EI Z-NEWS 702 9 February 1987 ============================================================================== NUKEY. Z-Com author and Good-Neighbor Helper, Joe Wright, San Jose, CA, produces NuKey, a greatly enhanced ZCPR3 keyboard redefiner package, Item 44 on our Price List. Loaded with LDR, like other segments, SYS.RCP, SYS.NDR, RECORDER.IOP, etc., a total of six types, we have a valuable new tool to automate our operations. Using I/O Package space of 1.5k-bytes, Z-Com, SB180, and bootable-disk Kaypro and Morrow standard, NuKey doesn't use TPA space like normal key redefiners do, permits CCP to be overwritten, and thus gains 2k- bytes of TPA space. And NuKey has an extender key capability, i.e., a single character is defined as an extender key, with any keypress following usable as a "string" entry key. Therefore, entire keyboard may be used for stings and commands you define. A redefined key can take on a length of up to 550 characters, or eleven keys of average 50 characters, 50 of average 11... NuKey handles one, two, three, or more characters generated by function, numeric pad, and editing keys; you can redefine them just like a single character key. Mix the different types together, NuKey handles them all, up to 15 characters each. Unique in the world of keyboard redefiners, we know of no other key definition program that handles such function keys correctly. At any time, a display of key values is available, keys can be redefined and deleted, even from within an application or utility program, WordStar, Vfiler, Term3, etc. New definitions are saved in a file which you name when returning to ZCPR3/Z-System command line. nukey s fn.iop puts definitions into file "fn.iop". ldr fn.iop puts IOP into memory. Definition files are created, as many as you need, for each of your major operations. As you move from directory to directory with CD, Change Directory, utility, standard ST alias loads the appropriate NuKey IOP, and optionally a new NDR segment and other commands to set-up directory environ- ment. Of course, you can load NuKey IOP's from any command line, e.g., ldr nukey.iop does it for default IOP. We use back-apostrophe, "`", for our EXTend character, and backslash, "\", for our DEFine key. Neither character is used by programs we use. (But such is not necessarily true for you.) These two keys must be defined for NuKey to perform its many tricks. Select any two from your CRT keyboard. NuKey auto-installs and comes with a ZCPR3 structured 19k-byte online HLP file. Works from command line, from within WordStar, Newword, and other programs. NuKey, priced $39.95 alone, bundled with similarly priced B/Printer and I/O Recorder is effectively only $29.98, package total of $89.95. Item 45 trio saves $29.90 over getting each program singularly. More good news: existing users of PKey can upgrade to NuKey for customary $20.00 plus shipping and handling costs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From Our Mail Box. "Zinfandel and Zydeco tacos for breakfast! I've got the Z-System in my blood too--but not that much," writes Ed Dowdell, Massapequa, NY. Ed, we admit to having abnormal break-fast habits, but after working all night there's nothing like a sit-down fancy, something different, shared with someone. President of 1200-member Long Island Computer Association, Ed describes his computing system, SDS SBC-100 and SB180 with Chinon drives, as he renews his newsletter subscription and orders Z80 Turbo Modula-2. If interested in joining LICA or in Ed's hardware, call 516/249-9308 between 7 and 10 PM Eastern time. Have a good year, Ed. "I am impressed by Z-Catalog which is well written and attractive in its emphasis to a non-hacker like myself...[it is] an eye-opener...and Z-System User's Guide is a gem for power users," declares Paul Naitoh, San Diego, CA. James Bottom, Salem, OR, writes, "I just finished reading the new catalog cover to cover. I know of no other mail order piece I've done that with! It's as much a tutorial as a sales piece, and I think that's what held my interest. Congratulations." Lester Welch, Hinsdale, IL, thought Turbo Modula-2 package had a bug in it because it wouldn't correctly compile TICKTOCK.MOD as shown on page 455 of User's Guide. Well, it turns out the program listing is in error (ole bug-in- the-book syndrome). Corrected program (TickTock, basis for program multi- tasking) is below and on Z-Nodes. Thanks go to .lh 6 Lester for pointing to something wrong--it's fixed now. MODULE TickTock; FROM SYSTEM IMPORT ADR, NEWPROCESS, TRANSFER, ADDRESS, PROCESS, WORD; (* additional ADR *) VAR tickProcess, tockProcess, main: PROCESS; tickWork, tockWork: ARRAY[0..99] OF WORD; (* pointers no longer used *) PROCEDURE tick; BEGIN WRITELN('tick'); TRANSFER(tickProcess,tockProcess); END tick; (* original program had a small error here, also *) PROCEDURE tock; BEGIN WRITELN('tock'); TRANSFER(tockProcess,tickProcess); END tock; BEGIN NEWPROCESS(tick,ADR(tickWork),SIZE(tickWork),tickProcess); NEWPROCESS(tock,ADR(tockWork),SIZE(tockWork),tockProcess); TRANSFER(main,tickProcess); END TickTock. "The last couple of years has been hard on many software companies. I believe that this shakeout, though difficult, is good for the industry in the long run. Our own strategy in this period has been: be cautious about trying new advertising, and provide good service and new products for existing customers. That is the strategy that we will continue to follow. We will concentrate our efforts on developing new products and selling them to you, our existing customers. I thank you for your support this year. I wish you happy holidays." Sincerely, James River, Minneapolis, MN (Z-News 608-1). You know, that's also our business policy...always has been. Customers, service, quality. Stan Bercovitch, North Fort Myers, FL, sends us his four perception levels of computer people. "1) hacker, definition as given in Z-News 006-3. 2) Mayvin, now accepted in English, but really a Yiddish word derived from Hebrew. The Hebrew word Mayvin means 'someone who understands.' Yiddish expanded on that to include an expert, but even more than an expert, 'one who knows and understands almost instinctively' (the word can also be used sarcastically 'What makes you a mayvin?'). To me, the computer mayvin is the one who loads a new piece of software and without benefit of documentation knows instinctively what the program does and how to use it. 3) Chipper, partial definition in Z-News 605-1, has enough interest and perseverance to really try to learn a program, is willing to experiment [not fearing mistakes], has the tenacity to interpret and translate documentation into English, and [one] who attempts to make software and operating systems do all the things they are supposed to do (or even things no one has thought of yet). He does not have the talent or genius to be a hacker. And 4) average computer user. This latter is the person who 'uses a computer' for speed and convenience. He learns and gets help in learning the basics of one or two programs and sees no need to go much farther than that. Some (make that many) would like to know more (hence computer user groups) but need to be led, and shown each step of anything new, one item at a time." That's it. And here we see why we have such trouble dealing with each other--we are not the same, but are from different levels of knowledge and understanding, even from different levels of being. So be it! Communications--let's work on freely being able to move from one level to another--that's what it's all about. So be it! Z-User's Corner. John T. Brown's JB-VFCMD.LBR package (Z-News 608-1) contains many useful automation examples applicable to your computer environ- ment. Print-out the documentation, CMD, and VMN files. Spend about two hours studying what John has done. Then think of ways they apply to your particular situation. He takes time and writes explanations for his CMD and VMN files and how they tie-in with custom aliases and ARUNZ. Let's go through one of his more interesting nested command macros. On VFILER CMD menu we find command F for Finding Files. VFILER CMD line is simple: "f!run findf". "run" is ARUNZ renamed and "findf" is alias line in ALIAS.CMD script file. Line is long: findf cls;getvar fif file(s) to look for (e.g., *.doc):; << if xn find file(s) on specific drive;getvar gd which drive:; << resolve findf26 %gd:%fif;else;resolve findf26 %fif;fi;era ROOT:sh.var "findf" is alias name in ALIAS.CMD and alias uses FINDF v2.6 utility, "cls" clears display screen, "fif" is shell variable holding file mask you entered to control search, and in same vein, "gd" for specific drive, if not all, to search--both variables held in standard, auto-created ZCPR3 "sh.var" file in ROOT: directory. "if" should be v1.3 or 1.4. "xn" is extended "input." Dialog prompts: FILE(S) TO LOOK FOR (E.G., *.DOC): you enter file mask FIND FILE(S) ON SPECIFIC DRIVE (Y/N)? answer y or n WHICH DRIVE: if y, state drive ARUNZ, accessing ALIAS.CMD script, reduces disk space required to hold aliases. John's CMD script contains 28 macros, used for task automation. Ten aliases are in ALIAS.CMD and two VMENU VMNs are used, i.e., called. These scripts provide much food for further thought to nourish our community. Complete documentation associated with John's system, plus all public domain files, are in JB-VFCMD.LBR on SUS #8 and on Z-Nodes. If command line buffer overflows with too-lengthy alias script, three things can be done. 1) shorten text prompts, 2) rename utility files to two- letters, e.g., FINDF becomes FF, GETVAR goes to GV, etc., and 3) break alias into parts by one alias calling another, e.g., "findf" above can have first line as an alias calling next two lines as a nested alias. (A fourth option, for chippers and hackers only, increases CLB to 250 characters by re- generating ZCPR3 buffer allocation in your BIOS.) Documentation and wonderful tutorial in VLIB.LBR (also on SUS #8 and on Z-Nodes) shows how to create nested, recursive aliases using Jay Sage's VALIAS. Hot Tip for Users of Newword ---------------------------- Many state "Newword cannot output formatted text to a file, like WordStar can." But NW can! Using the PRVIEW printer driver, formatted text is sent to default file PREVIEW.NW. Control codes are retained to control printer if file is later printed. Correctly handles paging. Install NW for your prin- ter but keep the PRVIEW driver, using NWPRMAKE.COM, as one of the "printers" you use. Then when at "Opening Menu", enter P followed by file name to "print", or ^R if file is the one you were editing. Enter five (5) more 's at NW prompts to get to "Name of printer?" prompt. NW shows available printer drivers at bottom of screen. Now, type-in PRVIEW to send file fully formatted to PREVIEW.NW file that is auto-created by NW. After transfer, appropriately rename this file. ----------------------------------- An aside. Using Z80 CRUNCH (GEL 2.3) takes 21 seconds to crunch a 195- record file, 8080-coded FCRUNCH takes 32 seconds. Quickness may not be entirely due to Z80 versus 8080 assembly language code--we don't know; none- theless, Z80 version is over 30% faster. In Santa Monica, CA, Bridger Mitchell, author of JetFind, spends time developing fastest Sieve of Eratosthenes assembly language routine yet. Called JetPrime, it finds prime numbers faster than anything we have yet seen. On our Z80 Ampro, run time is 4.1 seconds. Best mark previously was 6.6 seconds from SIEVEZ80.COM. Find Z80 ZAS version of JetPrime source and COM files in JPRIME.LBR on Z-Nodes everywhere (and on SUS #9). Word Counting Utilities. WC is the utility distributed with The Word Plus spelling check and correction program. ZWC is on disk #1 from ZSIG, NAOG's public domain library (Z-News 701-1). And WCLCCC is on SUS #2 as WC.COM. Benchmarking these three "word counting" programs on a short, 24k-bytes, 174- record text file produced this result: Program Time, seconds Word Count WC, Oasis Systems 10.96 3,024 ZWC, ZSIG Disk #1 9.77 3,067 WCLCCC, C/80 C Program 18.01 3,060 Both WC and ZWC quickly count words in but a single file. WCLCCC does more, but not as quickly. Here's a command line followed by the screen display: C0:LETTERS>wclccc file.ft file2.ft Chars Words Lines FILE.FT: 2432 406 63 FILE2.FT: 23188 3491 399 Totals: 25620 3897 462 The C/80 WCLCCC not only counts words, but also lines and characters, and does it for filelists, using spaces as file name delimiters instead of commas, and wild card (* and ?) file names. It puts resultant data in a neat sorted table. It is also slow, but not that slow, C/80 being overall the fastest high-level language we have tested. Each program has a slightly different criteria for defining a "word." That's why count ranged from 3,024 to 3,067. Our WCLCCC counts hyphenated words appearing at end of lines as two words, i.e., newlines are word demarcations, along with spaces and tabs. Measurements were made using an electronic timer, all files called from Z-System command line. Text file was on default directory, but word-count programs were in COMMAND.LBR called as aliases from ALIAS.CMD with ARUNZ renamed to CMDRUN (technique of Z- News 701-3). For test, we used one of our Ampro SCSI hard disk 4mHz Z80 machines. Those using C/80 compiler from Software Toolworks, Z-News 605-1/306-1, should look into video screen handling routines produced by Edward Schram, Norfolk, VA. Library file CVIDLIB.LBR contains them all. On Z-Nodes and on upcoming SUS #9. Hope someone does the same thing for Turbo Modula-2. And who is first to write WC in Turbo Modula-2? (Steve Cohen, Glenn Brooke, are you ready to go to work? If so, while at it, please add a 4th column, Records, and include an internal exclude table to ignore binary files.) SUS Report. We are overrunning ourselves with Software Update Service diskettes. We promised an average of nine (9) per year. Well, in less than five months we have had seven (7). (SUS #9 has already begun filling. New submissions by Rick Charnes, Edward Schram, and Terry Smythe are welcomed and worthwhile.) Here's what #8 looks like as we get ready to ship it to subscribers. Filename.Typ Size K RS Filename.Typ Size K RS Filename.Typ Size K RS -------- --- ------ -- -------- --- ------ -- -------- --- ------ -- -SUS .008 0 R CRUNCH23.LBR 94 JB-VFCMD.LBR 34 M2SIEVE .LBR 18 TCVIEW .LBR 6 TLF2 .LBR 10 TLIB .LBR 14 VMENU25 .LBR 74 8 Files Using 250k, 8 Files on Disk and 136k Left M2SIEVE files are Turbo Modula-2 Sieve of Eratosthenes source and executable COM file we used for benchmarking, as reported in Z-News 607 and 608. TLIB is greatly enhanced "type library files," with TLF2 a variation. CRUNCH23 is latest released CRUNCH and UNCR from Steven Greenberg. VMENU25 is an official update. TCVIEW, created by Jay Roumman, is new Z-System utility to show TCAP data, either in memory (loaded as part of SYS.ENV) or from Z3T files. We fully support this utility and thank Jay for thinking of and providing it. Now, here's where we stand with Software Update Service diskette #9. Filename.Typ Size K RS Filename.Typ Size K RS Filename.Typ Size K RS -------- --- ------ -- -------- --- ------ -- -------- --- ------ -- -SUS .009 0 R CRC22 .LBR 16 CVIDLIB .LBR 30 HD-ARC2 .LBR 40 JETPRIME.COM 2 JETPRIME.Z80 4 PDGUID02.LBR 14 SHUTILS2.LBR 22 Z3VARS .LBR 18 10 Files Using 146k, 10 Files on Disk and 240k Left If you cannot economically download files from Z-Nodes, SUS is your bridge to software updates. SUS is Item 18b on Price List of Z-Catalog, $85.00 per year, North American mailing (see Z-News 506-4 for bridge, 507-1 for table of services). Software Beat. Newword, v2.18, the latest for Z80s, plus The Word Plus, is available from Analytical Products, our bootable-disk Z-System supplier for Heath/Zenith H/Z89/90 machines, even hard sector. Wordprocessor and spelling check/correction combination is only $145.00. To place order, contact Peter Shkabara, 213 Teri Sue Lane, Buellton, CA 93427, telephone 805/688-0826. He takes checks, Visa/MC credit cards, and CODs. Presently we use PropStar from Civil Computing Corp., 2111 Research Drive, Suite #1, Livermore, CA 94550, 415/455-8086 (Z-News 304-2), for print- ing proportionally spaced fonts and flush-left/right line margins, and numbers in columns (see "Word Counting Utilities" paragraph above). Directly handles all WordStar "dot" commands except headers, footers, and page numbering. Version 2.0d is priced $79.95, upgrade from earlier versions is $30.00. Other options soon become available for controlling modern precision printers and typesetters. These include TypeFit and PrintStar (aka Headliner and other names). Both produce good-looking text. More from us as software nears completion, exits beta testing. Managing many text files on big disk systems where you can't remember where something is is make easy by text search software. Here's where JetFind, written by Bridger Mitchell, can be a big help, in first finding what you want and then, optionally, automatically placing it in a file, telling where it came from. File is used to hold text later read-into wordprocessor documents. JetFind locates text, 2 to 6 times faster than other string search programs, in multiple filelists crossing directories. JetFind is available from Echelon for Z80/HD64180 CP/M and Z-System machines for $39.95, plus $4.00 shipping and handling, continental USA and Canada. In Other Words. USA collectively is personified by dear President Ronald Reagan. But what is he, what are we? Do we see through surface, past skin, to bone? Or are we a land of "surface" people! Global leaders we are, but how long is it so? Where is discipline, our yoke for truth, at any price? Truth IS! Only it washes. Try it and SEE. There's no scarcity of the good things if we live in the present--waste not mental energy. Past and future are pure abstraction, now is whole! ============================================================================== Of Angels and Eagles. The junction, i.e., the tension-point of past mental energy and future mental energy, is the present. One energy cannot exist without the other two. Reality of the present comes from essence of both the past and the future. Present is substance concrete, other two much more abstract. Clearly we deal with gossamer principles, very light and quick-- ones governed by few laws--that are free! See you down the lines... Echelon, Inc. 885 North San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022 USA Telephone: 415/948-3820 Telex: 4931646 Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005 Trademarks: Little Board, Bookshelf, Ampro Computers; SB180, SB180FX, XBUS, GT180, Micromint; ON!, Oneac; DT42, The SemiDisk, Deep Thought 42, SemiDisk Systems; TR-XL180, M.A.N. Systems; HD63484/64180, Hitachi; Z-System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Zas, Zlink, Z-Msg, Term3, Quick-Task, NuKey, Headliner, PrintStar, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon; CP/M, Digital Research; TurboROM, Advent; Graphix Toolbox, Turbo Pascal, Turbo Modula-2, Borland Int'l; The Word Plus, Oasis Systems; PropStar, Civil Computing; WordStar, Newword, MicroPro Int'l; TypeFit, Anvil Systems; JetFind, Bridger Mitchell. * * Fly with Z! * * Z-News 702 is Copyright MCMLXXXVII Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is given to Echelon.