
INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Sat, 16 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue  817
 
Today's Topics:
                     Rainbow TOS Addendum (text)
                            Ringing bells
                  Technical Documentation (where??)
                          Unexpandable megas
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Dec 89 04:22:33 GMT
From: fox!portal!atari!kbad@apple.com  (Ken Badertscher)
Subject: Rainbow TOS Addendum (text)
Message-ID: <1892@atari.UUCP>
 
Per several requests, here is the TEXT version of the Rainbow TOS
documentation addendum which dealers _should_ be giving out with
the Rainbow TOS upgrade.  If your dealer does not stock published
copies of this document, please have them contact Atari Dealer Service.
 
Many thanks to GEnie SysOp Jeff Wilson for typing this in from the
pamphlet and making it available via GEnie.
 
====
 
                     ATARI RAINBOW TOS ADDENDUM
                 =================================
 
 NOTICE: Rainbow TOS must be installed by an authorized Atari dealer.
 
 
 The new Rainbow TOS provides many improvements to your computer's
 GEM Desktop operating speed and make your computer easier to use.
 
 To make sure you have Rainbow TOS installed in your computer, select
 the Desktop Info option from the Desk menu.  This dialog box
 appears.
 
                ---------------------------------------
                |   GEM, Graphic Environment Manager  |
                |                TOS                  |
                |   ------------------------------    |
                |                /|\                  |
                |               ATARI                 |
                |                                     |
                |     Copyright 1985,86,87,88,89      |
                |         Atari Corporation           |
                |       Digital Research, Inc.        |
                |        All Rights Reserved          |
                |                                     |
                |             ----------              |
                |            |    OK    |             |
                |             ----------              |
                 -------------------------------------
 
 
 File Selector (formerly Item Selector)
 --------------------------------------
 
 Two important changes affect this dialog box.  One is the the
 addition of the Drive Selector.  The other is improved use of
 wildcard characters.
 
 The Drive Selector displays drive identifier letters A through P.
 Click on a letter to select that drive.  Drive identifiers
 representing uninstalled drives appear in a light typeface and
 cannot be selected.
 
 Use of wildcard characters allows you to more easily control the
 Directory window display.  Use wildcard characters to replace
 portions of the last section of a pathname on the Directory Line.
 
 For example, if D:\SALES\*.DOC appears on the Directory Line, only
 files with the .DOC extension will display in the Directory window.
 To display the entire contents of the subdirectory SALES delete .DOC
 and replace it with the asterisk wildcard character.  Refer to your
 computer owner's manual for further instructions on using wildcard
 characters.
 
 To display the new directory, press [Return].
 
 
 Move Files
 ----------
 
 With Rainbow TOS you can move a file from one folder or drive to
 another in addition to copying the file.
 
 First, select the file(s) you wish to move.  Then hold down
 [Control] as you click on and drag the selected file(s) to a new
 location.  During the move process, a Move File(s) dialog box
 displays the number of files being moved.  As each file is moved,
 the Move File(s) dialog box displays the file's name and complete
 destination (disk or logical drive letter and folder name).
 
 When you copy or move files, Rainbow TOS does not change the date
 and time stamp of those files.  File date and time information will
 only be updated when the file is changed.
 
 
 Skip a Single File During Group Copying
 ---------------------------------------
 
 The option to skip a single file during a group copy procedure
 becomes available when a file name conflict occurs.  A file name
 conflict occurs when a file is copied from one location to another
 and a copy of the file already exists at the new location.  The
 following three options are presented when a name conflict occurs:
 
     Copy      Rainbow TOS overwrites the existing file and
               the copy operation continues.
 
     Skip      Rainbow TOS does not overwrite the file.
               Continues with the copy operation.
 
     Quit      Rainbow TOS does not overwrite the file.  Ends
               the copy operation.
 
 
 Abort Group Copy, Move, and Delete Operations
 ---------------------------------------------
 
 You can abort the copy, move, and delete operations performed by
 Rainbow TOS.  Press and hold down [Undo].  A dialog box displays,
 giving you the choice of continuing or ending the operation.
 
 
 MS-DOS Compatible Floppy Disk Formatting
 ----------------------------------------
 
 Disks formatted with Rainbow TOS are fully MS-DOS compatible.
 
 
 Auto-Boot Applications
 ----------------------
 
 The Install Application option of the Options menu allows you to
 assign an auto-boot feature to any GEM based application programs.
 An installed application automatically opens when you boot the
 system. You can select applications with .PRG, .APP, or .TOS
 extensions.
 
 Follow these instructions to start an application from a data file
 or autoboot an application.
 
 1. Select a program file (.TOS, .APP, .PRG) from a directory
    window.
 
    Select Install Application from the Options menu.  The
    Install Application dialog box appears, listing the
    application program file you selected from the desktop.
 
 2. To install the application to run from a data file, type
    the correct data file extension in the Document Type field.
    This is the common extension of the files that use that
    application.  (Consult the manual supplied with the
    application for the most common file extension.)  If you
    install an application to autoboot, you may leave the
    Document Type field blank.
 
    Note:  Some applications can open from a desktop data file
    only if the data file resides in the same folder as the
    application program files.  Check the documentation
    supplied with the application for more information.
 
 3. Select boot status:  Auto to autoboot an application, or
    Normal to start an application from the desktop.
 
 4. Select an application type.  Your choices are GEM, TOS, and
    TOS-takes-parameters.
 
    Most programs that run from the desktop have the extension
    .PRG or .APP.  Both of these extensions indicate a GEM
    application.  However, some applications have the extension
    .TOS or .TTP.  The extension .TOS indicates a TOS
    application.  The extension .TTP indicates a TOS-takes-
    parameters application.
 
    Note:  To use a .TTP application, first select the
    application, then enter the required parameters when the
    dialog box appears.
 
 5. Select OK to finish.
 
 6. To save the application's installation, select Save Desktop
    from the Options menu.
 
 
 Disk Copy/Format Dialog Box
 ---------------------------
 
 Rainbow TOS uses a combined dialog box for copy and format
 operations.  This box displays when you select either the Format
 option from the File menu, or drag a disk drive icon on top of
 another disk drive icon.
 
 Select Copy or Format from the Copy and Format dialog box.  Select
 from the available options and click on OK.  The bar graphs in the
 lower half of the screen graphically detail the copying or
 formatting that occurs.
 
 
 Changing a Folder's Name
 ------------------------
 
 With Rainbow TOS you can change the name of a folder.  Click on a
 folder and select the Show Info option from the File menu.  The
 Folder Information dialog box displays.  You can now type in a new
 name for that folder.
 
 
 Keyboard Reset
 --------------
 
 You can now reset your computer from the keyboard.  Hold down
 [Control] and [Alternate], then press [Delete].  This key
 combination is exactly the same as pressing the Reset button.
 
 Pressing [Control] [Alternate] [Right Shift] [Delete] causes a VERY
 cold boot.  It clears all of RAM (except about 64 bytes at the
 bottom) and then jumps to the ROMs.  This cold boot clears all
 reset-proof RAMdisks and other data and variables that are cleared
 by a cold boot but not a warm boot.
 
            --------------------------------------------
 
 Atari, the Atari logo, Rainbow TOS and TOS are trademarks or
 registered trademarks of Atari Corporation.  GEM and GEM Desktop
 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digital Research, Inc.
 MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
 
 Copyright 1989, Atari Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA.
 
 
--
   |||   Ken Badertscher  (ames!atari!kbad)
   |||   Atari R&D System Software Engine
  / | \  #include <disclaimer>
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 89 07:45:46 EST
From: David Megginson <MEGGIN@vm.epas.utoronto.ca>
Subject: Ringing bells
Message-ID: <89Dec16.075122est.57369@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
 
STOOP%KVI.nl@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU asks about bells:
 
   Looks like the Laser C library is a little screwy (what else is new?).
If you use Cconout(BELL) (#define BELL as 7 - it makes your code more
readable), you can bypass whatever stupidity is going on in your libs.
I don't know if Bconout(2,BELL) will work or not - if it does work, it
will make your bell redirect-proof in TOS programs.
 
 
 
 
    David Megginson, Centre for Medieval Studies, Toronto
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Dec 89 04:08:49 GMT
From: fox!portal!atari!kbad@apple.com  (Ken Badertscher)
Subject: Technical Documentation (where??)
Message-ID: <1890@atari.UUCP>
 
Atari Corp.
1196 Borregas Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
USA
 
(from the back of the "flimsy pamphlet which almost but not quite
describes the use of the desktop"... right after the diagrams with
pinouts for all the ports - sorry... I couldn't resist ;)
--
   |||   Ken Badertscher  (ames!atari!kbad)
   |||   Atari R&D System Software Engine
  / | \  #include <disclaimer>
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Dec 89 04:15:53 GMT
From: fox!portal!atari!kbad@apple.com  (Ken Badertscher)
Subject: Unexpandable megas
Message-ID: <1891@atari.UUCP>
 
STJLHI33@WATSON.BITNET writes:
 
| Now I find out that Atari crippled the Mega2s in an effort to rip off it's
| customers.
 
Atari did _NOT_ cripple the Mega 2's in an effort to rip off its customers.
To clarify what I said in a previous post: due to manufacturing
constraints, a VERY FEW Mega 2's have been produced which can not be
upgraded.  I was cautioning people who want to upgrade their Mega 2 by
getting extra RAM installed at a service center that it is _possible_ that
it may not be as simple as just installing the extra RAM.
 
Context, people - please!
 
The new machines which we are producing allow easy memory expansion:
STE's by adding SIMMs on the motherboard, and TT by memory expansion
cards (the "fast" TT RAM cards use SIMMs as well).
 
--
   |||   Ken Badertscher  (ames!atari!kbad)
   |||   Atari R&D System Software Engine
  / | \  #include <disclaimer>
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #817
*****************************************
