS> purpose of the second argu
My first guess is s Israel...

BTW: "The ASCII table" is PC PURSUITABLE..... BYE!

? :-)  Try it as FindFirst('*.*',DOS.Directory,s3m CRT unitleigh [phone] PCP:NCRTP
(Opus 1:151/119)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Moshe Boochbut
To:      Sam Sysop                                Msg #212, 07-Jan-89 04:26pm
Subject: Re: Zmodem

Hi!

 I left the Zmodem protocol Turbo Pascal source in the "The ASCII
table BBS" in Raleigh, NC. in Area #1 (I think) under the name
TPZSFZ.ARC. The BBS phone number is [phone]. I know that
this BBS is a connected to FIDO, so a file request is applicable
(I hope so). Also I left a source for a de-arcer, yes! a program
that works like PKXARC including the Squashing mathod!


 I hope that it will help you all. And I hope you will help me as
well... If you think that you have sources or units of anything that
will intrest me, don't be a shame to leave me a message, ok?

                                           /\/\oshe Boochbut
                                \/\/izard's Castle BBS CoSysOp (Israel)
                                        1-972-503-3166 2:40/200

PS: If NC is a long distance call for you, try call me here is Israel...

BTW: "The ASCII table" is PC PURSUITABLE..... BYE!





From:    Andy lso the
 > flowchart m52 PCP:NCRTP
(Opus 1:151/119)

*** This is a reply to #211.


From:    Loyd Craft
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #213, 06-Jan-89 02:52pm
Subject: TP5 Files

In a message of <03 Jan 88 06:50:00>, Gary Lagier (1:161/205) writes:

>We are open to U S Mail disk trades. Send us what you have and we will
>return the disks filled with whatever you want. If you desire the entire
>library of TP stuff then you should send enough disks to amount to 19
>MegaBytes!
>

Address please?

  If you'd rather not post it here, lemme kwas using pseudocode
 > even before I
 >
--- Via OpXpress V1.03ßd here)  I would be interested in
setting up a trade!

Loyd

ST** (1:124/215)

*** This is a repl #233, 06-Jan-89 12:3, Mi (517)-725-8077 (1:159/900)

*** This is a reply to #170.


From:    Loyd Craft
To:      Gary Lagier                              Msg #214, 06-Jan-89 02:52pm
) sizes of strings at compile time.  I
undenter's segment an message of <01 Jan 88 10:14:00>, Gary Lagier (1:161/205) writes:
>
>I would like to get those routines you are speaking of for Zmodem. Tell me
>where to pick them up, they would help me with a project I am work on.
>

I have the package TPZSFZ.PAK for the implementation of Zmodem in TP 4.0
(Never compiled it under 5, but I am sure it would.)

The number, and Matrix address is on my origin Line...

Loyd



--- msged 1.96S ZTC
 * Origin: MicroCosm Opus Owosso, Mi (517)-725-8077 (1:159/900)


From:    Andy Lester
To:      dj murdoch                               Msg #215, 07-Jan-89 06:07pm
Subject: Re: STYLE DEBATE #9,005

 dm> Me too!  And for debate number 9,006, where do Begin and End belong?  I
 dm> use
 dm>
 dm> if ... then
 dm> begin
 dm>   ...
 dm> end;
 dm>
 dm> but no one else seems to.

Nope, they belon returned and I had to check mysearchrec.attr to see if I
 BS> had a directory or not. Is that what should happen? If so, what is the
 BS> purpose of the second argu
My first guess is that you have Directory redeclared somewhere.  (Doesn't that
sound familiar? :-)  Try it as FindFirst('*.*',DOS.Directory,s3m CRT unit

 BH>   Does anybody else on this echo have a problem with the .EXE size of
 BH> programs that use the CRT unit?  It appears that the "smart linker"
 BH> gives up and goes home on this particular unit.

As much as I love good colorful language, I have NO idea what the linker does
wrong when handling the CRT unit, unless of course the bytes get off the disk
and walk out.  Please, be more specific.

Andy


--- msged 1.94L MSC
 * Origin: CONST PointName='Paradise City'; death=true; taxes=true;
(1:115/790.2)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Andy Lester
To:      Jon Guthrie                              Msg #219, 07-Jan-89 07:08pm
Subject: Re: TURBO PASCAL 4 LINE

 AL> Never take things as an absolute, as all generalities are false.
 AL>
 AL> Andy

 JG> All generalities are false, including this one.  (Cute, very cute, but
 JG> can she tap-dance?)

Who needs to tap dance when you compile 27,000 lines/minute on an AT?

Andy


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*** This is a reply to #108.


From:    Andy lso the
 > flowchart method, I like it.
 > --- TBBS v2.0

Hmm. NAIVE programmer. Now that's a term I hadn't thought of! Very good.

---
 * Origin: CrossFire  Harrisburg, PA [phone] (Opus 1:150/514)

*** Part of a conversation.


From:    Tim Geisweit
To:      David Michael                            Msg #227, 07-Jan-89 08:49am
Subject: Re: A Little Problem

 >    However, I think flowcharts are a ridiculous waste of
 > time.  Drawing
 > pictures and programming are two separate areas of m'life.
 >  I guess I'm a
 > member of the pseudocode generation.  I was using pseudocode
 > even before I
 >
--- Via OpXpress V1.03ß       Don't you MESS with Texas, son....!!
 * Origin: David's Place - **HST** (1:124/215)

*** This is a repl #233, 06-Jan-89 12:38am
Subject: Strings in TPASCAL

 >>One of the first things that got me when I started writing
programs in
 >>Pascal, after switching over from BASIC was the way that you had to
 >>declare the (maximum) sizes of strings at compile time.  I
undenter's segment and offset values by
 > typecasting
 >       and shifting and anding.  Then you can get the pointer value, or
 >       absolute memory location by typecasting, shifiting and adding.

Why not just use seg(mypointer^) and ofs(mypointer^)?

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*** This is a reply to #209.


From:    dj murdoch
To:      Roland Brown                             Msg #238, 04-Jan-89 08:00pm
Subject: Re: Teaching BASIC

 >> I just thought of another advantage:  Very simple debugging.
 >>  In BASIC, you can stop the program, do a PRINT X, and
 >> continue on your way, or do a PRINT X at the point when
 >
 > You can do the same thing in pascal using writeln.  You're correct
 > however that if you pause the program you can't resume as you can in
 > basic, but I'm not sure if you have a problem that you want to resume
 > until you've fixed it.

Don't use writeln (and please don't use BASIC :-).  Just point at the
variable, and type Ctrl-F4 or Ctrl-F7.  Provided you've upgraded to TP5, that
is.

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From:    dj murdoch
To:
Subject: Re: Copyrighto clubs c9, 04-Jan-89 08:04pm
Subject: RS232 Calls

 > Does Anyone know how to do RS232 calls????

What's that?

 > Can I use teh COM: device?

Sure.  Just open a file called COM1 or COM2.

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*** This is a reply to #180.



--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Snoqua: overlays0;33m      George Butts                             Msg #240, 04-Jan-89 08:10pm
Subject: Re: File Access

 >   I have run The Buffer Board for nearly four years now and have never
 > required registration or validation.  I confess, I have yet to
 > experience a problem with user abuse (with the exception of the
 > occassional download hog).

What a fantastic attitude!  I've never called the BB, but thanks for keeping
it available!

 > --- msged 1.91S ZTC
 >  * Origin: The Buffer Board  [phone] (opus 1:152/2)

One other request: mention what city you're in.  PC Pursuit isn't available
everywhere, so it makes a big difference to a lot of us where you're located.

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*** This is a reply to #61.


From:    Nathan Stout
To:      All                                 ree that in that initial forum, any programming 6m)read original   ct: KEEP command

  I've been reading a few of the posts on the message section, and taking
for granted that you all seem to have a much better knowledge of this stuff
than I, I was hoping you could help me out....

  I cannot figure out how to use the KEEP command in Turbo Pascal 4.0...
I've read everything the book says, but I am still completely puzzled.  all
I want to be able to do is have the computer recognize CNTRL-C and clear
the screen when I press that key...

  If you think you're able to help me, please, don't laugh.  I know this
may sound like kids stuff to most of you, but I am just beginning...  And
please use SIMPLE words, I have a limited vocab, I'm a freshman...

  Thanx to all...
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: 303/469-0125 - SnarfQuest ]II[ - The TALL Snarf (1:104/209)


From:    George Butts
To:      Colten D. Edwards                        Msg #242, 05-Jan-89 12:52pm
Subject: opus user list


 CD> Try calling Northern Nights in Saskatoon for TP4 src code. There is a
 CD> file called OPINT102.pak or arc for TP4 opus structures. There is also
 CD> another program there somewhere that has all the file structures in
 CD> with src whereas 102 doesn't have the src. I've also been trying to
 CD> find the TP5 opint unit for those of us that have TP5.

  Check that file again Colten.  Per has said he will not release the source
code for OpInt.  There is a file in the archive that lists all the data
structures used in Opint, that is quite large and at first glance appears to
be source code.  Perhaps that's what you saw.
  OpInt102.Arc is available for FREQ from 1:152/2 The Buffer Board.  This is,
alas, the 4.0 version.  I have tried to FREQ the Opint102.5rc file from
Denmark with not luck.  I connect at 2400, but can't establish a good link.

                                       George ...





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*** This is a reply to #104.


From:    John Hughes
To:      Anne Wilson                              Msg #243, 06-Jan-89 09:48am
Subject: Re: Copyrighto clubs charge a ton for their stuff, if you add
 > in handling and
 >   etc.
 >
Fall City, about 25 miles east of Seattle on I-90.  There are book stores, but
the Small Computer Book Club is GENERALLY pretty good, and their discount is
comparable to what you cite.  The ONLY problem I have had is a couple of books
that were TP3, and no so indicated in the promos...

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Snoqua: overlays

ok so I solved the darn problem...of course I was forgetting to place $ signs
in the directives.  Idiot!!  Must be the first time in my life that I've
ignored a dollar sign.


---
 * Origin: TUSKnet Inf System: [phone]: Vancouver,BC (Opus 1:153/136)

*** This is a reply to #246.


From:    Mike Copeland
To:      David Cressey                            Msg #248, 07-Jan-89 06:07am
Subject: Re: Philosophy

    Good comments - and valid. Wording (or my failure to use them) effectively
MAY have implied a difference...
    I don't agree that PROGRAMMING is best learned "by doing" - at first. It's
so different from other activities that one needs to be presented the (1)
reason to use basic structures/semantics/etc', and (2) the chance to practice
with some of the conceptual items which don't seem useful when reading about
them "cold". I agree that in that initial forum, any programming 6m)read original    +)read reply
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From:    Mike Copeland
To:      David Cressey                            Msg #248, 07-Jan-89 06:07am
Subject: Re: Philosophy

    Good comments - and valid. Wording (or my failure to use them) effectively
MAY have implied a difference...
    I don't agree that PROGRAMMING is best learned "by doing" - at first. It's
so different from other activities that one needs to be presented the (1)
reason to use basic structures/semantics/etc', and (2) the chance to practice
with some of the conceptual items which don't seem useful when reading about
them "cold". I agree that in that initial forum, any programming is best
learned in a (well-taught) formal class.
    Following that, many languages can be picked up - because one has a BASIS
of understanding as to how the newere tool (language) can be used. ForTran can
be learned (following COBOL) that way, for example. Also, after the original
programming skills, one can read code in another language and learn much of
the nuances of the newer language. It's a little like being able to repait
engines, once you've learned the basics and theory.
    However, Pascal is more philosophically new than older, traditional
programming languages. Although it's quite simple, there is a great
opportunity to subvert it by merely using like another language: once you find
More [Y,n]?
out HOW to code it like COBOL (how GOTOs & labels work), it's all too easy to
destroy Pascals integrity by lousy coding. I feel Pascal should be learned as
a New Way of Problem Solving, as much as a new language.
     Also, it's best learned in a setting where you are forced to UNLEARN old
and bad habits. I fear it is not always presented that way in classes, though.
If done correctly (and I hope that I do when I teach), the recipients of these
pearls will be better-able to work with almost all other languages - due to
the good programming philosophy learned thru Pascal. Of course, Ada is even
more difficult and needing of these basics; I doubt it can effectively be
"picked up" from just a book.
    Dr. Wirth DID invent Pascal as a (good) teaching language - to
teach/emphasize/enforce the Art of Programming, as he saw it evolving. It is
simple and (except for the GOTO) pure (free of quirks, as you say). Until
Borland developed Turbo Pascal, though, it wasn't anything more than an
academic language. It has since become a good programming tool for millions.
    However, Pascal has too many valuable precipts and fundamental strengths
to be dismissed as ONLY "another programming language".

More [Y,n]?

---
 * Origin: IASD ENG BBS The Software Engineer's Exchange *HST* (Opus 1:114/18)


















*** This is a reply to #112.


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From:    Mike Lynch
To:      Anyone                                   Msg #249, 08-Jan-89 12:18am
Subject: Help



   I am hoping someone could help me with a problem (lack of knowlege)
I am having in writing a remote File server. Well anyway here is my problem: I
would like to have a type of mult-tasking implemented. I would like to have
both the supervisor (Sysop) and the user on the computer at the same time. I
think this could be done through installing a interrupt procedure in the Timer
inturrupt. but how do I implement this in my program (I have the syntax but
not the pratical knowlege to do this). Also How Would I run my procedures in
the different tasks?
Far Calls? I know assembler and have a fairly good idea of how dos and bios
function, am running under TP5.0.


   Thanks,
   Mike lynch



---
 * Origin: >>> TANYA <<<  Eugene, OR  503-484-2405         (Opus 1:152/5)


From:    Hunt Morgan
To:      All                                      Msg #250, 07-Jan-89 12:21pm
Subject: carrier detect

I would appreciate either suggestions of files to look at, or some hints at
code if possible.  Using Turbo Pascal 3.0 (I know, it is outdated, but some of
us are poor...), how would I go about monitoring the status of the carrier?
Carrier would already be established, so no need to sit and wait for it.  I
just need to know about how to figure out if it is still there or not, and I
believe that I would also need to know how to send data at the appropriate
speeds (I THINK I have that part down, but not sure...would like to know how
others have done/would do it).

Thanks in advance!...

    -Hunt


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From:    Tim Geisweit
To:      Bob Hodge                                Msg #251, 07-Jan-89 12:56pm
Subject: Re: CRT unit

I just recieved two replacement units for crt from Northern Nights BBS
(140/48). They are called ansicrt.arc & minicrt.arc. They are freqable from my
board below.

---
 * Origin: CrossFire  Harrisburg, PA [phone] (Opus 1:150/514)

*** This is a reply to #218.


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