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- Documentation of ZScroll
-
- How to use ZScroll
-
- ZScroll V1.00 is a neat scrolly-proggy for ASCII-Files. It is
- designed to run in multitasking - could be started via the CLI
- only, though, as follows:
-
- ZScroll/ZScrollE Filename [speed (0-9)]
-
- - Filename: The name of the textfile you want to scroll across
- your screen. The prog, however, does not check if you
- are really feeding it ASCII-files. So, if you try to
- scroll a non-ASCII you may get a mess at your screen.
- Probably this could be useful when searching text in
- unknown files.
- - [speed]: Optional parameter. Type -0, -1, -2,...,-9 to set the
- speed of the scroll (actually the pause between
- printing two characters). -0 means maximum speed and -
- surprise! - -9 is deadly slow. The last one may be
- useful for owners of turbo-boards but I could not test
- it. (Default is -1)
-
- Running the prog with RUN is the most sensible way to start it
- because it was originally designed to be able to read the doc-
- file of a PD proggy while running it.
- If everything`s OK ZScroll opens a small window at the bottom
- of the workbenchscreen. You can move this window up and down on
- the screen. The text then scrolls from right to left side (cur-
- rently I`m working on an Arabic version of the proggy, which
- scrolls from left to right.........). Reaching the end of the
- text it restarts. You can quit ZScroll by clicking at the close-
- gadget at the top left corner of the window.
-
- Error Messages
-
- If an error occurs ZScroll informs you with the following
- messages about it:
- - Not enough memory: Allocating mem for the text went wrong.
- Probably it helps to kill unused tasks or to close superfluous
- windows.
- - File not found: the textfile does not exist or you have given a
- wrong path so that it can`t be found.
- - Opening textfile failed.
- - Read Error: file was found but is corrupt and could therefore
- not be opened.
-
- Program & Problems
-
- The source-code which could be found in this directory, too, is
- documented in detail (maybe too much). So it should be no problem
- for the programmers among you to alter the code corresponding to
- your wishes. I just want to give you a few notes about its prob-
- lems.
- The flickering of the scroll is no fault of ZScroll itself but
- of the scrollroutine of the graphics-library. Furthermore, the
- more tasks are running at the same time, the slower the scroll
- moves. This effect increases with the chosen speed.
- When starting ZScroll in the startup-sequence you should NOT
- use speed -0 because it then gets most of the system`s time and
- your Amiga will not be able to get on in the startup-sequence.
- Just test it for yourself!
- It is essential for ZScroll that your computer is running in
- text mode 80 and with the standard topaz font. Only under these
- circumstances the prog will work correctly!
-
- The End!
-
- ZScroll is my first "not-too-short" proggy written in assembly
- language, so your suggestions, wishes, bug reports,... are wel-
- come indeed. If you just like the proggy and find it useful, also
- send a few words to the adress below - I`ll keep updating it, if
- you want me to!!!
- ZScroll is public domain. However, I can take no responsibility
- for anything the program does (although it should just do what I
- described above!).
-
- The adress you should write to is:
- Mark Zeindlinger
- Derfflingerstr. 6
- A - 4240 Freistadt
- AUSTRIA
-
- P.S: If someone among you feels offended by my bloodily horrible
- English I would like to apologize humbly!
-