Z TIPS: Bruce Morgen (Ivyland, PA) makes Poke&Go operate faster, improves his
original idea of altering an application program loaded in memory and then
running application. Here 'tis:
POKE&GO2 - Improved version for ZCPR3 systems that support the GET command.
3/10/85 GET is pretty economical in terms of code length within ZCPR3,
so if you have a macro assembler [like ZAS] I strongly recommend
you implement it - makes POKE&GO much faster and eliminates need
for ZEX, using the following ALIAS script [comments right of
vertical bar, |, are not part of alias]:
A0:SYSTEM>ALIAS WSD
ALIAS, Version 1.1
Alias Name: WSD
Old Alias Command Line:
1 --> A0:; |GO TO SYSTEM DIRECTORY
2 --> LDR SYS3.RCP; |LOAD RCP THAT HAS THE POKE COMMAND
3 --> GET 100 WS.COM; |LOAD WORDSTAR WITH GET (PROGRAM DOES NOT RUN)
4 --> POKE 036B 22; |SET RIGHT MARGIN TO 35 (ACTUALLY 34 DECIMAL)
5 --> POKE 0378 00; |SET INITIAL MODE TO DOCUMENT FROM NON-DOCUMENT
6 --> $D$U:; |RESTORE ORIGINAL DIRECTORY
7 --> GO $1; |RUN LOADED WORDSTAR WITH OPTIONAL FILENAME
8 --> A0:; |BACK TO SYSTEM DIRECTORY ON EXIT
9 --> LDR SYS.RCP; |LOAD REGULAR RCP
10 --> $D$U: |EXIT TO ORIGINAL DIRECTORY
Never to be outdone, Echelon staff produced two aliases, first one
reduces clutter of files along system search path. As an example of concept,
using HLP files, put all help files in a directory not used by other files and
not along your search path (say A12:). Rename HELP.COM to HLP.COM and place
along the path. Next create an alias called HELP, place along path,
containing:
1 --> A12:; |you could call this directory HELP:
2 --> IF NUL $1;
3 --> HLP ZCPR3; |default entry point
4 --> ELSE;
5 --> HLP $1; |get declared HLP file using HLP.COM
6 --> FI; | (endif)
7 --> $D$U: |return to original directory
After implementing above, help is obtained from any directory by typing the
word HELP followed by pressing cursor return, <cr>. Alias logs into A12:, HLP
ZCPR3 combination runs. Then when finished viewing help screens, logs back
into original directory. Help file name need not be entered on command line,
then ZCPR3 (or other entry point specified by your custom alias, line 3) top-
of-tree file is executed. But any name may be specified to by-pass default
file help entry point. Neat! Global aliases can be created to speed just
about any task you think of.
Next, who in the Z community has created a PRINT command alias that
direct requested number of printed copies of a file be made? Desired quantity
is requested using command line trailing attribute. One way it's done is
using ALIAS, ZEX, IF/ELSE/FI, GOTO, ECHO, REG and, of course, PRINT. Our
staff developed below example in about 20 minutes (surely you have an example
that's better). We called the controlling alias PR which contains few lines:
1 --> IF EXIST $1; |put printer to work if..
2 --> ZEX PRINT $1 $2 $3; |..file exists.
3 --> ELSE;
4 --> ECHO ++ $1 NOT FOUND ++; |if not, tell!
5 --> FI |keep balance
Nested batch file PRINT.ZEX contains sixteen command lines, but it's smart
(and some of it is a little tricky). Online documentation in IF, Z3UTIL2 (for
REG), and CMDFILES (for GOTO and ZEX) describe what must be known for
understanding:
;
; PRINT.ZEX prints declared copies of a file from PR alias
; ^& suppress False IF's
;
if NUL $3 |if no PRINT options specified assume..
reg S0 $2 |..$2 contains number of copies.
else
reg S0 $3 |set REG 0 to number of copies from $3
fi |balance 'if' with 'endif'
;=again | 'loop' entry repeats file printing
fi |keep balance when looping
if 0 |REG 0 must be one or greater to print
else
if NUL $3 |if options not specified drop $3 and..
PRINT $1 |..use defaults of PRINT.COM.
else
PRINT $1 $2 |execute PRINT with declared options
fi |keep balance under all conditions
reg M0 |decrement REG 0 by one count (-1)
GOTO again |continue printing (final FI in..
; |..controlling PR alias.)
; Printing Complete
;
For more one or more printed copy of a file (after placing PRINT.ZEX and PR
alias along search path), type PR <filename> [options] <number of copies><cr>.
File to be printed must be in current directory. An example: PR fn.ft e 5
produces five "exact" copies of fn.ft on your printer; PR fn.ft 2 prints 2
copies at default PRINT settings. PR.COM and PRINT.ZEX could be in A15:
(ROOT) directory and fn.ft in B0: (WORK1). We used controlling alias simply
to not have to type ZEX on command line. ZEX file could be more structured by
nesting conditionals--as is, works fine. Many ways exist to do "looping"
tasks--let's hear about yours! Z waits for you to unleash its vast power!
Z-Node proliferation continues! Newest additions (more needed in areas of
Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and Houston):
29. Edward Unrein - Altamonte Springs (Orlando), FL - 305/295-0844
30. Ben Ragan - St. Louis, MO - 314/423-7038
FLASH: Steve Ciarcia's "Circuit Cellar" of BYTE Magazine will fully describe
superior single-board computer called SB-180, useful in industrial control,
desktop and portable personal computing applications. (Also, hobbyist and
tinkers will find much here--it's a construction article--to expand their
horizons.) Use of Hitachi CMOS HD64180 super 8-bit chip gives computer 16/32-
bit performance at extremely low prices, and runs Z80/8080 instruction set,
CP/M-80 software. Board is bundled with Echelon Z software. (See newsletters
105 and 107 for computer benchmarks.) SB-180, both hardware and software,
descriptions appear in two contiguous before-end-of-1985 issues of BYTE.
Selling price for computer not presently established (should be around
$400.00 assembled and tested, without power supply or disk drives), but from
performance rating it'll be tops. Full Z System comes with it, ZAS and ZDM,
macro assembler and debugger tools included. BIOS handles popular 5.25 inch
disk formats, as well as 8" standard and others. RAM disk is part of BIOS for
quick assemblies, edits, and compiles. Also, one parallel and two serial
ports, SCSI hard disk expansion and local area network ports, printer buffer
option traded for RAM disk storage, plus software configuration of hardware
resources, number of memory waits states, 6.1 or 9.2 mHz cpu clock speed, I/O
channel baudrates, parity, word lengths, etc. Physical size permits mounting
on 5.25 inch floppy drive side. SB-180 and bundled software is available from
Micromint, Inc. (25 Terrace Drive, Vernon, VT 06066) after first BYTE article
appears.
Echelon product delivery update: We have been experiencing significant delays
in shipping our off-the-shelf products because of large amounts of business
activities beyond our staff's ability to handle. But Wait! We are getting on
top of it--patience! ZCPR3: The Manual has moved forward another step with
Rick Conn approving "galley" proofs produced by publisher, New York ZOETROPE;
shouldn't be too much more waiting before we start book shipments to you, our
customers. (Believe, we want book as much as you.) Term3 moves slowly--Rick
is giving it all the attention he can--it's worth waiting for! ZRDOS2 should
start shipping by middle of this month...more work to finish it up than first
calculated; but it nears completion, not much left presently to do.
Texas Instruments and Kaypro (among others) each announce computers similar to
IBM PC-AT; AT&T announces voice/data computer, as does Compaq Computer. IBM
ceases PCjr production! King is dead--long live kings?
Voice versus keyboard command and data entry is much discussed for present and
future control and ease of computer operation. We think real issue is being
missed. Ideally, numbers must be accurately entered; word, phrase and
sentence carefully chosen. Spelling, grammar and style checkers do a good job
of catching typos and loose wordage, but every number of a spreadsheet had
better be correct else results could be very misleading. Moreover, if input
data is in error results may look okay, but neither computer operator nor end-
user of information know calculations were made from faulty input data.
Disaster! And now the judgement: of what value results, even if correctly
developed and obtained, if equations used to generate them are not understood?
Power comes from getting results and fully knowing how they were obtained.
The microcomputer is more than tool to do familiar things faster than
done using older methods: by Deity-on-high, it's a means to personally grow
and to learn of fundamentals of life, of thinking, of being. Don't equate
microcomputers to appliances, as if similar to automobiles that you need only
learn to drive, to use; and not know how they work, how they think! Yes,
machines think--if you disagree, wait another 2 years for evidence even "flat-
earthers" won't be able to repudiate!
Are not ideas more important than paper on which words (expression of
ideas) are printed? Are not users more important than tools or machines? Be
more than drone or clone--be master, be elitist using inner-directed
imagination! See you down the lines...
Echelon, Inc.
101 First Street
Los Altos, CA 94022
Telephone: 415/948-3820
Z-Node Central: 415/489-9005
Trademarks: HD64180, Hitachi; Z80/800, Zilog; 8080/8088, Intel; Z-System, Z-
Tools, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Com, Zas, Zlink, DSD, ZDM, ITOZ, Lasting-Value
Software, Echelon and their respective owners and authors; CP/M, Digital
Research.
Z-News 109 is Copyright 1985 Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission
to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is
given to Echelon.
