Loadstar 128 #25/q25.d81/t.forum 25

Text File | 1991-01-01 | 5.3 KB | 119 lines

                   L O A D S T A R    1 2 8    F O R U M

                         Compiled by Fender Tucker


Dear LOADSTAR 128,

    I use a 128D with a 1702 monitor for 40 columns and a monochrome monitor
for 80 columns.  It appears to me that some 80-column material on the disk
is in color and is very difficult to interpret.  Do you have any suggestions
for this problem or do I have to invest in an 80-column color monitor?

    Incidentally, if I do get a color monitor, is there any serious problem
involved in connecting it to the RGBI outout from the 128D if it's not a
Commodore monitor?

                  Gerald J. Risser
                  Kennett Square PA 19348

LS: When we began LS 128 six years ago we mainly used the 40-column mode.
Then, as we discovered the joys of the 80-column mode, we switched over to
almost 100% 80-column usage.  The 80-column colors are so rich and intensive
that we decided that LS 128 would be a "color magazine" and cater to color
users only.  Things like that happen all the time in the computer industry.
Inferior technology gets abandoned.

Two years ago I would have answered, "Yes, you must get a color 80-column
monitor to use LOADSTAR 128."  But now that monitors for the C-128 are no
longer being produced, and when broken are hard to fix, I have to change my
tune.  Until someone comes up with directions on how to adapt available
monitors (CGA monitors?) to work with the C-128, there are two solutions:

 (1) We publish programs designed to look good on a monochrome system, (at
the expense of style and those who have color monitors), or

 (2) Each monochrome user learns the simple BASIC commands that determine
the color of what's printed on the screen and modifies the programs that
look bad.

    I'm afraid that (2) fits into my philosophy much better than (1).  95%
of the programs we publish can be easily modified by the user.  The only
ones that can't are compiled (or BASIC8) programs that we don't provide the
source code for.  The color of something is set with the COLOR command or
with Control codes in strings.  CONTROL80's BLOCK command is also used for
highlight bars.  Those are the three things you need to look for to change
the colors of almost any LS 128 program.

    As for your last question, if the monitor you find is a true RGB
monitor, it should only require the right cable to work.  If it's a monitor
that has to have an adaptor or some hardware modification, then it may be a
hassle.  The word is out that a method of converting CGA monitors to work
with the C-128 is needed, but so far I haven't seen or heard of how to do
it, or how much it'll cost.  If anyone knows, please advise.


Dear LOADSTAR 128,

    In the program THE NUMISMATIST on LOADSTAR 128 #16 I get to the main
menu screen but there is no cursor or highlighted bar.  I have a Magnavox
RGB monitor.

                 Jack R. Kelly
                 St. George UT

LS: This is a different problem from Gerald's, who was using a monochrome
monitor, but the solution is the same.  Change the program.  Here's how:

 (1) Load and run the program and at the main menu press STOP.  Sometimes
you may have to press STOP-RESTORE.

 (2) Notice where the program breaks (line 130) and LIST that area of the
code.  You'll see COLOR commands in lines 110, 120, 170 and 180.  The
COLOR5,2 commands in lines 110 and 170 print in white (the 2 in the
command).  That's the color of the menu, which is reversed.  The highlight
commands are the COLOR5,16 commands in 120 and 180.  Change the 16 (light
grey) to some other number, say 3 for dark red, and re-RUN the program and
see if the highlight bar shows up better.  Experiment until you find the
color you like best.

 (3) Go to the other menus after you get the Main Menu working and do the
same for them, if necessary.

 (4) When you're satisfied, scratch and save the revised program.
GOTOO10000 does this in just about all LS 128 programs.

There are four RGB monitors here at LOADSTAR and the colors and qualities of
each is quite different.  My guess is that your monitor simply does not have
enough contrast between light grey and white.  The highlight bar is there,
but on your monitor you can't see it.


Dear LOADSTAR 128,

    I couldn't get anything but garbage with SIDEWINDER on LS 128 #24.  The
template prints okay but not the demo.  I have a Star NX 1000C.  I played
with the printer's DIP switches but still got garbage.  Help!

               Thomas Houlihan
               Saugerties NY

LS: I tried SIDEWINDER on my NX 1000C at home and found that in order to
print the demo correctly I had to flip switch 5 to off, which selects the
IBM/Epson mode for the printer.  Then I selected IBM mode in the SIDEWINDER
demo.  I wasn't able to get it to work when the printer was in the Commodore
1525-emulating mode, which sounds strange, but isn't.  In general, the NX
1000C prints text best in the Commodore mode (switch 5 on) and prints
graphics best in the Epson mode (switch 5 off).  SIDEWINDER uses the
graphics mode even though it's printing what looks like sideways text.

I noticed that your letter/critique was printed with caps where the lower
case should be and italics for the upper case letters.  This indicates that
you printed the letter with switch 5 off.  Get used to flipping switch 5
every time you switch between graphics and text.

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