10 February 1986 Z-NEWS 403 Z TIPS. Let's talk about shells, command history shells. Michael Rubenstein (Galveston, TX) updates his HSH with Version 1.3. As far as we can see, the program is perfect for RAM disk based systems, near perfect for fast hard disk systems, but not so good for slow floppies. Program is written in C/80 using special run-time library. Wonder what it would take to write program in assembler. What is HSH? It's a ZCPR3 shell that permits full command-line editing, using WordStar commands, and has ability to recall up to last 100 commands entered. Such power aids in re-running commands over and over, even if changes are needed each time command is run, greatly reducing keystrokes needed to control computer operations. You get started by typing HSH or HSH 50. Latter declares how many commands VAR file, file where previous commands are automatically stored, allows before wrap-around occurs. If first is entered, last declaration is used, or 10 is default if none ever declared. Default seems best, as contents of VAR file is retained from cold-boot to cold-boot. ^E goes to last command executed, that command may have been a long alias. As you recall command after command, ^X is used to get back to current, last. Character changes are made easily. ^S and ^D move cursor left and right along command line, character by character; ^Q and ^R, by command in multi-command line; and ^A and ^F, word by word within a command. ^J brings to screen a matrix of editing commands available. Find text-string is also provided. instantly exits HSH, if entered as first character at command-line prompt. A short online help file provides sufficient documentation. Michael thinks of everything. Next subject. XDIR is useful sending directory listings to your printer. Entering command XDIR /up sends all files in all user areas, for archive record. After you have your disk system organized you print directories for permanent record, to quickly re-create if necessary. Z-News 007 covers some aspects of versatile XDIR. ZCPR3: The Manual has over 4 pages, 107 to 111, describing how to use all its capability. Furthermore, directories declared PUBLIC show when accessing with XDIR, as with DIR, Version 1.2. Directory comparing, sending directory to a file, are XDIR features worth exploring. PRODUCT REVIEW. Eight-bit, now-generation document spelling checker and correction program is V-SPELL, with initial 60-thousand word dictionary. Using best techniques of The Word Plus (TWP), CompuView (1955 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103, phone 313/996-1299) integrated functions for convenience and quickest. Top level of screen-oriented multi-menu offers CHECK, REVISE, DICTIONARY, SETTINGS, EXIT, and HELP command options. CHECK creates file of words not found in dictionaries, main or supplemental. During correction in REVISE mode, many lines, default is 10, show unfound (no-match in dictionaries) word in context. (We changed our context default to 5 lines, for maximum speed.) Options in REVISE are CORRECT, LOOKUP, ADD, IGNORE, MARK, RETURN, and HELP. LOOKUP shows 12 words with similar spelling to one un-matched. A word may be typed-in while in LOOKUP to see if it's in dictionary. Unfound words are markable with "%%" to make finding them quick and easy; also, lines are numbered if you need to know where to go for paragraph re-form. Most defaults are changed quickly with SETTINGS command. RETURN brings you back to main (top) menu, EXIT to OS. Ergonomics of menus permit either single letter commands (first letter of command name) or cursor movement to command name followed by . TWP is about as quick but its main menu screen certainly is not as pretty, uses no highlighting. DICTIONARY functions include LOOKUP, COMPRESS, HYPHENATION, RETURN, and HELP. Hyphenation function creates a duplicate file, of the one under check- and-correct, with hyphens placed in words known to the dictionary. Compress, merge one dictionary with another--super feature! One thing we longed for with TWP was dictionary merging capability. Without, draw-back: update dictionary is not searched when looking up words. Your custom words are used only to compare for match from one or more dictionaries; that's not bad, but could be better with merging-dictionary feature, as with V-SPELL. SETTINGS command permit changing, temporarily or permanently, default options from within program. Nice! Overall subjective comparison between V-SPELL and TWP give the former an edge in speed, dictionary thoroughness, and crispness of user interface. Next generation spelling checker should be within word processor, so errors are optionally detected as they are made! With soon-to-come banked Z- System, and multitasking, we trust someone comes up with such a combination, as well as with an integrated thesaurus. We certainly encourage such happening. More on Newword. Last fortnight we simply had too much news to completely cover all the improvements that Newword, Version 2.17, offers over WordStar, Version 3.0. Printer control is near absolute with the use of dot commands that permit sending any control or sequence codes to handle font type, character height, and other functions to format printed page. Even a null (^@, 00 hex) can be sent. Form is: .xq nn nn nn nn, where .x is the dot lead-in, q is print command (remaining 5 user-functions w, e, r, [, and ] may be declared simultaneously), nn is any hex value. After declaring dot value in file, use ^PQ to activate. Dot commands temporarily override default, built-in printer user functions. "Sketch from Alice in Wonderland" with quote "Yes, my Queen, I have found IT." After an .LH dot command is used for line height declaration, page break displays correctly no matter where LH statements are placed in document. Such feature makes for easy inclusion of several line spacings in the same document, and even on the same page. Watch for our 6, 7, and 8 lines per inch on same page 4 below, with no change in header or footer spacing. One thing lacking is ability to right-margin justify when using proportionally spaced font; but, microjustification routine used is best possible for fixed-width characters. (PropStar, see Z-News 304 for details, handles proportional printing tasks for us.) Recall-filename, using ^R at N, D, or P command, has cursor editing facility, ^D for forward, ^S for backward, and ^G to delete character under cursor. A character within name can be changed without changing whole name. And there's a type-ahead buffer, so disk access and fast screen scans work as they should--no WAIT appears on status line as you quickly scan, with as- necessary disk-accesses occurring. String find and replace (^QF and ^QA) functions permit use of "?" to match any character, CP/M filename style, superior to the ^A required by WS. And ^U, in addition to unerasing a deleted word, line, or block, stops safely any command in progress, without any other keystrokes required to return to normal editing. For high-level-language programmers, auto-indent after tab for C, PAS, and PLI file types is provided in non-document mode. Easy-to-patch space exists for up to 5 more special tab/indent situations. (As we use NW, more features show up.) There's a utility to strip your printer drivers from massive (over 42k- byte) OVR file to save disk space--nice touch. Diablo driver we use is only 6k-bytes long. For us, icing-on-cake is ability to freely log into any drive, user area (like we do with VFILER) and edit files there, without leaving NW word processor. Z-System directories really come-alive for text editing tasks. Instructional material, typeset and bound, provides information in three sections: 1) Do It Yourself--A Tutorial, 2) Nuts & Bolts--Customization Guide, and 3) Encyclopedia--Reference Manual. Complete information on how to patch and poke (Get-Poke-Go style, see Z-News 107 and 109) functions is also provided. Every software package should have such complete and well written documentation. Newword need not be placed in a public directory area. Since it knows how to find its OVR files it's not necessary, a conflict could exist: similar user-area file mask technique used as PUBLIC ZRDOS Plus. NW is used from any directory simply by placing all its files in A0:, or any other drive, user area declared during initial program installation. At $125.00, we feel NW a super bargain--Lasting-Value Software exists, has meaning--order from Newstar Software, Inc., 1601 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, 415/932-2278. Tell them you read about Newword in EI Z-News. Graphics and Windows. WOW! Look at 'em...new 8-bit world! A first as far as we know--REL libraries GRXLIB, GRWLIB, and PDMLIB (Item 28 from Price List) permit doing just about anything you wish, producing attractive, modern (non- TTY) screen menus and displays. Notice pull down menu and bar charts enclosed in box in left photo, and three overlapping windows overlaying main screen text in right. Reproduction doesn't do justice to original screens. Highlighted "SETPDM Routine" is sample command. Moving cursor down one or two permits, by pressing , executing desired one. At right, three windows are opened, one after the other overlapping. Active one is last opened, first to be closed. These examples, and more, are in file GRDEMO.LBR, found on Z-Nodes everywhere. "Photos of screen graphics and windows." Caveats: (1) Windows are only memory-efficient if a terminal is used that returns character under cursor, in addition to having cursor addressing. (2) Some terminals may not be able to use windows--we study where our common denominator should be when applying them to utility and application programs. And, (3) Terminals without graphic characters built-in will use standard ASCII symbols instead. We're in transition. Stay with us as we discover best way to handle features of newer terminals, but still allow use of older ones. Amateur Z User's Corner. Multiple commands per line, i.e., automatic command chaining, is a major feature of Z-System. Combined with ability to easily create aliases (alias: multiple commands known, executed by single one-to- eight character name) makes for power at the toolset, operating system level. Parameter passing--trailing names typed after command name in command line-- adds more power. Placing $d:, $u:, or $d$u in alias declares current disk and user area; if a command, declaration immediately followed by semicolon, e.g., ;$d$u:;, current DU: becomes default DU:. First alias normally created, optimized is STARTUP (Z3-Dot-Com and Z-Com users, it's called STRT), the one used during cold-boot and reset. Typical starting alias we use here at EI: LDR SYS.ENV,SYS.RCP,SYS.FCP,SYS.NDR,MYTERM.Z3T;PATH A15 A0; << PUBLIC /DA,U6;HSH;VERROR;B0:;VFILER The "<<" mark indicates line wrap; line is continuous in actual macro. Interactive program development is easy using tools of Z. For budding hackers, here's a VFILER CMD user-function (#) macro command line that makes going from program under development to editor easy, quick, and efficient. Notice return to editor (Newword in this case, poke addresses set non-document mode and reverse normal document mode screen highlighting) if errors occur in assembly. If no errors, program is simply run automatically as executable file: %n, expands to file name. Changes continue (point at file and press numeral representing macro command line, 8 in our example) until you are satisfied with results. 8 %d%u:;zas %n;if er;sak /p3 errors--link cancelled;get 100 nw.com; poke 74e ff;poke 787 ff;go %f;else;zlink %d:%n,a:vlib/,a:z3lib/, a:syslib/;era %n.rel;%n;fi Long macros (aliases, too) push limits of normal command-line buffer lengths. Remember expanded line is what goes into buffer, e.g., %n above becomes filename of program to assemble and link. Filetype (%t), not used in this case, would be Z80. More macros! Starting point for word processing CMD menu might look like this: 0 xdir %d%u:*.* ogoh'Options (u=all areas, p=to printer, d=to disk): ' 1 %d%u:;nw %f %d%u:;ws %f;if12 %f=z.?0?;ac BACKUP:=%f /a;fi 2 %d%u:;era vspell.mis;vs %f;if ex vspell.mis;nw %f;fi a%u:;era %u:errwords.txt;spell %d:%f $slic;review;if ex %u:errwords.txt; << markfix %d:%f $m#;%d:;ws %f;else;%d:;fi 3 a%u:;cleanup %d:%f $m#;%d:;ws %f 4 a%u:;phrase %d:%f passive.txt;%d:;ws %f 5 a8:;catscan 'Master Catalog Search (e.g. *.doc): ' *.*;%d%u: 9 if12 %t=lbr;%d%u:;nulu -o %n -f;else;echo --> file is not a library <--;fi # >>> WORD PROCESSING MENU <<< ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0 - Directory of Current Disk (XDIR) - 0 1 - EDIT Pointer File (document mode) (Newword) - 1 2 - Spelling Check and Correction (VSPELL) - 2 3 - Punctuation and Grammar Check (CLEANUP) - 3 4 - Style Check (PHRASE) - 4 5 - Scan Master CATALOG from Console (Discat) - 5 9 - Enter Pointer Library File (LBR) (NULU) - 9 ---------------------------------------------------------------- We show two lines, either of which can be used by putting a number at front, for selected word processor and spelling checker. Newword mates with V-SPELL; WordStar with The Word Plus. Different techniques are used to show possibilities. Experiment to achieve results to your liking. CLEANUP and PHRASE are from "Punctuation and Style" sold for $125.00 by Oasis Systems, 7907 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, 619/279-5711, Wayne Holder's company that produced The Word Plus. Z-Node Activity. To be current with Z-System special utilities you need VERROR, Version 1.6 or later; BALAIS, Version 1.3; ARUNZ, Version 0.8; HSH, Version 1.3; and VCED, Version 1.3. On Z-Nodes everywhere, these programs, produced by Z-System users, and what a community, provide significant enhancements to normal Z-System operations. We have many customers not yet online. Our node system is the only economical method to get file-updates to everyone. The rate and quantity of changes make it impossible for a company of our resources to do it any other way. Our Z-Nodes are important channels, linking Z-Community. We encourage everyone to have a modem, have modem software, and be online. It's 1986! ZWORD.TXT, document written by Richard Conn, addresses four (4) often asked questions about Z-System. 1) Is ZCPR3 hard to bring up on my computer? 2) How much memory does Z-System take? 3) Do I have to have a hard disk to run Z-System? And, 4) How can I find out more about Z-System? If interested in answers, download file from a Z-Node and print formatted using WordStar or Newword, else use ZCPR3 PRINT for unformatted text printing. From Our Mail Box. Ellwood Douglas (Orinda, CA), "I've been in electrical engineering and computers for 30 years, and I have never brought up so much code with so few bugs in it. My complements and gratitude to everyone who took part in this." Richard Conn is responsible for monument called ZCPR3, Dennis Wright for ZRDOS, and Patrick O'Connell for ZAS and ZLINK. Marc Rubin (Long Beach, CA) writes, "Avoid hinting at the things that can be accomplished. Give detailed specific, explicit, lengthy, redundant examples. You will find it boring, we who wish to use the Z-System will not." Marc, from where you are coming from, and from where we are coming from, we each do what we can. What other (software) company products a newsletter that comes out every fortnight? Our audience is extremely diverse--we try to satisfy all at once. "Stop! Don't replace your S-100 system yet. Mainly because there is nothing in the market that can measure up to your S-100 in versatility, power, and expandability. So please hold on to it for a few more years (say 30)." That's how S-100 Journal calls for subscribers. Magazine is devoted to S-100 systems, from ALTAIR and IMSAI, to Heath/Zenith 100, to latest ICD and Magnum Digital boards. It's only $14.00 per year for six issues. If you own an S- 100 computer can you afford not to spend the money? Send it to S-100 Journal, 2426 Wade Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27605. Can you lose? What can you gain? Potpourri. We hear through the grapevine (we work in California, lots of vines, real wine country) of new HD64180 single-board computer with big and fast RAM, said to transfer over a megabyte per second. That's much faster than any micro we know of. After permission is obtained to tell, we think you will find this 4.5" by 8.0" SBC machine interesting, unique, as we do. Magnum Digital porting their S-100 boards to work with Z-System (see Z- News 306/308). New dual-purpose floppy/hard disk controller board is the one getting the port. CPU and extended memory boards mate with controller board-- what a combo! Thanks for being patient during our facility and phone-system expansions. Changes recently made should make for better customer and potential-customer service, the kind we truly wish to provide but lately haven't been able to. We now, finally, are positioned to handle expected growth in an orderly manner. Whopee! We thank John Tenniel and his memory (psychic emanation) for drawings depicting Alice and her kingdom. His sketches are used appreciating spirit in which they were originally drawn. And, hopefully, we assist continuation of vital Lewis Carroll tradition. Response to Z-News 307 offering WONDER: Lesson Learning for $100.00 has been gratifying. Understanding comes so slowly. Value is in eye of beholder- -you get exactly what you work for! Curiosity, search for that needed, pushes us into new spaces, pulls us into other dimensions. So be it! We don't know why (we've been asked recently), why we like California White Zinfandel so much--such wine makes our head spin. Come to think of it, that's why we like it. See you down the lines... Echelon, Inc. 885 N. San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022 USA Telephone: 415/948-3820 Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005 Trademarks: SB180, COMM180, TKBBS, Micromint; HD64180, Hitachi; Z80/800, Zilog; NSC800, National; Z-System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Z-Com, Zas, Zlink, ZDM, Revas4, Z-Msg, DSD, Term3, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon and their respective owners and authors; CP/M, Digital Research; PropStar, Civil Computing; WordStar, MicroPro; Newword, Newstar; SCSI/Plus, AMPRO Computers. big thumb * here Z F r e e s ! * * Z-News 403 is Copyright 1985 Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is given to Echelon.