Issue 18 £4.00 Summer 2004 8.00Euro

Features • AmiGBG Show Report Reviews • Hollywood Designer • Pegasos II • MicroGoldEd • SoundFX 4.3 • KVM Switch • CrossFire II Support • MPlayer Tutorial • tag">C Programming Tutorial OS 4 Pre-Release part 3. If you don’t see what you want, just ask! News Our range is always growing! About... Kicksoft Total Amiga is published quarterly by South Essex Amiga Link. Editor: Robert Williams Editorial rare beast, but AirsoftSoftware’s Design: Robert Williams Issue 18 elcome to another issue new Hollywood Designer Contributors: Tony Aknes of Total Amiga which, as definitely qualifies as a member Sam Byford W Summer 2004 usual, is packed with items from of that elusive species. Designer Amiga Forever 6 Sean Courtney a wide range of contributors. is a graphical multimedia David Pitcher News application that can be used to Michael Carrillo This issue we finally have some Fast Amiga Emulator and create presentations, slideshows Mark Smith Editorial...... 3 concrete news on OS 4 to report and even simple programs with a Mick Sutton News Items...... 4 with the release to early-bird Connectivity Package for Windows whole host of impressive Matt Treasure customers of the Developer Pre- • Fast JIT emulation. graphical effects. Find out what Proofreading: Mick Sutton Features Release on CD. These long- Designer can do and how well it • Amiga runs in a window or in full screen mode. Sharon Sutton awaited discs let AmigaOne AmiGBG Show Report...... 9 does it in my review on page 18! • Amiga Explorer for Amiga connectivity. Contact Us Amiga OS 4 Update...... 12 owners finally use their • Fully licensed Picasso96 software. machines with the OS for which Cloanto’s neat Amiga emulation If you have any queries, Micro AmigaOne...... 17 they were built and try out some package, Amiga Forever, has • All Amiga ROMs up to version 3.1. suggestions or want to contact us of the features we’ve been been updated to version 6, which • Includes: Personal Paint 7.1b Directory Opus 5.5 for any reason please use one of Reviews (courtesy of GPSoftware), TurboText the following: talking about in our OS 4 you can find reviewed on page Hollywood 1.9 and Designer features for the last few issues. 28. Version 6 is available in an EMail: [email protected] • Boot directly from the CD into Amiga emulation without ...... 18 Whether you’re an AmigaOne on-line (downloaded) or CD needing Windows installed. WWW: http://www.totalamiga.org/ Pegasos II...... 24 owner and have your CD or edition. Interestingly the CD has • Additional content including: The Deathbed Vigil and Post: Total Amiga, MicroGoldEd...... 26 haven’t yet taken the plunge we a number of extras including the Jay Miner Speech are on the CD. 26 Wincoat Drive, hope you’ll find our special ability to boot a PC directly from BENFLEET, Essex, Amiga Forever 6...... 28 • Plus much more. edition of OS 4 Update the disc without needing SS7 5AH, UK. CrossFire...... 30 interesting. For AmigaOne Windows. Unfortunately our copy Version 6 Upgrade from V. 5 Telephone: +44 (0) 1268 569937 SoundFX 4.3...... 32 owners we have included details of the CD didn’t arrive in time for (19:00 - 22:00 UK time please) KVM Switch...... 36 of how to update your flash-ROM the CD features to be included in £40.00 £25.00 Only Amiga Software as required to run OS 4 and my review so I will publish an Made it Possible Support some tips on how to get the most addendum covering that Mplayer...... 38 from the pre-release. For others functionality in the next issue. I Total Amiga is designed and laid we cover some of the new should express my thanks to out using: Creating PDFs...... 42 Choose From our Wide Range of Great Titles! features that have been included Cloanto for supplying us with a Hardware: C Programming...... 46 on the pre-release CD. OS 4 review copy. Moovid Metaview Mediapoint Home built x86 PC development did not stop with Graphics Play AVI, Mov and QT files on your The best Clipart viewer on the Multimedia presentation tool on your In a strong support section this AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Next Issue...... 51 the pre-release so we also look Drawstudio Amiga©. Comes on CD. Amiga©. Comes on CD with clip art Amiga. nVidia gForce 2 MX400 month Dave Pitcher has come at some of the features still This excellent package is avaliable £12.00 images. £40.00 512Mb RAM, 40Gb HDD. Colour screenshots etc... 52 up trumps with another part of once again! On CD and includes £18.00 under development that will be SoftCinema Software: his in-depth “C” tutorial. In my Texture Studio & Image Studio. PPC AVI, QT and Mov player. On CD Diavolo Misc included in the final version. £35.00 Amithlon by Bernie Meyer et. al. PDF tutorial you can find out with example Movies. The best backup program on the Advertisers Photogenics 5 Amiga©. Comes on Floppy disk. Amiga OS 3.9 by Amiga On the other side of the pond how to create output that can be £9.00 TaskiSMS This excellent Graphics package by £50.00 PageStream 4.1 by Softlogik AmigaWorld.net...... 37 that is the Amiga community, we viewed on almost any operating AMP 2 Send Text Messages to mobile Paul Nolan. Comes on CD. phones from your Amiga! Supplied ImageFX 4.5 by Nova Design have a review of Genesi’s latest system from most Amiga PC Mpeg, CD-i and DVD player. The PhotoFolio V2 Audio Evolution...... 41 £70.00 on CD. hardware release, the Pegasos II applications. Finally Sam Byford only way to play DVDs on the The professional way to view, Perfect Paint 2.93 DiscreetFX...... 8 & 35 Image Engineer AMIGA. catolouge and manipulate your im- £12.00 by Georges Halvadjian PPC motherboard with G4 1GHz has contributed a handy tutorial ages. Forematt...... 45 Great Image manipulation program. £18.00 Photogenics 5 by Paul Nolan CPU card. Paul Rezendes on playing DVDs and other Add effects to images e.g. Jigsaw. £30.00 FxScan Final Writer 5 by Softwood Kicksoft...... 2 reviews the board for us, movies with the MorphOS port of £25.00 GoldEd The only Scanner software that offers Ghostscript 8.13 from artofcode Nova Design...... 11 approaching it as a new user mPlayer. Candy Factory Pro The best Editor, Program Editor, OCR on the Amiga today!! Internet LLC ported to AmigaOS by coming from a “classic” Amiga Create 3D Text from any standard HTML Generator on the Amiga. £30.00 You may notice in the “next Inet Dial Whoosh777. background. font and use them on web pages etc. Home server on your Amiga©., in- £30.00 issue” box inside the back cover £35.00 cludes Apache and Geek Gadgets. Turboprint 7.21 OS 3.9 Total Amiga is entirely created Sometimes it’s good to hear a that we’re expecting issue 19 to using Amiga software, no other Art Effect 4 £40.00 Use modern printers with 24 bit out- Latest operating system for the and nothing more, we don’t make different point of view, so I was take four months to complete platforms are used at any stage of Billed as “Photoshop® on the Amiga”. AWeb Upgrade put! The quality is astounding. Amiga. Comes on CD. a profit from it. interested to receive an article (meaning it should be published Excellent graphic package. Comes Full £40.00 £30.00 the design or layout process. Excellent web Browser. Upgrade from If you wish to contact a contributor from new contributor Mark Smith in early November) instead of on CD. OS 3.5 or OS 3.9. Comes on Floppy. Upgrade £25.00 Legal send your message to one of the stating his strong opinions on the the three we normally plan. This £39.99 £30.00 Make CD (DAO version) Aminet addresses in this section. Amiga market place. It certainly is because I will be away on FxPaint CD writing software. Compatible with Latest Aminet disk or the latest The views expressed in this With over 70 effects this is a superb most CD writers/rewriters. series. Gigabytes of Amiga Software. magazine are those of the author Amiga is a registered trademark gives some food for thought for holiday (in Canada) for just over addition to any software collection. £50.00 Single £14.99 of each piece, they do not and the Amiga logo, the “Boing companies and organisations three weeks during the £60.00 Utilities Spitfire 2 Series £29.99 necessarily reflect the views of the Ball” device, AmigaDOS, Amiga that would see Amigas and production period so I don’t think PFS 3 If you have a 3com Palm© or com- editor, other contributors or SEAL. Kickstart, Amiga Workbench, Amiga-compatibles as we’ll make the normal production Players The fastest and safest file system patible then you need this program! VHI Studio Please Note: Total Amiga is Autoconfig, Bridgeboard, and successful products in the wider schedule. Moovid PPC avaliable, up to 300 times faster than Comes on CD. Connect digital Cameras to your produced by the editor and Powered by Amiga are trademarks market. As usual if you have any PPC version with both WARPUP and I hope you enjoy the magazine FFS. £25.00 Amiga and so much more! contributors in their spare time. of AMIGA Inc. comments on anything published POWERUP versions. Comes on CD and look forward to hearing any £35.00 £30.00 While we always strive to produce in the magazine then please £18.00 “Amigan” is copyright by Bob comments or suggestions you the magazine on time and include Scharp and used with his send them in, I will include a send in. all the advertised contents this is permission. selection of responses in a Kicksoft Ltd., not always possible due to other All other trademarks mentioned letters section. Robert Williams 30 Whitegate Way, commitments. The price you pay are the property of their respective [email protected] ww w .kicksoft.co.uk Tadworth, for Total Amiga covers our costs In the current Amiga market, a owners. Add £1.00 UK postage per item. Make cheques payable to Kicksoft Ltd. Surrey, KT20 5NS brand new application is a pretty Tel/Fax (01737) 215432 We accept Solo, Switch, Mastercard & Visa [email protected] Summer 2004 3 News News Bytes... SongPlayer it Again Bytes... Everybody was Amiga OS Sold SongPlayer is a name familiar to many Amiga users who found it StatLine In a surprise announcement, have welcomed the acquisition interesting interview with Gary Demo Writin’ the best MP3 player for systems We all like to see our system made just after the last issue of and reassured their customers Hare which gives a bit more without a PPC accelerator or a Karate Fighter (K-Fighter from specs on show to the world Total Amiga hit the door mats, that the new OS will be released. information about him and his sound card. However a few now on) is a new utility that and some information like Amiga Inc. said that they had Gary Hare, the CEO of KMOS, company (see the link at the end years ago development dried up enables you to create demos memory usage and CPU load sold the “Classic Amiga has said that they will honour the of this news item). when Stéphane Tavenard left the with complex graphic and can actually be useful! Now Operating System” including agreement signed by Amiga Inc., Amiga scene. Last year the sound effects using a Every sign is that Amiga OS 4 MorphOS users have a way to AmigaOS 4.0 and all subsequent Hyperion and Eyetech at the development was taken up by straightforward scripting development is going ahead full show off with the release of releases to KMOS Inc., a World of Amiga South East show Mathias Parnaudeau Nicolas Det language. A finished script is steam with the release of the StatLine. As the name implies company previously unknown in in November 2001. and a MorphOS native PPC saved into a text file and can pre-release in June and many this tiny utility displays system the Amiga community. Even version was released. This be distributed with the with the Amiga Inc. stated that the reason other elements in the very active statistics in a slim MUI window more surprising was the version has been regularly K-Fighter executable and any for the sale was to allow them to development. Take a look at our on the Ambient desktop. The disclosure in Amiga Inc’s press updated and with the latest images and sound files used. concentrate their activities on the major AmigaOS 4 update feature format of the information is release that the agreement had release (1.62 at the time of Unlike many classic demos, K- AmigaDE and Amiga Anywhere on page 12 for further details. highly configurable with a wide actually been entered into with writing) there are now versions Fighter supports a wide range products which they will retain range of variables available Itec LLC on April the 23rd, 2003 Read the official press release for MorphOS, AmigaOS and of Amiga hardware from a along with the Amiga name itself including the following types: and had not been announced at at: Amithlon. 68030 AGA machine with no (which we assume will be the time. Itec was later acquired www.amiga.com/corporate/ • Memory FPU right up to an ‘060 with a licensed for use by KMOS). Changes since Stéphane’s last by KMOS leading to the end 150304-amigaos_sale.shtml SongPlayer 1.62 running on MorphOS. • Tasks graphics card. It also works release include: result we report today. Since the announcement in • CPU load well on emulators such as The Gary Hare interview: • Compact disc title editor. SongPlayer is freeware, March we haven’t heard much • MorphOS native version (uses • Versions UAE and Amithlon, and works It seems that the acquisition will http://amigaworld.net/modules/ • Reduced CPU usage with 68K download the latest version for more from KMOS, although we AHI only). • CPU type under emulation on OS4 and have little or no effect on the features/index.php? decoder. your platform from: understand they are active • Ogg Vorbis file support • Computer type MorphOS too. The demos you forthcoming release of Amiga op=r&rev_id=50&cat_id=3 • Many bug fixes. http://amigadev.free.fr/songplayer behind the scenes. (MorphOS only). StatLine is freeware and can create can be run on a variety OS 4 for consumers. Hyperion AmigaWorld.net did conduct an be downloaded from: of screenmodes (K-Fighter www.christianrosentreter.com/ either picks the closest mode releases/tools.php to the size you specify or it Peeking Through the Papyrus can show a screenmode PageStream Hits the Big 5.0 requester) for maximum Titan have released some new MS Word import and export. The version of the suite, the system For more details of Papyrus The Amiga’s premier desktop import the PDF as accurately as PageStream 5.0 releases for compatibility. screenshots (some of which you program’s table features also requirements for the two office, visit Titan: publishing application is about to possible which results in some AmigaOS 68K and MorphOS are can see on this page) of their enable it to be used as a versions are: MorphOS 1.4.2, www.titan-computer.com/ A wide range of special effects receive a boost as Grasshopper editing limitations and the expected to be available by the forthcoming port of ROM spreadsheet. Also in the 128 MB RAM or Amiga OS3.5 or ami/papyrus/index.html are supported, including a has announced PageStream second that groups text into time you read this. Grasshopper Logicware’s office suite, Papyrus package is a database program. 3.9, Mui 3.8, 48MB RAM, real-time 3D engine that was or ROM Logicware: version 5 and 5 Professional. easily editable blocks but may are also committed to producing office. Papyrus features a Graphicsboard running Cybergfx added in the last release Previously only announced for www.rom-logicware.com PageStream is the fully featured change the format somewhat. an AmigaOS 4 native version but powerful word processor with or 100% compatible, 68040 CPU (0.99). New effects can be DTP program used to produce at the time of writing a release MorphOS, Titan will now be In version 5 the Pro edition is many modern features including or higher. added as plug-ins so even Total Amiga. schedule was not available. making an AmigaOS 3.5/3.9 further differentiated with the hardcore demo coders could New features in PageStream 5 following new features (amongst A full copy of PageStream 5.0 use KFighter as a framework include: others): costs $99 (£55 approx.) and the on which to build their own Pro version is $149 (£85), unique effects and routines. • Alpha Blending for Text and • Place PDF Objects various upgrade and crossgrade Objects • Automatically Adjust Text Width The KFighter package (between platforms) deals are • Picture Transparency to Justify includes a tutorial and also available. For full details • Text Widow and Orphan • Gradient/Radial Blend Masks example scripts to get you and to order on-line visit the Control for Pictures, EPS, PDF and started. The program is Grasshopper website: • Definable Printer Marks Drawings freeware and can be www.grasshopperllc.com • Path Reverse, Flatten and • Path Math: Union, Add, Unique downloaded from: Smooth and Subtract www.k-fighter.net • Hanging Bullets, DropCaps and Number • New Duplicate Objects Method

The Pro version (introduced at release 4.1) includes plug-ins that were previously available at extra cost (TextFX, Gary’s Effects and Borders) and a PDF document filter. This filter enables PDF documents to be loaded into PageStream for Papyrus Office editing, a feature not previously running on available on the Amiga and MorphOS. Above usually requiring expensive a table is used as specialist software on other a spreadsheet. platforms. The PDF filter has two To the left is the modes, one of which tries to database module. Right is a MS Word document imported into the wordprocessor. 4 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 5 News News Web Bytes... Video Present and Future Web Bytes... With the OS 4 Pre-release Stephen Fellner has released Riva is shareware, the Work Those Disks out now, I thought we would several updates for Riva, his registration fee is $15 (£9 We’re always on the look out for 1 require at least two hard disks. configured. A “wizard” similar to have a look at two new sites highly optimised MPEG video approx.) and you can order on- software that brings new URD also supports a MiamiInit is used to configure a aimed at OS 4 users. player for 68K Amigas, taking line through the RegNet service. features to the Amiga and with combination of levels 0 and 1, new array, each step of the the program up to version 0.50 URD (Universal RAID Device) this requires 4 hard disks and process is explained including at the time of writing. The new DVPlayer Rupert Hausberger gives our mirrors data between striped the selection of a file system for version includes AHI support so platform software RAID support. sets of disks. the array. In addition to the three www.intuitionbase.com a video’s audio track can be In addition to his work on Riva, RAID stands for “Redundant RAID levels you can also choose URD creates a RAID device heard using a 16bit sound card. Stephen has also revealed that Array of Inexpensive Disks”) and to have your array encrypted if it Intuition Base is a new site using the disks you select which Riva can now display its output he is developing a new video is a method of improving the is to hold sensitive data. developed by Darren “Ryu” can then be formatted with any in a Window on all systems, player for AmigaOS 4. DVPlayer performance and sometimes the Glenn who will be familiar to existing Amiga file system. The URD is freeware and can be previously this was limited to will be PPC native and is mainly reliability of hard disk storage. visitors of most of the Amiga www.os4depot.net system has a neat MUI downloaded from the author’s Amigas with a graphics card that intended for MPEG derived There are various RAID levels forums on the ‘net. The site configuration program which lists site: OS4 Depot is a file repository supported Picture in Picture such formats such as MPEG1/2, which use multiple hard disks in includes information on all the arrays you have http://member.ycn.com/~hausrup specifically for PPC native as the Picasso IV. Further VideoCD, SVCD and DVD; other various aspects of the DVPlayer is a new development, various ways. URD supports AmigaOS 4 software. The optimisations are also included formats may be supported in the AmigaOne computers and not based on Riva. As you can RAID levels 0, 1 and a catalogue of software to make Riva even faster and future. With the power of the AmigaOS 4 and it seems to see from the screenshot, the combination of the two. Level 0 available is organised into several bugs have been fixed in PowerPC G3 and G4 me that it will particularly program has an attractive treats multiple drives as one, categories (such as graphics) the new version too. processors, AmigaOnes should interest those new to the custom interface with the spreading the data across drives and then into subcategories be able to comfortably play back in a process called striping. This platform or Amiga users Stephen claims that Riva the standard play controls and a (convert, for example) so it will DVD movies in real time, this will means you could make several who’ve been away for a fastest 68K MPEG video player, position bar to allow seeking be easy to find all the be assisted by support for the smaller disks appear as one while. The AmigaOS section you can try it out for yourself by within the movie. We hope to available native software in a Altivec vector unit of the G4 larger one, because the data is features an introduction, downloading the demo (which bring you further details on this particular field. Also available processor which has recently striped performance can be screenshots, tips, FAQs and a plays back in black and white interesting looking program in a is a simple search engine been added to OS4 and will be enhanced as the data is list of available software only) from his website: future edition of Total Amiga. which allows you to search for utilised by DVPlayer. streamed from several sources. (including pre-OS4 titles that http://amigos.amiga.hu/cobra words or phrases in the Level 1 mirrors data across two are compatible). In the software description. More hard disks so if one fails, or AmigaOne section you’ll powerful search options are in becomes corrupted, the again find an introduction and development. Each file in a information is still available. In FAQ. Amongst other category is listed with its the current URD implementation, information there are also version, file size and a “Just” A Sequencer level 1 does not improve drive pictures and details of the description; clicking on the performance. RAID levels 0 and AmigaOne XE and Micro description shows an Aminet- The first public beta version of • MIDI event editor (ability to When it is complete, Aseq will be boards, a list of available style readme file. Currently this new MIDI sequencer has change MIDI data for each a commercial product. If you like operating systems and a list there are no screenshots or just been released for public note). the look of the program, the of compatible hardware. facilities to comment on or rate testing and comment. Aseq • Additional features for MIDI author offers you the option to A Double Helping of Strategy The site is completed by a a file; hopefully advanced (which simply stands for “A experts. make a donation via PayPal to You wait ages for a strategy authorities and there are also required they can be selection of feature articles, features like these will be Sequencer”) is an “x0x” style Saving is disabled in the public help fund his development. If you game to be ported to the Amiga computer controlled opponents. downloaded from the LGames links to other useful sites and added in the future. sequencer where the sequence beta, but otherwise it is fully donate more than 5 Euro he will and then... OpenTTD adds many site below. a shop where you can by a Anyone can upload their OS 4 is represented by a row of functional. To use the program give you a 45% discount on the enhancements to the basic game Information: Recent weeks have seen the very nice Amiga/IntuitionBase native programs to OS4 Depot buttons (usually 16 or 32) which you will need an Amiga (or finished product. For more including an experimental multi- http://lgames.sourceforge.net/ release of ports of two open case badge. using a form on the site. The are selected to represent a “hit” compatible) with AmigaOS 3.1 or details and to download the player feature. You need a copy index.php?project=LGeneral source strategy games, Open form has fields for many (usually a note or sound of some above. A MIDI interface and public beta visit: of the Windows release of TTD AOS: http://home.arcor.de/ Intuition Base is already a Transport Tycoon Deluxe which additional pieces of kind). This sequencing method some MIDI devices are to use this version. f_menzel/downl.html very useful site and it is in an www.aseq.de is an enhanced clone of the information than are currently was made popular by various recommended but Aseq can also Information: www.openttd.com MOS and WarpUp: excellent position to grow as popular Transport Tycoon Deluxe shown against each file hinting Roland machines such as the play back through AHI. AOS: http://home.arcor.de/ http://www.tbs-software.com/ OS 4 gets into the hands of and LGeneral which is a turn- at enhanced functionality to 303, 606, 808 and 909. f_menzel/downl.html stefkos/LinuxPorts.html eager users across the world. based military game based on come. One particularly nice MOS: http://sourceforge.net/ The features of Aseq include: Panzer General. For both feature of the submission form projects/openttd games, a port is available for is a “submit to Aminet” check • OS friendly design throughout. AmigaOS 68K and AmigaOS 4, box which enables an author • Font sensitive interface that and a separate port has been LGeneral to submit his upload to the supports multiple completed for MorphOS. Let’s Amiga’s largest software screenmodes. In this game you play the part of take at the two games in a bit repository as well. • Reasonably fast. a general guiding your forces more detail: • Step sequencing and real-time turn by turn against a computer Once OS4 Depot has built up sequencing. or human enemy. At your a base of files I’m sure it will • Number of patterns, songs and OpenTTD command are a number of units be a valuable resource to song length limited only by including tanks, aircraft, artillery AmigaOne owners, it’s nice to Your aim in Transport Tycoon available resources. and troops. When planning your see the developers trying to Deluxe (as in most “Tycoon” • Semi-flexible pattern lengths. strategy you must take into work along side Aminet which, games) is to make as much • Adjust data such as volume, account the weather, unit supply, of course, caters for all Amiga money as possible. You do this pitch, speed etc. on every step. defences, entrenchment and compatible platforms. by building various transport • MIDI monitor. many other factors making this a links such as road, railways and • Can be master (sends timing, complex and involving game. air routes. Once your play start etc.) or slave LGeneral has been inspired by a infrastructure is complete you (receives timing, play start etc.) commercial game from the early don’t have an easy ride, you MIDI device or none. ‘90s called Panzer General, Aseq has an OS compliant GUI that should work on all Amiga must deal with breakdowns, although files from this title are systems. In the foreground is the powerful MIDI event editor. natural disasters, local 6 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 7 Support The Dream Features A Better Browser! AmiA PunterGBG’s Eye View Matt Treasure caved in to Total Amiga’s demands to bring us his impressions for AmigaOS and Compatibles of Sweden’s biggest Amiga show.

lined up along one whole side of to purchase the Catweasel they and one lucky individual actually Visit: http://www.discreetfx.com/AmiZilla.html y first trip to an Amiga the room, with more in adjoining had, some little toad had already won an AmigaOne system! I for more details and to donate. Mevent since the demise of rooms. After grabbing a floor bought it! I wandered into the came away with an AROS T- Commodore also turned out to plan, I quickly wandered round to next hall where some of the shirt, my luck was obviously in The goal of the AmiZilla effort is to raise such a huge amount also be my first trip to Sweden. check out what was happening. presentations were about to that day! I also managed to say Having read about AmiGBG on There were quite a few commence. I sat in on a couple hello to Michael Carrillo (aka of money to give away to the first programmer/team that can the official website and seeing it AmigaOnes running Amiga presentations, one was by a Mikey_C) who was there and port Mozilla to Amiga that Amiga programmers will be falling promoted on AmigaWorld, I OS4.0, I felt like I had died and member of staff from IBM who was actually broadcasting on over themselves to get this application coded in record time! thought “what the hell, let’s go”, gone to heaven! It’s been a long was talking about the current AmigaWorld radio from the so I did! time coming but I was now status of the PPC project and event, another face matched to a properly able to see this what developments they were name! I was also fortunate The sourcecode to Netscape Communicator was released in 1998 I arrived into Gothenburg City “mythical” OS for real, I just had making to their line-up. He also enough to meet a few of the Airport early on the Saturday and we thought for sure that it would be ported to the Amiga super to have a play. I had no idea who provided us with a display of people I have been chatting with morning, and after getting a taxi fast, the way Doom & Quake were. Well it is 2004 and still no owned the system I was messing some amusing TV adverts during in various Amiga related chats. into the city to my hotel where I Netscape/Mozilla on Amiga OS. So now we are willing to put our around with, and as no-one the break which were quite dumped my belongings, I got a came over and questioned me, memorable. money were our mouth is and are offering $2000 to the lucky coder(s) taxi over to the Lindholmen so I carried on exploring that can send us even a beta of this browser for Amiga OS. You don’t Science Park where AmiGBG The second presentation I Workbench. It felt new, but at the have to port the e-mail package or some of the other tools, just the was being held. It was an watched was about Amiga same time, it felt just like it impressive venue, the whole Forever 6.0, which was being browser portion of Mozilla. always did, different but the science park looked almost officially launched at the show. same; what a relief! All the old brand new, great choice! After We were treated to a demo of Also to increase the pot we have setup a special website & PayPal utilities were where I remember admiring the Volvo sitting in the the new program which had them and the addition of a few account to receive donations. We have already placed our 2000 US foyer I made my way up-stairs. gone through a major overhaul new ones made me think “I want Dollars into this account and will keep a daily tally of any and all Upon reaching the check-in and was running very nicely. this”. Everything ran nice and donations. This money will always be available to the first person/team desk, I provided my name and There was also a brief showing smoothly, the system was was given an AmiGBG sticker of the video footage from who gets it ported. You don’t have to donate to the cause but if you have extremely responsive, I felt quite that had my name printed on it, Commodore’s launch of the a little money to spare and you want Netscape to finally be on Amiga OS at home. At that point someone but I went simply by my name on Amiga held at New York’s please consider helping make this dream come true. No donation is too came across to me and said they this occasion, not the nick-name Lincoln Center back in 1985... So had to move the computer, so I small, even $5 or $10 is fine if that is all you can afford. Doners will be I go by on AmigaWorld, just in Commodore could do some left them to it and wandered on listed on this site via thier name or handle if they want to be listed. case I ran into someone who I things right it would seem! to the next stand where I was had annoyed with one of my greeted with a Micro A1 board; I Unfortunately, due to problems posts! I took a deep breath and Keep in mind programmers, this effort should work on at least Amiga hadn’t realised they were so tiny. with his airline, Alan Redhouse Simon “Rigo” Archer walked through the door. OS 3.9, WinUAE, Amithlon, MorphOS, AROS, Amiga OS 4.0, etc. of Eyetech fame could not be in demonstrating OS 4 and helping There were various other The main hall where the event attendance, so he kindly held a MikeyC sell Total Amiga! so everyone can benefit from the effort. We will help you beta test it goodies for sale there, so I took place was pretty busy by Q&A session via a mobile phone. of course. Please keep the dream alive. loitered for a while. By the time I Andreas Loong (aka Reflect) the time I got there, with tables He discussed the on-going had plucked up enough courage managed to syphon a few progress of the Micro A1 which is Knoner out of me in the process At the time of writing (June 2004) the current funds Available for something that many people are first programmer/team to port even a beta version (yes, a FireFox on his stand at the show, good to interested in knowing more meet you at last Reflect! port would also qualify for the money) to Amiga OS/MorphOS: about. Ben Hermans from Hyperion was also there, and for Early evening approached and I me personally, it was good to be decided I really had to go and able to put a face to the name. get some food. I ended up in $8748.30 Having heard so much both from McDonalds, not very exciting, him and about him, it was great but at least I knew the menu! I to finally find out who this person flew home Sunday evening, and She’s Green, Sexy, fully Standards Compliant! really was. Ben updated us all on although I was exhausted after a and the progress of the Amiga OS4.0 three and a half hour drive home She is coming to an Amiga Compatible system soon! project discussing their plans for from the airport, I felt really the pre-release distribution and pleased that I had attended the how it should actually be event. It was good to meet some happening. I had to restrain of the people I had spent time This Ad was created 100% on Amiga computers using Pagestream 4.1 myself at that point, this was the chatting with in the various first time that I actually thought to forums etc and in particular to myself, “this is actually actually get to see and test drive AmiZilla Concept/Design Consultant: Bill Panagouleas happening”! There was then a Amiga OS4.0. Well done to the presentation session where the organisers, you did yourselves AmiZilla Artist/Design: Eric Schwartz winners to the various proud, perhaps I’ll see you there competitions were announced next year! One of the many machines running OS 4. AmiZilla image is Copyrighted 2003 by Eric Schwartz and DiscreeFX and can’t be used without permission. Summer 2004 9 Comment A View from Outside At Total Amiga we try to take a positive view on all things Amiga related but sometimes it’s useful to hear another point of view. As an ex-Amiga user, Mark Smith explains what lead him to leave the community and talks about what it might take to bring users like him back. Then confusion begins, the new ______, ______! And just to running around. Such a got interested in Amigas quite saviors were having trouble make matters worse some of the pity. Sadly not much will change, Ilate in the game, Amiga Inc delivering the old promises, new companies and people who are Amiga will just keep swapping had already been passed around promises were made and making all the wonderful new hands and getting more and like an old bike in a large family companies suddenly pop up with toys have no idea at all on how more tarnished as time goes by. and was just settling in with its new products. All looked good to run a business! Technical One thing I do think the various latest owners and we were all but for the average person it was skills abound by the bucket full, Amiga and Amiga-like hoping they wouldn’t kick it too information overload... which but business and social skills? companies could do with doing is much. I was looking for a way should I go? Should I go They must have been sick and trying to adhere to some form of computer that just plain didn’t with the “official” solution? Or go off school the day those things work ethics ... it’s really not annoy me ... and I found it, with one of these other tasty were taught. Personally I find it hard! You just look up the AmigaOS was nice - an elegant looking Amiga-like systems? so very annoying when the so meaning of commonsense and system that didn’t need a billion Decisions, decisions! called ‘Elite’ look down on and then try to follow it! MIPs to do anything. Perfect, a sneer at all the poor mortals who Now to the badness ... Why oh system based on commonsense. would really really REALLY like So where do I stand in regards why must a ‘computer’ of all to play with their nice shiny new to Amiga ownership? Easy - I Overall I quite enjoyed my Amiga things attract such a rabid bunch toys, but can’t because of don’t have one anymore, I don’t times, I started off with a little of fanatics? You guys and girls shoddy practices by the intend to get one either until I A1200 030, got hold of a couple do realise that it’s just plastic: manufacturer. Hands up who has see promises being kept, of Blizzard 060's, then went to fused sand and metal, don’t you? had this happen? (except you products being released that an 060 A4000 and finally The majority of Amigans are guys who fit into the blank name actually do what they say they pumped some steroids into it quite nice people, on the whole spaces). These same companies do on the box. A decrease in the and put in a CyberstormPPC/060 quite intelligent and level wonder why they have short life amount of rabid zealots might be with every bell and whistle headed, but... there are the spans and why the world glossed a bit much to ask but I can possible... quite a respectable “frothing at the mouth” zealots! I over the Amiga when it was such dream I suppose. setup really... now at this point all think that maybe the only reason a good machine! sorts of promises were flying why the Amiga community is Ah well, I’m just a mere mortal from various camps about how straddled with them is that they The Amiga community has a what do I know... the future Amiga should look, can’t afford an Apple! It’s so huge festering zit, full to bursting what hardware it should be tempting to name names here, with egos the size of houses. based on, and who should write but I’m pretty sure that most of Companies who think it’s the new OS. you who’ve managed to read this perfectly fine to release products far know some names to fill New hardware! New Software! that don’t work, and a whole these blanks: ______, ______, New Amiga - good exciting stuff! gaggle of headless chickens Buzz Word... Alas poor Buzz, we knew him well. It is with great sadness that we get it wrong in spectacular and his staff walk around with a rare minority and quite inform our readers about the fashion when he announced both cheeks firmly zipped up. endangered, but then, so is the early enforced retirement of the that Jim Collas would be The chances of getting any butterfly” Buzz Word Column. With the returning as CEO of Amiga Inc. information out of that lot, is With that, the line went sudden demise of Amiga as the A debate that raged and raged about as likely as getting a Buzz Word...strangely dead. We don’t know company that owns AmigaOS, for ages on Amiga Internet politician to be honest with you” when or indeed if we will hear Buzz has decided to retire to a website and forums for weeks Buzz, went on to add.. from Buzz again. In the secret bunker in the centre of on end. Still he did get the odd meantime, to fill the space left Baghdad which he brought for a rumour right too, unfortunately, “I wish every Amiga user all the over in the next issue, we shall very cheap price from the we can’t remember which ones best in the future, I hope Amiga be featuring a new regular “Knit previous owner who had to go either! OS4 is everything they hope it yourself an Amiga Tea Cosy” into hiding leaving his to be. As to myself, I am writing Before leaving Buzz left us column for you to impress all spokesman once declare that an autobiography of Muhammed these parting words... your friends with! “There are only two American Saeed al-Sahaf (former Iraqi tanks in the city.” “I enjoyed my time as an Amiga Information Minister) with the Alternatively, if you can’t bear espionage agent, but I have working title of “Pass the Buck the thought of Knitting tea Looking back at the time, Buzz decided to move on to pastures please”. Rumours that the front cosy’s please send us an E-Mail Word spent lots of energy new, with KMOS at the helm, cover will feature a Blue Morpho with your suggestions for what sending us his information the chances of getting anyone Butterfly being run over by a we can fill this space with from snippets to publish, he often got to speak, are next to impossible. Boingus Ballitus is strictly untrue the next issue. it mostly right, but he did once As a matter of fact, Garry Hare and very cruel as Morpho’s are 10 TOTAL AMIGA Features Features The first step of the installation is If you think all this is a bit AmigaOS 4 stores all the Now Kickstart consists of a set of to partition your hard drive and complicated, don’t worry, there is modules that would have been files on disk it can be managed install the AmigaOne “booter”. an excellent guide to the whole located in ROM, plus some new in a much more flexible way. In Amiga OS 4 Update: Installing this file (supplied on process written by Carl Moppett ones, in a new drawer in the the Kickstart directory is a file the CD) enables booting of OS 4 aka JurassicC. Once you’ve System partition called called “kicklayout”, this defines from this hard drive. The which modules should be installation automatically “At last the patient early bird AmigaOne loaded. Multiple configurations Developer Pre-Release launches the new MediaToolbox can be defined in the kicklayout utility (the replacement for owners have something... more interesting file, for example you could have Mick Sutton and Robert Williams continue our regular series on OS 4 with a look at the recently shipped pre-release, HDToolbox) where you can first a test configuration to test a new some handy tips for early-birders who’ve just received it and news of the latest OS 4 developments. read the configuration from the than Linux!” module and a fallback one to use drive (to get its size etc.) and if the new module causes then install the booter (slb_V2). booted to Workbench the guide “Kickstart”. Each module is problems. The configuration to to press, OS 4 development has therefore needs to be configured a familiar looking screen will Then it’s on to “Edit partitions can be viewed in IBrowse on the contained in a separate file with boot can be selected in U-Boot ust as we completed work on been continuing so we also have to boot into OS 4. Existing open with a requester “Welcome and filesystems” to create some AmigaOne while you complete a .kmod extension, examples so it can be changed even if the this article we heard that the news of the latest developments AmigaOne owners will also need to AmigaOS 4.0 Install CD”, you J partitions on your drive. You the installation. include picasso96 (enabling OS won’t boot. In the final first AmigaOne early bird owners which should be of interest to all! to update the version of U-Boot are then prompted to set your need to create at least one graphics cards to be accessed release a KickLayout editor will had received their Amiga OS 4 So, let’s start with what you do that they have on their machines language, country and time bootable partition for Workbench from start-up), graphics.library be supplied, this neat GUI developer pre-release CDs, the when your CD arrives: before installing the OS 4 pre- zone. The next step is to set the Kickstart (between 100 Mb and 400 Mb is and the OS kernel. This program enables you to define announcement of which we release. When OS 4 is officially keyboard map and any input recommended) and you can use On “classic” Amigas, the parts of arrangement enables existing new configurations and edit reported in the last issue. Being released we assume AmigaOnes preferences (mouse speed etc.). Pre-release Installation the new “Fast Filesystem / Long the operating system required to modules to be updated and new existing ones without needing a lucky enough to have access to will be supplied with the latest boot the computer, along with modules to be installed simply by Within seconds of accepting the Filenames (DOS\07)” option. text editor. development versions of OS 4 The installation process is quite firmware installed and therefore some other essential copying them into the Kickstart preferences the OS 4 When your partitions are all set we’ve been able to watch the painless and it’s obvious that a there will be no need to perform components, are stored in the directory using Workbench. Workbench appears on your up you are prompted to reboot; pre-release as it developed. In lot of thought has gone into this procedure. In the “Updating Kickstart ROM on the AmigaOne’s monitor for the first the system boots from the CD this article we aim to provide making it as easy as possible. your AmigaOne’s Firmware” motherboard. New releases of time and mighty fine it looks too! again. When you get to the some useful information for Without doubt the most tricky boxout below, the full firmware the OS had to either supply a There’s a great looking backdrop Workbench screen the format those who’ve just received their part of installing Amiga OS 4 is update procedure is described new ROM, or patch the old one that reminds you that you’ve command is used to prepare the CD and to report on the features the updating of your AmigaOne’s for AmigaOne owners who will using the SetPatch command in booted from CD and an AmiDock new partitions, then you are of the pre-release for those firmware, U-Boot. With previous find it useful to have it in print the startup-sequence. On OS 3.5 bar populated with some of the ready to continue the installation. who’ve not purchased an Amiga models the Kickstart and for anyone who is interested and 3.9 it is this process that utilities you may need during AmigaOne. If you are thinking of ROMs contained the software in the procedure. From this point on the installation requires an additional reset when installation. In the middle of the buying an AmigaOne, we needed to initialise the hardware proceeds automatically, copying the Amiga is started. The With the firmware updated and screen is a standard Amiga understand that the pre-release and some parts of the operating the files needed onto your boot AmigaOne has only the generic set up ready for OS 4 you can installer window asking “Do you will now be supplied with all system. U-Boot is designed to partition. Once this is all done UBoot bootloader installed in boot the AmigaOne from the want to install AmigaOS 4 boards sold, although you should work with several different you can reboot and see OS 4 ROM, this contains no AmigaOS AmigaOS 4.0 Developer pre- Now?”, with the continue button confirm this with your retailer. operating systems (notably Linux running from your hard disk for components so these must all be release CD. After a minute or so labelled “Yes, of course.”! Since the pre-release CDs went and of course OS 4) and the first time... congratulations! stored on the hard disk.

Excerpted from the OS 4 Developer Updating your AmigaOne’s Firmware Pre-release Install Guide with permission.

For example, for updating from Where X is either 0, 1, 2 or 3 load from CD and after a few booting the AmigaOS4.0 change the “Boot Devices” to n order to install this “10th September, 2003” U-Boot, depending on your CDROM seconds you will be presented Developer pre-release CD. But the following: IDeveloper pre-release of OS4 use the “From 0.1” image, for config as shown below. with a message headed first you need to make a few Boot Device 1: IDE DISK on your AmigaOne you must updating from “22nd December, “Attention!! Please read this environment and preference Boot Device 2: IDE CDROM CD as Primary Master type: update its firmware (U-Boot) to 2003” or later U-Boot, use the notice carefully!”. Press any key changes. Interrupt the boot Boot Device 3: Floppy diskboot 500000 0:0 ; bootm V1.0.0, dated 12th April, 2004 “From 1.0” image. to continue. Then you must type sequence, as described in Press the Esc key to return to (or later). If you know that your CD as Primary Slave type: the letters “o” & “k” in that order Section 1. Or, if you are already the main menu. If you are unsure what version firmware ROM is write diskboot 500000 1:0 ; bootmto confirm you wish to proceed. at the U-Boot “]” prompt, type of U-Boot you have then protected, then please contact menu and press Enter. Again Use the cursor keys to navigate perform the following: CD as Secondary Master type: The update will go through an your Amiga dealer to arrange the U-Boot preferences to “Integrated Peripherals” and diskboot 500000 2:0 ; bootmerasing process and then for it to be replaced with an Press any key when the “Press countdown will start, please press Enter. The “Integrated The OS 4 Developer Pre-release CD is supplied with a through an update process. unprotected ROM before any key to interrupt autoboot:” CD as Secondary Slave type: interrupt it by pressing any key, Peripherals” submenu will comprehensive on-line install guide. Once completed there will be a proceeding. The update process message appears on screen. diskboot 500000 3: ; bootm except Enter. appear. Use the cursor and count down of 5 seconds, after should be able to detect if your The U-Boot preferences count Enter keys to change the “PAR setenv autostart yes You will notice the AmigaOS4.0 If you are unsure about what which your AmigaOne will be setenv preboot firmware ROM is write protected down will then start - allow this The U-Boot menu should then Port Mode” to “ECP”. Press Esc kernel modules begin to load diskboot command to use then rebooted. Please DO NOT turn setenv bootcmd “menu; run and should halt if it cannot be to complete without interrupting. appear. Use the cursor keys to to return to the main menu. » from the pre-release CD. Once take a look at the “–Disk off your AmigaOne during this updated. You should now see the U-Boot navigate to PCI/AGP and then menuboot_cmd” the kernel has loaded, your Summary–“ output, which is update as it could render your Press the Esc key to exit the saveenv command prompt “]”. Type ver press Enter. screen will go blank and your Located on the AmigaOS4.0 displayed when you first power firmware unusable and your main menu. Use the cursor keys and press Enter. monitor may go onto standby. Developer pre-release CD, in on your AmigaOne. This will AmigaOne unbootable. The PCI/AGP submenu will then to navigate to “Save Settings DO NOT reset your AmigaOne the Firmware directory, are the You should now have identified show you which Device number appear. Use the cursor and and Exit” and press Enter. at this point. The CD drive is still being Important: If you are not required images to update your which firmware update to use. If your CD-ROM is attached to. Enter keys to change the accessed at this point, after completely confident about U-Boot firmware. There are two you are ready to proceed then The Device number is the same “Trigger By” settings to “Level”. Once you have saved the about one minute you will be doing a U-Boot flash update Starting Installation versions available. One is for use the procedure outlined number you should use in the Press Esc to return to the main changes you need to change presented with a welcome then contact your Amiga dealer, updating from U-Boot version above to interrupt the U-Boot diskboot command. From the menu. some U-Boot env parameters. Insert the AmigaOS4.0 message on a white who will advise you. 0.0.1 (10th September, 2003), sequence. Insert the Firmware example below you can see that You will be returned to the U- Developer pre-release CD in background... AmigaOS 4 the other is for updating from update CD and then at the U- the CD-ROM is on Device 2, so Use the cursor keys to navigate Boot “]” Prompt. At the “]” U- your CDROM drive. At the Developer pre-release is about version 1.0.0 (December, 2003 Boot “]” prompt type: you would use the “diskboot Configuration to “Boot Sequence” and press Boot prompt type (in lower case UBoot “]” prompt type: to be installed, you can now or later). Please ensure you use 500000 2:0 ; bootm” command. Enter. The Boot Sequence only): ide reset follow the prompts and use the ide reset Your AmigaOne firmware will submenu will appear. Use the setenv boot1 cdrom the correct version. diskboot 500000 X:0 ; bootm on-line documentation... Enjoy! The Firmware update will then now be at the correct version for cursor and Enter keys to setenv stdout vga boota 12 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 13 Features Features shows a list of all windows and Hardware Support System screens that are open and to quickly swap to the required one USB Context Menus even if it’s buried under many others. Tooltype options can be Amiga OS 4 will be the first Users of Directory Opus 5 and used to select which mouse version of our beloved operating some other operating systems button brings up the menu and if system to include support for will be used to pop-up menus a qualifier key is needed. USB, unfortunately this will not that offer options appropriate to be included on the pre-release the object under the mouse Preferences CD, but we have been able to try pointer. The new Context menus a development version and it’s commodity (formerly known as Since our last issue we’ve coming on nicely. At the time of PowerMenus) brings these to the discovered some more new writing the USB 1.1 controller Amiga OS 4 Workbench, once it features have been added to the with four ports on the AmigaOne has been run (for example put in OS 4 preferences programs. In motherboard is supported, as WBStartup) windows, icons and Font preferences there is now a are the Thylacine and Highway the Workbench background each new tab where you can select Zorro boards on “classic” have unique pop-up menus which directories in your Fonts: Amigas. The OS 4 USB stack is which appears when you click assign will be cached, this based on Sirion, the stack the right mouse button. The makes the list of fonts appear supplied with the Thylacine. context menus contain most of much more quickly in Since our Thylacine review in Kickstart has never been so flexible! The new Kicklayout editor the commands from the standard applications. The font used for issue 13 the stack has been allows you to define just what kickstart modules are loaded. menus plus some new options. Workbench icon text can now greatly improved and ported to The screen context menu allows have a shadow or an outline in a PPC. Classes of USB device graphics cards were in code for OS 4 is the you to run a selection of tools, selectable colour, this helps icon supported in the current development. These drivers graphics.library, as we write this utilities and preferences text to stand out on differing development version are Human have now been completed and we have heard that the PPC programs without opening their background shades. Interface, which supports USB are in the pre-release. Radeon version is being tested on sub-directories. The new copy keyboards and mice and support is an important advance “classic” Amigas with PPC cards. and cut items in the file context Without additional hardware the AmiPDF has an excellent antialaised display and a wide range of navigation options. Here it is showing MassStorage, for devices such because cards based on this This is very good news indeed, menu can be used to copy and AmigaOne uses standard PC the German on-line magazine “Amiga Insider” but it works equally well with Total Amiga back issues! as flash drives, card readers and chipset are plentiful and one of the last hurdles before move files using a two step PS/2 keyboards, to support this, some digital cameras. We have affordable. At this stage the release has been cleared! process where you first copy or PC keyboard keymaps (such as causes icons to be highlighted as some reason still use chipset AmigaOne. Apart from tried several multi-slot card drivers are for Picasso 96 and cut the file and then paste it into British_PC) are supplied and soon as you drag the selection screenmodes... sad! keyboards and mice (which are readers on the A1 and they work 2D only but for the final release Audio a new drawer using the paste appear in Input preferences. If box over them so you can see currently displayed in the perfectly, cards are automatically they will be replaced by the option in the window context you have a Catweasel Flipper which icons will be selected Amiga Input AmigaInput preferences) we are mounted and displayed as SNAP 2D graphics system, When an audio CD is inserted with a “real” Amiga keyboard when you release the mouse currently unsure what other input menu. We noticed that the file An all-new preferences program volumes on Workbench; no which provides support for into the CD or DVD drive of an then you can select the “Amiga button. “Column Dragging” is a devices are supported. When we menu changed depending on the has been added to configure configuration is needed. hundreds of graphics chipsets. OS 4 machine a default CD icon keyboard” option. new, purely aesthetic, option that find out we’ll give them a try and type of file, for example a text file input devices such as keyboards, We understand that 3D drivers appears on Workbench. Opening has the “Multiview” and “Edit” arranges file and drawer icons in let you know how well it works. Several new options have been mice and joysticks, largely for Radeon are also planned. the icon and showing all files options whereas a program has a column while they are dragged added to the Workbench use in games and perhaps reveals a normal Workbench a version string option (which (it doesn’t change their position Quick Updates One of the last parts of Amiga preferences, the screen title multimedia applications. Beneath Last issue we reported that window with an icon for each shows the version number in a in the destination drawer). OS to be ported to native PPC format can be customised with the surface, we understand that In addition to the greatly drivers for ATI Radeon based track on the CD. To extract the small window). According to the your own text and information Like an old adversary (especially AmigaInput is a new method for enhanced Reaction GUI system, audio data for a track you simply Context Menus documentation items such as memory usage, to 1438 and 1942 monitor developers to add controller the OS 4 pre-release is also need to drag its icon onto a hard the DefIcons preferences Kickstart information, CPU type owners) “Overscan” preferences support to their games as it supplied with a 68K version of drive partition, the track can then program will be enhanced with (both native and emulated) and is still included but will only be replaces the lowlevel.library MUI 3.9 to support the many be used to make an MP3 or part the option to add custom context what graphics board you have useful for people running OS 4 which is limited to the number of existing MUI programs (including of a compilation CD. menu entries for each file type. installed. “Live Drag Select” on “classic” Amigas who for buttons on a CD32 joypad and such vital applications as Included in the “Tools” directory doesn’t support advanced IBrowse, YAM and SimpleMail). is a new incarnation of “PlayCD” Click to Front controls such as throttles and hat A PPC native version of MUI is with a Reaction user interface switches. On the first page of currently being tested. In a rather than the skinable interface The ClickToFront commodity has AmigaInput prefs all the devices similar vein, the version of the of the OS 3.9 version. PlayCD is been enhanced with several new attached are listed, grouped into a1ide.device (the device driver used to play your audio CDs in options configured by tooltypes. types such as mice, keyboards for the AmigaOne’s on board your CD/DVD drive, the audio is You can now use any mouse and joysticks. Multiple devices of UDMA 66 IDE controller) output directly to the soundcard button (we tried a three button each type are supported and supplied with the pre-release for minimal CPU load. Unlike mouse) to bring a window to there is an option to test and/or does not support UDMA (Ultra “classic” Amigas, all AmigaOne front and activate it. An optional calibrate the selected device Direct Memory Access). These compatible soundcards have a qualifier key that has to be held (useful for analogue joysticks). are IDE modes which are both built in mixer allowing AHI sound, down while clicking can be The features of the second page faster and less CPU intensive CD audio and other outputs to be specified as can the number of make AmigaInput useful even than the existing PIO (polled IO) heard using one set of speakers. clicks. Ignore borders and/or while there is no software that modes. A version that supports contents tooltypes allow you to supports the new standard. Here UDMA is currently being tested A mixer utility is supplied as a Context Menus choose which areas of a window you can map the buttons and and both of these updates will be contribution with the OS 4 pre- adds handy can be used to bring it to front. movement axes of one of the included in the final release. release, this enables the pop-up menus listed devices onto one of the soundcard’s mixer so the CD to Workbench. Depth to Front CD32 controller functions audio can be heard (without This shot Utilities supported by the lowlevel.library. starting AHI) and can set the shows the Another new commodity is This means you can use any relative levels of each output so, options AmiPDF DepthToFront, this adds a pop- AmigaInput supported device to for example, you could equalise available up menu to the depth gadget of play any game that uses the The Workbench title string can now show your own text and variables a loud CD to quieter AHI output. for a drawer PDF (Portable Document screens and windows. This lowlevel.library and runs on the without hacks and patches. icon. Format) files are commonly 14 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 15 Features Features found for download on the your AmigaOne. You should now Internet. They allow find the AmiGS program runs organisations to distribute without an error requesting the documents on-line while Ghostscript: volume. retaining their original layout and formatting. The PDF format is WBStartup based on PostScript, used by many high-end printers and There are a number of useful Mini or Micro? They say good things come in small packages, Simon Archer endeavours to find out if it’s true! desktop publishing programs. utilities supplied with OS 4 that The AmigaOS 4 pre-release is you’ll probably want to put in supplied with a new PDF viewer your WBStartup drawer. We’ve The microA1 packs all the called AmiPDF, this is a slick explained what these do earlier or the first time in a very power and devices program with an attractive in this article: PowerMenus, Flong time the Amiga has you need into a Reaction interface. AmiPDF can ClickToFront, Blanker and caught up with fashion! tiny desktop be called from a web browser, as DepthToFront. “What?”, I hear you ask. Well, if case. the default tool of PDF files or you can select a file from within DepthToFront and PowerMenus you have been keeping up with what’s hot in the computing the program. When the PDF has This new utility is used to prepare CDs and DVDs for on-the-fly both use the right mouse button world you will know that loaded you can use navigation reading and writing. Once a disc has been prepared it can be to bring up their menus by MiniITX form factor is the latest buttons in the toolbar to move used just like a giant floppy! default. To make them work through the pages of the together open the information ‘Big Thing’ to hit the domestic document. There are three antialiased it is not as good in Once the disc is formatted it window for “DepthToFront” and scene, and the Amiga is right viewing modes, “pan” where you quality as AmiPDF so you will appears as an icon on select the “Icon” tab. In the there with it. use the mouse to scroll the want to use the dedicated utility Workbench with the volume “Tooltypes” area change the The aptly named MicroA1 is a document, “zoom” which for PDF files. AmiGS has most of name entered in Format “CX_PRIORITY” tooltype to “1” magnifies a selected portion of the navigation and viewing CD/DVD. From that point on the (”0” is the default) and click miniITX form factor the document, or “select”, where features of AmiPDF but it does CD or DVD can be used like any “Save”. When you reboot all motherboard which measures machine booting from the CD. blocks of text can be selected lack the find and copy options. other disk, files can be dragged these handy tools will be loaded a minuscule 170mm square, Apart from the physical size of and then copied to the clipboard. into its window to write them, and will work together. but has all the functionality hard disk access, 4 USB1.1 the board, and the tiny Morex Also in the toolbar is a “find” box Format CD/DVD RW then deleted or renamed at will. (and more) of it’s bigger 133MHZ, a Radeon 7000 ports, parallel, game, PS/2 The disc has a normal volume case which was supplied, it where you can enter a search Installing the mixer brother, the AmigaOne XE. graphics controller, a CMI8738 keyboard and mouse. If you term and AmiPDF will find and name so it can be accessed for feels just like an XE. Luckily One of the coolest new features The final design has yet to be 6 channel audio controller and really feel the need for some highlight each occurrence in the included with OS 4 is the facility loading and saving directly from here at ‘Total Amiga towers’ we Find the Mixer program in the cast into stone, but the a 10/100 3COM Ethernet extra expansion, the board is document in turn. to write to a CD-RW or (even applications and file managers. have a couple of G4 XE “Contrib/Tools/Mixer” directory on projected specification is more excitingly) a DVD-RW disc Once writing is complete the CD your OS 4 Pre-release CD and machines running the same The quality of the PDF display is looking cool enough to keep on-the-fly as if it were a giant can be removed and replaced at copy it to “Tools” on your “For the first time in a very long time the OS so we were in an ideal exceptionally good with even the most ardent hardware floppy disk. Before you can use any time without using any Workbench partition. Run the situation for comparison, and antialiased text and vector Amiga has caught up with fashion!” this facility your DVD or CD special commands. This feature program and use the sliders to junky happy for ages. Here at considering the slower clock graphics. All the PDFs we tried writer must be mounted using is ideal for making backups and set the volume of each output, Total Amiga we managed to speed of the micro, the results displayed very cleanly and controller all running through also furnished with PCI slot one of the supplied DOSDrivers moving data between AmigaOne then click save. If you would like get our grubby hands on a pre- were quite reasonable. looked as their authors intended. the VIA686B southbridge chip. that can happily accept a 3 slot (found in the Storage directory), systems. It also allows OS 4 to initialise the mixer at startup production MicroA1 which is Workbench is, in use, as quick If necessary, pages within the users to use a DVD writer and I/O is generous enough with riser card. there are mount files for CD-RW, add the following line to your the Mk2 version. This board and reactive as on the bigger PDF can be rotated and there RW discs to store up to 4.7Gb of 44way (2.5 inch drives) and DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs. s:user-startup. boasts a G3 750FX-2 PPC So, it sounds all very well and brother! This board will make are handy zoom options to show data per disc which (outside an 40way (standard 3.5 inch hard Once the disc is mounted it processor running at 800Mhz, good, but what is it like in use? an ideal solution for those with the whole page or its full width. experimental port of dvdrtools) sys:tools/mixer setlevels drives, CD-ROMs etc.) IDE appears in a list in the new a 256MB SODIMM running at Well our board already had the space restrictions on their Web links within PDF files are FormatCD/DVD utility (located in has not been possible on the headers supplied giving UDMA latest version of 1.0.0 UBOOT, desks and we’re sure many supported and you can select the System drawer) which shows Amiga before! This will let you hear the output so we installed the new other novel uses will be the browser (or OpenURL if you all of the currently mounted re- from PlayCD at any time. AmigaOS 4 (developer version) have it) you want to display the writeable drives. You could set devised when it is available to Useful Tips onto it to see how she drives! link. There is also an option to up multiple DOSDrivers to use Conclusion the general public. specify a movie player but we more than one drive or one drive When you get your OS 4 pre- As we have said elsewhere, didn’t have any PDFs with release CD there are a few steps At last the patient early bird that takes several types of disc. the installation of OS4 went embedded movies to try it with. you may want to take straight AmigaOne owners have Format CD/DVD then lives up to without a hitch, with the Although it seemed to be its name by formatting the disc away to make your life easier something to play with on their disabled in the version we tried, ready for use, discs are and to put some of the cool new new machines which should be AmiPDF will have printing formatted with an Amiga file features into effect! more interesting than Linux! This support using GhostScript. This system (such as FFS or SFS) so pre-release marks a major gives support for a wide range of currently you can only use them AmiGS achievement for the OS 4 printers using built-in drivers, in an AmigaOne. It may also be development team and is a normal Workbench printer possible to configure other The AmiGS utility requires an tangible product from all the drivers, Turboprint drivers and Amigas to read these discs. assign which does not exist in great work that has been going the print can also be sent to a Formatting took about 15 the default OS 4 installation. To on over the past two years. OS 4 JPEG or PNG graphics file. minutes for the 4X CD-RW we add it, start “Notepad” (found in development is still proceeding tried, however once the disc has the Utilities drawer) and open the apace and we expect the final AmiGS been formatted you can s:user-startup script and add the shipping version to be another subsequently use the “Quick following lines to the end: great step on from this release. AmiGS is a front end for the Format” option, there is also an popular open source GhostScript erase feature which clears any ;BEGIN Ghostscript assign ghostscript: utility. The interface is similar to information previously written to » AmiPDF but handles Postscript the disc and allows you to format sys:Utilities/Ghostscript ;END Ghostscript and EPS files in addition to PDF. discs that have been written by Although the AmiGS display is another application. The motherboard as it arrived. Notice the SODIMM memory The micro A1 installed in a Morex miniITX desktop case. Now save the file and reboot module (with the white label) and the CPU module (with the fan). The smaller board to the right is the power supply. 16 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 17 Reviews Reviews Designer can be used to make the basis of a more complex script, although that may not be necessary given its ability to Hollywood embed custom Hollywood code in projects. GUI

When you launch Designer by clicking on its icon, a new screen opens at the same resolution as 1.9Hollywood worked hard Designer Workbench (you can select a different screenmode through a behind the scenes but now for AmigaOS 68K, WarpUp and Once again a host of new transi- menu option later). The screen is it’s been to the plastic f you’ve read my reviews of MorphOS and needs about tion effects have been added in dominated by the main layout Iearlier versions in issues 14 17Mb of hard drive space. this upgrade, there are 46 new window which shows your surgeon for a &new “face” and 16, you’ll know that Designer is available for transitions in total comprising 23 presentation and contains two and is ready to play a Hollywood is a multimedia pro- AmigaOS and MorphOS, takes different types and some tool bars. The bar along the top gram that enables users to up 14Mb of space and cannot be variations on a theme. Scroll-in contains operations that affect starring role in the Amiga’s create presentations, kiosk-type installed unless Hollywood 1.9 is transitions are one of the new the whole presentation such as applications and even simple present on your system. types available and are par- load, save and preview. The bar revival. Robert Williams was games using its own BASIC-like ticularly useful to scroll an object on the left contains tools to insert there on opening night! scripting language. The first ver- New Features in 1.9 onto the screen in one command pages and objects and to edit sion of Hollywood was already a without using Hollywood’s move them. Along the bottom of the useful program and showed a lot Before we look at the new system. Six of the transition layout window is the status bar of promise, and with the second Designer package, let’s find out effects have been categorised as which shows the page number, release (version 1.5) the author what has been added in very processor intensive and are position and size of the current (Andreas Falkenhahn) had im- Hollywood version 1.9. likely to be slow on 68K Amigas, object, pointer co-ordinates and plemented a powerful feature thoughtfully these effects have Generally it’s a fairly minor the name of the object or button .info set. However, despite its power, been excluded from the random under the pointer. the script based development upgrade with some features ob- effect selection on 68K Developer Designer sports an all-new MUI interface. The palette windows on the right-hand side stay open to give system was always going to limit viously added to facilitate the machines. The pre-calculation Also on the screen are three AirsoftSoftwair (Andreas a quick over-view of the current presentation and let you make changes without opening requesters all Hollywood’s appeal, because development of the GUI. option, which enabled slower smaller palette windows which Falkenhahn) the time. The status bar at the bottom of the main window shows information about the project and the only a small number of potential However there are some new effects to be processed before remain open as you work in object under the pointer. www.airsoftsoftwair.com users are willing to learn a new features and bug fixes that will display on slower machines has Designer. The first lists the be useful to current Hollywood scripting language. It also has to been removed from this version. to rest and “curve” (which can own scripts. Particularly impres- want to get your hands “dirty” pages in the current project, the be said that even for users who users and the upgrade is It tended to cause an unex- second the objects on the cur- Price reasonably priced, reflecting the only be used on horizontal sive among the new demos are with the nitty-gritty of code. As Hollywood 1.9..... 59E (£40) are willing to break out their text plained delay in a presentation moves) moves the object along a BoingAttack which displays balls you’ll see Designer also has a rent page and the third is a editors (and that includes this modest number of new features. or application, so I don’t think it Upgrade from 1.5 curved, rather than straight, which seem to bounce with their number of interactive options colour picker which uses the reviewer) creating a graphical will be much missed! You can familiar AmigaOS colour wheel...... 15E (£10) Hollywood now supports path. When you undo an object own inertia accompanied by that make it more than just a presentation as a text script now take even more advantage PowerPC cards in “classic” that has been displayed using a demo-style scrolling text and fancy slide-show generator. Although Designer is a MUI Designer...... 49E (£33) could be somewhat mind bend- of all these fab transitions be- Amigas using the WarpOS scroll effect, the opposite effect WavyLogo which demonstrates application some of the options Hollywood and Designer ing as it involved juggling pixel cause layers can be shown and system. A PPC native version of is automatically used to scroll it how an image can be When you start a new project in we’ve come to expect from such ...... 99E (£67) positions and multiple layers all hidden within your script using a the program itself is supplied and neatly off the display. manipulated within Hollywood. Designer a new directory is applications seem to be missing. Other bundles are available. in the mind’s eye. transition effect. This option is all versions have the ability to created, in which all the files There is no option to run MUI Payment via PayPal or cash ideal for interactive scripts where prefs and no additional gadgets I’m pleased to say that, with the compile scripts into WarpOS na- Among the many other minor used in your project will be sent to the author in you want different elements to Designer in the window title bars. Although release of Hollywood Designer, tive applications that can be run enhancements, a few caught my stored. This includes the presen- Germany. appear and disappear multiple the windows can be moved Andreas now brings us a presen- PPC native on a suitable Amiga. eye. Font styles such as bold As good as Hollywood 1.9 un- tation file itself, images and even times during a presentation. around on the screen I could find Requirements tation creation GUI for If you don’t have a graphics card, and underline can now be used doubtedly is, I’m sure that what executable files that are called for all font types including you’re most interested in is the from the execute command op- no way to snapshot them in Amiga OS 3.x or later Hollywood. Designer 1.0 is ac- or plan to distribute your presen- When moving objects across the TrueType and Intellifonts, not just new kid on the block, Designer! tion. When you select a file from place. While Designer’s GUI 68020 or better companied by a new version of tations to someone who doesn’t, page using the appropriate for Amiga bitmap fonts as in ear- So let’s dive in now and take a elsewhere on your system, respects your default MUI set- Hollywood, 1.9, which can be then you’ll be pleased to hear “Move” command or scroll transi- 32Mb RAM + lier versions. The shape drawing look at something which is rather Designer displays a message purchased separately if you don’t that Hollywood now works with tion, Hollywood now has several options have been enhanced, rare in the Amiga world at the explaining that it will be copied to Recommended need the GUI component, how- FBlit to keep much more of its special effect modes that change polygons with an unlimited moment, a brand new commer- your project directory (the Graphics card ever you must buy Hollywood data in Fast RAM. This speeds how the movement is carried 1.9 to use Designer. up graphics output on the number of sides can be created cial application! message can be switched off 68040 out. For example, “damping” and boxes have a “rounded once you understand what’s Amiga’s native display and helps slows the object’s movement at Test Systems prevent Chip RAM running out corners” option. Finally when you Basics going on) but this rule cannot be Installation end as if the object gently comes set up your presentation, overridden. You can set some Amithlon on large presentations. Hollywood can select the best information about your project Hollywood 1.9 and Designer 1.0 Hollywood Designer is primarily AMD Athlon XP2500+ fitting screenmode available for such as its name, version and a are each supplied on a CD-R aimed at making presentations 512Mb RAM the size of your presentation, description. The name is used to which has been customised for and in that way it compliments AmigaOS 3.9 ideal if you want to distribute a name the project directory and the buyer, during the installation Hollywood scripts rather than full-screen presentation. the data file. Hollywood Designer process your name and address replacing them. If you’re creating AmigaOne XE G4 800MHz saves its data in a .hwd file, this are displayed. In both cases in- a multimedia application or game 512Mb RAM As we’ve come to expect from is not a Hollywood script file and stallation is carried out using the then you might expect to do AmigaOS 4 Pre-release Andreas, Hollywood 1.9 comes standard installer, with a few Designer cannot load existing with a selection of new and some coding and for that a Various page types are available, options such as where to install Hollywood scripts. However you enhanced demo scripts which custom script may still be best. each one has a different Pegasos I G3 600MHz and which processor version can generate a Hollywood script show off the new features to However if you just want to put background type. This requester 512Mb RAM should be used. Hollywood is from your Designer project at great effect and provide working together a presentation for work is typical of the colourful icons MorphOS 1.4 supplied in optimised versions any time. So if you wish, Hollywood 1.9 has its own GUI for running and compiling scripts. examples when developing your or school then you probably don’t found throughout Designer. 18 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 19 Reviews Reviews tings (except the title bar the bottom of the window allows Text is entered be set. By clicking on the “?” no edit mode where you can buttons) I couldn’t set specific you to change its speed. Some into the “Text button below the font styles you drag handles with the mouse as preferences. Also if you change effects also have a style gadget properties” can adjust the shadow position commonly found in vector your MUI prefs while Designer is for even more control. Each requester (left). and outline width. The outline graphics programs. Animation open it displays a warning that it effect has three speeds: slow, The range of effect is particularly nice as it objects can be moved but their may now be unstable and normal and fast. I found that for controls is good outlines the text as a whole, for dimensions cannot be changed. advises you to restart the pro- many effects this offered too little but you must example if a letter crosses an gram. I asked the author about control, a wider range of speeds wrap the text underline the outline does not As with pages, a sound can be these limitations and he plans to would be a useful addition. A manually. cross the underline. attached to an object so it plays implement at least a “snapshot” preview button allows you to see Unfortunately the antialiaised when the object appears. facility in a future upgrade. the selected effect and options in font support of Hollywood 1.0 Similarly a block of Hollywood action, however this uses a has not returned in this version - code can be added to an object Pages generic set of graphics rather hopefully it will be re- so it is executed when the object than your actual presentation. implemented in the future, espe- appears. Each object can have a delay set that either causes it to Designer is based on a concept The range of effects offered by cially as faster machines and Font support is wait for a number of milliseconds of pages and objects, your Hollywood and therefore emulations are now available. excellent and or for a mouse or key press, presentation consists of one or Designer is quite awesome, Under MorphOS we found that there are many however as with pages this delay more pages on which objects you’re bound to find some you lines of text could be truncated options to get the actually applies to the appear- such as images (called brushes), like. They range from simple when system TrueType fonts text looking just ance of the next object, or page animations and blocks of text wipes and dissolves to ripple were used. If the .ttf files are how you want it. if this is the last object on the can be displayed. Various types effects which are stunning to see stored outside the Fonts: direc- On the right you current page (based on the of page are available, a blank rendered in real time. tory and accessed via .font and can see I’ve object palette order). page has a plain coloured back- .otag files, Designer would only The final page option is to add selected both an ground, pattern has a tiled display the first part of the sen- custom Hollywood code that will outline and a Objects are displayed on the image, picture is filled with an A wide range of transitions are included for both objects and pages. tance. The current solution is to be executed when a page is dis- shadow! The page in the order in which they image that is scaled to fit the Some transitions, such as the one selected here, have a “style” copy the .ttf files into Fonts: and played. This facility allows you to exact look can be appear in the object palette list, page size and a gradient page is option which gives even more flexibility. select those within Designer. add more complex features to tweaked even this list also controls how over- filled with a smooth horizontal or Andreas says that a future ver- A large number of settings are delay either to be before the your presentation than are possi- more using the lapping objects are displayed. An vertical fill between two colours. sion of Designer will allow ex- available for each page, these page was displayed at all or after ble through the GUI. The “Code fontstyle options object lower down in the list will Each page you add is displayed ternal TrueType fonts to be used are spread across several set- all the objects had loaded (effec- editor” window has standard (accessed by be displayed above a higher one in the Pages palette, you can correctly under MorphOS. tings requesters which can be tively to make a delay between editor controls such as cut, copy clicking “?”). (this isn’t actually as confusing move between pages by clicking accessed from the “Page” menu, pages). If you want to do this you and paste and a button to check There are a number of other as it sounds!). If you wish, each on a page in the “Page” palette from a context menu (right click must add the delay to the last the code for syntax errors. Code the mouse. In the properties when you add a new object so options available for most object object can be displayed and/or list or by clicking the next or pre- on the page background) or by window for both types you can it’s easy to create several in the types. Dimensions and position removed using one of the transi- vious page buttons in the toolbar. double clicking in the appropriate set a transparent colour. Any same style. are used to set the size and tion effects. Most of those which Pages can be reordered using “creating a graphical presentation as a text column in the “Page” palette. area of the image or animation in placement of all objects ac- can be used on pages can also the move up and down buttons The text icon opens a new “Page Properties” contains the script could be somewhat mind bending” the exact colour you select will curately by entering pixel values be used for objects and the in the palette. When the presen- window where you can enter the options associated with the type not be rendered by Designer into a requester. Existing objects requester works in the same way tation is played back each page text you want to add to the page. of the selected page, so for a object on the page, rather than can be loaded and saved in case allowing the background to show can also be moved around the with the same options. When is displayed in order, however Text can be loaded from an ex- picture page you can change the to the page itself. you already have it in an external through. To help you select the page using the mouse, but if you you select that an object should you can make a button that ternal file and the system clip- background image and for a file or want to use a different transparent colour, Designer want to re-size a box, circle, line be removed from the page jumps to any page when it is A sound can be played as the board is fully supported. Useful blank page you can change the editor. A nice idea for a future shows a copy of the image so or brush you must do so using before the page itself changes clicked (more about these inter- page is displayed. The sound undo and redo buttons enable fill colour. The page type can be version would be a stand alone you can click on the correct area. the dimensions window, there is (all objects are automatically active features later). Pages of changed at any time without can be either a sample for which version of this editor for working you to correct mistakes, every different types and sizes can be a datatype is installed or a After the box, circle or line icons time I tried it was possible to losing the objects on the page. on Hollywood projects that are “Events” can be mixed within a presentation. If ProTracker music module. All have been selected you can undo right back to a blank The “Dimensions” option lets you not using Designer. attached to any you want several pages to have sound output is via AHI so sound drag out the shape required on window! When entering text you change the size of the page, if object to make a common background you must cards and systems without a the page. In the properties have to look after line breaks as the page has a background pic- Objects the presentation select the same settings for each Paula sound chip (such as window for these objects you Designer will not automatically ture it is scaled to fit. interactive. page you add. There is no option Amithlon, the AmigaOne and can add a border (even to the wrap into the available space. It Six different types of object can Objects can be for a “master page” or to copy an With the “Delay” setting you can Pegasos) are fully supported. line) with a set width in pixels, would be nice to have an alterna- be displayed on a page in a hidden and shown existing page. make the presentation pause Sounds can be set to play while and a shadow with a user- tive text object where you define Designer presentation: brushes (left) and external before the selected page’s other events continue and can defined direction and size. Line an area for text and Designer (images), animations, lines, programs can be objects are displayed or make it continue across pages so back- objects have the additional op- takes care of the wrapping. On boxes, circles and text. Each of run (below). ground music can start early in a tion of setting a line width and the plus side there are left, right wait until the left mouse button, these object types has an icon presentation and continue to the box objects can have rounded and centre justification options. right mouse button or space key on the vertical tool bar, to insert end. The sound can be looped a corners with the radius you are pressed. I found this slightly an object you click on its icon, set number of times or infinitely choose. A slight visual niggle is The “Change font” icon opens a confusing as I expected the set any options and then click on and the volume and stereo pan- that the border applied to boxes new window where you can the page to place it. Each object ning can be adjusted. seems to be thicker at the sides choose from any of the fonts in- inserted has its own properties than the top and bottom, as if stalled on your system, Amiga window unique to its type and About 80 of Hollywood’s transi- Designer is correcting for a non- bitmap, TrueType and Intellifonts there are many more options tion effects can be used in interlaced native screenmode are supported. The font window common to all types. Designer to make the change even though I have a graphics shows a preview at the bottom of Selecting the between pages in the presenta- the screen which uses the When you insert an image or card. The colour of the fill, border transparent colour of a tion more interesting. Selecting default text “The quick brown animation, a requester appears and shadow can be set indepen- brush (image) is as “Use Transition Effect” from the fox...” rather than the text you’ve allowing you to select the file you dently by first clicking on one of easy as clicking on the menu opens the transitions entered. Bold, italic, underline, wish to add (which is then copied the colour swatches in the verti- correct area of the window, here each transition outline and shadow styles can be to your project directory). The cal tool bar and then selecting a image. effect is listed along with a large applied either independently or in selected image or animation is new colour in the colour palette icon illustrating its result. When combination and the colour of then displayed on the page and and clicking Apply. The colours you select an effect, an option at the text, outline and shadow can can be moved by dragging it with of the current object are used 20 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 21 Reviews removed when you move to the because it would not re-load. I next page anyway) either simply have reported these problems to or with a transition, Designer the author so hopefully they’ll be actually creates a new object in sorted out. On OS 4 (developer the palette which refers to the release) on my AmigaOne the object’s removal. This object program performed well but was does not actually appear on the slightly less stable than on page, it just refers to the point in Amithlon, I’m sure this will im- the page display when its parent prove as the OS matures and object should be removed. You Hollywood is [further] tested on can move the removal object in it. Sam Byford reports that the list independently from its Hollywood and Designer run well parent as long as it takes place on MorphOS, apart from the font after its parent was created! glitch which can be easily worked around. Interactivity Docs and Examples From what I’ve written so far, I’m The project directory can be managed within Designer. sure you can see that Designer If you’ve used a presentation can be used to create a fine needs. Constants are provided one of three different platforms, program or even a drawing or presentation quite easily, how- so you can refer to objects and AmigaOS 3.x (for “classic” DTP program before you’ll soon ever that isn’t the end of its pages in the current presentation Amigas and compatibles, will get the hang of Designer, but just talents. Each object can be within your custom code. There also work on OS 4 pre-release in case you have problems or made to react to a number of is also an option to close the under 68K emulation), MorphOS have a question about a par- mouse actions, so suddenly your presentation so you can make a and WarpOS (for Amigas with ticular operation an extensive static presentation becomes an “quit” button. PPC cards). The executable file AmigaGuide document is interactive multimedia ex- is then saved into the project supplied. This covers how perience (perhaps I should go to Preview directory. Whichever format you Designer presentations work, work in the Microsoft marketing choose, the program file is called what each window does and how department)! Actions can be trig- While working on a project you projectname.exe so, if several to distribute your completed gered by the mouse moving over can preview the current page or versions are needed, you’ll need work. There are five example or out of the object or by right or the whole presentation at any to rename each file as it is presentations which cover most left mouse clicks. time. This opens a separate created. The executables do not of Designer’s features so you window with your presentation as require Hollywood or Designer to can see exactly how an effect or A wide range of actions are it will appear to users, interactive be installed on the target user’s operation is implemented. available and multiple actions elements and custom code can machine but they don’t contain can be executed from one event, be tested within the preview. the external files used (images making the interactive feature etc.) so you’ll need to distribute Conclusion quite powerful, here are some Manage That Data the project directory with your While the Hollywood 1.9 upgrade examples: One or more items on executable (the Designer project is welcome, the crux of this file (.hwd) itself is not needed). the page can be displayed or As I mentioned earlier, Designer review has to be Designer, and hidden, linked with the mouse insists that you store all your I’m pleased to say that it has over and out option this can be presentation data in a project Stability made an excellent first impres- used to show information about directory. The “Project data sion with me. It’s great to see an object, or with the click manager” window helps you During my testing on my that the success of Hollywood options you could have several keep this organised. Each type Amithlon system I found has motivated Andeas to take sets of information on the same of data (animations, brushes, Hollywood 1.9 and Designer to such a huge step and in the pro- page. The presentation can be externale programs etc.) has its be reliable programs, which is cess made Hollywood accessible moved on to any page so you own tab and, incidentally, its own especially gratifying as Designer to many more users! With could give your initial page a subdirectory in the project direc- is brand new and, as far as I’m Designer 1.0 you have all the menu to jump to a specified tory. On each tab is a list of files, aware, the first program of this tools needed to make excellent page rather than viewing the clicking on a file shows a list of type by Andreas. On Amithlon I presentations and interactive presentation in order. A sound all the pages on which it is used. did experience some graphical multimedia applications with min- can be played, or the action can If a file is not in use it can be corruption on the colour wheel imum fuss. As I’ve mentioned stop all currently playing sounds. deleted from the project direc- and with filled objects but I think there are a few areas that could External programs can be run tory. The data manager is espe- this is an Amithlon problem as I be improved or made quicker to offering a world of possibilities, cially useful for clearing up a pro- have noticed it in other programs use but nothing that is a “show one of my favourites is using ject for distribution. too. I did have a couple of stopper”. I have no hesitation in OpenURL to open a web page in crashes and one project that recommending that you go out the user’s configured browser. Export seemed to have become corrupt and buy this now! Here again, custom Hollywood code can be inserted if the built- When your project is finished you in features don’t meet your Pros can export it as an executable for + Easy interface + Multi-platform + Interactive options Top + Hardware support Cons - Inflexible object order - Limited text layout Notch! - Delays confusing

Designer running on one operating system can compile for another. Results 22 TOTAL AMIGA 23 Reviews Reviews It was time to play with this new With my system online I tried out MorphOS and see just how my registered IBrowse 2.3 and it Amiga like it was. Being a long worked perfectly! Fast loading Pegasos II G4 1GHz time Amiga owner I wanted to pages and smooth scrolling are see if it could replace the A3000 all welcome, it’s as if it was Paul Rezendes gives us his impressions of Genesi’s latest PPC motherboard and OS. I sold to get it. My A3000 was native to the OS. I had to install equipped with a Mediator and it by hand as neither installer .info little over $900 which included a Gigabit Ethernet Port. Sadly this CSPPC card so this was a (from Aminet), or InstallerNG, Developer s a long time Amiga user I tower, RAM, CD-ROM, Video isn’t taken advantage of in natural choice for me. I wanted would work (they’re okay for a lot Genesi Ahad some serious interest in card and hard drive. MorphOS yet, but it does work in to see how many of the bugs I of apps but some just don’t www.genesi.com the Pegasos and MorphOS when current Linux builds and is a had heard about were still here. install quite yet). It’s not hard to it was announced quite a bit It’s Here! planned addition in the release Reading the Article Sam Byford do with practice and gives you UK Distributors back. The speed and of MorphOS 1.5. Don’t fear wrote in issue 16 I went to work. more control over the install. Pegasos-UK compatibility of MorphOS When my system arrived in the though, there is also a VIA Rhine www.pegasos-uk.com running on a G4 native platform mail I was a bit upset that it 10/100 Ethernet controller that The first thing I noticed was that As mentioned already, the N25 Computers was an exciting feature that I’ve didn’t include the Superbundle works just fine. Another nice new the USB stack, Poseidon, is now Radeon card drivers are much www.n25computers.info wanted from an Amiga for as CD and the Debian Linux CD as feature is the addition of DDR fully integrated into MorphOS. improved in this version of long as I can remember. stated on the web site. However RAM slots. Other ports on the My Microsoft Inteli optical mouse MorphOS. The screens were all Price I was able to download them with board include two USB 1.1 ports, This review will focus mainly on worked right from the start with crisp and looked great. They are G4 1000MHZ...... £400.00 a simple online registration optical audio (again not yet the Pegasos II hardware with no problems. The wheel on it about as perfect as you can get process. It did however include supported), a AC97 sound G3 600MHz...... £250.00 some mention of the additions even worked in windows and in 2D. There is still no support for the latest 1.4.2 release of subsystem with microphone and fixed bugs found in the 1.4.2 applications with no setup 3D modes, but they are due to Test System MorphOS, a printed manual in input, line in/out and headset release of MorphOS. I’ve required. Fantastic! I decided to be released with 1.5. People with Pegasos II several languages and a connector, all provided by the covered some of the new bugs, into. This is a floppy header and Western Digital 600AB drive with test out the few other USB Voodoo cards can take PPC G4 CPU @ 1000MHz separate manual in German. Sigmatel STAC 9766 codec. Two as well as some nice new just feels weird putting the pins no problems. It partitioned just devices I had, to see how they advantage of the 3D drivers and 512Mb DDR RAM There was of course the PS/2 connectors for mouse and features. Since I haven’t been a into. You may need to cut the fine and all the space shows up. would get treated. My Logitech use a Warp3D wrapper already. Pegasos II motherboard, the G4 keyboard, a standard serial, ATI Radeon 7000 AGP MorphOS user for long, and my connector on your towers power One point I need to address here game pad worked great, even in CPU card itself and a blanking parallel, a game port that works The Ambient icon snapshot first use of it on the Pegasos was LED from a three pin plug and is that the boot command used in classic games running on a plate for the ports that fit my with PC game pads and two function still could use some MorphOS 1.4.2 from 1.4.2 it will be a brief make it into a two pin plug which the Open Firmware is still not MorphOS native version of UAE. tower perfectly. firewire ports (not yet supported) work. I had trouble with my overview of the still new OS. I is what I had to do on mine. All correct in the manual. It tells you It also worked in a few other finish the specification. games I tested. Next I tried my windows and icons keeping ordered my motherboard from The motherboard is very nicely the locations on the header are to type “boot /pci/ide/cd where I saved them. Sometimes the online store at clearly marked though and I had boot.img” to start MorphOS. This Olympus digital camera and that made. It’s put together as well On the Motherboard itself are showed up just fine. My Brother it seems to work and other times www.pegasosppc.com since as, and possibly even better internal audio ports for CD, an no problems putting the only gives an error telling you no it doesn’t. The problem with the none of the US retailers had any connectors on it. such device is found. After HL-1440 laser printer also than, many of the PC internal firewire port, and a front showed up and printed perfectly system loosing track of them is G4 boards left in stock. I paid motherboards I have installed in panel port that also includes getting help from the The next step was the using an HP LaserJet III driver. gone however. When an icon is $618.00 (US funds) which the past. Like the Pegasos I it is connections for a third USB port MorphZone.org forum I found the installation of my video card. I moved it no longer makes the included shipping to the US very small considering all the and IRDA. The same three PCI correct command is “boot decided to use a Radeon 7000 screen act like its still on the left distributor in Nevada. From there things it includes and measures and one AGP slots as the /pci/ide/cdrom boot.img”. Notice Getting On-line DDR AGP card. I asked a lot of if you move it to the right side. Paul’s full size ATX tower it was sent overnight to me. Total just 236mm x 172mm! This will Pegasos I are included, so there that it is “cdrom” and NOT “cd” users which card worked best One missing item still not native Windows drag nicely as well. (opposite page) shows just how shipping time was only ten days let you choose a wide selection isn’t anything new to mention as stated in the manual. Once I and the majority told me to get in MorphOS is a TCP/IP stack. small the Pegasos II board is. from the day I ordered it online. of ATX towers or desktop cases. about those. I will add that the typed the correct command In general almost all of the apps this card. At only $25 new from Lucky for me I have a registered The Pegasos II has switched to drivers for the Radeon cards up MorphOS came up without a I tried that don’t hit the Amiga Several familiar Amiga While many will think this a bit an online reseller it was a good copy of MiamiDX. Getting it using the MV64361 Discovery II to the 9200 are working great, problem. I ran the install script custom chips worked well. applications including GoldEd high of a price I’d also like to buy. After cleaning up all the installed was not easy at first and System Controller from Marvell. but still don’t support 3D. This is and a simple, easy to follow, I had to do it by hand. It would and SimpleMail running on point out the G3 version is cables I then closed up the tower The Pegasos II is a perfect One big advantage of this also expected in the upcoming guide walked me through the show an error telling me MUI MorphOS’s Ambient desktop available for just over $300 as and connected a PS2 Keyboard choice for anyone looking to get change is the addition of a 1.5 release of MorphOS. hard drive installation process. wasn’t installed. Since it’s built (below). well. My complete system cost a and USB optical mouse and a super fast Amiga. It feels like into the OS, I knew this was hooked up my monitor. Once MorphOS was installed I one, works like one, and runs wrong. Help from the MorphZone Putting it Together chose to set it as auto-boot in many of the great applications The system came on with no the Open Firmware. This was users again got me online. It now Installation of the motherboard is and games we all love. Even problems and I was greeted with explained well in the manual and works perfectly in every way. I explained in the manual with Quake I and II, Simon the the Open Firmware (OF) screen. does not need to be covered. If have it setup using DHCP with very good step by step Sorcerer II, Wipeout, Hexen and To my surprise my board shipped you decide to install multiple my cable modem service and it instructions. It tells you how to Dynamite all work great. I don’t with the newest version pre- operating systems it may be never times out. I now have it set insert the CPU card and all the miss my Amiga at all. flashed into it. This new OF fixes easier to choose to boot to start hidden and have put it in cables and even tells you the many bugs and lets more manually and type out the string the workbench startup folder so This has been the perfect recommended order to do all of memory brands and types be of commands each time. that it comes online without me replacement for me and a great this. A good note to remember used. As previously mention, the having to launch it manually step up to the modern age. I say that is not mentioned in the Pegasos II now uses DDR each time. It’s as if it’s installed “look out Amiga One and OS4!”. manual is you are to use the modules and I chose a 512MB Impressions in the system like on any ATA100 type of IDE cables. I module and it works perfectly. Once my system was up and Windows machine now. hear this is one of the most running I noticed just how silent common problems people have it was. The G4 does use a fan, Pros with the system which causes Installing MorphOS but it’s not at all loud in any way. + Very Quiet. failures. The IDE headers have Setting up the hard drives for I had to put my ear up to the side + Many features built-in. the same locking plastic clips as installation of MorphOS is still of the tower to hear it. The the Pegasos I which hold the + Fast performance. the same as in the past. You Radeon 7000 card only uses a Pretty cables in place. I don’t like these, Cons need to boot from the included heat sink so it too was silent. It but the cables went in with little MorphOS CD and run the SCSI also runs very cool with the fan - No GB Ethernet in fuss and are held tight by them. config application. I’ve heard from the PSU and my case fans MorphOS yet. Another weird port is the front past versions were a bit buggy outputting only cool air. I’ve been - No native TCP/IP Good! panel connector that the cases and didn’t work well with larger running the Pegasos constantly Stack. front lights and switches plug drives. I am using a 60GB and have yet to see it get hot. Results 24 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 25 Reviews Reviews fold marker can be followed by a This means if you edit different description of the section. types of file that need different Pressing the “HELP” key inside settings (for example e-mails the section will then hide it and would want word wrap on while just show the description, shell scripts would need it off) micro GoldEd pressing “HELP” again with the the configuration would need to .info Is your editor feeling bloated and a over-complex? Robert Williams tries out a new cursor on the description reveals be manually amended. Developer version of GoldEd which has been on a strict diet to loose the bloat the section. A variety of navigation commands allow you What’s up Doc? Dietmar Eilert and quite a few pounds from the price tag too. to move easily though the file, for golded.dietmar-eilert.de example page by page or to one All programs have their weak could run without any support standard features such as cut, end, either using key presses or point, and in my opinion mGED’s ietmar Eilert’s GoldEd files, I thought it would be so copy and paste are present and Price menu entries. is its documentation. The Studio AIX is arguably the simple and stripped of features correct. In GED the cursor is 6.99E (£5 approx.) D program is supplied with a brief best editor on the Amiga, it that it wouldn’t be much of an separate from the selected When working with web pages, readme file which covers Requirements certainly has the largest range of improvement over the editors (highlighted) text block, this code or scripts the last thing you installation and little else. On-line AmigaOS 3.5+ plug-ins with a complete web included with AmigaOS, how means a block can be left want to do is loose your work, or help is available in each program editing environment (web world) wrong I was! For readers familiar selected while you edit in 68020+ accidentally overwrite a good requester, clicking on the “?” icon and C developer environment with GoldEd Studio, another area, a command is 2Mb RAM version with a bad change. in the upper right and then on a included in the package. If you’re microGoldEd is basically the available to duplicate the mGED can be set to make gadget brings up a tooltip Recomended a seasoned web developer or same program with the multiple selected block at the cursor, backup copies of the current file explaining its function but, by 68040 programmer, all these add-ons configuration support, essentially doing a copy and in a user definable backup their nature, these are short Graphics card more than justify the asking price development environments (Web paste in one operation. If you directory when you save so an notes and often don’t fully of 69.90 Euro but for the casual World, C etc.) and plug-ins (spell prefer, the mouse can be used to older version is always available; explain the function of a gadget Test Systems user this might seem a bit steep checking etc.) removed. Apart move or copy blocks of text, This is mGED in its element, editing a DOS script. Notice the the number of backup or how the requester as a whole Amithlon for a text editor. Even for GoldEd from those it has all the features simply click and hold down the handy status line and toolbar at the top of the window. generations to keep is also works. With some AMD Athlon XP 2500+ studio users, the more complex of the full package. For users not left mouse button inside a text definable. If you tend to forget to “Colors” tab of the “Display and experimentation and exploration 512Mb RAM editor has the disadvantage that familiar with GoldEd, I’ll use the block until the cursor changes Configuration save regularly, the program can Fonts” preferences and clicking of the menus and requesters I’m nVidia gForce 2MX400 it needs installation, an assign rest of this review to discuss and then drag it to the position save automatically, at an interval Despite being a cut-down the “Load color table” icon in the sure most people will get the and some custom libraries, some of the neat features you want (hold down the “Ctrl” selected, while you work version of GoldEd Studio AIX, lower left of the window. hang of the program but I’m left which means you can’t quickly available. key to copy). If you’re writing a Amiga Forever 6 mGED still has a wide range of with a nagging feeling that there use it on a freshly built system or document such as an e-mail, configuration options so you can are less obvious features I’ve from early startup. readme or AmigaGuide in Find and Replace Macros So What Does it Do? make it work exactly how you missed because they are not GoldEd you can set the right For those users who want When you want to make quick want it to. The menu entries, A record function is provided that documented. microGoldEd (mGED from now margin and have the editor word something more than Memacs, changes to a file or files the find keyboard shortcuts, mouse causes mGED to memorise a set on) doesn’t need installing, you wrap as you type. Selected Editpad and Ed included with and replace command of an actions and toolbar buttons can of actions, which can be typing can just decrunch the supplied paragraphs can be wrapped to Conclusion AmigaOS but don’t need all the editor can be invaluable, mGED be fully configured to run any text, editing existing text or archive into an appropriate the margin you have set with a features of GoldEdStudio AIX doesn’t skimp in this area with its internal command, AREXX script issuing commands. When MicroGoldEd is an excellent text drawer on your hard disk; about range of justifications: left, right, and for those Studio users who three different find commands. or external program. The options recording is finished the set of editor in its own right with all the mGED is extremely configurable, half a megabyte of space is centre and full. If you’re writing need a smaller stand-alone Search and Replace enables are so powerful that the user recorded actions can be played features and configurability you right down to the look of its required. In the mGED drawer code, mGED can be set to editor Dietmar has released you to find and optionally change interface of the editor could be back at any time, speeding up could wish for when editing requesters. you’ll find the program file, an maintain the indent of the current microGoldEd. This version is words or phrases in the current almost completely re-defined if repetitive tasks. There is also an simple text files and short icon, the readme and a few line when you start a new one, The page of the display available free to existing GoldEd document, it has a wild card you wished to do so. To give an option to play back the same programs or web pages. It is example display configuration keeping nested loops or HTML preferences shown below Studio AIX users, and at exactly option which allows you to have example of this, a special version sequence multiple times if based on a proven foundation (it files, that’s it! The first thing I tags tidy. enables you to set the colour of one tenth of the price of the full more complex search conditions of mGED is available which is needed. If you want to keep the was faultlessly reliable in my each display element, there is tried was to reboot my Amiga to than just a specific word. “Find in package, it should be affordable One criticism of older versions of configured to mimic the popular sequence you can save it as an testing) and is sold at an even a gradient option. The early-startup (holding down both files” can be used to search for a by almost everyone else too! GED was that they did not CED editor. AREXX macro and play it back extremely reasonable price. If window-look has been defined mouse buttons) and run mGED word or phrase across multiple support true tabs, when you at any time. A recorded and you want to work on longer using one of the examples When I first read about from the boot shell, it worked a files, you can either select The look of the requesters can pressed the tab key a number of saved sequence can form the projects (where syntax supplied with the package. microGoldEd, and the fact that it treat, the display degraded particular files to search or be configured to a great degree, spaces were inserted and when basis of a more complex AREXX highlighting and IDE functionality gracefully to the four colours include all the files in a directory a recent release has even added a file was loaded containing tabs macro, you could also write your would be handy) or you regularly screenmode and the full range of or even all the files within a the option to fill user interface they were converted into spaces. own macros from scratch or work on different file types which functions were still available! volume. It is even possible to elements such as buttons and Like all recent versions of GED download macros written by need a change in configuration find and replace across multiple sliders with a neat 24bit gradient When the program is loaded, as Studio (since 6.0, I think) mGED others from the Internet (Aminet then the extra investment in files. Finally “Locate this file” lets effect. A number of example you would expect from a text supports tabs in files and would be a good place to look). GoldEd Studio AIX will be worth you search a definable set of visual configurations are editor, a window with a large inserting a tab character when while. mGED seems to be drives for a particular file name. supplied with mGED, these can The one limitation of mGED that area for entering text opens. You the “Tab” key is pressed, but you pitched at an ideal level for many be loaded by going to the I can see causing a problem for hobbyist Amiga users and can open as many windows as must enable this option in the some users is that it’s not you like to edit multiple files “Tabs” section of preferences. deserves to do well, possible to save more than one recommended! within one session. Unfortunately configuration (the default one). the great feature of AIX which When working on longer files, shows all the open files as tabs mGED has a range of options to Pros across the top of the text area is help. Folding allows you to hide missing in mGED. At the top of sections of your document, so + Powerful editor. each editor window is a toolbar you can concentrate on a + Many options with a selection of icons for particular area. To use folding, + Low price Top common operations such as you define a sequence of Cons load, save, undo and redo. characters which will mark the - No way to save start and end of a fold (”///” is the multiple configs. A variety of features are built in default) and then enter that - Poor documentation. to make handling plain text files sequence above and below the Notch! as easy as possible. All the section you want to hide, the first

mGED’ has powerful find and replace options. Results 26 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 27 Reviews Reviews image files which can be used without the need for Windows on with the Amiga emulators by the PC. Needless to say this is simply dragging them onto a pretty exciting stuff and we hope Windows drive. In the same way, to get a copy of the CD editon so individual files can be moved, we can cover it in a future issue. Amiga Forever copied, renamed or deleted just as if the Amiga disks were Documentation Robert Williams suspends his disbelief and is actually quite impressed by a piece of Windows software! directly connected to the PC. other operating systems (Linux, With the package installed could not be included wholesale The full range of Amiga With the inclusion of AWeb, aybe I'm getting old, but it MacOS and MacOS X are starting the launcher utility gives which is why Cloanto refer to OS protection bits can be viewed Cloanto are now able to supply Mdoesn't seem long ago to specifically listed on the Cloanto easy access to a variety of 3.x. Most noticeable of these and changed, as can file extensive documentation in me that the thought of a website) it is clear that the Amiga configurations and new features are an updated comments; you can even format HTML format that can be read workable Amiga Emulation package is primarily aimed at viewing the additional content of Workbench with progress one of the Amiga's drives from both on Windows and the Amiga running on a standard PC was Windows users, as this is the the CD version, all from a point gauges etc. and the Reaction the PC. When you double click (emulated or otherwise). As in laughable. But here we are in only platform for which an and click tabbed window. Pre-set based preferences programs. on a file within Amiga Explorer, it previous versions the docs seem 2004 and Cloanto have just automated installer, launcher configurations are included for However some files are missing copies the file to a temporary very comprehensive and should made the 6th major release of GUI, software updater and the Amiga OS 1.3 and Amiga OS including utilities like AmiDock, folder and then opens it in the help even someone who hasn't their Amiga Emulation package Amiga Explorer utility are 3.x, other options in the launcher Find, UnArc and AsyncWb. appropriate application, it does used an Amiga for a long time that runs on, you've guessed it, available. In this review I will open the configuration screens not mount the Amiga as a get going. In the 1.3 OS A big improvement in version 6 Windows drive letter. Amiga installation, where the HTML any reasonably recent PC with primarily concentrate on using of WinUAE or WinFellow (the Accessing an Amiga (in this case an AmigaOne with OS4) from the is that CD-ROM drives are now Explorer is by far the slickest help is not accessible, a readme Windows and a variety of other Amiga Forever on Windows two included Windows Amiga PC using AmigaExplorer. operating systems and platforms 98SE as I did not have any other emulators) allowing you to set up properly supported using Amiga to Windows connection file is provided to get you started. too. At the core of the package platforms to test. a custom session. The CD CacheCDFS within the Directory Opus 5.5 (although also make full use of the PC's utility I have used and is an are a variety of Amiga emulators, edition includes Kickstart ROM6 emulation. In previous versions sadly not the latest Magellan graphics card via a special excellent addition to the Conclusion the ROMs needed to get them AF6 can be ordered either on- versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 2.04 CD-ROM driver were mapped release that supports "Glow" Picasso 96 driver (a registered emulation package. running and hard files containing line or as a CD. The online plus the Amiga 1000 boot ROM, through Windows which gave icons), AmigaAmp, Turbo Text (a copy of Picasso 96 is supplied). During my testing, Amiga pre-installed Amiga OS 1.3 and editon contains all the emulation CDTV extended ROM and CD³² problems with Amiga file powerful text editor), Perfect In a similar way paula sound is CD Edition Forever never failed to feel like a 3.x systems. In adition to the software, utilities and Amiga ROM enabling you to emulate permissions and could not cope Paint (as you might expect from emulated and the PC's sound quality product, from the well emulators, Amiga Explorer Explorer, it does not include the almost any classic Amiga ever with disc changes automatically. Cloanto) and Simple Find (a card can be accessed through Unfortunately, we were not able designed Cloanto website, (which easily connects an Amiga new CD-boot option or much of made, these additional ROMs Both these problems are now useful replacement for the AHI, although this is not set-up to obtain a copy of the CD through the professional to a Windows PC for file transfer) the additional "nostalgic" material (along with three Jay Miner resolved. missing OS3.9 utility). Altogether by default. Overall the 3.x Edition (which has been in great programs, to the friendly and a variety of nostalgic for space reasons. The on-line interviews in MP3 format) are the 3.x environment looks clean environment of Amiga Forever is demand) for this review, however documentation. The flexible If you have Windows configured material is included. While the editon is available either as an also available in a downloadable and well laid out but is perhaps a very like an expanded classic I should mention some of the emulators provided along with a to connect to the Internet, the Amiga emulators supplied with executable Windows installer file $14.95 "plus pack" for Online bit old fashioned without some of Amiga, with a speed boost. extras included. On the CD are a selection of ROMs provided give OS3.x Amiga emulation will be Amiga Forever are open source or as a ZIP for users of other edition purchasers. the GUI enhancements which number of images and videos of a level of compatibility that is on-line as soon as it is loaded, or freeware, what you are paying platforms. On Windows, grace many Amigas nowadays. historical interest, these include hard to find in one classic Amiga no TCP/IP stack is needed. Amiga Explorer for is a fully licensed set of installation is very straight On the other hand it does the first Amiga article to appear system. WinUAE seems a little What’s New since AF 5 AWeb 3.4 is pre-installed ROMs and software, and a fully forward and uses a "Wizard" provide a solid base to add your If you have an existing Amiga in Byte magazine, Dave Haynie's slower than Amithlon on the allowing you to browse the web set-up solution which can be style interface. A few choices As you would hope, a number of own favourite applications, system, it can be very useful to death-bed vigil video about the same hardware and, of course, straight away. This is a great easily installed and used. Let's have to be made such as where changes and improvements have utilities and hacks. connect it to your PC so files can end of Commodore, a video from Windows is always running in feature and means you can find out if version 6 provides the the program will be installed and been made in version 6, here are be copied between the the original Amiga launch with the background but this package download additional software to seamless emulation experience which PC drives will be available some of the ones I noticed. When you boot Amiga OS 1.3, machines. While there are Andy Warhol and Debbie Harry, is much easier to setup and get the emulation working just as we expect. to the Amiga within the an additional disk is displayed several free utilities out there to and two videos featuring Jay more importantly readily emulation. Once complete the In the OS3.x set-up many of the you want it with no hassles. alongside Workbench on the do this job, Amiga Explorer Miner the "father" of the Amiga. available without legal worries. It installation of the on-line version updated files from OS3.5 and 3.9 desktop, this contains ten early Although these nostalgic files doesn't seem that emulations are In both the OS 1.3 and 3.x makes it very simple. The Installation we tried took about 40Mb of hard have now been included. demos that were used to tempt sound great, probably the most ever going to be supported by environments, a wide range of program can communicate with drive space, this requirement will Unfortunately, due to the customers to buy the first Amiga exciting aspect of the CD edition OS 4 or MorphOS so Amiga While much of the Amiga applications have been installed the Amiga either over the serial grow as you populate the drives complex licensing arrangements systems including the Boing ball is that it allows you to boot a PC Forever will be "stuck" at OS 3.9; Forever package can be used on ready for use. In 3.x many of port or a TCP/IP network so it is on your "virtual" Amiga. surrounding the OS, version 3.9 and Juggler. If you purchase the into Amiga emulation from the the slightly old-fashioned feeling these can be accessed from a useful with any Amiga system CD edition, five full games from a basic A500 or a more CD without the need for default setup reflects this. But if neat Tool Manager dock at the (Deluxe Galaga, Hilt2, Windows to be installed. This is you want a painless way to run bottom of the screen. powerful classic Amiga set-up Mindwalker, Ports of Call and with an Ethernet card. A small acheived through the use of a your Amiga software on a Applications that caught my eye Tower of Souls) are also included customised version of the Windows PC or a way of running on were a full version of server utility is provided that runs to get you started. on the Amiga, for serial Knoppix CD-based Linux all those classic games you miss connections it is also possible to distribution. In the future, then Amiga Forever is an .info connect to an Amiga without Cloanto plan to provide excellent choice. JIT and Graphics Card Developer copying the software across as instructions on how to install this Cloanto Support long as the machine has been system onto a PC hard drive so you can have the system boot www.amigaforever.com Since Amiga Forever 5, the booted with a Workbench disk. The final connection option is to straight into a usable emulation Price version of UAE supplied has included JIT (Just in Time) 68K access the Amiga emulation On-line editon...... $29.95 processor emulation, this caches while it is running, this can prove CD Edition...... $59.95 an easy way of copying files Pros emulated code that is repeatedly + Easy to install. Amiga Explorer...... $19.95 used, greatly enhancing between Windows and the On-line upgrade...... $19.95 emulator. Once it has connected, + Lots of pre-installed performance. This performance software. CD upgrade...... $39.95 allows the emulated Amiga to be Amiga Explorer opens a + Wide compatibility. Pretty used for "serious" tasks such as standard Windows Explorer Test System + Great documentation image processing, DTP and 3D window showing all the drives on AMD Athlon XP 2500+ The Amiga Forever launcher the Amiga. For each drive, an and support. offers quick access to graphics as well as playing those 512Mb DDR RAM hdf (hard drive image file) or an pre-defined WinUAE classic games. The Amiga OCS, Cons nVidia gForce 2 MX400 adf (floppy drive image file) is Good! configurations and the content ECS or AGA graphics chipsets - Old fashioned defaults. Windows 98SE listed, these allow you to create of the CD edition. can be emulated but UAE can Results 28 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 29 Reviews Reviews .info Developer CrossTony Aknes grabs his joystick to try a new game thatFire combines many elements of Dreamworlds Developments www.dreamworlds.de classic Amiga titles while taking advantage of graphics and sound cards. Distributor It’s About to Begin with tutorial missions, it is irst of all I must mention important that you complete 3rd person 2D view and nice APC-TCP that this game has 3 ways This is where it all became very these, because, and I am not raytraced graphics. Unlike www.apc-tcp.de F of installing to hard disk, small, good and professional looking, kidding here, if you don’t you games like Stardust here the Price medium or large. I chose the unlike the demo version the full won’t understand the basics of point is not always the just to 39.90E (£28 approx.) large installation which copied game boosts great animations the game, like “hide” or kill all enemies, sometimes you all 640Mb from the game CD all the way through fromII intro., “escape” etc. Then after this must hide, develop a turret gun Requirements on to my hard disk. The main menu (which has a nice you are presented with the setup etc. and later on you 68030+ installation is good and fast asteroid field effect) and cut story. Sadly the story has have ground missions (which 16Mb Fast RAM (compared to a Hyperion involve driving vehicles such AGA or Graphics card install) and it shows you stuff “the special effects and weapons will make as tanks). There are bucket 50Mb HDD Space from the game while it installs loads of weapons to choose CD-ROM (great feature). you go “WOOOOOAAAAAH”!” from, the game is based on Recommended credits (money) to buy scenes throughout the game. obviously been translated to weapons. Later on in the game 68040 and PPC Preferences Here in the main menu you English from German and the you get a lot of money but no 300Mb HDD Space The older versions had some have the needed settings (like English isn’t exactly good (like storage place on your ship to 8X CD-ROM niggles here when you wanted in the demo version) , a huge mine), but it is understandable hold more than 3 weapons, so Top left: cut scenes like this one draw the story together. to use AGA etc., but this is enough to explain the point of Test Systems tip here is that you might want tactics are involved in choosing Above: Action is frantic and accompanied by excellent graphics and sound effects. A1200 fixed in 1.03, beyond that the to turn off or halve the flash the game (I noticed plenty of the correct weapon for the Blizzard PPC 060/66 GUI is good and does what screen option, as later in the spelling mistakes throughout missions. There are missions here as well, but since I have The Up’s and Down’s resolution however even at this PPC/240 you expect it to do! I selected game it will more or less turn the game too). I also think that where you won’t get weapons no one to play it with it won’t be low resolution the special Mediator AHI (8 channels) and the screen white due to the the story is too long (there’s at all and even a mission used too much by me! The As I said earlier, for me this effects and weapons will make Voodoo 3 ChunckyPPC Wb Window intense action! just so much text), I skipped where you get weapons free multiplayer will remind you a lot game is too small and too easy you go “WOOOOOAAAAAH”! I Sound Blaster 128 mode and pressed Save (those many of the story screens after of charge (that mission is of Rocketz and such games but I still love it and I know I will really like the music which 128Mb RAM were all the settings I needed The Start looking at the great pictures! superb!). In total there is 26 (dog-fighting etc.), it looks neat play it again. It’s a pity there is accompanies the game but to change!). levels in this game, I must and plays great. There is also a no network play option as sadly it hogs the CPU a bit on First thing you will notice is that About the Game admit that this was too little for team mode where the human finding new opponents on the my current setup (see the if you play a single player me and my hard-core shooter players gang up against the Internet can make a game like “.info” boxout for my specs). In game there is a training screen Crossfire seems to be inspired dreams as I completed the computer. Since there is no this last much longer. addition to the music there are by Stardust/Super Stardust game in less than 10 hours, TCP/IP or other network play also sound effects that will Some people may find this and many other games, but but for the normal gamer I think option these features require blow you away! game hard and give up after 10 mainly I think of this game as it will last a bit longer! you to have a lot (or at least 1) Freespace (ported to the of friends nearby who would minutes, if you find this is the Last Note Amiga by Hyperion) but with a like to play the game with you. case it’s really worth playing The Other Part through the tutorials and This is a game many will love There is a multiplayer mode making sure you understand and I think more will hate, for the options available. Another the normal shoot-em-up king niggle I had was that the end of this game would be too easy. game sequence and last Due to its lack of TCP/IP I can’t mission were just a bit too give this game as high a score weird for my taste, but you’ll as I would like and think it have to beat the game to find deserves. Never the less, I out if you agree! recommend this game to everyone, and I wish the The graphics are excellent but developers the best of luck are only in 320x256 16bit with their sales numbers! Pros + Excellent graphics. + Great sound. + Exciting game-play. Cons Pretty - Low resolution. Although low resolution, - Long-winded story. CrossFire II’s pre-rendered 3D - No network play. graphics look great and there’s Good! Variety is provided by fighting in space and on the surface of planets always plenty of them on-screen.

like the one above. Results 30 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 31 Reviews Reviews or higher of identify.library (available from www.shredzone.net) is recommended. Also, downloading ALL the files available for your system on sonicpulse.de - the docs in your preferred language, the binary, doesn’t burn CDs. It also doesn’t they really do help tremendously, the data, and “goodies” files – SoundFX 4.3 will ensure that your installation t seems as if it were just have multitrack recording including a button to click to Sean Courtney finds out of SoundFX 4.3 will be as Iyesterday when I was capabilities, although with some switch between single- and what’s changed in the latest reviewing SoundFX 4.2 for Total clever channel-splitting and multi-window mode. complete as possible. Amiga. After all the positive joining, a user can record some The program’s documentation is version of Sonic Pulse’s comments I had about the sounds individually and combine Another issue I had with included in several formats, program and how handy I’ve them later. SoundFX is also not a SoundFX was its MP3 handling. sample editor. including PDF and PostScript. found it, I was thrilled when I real-time effects generator; it can While it was amazingly fast at As with earlier versions of recently heard that 4.3 was only deal with sounds that are importing MP3 files, the resulting SoundFX, a quick way to check available. already recorded. (Besides, few sound files had very audible the documentation is to hit the people would disagree that for clicks at certain points. I found “Help” key during run time, best results, one should invest out I wasn’t the only user with What it is and What it IBrowse opens the HTML some money in a stand-alone this problem. Stefan asked for documentation to the part that .info Ain’t effects unit rather than rely on a help from the user base in describes what’s on your Developer computer to handle it.) tracking this bug, and as a result Stefan Kost’s SoundFX is of these users telling Stefan SoundFX screen. It appears, Stefan Kost basically a jack-of-all-trades for about what their configurations however, that Stefan has not www.sonicpulse.de Amiga sound software. It’s a Fixin’ Some Holes were, the specs of the MP3s, completed the English documentation, so details on a sound converter that can handle When we last visited the land of and some other pertinent details, Ever wonder what Homer Simpson’s voice looks like in 3D? License lot of features, including the almost all of the major sound SoundFX, overall the verdict was Stefan was able to identify what The “Analyse-Spect3D” operator makes it possible! Shareware sound synthesizer functions, are formats, including some you that this is a great package for was causing the clicks and has missing. Does that mean you’ll filter and equalizer operators. experiments with much larger, format, such as WAV or AIFF, will Price might not expect an Amiga anybody who likes to experiment since solved the problem. be missing out? Of course not – Others just plain require some song-length files. always produce better results $30, 20Euro (£14 approx.) program to handle directly such with sounds. I had a few as MP3, CDDA, and even One of my biggest peeves with read on, and you’ll understand trial, error, and patience – mainly than any MP3, regardless of the problems with it; mind you, these Knowing that Stefan had fixed Studio16 files from the old Amiga sound programs in why it’s okay, and important, to the “DeCrackle” operator quality of the MP3, especially if Requirements problems were definitely not the MP3 import bug, the first AD516 sound card. (Still no general is that there isn’t really experiment with the program! recommended for removing you intend others to hear your 68020 or higher enough to sway me from paying thing I did was test an MP3. The support for RealAudio, but from an all-in-one package for people scratches and pops when results. Just to give you an idea Recomended the registration fee, which was At run time, the first screen is MP3 I imported was a 44.1khz what I understand it’s nearly like me who like to use the transferring from vinyl. But just to of what I’m talking about, the 68060 low enough that even I could pretty basic – just a blank screen stereo file encoded at 192kbps to impossible for Amiga developers Amiga to experiment with sound, give you an idea of what industry generally considers a AmigaOS 3.5 afford it after being unemployed with a control panel on top and a to get their hands on the record it, add some snazzy SoundFX can do, here’s a partial 64Mb RAM for a couple of years. row of text boxes on the bottom. necessary code.) SoundFX is effects, burn it to a CD, and list of the operators that come A “Tip of the Day” window, which “I just have not been able to crash the also a sound recorder, great for First and foremost, the GUI was whatever else have you. For with the program: Amplify, Test System you can disable in preferences, recording your own little sound a tad cryptic. At the bottom of the years I used separate programs Convolve, Detune, Distortion, program!” A4000 then pops up. From this point on, bytes for e-mail alerts and SoundFX screen was a series of for each. For a while I was using Echo, Hall (a form of reverb, TekMagic 4060/50 I recommend simply changing a size of 2,914,637 bytes. I compression rate of 128kbps to whatnot as well as recording full- unlabeled text boxes that had SoundFX to record if I wanted to, really), PitchShift, Reverse (great 144Mb RAM the file loader dropdown box on wanted to see if indeed SoundFX be “CD quality.” However, I can length songs to burn to CD. some pretty intense-looking say, transfer vinyl to cassette, for finding those satanic Picasso IV the upper left to “Universal,” is one of the fastest programs at easily recognize an MP3 when I What many might not realize is numbers in them, each and then use an OEM version of messages in Led Zeppelin Prelude Z11 loading any sound file, and just importing MP3 files. Using the hear one at rates up to 192kbps, that SoundFX is also a sound representing mouse position, Samplitude Opus to edit the songs), SurroundEncoder, playing around with the file and integer version of MPEGA and and a friend of mine can actually synthesizer with which you can sample length, and other data sound or brighten it. Why not use Timestretch... and the list goes AmigaOS 3.9 BB2 get an idea what kind of effects mpega.library version 2.4, I tell it’s an MP3 at rates up to actually create your own sounds that some users may find helpful. SoundFX for all three of those on. And remember, these are you can apply to it. found that MakeCD version 3.2D 224kbps.) Picasso 96 from scratch. And most Knowing which box was functions? Well, because it OPERATORS – each operator DOpus 5.82 tended to crash if I attempted to has several effects, and most of public beta 10 decompressed the importantly, SoundFX is a sound representing what figure required That third point is very important The next tidbit may actually have do any kind of editing or these operators can have user- MP3 in about one minute and processor with which you can several Amiga-M keystrokes to - the program’s documentation to do with my ignorance in that a processing with large samples – added effects. fifteen seconds. The command- add echo, chorus, tremolo, and a read the docs. Users of older goes through great pains to feature may have been available it was apparent to me that the line MPEGA took nearly a minute plethora of other built-in effects – versions of SoundFX will be assure you that you cannot in SoundFX 4.2, but honestly I I didn’t care much for the default program was really designed for and a half to decompress into an plus virtually limitless of your happy to see that these mystery possibly screw anything up by My Own didn’t notice it until 4.3. (I no font settings, so I set them to handling just small sound bytes. AIFF file. SoundFX took about own self-designed effects – to boxes are now labeled. Since experimenting, which I think is longer have 4.2 to check this something a bit more legible. I’m happy to report that I’ve the same time as MakeCD, but any recorded sound. 4.2, Stefan has also made some one of the great selling points of Experimentation with, as Stefan strongly Next to go is the orchid-coloured literally been trying to crash the difference is that once the other seemingly minor GUI SoundFX. Unlike with many I feel that a review of SoundFX recommends when upgrading to title bar! Just about any aspect What SoundFX is not is an all-in- version 4.3 by overprocessing MP3 is loaded into SoundFX, it’s enhancements, but users will other sound processing would be incomplete without do a complete reinstall.) In my of the GUI is user-configurable. one sound studio. That is, it some song-length files ripped ready to be worked on, while find that as trivial as they appear, programs, SoundFX doesn’t elaborating on a few of the things last review, I commented that I from CDs, and I just have not with MakeCD one has to import actually apply the effect directly I’ve done with the program. just could not get the “MaxVol” been able to crash the program! the resulting decompressed file to the file that’s open, but rather Unfortunately, a print magazine into another program. My test effect in the “Amplify” operator to it opens a copy of that file and cannot allow someone to results may also have to do with do what it’s supposed to do – Using the Program applies the effect to the copy. appreciate fully the results of the my using real memory as normalize, which is to find the That way, if you don’t like the peak volume in the sound and To be able to use SoundFX 4.3, audio experimentation, so if you opposed to virtual memory; as a effect, no problem – just close boost the volume of the entire a 68020 processor is the would like to hear some of my hard drive is much slower than the new file. sound such that the peak does absolute minimum required to results, please go online to RAM, using virtual memory will not overload, giving you the run the program. As with any www.banana-and-louie.org/ often slow operations down to a Some of the effects are pretty loudest possible sound without other program, the faster the soundfx. While with my previous crawl. (On a personal note, I basic, such as delay and chorus. distortion. (This is not to be processor and the more RAM review I found that 4.2 would strongly recommend against However, many require some confused with compressing, in present, the better the results. To only work with small sounds, the working with MP3 files for the deeper-level knowledge about which every part of the sound – take full advantage of what stability of 4.3 has allowed me to reason that MP3 is a lossy how sounds work, mainly in the not just the peak – is boosted to SoundFX can offer, version 13.0 conduct some long-desired compression format. A lossless 32 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 33 Reviews mouse-click fingers. Well, the program’s still running, I’ll just cut part of the sound... uh-oh, the resulting cut only edited one of the channels, so now it’s completely out of sync. And the computer has locked up! So I completely uninstalled SoundFX, deleted all the SFX files from ENV: and ENVARC:, and reinstalled from scratch, and the problem disappeared. (The moral of the story: keep the LHA/LZX files you download in SoundFX saves me many grueling steps in my case you need to reinstall! phase cancellation experiments. Note the Especially if you’re on a dialup matrix provided to demonstrate the connection!) mathematics behind channel converting. Honestly, though, that’s the only its maximum volume.) and 1969 (and a few Beatles and playing around with some of real problem I have been able to Frustratingly, I found in both 4.2 songs) were recorded such that the effects, I found out that produce with the program itself, and 4.3 that the “MaxVol” effect the vocals are panned hard right “StereoDiff” does the entire although some other users have had absolutely ZERO effect on and hard right while the OOPS process I described with found bugs with version 4.3. I any sounds I tried – until I instrumental track was panned just one simple little option. In have found that the window noticed that when selecting dead-center, which meant that seconds my OOPSed songs are mode button may end up hiding “Amplify,” the window that pops OOPSing would result in some ready, although I usually have to sound samples, but doing a flush up has its own “Maximize” unbelievable a capella music. normalize the results. I’ve and reloading the samples button, which if you click makes Other times, the really interesting included some of my OOPS solved this relatively minor foible. SoundFX analyze the sound file results of OOPSing wouldn’t be examples on my web page. Also, I did get a pop-up message and do a few calculations, and so much that the vocals cancel that was partially in German. clicking “Proceed” will actually do out but that enough sounds Parting Words Many previous bugs have been the dirty work. Sure enough, that cancel out that you’ll hear fixed, and the GUI has been did it! something you never knew First, I have a confession to significantly improved. Overall, existed; for example, in a make. Remember how I said I this seems to be the most stable OOPS, I Did It Again harpsichord-driven power-pop literally tried to make the version of SoundFX to date. song, I noticed that applying program crash and it wouldn’t? Another feature that may have OOPS to it resulted in a sound Well, that may have been an There’s a very nice presence of existed longer than I realized is file that contained nothing but equivocation. You see, I was support online not only on the one that has been saving me a tambourine and a fascinating having a blast with SoundFX 4.3, sonicpulse.de web site but also lot of frustration over the past guitar track that had been buried and at one point I couldn’t have in the form of a Yahoo! Groups few weeks. Now, this one under several layers of music. as many samples opened as I mailing list. Should you decide to requires some explanation. wanted to because I was running become a SoundFX user, I When I got my Amiga 4000, I out of RAM. (And at 144 strongly advise you to subscribe I often get quite obsessed with figured out how to do this megabytes, I’ve maxed out all to the mailing list. It’s pretty my favorite music. Years ago I process digitally so I wouldn’t my motherboard and accelerator active, but not to the point that read about a process called have to risk damaging any RAM!) So I tried the virtual your mailbox will be clogged. “OOPS,” which stands for “out- equipment. I would rip a stereo memory option, but unfortunately When a new version of SoundFX of-phase stereo.” If you take a song from a CD and load it into I found that virtual memory comes out or when a major bug true stereo recording and invert Samplitude Opus or SoundFX. I means that samples take forever gets fixed, that will be the first one of the two channels, then would then split the file into two and a day to load. So I switched place where Stefan will make the combine the resulting inverted individual mono files. Then I’d back to real memory, only to find announcement. channel and the other uninverted invert one of the channels, then that SoundFX would never again channel into one mono channel, combine the inverted channel load a sample into memory, no SoundFX 4.3 can be used to a all the sounds that are panned to and the untouched channel back matter how small, even after limited extent for free. the center of the stereo cancel into one file. Next, I’d convert the reboots and turning the computer Registration is 20 Euros, while out. This is basically how rejoined channels into a single off for the night. No problem, I’ll US residents need to pay $30, a karaoke machines work. To do mono file. And because I just settle for slower virtual few bucks more than before but such a thing at home required intended to burn the result to a memory. So I tried my little easily worth every cent for such connecting one speaker to the CD, I’d convert the mono file OOPS trick on some files, and... a powerful program that would positive ports of both the left and back into a stereo file. This was got an error message I couldn’t undoubtedly cost about twice as right speaker output on your a royal pain in the bum. catch thanks to my trigger-happy much on other platforms. home receiver, a trick that could result in blowing a speaker. Guess what – SoundFX can Pros Depending on how the original actually do this with just a couple + Very inexpensive song was mixed, you’d get one of clicks of the mouse! There’s + Virtually limitless of at least three possible results. an operator called If the vocals are panned to the “ConvertChannels,” which allows effects. Top center of the mix, the resulting you to convert from mono to + Excellent user OOPSed sound would cancel out stereo, stereo to mono, stereo to support. the vocals, giving you an quadrophonic, and several other Cons instrumental or karaoke song. I combinations. One of these - Incomplete Notch! combinations is “StereoDiff.” found that many Beach Boys documentation. songs recorded between 1963 While following Stefan’s advice Results 34 TOTAL AMIGA Reviews With an AmigaOne and Amithlon PC vying for space on his desk, Mick Sutton finds an inexpensive KVMsame Swit company also produce a ch solution to make them fter many years of using one four port model (K-14-E). So share a monitor, Acomputer (in my case a let’s have a look at this little box classic Amiga) exclusively, some of tricks. It is quite small keyboard and people find that they are now measuring 12CM x 8CM x 5CM, mouse. running multiple systems (for it’s quite solid and has a metal example a PC and an finish. Looking at it from the front AmigaOne). This can give you a it has two PS2 ports (one for bit of a dilemma regarding space mouse and the other for and functionality. If you have keyboard), two buttons and only one monitor you could try below each of them a multi computer, using a manual switch for the coloured LED labelled “on line” no input to the monitor and having and “selected” on its upper and degradation two sets of keyboards and mice lower sections (more on this whatsoever. The on your desk, this is not a good later). Looking from the back, it reason for this is that the solution for several reasons. The has a DC power in socket, a switch is a solid state switch first problem you will notice with monitor socket on it’s own that does not have mechanical to work faultlessly (from what we a manual switch box is the (labelled console) and two more contact areas where signal loss can tell) with PC’s running quality of the image on the monitor sockets each with two (due to no shielding and contact Windows, AmigaOnes running screen will have substantial adjacent PS2 sockets. All of the resistance) can happen. Linux or Amiga OS4 and reduction of quality, this is due to PS2 sockets on this little box of Switch on the second attached Pegasos systems. Initially I did the nature of the switching tricks are colour coded, green for computer and the green “on line” experience some strange effects method (copper contacts) and mice and blue for keyboards. portion of the second LED lights using this KVM with my PC the second problem will be The KVM comes with a pair of up but nothing changes with running Amithlon, the problems getting confused with what leads, both these leads identical regard to the computer you are seemed to be caused by the keyboard and what mouse in form, but curiously different currently using. To use the other switch using “Print Screen” to belonged to what system... what lengths and have all the relevant computer all you have to do is change its setting and Amithlon a nightmare! plugs (monitor, ps/2 mouse and push the corresponding button using the same key (with “H” or ps/2 keyboard) on the ends to We found an ideal solution to this on the KVM switch (for manual “R”) to reset the emulator. plug into your computers. The problem was a KVM (Keyboard mode operation), a beep will be Fortunately Bernie Meyer power for this device is taken Video Mouse) switch, in this heard (this feature can be turned (Amithlon’s author) came to the from the computers it is attached review we are looking at a two off) and the monitor, keyboard rescue with a patch that remaps to, but in some cases it is worth port model (K-12-E) but the and mouse are now on that this function to the “Scroll Lock” noting that a 9v DC power supply system... cool! To switch key. If you need it you can may be required, we found no between computers just hit the download the patch from such need when attached to a corresponding button and it http://www.amithlon.net/updates PC running Amithlon and an switches over with the red LED /special_patch.lzh. AmigaOne. A separate power showing which is selected. The supply (DC9V 300mA) is All in all this switch is a dream to beep that is heard every time the use, keeps the clutter on the available but is not included with switch is operated can be turned the switch. desk to a minimum but it’s a .info off by hitting the right shift key shame it doesn’t work with Available From After plugging both leads into twice. The switching of “classic” Amigas. Having said your two computers and into the computers can also be done that if you have multiple systems Ebuyer KVM switch (making sure you remotely via the keyboard by www.ebuyer.co.uk such as PCs, Pegasos or don’t cross over any leads from pressing the “Print Screen” key AmigaOnes or any combination Code no. 46424 system one to two or vice versa), twice and then the cursor left or of those it’s the ideal solution. Price plug in your keyboard and cursor right keys. The best part is that this little mouse into the front sockets. £18.79 You will realise from this that an gem costs just £18.79 including Now switch on the first computer Amiga keyboard will not work VAT from the likes of EBuyer Requirements attached to the switch, you will with this switch, in fact we (http://www.ebuyer.com) and 2 computers with PS/2 notice a tiny beep sound and couldn’t get it to work properly when you consider that includes keyboard and mouse ports initially the upper green “on line” with a “classic” Amiga at all. We the two leads it’s a bargain! section and lower red “selected” and 15pin SVGA style tried it with an Amiga 1200 fitted sections of each LED light up. graphics ports. with an Eyetech “EZMouse” After a moment the LED on the adapter that has a PS2 side with no computer switched connector on it but it had some Result Test Systems on extinguishes itself and the strange inconsistent effects on AmigaOne XE-G4 800MHz side with a computer switched on the KVM switch such as remains lit. You will find that AmigaOS 4 Pre-release displaying the screen but no using the keyboard and mouse is Pretty Linux PPC mouse control whatsoever, it is no different to when it’s plugged worth bearing in mind that we directly into the computer and PC, AMD Athlon XP 2500+ couldn’t attach the Amiga the video quality on your monitor keyboard either so it’s a bit of a Good! Amithlon is also the same as when it’s lost cause anyhow. It does seem Windows 98SE plugged directly into the 36 TOTAL AMIGA 37 Support Support Going to the movies with

Who needs a DVD player when we’ve got Sam Byford to explain the ins and outs of the MorphOS port of MPlayer. MPlayer means the author is not having to When trying to play DVDs MPlayer can and a few others from my massive Player is a video player for constantly update a player: download actually be confusing as you cannot collection to test with. MMorphOS that can run almost all of the new codec, place it in the simply use the file requester to select a the different codecs and formats that appropriate directory and your player film’s .VOB file (the file on a DVD disc There are three basic command are available at the moment. It has its should now be able to use that format. that contains the video data) - this will parameters needed when playing a origins on Linux but has become so not play and will show a nasty requester DVD and these are: -dvd - Indicates the MPlayer has its codecs built into the popular that it has been ported to many proclaiming that your DVD disk has a title, or track, that you want to play. program and as such is almost seven different operating systems. Due to its read/write error. This is not the case but times the size of Frogger! -dvd-device – Where to find the DVD open source nature there is nothing to is the system’s way of telling you that player. stop this program being ported to Any codecs brought out in the future will you are trying to play a AmigaOS4+ either, so while this tutorial need to be written directly into MPlayer protected/copyrighted DVD. There are -framedrop – Highly recommended is written on a Pegasos machine and a new version released. Things are also DVD drives which MPlayer quite when playing DVDs. running MorphOS sometime in the near not that much better for programs that simply does not like, but from all reports This is great for making the video blend MPlayer Movies:Bus_Dodger.mpg» Playing a future I expect it to also become use external codecs however, as they any LG drive should work perfectly and For example: seamlessly with your desktop. CGX_MODE=OVERLAY VERBOSE DVD movie relevant to AmigaOS4 users. still have to be written or converted by my cheap and cheerful Artec 16x DVD (Shrek) in a someone, so time is still being spent on drive works flawlessly too. In part this is MPlayer -dvd 1 -dvd-device» The official homepage for MPlayer is FRAMEDROP – This will let MPlayer which would use overlay as the display borderless updating the files. probably down to the Pegasos and its ide.device:2 -framedrop verbose located at http://www.mplayerhq.hu/ drop video frames when it needs to mode if it was available. This particular window. current dislike for certain drives and while MPlayer for MorphOS (ported by All of the common codecs are supported keep the sound/video synchronisation in example is actually pointless however In reverse order these things do the configurations but having the DVD as DET Nicolas) can be downloaded from internally by MPlayer: MPEG, VOB, AVI, place. Useful when multitasking and on as MPlayer will automatically use following: -framedrop drops occasional master on the second IDE channel MorphZone (unless you are a OGG/OGM, QT, MOV, MP4, VCDs, slower machines and recommended for Overlay if it can, and if that fails Vmem picture frames to keep up with the should help. programmer make sure you download SVCDs, DVD, DivX 3/4 (and possibly 5, use with DVDs. and then WPA. The tooltype VERBOSE sound. While not a requirement with the binary distribution, not the source I have not tested this yet). There are however, is one I use a lot because it DVDs, I strongly recommend you use CGX_MODE=AUTO|OVERLAY|VMEM| files). Installation is quite simple, you many others and while the Linux version MPlayer provides an output of everything that this command because otherwise WPA – These are the different forms of can either use the provided installer or has a full list on its website there is no MPlayer is doing - handy for bragging MPlayer quite simply can not keep the As with many programs there are two display for the files. If you run a Voodoo just copy the entire directory to a place real website for the MorphOS version about frame rates to other Amiga users sound and pictures synchronised. Even main ways to use MPlayer, from its icon or Radeon card on your system then of your choice. The benefit of using the and as such no comprehensive list of and to work out why something is not with a G3 Pegasos, MPlayer fails or from shell. Using the icon is the Overlay is a great benefit, it means that installation script is that it will ask you to codecs for it either. playing. without the -framedrop option. simplest way to do things but does have the video output can be scaled to any set a default directory where the Depending on the size and complexity drawbacks when it comes to playing size you wish without slow down which “-dvd-device ide.device:2” is the setting I majority of your movie files are located, must use on my system. This shows of the file you want to play (and your DVDs or any other CD based media is excellent for fullscreen playback. DVD Playback The overlay this directory will then be shown when MPlayer that my IDE DVD drive is run processor’s capabilities) some programs (such as VCDs). Playing animation files I have already mentioned that if you use display mode you start the program. The main drawback with Overlay is that by ide.device and is at location 2. would struggle with playback, and more or videos from your hard-drive is the basic icon-run MPlayer to select a allows screengrabs are not possible and where Change this as required by your Most of you will have seen other importantly struggle to keep the sound simplicity itself and should work using .vob file from a DVD then MPlayer will movies to be the video was being played you will get system’s setup. video/DVD players in action: in sync with the picture. Pausing, fast- the icon’s default settings. Double return a read/write error on your disk. played a nice pink rectangle! Use VMEM or FroggerNG, SoftCinema or MooVid. forwarding or reversing the data stream clicking the icon will bring up a This is because the .vob file does not smoothly “-dvd 1” The main film is not always WPA when screengrabbing. VMEM will What makes MPlayer stand out from the meant the sound often ended up out of requester where you select and play contain all of the information that is even when situated at track 1. If you have a DVD use the graphics card memory to buffer crowd is its speed and usability. Its sync, words would be heard in the audio your file. If you do wish to tailor needed to run a DVD film, or rather, the enlarged but that has multiple episodes on it (like my and play the file so this option improves drawback is that it does not use external stream and then half a second later the MPlayer’s output to your own information is there but is read it can’t be Futurama sets) then you will need to with the graphics card, but is still slower codecs and therefore is quite a large characters would mouth them! Not good preferences then there are only three incorrectly and so does not work. In screen- use -dvd 2, -dvd 3 etc. to select the than Overlay as colour conversions program. Frogger on the other hand is with longer films where you want to be icon tooltypes that you should ever need order for MPlayer to successfully play grabbed! track you want. Unfortunately this have to be performed. WPA, which small and uses external codecs but is able to stop/start whenever you need to change when playing hard drive your DVD titles it has to know some stands for WritePixelArray is another not as fast or as reliable. A brief more popcorn! MPlayer does not suffer based files: basic information. This can get form of this but is slower again because explanation of codecs is in order here. this problem and has almost no loss of complicated if your DVD is not one long IWANTMYBORDER – As its name the video is converted via a CGX Support for new technology and for synchronisation when pausing or film but a series of shorter items like a suggests you can turn the border off for function and then output, but without creating video files constantly changes playing with the data stream. The TV Series. I recommend that you have the movies you play. When this is any buffering. and becomes better, improved data picture may skip a few frames in order the verbose option somewhere in your compression algorithms create smaller to keep up with the sound but that is not enclosed by brackets the border will There are a few other tooltypes that can command lines as this will help you file sizes and new dithering routines a great loss and it should not happen disappear from your video whenever the be applied to MPlayer but they are all in track down any problems. mean better picture quality in the same too often. mouse moves away from the window. the documentation and easy enough to file size. To save authors time and My test bed for writing this was the get to grips with. Each of the tooltypes headaches, media players are often movie Shrek, which has as its base an can also be used via shell and the written to use codecs - external files that English main track with Spanish, Getting MPlayer format is the same as with most explain to the program how to handle a Portuguese and Catalonian dubs as well programs: “MPlayer {file} {commands}”. file encoded in a particular format. This as an English Commentary track. It also Download MPlayer from: To play Bus_Dodger.mpg I could use the means that support for each format has three subtitle languages. All the http://www.morphzone.org/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=13 following line in shell (CD to MPlayer’s does not need to be written into a usual Bonus material is included on the directory first): program, which keeps its size down and Download MPlayer GUI & Argue from http://lordfpx.free.fr/ one DVD. I also used a Futurama DVD 38 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 39 Support always comes down to pot-luck. From for example). In this case there are two (IWANTMYBORDER) what I can tell there is no foolproof way handy commands to know: “-alang” and CGX_MODE=OVERLAY to work out which track number the “-slang”. Both use two character location DVD_DEVICE=ide.device:2 main film(s) will be on. If 1 doesn’t work, codes to tell MPlayer what to play. “- DVD_TITLE=1 Audio Evolution 4.0 try 2 and so on. alang en” uses the English audio track FRAMEDROP while “-slang pt” would display subtitles When you first start MPlayer (using the Please note that once you have double in Portuguese. There are two places to above line) it will bring up a few lines of clicked the icon to start a DVD film you “The native audio solution for AmigaOS4” find out what audio and subtitle tracks text, then pause, then bring up some will still have a wait while MPlayer are available, the easiest to find is the useful information, then pause again, digests all the information it finds on the back of the DVD case and the second is and finally will reel off a whole load of DVD, so be patient - your system has buried somewhere in the verbose output New features in 4.0: information before finally starting the not crashed! of MPlayer when you have either -alang playback of the track. It is the or -slang set. Adding “-alang en” to the information displayed in the middle of • Non-linear editing on the time line, command line adds extra output to the Video CD that operation that we want to read. including cut, copy, paste, move, split, Shell, and if you scroll up, somewhere in Hitting “Esc” or using the close gadget In most respects playing a VCD trim and crossfade actions there will be a line(s) such as: will exit the film. Something similar to (VideoCD) is identical to playing DVDs. • Unlimited undo the following will be displayed near the “[open] audio stream: 0 audio format: The only difference is that instead of • Many grid options to align regions start of the Shell output: ac3 (5.1) language: en : 128” DVD_ you use VCD_ (VCD_DEVICE=ide.device:2). The other • Improved automation editing on time line Reading disc structure, please wait... Shrek has 5 lines like this with “en” “es” tooltypes or commands stay the same. • Track height adjustment and higher There are 16 titles on this DVD. “pt” “ca” and “en aid” in them. One major quality waveform display There are 21 chapters in this DVD title. drawback I have found is that there is no There are 3 angles in this DVD title. way to turn the English Commentary Controlling MPlayer • Metronome with freely adjustable time track on. MPlayer will only accept a 2 signature We can safely ignore the last line as Controlling MPlayer while it is running is figure code so “en aid” does not work, • Control the mixer remotely with external MPlayer does not seem to be able to fairly simple. The Left/Right Arrows will which is a real shame as you still need a show different angles yet. seek forward or backwards 10 seconds, MIDI hardware PC/Mac or DVD player to listen to the Up/Down will jump 1 minute • Native OS4 effect plug-ins with realtime The 16 titles part tells us that there are commentaries. A similar problem exists forwards/back and PgUp/PgDown jumps parameter control and metering 16 main tracks on this DVD. In Shrek’s with the subtitle tracks. Shrek has 8 of 10minutes. “P” will pause the movie case track 1 is the film, track 2 is the them: “0 en” “1 es” “2 pt” “3 en” “4 es” “5 • Effect parameter automation while “Q” or “Esc” quits MPlayer. “F” sponsors animation (Dreamworks), 3 is pt” “6 es” “7 pt”. The reason for each • ...and many more new features! toggles fullscreen on or off and “V” turns the first item of the Bonus Material and language having two tracks is that there subtitles on or off. If you have a mouse so on. The 21 chapters tell me that the are subtitles for the film itself and with a wheel then try rotating it up or main film has 21 sections and MPlayer subtitles for the commentary track. down, you may find (depending on your can actually jump straight to any of MPlayer however will always use the Looking for a way to use all the be fully automated. Together with setup) that it acts the same as the those with a different command, “- first “en” it comes to and has no way to power of your PPC processor all other mixing parameters, they Up/Down arrow keys. chapter”: select the commentary subtitles. with OS4? Audio Evolution 4 can even be controlled remotely, Whether this is a drawback of version MPlayer -dvd 1 -dvd-device» While there are other control options (for gives you unsurpassed power for using more ergonomic MIDI 0.91 or MPlayer as a whole I’m not sure. ide.device:2 -chapter» 10 sound sync adjustments and similar) home-studio recording and hardware. most users will never have to touch -framedrop verbose So, the longest your Shell line should editing. The latest release Here are the ever really get will be as follows: them so it is pointless for me to go into Jumps near to the middle of the film. tooltypes for them here. Everything is documented in focusses on time- saving non- So, if you are serious about MPlayer -dvd 1 -chapter» 2 If you have a film like that has several the second the .pdf file in the MPlayer archive, -dvd-device ide.device:2 -alang» linear and non-destructive audio, please check out the spoken languages and several subtitle MPlayer icon which also explains how to set up a en -slang pt cgx_mode=overlay» editing, as seen on other Audio Evolution 4 demo, which is tracks you may find that English is not I created for configuration file that MPlayer will load -framedrop -v” the native language (with a French film playing DVD as default when it starts. Personally I platforms. Besides editing, Audio available from our website now! movies. You will notice that earlier I had prefer using the icon tooltypes or playing Evolution 4 offers a wide range of “verbose” in the line but now I have “-v”. in Shell, and when it comes to loading realtime effects, including The reason for this is simple continuity. different Titles for DVDs these two “-verbose” will not work and neither will media are necessary anyway. compression, noise gate, delays, “v” without the dash. Generally speaking reverb, chorus and 3-band EQ. Pricing: 149 Euro. I hope this tutorial has made things a Shell commands should use the “-” little easier for you, and as a final note, Whether you put them as inserts Upgrade from AE3: 70 Euro. while icon tooltypes use the full words. there is a GUI available for MPlayer. I on a channel or use them as This does however make me wonder found that it doesn’t work all that great why you can not shorten “-framedrop” to auxillaries, the effect parameters at the moment, but your welcome to Release date: within a month “-fd” or similar and why the cgx_mode give it a try, the web link is in the are realtime adjustable and can after OS4 is released. command does not use “-”. information panel. If you wish to save yourself from having to use the Shell every time it is easy enough to set up an icon to do the same thing. Make an exact copy of MPlayer and its icon in the same directory but Visit: www.audio-evolution.com called DVDPlayer. The basic format of the commands are the same as in Shell but Device and Title must have “DVD_” before them, thus they become “DVD_Device” and “DVD_TITLE”. For more product information, please visit Distribution by: Instead of spaces between the www.audio-evolution.com or contact us at Computer City command and the setting you must use [email protected]. The Netherlands a equal sign “=”. My DVDPlayer Tel. +31 (0)10-4517722 tooltypes are as follows: [email protected] 40 TOTAL AMIGA Support Support Ghostscript can be used to view PDFs whether they were created on the Amiga Creating or not!

Robert Williams createsPDFs cross- platform documents on his Amiga. Using Ghostscript assign GS813: volume:path/gs813 menu. Click the “Postscript” “Settings” button After pressing “Return” you should see some ortable Document Format files are a Downloading and Installing and check the “Page size” setting is correct, output on the shell as gs processes the Pcommon sight on the Internet, where Ghostscript Now change directory into the drawer change any other options you need to and postscript file, a few moments later they are often used to provide product and containing the files you’ve downloaded then click “OK”. Check the other print options (depending on the size of the file and your technical information as manuals and The first task is to download and install (”Temp:Downloads” in my example, and are correct (remembering that the PDF file Amiga’s speed), the command prompt will reports. PDF is popular because, to a large Ghostscript on your hard drive; you will need unarchive the lha files into the new will reflect the output (such as page order) as return. Take a look in your output directory degree, it retains the format created by the about 20Mb of space. Open your web Ghostscript drawer: if it had been printed. Click the “Print” button and you should see the PDF file exists. designer whichever platform it is viewed on browser and go to Whoosh777’s web site at: and Final Writer prompts you for a filename, cd Temp:Downloads Take a look at it using your favourite PDF and free viewing programs are widely select a path and enter a filename; it’s a www.whoosh777.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk lha x gs813#?.lha GS813: viewer or the following command: available for most operating systems, good idea to use a .ps extension so you making it widely accessible. On mainstream This isn’t the easiest site in the world to Finally we need to make some more assigns know this is a postscript file. gs -dSAFER -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE» platforms, such as Mac OS and Windows, navigate as all the information is presented so Ghostscript knows where its support files Temp:PDF/Sample.pdf commercial software is available which will Creating a PDF on one page. The section we want is are located, enter these lines in your shell: PageStream If you use the above command, close the create a PDF file from any application that “Installation” linked in the table of contents at With Ghostscript installed and a postscript window showing the PDF file to move to the can print. Fortunately for us Amiga users assign GS813: volume:path/gs813 the top. Below installation, find the After opening the document, select “Print” file on-hand we’re ready to create our first next page, when you close the last page there is also a powerful open source assign GS813Data: GS813:lib PDF. I have saved my postscript output as a “download” section and download the assign GS813Fonts: GS813:fonts from the “File” menu, and then click the you’ll be returned to the command prompt. package called “Ghostscript” that can be following files onto your hard disk: assign GS813Resource: GS813:Resource “Setup” button. In the “Print Setup” window file called “Sample.ps” in a drawer named used to create PDF files. For several years select “Postscript” from the “Type” pop-up “PS” on my “Temp:” partition. In the the Amiga port of Ghostscript lagged several gs813release020fpu.lha (or the no FPU and “Disk file” from the “Output to” pop-up. examples below I will be using that file path, A dedicated PDF viewer is normally If you want to run Ghostscript regularly you TIP: releases behind the latest on other version) Use the “>>” button next to the PPD box and replace it with the path and filename of the better than Ghostscript because you can can copy is block of assigns into your user- platforms. Recently, a coder going by the gs813fonts.lha select the “HPLaserJet4ML” file then check output file you want to convert. Now open a easily move back and forth between pages. startup file so they are created every time nick of “whoosh777” ported version 8 and gs813resource.lha the page size selected is correct for the shell and enter the following: Most viewers also have an antialiased font you boot up your Amiga. has been keeping it up to date. Version 8.13 gs813lib.lha document you’re exporting. If you wish you display that makes the document look much his most recent release. gs813doc.lha (not essential, but could save these settings for re-use with the stack 150000 more attractive on screen. recommended as it contains the non- Ghostscript’s role in life is to manipulate Generating a Postscript Input File “SaveAs” button; use “Load” to recall them at Like many programs ported from Unix-like Before things get any more complex, let’s platform specific documentation) any time. Click “Use” to return to the “Print” Postscript files that can be produced from Before we can try making a PDF we need a systems, Ghostscript needs lots of stack, if break down that monster command line and window without overriding your default print many applications and printed on high-end Make a new drawer on your hard disk where postscript file for Ghostscript to convert, you forget this command the program may see if we can figure out what it’s doing: settings. Set your print options so the printers. Ghostscript can take a Postscript you want the program installed and name it fortunately most Amiga applications that well hang or even crash your Amiga! document will be output as you would like it gs – The main Ghostscript program. file and output it in a number of alternative “GS813”. If you already have an older enable you to create documents for printing Ghostscript is supplied with a handy script to appear in the PDF, click the “Save” button, formats, including direct to many (non- version installed you should make a new can produce postscript output. This is usually called ps2pdf, which simplifies the process of -dSAFER – This option secures ghostscript then select a path and filename (with .ps postscript) printers, to encapsulated installation as some of the support files have achieved by selecting print, then choosing a creating PDF files, unfortunately this script against potential attacks (very unlikely from extension) for the postscript output in the file postscript (for insertion into another changed; you can happily run this version Postscript printer and then redirecting the has not been ported to an Amiga shell script an input file you have generated yourself) requester. document), to view on screen, to a bitmap alongside your old one. Open a shell and output to a file. To give you an idea of how to of AREXX macro. When I needed to produce and should always be used. file on disk or to a PDF file. The last option is assign “GS813:” to the drawer you have just go about it I will explain the procedure for PDFs of Total Amiga, I reverse engineered -dNOPAUSE – Prevents gs from asking you what we’re interested in here. There are a created, like this: three popular programs; other applications Although PageStream can save the script and worked out which command- to press return after each page has been couple of downsides to this cunning plan, TIP: are likely to be very similar: PDFs directly (using the “File/Save as line arguments the gs program (the main processed. one is that Ghostscript is a large program PDF” menu option) generating them using ghostscript executable) required to produce controlled from the command line, so it does -dBATCH – This option makes gs quit back Final Writer Ghostscript has the advantage of PDFs. In these examples I’ll explain how it take a while to get the hang of it, but that is to the command prompt after processing. embedding the fonts used. This means the works so you can decide which options suit what this tutorial is all about! your documents and then, later on, we can Open the document you want to output as a document will look correct even if the -sDEVICE=pdfwrite – Tells gs to use the build a script to run it more easily. The second problem is that PDFs produced PDF and choose “Print” from the “Project” viewer does not have the fonts you used “pdfwrite” output device which is used to menu. In the “Print document” window, select from Ghostscript don’t work properly (their installed on their system. First we’ll create a PDF file using the default create PDF files. images are not displayed) in the current “Postscript file” from the “Print to:” pop-up options, in your shell change to the bin -sOutputFile=Temp:PDF/Sample.pdf – The version of APDF (the Amiga’s best PDF Wordworth drawer inside your “GS813:” assign and then path and filename where the PDF output viewer), ironically they do work very well in execute the “gs” command as follows: should be saved. other PDF viewers on other platforms such Open the document to be converted to a as Adobe Acrobat! However all is not lost, PDF, then select “Print setup” from the cd GS813:bin -c .setpdfwrite – “-c” inserts a postscript you can view your PDFs within Ghostscript “Project” menu. In the “Print Method” section command, in this case “.setpdfwrite” which gs -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH to make sure they are correct before sending select the “Postscript” radio button and then » configures Ghostscript to write PDF files. them to a user on another platform. Even click the “Postscript” button at the bottom of -sDEVICE=pdfwrite» -f Temp:/PS/Sample.ps – The path and better news is that the updated version of the window. In the “Postscript Setup” window -sOutputFile=Temp:PDF/Sample.pdf» filename of the input postscript file. APDF included with MorphOS and the new click the “File” radio button and then “Select” -c .setpdfwrite -f Temp:/PS/Sample.ps AmiPDF viewer that comes with Amiga OS 4 a path and file name for the output file. “OK” the two setup requesters to return to your will perfectly display files created by The gs command options are case Advanced Options Ghostscript. These new viewers are also Left: My sample PDF document in document, then select “Print” from the “File” TIP: sensitive, you must enter the command PDF files don’t just have to be for viewing PPC native on their respective platforms so PageStream 4. menu, make any adjustments needed in the exactly as it is listed here. on-screen, for example, we send each issue they give much better performance than Above: The print settings used to output it “Print” window and click “Print” to save the of Total Amiga to our printers as a PDF. APDF on 68K Amigas. as a postscript file. document to the file you selected. Depending on the intended usage you’ll 42 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 43 Support Support require different things from the file you need to add the -dPDFSETTINGS option to Next we need to tell AmigaDOS that this file generate, for distribution on the Internet our command line as follows: PDFSETTINGS is a script, to do this return to your shell and you’ll probably want the minimum file size enter the following: (for a quick download) and good enough cd GS813:bin Starting with a 29Mb PDF file (including a Creating a script to launch Ghostscript makes the command line much easier! protect s:gs_screen +s quality to view on-screen. On the other hand, gs -q -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH » 4 megapixel digital camera image), I used for printing, the highest quality will be With the “s” protection bit set and the file in -dPDFSETTINGS=/printer» Ghostscript to create a PDF with each of needed, regardless of file size. grey or colour images and mono images will options you need, just by specifying the input the S: directory (which is on the default -sDEVICE=pdfwrite» the pre-defined PDF settings, here are the look pixelised at low resolutions. and output files. For this example I’m going search path) we can run the script like any -sOutputFile=Temp:PDF/Sample_Print.pdf» sizes of the resulting files: There are two ways to set options when to create a script that produces a PDF other shell command. The script needs just -c .setpdfwrite -f Temp:/PS/Sample.ps As an example, let’s create a PDF using the creating a PDF with gs, the first, and PDFSETTINGS Option Size (Kb) suitable for screen output, you can change two arguments, the path and filename of the default settings but without compressing the simplest, is to choose a pre-defined setting Assuming your sample document has at /screen 159 the command line to include any other input postscript file and the path and colour images within the file. In your shell, to suit the usage you expect. The size of the least one image in it you should see that the /ebook 688 options you need. If you want several filename of the output PDF, let’s try it out: enter the following commands: output PDF file tends to be the factor that new “Sample_Print.pdf” file is larger than the /default 953 variations, just create a differently named gs_screen Temp:PS/Sample.ps» decides which option to use, and in most first PDF we created, indicating that the /printer 1273 cd GS813:bin script for each set of options. Temp:PDF/Sample_Auto.pdf documents largest component is the images image is included at a higher resolution. To /prepress 1731 gs -q -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH» they contain (if any). For these reasons the give you an idea of the difference in file size Open a text editor (such as GoldEd, Editpad After a few moments the prompt should -dDownsampleColorImages=false» main factor that varies with the settings these settings can make, I created several or even ed) and enter the following lines: return and the PDF has been created, that’s CompatibilityLevel=[1.2-1.4] – Over the -sDEVICE=pdfwrite» options below is the resolution of the images PDF from the same postscript file using each much easier! years the PDF standard has evolved over -sOutputFile=Temp:PDF/Sample_Thumbs.pdf» .bra { that are included. The available options are: of the different parameters, you can see the various versions, this option sets the version -c .setpdfwrite -f Temp:/PS/Sample.ps.ket } file sizes that resulted in the PDFSETTINGS /screen – Any images in the file a reduced to of the standard to use. APDF gives an error .key infile,outfile Conclusion boxout. Test the PDF file in a viewer that supports stack 150000 a resolution suitable for on-screen viewing. if you try to use 1.4. thumbnails to see the effect. There are many PDF files are an excellent way to exchange (the smallest file size). In some circumstances you might want more GS813:bin/gs -q -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE DownsampleColorImages=[true|false] – If other options available, so if you want more information with friends and colleagues detailed control over gs’s PDF output, if this » you don’t want gs to reduce the resolution of control, be sure to have a look through the whatever computer or operating system they /ebook – More detail in graphics is retained is the case there are a large number of -dBATCH -dPDFSETTINGS=/screen» the colour images in your document set this the documentation at the web page use, especially now that a PDF reader is part than the screen setting. options which can be changed. A full list of -dDoThumbnails=true -sDEVICE=pdfwrite» option to “false”. This is useful if you want mentioned above. of the default installation on most systems. I the available options is available from the -sOutputFile={outfile} -c .setpdfwrite» /default – The default setting is designed to the very highest quality for printing. hope this tutorial has shown you that Ghostscript website: -f {infile} be suitable for screen viewing and DownsampleGrayImages=[true|false] – As although Ghostscript can be a bit daunting Automating the Process Save this to a file in your “S:” directory and reasonable print quality, it usually produces a www.ghostscript.com/doc/AFPL/8.00/» above but for greyscale images. it’s really quite straightforward to create larger file size than the two options above. Ps2pdf.htm Even if you’re comfortable with issuing shell name the it gs_screen (or a name that suits PDFs on AmigaOS! ColorImageResolution=[nnnn] – Allows commands, these long gs command lines the setting you have chosen), then close To change an option add the following to /printer – The resolution of the file is tuned you to manually set the resolution of colour are no fun! So let’s make a simple script that your editor. your command line -dOptionName=value for home printing. images in the PDF, set the parameter to a will run a chosen gs command, with all the where “OptionName” is the name of the number of dots (pixels) per inch, e.g. “150”. /prepress – Similar to “/printer” but option exactly as it is listed in the GrayImageResolution=[nnnn] – as above additional information is retained in the file documentation (remember that it is case P&P Rates: that may be useful for professional printing. sensitive) and “value” is one of the but for greyscale images. UK...... £1.50 (1 item) UK...... £1 per item (2+) acceptable values listed. Some of the FORE-MATT Home Computing MonoImageResolution=[nnnn] – as above EU...... £2 per item (07792) 416254 • Dept. TA, PO Box 835, Wootton Bassett, Swindon, SN4 8RX As an example let’s create a PDF suitable options I have found useful are: but for mono (black and white) images, it is RoW...... £3 per item We also accept PayPal for home printing. To select that option we wise to set this to a higher resolution than

Quake £10 S/W Tycoon £25 Napalm £10 Turbocalc 5 £50 FXScan 4 £35 STFax 4.5 £40

Amiga Classix 3 £20 T-Zero £15 Nightlong £25 Turbo Print 7 £40 FXPaint 2 upg £30 VHI Studio 5.7 £25

CDROM GAMES CDROM GAMES CDROM GAMES UTILITIES UTILITIES UTILITIES Abuse...... £10 Goal! 2000 ...... £10 Sports Mad ...... £20 3DCD-1 Objects ...... £5 GFA Basic Interpreter ...... £5 SoundsTerrific 2...... £10 Adventurers Lair ...... £15 Gremlin Classix ...... £10 Street Racer CD...... £10 17 Bit Level ...... 6 £10 GlowIcons...... £10 Source Code Gold ...... £10 Alfred Chicken CD32 ...... £10 Guardian CD32 ...... £5 Strip Pot CD32 ...... £5 100% Colour Clips ...... £10 GlowIcons ...... 2 £15 STFax 4.5 ...... £40 Amiga Classix ...... £10 Hell Squad ...... £20 Superfrog...... £10 100% Mono Clips ...... £10 Graphic Sensations ...... £10 Texture Heaven 1&2 ...... £10 Amiga Classix ...... 2 £10 Imperator CD ...... £15 Syndicate CD32 ...... £10 10,000 Amiga Cheats ...... £10 Guinness Records ...... v2 £10 Turbo Calc ...... 5 £50 Amiga Classix ...... 3 £20 Islona Collection ...... £20 Testament CD ...... £10 A-Z of Amiga Games ...... £15 HiddenTruth ...... £10 Turbo Print 7.x ...... £40 Aminet Games ...... £15 John Barnes EU Footy ...... £5 Theme Park CD ...... £10 Amiga Emulator ...... £10 Hisoft Extend ...... £10 Utilities Experience ...... £10 Aqua...... £10 Labyrinth Of Time ...... £10 The Games Room ...... £10 Aminet Set 4,5 7,9-11 ea ...... £25 Image Link ...... £10 Virus Free Resurrection ...... £10 Arcade Classix Mk ...... 2 £10 Mad About Mahjong ...... £10 The Strangers ...... £10 Amos PDCD2 ...... £20 In To The Net (2CD) ...... £5 PERIPHERALS Blade...... £10 Mad About Marbles ...... £10 Time of Reckoning ...... £5 Animatic...... £5 JuniorT ypist...... £8 A500 Internal Disk eDriv...... £10 Blak Viper ...... £10 Marvin’s Adventure ...... £10 Total Carnage CD32 ...... £5 Artworx...... £10 KeyT o Driving theory...... £15 Ami-PC Link (inc s/w)...... £15 Bubble Heroes ...... £8 Megaball Deluxe ...... £10 TotalT etris...... £10 Blitz Basic 2.1 (ult.) ...... £10 Learning Curve ...... £20 Amiga disk/cc wallet ...... £2 C64 Classix ...... £10 Moonbases...... £5 Trivial Pursuit ...... £10 Converters Suite ...... £10 Mods Explosion ...... £10 Amiga Sew-On Patch ...... £1 CDS Collection ...... £15 MSX Nostalgia ...... £10 Turbo Racer 3D...... £10 Coverdisk Collection ...... £10 Multimedia Experience...... £15 Amiga RF TV Cable ...... £3 Chess 2k ...... £10 Myst (German) ...... £10 Ultimate Gloom ...... £10 Desktop VideoVault ...... £10 MultimediaToolkit ...... £10 Amiga-TV Scart Lead ...... £13 Chuck Rock 2 CD32 ...... £10 Pacman Attack ...... £10 Ult. Super Skidmarks ...... £10 Digital Makeup ...... £15 NcodeR...... £30 Amiga White Mouse ...... £10 Civilization AGA/ECS...... £10 Payback...... £35 Ultra ViolentWorlds ...... £10 Driverz...... £10 Network CD ...... £10 Boing Ball Mouse Mat...... £5 Earth 2140 Mission Pack ...... £15 Phoenix Fighters ...... £10 Uropa 2...... £10 Emulators Unlimited ...... £10 Network CD ...... 2 £15 Clockport Cable ...... £5 Eat The Whistle ...... £10 Red Mars ...... £15 Virtual Ball Fighters ...... £10 Epic Encyclopedia ...... 97 £10 Pagestream Addons ...... £10 MouseIT ser. PC Adaptor ...... £8 European Superleague...... £10 Retro Gold ...... £10 Virtual Grand Prix ...... £20 Epic Encyclopedia ...... 98 £20 Patchez HD Installers ...... £10 ScannerTa rgets IT8.7/2 ...... £10 Fightin Spirit ...... £10 R-Type of Games ...... £10 Virtual Karting ...... 2 £10 FDISC CD Monthly ...... £5 PFS3...... £35 Serial Link ...... £15 Final Odyssey ...... £10 Simon the Sorcerer ...... £10 Vital Light ...... £10 FlashromVol 2 ...... £10 Photon Paint ...... 2 £5 HARDWARE (£12 UK p&p) Foundation Und.Land ...... £15 Sixth Sense Invest’ns ...... £10 Wasted Dreams ...... £10 Fractal Pro Image Lib...... £5 Red Hat Linux 5.1...... £15 A1200HD...... £100 Games Attack ...... £10 Speccy Classix ...... £10 WhalesV oyage CD32 ...... £10 fxPaint v2 upgrade ...... £30 Scene Storm ...... £5 A4000 Keyboard ...... £20 Giana SistersTrilogy ...... £10 SphericalW orlds...... £10 Word Games ...... £10 Gateway v1 (netBSD) ...... £10 Science CD ...... £10 (all H/W items pre-owned) “The Amiga Online Superstore” - Visit our new 128 bit secure online shop at www.forematt.co.uk My sample PDF file displayed in the new Amiga OS 4 PDF viewer, AmiPDF and the ubiquitos Adobe Acrobat Reader. Amiga Retro Classics Site: www.forematt.free-online.co.uk EMail: [email protected] Whatever the viewer’s platform a PDF looks nearly identical to the original, notice that the custom font for the title has been retained. 44 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 45 Support Support Enter the following into printfb.c: myaccount.surname, Printf and Printing Values myaccount.current_balance); #include Printf also allows you to position other Part 1 int main(int argc, char * [] argv) That is how it is done if you declare your values within the text string: floats, strings, • Storing Information variable as a value type struct BankAccount, characters and more. The ‘%’ character { • Variables, Symbols and Types but in order to pass it to functions it is going indicates a special instruction to printf, char targetstring[256]; • Arrays to have to be a pointer type (address of) so whatever follows it indicates the type of data int hiscore; given the following function: Part 2 that will be put at the position in the string. hiscore=12; • Decision making For example purposes %d prints a decimal sprintf(targetstring,”This void printaccountnumber(struct» » Learn • Loops integer value at a position in the string: BankAccount * myaccount) information [%s] has been printed» to a • Functions “abc%ddef” { string first\n”,”hi”); printf(“a/c no:%d\n”,myaccount» Part 3 printf(targetstring); This will print a decimal between abc and def ->accountnumber); The Universal • Printf printf(“This sentence >> %s <<» comes in the string. Now we need to tell printf what } • Structures from a variable as does this value %d\n”, • Signals value that decimal should take. This can either be a literal value (such as ‘4') or a targetstring, Notice the different way of accessing fields? • Messaging hiscore); Language variable name that contains the value. We In the case of something that is a pointer to • Tetris part 1 tell printf what value to place by putting the return 0; a structure you must use “->“ to access a Part 4 values (or variables) in a comma seperated } field. This is often the cause of many a In the third part of our series, Dave Pitcher continues his introduction to “C”, • Tetris part 2 list after the string: coding error. Save it in printfb.c and compile it like so: the most common progamming languageC on the Amiga. • Reaction printf(“I am %d years old today\n”,12); Structs are enormously powerful, you can Work:> dcc -o printfb printfb.c declare structures that contain other This will display as: Now run it: structures: I am 12 years old today Work:> printfb Download Examples struct InterestBearingAccount elcome to part 3 of the tutorial for C. When printf looks at the string and { In this edition you will get the chance Download DCC from Aminet at this Some of the examples in this tutorial have encounters the first %d it looks at the first Structures struct BankAccount account; W float interestrate; to finally understand printf, structured data, location: lines that are too long to fit in our entry in our list, the next time it encounters a Structures allow you to create new types with }; how the Amiga operating system runs your columns. For those lines we use the %d it looks for a second entry and so on. http://us.aminet.net/dev/c/dice-3.16.lha complex content, useful for describing data programs without stopping everything else following symbol: printf(“I am %d years old today» and thatI you would normally, in real life, put on a Then, to access the fields within the new and about how the operating system handles Install it following the installation » was born in %d\n”,12,1932); form. The means for doing this is the type you must access it with ‘.’ or ‘->‘ communication between programs. Once instructions in the readme file. keyword “struct” (lit:structure) which you (depending on the rules explained about This will display as: you have read through all that you will be to indicate that you should continue on name, then within its scope you define the pointers vs value types): If you passed the following string to printf: delighted to hear we get onto a brief look at the same line in your editor. If the symbol I am 12 years old today and I was born in variables with their type and their subname. the Tetris game design. We have moved the “Hi\0 there folks” it would display like so: is preceeded by a space, you must 1932 struct InterestBearingAccount myaccount; libraries, BOOPSI and Reaction sections to include the space when typing the code. myaccount.interestrate=0.05; Of course we could easily just have typed For example: myaccount.account.accountnumber=666; next issue as a comprehensive introduction Hi The example source code is also these values in the list but the power of printf to OS4.0 programming, as this issues tutorial struct BankAccount Part of the problem with escape sequences available for download from the Total is that it allows you to use variable names This principle of structures will be used all is already very long! { is that it uses a printable character ‘\’ to Amiga website: instead: long accountnumber; over AmigaOS programming, it is important move into the new mode. What if you really http://www.totalamiga.org char surname[32]; to know what it means when it is used. int hiscore; Printf did want to type a ‘\’ to the screen? Well in char forenames[64]; Structures within structures are used also, hiscore=2043; long current_balance; that case you would use the escape Enter the following into printfa.c: usually for extending types already provided Virtually every example in the series so far printf(“The current hi-score» is sequence ‘\\’ which goes into escape mode, }; by AmigaOS so that your data works with has used the mysterious “printf” command. %d\n”,hiscore); and is followed by another special escape #include their existing functions. What does it do? int main(int argc, char * [] argv) instruction to print ‘\’ which is conveniently This will print: To define a variable as part of your new type Printf displays to the output console used by called ‘\’. { The current hiscore is 2043 “BankAccount” you do it like this: AmigaOS Programming your program (e.g. the shell window) printf(“This string will run If you passed the following string to printf: “Hi » Examples of formatting characters to whatever the formatted text you provide it struct BankAccount myaccount; To use this part of the tutorial either you \\ there folks” it would display like so: together “); position values are shown in the “Position” with. There are special character sequences need to have access to your own NDK or printf(“ with the one after it.\n”); boxout. This will declare myaccount as being of type you can download NDK3.9 from the internet which indicate different things that you can Hi \ there folks printf(“This string\n will take\n You can also place advanced formatting “struct BankAccount”. You can then access (you need AmigaOS3.9): provide in the text string it uses. Character » the fields within it using the “.” seperator, an Because printf does not automatically do a properties in, to pad numbers with leading or sequences that begin with the character ‘\’ one line \n every time \n we» use \n example of setting data: Download NDK3.9 from: carriage return at the end of each line (unlike trailing zeros and strings with leading blanks. expect the character succeeding it to have \\n\n”); www.amiga.com/3.9/download/NDK3.9.lha some meaning - known as “escape” say PRINT in BASIC) you need to add ‘\n’ to myaccount.accountnumber=492949294929; return 0; The printf function also has a family of sequences (because it “escapes” from the the end of your printf statements if you want strcpy(myaccount.surname,”Wibble”); To make this work with DICE you need to be } similar functions that operate using the same normal text printing mode into a special them to write a newline each time. strcpy(myaccount.forenames,”Johnny R”); methodology but offer different functionality, myaccount.current_balance=-400; adept at using the Shell. Open a new shell mode). Save it in printfa.c and compile it like so: the most useful of which are: window and decompress the archive: In this example we will print out to the screen Work:> dcc -o printfa printfa.c Examples of escape sequences are shown different text strings, and see how they work sprintf – Puts the formatted string to a target Now an example of getting data: lha x NDK3.9.lha in the “Escape Sequences” boxout. out: Now run it: variable instead of the screen. Work:> printfa fprintf – Puts the formatted string to a file printf(“The account is held by» Mr %sGo to where you installed DCC and add So a string, passed to printf that contained descriptor instead of the screen. and its balance is\n”, some directories: “Hi\n there \n” would display like so: Escape Sequences cd dcc:include Hi Position makedir amiga39 there Escape Sequence Meaning Formatting Now copy in the includes from the NDK: If you passed the following string to printf: Sequence Meaning “Hi\n\tthere\n” it would display like so: \n New line and carriage return at this point in the string. copy [placewhereNDKis]/include/» \t Move along to the next tab stop (equivalent of pressing “Tab” on the %d Display the next value available from the value list as a decimal integer. include_h/#? dcc:include/amiga39/ ALL Hi keyboard). %s Display the next value available from the value list as a string. Now copy in the amiga.lib library from the there \0 The string end here (remember NULL terminator). %f Display the next value available from the value list as a floating point number. NDK: \\ Display a “\” character. %c Display the next value available from the value list as a character. 46 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 47 Support Support copy [placewhereNDKis]/include/» Signal(TaskB,(1L<Exec that we are Signal(TaskB,(1L< and your pointer) needs to be able to tell wish to receive signals of this type. } return -1; int wbmain(struct WBStartup *wbstartup) » tasks when the user has clicked on the } { Now of course if A cannot find B in the first signals.”); if (AllocSignal(SEND_IS)!=SEND_IS) “close” button. The Amiga uses an return main(); place, then it would be foolish to start Now compile it: while (exitplease==0) return -1; exceptionally fast method of communication { } signalling B, so FindTask returns a pointer Work:> dcc -o TaskA -3.9 TaskA.c if (AllocSignal(SEND_AT)!=SEND_AT) which has its own risks (and indeed is one of unsigned long lInboundMessage; set to NULL if the task cannot be found. return -1; the root causes for instability in novice Now run it: /* Wait for the specified signals */ The “include” directive looks for the if (AllocSignal(SEND_OUR)!=SEND_OUR) Amiga programming) in that it does not pass Work:> TaskA lInboundMessage=Wait( Workbench startup definition (which we will For our next example program we will send return -1; copies of data around between tasks - it (1L< if (AllocSignal(SEND_NOW)!=SEND_NOW) go into this in depth in part 4. #define SEND_LEG 23 #include if (lInboundMessage&(1L< FPuts(display,”hi “); When a program is launched from potential problems, take a look at the two #define SEND_NOW 25 #include if (AllocSignal(SEND_MESSAGE_ENDS)» #define SEND_MESSAGE_ENDS 26 if (lInboundMessage& Workbench we cannot guarantee it has its main ways of communicating between tasks: #include !=SEND_MESSAGE_ENDS) own console window, so to handle this we #define SEND_HI 16 return -1; need to use some functions in dos.library Signals #define SEND_THE 17 (DOS library) to open a console and write to #define SEND_ENEMY 18 return 0; Save the following into a file called TaskA.c: #define SEND_IS 19 it using DOS functions (note: this problem is » } A simple way of communicating between two #define SEND_AT 20 int FreeSignals() not there in SAS/C it opens its own window (1L< #define SEND_OUR 21 FPuts(display,”the “); { when you use printf). The exact calls will be #include #define SEND_GATES 22 FreeSignal(SEND_HI); them to be issued with a torch (flashlight). #define SEND_LEG 23 if (lInboundMessage& shown in an example below (signalling). #include » FreeSignal(SEND_THE); Person A stands a few hundred metres away #include #define SEND_IT 24 (1L<scheduling”. Each task that the Amiga is of turning to face Task B. It can then just { » void CloseConsole(BPTR console) printf(“General, have located running has to be able to have a bit of the signal Task B. Unlike with the torches Task B (1L< dcc -o TaskB -3.9 TaskB.c an easier task, it has to find the port that message port.\n”); printf(“Finding TaskB’s »port Modules TaskB has made available (using FindPort), return 1; I assume you are all familiar with the Tetris Now run it, but there is an issue here, if we %s\n”,TASKB_PORTNAME); create a reply port for any replies that TaskB } game, whereby random blocks are placed run it from the AmigaDOS shell it is not /* Find the public port for Task B */ makes to arrive at using CreateMsgPort, one by one at the top of a screen and you discoverable using FindTask. So copy the transmissionport=» /* Mark it public */ Timer construct the message (putting a link to the printf(“Making it public using nameare expected to navigate them as they make default tool for “Tools” from envarc to make a FindPort(TASKB_PORTNAME); » reply port we created in the message), send their way down the screen rotating each new icon for TaskB, we will launch it from the if (transmissionport==NULL) %s\n”,TASKB_PORTNAME); it and WaitPort on our reply port. Once we block until it lands on the already assembled Workbench instead: { have waited, retrieve the reply and dispose inboundport->» blocks below, to try to make complete lines? Work:> copy ENVARC:sys/def_tool.info» printf(“Sorry, I could not connect» of it. mp_Node.ln_Name=TASKB_PORTNAME; Game State TaskB.info you to TaskB.\n”); AddPort(inboundport); There are three main elements to the game: The jobs performed by tasks A and B are Go to the drawer where you have been /* Now clean up the message» port /* Wait for the message */ 1. The internal representation: Input shown in the “Messaging” boxout. writing your programs (mine is Work:tutorial) we created */ WaitPort(inboundport); a. The current amount of lines completed. and double click on TaskB. This should now DeleteMsgPort(replyport); Above is the sequence required for TaskA printf(“Message arrived!\n”); b. The current level (dictating speed). Display be running happily in the background and return 2; /* Get the message */ and TaskB. Now for the programs, type in the c. The current score and how to compute have opened a new console window on the } incomingmessage=(struct program below and save it in score updates. workbench. printf(“Setting up message\n”); » TaskMessage.h, this defines the message d. The position of the current block, which /* Define the message */ TutorialMessage*)GetMsg(inboundport); Game State Module will represent the tetris Now run TaskA: structure we will use for communication. strcpy(messagetext,”Hi TaskB!”); state of rotation it is in and its type. game as a set of structures and functions Work:> TaskA Note that any message structure you define message.iText=messagetext; /* Copy the contents, the message» e. The stopping condition and collision designed to handle each potential input to MUST have struct Message as its first item, structure is a pointer» detection of the game. Press return to get rid of the TaskB output. /* Tell exec how big the message is */ the game, it will keep score and allow it to be this allows Exec to recognise the message message.iExecHeader.mn_Length= so we use -> instead of . to »access f. Line completion detection. interrogated on various bits of information The example above illustrates the limitations and be able to route it correctly. its elements */ 2. The graphical user interface. » (like block positions, scores). It will wait for of signals, whilst they may be useful for a strcpy(messagetext,» a. Handles events from Intuition (mouse sizeof(struct TutorialMessage); incoming signals telling it what to do next. It limited amount of information being #define TASKB_PORTNAME “Mr Bananas” incomingmessage->iText); clicks, drags) for the window it is running struct TutorialMessage will send signals to the Display Module transferred between two programs (it would /* Set the reply port for» the in. { printf(“Replying”); (below) to re-draw the screen. This be hard to extend the example to send message */ b. Displays from the internal representation struct Message iExecHeader; ReplyMsg((struct» encapsulates all of point 1 above. useful sentences without resorting to char * iText; of the game how the game currently message.iExecHeader.mn_ReplyPort=» Message*)incomingmessage); Timer Module will go to sleep for a period of numeric or hex encoding of characters and }; looks in a visual manner. replyport; character sequences) they are not usable for printf(“Looking at the message,» it3. Displays additional controls. time and send a signal to the Game State to sharing data or for sharing more complex printf(“Sending message\n”); contained %s \n”, messagetext); a. The input cycle to the game. update if it has not already done so. This Save the following into file TaskAMsg.c information like shared addresses. /* Send the message */ b. Handles keypresses and input. covers 3.a. PutMsg(transmissionport,(struct /* Now clean up the port, remove» » c. Handles the timer that waits for a given That is why Exec also provides another #include it from the public list */ Input Module will monitor the display window #include Message*)&message); time before signalling that a block has to RemPort(inboundport); for input and the keyboard for key presses facility, Exec Messaging. #include be moved down. DeleteMsgPort(inboundport); and signal the Game State to update #include printf(“Waiting for reply\n”); /* Wait for the reply */ whenever the user does something relevant #include printf(“Done!\n”); Each block in the game is made up of 4 Messaging WaitPort(replyport); return 0; to Tetris. It will also keep a look out for int wbmain(struct WBStartup *wbstartup) items and has a vertical layout and a printf(“Processing reply\n”); } signals from the Workbench that it should Exec messaging requires that the sender { /* Get the message from the reply horizontal layout that it flips between and receiver both are able to communicate return main(); redraw, and if necessary pass them onto the » whenever you press to rotate the piece: with each other with what are known as } Compile it using: Display Module. This covers 2.a and 3.a. port, but ignore it */ “message ports”. Back to the scenario where int main() dcc -o TaskBMsg -3.9 TaskBMsg.c GetMsg(replyport); Display Module will wait for a signal from the TaskA wants to send some information to { Game State Module or the Input Module to DeleteMsgPort(replyport); Now run TaskBMsg in one shell and then TaskB. TaskB needs to set up a message struct MsgPort * replyport; redraw and interrogate the Game State struct MsgPort * transmissionport; TaskAMsg in another shell. port (using CreateMsgPort) and then register printf(“Done!\n”); module for information to help it decide what struct TutorialMessage message; return 0; this message port so that it can be found by char messagetext[32]; This will give you a grounding in how to put where. This covers 2.b and 2.c. other tasks (using AddPort) (which is akin to } BOOPSI, Reaction and Intuition work, which Or allowing your telephone number to be visible /* Create the reply port */ you need for next issue, the clue is that Clearly each one of these modules could be printf(“Creating reply port.”); in the telephone directory). Once TaskB has Compile it using: when you click a mouse on a window, a represented as a Task and we can use replyport=CreateMsgPort(); signalling and messaging between them. set this up it waits on it for new messages to if (replyport==NULL) dcc -o TaskAMsg -3.9 TaskAMsg.c message gets sent to the task that is come in (using WaitPort), then retrieves { responsible for maintaining that window. The reason to seperate them into tasks is to Enter the following into file TaskBMsg.c: whatever message has arrived (using printf(“Error, could not create a Regardless of what we go onto do, inter-task create with a few extra modules a networked GetMsg), copy what it needs from it and as #include messaging is a GREAT facility and will help game later on! soon as possible reply to this message (so #include you create all sorts of useful applications, the task that sent the message can move #include #include games and utilities that would be nigh on We will represent each section of the code onto other things without being concerned » #include impossible without it. as a seperate module (see the “Modules” that TaskB might be about to access areas of message port.\n”); int wbmain(struct WBStartup *wbstartup) box-out for a diagram): memory which it has got rid of ). return 1; { return main(); } Here’s a taster of what we’re planning • Image enhancement tutorial part 3 - int main() Messaging { for the next issue of Total Amiga! colour manipulation. struct MsgPort * inboundport; Web Site Task A Task B struct TutorialMessage The Total Amiga web site contains a whole Features Issue 19 is due in: Create a reply port (CreateMsgPort). Create a message port (CreateMsgPort). *incomingmessage; host of features and regularly updated • Internet annoyances (and how to char messagetext[32]; November 2004 Find the Task B public message port Make it public and give it a name information about the magazine including avoid them). (FindPort). (AddPort). /* Create the inbound port */ back issues for free download in PDF Note: Total Amiga is produced by Create a message. Wait for messages (WaitPort)... printf(“Creating inbound port.”); Reviews inboundport=CreateMsgPort(); format. volunteers and this means sometimes Set the reply port on the message. Message arrives, get it (GetMsg). if (inboundport==NULL) • PageStream 5.0 Pro issues run late and planned contents Send the message (PutMsg). { So why not pay us a visit at: change. If you’re concerned about the Extract the information we need. • Canon A80 Digital Camera Wait on our reply port (WaitPort)... status of the next issue please look at Reply to the message (ReplyMsg). http://www.totalamiga.org Support http://www.totalamiga.org or contact us Reply arrives, get it (GetMsg). Do something with the data. (contact details inside front cover).

Clean up and exit. Clean up and exit. Next Issue • “C” tutorial part 4 50 TOTAL AMIGA Summer 2004 51 AmigaOS 4 Pre-Release micro Right: AmigaOS 4 Pre-release ready to install. GoldEd The screen-shot below shows OS microGoldEd (reviewed on page 26) 4 running the new AmiPDF offers a flexible user interface viewer, you may be able to see design. Some of the pre-sets the excellent antialiased display. supplied are shown below, they On the left is USBInspector range from... showing a memory card reader, also shown is a listing of the contents of the compact flash card in the reader. Photoalbum is displaying the images on the card. Note: USB support is not included in the pre-release.

A rather plain OS 3.x look to...

some rather snazzy gradients! Hollywood Designer

Left: An interactive project in Hollywood Designer (reviewed on page 20), the buttons on the page are active and can be used to control the presentation. Right: One of the example projects supplied. The window in the foreground shows some of the transition effects available.