NEWS Volume 3 Issue 5 - SILICON OFFICE
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NEWS
Volume 3 Issue 5
SILICON OFFICE
From the people who
brought you OZZ
BUSINESS USER’S
COLUMN_________
More on security
IEEE — 488
A journey on the bus
DISK DRIVES
Part two of our special
course
THE PET SHOW
SPECIAL
PU LL-O U T GUIDE AND
CATALOGUE, PLUS
FREE E N TR Y
& commodore
COMPUTER 1
T heP E T
Lack of information. It's a problem for every computer owner. No manual can tell you all the
things you really need to know. Like how to program. Which peripherals you need. Or the best
software for your application.
But if you own, or are thinking about a PET, CBM or V IC computer, help is at hand. We are
P R IN T O U T , the independent magazine specialising in the Commodore system. Each issue is
packed with news, articles about programming in PET Basic, test reports on the latest peripherals
and really thorough software reviews. Plus regular columns by leading experts, readers letters,
solutions to programming problems, even a gossip column! Whether your interest is Business,
Education, or just plain fun, P R IN T O U T can save you time, trouble and money.
The current issue has a comprehensive guide to business software for the PET, advice on
buying a computer, a List program for non-PET printers, our 12,000 mile road test of the 8032
Super PET, help with cassette files, a guided tour of the new V IC , plus all you need to know
about multi-PET systems. And much more. Send for a copy now, or better still, subscribe!
Credit card orders accepted b y telephone on 0635-201131
To: PRINTO U T, P.O. Box 48, Newbury RG16 OBD, Berkshire, U.K.
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Contents
Editorial—Hello, good evening and welcome......... ................................................................................................................ 2
Audiogenic—new products.........................................................................................................................................................3
Pets in Space—Astrological and astronomical programs........................................................................................................ 3
M annesman—Inexpensive printers...........................................................................................................................................4
Education—A plea for help.........................................................................................................................................................4
Intex Datalog—A compiler.........................................................................................................................................................4
Tecpacs—New Approved Product............................................................................................................................................. 4
Accident Unit Record System—Interesting use of a PET....................................................................................................5
Silicon Office—New program for the PET.............................................................................................................................. 6
Pet Paradox—A woman’s view of a PET..................................................................................................................................6
Business User’s Colum n—Barry Miles summing up security..............................................................................................7
Review Section—Claremont Controls, MTC Pilot, Landsoft’shotel package, plus more besides.............................. 9/12
Basic Program m ing—8032 screen window, use of arrays, redimensioning arrays, automatic data
entry, problems with input.....................................................................................................................................................13/16
M achine Code Program m ing—Sequential files in machine code.....................................................................................17
Mike Gross-Niklaus—Sorts out sorts................................................................................................................................18/19
Disk Guide—Part two of David Pococks series on the use of disk drives............................................................................20
IEEE-488—David Muir explores the bus.................................................................................................................................22
Education—The missing link, low priced software, Manchester Education User Group, high resolution graphics....29
THE PET SHOW
Floor Plan................................................................................................................................................................Inside Cover
Editorial—The PET Show-What it is........................................................................................................................................1
Where it is, how to get there—where to wine and dine and recover afterwards................................................................2
Seminars—times and subjects....................................................................................................................................................4
Exhibitors—Who’s there and where they are............................................................................................................................5
Commodore Club News is Published by Commodore Business Machines (U.K.) Ltd., 818, Leigh Road, Slough, Berks and printed by Uniprint, 91-95, Euston
Road, London NW1. Whilst the publishers take every care to ensure the accuracy of information contained in "Club News", no liability is accepted for errors or
any consequences of such errors that might arise.
Free Entry To PET SHOW
Please Note:- Only by filling in and presenting this form will User Club
Members be entitled to free entry for two people to the Second International
Pet Show.
Name...........................................................................................................................
Address........................................................................................................................
Pet User YES / NO
My System is used for................................................................................................
COMMODORE USER’S CLUB MEMBER — OFFICIAL REGISTRATION FORM
1
Editorial
part of the Commodore world, and availability of second hand Pet equip
Introduction ought to be given as wide a coverage
as possible. After all, the Approved
ment. If you know of any source of
this, if you’ve got any Pet equipment
Welcome to Volume 3 issue 5 of Products catalogue contains some of that you want to sell (e.g. you’ve just
the magazine. You’ll have noticed if the finest hardware and software upgraded to a disc based system from
you saw the last newsletter a signifi available for the Pet. cassettes, and now have a cassette unit
cant change in appearance, hopefully The next issue will be again to sell, or you’ve upgraded from Basic
for the better. I think this has been a featuring the special educational sec 2 to Basic 4 and find yourself with a
step in the right direction, and that tion, as it will be doing every other spare set of Basic 2 roms), or there is
we’ve continued the trend with this month, but that doesn’t mean that an item of hardware that you’re after,
issue. If you disagree you are free, as you’ll be seeing issues totally devoid write to me, with all the details (i.e.
ever, to contact me and air your of information on the Pet in educa item, price and address), at the ad
views. The Pet Show will be a fine tion. This month there are a number dress at the end of the editorial.
opportunity to do this, and I look for of articles of this nature, and we hope We have available, at a price of £1.00
ward to seeing many of you there. I’ll that not only schools and colleges will each, around 700 empty high quality
be on a stand in the front foyer, so find these interesting, but the rest of plastic diskette cases. You can buy
you’ve no excuses! (Neither have you will as well. There are a vast any number from 1 to 700, but as you
I......)• number of Pets in the educational can appreciate this is strictly on a
field - they represent something like first-come-first-served basis. If you’re
Continuity 20% to 25% of the Pet population in interested in obtaining any of these,
With the introduction of a mon the U.K. - so we can’t afford to ignore write with your cheque made out to
thly newsletter, one of the things you! The list of educational C.B.M. (U.K.) Ltd. to Margaret
we’ll be doing is to introduce an workshops in the last issue has Gulliford at the address below.
amount of continuity amongst the ar already proved to be of use, and next
ticles. So, each month you will know time we’ll be publishing the ones that Continuing Debate
that certain features will be appear we missed first time round. This list Finally the continuing debate on
ing. For instance, David Pocock’s will be continually updated as the what goes into the newsletter. There
series on the use of Disk Drives is a newsletters go by. are a number of requests from people
regular contribution, and even if This time the special middle sec who own 80 column Pets who want to
you’ve thought so far that you’ve tion is devoted to the Pet Show, and is do more than just run their applica
known it all, I can guarantee you that really ‘everything you’ve always tions software on them. The newslet
David has a number of tricks up his wanted to know about the Show but ter has helped in the past, by
sleeve that you certainly won’t have were afraid to ask’. Do you approve of publishing the various Basic 1, 2 and
known. We’ll be regularly reviewing this pull-out section policy ? Let me 4 memory maps, but not everybody is
a number of products, and each know. competent enough to convert, alter,
month will also see a review of a play with, whatever programs they’ve
Commodore Approved Product. This Second-hand Pet Equipment got. I’ve tried to make amends for this
is because we feel that the Approved I’ve had a number of requests lack of information a little by in
Product range is a very important from club members about the cluding in this newsletter an article
describing some useful peeks, pokes
Editor Pete Gerrard and chr$ values, but this is really only
a begining. So, a plea on behalf of
myself, and everybody else who’s got
an 8032 and wants to know more
about it. If you’re an 8032 ‘whizz-
kid’, and would like to share your
learnings with other Pet users, send
any contributions to the Editor, at the
address below-:
Commodore Business Machines
818 Leigh Road
Trading Estate
Slough
Berks.
If there’s ever anything you want
to discuss, I’m available on Slough
74111
2
New Products
Audiogenic
Audiogenic, who supply and
make all of Commodore’s cassette
based software, have just announced a
new catalogue of products for the Pet.
These are a range of analog and
digital interfaces from the company
"Connecticut Microcomputer Inc.",
and Audiogenic are now the U.K.
distributors.
The catalogue should really be
called a manual, as it contains much
valuable information as well as the
product descriptions. In the catalogue
you will find such things as a 16 chan
nel analog to digital converter, which
converts each of the 16 inputs in turn
to an 8 bit digital signal. There is an
extremely interesting product known
as SADI, which is an interface that
allows communication between three
devices - an IEEE 488 controller
(such as the Pet), a serial RS 232 in
put/output device, and a parallel out nth cohorts.
put device. This means that, amongst
other things, you can have Pets talk until now I’ve been at a loss for an Real Time Orbit
ing to each other. As well as this the answer, but not any longer! An enter One program that has been
catalogue features serial and parallel prising company in Michigan, called generated in the U.K. is one called
printer adaptors, and overall is a very Matrix, have boldly gone where no Real Time Orbit, by G.E. Perry.
useful addition to the Pet world. To company has boldly gone before, and This program, in Basic, and written
obtain a copy of the catalogue, really put the Pet into orbit by pro for 16k+ 40 column Pets, shows the
telephone Reading (STD code 0734) ducing a lot of astrological programs, ground-track and current location of a
595647. It costs £2.50, offset against amongst other things. satellite in real-time.
your first order, and is really well The internal clock of the Pet is
worth it because it does much more Some of the programs they’ve got set to Greenwich Mean Time before
than simply telling you what is cover such things as the positions (to inputting satellite identity, rev.
available. Described by genial seconds of arc accuracy) of the Sun, number, nodal period (in minutes),
Audiogenic director Martin Maynard Moon and outer planets, transits and inclination (in degrees), mean motion
as “Cheap at twice the price”, I’m in secondary progressions, 10 house (in revs/day from NASA two-line or
clined to agree with him. systems with planets, and so on. They bital elements), and epoch and
As a footnote, Audiogenic also also publish a comprehensive longitude of an ascending node for
supply a vast range of books and magazine on all aspects of micros and any orbit on the day concerned (in the
hardware add-ons for the Pet, and are programming in this particular field. format of the NASA prediction
a good, quick source for such For further information, including a bulletin).
material. A copy of their latest com catalogue, write to:- After computing the current loca
plete catalogue is well worth a browse tion the program generates a map and
through, and can be obtained from plots the ground-track of the current
the same number as above. Matrix Magazine orbit with a cross if the satellite has
1014 North Main Street, already passed that point and a dot for
Ann Arbor, future positions (reverse field is used
Michigan 48104 over land masses). Locations coin
Pets in Space Ohio
U.S.A.
ciding with coastlines are not plotted
thereby preserving outline. The cur
rent location is indicated by a flashing
People have asked me in the past asterisk. As the satellite moves for
if I knew of any astrological programs Now, I believe that somewhere in ward its previous location is replaced
for the Pet, or any that calculated England this company has a U.K. by a cross or the appropriate coastline
planetary orbits for instance. Well, up outlet. Can anyone tell me who it is ? graphic character.
3
lines a minute. Increase in speed can
be very good - some programs runn
ing more than ten times faster. Sale
price is £300 plus V.A.T.
For further information, contact
Intex Datalog on Eaglescliffe (STD
0642) 781193.
Mannesman Tally
Mannesman Tally, the company
who produced Commodore’s 8024
printer, are now offering a substantial
number of 80 column matrix printers,
all of which are now classified as ex
demonstration printers, and these are
available at substantially reduced
prices. These units have been used
and maintained by the company
itself, and are offered with a return to
factory warranty of 30 days. The
prices range from as little as £300 up
to £500 for almost new printers. Cash
For most of the time a world map you get in touch with the School at with your order qualifies you for an
is displayed with a ten degree resolu the address below:- additional 3% discount, and if you
tion in latitude and longitude. The collect youself delivery charges are
example above shows the re-entry of Dr. Tony Bastick, also deducted. All enquiries about
Skylab over the south-western corner School of Management Studies this should be addressed to
of Australia on rev 35981 on the 11th and Languages,
of July 1979. Bucks College of H igher Bernard Lavelle,
When the satellite reaches Education, Mannesman Tally Ltd.,
Europe, the world map is replaced by Newland Park, (Ex-demo stock)
a two degree resolution map as Gorland Lane, 7 Cremyll Road,
displayed above. On leaving this area Chalfont St. Giles, Reading RG1 8NQ
the world map is regenerated. At the Bucks.
completion of one orbit the world Or telephone Tony on Chalfont
map is regenerated together with the St. Giles 4441. Thanks. Alternatively you can ‘phone Ber
new ground-track. The program nard on Reading (STD 0734) 580141
works continuously through mid extention 33, quoting “ex-demo
night. There is another version of the stock”. This is what I did, and found
program in which the past ground- Intex Datalog Bernard a helpful and obliging per
track is not indicated at all.
Further details are available Compiler son. In these inflationary times it
might be worth a try.
from:- Intex Datalog have just announc
G.E. Perry ed the release of their PC-Basic Com
101 Northampton Road,
Kettering,
piler for Commodore’s range of
micros. This is written entirely in
Tecpacs
Northants NN15 7JY machine code, and is fully compatible I recently attended a press con
with Commodore Micorsoft inter ference, where BHRA Fluid
preted Basic. It supports all Basic 2.0. Engineering (developed from the
commands, and all Commodore British Hydromechanical Research
Educational Plea peripherals. A Basic 4.0 version will Association) announced the release of
be available by the end of September. a large number of programs for the
A request and a plea for help. The The compiler takes a program which Pet. These go under the generic name
School of Management Studies and has been normally saved on disk, and of Tecpacs, and each program covers
Languages, in Buckinghamshire, is compiles it back on to disk as a direct a specific topic in a technical area
looking for tutorial programs in ly loadable program file. It can be us such as C ivil E ngineering
foreign languages (French, Spanish ed with any of the various disk drives, Hydraulics. There are at present 16
etc.). Hopefully not just straightfor and is used in conjunction with a run programs in the series, all of them be
ward phrase for phrase translation, time package in Eprom. The speed of ing concerned with engineering ap
but if that’s what you do have, all well compilation obviously depends on the plications such as Mechanical
and good. If you use such programs, complexity of the program being Engineering, Structural Analysis, and
or know of anywhere that does, could compiled, but it is of the order of 50 Statistical Data Analysis. All of the
4
formed the abstract of a proposed talk
by the presenting author Mr. R.H.
Gray. We haven’t got the full details
of the talk, but this does show you
what an enterprising lot they are in
Bangor.
A microcomputer system for
casualty patient records has been
developed in the Gwynedd Accident
Unit. The hardware consists of stan
dard, readily available business equip
ment at modest cost. The computer
system which has evolved is organis
ed as follows. On admission, direct in
put of patient information and known
details of circumstances concerning
the accident and injury is performed
by clerical staff. This information is
stored on floppy disk and a casualty
card printed.
Encoding of medical information
is performed by the attending Casulty
Tecpac System Set-up Officer and at this stage more detailed
data on specific “special interest”
projects (e.g. Road Traffic Accidents)
is put onto the casualty card. This
new information is fed into the com
puter system by the clerical staff and
stored. An upgraded hardcopy file is
printed on discharge/disposal of the
patient. Each patient receives a uni
que casualty number and retrieval of
an individual’s file is based on either
number or name. The accumulated
file is used for routine tasks such as
the printing of a daily log book and
enquiry into referral of a particular
patient.
Also, clinics (Fracture, Hand etc.)
can have a print out in individual card
form of referred casulty patients.
This information can be manipulated
to include only the pertinent details
relevant to each specialist clinic. This
allows the Accident Unit to maintain
a master manual hardcopy file of
C asualty p atien t records,
simultaneously allowing the main
Hospital Records to have a program
Typical screen print mable subset of information for each
particular clinic.
programs are now part of the Com The use of Basic programming
modore Approved range. Time and
space forbid too much coverage this A Microcomputer language and involvement of medical
personnel directly in program
time around, but there’ll be more in
the next issue. Ar the present, for fur
based Record development, combined with hard
ware that is dedicated solely to use in
ther details contact:- System in an the Accident Unit, allows marked
Technical Software Centre,
Accident Unit flexibility. Rapid progress has been
achieved with minimal resources.
BHRA Fluid Engineering, The use of a decentralised system
Cranfield, The following article really proves such as this, modified for individual
Bedford MK43 OAJ that Pets get everywhere. It comes Accident Units, would allow ready
Tel. 0234 750102 from the Accident Unit of the Caer compilation of National Statistics.
narfonshire and Anglesey General So, the initiative has been taken
Hospital, in Bangor, Gwynedd, and -who will follow ?
5lady whose mate flits away the hours I have a fervent paranoic desire to
Silicon Office programming his new toy. It really
makes you see green!
personally hang, draw and quarter the
man (and it could only be a man), who
Silicon Office is the latest arrival Life is bad enough when you are developed the Space Invaders pro
from the Bristol Software Factory, confronted with the latest issue of gram as Pet food. I spend hours wat
already well known for their earlier Penthouse, only to be compared with ching the love of my life torn in agony
programs such as Trader, Item, the luscious Pet of the month. as he tries to combat his wits against
Monitor, and of course the enormous However, your feminine instincts those infernal descending little blobs.
ly succesful OZZ, a package which know the tactics necessary to divert His face alters rapidly while his body
sold over 2,500 copies in the first six his attention from this source. Yet, becomes rivetted to the machine. It
months of release. OZZ was the first this totally logical device is a real Fast reminds me of a Jekyll and Hyde film
microcomputer program to begin to Sort. I once saw. Every muscle tenses as he
exploit the true potential of a small Your conversation becomes attempts to bash hell out of the ‘A’
single user system by enabling the limited to his ravings in Syntax Er button whilst co-ordinating his
user to keep track of information in rors. Occasionally your intercourse is movements on the ‘4’ and ‘6’ keys.
his own individual way. Silicon Of interjected by Dumps and Traces. He becomes impervious to all around
fice takes the next step, by covering Now and again, he wafts into graphic him (especially me).
many office procedures but still keep detail on Machine Language - does Bad Enough
ing the individuality of OZZ. The this mean it talks to him ? But when You think this is bad enough - not
program will only work on the newly he wakes up in the middle of the so. Somewhere along the line, some
announced 8096 Com m odore night, proclaiming he must Poke and bright enterprising little spark has
microcomputer, and will be released Peek, you distinctly feel he is being manufactured a speaker unit for our
concurrently with it at the Pet Show obscene. dear little Pet. Now not only can you
on June 18th. Disrupted see the Invaders advancing but their
Silicon Office is constructed from five My life was disrupted thus about speedy promenade is accompanied by
main building blocks, namely :- 12 months ago. Before then I was weird sounds reminiscent of a Ben
1) An advanced file system for blissfully ignorant of mainframes, jamin Britten opera. Like chalk
maintaining files of information. minis and micros. I vaguely thought screeching on a blackboard the ex
2) A word processor for typing let of them to be some new dress fashion. cruciating ‘Bleep-Bleeps’ echo
ters, reports etc. Now my Lord and Master has urged through your brain. This repetitious
3) A point-to-point communica me to abandon all former ways. I have drumming is occasionally interspers
tion facility for information transfer. been instructed to discover the ed with a high pitched police siren
4) A fourteen digit calculator for menacing Word Processor; fathom type of noise announcing the arrival
mathematical manipulation. the meaning of Interfacing and Bus of a trolley bus. The bonus points for
5) Programmibility, to control the -which seems a rather ridiculous no this hit are too much for your man to
system as a whole. tion to me. No longer can I visualise resist. He tracks it along, only to mis
Now you can see why it requires Rams gaily prancing around fields on fire and be bombed by an un-looked
96k of memory! Not having access to a bright Spring day. I hold chips I for Invader. Too much! Too much!
an 8096 I can’t give you a detailed cannot devour (with or without I am an optimistic person and believe
review of the product yet - suffice it to vinegar) and foresee that ships are not that there is light at the end of every
say that what I’ve seen so far is stag the only entrants to ports. All these tunnel. There is an old saying - “if
gering, and in summary Silicon Of new innovations have been mind- you can’t beat them, join them”. So
fice is quite simply a revolution in boggling for a simple soul like myself, the answer to this conundrum - we
programming. Details are available but the worst is yet to come. have two Pets, his and hers.
from the Bristol Software Factory, Close encounters of the fourth kind
and their address is
Bristol Software Factory SCORE 0 1 9 6 1 HIBusiness User’s Column Barry Miles
This column will examine further sucessfully. If the program is in colours, and to ensure that all disk
the question of program and data machine code, this will be unlikely, supplies are re-labeled as soon as they
security. You will recall that last time and even simple alterations to so arrive. A record of receipts and issues
we began to examine the possible haz- meone else’s program are not too easy of disks should be kept, with dates
zards and their prevention and to make, because there is always the and recipients recorded, by some
minimisation. Perhaps now would be possibility of the changes1having sub member of staff who has no other
a good time to emphasise that I do not tle unforseen effects on other parts of dealings with the computer installa
have a negative attitude towards the program. tion. It should be clearly understood
microcomputing, and indeed think it that alien disks will not be tolerated in
to have an extremely important part "Need to Know" Principle the machine, and you should keep a
to play in increasing business efficien Another way of protecting your wary eye open for infringment of this
cy. However, such enthusiasm should programs from this type of tamper rule. If your staff become so keen on
not be allowed to blind one to the ing, is to ensure that they will run im games that serious work is en
danger inherent in handing over im mediately on loading. This ensures dangered, this will go some way
portant activities to an alien machine, that they cannot be listed in order to towards reducing the difficulty.
which may not be fully understood by be changed. Not many commerical It will be readily appreciated that
the people operating it. It is a tool, to programs have this facility, but there many businesses will not be large
be used for easing your work. But, are a few programming experts who enough to enable the various security
like all good tools, it needs care in its could add it for you. Alternatively, it methods suggested in this series to be
use. A sharp chisel, in the hands of a is now possible to buy a program carried out in full, but this will be
sensible user is a safe tool, because which will change your programs in largely compensated for by the fact
the pressure needed to operate it is far this fashion. Whilst you are at it, you that the owner of the smaller business
less than that needed to operate a may wish to commission work to be can keep a closer eye on all the events
blunt one. However, such a chisel, us done to make access to your data-file in his business, than can the manage
ed by someone who does not know impossible without use of a password, ment of a larger organisation, which
how to protect himself from harm, is and to restrict knowledge of the must rely on formal procedures to
dangerous indeed. password to those few people who provide the necessary degree of pro
must have the information in order to tection.
Major Dangers carry out their work: back to the
The major dangers of employee “Need to know” principle! You should not be reluctant to
dishonesty seem to fall naturally into discuss the question of program and
two categories: Fraud, and data theft. Data Security data security with your dealer, when
Fraud takes two main forms in data Data security is another matter. considering buying a program; taking
processing: one consists of changing The extreme portability of your data an interest in whether any precau
the program so that it operates in a disks is a matter for careful thought. tions have been built into the pro
way which distorts the data produced, The dangers include theft of informa gram, and whether they can be
so as to fraudulently change accoun tion about your customers to enable a custom -designed to your re
ting information. For example, one competitor to steal your business, quirements. A useful enhancement
could arrange for the payroll program theft of customer information for pur would be to have the program stop
to give more pay to a selected group poses of blackmail of customer or, if operation at intervals, insisting that
of employees, and collect a share of you are foolish enough to understate backup disks are recorded before con
the spoils from each of them. This your income to the Inland Revenue, tinuing operation.
might be done by changing the gross of yourself! Consultation
pay and distorting the control totals. It is not only the theft of your A useful way of getting things
How might we deal with this danger? own disks which must be prevented, organised in the most satisfactory
Well, the simplest way is to arrange but the information upon them must manner is to arrange a consultation
for the original program or security be safeguarded. This means that between your auditor and a skillful
copy, kept out of the hands of the unauthorised copying of disks must programmer, discussing all aspects of
usual operator, to be run at irregular be prevented. Duplicating a disk program and data security, and
intervals by another operator, and the takes very few minutes, and the disks resulting in the programs being
results checked against those produc themselves can easily be carried into adapted in the most effective way,
ed in the ordinary way. You may and out of your premises in any con before being put into use. This will
choose to let it be known that such venient briefcase or bag. So what can ensure that time is not wasted in set
checks will be part of the normal we do? ting up procedures which the auditor
work processes, “As the auditors in The main thing seems to be to thinks are insecure, or in considering
sist”, so that the deterrant effect may avoid disks coming into the premises in detail suggestions from the auditor
be achieved. which are not the property of your which the programmer can tell you
This type of fraud requires that business, AND IDENTIFIABLE immediately are not suitable for im
the operator shall have sufficient AS SUCH. A cheap way of doing plementation, because of system
knowledge of computer programming this is to have special disk labels limitations, of which neither you, nor
to be able to alter the program printed, numbered, and in distinctive the auditor are aware.
7printer you can impress your clients
or customers with the skill of your
typists, who appear to reject anything
less than perfect output. Some people
feel insulted by receiving a letter
printed by computer, so a daisy-wheel
printer will save their feelings, and
maintain good customer relations.
I suggest you read the reviews of
these programs in earlier editions of
the Commodore Newsletter, and
make up your mind from them. If
your requirements are not so
sophisticated, you may find Paper-
mate an attractive, and cheaper alter
native.
Visicalc
Another program, this time of
astonishing versatility is Viscalc.
Some people have the mistaken idea
that this is a financial modelling
package, and as such, only suitable
for use by accountants. This is not
true. It is really a way of carrying out
tabulations of any figures, and anyone
who is called upon to set figures out
in rows and columns for any purpose,
and who needs to be able to carry out
calculations for the purpose, or
change any figures, should buy this
Barry Miles meaning business program without delay. In my opi
nion, used properly, it is capable of
Such a consultation will be even Word Processing being the most exciting innovation
more important if you are going to for microcomputers since the word-
the trouble and expense of having An obvious choice is word pro processing programs were developed.
programs specially written for you. cessing. In case any reader is not fully Unfortunately it suffers from some
Program Selection aware of what this means, I will just defects which limit its usefulness, in
Let us now examine the say that it is a form of highly in deed, I have been forced to write
availability of programs which are so telligent typewriting, enabling an some programs myself to eliminate
widely useful that any business would amazing range of editing, alteration, two of its most serious defects: firstly
be justified in buying them, without storage, and printing facilities to be to enable printing to be carried out on
bothering to go into them in the used. a non-Commodore printer, and
fashion which I have suggested in We are fortunate that very fine secondly, to enable the formulae
previous articles in CPUCN. machine-code word processing pro which you are commanding Visicalc
What we are looking for is grams exist for the Commodore to implement, to be printed. Without
routine operations of such universal machines, and they offer facilities this facility you are in the position of
applicability that it is almost in matching those on dedicated word a programmer who is not able to
conceivable that they would not be of processing machines costing many check the logical flow of the program
use in almost every business which is times more than the equipment we which he has written, because he can
likely to acquire a Commodore are using. not list it!
system. The selection between the two However, even with these reser
Firstly we should consider what programs which lead the field is a vations, I cannot recommend the pro
we are aiming to do. It is usually the matter of personal choice, some gram too strongly. The latest versions
case that the machine’s purchase will prefer Wordpro, and some Wordcraft. print on any printer, having been
have been for a particular purpose, If you are using the 40 column modified by Harry Broomhall for the
and the purchase will have been machine, then using Wordcraft is the purpose.
justified on the basis of time saved or only way to see on the screen how If you are interested in carrying
increases in efficiency or speed. We your formatted output will look. If out some Basic programming
are now interested in obtaining good you are using an 8032 then you have yourself, or expect one of your staff to
value for money by using spare the choice between Wordpro 4 and do some programming, then Basic
machine-time in a cost-effective Wordcraft 80. Either of these pro Aid is an amazingly cheap program
fashion. This implies being able to grams will suit you very well, and from Commodore, which will be
use programs intermittantly, fitting many an installation is used just for enormously helpful. The more am
the operations around the existing word processing and is fully justified bitious will go for some of the attrac
machine-load schedule. by so doing. With a daisy-wheel tive add-ons.
8Reviews
his customers — when he had used it
Cathedral saved from for a couple of weeks he ’phoned to Great Traditions
collapse by say that he used it all the time and
wouldn’t be without it. taken into the
Constructional Workmanlike Programs Micro-Age
Software I hope by now that you can begin
to see a picture of a series of The Commodore PET with a
Well that’s not quite the case but the
workmanlike programs solving Landsoft program has chalked up two
editor suggested this might be an eye
established problems. No bells and firsts in the world of fine food and
catching little article about some whistles but reliable tools. Just as the wine in the midst of the yachting
unusual application. engineer might have kept a slide rule mecca of Lymington. The Stanwell
in his pocket because it seemed to
Constructional Software programs House Hotel and Railings Restaurant
are generally for use, as the name im
answer so many questions then a has been able to take the traditions of
plies, in the construction industry.PET on your desk could feel the comfort, service, food and great wines
They are not usually spectacular in same. into the microcomputer age; and was
effect — not for us the claims of On the other hand, integration is the first establishment to take the
revolution in small businesses. At a common topic when computers and Landsoft G.B. 2 System on a Com
least, it depends what you mean by their programs are being discussed. modore PET.
revolution. Ours is a quieter revolu
Again, it depends what you mean by This both bills and analyses all
tion. integration. If you mean a series of charges automatically, enters stan
Take an example: frame analysis is
programs which will all talk to each ding charges for the small items that
a job regularly done by structural other and are linked into an all make a major contribution to the well
engineers. Before the computer it was
singing all-dancing megalith, then being of guests. Early morning teas,
done the long way using a slide ruleforget it — that sort of common and fresh juices, late night sand
and log tables. A bit later bureau ser
language is about as useful as wiches or newspapers are all
vice was available using computer Esperanto (with respect). Everything automatically entered. But this Land-
techniques, then a terminal might beto everyone and nothing to anyone. soft PET system is not only used to
seen in the design office using a See yourself as integrator: a central incorporate numerical amounts.
telephone link to a large computer. control with access to the appropriate The Stanwell House Hotel was the
While this was happening the power tools. Our Specwriter package is a first to use the system for bedrooms
ful programmable calculator ap good example. Take a regular (and that are named, not numbered. All
peared and calculations were lovingly
astonishingly good) word processor the bedrooms are called after famous
entered for immediate results. This package in Wordcraft 80 and couple it wines and the system copes with the
adds up to an established backgroundwith our massive National Building names — and more. For, guests order
Specification text database and, bet
of computer use. Constructional Soft ing their wine after which their
ware offers, in its Keypac and new ween the two, you have something bedroom is named are offered a dis
Strider suite, programs which enable which will not only write a specifica count. And the system takes care of
the CBM microcomputer to combine tion but also send out your Christmas that as well.
the roles of powerful calculator and cards, write your letters, type your Says Jeremy Willcock, Resident
terminal link. Delays and frustrations
Section 27 notices and prepare ar Director, “The system is ideal for in
experienced with either postal ticles like this. A good example of two dividual high class hotels. I cannot
bureaux or time sharing terminals areuseful tools combined to satisfy both understand why the majority —
gone. general and specific applications. which after all are owner-run like
Set this sort of function beside a Don’t be put off by trying to find ourselves — have not installed a
general accounting package, a Word something that does everything and micro-aid which is alpha numeric.”
craft 80 and Ozz and then, perhaps, getting hopelessly confused in the The PET system in the Stanwell
we have a real revolution. process. Let the PET micro do House Hotel handles guest billing
These comments apply to most of something, anything, which takes ad and payroll using Landsoft programs,
our products: after all, no one is going
vantage of its power and accessibility and wordprocessing using Profes
to get excited about Keypac 20 for and you will find that the computer is sional Software’s Wordpro 3 through
drainage design. Critical path analysis
friendly and useful and gives you which it can take care of menus and
is seen by many as a tedious and more time to worry, or not as the case wine lists, etc.
unending calculation because may be, about the things worth wor This facility is particularly im
everything keeps changing. Use rying about. portant to the restaurant as the de
Prenet for your small networks or the mand for fine wines is growing all the
new Project program (shortly to be Roy Stephenson — Claremont time and different wines and vintages
released) for large networks and up Controls Ltd. A Commodore Approved are being introduced constantly.
dating becomes a real pleasure. We Product Supplier. These can be added very simply with
have one customer who freely admits the Wordpro 3, providing the
that he only wanted Prenet to impress restaurant with a list which is always
9up to date and clean with nothing Being menu-driven the program necessary. Then, preserving all lines
scratched out or listed but out of is pleasant to operate, and you can which are targets of GOSUB or
stock. list any selected disk’s directory, find GOTO, or RUN, it links lines
“We ran the system as a back-up any program, (using just the first let together, to form lines of up to 250
for a month while we trained ter if you wish), delete an entry, find bytes long!
ourselves in”, says Jeremy Willcock. the number of blocks free on each People who are going for max
“It became our primary system on disk, or sort through the disk to imum space-saving and speed, will
January 1st 1981. Since then we’ve find one with enough space on it find that examination of the “com
had no problems — except for the for that long file you wish to pacted” program will show ways of
time when a new receptionist put her create. This last feature is very changing the code, reducing the
fingers on a disk!” useful to help you get the maximum number of target lines, so that com
Landsoft is a Commodore Ap usage out of disk space. The program pacting the program again is very fast
proved Product Supplier, and their will also handle the master disk itself, to use, and is available for both New
telephone number for further infor and add it to the catalogue! ROMs and BASIC 4 machines. It
mation is: 01-339 2476. Criticisms? Well, I would like to represents the next best thing to a
see an 8050 version as soon as posi- compiler, and its speed is such that it
Master ble! Also, it would be better if the files is perfectly feasible to use it at run
Directory/Index were listed in columns, with the full
screen used.
time only, so that you do not have to
store two versions of the program if
Supersoft “ Master Index”
T he com panion program
you don’t want to. The instructions
show you how to protect the routine,
This program is a “must” for “Master Index”, will enable you to very simply, so that you can run a
anyone who has a large number of print out an alphabetical list of every series of programs, compacting each
disks, and uses a 4040 or 3040 Disk program in the catalogue, at as high a one as you use it. At £15, this
unit. speed as your printer is capable. You represents very good value for
Written partly in machine code may feel that this is a bit expensive at money.
for speed, it takes the directory from £12j but that will depend on the There are a large number of
each disk, sorts it into ASCII order, number of diskettes you have, and programming-aids available now, and
and stores it on the directory disk. whether time is money to you! it is difficult for the user to decide
This process is so quick that you can Supersoft also offer a machine between them. They vary from out-
feed the disks into the unit as fast as code “Compactor”. There was a and-out aids to the actual process of
possible; by the time you have hit the Compactor program in BASIC, programming, e.g. Toolkit, Program
necessary keys, the drive light has published by “Compute” magazine, mer’s Friend, through those which
gone out, and you can remove that but, although it is reliable, it is rather are both aids to programming and
disk while the sort takes place. Fur slow, and this program represents a routines for incorporation in pro
thermore, you can update the details quantum speed improvement. grams, e.g. Commando and Disk-o-
of any changes as a result of adding or What it does is to remove all the Pro, to those which are intended for
scratching files, simply by re-entering REMs in a program, all the spaces, incorporation within programs only,
the disk into the catalogue. and semi-colons which are un e.g. Multisort.
10number of extra features have been
PET Enhancement For Computer added, including extended PET
graphics, sound generation, full
Package Aided BASIC string handling and string ar
Instruction:— rays, plus PEEK, POKE and USR
This package, available from
Supersoft again, is mainly a set of
routines for incorporation into your
MTC PILOT facilities. Using MTC PILOT, pro
grams can be entered, edited, saved,
verified, loaded and run just like
programs, although it does have An interpreter for an extended BASIC programs. The full PET
features for use in direct mode also. version of common PILOT, im screen editor can be used with
The program is not on a chip, plemented as a machine-code pro PILOT programs plus extra facilities
and if you want mobility between gram for any model of 16K or 32K like automatic line numbering,
machines, this is important. With PET computer, using cassette or flop renumbering, block deletion, listing
true portability in mind, the author, py disk drive. to printer, and repeat on all keys.
Mike Todd, has arranged that it is Common PILOT is a powerful, By making full use of routines
possible to save the P.E.P. tacked on dedicated language for writing in already available in PET ROMs, all
to your program, by using a normal- teractive instructional programs, this has been achieved in approx
looking BASIC SAVE command, and developed at Western Washington imately 5K of machine code. This
a LOAD will bring the enhanced pro University. Using this language, it is code relocates the top of RAM when
gram into your machine. possible for novices to start writing PILOT is loaded, leaving the rest of
It offers a computed GOTO and useful instructional programs within memory free for PILOT programs.
GOSUB; a POS function, which tells four hours of first sitting down at a Although MTC PILOT will func
you where a substring occurs within a computer keyboard. Thus common tion using cassettes only, users of
string; a user definable print routine, PILOT is ideal for many applications Commodore disk drives and Mu-
the ability to turn the package on and in schools, colleges and universities. PET will find a number of special
off, from software (this is important, Further applications for easily- features in disk versions of the pro
because the use of the interrupt written interactive programs arise in gram. An enhanced DOS SUPPORT
routines implies a speed penalty, and business and industrial training. is incorporated, which checks the er
there is no point in suffering this if The language will also be found ror channel after every disk access, so
speed is paramount, and the section useful in Computer Science teaching. that any errors are trapped
of code being processed does not call The simplicity of its structure and its automatically. In addition to this, the
on any P.E.P. routines.) ease of use make it a very suitable first random block access file facilities
Also available is a repeat key, (I language for a beginner. Advanced allow student records to be kept so
should add that the program is for programmers will find that common that progress can be monitored, and
New Roms only, a BASIC 4 version PILOT has some very powerful also allow a single PILOT program to
not yet being available); the stop key features, including easy program self access well over 100 kilobytes of text.
can be disabled and enabled at will; modification using the ‘execute in MTC PILOT - A Sample Routine
the upper and lower limit of RAM direct’ command. From a program designed to in-
can be set; double density plotting is MTC PILOT is an adaptation and troduce Cartesian coordinates:—
available (“Little squares”!); variables
can be zeroed en bloc, degrees can be 506
516
r- s t a r t o-f P l o t t i n g r o u t i n e
t : E n t e r some c o o r d i n a t e s / and w atch w here
converted to radians, and vice-versa; 520
530
p o in t s a p p e a r on t h e s c r e e n .
* p lo t t h : x - c o o r d i n a t e ( 0 - 7 9 >?
the case of alpha characters can be in 540 a : #x
verted in a string, this will help you
550 t e In p u t a number u s in s t h e k eys on t h e -fa r r i s h t .
560 Je :6a
convert programs written on the 570
580
t h ; y - c o o r d i n a t e C0 - 4 9 >?
a : #y
BASIC ROMS to run with ease on 590
£00
t e In p u t a number u s in ? t h e k e v s on t h e -far r i » h t .
Je : (sa
the New Roms. 610 s ;c
t : x *# x y = #y
A very powerful command is the
620
€3 0 S I ' S X /V
“DO” Command. This is in the form
640 t r e : S o r r v / p o i n t o u t o-f r a n * e .
650 c :c o u n te r*c o u h te r+ 1
of “DO A$”, where A$ contains a 660
670
j C* 'o u n t e r < 5 ) : p lo t
c c o u n te r * ©
Basic statement. This will have many 680
690
PT $1
t W ould vou l i k e t o P l o t some more p o in t s ?
uses for the lively-minded program 700 a:
mer, offering as it does the possibility
710 m: y e s ! a I r i s h t ! o k a y !s u r e
720 j y :P lo t
of the equivalent of self modifying
730 r n e x t b lo c k o-f pro g ra m s t a r t s h e re
programs. extension of common PILOT, im The action of this program is as
Also included is a carefully plemented as a new interpreter for the follows:—
thought-out set of input routines, to PET. All the features of common
help you prevent the user who hits PILOT are supported, including 500 remark — ignored on execution
return with no data from dropping automatic editing of user input, 510 -520 type instructions
out of the program. This uses a sophisticated ‘window strings’ 530 starts with a label which can
special variable to tell you what has response matching, ‘execute indirect’ be used as the destination of
happened, so that the program can command, random block access, flop branch instructions. Followed
branch as you wish. py disk file handling, and ‘escape’ and by a type instruction with a
All in all a very interesting ‘goto’ options allowing run-time ‘hang’ modifier, which inhibits
package, and cheap at £25. modification of program execution. A carriage return/line feed.
11540 -560 accepts an input from the automatic editing. Also possible to goto a specified
user, and stores the first • Problem command allows various label.
number input in variable x. If automatic editing options to be • ? can be used to check values of
no number is input an error set, including removing spaces or variables during debugging.
message is printed, followed by forcing upper or lower case. • Single command gives listing on
a jump back to the accept com • Versatile match instruction can Commodore printer in either up
mand. search for a number of alternative per or lower case modes.
570 -600 accepts the value of responses anywhere in the answer • Automatic line numbering in
variable y in the same way. buffer. Special characters match steps of any size.
610 -640 clears the screen, types the with any string or with any single • 3-parameter line renumbering
chosen coordinates, and plots character, allowing compensation facility.
the point by setting point (x,y) for simple spelling errors. • Block deletion facility.
in a double-density graphics • Jumps can be made to labels of up • Direct mode commands BASIC
display. If an error in en to six characters anywhere in the and PILOT allow transfer bet
countered due to the point be program, or to the last label, last ween languages.
ing out of range, an ap accept, next match, or next pro • Repeat function can be enabled
propriate message is displayed blem command. Jump modifier on all keys (also functions in
in reverse field. on match gives automatic jump to BASIC)
650 -660 increments a counter in a next match if current match fails. • Upper and lower case commands
compute statement, then if the • Subroutines nestable up to 24 give easy transfer between alter
counter is less than five per deep. Subroutine end instruction native character sets (also func
forms a conditional jump back can be used with a label. tion in BASIC).
to label *plot. • Computer command gives all • Disk version incorporates
670 -680 resets the counter, then in BASIC functions including enhanced DOS SUPPORT, with
a problem command sets PEEK and USR. Special string full error trapping on all disk ac
automatic editing options to editing commands can force up cess, including program load.
remove all spaces from user in per case, force lower case,
put, and force it into lower capitalise, remove or replace The Registered Users Scheme
case. specified characters. All purchasers of MTC PILOT are
690 -700 types a question, then ac • Numeric or string arrays with autom atically entered in the
cepts an input from the user, any number of dimensions as in registered users scheme, entitling
which is automatically edited BASIC. them to the following:—
and stored in a special ‘answer • Execute indirect command allows
buffer’. strings to be concatenated, and • MITAC Publishing will supply
710 searches the answer buffer, the result to be executed as a line extra copies of the program and
looking for a match for any of of PILOT. Allows easy program manual to registered users, for
the strings specified anywhere self-modification. only 20% of the original cost.
in the buffer. • Later updates of MTC PILOT
720 -730 if the match was suc • Random block access file com will be made available to
cessful, branches back to the mands usable with Commodore registered users at substantially
label *plot. Otherwise execu disk drives. Particularly useful reduced prices.
tion continues from line 730. for keeping student records, • MITAC will circulate informa
and/or for storing extended tion about programs written in
passages of text. MTC PILOT as they become
MTC PILOT — Programming • Sound effects command gives available. This includes programs
Features music or noise generation on a published by MITAC and ap
• Allows simple linearly-structured simple external sound box. proved programs released by
programs, with remark state • Escape and goto options allow other companies.
ments for self-documentation. user to jump to a label or call a • Modern Tutorial College will
• Type statement with hang and subroutine in the middle of nor endeavour to provide support to
reverse-field modifiers prints text, mal program execution. Can be help with any difficulties en
variable values, and full PET used to provide a calculator facili countered in the use of MTC
graphics. ty in scientific exercises. PILOT.
• Special screen command gives • Six types of conditional execu
programmed cursor control and tion, including on match flag, er MTC PILOT is available in a
screen poking, plus computed ror flag or relational expression. package consisting of the interpreter,
cursor positioning and double a manual, and sample programs on
density graph plotting set reset tape or on disk, for £65 plus VAT.
and test commands. MTC Pilot - Editing Features Enquiries to MITAC Publishing
• Crash-proof accept command Ltd., Modern Tutorial College,
allows input into answer buffer, • Full PET dynamic screen edit. Kilburn Lane, London W10 4AA.
or into numeric or string NEW, LOAD, SAVE, VERIFY Tel: 01-960 5899.
variables. Single modifier can be and LIST function as in BASIC.
used to get single character, and • Programs can be run from first All material strictly copyright.
exact modifier to suppress line or from a specified label. © Modern Tutorial College
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