UMIgames .. .for the fun ofVICm
Bewarel The red planet's skies are being overrun by a United Microware Industries, available on either squad of interplanetary outlaws led by the deadly cassettes or UMI's own durable cartridges, depending Spiders of Mars. As the Space Fly, yourjob is to destroy on your selection. Write for a catalog, or see the UMI them. Be careful! One touch by the Spiders, the dealer nearest you ... and play UMI games today, for hideous Bats of Saturn, the Dragon the fun of VlCMI flies of Pluto, or the terrifying Lunar Sand Hornets will drop you from the sky- Every wave of the marauders is more difficult than the last to evade and destroy- You can enJoy thrilling entertainment for hours with any of the many top notch arcade-quality games from ViC IS a uaClemark of Comf'T1OoJoreBusine ss Machines. Inc - - ~ - - - --~ ~ ------
GUIDES YOU AND YOUR VIC 20® DOWN ROADS OF ADVENTURE WITH:
• Maelstrom* • Escape MCP* • Gator Chase* • Astro Command • Caves of Annod • Capture the Beast • Whirlwind Rescue* • Street Maze • The Market • Chivalry
THROUGH TRAILS OF CREATIVITY WITH: • Sketch and Paint
ALONG THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE WITH: • Wordspot • Math Tutor Series • Alphabet Tutor • Conversion • Gotcha Math • English Invaders • Math Invaders Series
ASK FOR COMM*DATA COMPUTER HOUSE SOFTWARE AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER.
Or Send for FREE Catalog: COMM*DATA COMPUTER HOUSE 320 Summit Avenue Milford, Michigan 48042 Quality software also available (313) 685-0113 for Pet and Commodore 64 computers Dealer Inquiries Welcome.
VIC 20 is a Registered Trademark of Commodore Business Machines, Inc. 'High Res Full Machine Code Arcade Style Games. FOR THE VIC·20® THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION IS COMING! BE READY WITH A MASTERY OF THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD! IN THE AGE OF THE COMPUTER, EVERYONE FROM THE SCHOOL CHILD TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD SHOULD BE AT HOME AT THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MASTER THE KEYBOARD AND GAIN THE COMPETITIVE EDGE THIS BRINGS IN THE COMPUTER AGE. • Rated THE BEST educational program for the VIC- 20 by Creative Computing Magazine • TYPING TUTOR PLUS WORD INVADERS - $21.95 (2 programs on one cassette tape for the unexpanded VIC-20) Typing Tutor plus Word Invaders makes learning the keyboard easy and fun! Typing Tutor teaches the keyboard in easy steps. Word Invaders makes typing practice an entertaining game. Highly praised by customers : "Typing Tutor is great ", "Fantastic ", " Excellent" , "High Quality ", "A source of great learning and joy for our children ." Customer comment says it all ... " ... and it was everything you advertised it would be . In three weeks, my 13 year old son, who had never typed before, was typing 35 w.p.m. I had improved my typing speed 15 w.p.m. and my husband was able to keep up with his college typing class by practicing at home." ..~~~ ..~~~~~ ..~
SPRITE DESIGNER by Dr. Lee T. Hill - $16.95 Save hours of work when designing sprites. Helps you create multiple sprites, copy and alter them to create views from different perspectives automatically for 3·0 or animated effects. Options include: copy any of the previous sprites, reflec· tion, rotation , translation , shearing, reverse image, merge & intersect. Saves sprite data for merge into your program. SHIPPING AND HANDLING $1.00 PER ORDER. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ADD 6% SALES TAX. VISA AND MASTERCARD ORDERS MUST INCLUDE FULL NAME AS SHOWN ON CARD, CARD NUMBER. AND EXPIRA nON DATE . FREE CATALOG SENT WITH ORDER ANDON REQUEST ACAi)cmy P.O. BOX 9403 SAN RAFAEL, CA 94912 SOFTWARE (415) 499·0850 Programmers. Write to our New Program Manager concerning any exceptional VIC·20 or C64 game or other program you have developed.
Call for Clubs and Newsletters Directory To be included in the first edition of the Commander Clubs and Newsletters Directory, your club or publication must supply the following information:
1. name of organization or publication 2. mailing address 3. contact person and telephone number 4. name of newsletter or publication 5. special interests Send your information to Clubs and NeWSletters Directory, Commander, P.O. Box 98827, Tacoma, Washington 98498.
Commander-The Monthly Journal for Commodore Computer Users is published monthly by Micro Systems Specialties, P.O. Box 98143. Tacoma. WA 98498. Domestic Subscriptions. 12 issues, $22.00. Second Class Postage pending at Tacoma, WA 98404 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Commander- The Monthly Journal for Commodore Computer Users, P.O. Box 98827, Tacoma, WA 98498. Entire contents copyright © 1982 by Mirco Systems Specialties. All Rights Reserved.
2/Commander March/April 1983 COM.ST AR FIT
Deluxe • VERTICAL FORMAT CONTROL: program IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT COMSTARFrr mable form length up to 127 lines, useful for WARRANTY PRINTER - S348.00 short or over·slzed praprlnted forms. The Comstar la an excellent addition to. any If your printer falls because of warranty defect micro-computer syatem. (Interfaces are • FRICTION AND TRACTOR FEED: will accept within 180 days from the date of purchase you single Iheet paper. available for Apple, VIC-2O, CommodorlHl4, simply send your printer to us via United Pet, Alarl 400 and 800, and Hewlett Packard) At Parcel Service prepaid. We will "Immadlately" • 224 TOTAL CHARACTERS only $3049. the Comatar gives you print quality send you a replacement printer at no charge and featurea found only on prtnters coating via United Parcel Service prepaid. This warran· twice as much. Compare these features. • USES STANDARD SIZE PAPER ty applies to all products we sell because WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERSI
• BI-DIRECTIONAL PRINTING with a LOGIC If you want more try - SEEKING CARRIAGE CONTROL for higher 15 DAY FREE TRIAL through-put In actual text printing. 80 Premium Qu.llty characters per second. COMSTAR Frr SUPER·10" OTHER OPTIONS PRINTER - $448 • PRINTING VERSATILITY: standard 98 ASCII Extra Ribbons ...... $ 5.95 character set plus block graphics and Interna For $449.00 you get all of the features of the Roll Paper Holder •. ..•...... 32.95 tional scripts. An EPROM character generator Comstar plus 10" carriage, 100 cps, 9 x 9 dot Roll Paper ...... 4.95 Includes up to 224 characters. matrix with double strike capability for 18 x 18 5000 Labels ...... 19.95 dotmatrtx. High resolution bit Image (120 x 144 1100 Sheets Fan Fold Paper ...... 13.95 • INTERFACE FLEXIBILITY: Centronics Is dot matrix), underlining, backspacing, 2.3K standard. Options Include EIA RS232C, 20mA buffer, left and right margin settings, true Add S20.00 shipping, handling and Insurance. Current Loop. (Add $20.00 for RS232) lower descenders, with super and subscripts, illinOis residents please add 6% tax. Add and prtnts standard, ItaliC, Block Graphics, $40.00 for CANADA, PUERTO RICO, HAWAII, • LONG LIFE PRINT HEAP: 100 million special characters, plus 2K of user definable ALASKA orders. WE DO NOT EXPORT TO character life expectancy. characters. For the ultimate In price per· OTHER COUNTRIES. Enclose cashiers check, formance the Comstar FIT Super 10" leads the money order or personal check. Allow 14 daya • THREE SELECTABLE CHARACTER pack I for delivery, 2 to 7 days for phOne orders, 1 PITCHES:. 10, 12 or 16.5 characters per Inch. day express mall available II Canada orders 132 columns maximum. Double-width font also WE HAVE THE LOWEST PRICES must be In U.S. dOllars. Is standard for each character pitch. We sell to customers and you save the profit • THREE SELECTABLE LINE SPACINGS: 6, 8 margin normally made .by computer sfores, or 12 IInel per Inch. department stores and dlstrtbutors, we are PROTECTD willing to take a smaller margin to develop ENTERPRIZES (FACTOIIY·DlREC1) • PROGRAMMABLE LINE FEED: program volume. WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS - OUR BOX 550, BARRINGTON, ILLINOIS 10010 mable length from 1/144 to 2551144lnchas. PRICES PROVE ITI Phone 3121312·524410 orcW COMSTARFrr ABCDEFGH~~KLMNDPQRSTUVWXVZ~bcd~~9h~~k1~n ~~qr~t~~~xYZ 1234567890 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdef9hijklmnoPQr$tuvwxyz1234567890 8UPER·10" ABCDEFGH%JKLMNOPQABTUVWXVZ ABCDEFGHIJt STAFF MINE FIELD 80 6 by Howard Rotenberg Publisher THOMAS L. ROSENBAUM FORMATTING AND Editor ERROR CHECKING: ALICIA A. LINDEN A Time Saving Algorithm 12 by Tony Lamartina Dealer/Distributor/Manager DEBBIE GABBARD MACHINE LANGUAGE I/O: Sales Manager Part One of Three TERIL YN M. FLOYD Mine Field, page 6 14 by Howard Rotenberg Advertising/Article Manager SOLITAIRE FOUR LINDA L. LINDEN 29 by Edwin Sund Typesetting GRANGE PRINTING RAVINGS OF A MADMAN by Tim Parker Consultant 37 EDWIN SUND GEORGE R. GAUKEL THE SKYLES SOURCE JOHN GABBARD CONNECTION by Neil Omvedt Production Artists 52 MIKE BRIGHENTI Madman, page 37 BRIAN D. THOMPSON WHY DIDN'T I THINK JON WONG OF THAT? 59 by Howard Rotenberg Printed By GRANGE PRINTING COMMANDER is published monthly by: MICRO SYSTEMS SPECIALTIES, P.O. Box 98827, Tacoma, Washington 98498 DEPARTMENTS Subscription Rates (U.S. Funds) Per Yesr 5 Editorial U.S. $22.00 44 New Products Canadian, Mexican $26.00 50 News Releases Bits & Pieces, page 42 Surface Rates $37.00 54 Product Reviews Air Mail $54.00 62 Game Reviews 42 Bits & Pieces For back issues, subscriptions, change of address or 43 Debugging and Fixes other information, write to: 40 Game Contest COMMANDER 76 User Clubs P.O. Box 98827 Tacoma, Washington 98498 66 Dealers (206) 565-6816 75 Distributors 77 Advertisers Index Copyright© 1983 by MICRO SYSTEMS SPECIALTIES All Rights Reserved ABOUT THE COVER: Our Cover by Randy "Tarkas" Hoar is a representational piece that places the VIC 20 in its rightful realm, a galaxy · of capabilities. 4/Commander March/April 1983 Editorial If rumors hold true, by the time this must have a 16 bit processor- an 8 bit CZ8000 and are boning up on our magazine hits the newsstands the 64 machine will not easily find acceptance Z8000 programming in the meantime. will be on sale at your local K-Mart as a business machine, primarily We just hope the dealers aren't so store, probably for less than $350.00. because of the existence of IBM . burned out that they refuse to take it. And once again Commodore will have The new 128K machines will be the The inexpensive CZ8000 will become earned lots of points with its dealers. mainstay Commodore business com the dominant personal computer of Commodore seems to be following a puters for the next couple of years. The the 1980s. policy of establishing a successful pro really exciting news should come with duct in the marketplace with its dealers the release of the Z8000 machine. I What Happened to March? and then turning the mass merchan predict (hope) that the Z8000 machine A note for the Baker Street crowd in disers loose to sell hundreds of will be a high end 64K personal com our midst: the March issue of Com thousands of computers. It worked puter eventually sold en masse at a mander has not been abducted. It has well for the VIC-20 and will probably discount price of $300. Coupled with gone the way of the too rapidly expan do the same for a $300 64; but how a slick 64 type Video Display ding magazine. The March issue has long will the dealers hang with it? Generator, the CZ8000 would become been renamed March/April so that its The current pipeline has the new a tough critter for any company to top. time phasing on the newsstands will 128K byte machines coming in to It could easily do the work of a small be proper. All subscriptions prior to replace the 64 which is undergoing an business computer and allow some of March are automatically being extend early change of life-it is in transition the finest entertainment and educa ed by one month and subscriptions from a low end business machine to tional software around since it will run scheduled to start in March will start a high end personal computer. A wise 5-10 times more efficiently than a Z80 in April. We apologize for any incoven decision on Commodore's part as any or 6502. We here at Commander are ience caused by this action. Thanks for 'business' computers in todays market anxiously awaiting the release of the your patience. Also SAVEon ••• [<-J~'~r-JtI-J~~ 1·11 A COnPLETEline of COnnODOREAccessories List YOUR Price- PRICE: YIC - lS41 ( Disk Drive)._.3'9.88 359.88 < 39~.ee SAVE YIC-lS2S Printer). _____ 3 39_88 VIC - 15 3 8 (D~t~s.t~.) _ _ . __ 74_95 69 .. 95 YIC-1688 ("ode.) .•••••• _18'.'~ 97_95 Special PackagePrices Available! Ue SERYICEALL COnnODORE COIPuters XN STOCK NOW ! CALL FOA OUR LOW PRXCE& (313) 295-2330 Call or Urite for a FREEcatalog LIBERTYCOnpUTER DISTRIBUTORS SAVEwith LIBERTYyour FULLSERYICE COlputer Center P.O. Box1786 Dearborn. nichigan 48121 (313) 295-2330 ....., ~ lIND ~IEft" CHECkI - FREE 1H1~1N8 ALL COD'. _I .. :mx DEPilaIT D4KCIC8 ALLOW 2-4 __ STATE _____ ZIP_ DEARBORN,"I 48121 ~ (~I~) 29:5-2= "104. IIaI_ IIDD 4X -.al TAl COMPARE ~ICEI eua.JECT TD ~ SAVE! • COI9tDDORE 64' RE8. TRADEftARI( 1:8'1, INC. Commander March/April 1983/5 by Howard Rotenberg armed and ready to explode at the Ontario, Canada slightest touch. Your mission is to try Variables Listed at to collect all the gold pieces within a Beginning of Programs Mine field is the first game that I had certain time limit while avoiding the written for the PET 2001 back in All the variables are listed at the mines or the fence, that will also ex August of 1980. The reason Mine Field beginning of the program listing so the plode if you happen to run into it. 80 came into existence was because program may be easily modified back of the lack of games available for the to a 40 column or even 22 column pro 8032. When all the day's business was gram for the VIC. The only other done and we wanted to relax with a "RestinSl" changes will be the locations that I use game or two we usually had only 40 Option Available to poke the playing field to the screen. column games. This problem was All the movement is done by the good overcome by Chuan Chee of St. Your control is the numeric keypad old programmable cursor so all the Catherines, Ontario, with a program that you will use to maneuver around newcomers to the COMMODORE called CBM 4032. This was published the field. The starting position is the up- world may see how to move objects in the May 1981 issue of Compute on per left hand corner which also hap around the screen. This is one of the page 130. pens to be the only way into the field. few features that seem to have remain The program was excellent in that ed the same in all of COMMODORE'S The time you have to collect the gold it took care of all the pokes to the computers (CHALK ONE UP FOR pieces is dependent on the number of screen by simulating a 40 column COMMODORE). I have also used mines you choose to risk. You have 9 screen in the middle of our 12 inch CB-2 sound for various clicks and speeds to choose from although I must screen. The only thing left to do on buzzes. All the routines in the program some games was to change the say if you want a chance to win the are documented by rem statements keyboard decoding for the business game you will probably have to use at that may have to be removed to fit the keyboard as this had been a major dif least number 8 (THE SECOND program into a VIC with no memory ference from the older models. At this FASTEST). I recommend a slower expansion. There is also a small point I had better stop before I start speed at first to get the hang of the machine language subroutine poked discussing the keyboard decoding game. The option to stand still and rest into memory at 634 or $027a hex that changes and lose sight of game that a second is available by pressing the will have to be changed or excluded I started to write about. number five key. This will give you time if used on a VIC or 64. For a 40 col To briefly recap, Mine Field 80 is a umn Pet just change the 88 in the se to think of the best way to continue revamped version of Mine Field that cond data statement to 84. For the your attack. I suppose that I should uses the whole 80 column screen for COMMODORE 64 you must poke the mention that when resting, a stray the playing field. It is a relatively routine with the same change just straight forward game to play, enemy aircraft is likely to bomb you if mentioned into a memory space that although much harder to win than it he passes by since there seem to be you have free. I can not suggest a pro may first appear. a few enemies who don't realize that per spot for the routine if relocated but The game board consists of a rec the war is over. The time you may rest then again this is supposed to be a tangular fenced-in area that is an old may vary from a split second to ten to biased article for us minority 80 col abandoned mine field (HENCE THE fifteen seconds if you are lucky, umn users. NAME). Scattered about the field are however if you are familiar with the Good luck in your daring endeavors pieces of gold that were left behind by COMMODORE's random number and remember that tempting number the fleeing army years before. There generator then I would suggest not five key, because RESTING can be are also a number of mines that are still pressing your luck. very DANGEROUS.O 6/Commander March/April 1983 ------~ - - - -~ - 10 REM***********************************************************~~~ 20 REM* * 30 REM* MINE FIELD 80 * 40 REM* BY * 50 REM* HOWARDROTENBERG * 60 REM* TORONTOONTARIO * 70 REM* * 80 REM* S = SCORE G = HIGH SCORE * 90 REM* REG = WRITE(15) SND == SHIFT RATE(16) * 100 REM* T = NUMBEROF MINES PIT = FREQUENCY * 110 REM* M - SPEED EQUATION N == SPEED * 12(1 REt·t+: H ==PEEK AT ::;CREEt-~ B ==DI REeTI Cil-'~ * 130 REM* Z = GETS DIRECTION Tl ==TIME FOR GAME * 140 REt'1* '... 1 = Rt-m t-iO. FOR :::;iYB L = Rt-m hO. FOF.:::;UB * 150 REM* W = VARIABLEFOR WIN Wl = GAMESWON * 160 REM* T2 = TEMPFOR TIME H = TIME GAMESTARTED * 17(1 F.:Et·1* ... 180 REM************************************************************* 190 F.:Et·1 200 REM******************************** 210 REt'1* GI'·/E It-i::;TF.:UCTIOt·j:::F"itlD *- 220 REM* BEGININGOF GAME * 230 REM******************************** 24(1 PF.:I t-n "::')" : elR : CiOSUBi ::::::0: GCI::;UE:1610 25[1 F~Et'1 260 REM**************************t***** 270 REMt INPUT FROMUSER * 280 REM* FOR SETUP * 290 REM******************************** 3~~1~~1FU-::N 310 S=0:W=0:SND=59467:REG==59466 PIT=59464 320 PF.:I t-n "::,)": I t-~F'UT"HOl·J t'1At-~17't'1I r·-!E::;--;:· :-1 I r'~I i'~ur'1=6iJ DJ§r,m~uu" .; T 3:30 IFT(60THEt-~PRUH":1l":00T0320 ::::4[1PF.: I t-n "::')" 350 PR nH II Hm·J FA::;T 1-9": CiEn~$: r--i=\,'AL n-~$::' 36[1 I Ft-h:l0Rt-D-9THEtiPRItH":Tj": 00-:-0350 37[1 PF.:UH"::')": t'1=t-~*5(1:B=6: H=32:'::4?: T i=T+(T*. 2) I ::::::::[1PF.: nHTAB':: 1 [1::' IJlr'OUHA'· ...E n TJ. a ::;ECOt-m::;; TD CiET F:::; r'lAt-4r' GOLDF' I ECE:::; 39{1 FOF.:I=lTO::::[1CH]: t-iE:=-::T: F'PHH":]" 400 F.:Et'1 410 REM******************************** 420 REM* SET UP BOARD t 430 REM******************************** 44[1 F.Et·1 45[1 GU:;UB121 [1 46[1 A=TI 470 FORJ=lT0500-M:NEXT 4::::~3I F:::;=LHHEt-WR I ~H II ::'))]tKiF.:ATULATI Ot-E; 'T'O~IGOT THEi'1ALL": ;'41 =i'~ i + i 130TO149~~1 490 IFTI-A)Tl*60THEN1450 500 F.:Et'1 510 REM****************************** 520 REM* GET DIRECTION AND * 530 REM* MOVEMAN * 540 REM****************************** 550 F.:H1 I 56~]GET2$: Z=... ·'AL.:: 2$) : I FZ=OTHH~Z=I: Commander Marchi April 1983/7 5700N2GOT0820.620.860.660.970.580.780.700.740 580 IF 2=6 THEN B=6 590 H=H+l:IFPEEK(H)= 86THEN1080 600 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 610 PF~Hn"1l II" .; :GOT0470 620 IF 2=2 THEN B=2 630 H=H+80:IFPEEK(H)= 86THEN1080 640 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 650 PPHnHl1 n~.".;: 00T0470 660 IF 2=4THEN B=4 670 H=H-l:IFPEEK(H )= 86THEN1080 680 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 690 pr.::nH" ml 1111".; : CiOT0470 700 IFZ=8THENB=8 710 H=H-80 : IFPEEK(H)= 86THEN1080 720 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 730 Pf.dtH "II In.'' .; : (;OT04/0 740 IFZ=9THENB=9 750 H=H-79:IFPEEK(H)=86THEN1080 760 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 770 F'FHH"I. :lI)"; : 0:;0T0470 780 IFZ=7THENB=7 790 H=H-81 :IFPEEK(H )=86THEN1080 800 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 810 PPItH"ml 11'108" .; : GOT0470 820 IFZ=lTHENB=l 830 H=H+79: IFPEEK(H)=86THEN1080 840 IFPEEK(H)=90THENGOSUB1370 :::50 PPItH II II 11[~1I".;: 00T0470 :::60 I FZ=3THEt'H:=:~: 870 H=H+81: IFPEEK(H)=86THEN1080 880 IFPEEK( H)=90THENGOSUB1370 :::90 F'Pan" is :~1I".;: GOT0470 900 PEI'1 . 910 REM******************************* 920 REM* 2 RANDOMNUMBERS TO BLOW * 930 REM* YOU UP IF TOO LONG * 940 REM* ON FIVE * 950 REM******************************* 960 REi'l 970 IF2=5THENB=5 980 L=INT(10*RND(1» 990 V=INT(10*RND(1» :IFL=VTHEN1480 10fK1 GOT047(1 1010 REi'1 1020 REM******************************* 1030 PEM* SU~POUTINETO BLOW UP * 1040 REM* IF MINE IS HIT * 1050 RE~* AND PLAY AGAIN? * 1060 REM******************************* 1070 PEt'1 1(1:::(1T2=TI-A: FOR;,::= 1 T030 : POf:::E5946E:., 194: F·OKE5946:;::.. 12:~=;'r'S6::::4 : HE;:'::T: F'F.:alTlI:J1I 1(19(1 PF.:I tHTAB( 12::0"'T'OU COLLECTED II SII CO I t·~sBEFOf;.:E IT10U ~·JEF.:E BLm·m T 0 #$:"~#..' " 11(10 Pf;.:ItHTAB(2) 1I)!!l~J-'t·WOF.:TUHATAL'T'IT10ULOST THEMALL DUf;.:IHG THE E>::PLOSI ot{~~J" 8/Commander March/April 1983 111 ~3PP I tHTAB( 12::' "'T'Ot! HADII I r-lT( .;:T 1*6(1--':: T2 > >,··'60> "::;EcOt·m::; LEFT:!l~" : r·4=2[i(10 1120 FOF.:.J=1 TOt·4: t·4E:: 12E:~jFCI~:.J=:346::!;3TCI :~:476? : F'CI~:::E...T ,I !=:f5: r·~E::·:;T : F'Ft~I r·~T11;:311 1290 FORJ=32768T034767:IFPEEK(J>=90THENW=W+l 1300 NEXTJ:PETURN 1310 F.:Et'l 1320 REM******************************* 1330 PEM* SUB FOP SOUNDON GETTING * 1340 REM* GOLDPIECE * 1350 REM******************************* 1:36~3REN 1370 POKESND.16:POKEREG.15 : FOP.J=255T0250STEP-l :POKEPIT,]:NEXT : PCW:E::::;t·lD.,(1 1380 POKEREG)O:S=S+1: RETURN 1:390 F.:Et'l 1400 REM******************************* 1410 PEN* GIVE SCORE AND * 1420 REM* PLAY AGAIN? * 1430 PEM******************************* 144~:1REt'l 1450 IFS)GTHENG=S 1460 PF.:UH 11;]" : PP HH TAB';:23) II SORR'r' TH1E I ::; UP!: 'T'OUCiOT!I ::;" COHi::; " 14711 PPUnTAB(23) ":!!NOUF.: HIGHE::;T::;COF.:E I::;"GIICOH~:':;:? 14:::0 F'~:I NTTAB (23) ":~NOUHA"/E ~,JOt·4".;~~i "GAt'1E ::; II 1490 FOR.J=lT02000 :NEXT 1500 PP I t·H : POKE15:;::.,0: I t·4PUT"F'LA'T' ACiA I t ·4 'T'UIIP.JI".; A$ : FRI hi : GOTO 11 ::::..3 151 (1 F.:Et'l 1520 PEM******************************* 1530 PEM* HIT BY BOMBERON 5 t 1540 PEM* PLAY AGAIN? * 1550 PEM******************************* 156f1 F.:Hl 1570 POKESND)16:POKEREG,51 :FORJ=0T0255 :POKEPIT)J:NEXT:POKES ND, 0 15:::0 PF.:I t-H";]" : FOF.:.J=1T02000: t·4E;:'::T 1590 PRUHTAB(23)'''T'OU ~'JEFEHIT B'/ A BDt'1BEF:!i~ll! 1600 PP I tHTAB'::2:3)" RESTIHCi CAt·4BE DAHGEROU:::;:~~II:GOTel i 120 1610 H~PUT"DO'T'OU t·~EED H6TF.:LICTlCit·6 'T'IIII".; A$: IFLEFT$'::Fi$, 1 ><>''',''.' THEt·~RETUF.:t-~ 162(1 PHl Commander March/April 1983/9 1630 REM******************************* 1640 REM* GAME INSTRUCTIONS * 1650 REM******************************* 166(1 REt'l 167~3PR I t-n":':3" 16f:0 F'F.~ItH : F'f;:~ItH" 'T'OUF.: t·n ~:;~:;I CtH r::; TO t·lAt-~EU!·/EF.:THROUGH THE r·n He::; ::.:: -t- TO GET THE" 169~3PR I tH" GOLD F' I EeES '. -t- LEFT BEH I t·m B'r' THE FLEE I r'4G OPF'Ot'~Et'HAF.: t'l 'r' • a 17t1t1 PRHH")!!l!!l~lT'OUF.:Cot·HROLf; APE: :l!J" 1710 PRItH" (' ::! 9 172t1 FRIt·n" ····.. 1 ...... 17:~:0PR I tH" 1740 PRItH" 1750 PF.: I t-n II 1760 PF.: ItH II :~UF 'TIOU HIT fi t'l n~E 'rlOU BLOl·J UP! 'T'OU CAt·~RE :::; T FO~:A :·BHORT~".; 177~3PRItH" TH1E Ot·~t'~Ut '1BER5 BUT " 17::::0 PF.:I tH "'T'OU t'l I GHT GET BOt{BED I t·~ A ::;t'~EAKA I R ATTACK B'T' A ::;TF.:A'T' Er'~Et'l'TI.n 1 790 PR I tH : PF.:I t·H \I TH I S F'F.:OGF.:A~lFEATURE:: ; CB-2 ;::;Out·m! HA'... 'E FUt·~ At·m GOOD LUCK. II 1 S~X1PR I tH : PF.:I tH II PRES::; RETURt,~TO BEG I H" 1f:10 GETA$: IFA$ ( )CHR$(13)THEN1f:10 1 ::::2~3RETUF.t~ 1:::3(1 F.:Et·l 1840 REM****************************** 1850 REM* BEGIHIHG * 1860 REM****************************** 1::: 70 RE t'l 1 8 :::0 P F.:I tH CH F.: $ ( 142 ::." :~r!!l)!!I!!l!!l~!!l:~l!!l!!l~r!!l"I•• """ III•• ," .; 1:::90 FOF.:A=l T020: FORJ=1 T080 : t·~E:: 1920 F'F.:I tHTAB (44) \I HOl·JA~~DF.:OTEt ·mERG" 1930 PRItHTAB ( 47) "AUGU~:;T19:::0" 1940 GOSUB2010:RETURN 1950 REt'l 1960 REM****************************** 1970 REM* COHVERT HEX ML. TO DECIMAL * 19:::0 REM* AND POKE IHTO MEMORY * 1990 REM****************************** 20(n3 REt'l 2010 FOR.J=634T0656 2020 READ B$ : BH$=LEFT$(B$.l):BL$=RIGHTt(B$.l) 2030 POKE J .. (A~::;C(BH$)-4:::+(CBH$)"9")*7 ) )*16+(P.~:;C(BL$)-4B+ «BL$)"9 " )t7» :t'~E::-n.J 2040 DATA A2.80.A0.00 , 84.21.86.22.B1.21 . 49 . B0 2050 DATA 91.21,CB.D0,F7,E8 , EO. 88.D0,FO.6 0 2060 PETUPt·~ 207~3PEt'l 2080 REM ******************************** 2090 REM * WRITTEN AUGUST 1980 * 2100 REM * REVISED FOR 8032 JULY 1982 * 2110 REM ******************************** 2120 PHl PEAD'T'. 10/Commander March/April 1983 Formatting and Error Checking -A Time Saving Algorithm by Tony LaMartina Pittsburg, PA The attached demonstration pro teger of C (no decimal places, accomplish is this. We input a string of gram shows how to format columnar 1.5#1 .5 = 3 not 3.0 nor 3.00) then we length K. If our string (or any single number formats so that the decimal add" .00" to C$, again giving us an character of our string) has an ascii points always align. There are several answer carried out to two decimal value of less than 45 or greater than ways to accomplish this task. The in places. 57 then branch out to an error alert itial program listing is a simple, easy The key to this little routine is line routine. Ascii values in this range allow to understand way to align the decimal 110. Since our answers (properly for for numeric entries, fractional numeric points for columnar numbers rounded matted thru lines 70-100) need to be entries, and negative numeric entries. to two decimal places. Further en printed in a column with the decimal All non-numeric entries will cause an hancement of the initial program points aligned, we use SPC and LEN error branch. Branch to what? Well, demonstrates error trapping. to our advantage here. let's give our operators an audible alert Lines 10 and 30 inputs our data for When we print our answer, we to an erroneous entry and a chance mathematical manipulation. In this space over 60 columns minus the to try, try again! We'll use the follow case, we're inputting A and B to be length of our answer. This will align the ing lines as an "error branch to" and divided, with the result being C. last character of our answer, and since an audible alert subroutine. First, we'll Lines 20 and 40 take the string all our answers have been formatted alert the operator to the error via the input and convert it to a numeric to two decimal places the decimal built in chime present in PET/CBM variable equal to the value of the string points will automatically align tool This 40180 columns. (Those of you with the (A = VAL(A$). Our inputs are input as makes for ease of reading and is more 2001 series will need an amplifier string variables to facilitate a program aesthetically pleasing to the eye also. hooked up to the CB2 output.) expansion discussed later. Line 120 brings us back to line 10 In the preceeding line 16 we useq As you can see, A$ is input at col for multiple entries and viewing of the a goto 1000 for an error branch so lets umn 1, line 1. Input b$ is then position formatted output column. begin there. ed at column 21 (spc20), line 1(" "). Now, what about the program ex rem 999 rem error alert Line 50 rounds the result, to two pansion I spoke of? This expansion in (never branch to a rem statement) decimal places via the DEFFNA state volves error checking to eliminate the 1000 gosub 5000:rem audible alert ment, and line 60 does the unwanted"? REDO FROM START" 1010 printchr$(22) mathematical computation. that generates and ruins your format 1020 print" i i ":got020 Now the fun begins! ted display. Also we'll see how to avoid For error checking line 30, our Line 70 converts our rounded result, the "? DIVISION BY ZERO" error that routine changes slightly. (C), to a string representation. Line 80 may also occur. 1050 gosub 5000:rem audible alert looks at the rightmost two characters The addition of the following lines 1060 printtab(10);chr$(22) of our C$ string and assigns them to after each input will branch away from 1070 print" i ":got030 string variable X$. the error message "?REDO FROM Line 90 then looks at'the leftmost START" prior to its display (This is why Line 1000 directs us to gosub5000, character of string X$ to see if it is a we input a string rather than a so let's take a look at 5000 + then we'll decimal point (remember in a string number.) return! the decimal point is also considered a 12 k = len(a$) 5000 for i = 1t03 character), meaning our answer has 14 for j = Itok 5010 poke 59467,16:poke59464, only one decimal place due to PET 16 if asc(mid$[a$,j,l]) < 45 or asc) 50:poke59466,100 BASIC automatically truncating trailing mid$[a$,j,IJ»57 then 5020 for t = 1to 100: next t zeros (1.55 + 55:;:: 3.1, not 3.10). If this j = k:got01 000 5030 poke59464, 75: poke59466 ,1 75 condition is true then we add "0" to 18 next 5040 for t = 1t01 OO:next t C$, again giving us an answer carried Repeat these same lines as lines 32, 5050 next ipoke59467;0:poke out to two decimal places. 34, 36 and 38. Change the goto in line 59464,O:poke59466,O Line 100 operates similarly to line 38 to 1050. 5060 print .. " 90. If our answer C is equal to the in- Briefly, what these additional lines 5070 return 12/Commander March/April 1983 Line 5000 sets up a 3X loop. Line 5010 pokes location 59467 with a value of 16. This sets the shift register oscillator to a free-running condition with a squarewave output. All this means is it turns the music on! Poke Jointhe 59464 and 59466 sets the tone and timbre of our musical note output. Line 5020 gives a time delay, while line 5030 changes the tone and tim parade bre and line 5040 gives us another time delay. Line 5050 sends us back to line 5000 to do it all again. After 3 repeti to tions, line 5050 pokes all three poked locations to zero, turning off the music port and thus we return to line 1000 going to line 1010. The values at locations 59464 and 59466 can be ar1Y value from 2 thru 254 inclusive. By varying these values and the amount of time delay, you can program your own alert or any musical ditty! (See CB2 Music Programming in the third edition of "PET PERSONAL Micro-Ed COMPUTER GUIDE" by Osbornne, Strasma, and Strasma.) Line 5060 could be removed and placed at line 1005. This line merely positions the cursor for what is about to happen in line 1010. Using the CHR$ (22) command, erase line from cursor to end, we erase our erroneous entry. PET BASIC forces an automatic carriage return after any print command, therefore it is necessary to reposition our cursor up a line or two. We then goto line 20 or 30 depending, and re-input at the same space and column position we started from! You can further error check by trap. educational ping such errors as too long of a string input: software 55 if len(a$) 7 then 1000 115 if len(b$) 7 then 1050 Send for free catalogs or trapping a divide by zero error Specify: Pet • VIC 135 if B$ = "0" then • Commodore 64 c$ = ".00" :got0200 telephone You will need an error erasure line for each error checking routine goto after us at input, as the goto changes in each 612-926-2292 case based on its associated input. The error erasure routine (lines 1000-1 020 and 1050-1070) could not Micro-Ed Inc. be made into a subroutine as the P.O. Box 24156 Minneapolis, MN 55424 Continued on page 34 Commander March/April 1983/13 characters although you may wlish to change this or not limit it at all. Machine Language I/O: Since we are going to store out in put characters into a temporary buffer Part One of Three it is important to make sure that all your text will fit without overwriting anything by Howard N. Rotenberg else. Ontario, Canada As we start to examine the routine the first task I perform is to clear the buffer area that I will be using. In this case I fill the ten positions with spaces. This is an article that I wish input routine, disk routine and the ter We enter the input routine by printing somebody else had written a while minal routine to allow the following: a half cursor to the screen designed back. It deals with what I feel is one 1) Open files for input or output from out of the character CHR$(185). Our of the most important aspects of our input routine. first character will be printed where our machine language and the one least 2) Check for any disk errors. mock cursor is sitting because we documented. I speak of machine 2) Talk to another computer in either backspace over it. The Y register is us language I/O that I am sure has ascii or petascii via a modem. ed as an index or counter for our in plagued most of us at some time. 4) Utilize the IEEE routines for using put string. We must save this before There has really been very little help the bus. going to the keyboard for a character for those of us trying to figure out how 5) Send or receive files via a since the routine JSR GETCHR uses to talk to other devices on the IEEE modem. it and we will lose our count. After we bus or even just use simple input 6) Most importantly be able to do all have our character we must store it so routines. I spent many hours, WEEKS the above simultaneously. we may restore our counter at which to be more exact of trial and error at I have specified the routines that are point we go back for our entered tempting to decipher other people's Rom dependent by giving the character. At this point we do a few code to find out the mystery behind upgrade Rom addresses in the con checks on the character we have these routines. Finally after a lot of stant table at the beginning of each entered. If it is a delete then we must painstaking work and about as much program. The program was, however, go to the second part of the routine to frustration as anyone could take, the written using BASIC 4 Rom locations. do this. We will discuss how it works puzzle started to come together. This If one felt really ambitious he could when we get there. If it is a quote, we is the reason that I have decided to disassemble the Rom routines and use don't allow its entry and go back for write this three part column on this them so his programs would be com another character (JUST FOR FUN subject. The columns are not for com pletely Rom independent. Some pro REMARK OUT THE CHECK FOR plete beginners but rather for those prietary software is done this way to THE QUOTE AND SEE WHAT HAP with a fair working knowledge of lessen the maintanence needed after PENS). A carriage return denotes the machine language. I do not claim that release. I will show how some of these end of our input and exits the routine. the way I will present the following Rom calls could be implemented to Assuming that all the above checks fell material is optimized to the best possi make them machine independent. through then we have our character ble way but it does work and that is the With all this in mind we can now dive and store it in our buffer for later use. important factor. into the first routine and slowly work Our index counter Y is incremented at The first half of this article will pre our way to complete control over our this time. If the maximum number of sent an all purpose machine language computer. The first two routines will be characters that were designated at the input routine. The second half will dive discussed with much more detail than beginning of the program are met then into opening files to a disk drive, the following ones in the next column we procede to a wait routine. This will reading and printing them to the since they will be based upon these allow us to change our input or let us screen. Part Two will deal with open routines. leave by entering a carriage return. ing a device for both input and output. The first routine is an input routine The routine also stores the index and This will be demonstrated by a small that should work on all COMMODORE entered character in the same way as terminal program for the IEEE modem. computers with the change of the load before. The program is straightforward and its address and our temporary buffer that This now leaves us at the end of the logic may be applied to any device. I chose to call BUF1. It uses the ker routine that will delete a character for The third and last part of the column nal routines WRITE $FFD2 and us. The first thing we check is to see will tie everything together. The GETCHR $FFE4. These are the same if there are any characters to delete. knowledge and routines gained from on all of COMMODORE'S computers. This is accomplished by comparing the first two columns will be put to full The constants are all labeled and the index register Y to zero to see if any use in a full blown terminal program. should be self-explanatory. I chose the characters were entered prior to the The program will show how to use the number 10 for the limit of input calling of this routine. If this is the case 14/Commander March/April 1983 then we return to our main input This takes us to the second half of routine assumes that the accumulator routine. Having determined that there part one of this column. The program holds the low byte of the pointer to our is indeed at least one or more charac we will be looking at now is for open message and the Y register holds the ters to delete, the following steps ing a disk file for reading . Unlike open high byte. With this knowledge we will occur: ing a file in BASIC there are a lot of fac now write our own Rom independent 1) The position of our invisible cur tors that we must take care of. These routine to print out a string of sor is placed over the character to be are things that are done for us by the characters. Both routines I would like deleted. BASIC interpreter that are user invisi to add assume a zero byte to denote 2) We overwrite the character to be ble. The key addresses that we must the end of our text. See program 2. deleted and our mock cursor with a use are listed and explained here That is our routine that is no longer space. before I go into the actual internal O.S. dependent. The same can be 3) We position our invisible cursor workings of the program. I have used done with all open, close and other back to the place our deletion took variable names that I hope will help the statements, however the coding is place. program to be partly self documen much longer. 4) We decrement our character tary. I have only listed the addresses Returning to our program we will count by one even though the that we must set that BASIC would start by opening the command chan character is still in the buffer. otherwise take care of. See program 1. nel. Our code is equivalent to OPEN 5) We go back to our input routine As I mentioned earlier all of the 15,8,15. As you can see from the pro which will print the new mock cursor above JSR routines could be dis gram we must first store the file and continue. assembled and used or rewritten to number in FNUM (I will use my cons This is all there is to it. We have make the program Rom independent. tant names for clarification). We then created an input routine that may be A good example of this may be shown proceed to store the device and used in any way we please. Does it using the routine PRMSG. It is fairly secondary address in their respective seem as confusing as you thought it simple to implement. By examining its places. Since this is the command might have been or does it seem to contents in Rom we can see that it channel we will set the file length to make sense after looking at it for uses the Floating point accumulator zero along with the status. When all awhile? I have put the characters into #1, so we shall do the same. The this is done we JSR to the open state- a buffer for the following reason. At a Program 1 later time I intend to transfer them to FNUM $02 ;FILE NUMBER another buffer. This will be the address = FNLEN = $01 ;FILE LENGTH of a file name that I will use to open FNPTR = $DA ;FILE NAME POINTER on the disk, however let's not rush in OPEN = $F563 ;OPEN FILE to that yet. OPENI $7AF ;OPEN FOR INPUT We have just seen a routine that fills = DISKDS = $FFBD ;GET DISK DS$ a buffer with X number of characters. CLOSE = $F2E2 ;CLOSE FILE Well, let me see them, you may be CLEAR = $F2A6 ;CLEAR CHANNEL thinking. At this time you may access GETCHR = $FFE4 ;GET 1 CHARACTER them from BASIC to validate the input. WRITE = $FFD2 ;WRITE 1 CHARACTER Here are two ways to accomplish this. DEV $04 ;DEVICE NUMBER FOR J = 634 TO 643: PRINT = SECADR = $03 ;SECONDARY ADDRESS CHR$(PEEK(J)); : NEXT PRMSG = $BB1D ;PRINT A MESSAGE This assumes you used the entire ten characters and will display all of Program 2 them. You may change the count to Setup: WRITE = $FFD2 ;PRINT A CHARACTER utilize your input. This next example PTR = $5F ;USED FOR POINTER will take what is in the input buffer and LOX # < MSG ;GET THE LOW BYTE OF OUR TEXT assign it to A$. Be sure that your buf LOY # > MSG :GET THE HIGH BYTE fer does not exceed 255 characters JSR PRMSG ;GOTO OUR NEW SUBROUTINE and note that there is no semicolon Routine: PRMSG STX PTR ;STORE THE LOW BYTE OF OUR TEXT after CHR$(PEEK(J)). STY PTR + 1 ;STORE THE HIGH BYTE LOY ;INITIALIZE INDEX FOR J = 634 TO 643: #0 A$ = A$ + CHR$(PEEK(J)): NEXT: CONT LOA (PTR), Y ;GET A CHARACTER PRINT A$ BEQ FINISH ;IF ZERO THEN WE ARE FINISHED JSR WRITE ;PRINT A CHARACTER If you wanted to, you could use a large chunk of memory for your buf INY ;BUMP INDEX JMP CONT ;BACK FOR ANOTHER CHARACTER fer and then store it to disk for later FINISH RTS ;BACK TO CALLING ROUTINE use, or print it as it sits. Is anyone game for writing a word processor? MSG .BYTE 'THIS IS A ROUTINE TO PRINT TEXT',O Commander March/April 1983/15 ment and our command file is open. chosen to put out a hardcoded disk er 20 IF DX>2 THEN PRINT DS$: END As you can see trom this, we must do ror message instead of the actual 30 GET#8,A$ most of the work ourselves since we message contained in DS$. There is 40 PRINT A$; don't have BASIC to fall back on. a strange occurence of the channels 50 IF ST <> 64 GOTO 30 Next we need to get the length of being closed when this message is ac 60 CLOSE 8 the file name that is held in the bytes cessed. This then results in a file not I have cheated a little by using the following the label file . The file name open error. Although it should be BASIC 4 way of detecting errors in in this case is hardcoded into our pro straightforward to print the error stead of opening the error channel gram for demonstration purposes on message there are a few catches that and reading it although I have not us ly, although there are many applica I have not ironed out yet. Any help ed DOPEN or DLOSE statements. tions that may need to do just this. Us from those readers that may know the If we must do all of that work in ing the X register we cycle through the way around this would certainly be ap machine language just to implement name and then save its length (HELD preciated. Back to business, we check these few lines of BASIC that could IN X) into a memory location called to see if there is an error by compar even be condensed into three lines, IS TEMP for retrieval at a later time. We ing the error number to the number IT WORTH IT? If you are just going to will now proceed to open our file. We two. Zero and one are acceptable read a file as we did the obvious start out the same way as we opened since they are no error or scratched answer is no, however there are a lot our command file, storing our new in file. If there is no error we return to the more things that we will want to do. formation needed for a proper open. calling routine or else we print out our These things could not possibly be At this time we need some additional error message and set a flag that I done with the present speed of BASIC. information, mainly the address of our chose to call DISKER. At this point we Just try to do more than one or two file name. We store the low and high also return to the calling routine. things using I/O with BASIC simultan bytes of this address at FNPTR and This now has us to the point where eously and the reason for our need for FNPTR + 1 respectively. Once again the file is opened for input and the er machine language will become bla we set the status to zero and then JSR ror flag is checked. If there is an error, tantly obvious. to a routine to check the disk status. signaled by the flag set to one we I believe we have covered a lot of Like BASIC we will want to know if our abort and proceed to close the files. ground and some time for it to sink in open was good. At this point I would Assuming there is no error we then (NO PUN INTENDED) would be most just like to remind you of a comment read the file (IN THIS CASE OUR appropriate. In PART TI/IIO of this arti I made earlier about using a buffer for SOURCE FILE) using a short and sim cle we will get involved with two small our input routine. In this example, as ple routine . . terminal programs that will best show I mentioned before, the file name was We use the two kernal routines a device that is used for input and out hardcoded in but consider this. We put CETCHR and WRITE to display the file put. The first program will be the most the low and high bytes of our file name to the screen. We check the status straightforward in that it will allow two into the file pointer, although we could after every character just as we would COMMODORE computers to con have passed it the address of our buf in BASIC to catch the end of the file. verse with their full character set. The fer. If we would have entered a file As the end of the file is reached we second will translate to ascii name into the buffer, with just a little branch to FINISH where we will close (AMERICAN STANDARD CODE FOR more work (NOT MUCH) we would all files. You will notice a definite dif INFORMATION EXCHANGE) in which have had the flexibility to enter our file ference in the speed that the file is read we will have to do a little translation on name through our input routine. I trust and displayed as opposed to that of both input and output. I use a terminal that you are following the logic that I BASIC. program only because I feel it is a sim am applying or at least have you think To close we must do two things, 1) ple but meaningful way to com ing about the possibilities that await us. clear the channels being used and 2) municate the ideas I will present. The This will be done in part THREE of this close the files, of course. You will added ability to use the examples I use column when I tie all the loose ends notice that I used the X register to clear is also important. If there are any ques together and utilize everything we the channels and the accumulator to tions, I will be more than happy to have done up until then. close them. This is very important and answer them, however I would prefer This puts uS back to the error routine should be done this way for a proper them to wait until all THREE parts are we were about to JSR to. In BASIC 4 closing of files from machine langu presented. This will allow time to ex upon entering this routine we JSR to age. The last statement is RTS which periment with your own programs in a routine called DISKDS that will give will take us back to BASIC or whatever which you will probably find that the us the proper set up for DS$. The ad routine we may have used to call this answers to your questions are at your dress $00 contains the length of the one. own finger tipS. In closing I would just disk status message and $OE contains It took all of that to do what we could like to mention that all the program the pointer to the place in memory that have done in these few lines of BASIC. listings that are included with this arti the message actually resides. For 10 OPEN 8,8,8,"OPENFILE. cle were assembled using COM simplicity's sake, once again I have SRC,S,R" MODORES assembler. 0 16/Commander MarchIApril 1983 : L H ·IE # UY: CODE 00001 OCnJO .; F'UT" I~fi: I ~·WUT. ::;~:C 00002 0000 ;+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 0000:;: OO~30 .: + HWUT FDUTH~E + 00004 0000 ~+ SAMPLE ML. INPUT ROUTINE. + 00005 0000 ;+ MAYBE USED ON ALL COMMODORE+ 00006 0(100 ;+ COMPUTERSWITH THE CHANGEOF + 00007 0000 ;+ THE LOADAND BUFl ADDRESS + aooo::: 0000 ,r TO SUIT THE INDIVIDURL MODELS. + Of1[109 0000 ; t BY HOWARDROTENBERG + 0001.0 0000 ; + T;~:F.:mnCiOf-.jTAfn 0 + 00011 0000 :t++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 00012 0000 0001 J OO(H~1 WRITE = $~FD2 ;PRINT A CHARACTER 00014 0000 G~TCHR = $FFE4 ~GET A CHARACTER 00015 0000 OO[q 6 CiO~)O [i (1[I j, 7 ja~~i0~J , LASTCH= $OA ,TEMP STORAGEFOR ~~1~J(~ ~:.; Ci 1 (1 (i (i CHAF.:ACTEF~::; ij~J[i2[1~~i[10[1 i'1f1::':;C:i-I~~= $(iR ;LIMIT OF TEN FOR INPUT DOO~~: 0000 I:ljFl = $;~127F1 ;BUFFER TO STORE INPUT ~:i(if122Ci(1~](i ::;nnr·iG !~1[i[12:~:~J(iO~:1 t:1=tCK := $9D .;:t:ACK::;PACE OOCI~=2400[10 DEL - $14 .;DELETE c!0~]2:;0000 SFACE .- $)171 .;: :;PACE I-·r, !?~JC126~=i~:10~:1 ,-,:"':, -- :tOD .; CAF.:F.:I AGE FETUPt·~ 00027 1 ~~100 0(11]2::: 1000 * = $1000 ;lOAD ADDRESS ~30E1291000 CLEAR OUR STORAGEBUFFER 000 :30 1 ~1f10A~~1 oa ~:;[i~3:3l 1~J02 A9 ;20 LDY #0 ;SET INDEX 0[1(1:::~2 10t14 99 7A 02 LDA #SPACE ~CHR TO CLEAR BUFFER ~:;TAE:JJF 1.5 IT! (~(1~):~::3 1.(107 elF.: :JiJ!Z1:.::4 1.[1(1;:: CO (iF! Ir·N .; I r·iC~:Er··IHnI r·mD:; U0035 10t1A II~JF!:: CP'r' # 1 0 ;ALL POSITIONS CLEARED U0036 li210C EliE elF.: ;IF NOT LOOP BACK ~:I~':1[i~::711)(1C: ~~I(1 (i :3::: 10fiC :2J(1 (1 :~;51 100e riO 00 LD'T'#0 0004(1 100E A9 B9 LDA # 1:::5 .; PF::I [··iT CUP30P 00041 1010 .JSR L·JF.:I TE .; CHAF.:ACTEF~ C004~: 1013 H:,t 9D LDA #I:ACK .;PUT CUFZ:::;OPBACK C,0043 1015 20 D2 FF J::;F.: ~,JRITE .:CI'·/EP IT 0004< 1 (1 1 ::: .; TF.:At·6FERnWE::-:: OU045 1019 4::: F'HA .;STORE IT 00046 EllA 2(1 E4 FF )::;p CiETCHF.: .; GET A CHAF.:ACTEP CiCI~~47101D :::5 ~~1A ::;TA LA::;TCH .;STOF.:E IT Cl:. 0004::: 1 ~JlF ,_II_I FLA 00049 1020 A!:: TA'T' .; F.:E::;TOF.:E'T' I r·mE::':: ~10050 1 [121 A5 OA LDA LA::;TCH ; GET SAVED CHARACTER 00051 l' (12:~: FO E9 BEG! PCUF.:::; ;IF NOTHINGLOOP BACK ~:1~~~~1521025 C9 14 C:t'1F'#DEL ;18 IT THE DELETE KEY 11:,,-":17 00053 L ~'':''I FO 2A E:EODELETE ;IF SO GOTO DELETE ROUTINE 0[1054 C:9 OD CNP #CF.: ; IS IT A CARRAIGEPETURN '-It::" 00055 FO '::'-_1 E:EG! FHH::;H .; IF :':;0 THEr·4D::I T Commander March/April 1983/17 LINE# LOC CODE LINE 00~]56 1(12II C:9 22 Cf'1P #"" .: A OI.JOTE 00057 102F F0 DD :BEG!PCUPS .: DOtH ALLm,J 0005:::: 10:;: 1 99 7R 02 ::::TA E:UF1 .' 'T' ;STORE THE CHARACTER 00059 10:34 20 D2 FF ;AND PRINT TO THE SCREEN :210060 i (137 C:::! ; INCREMENTBUFFER INDEX 00061 10:~::::Cia 0R C?'T' #!'lA>::CHF.:~ALL CHARACTERSDONE 0006~~103A F0 0:;: :BEC!~'.U=iI T jYES SO WAIT FOR DEL OR CR ~10063 10:3C 4C 0E 10 ;NO? GO BACKFOR ANOTHER 00064 l03F Tr'A .; T~:At6FEF~I t·mE>:: 00065 1040 4':''-' FHA .: ':;A',/E I T 00066 1041 20 E4 FF J:::P CiETCH!? ; GET A CHARACTEF.: 00067 1044 '::T8 L.A:::TCH .: ::::TOPE IT 0006::: 1046 F'L.A .; ~:E:::TOREnWE::·:: 00069 1047 !=J:::: .; I i···1'T' PEG I ::;TER Cf(~!J?(l1.04:::: A5 OR LIlA LA:::TCH ;GET THE LAST CHARACTER 00071 104A C9 14 C:r'1F #IIEL ; I ::: I T A DELETE 00072 104C :BEG!IrELETE ;YES SO BACKTO DELETE F.:OUTI t·~E 0007:3 104E C9 OIl cr'w #CF ; IS IT A CARRIAGERETURN 00074 105(1 D0 ED :t:t·1E ~,jAIT .. NO SO GO BACKFOR ANOTHER CHP . :,.-. ~~1(1~:3751052 60 !"'=. I ·:r 00076 1053 00077 1053 DELETEA CHARACTER 1 ~J5:3 .' 00079 11-)5:3 CO 00 DELETE CP'T' #00 ; ANYCHARACTERS TO DELETE 000::::~J1055 FO B7 ; t·W E:F.:AtK:HBACt::: 000::: 1 I=J9 9D LilA #BACK .: GET BACYSF'ACE [iI2l~1t;21 (i59 2(1 Ii2 FF .J: :: F.: ~'JF.:I TE ;AND POSITION CURSORBACK OO~]:::::::105e I~920 L.IIA# ::;F'ACE .; GET :::PACEmm OI~1~J:::4lOSE 20 D2 FF .}::;F: ~'iF.:I TE ;PRINT TWICE TO DELETE [10[1:::5 1061 ...T::;~~ L:JF.:I TE ; CHARACTERAND CURSOR (1(1(1:::6 i (164 A9 9D LDA :j:j::t:ACK ; C£T BACJ::::WACE ~]0(1:::71 (166 20 D2 FF ..F'O::: I T I Otl BACK ~J[1 (1 ::!::: 1 r1f:;'~20 D2 FF ;OVER DELETEDCHARACTER OO~J::::91 (16C ,DECREMENTBUFFER INDEX D0090 106D 4C 0E 10 .Jr'1F' FCUF::::: ;BACK FOR ANOTHER 00091 1070 • EJ-ID CHAF.:ACTER EF::F.:Of?S= 00000 ;::SI'lBOL TI=JBLE ::::'T't'1BOL'... 'ALUE BAel< 009D BUFl (i27A 1004 CR iaOOD DEL !a(114 DELETE 1053 F I t·~I ;:::H GETCH~: FFE4 LA:::TCH 300A r'lA>::CHR OOOA PCUF.:;::: 100E ;:;PACE 0020 ~'JAI T 103F ~'4F.:I TE FFD2 Continued on page 20 18/Commander March/April 1983 Vanilla Pilot? Yes, Vanilla Pilot! What is Vanilla Pilot? Vanilla Pilot is a full- feat ured pilot languag 'e interpreter including TURTLE --, GRAPHICS for the PET or CBM 4000, ! BOCO, 9000 and CBM - 64 series computers . ~ At last! A Pilot interpreter for the . 'I Commodore computers. This Pilot in- ~ \ cludes some powerful extensions to ~ the screen editor of the computer. Things like FIND /CHANGE , TRACE and DUMP enhance the progr amming environment. The TURTLE has a very powerful set of graphics commands. You can set the Turtle's DIRECTION and turn him LEFT or RIGHT . The pen he carries can be set to any of the 16 colors in the CBM- 64 . He can DRAW or ERASE a Line . What else? Vanilla Pilot is all this and much , much more. In fact, we can't tell you about all of the features of the languag'e in this small ad. So rush down to your local Commodore computer de aler and ask him to show you Vanilla Pilot in action. Be sure to take the $2.00 discount coupon. Hurry , you have only a short time to tr redeem your coupon . So use it now! ~ :-j-:---VANILLT-p-li-O,.-----:}f: I N- I Re,."., 'end the redeemed coupons '0 I Tamarack Software I I Ta mara ck Soft ware Dorby. MT 59829 ~\'eWlII : ~ L.... tit pay ~2.pl u.!t S. 35 hondlin~ (o r the redemptio n ..J \ or these coupo ns. If request ed . invoices show- , Oa r b y,. MT 5 9 8 2 9 " .., inR: surndent purchase o f Vnnilln Pilot must be '\ r::. ~~b:~~~e;.i_t;ro~:n~XsD~~~t\~~ddt:~tcUS~~~~~o~h:.. ., : C honored . I CIt I bpbw April 15. un. I ~----~------~ Commander March/April 1983/19 CROSS REFERENCE •••••• PAGE 1 Continued from page 18 BACK $009D 21 BUF1 $(127A 20 ,-,,-, ClF.: $1004 ...:..::. CR $O~~10D 24 54 DEL $0~314 ~i2 C,-, -,.-, DELETE $105:;: ,_I.':' f"'::' 79 .. C:- FHU:::;H $1052 ,_I._I 75 GETCHR $FFE4 14 46 66 .-~ LA::;TCH $000A 1::: 47 50 I_'I~ .' t'1A;:'::CHR$OOOA 19 61 FCUF::::; $100E 40 51 90 .").:. ::;PACE $0020 I~·_I :31 ~'4RI T $10JF 62 64 74 ·:' ·:' L,JF.:I TE $FFD2 1'-' 41 4 '-' 59 NEW VIC SOFTWARE VIC COMPUTERMAT • BOX 1664M NEW COMMODORE 64 SOFTWARE - FREE CATALOG LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA 86403 (602) 855·3357 WARNING - BUYERS OF THESE GAMES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BECOME ADDICTS ALIEN INVASION - Arcade style excitement for your VIC. Look out here they come. Aliens are descending from the sky. Move your laser into position TARGET and defend t he earl h. 'jl1e attacks are unending - can you survive or will Vader rule the galaxy. Many extras on this one. 20 levels of play. COMMAND CATTLE· ROUNDUP - The cows are loose in the maze. You have 2 Color By Cliff Dud"k minutes to get each cow back into the corral. You can push, coax and call the Graphics JOY~~/CK cows. Some cows are not very smart and some are very stubborn. You will have to help them. Be careful that you don't leave the corral gate open. Color Sound KEYBOARD graphics and sound. Eight levels of play and a time limit. HEAD ON - Your car moves forward around the race track. You can move up, down, right and left. Try to score points by running over the dots on the track. Watch out for the crusher - if you crash you lose a car. Four cars and bonus levels. Full color graphics and sound. Fast action and very addicting. 9 levels of play. SNi\KEOUT - Blocks appear on the screen at random. You move up, down, right and left and try to move your snake over the blocks. Each block that you get raises your score. Keep building your score but watch out because the escape routes keep getting smaller. Time limit, color graphics ARE FROM ano;l sound. 3 games on this cassette. Snakeout - 2 player Snakeout and Trapper. 9 Levels of Play. COMPUTERMAT TARGET COMMAND - Move your laser into position and get ready for some quick action. Different types of missiles are dropping. How many can WILL TURN YOUR you shoot down. They all travel at different speeds and different levels. You must be fast on the trigger to get them all. Time limit, bonus points and very VIC-PET-CBM INTO A addicting. Color graphics and sound. Arcade style fun. 10 levels. HOME ARCADE! 20/Commander MarchiApril 1983 LINE# LOC CODE LINE 00001 0000 00002 0000 ,~++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (1 (! (! ~~!:3 i~i~=1~J[I OPEN FILE ON DISK FOP INPUT + . .... CI0004 0000 .. ' F?OM ML. S~MPLEPRGRAM # 2 + '210005 0000 .' -!- BY HOWARDROTENBERG + 00006 0000 TC:F.~Clt·4Tel C'f·iTAF.~ I C1 + O~~10C170000 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 0000::: 0000 000~~190000 ~HOLDS FILE NUMBER CiOO1 t1 ,X100 Fr··!LEt,~ = :tDl ;HOLDS FILE NAMELENGTH (1(1(111 [iC1Ia~] Fr·~F:TF.:- fDA ,FILE NAMEPOINTER (i (1 Ci12 ~:itiO~:i OPEl ;JPEN FILE 2.0 = fF524 CI[101 :~:C~C1(i~:1 Cl!='Er-H ·- $'="7P'F .OPEN FOR INPUT 2.0 = $F770 II I ::l::Il::; = tFFI:[1 ;GET DS$ DISK STATUS C:LCl:=;E := $F:;:~E2 ,CLOSE ~ILE 2.0 = $F2AE ~:i(~CI16(i(i0Ci C:LE;=tF.~ := :!~F2A~; ;CLEAR CHANNEL2.0 = $F284? ::10017 1~)00(1 l3ET;=:~-IFt~~= :!~;-F-E4 (1 lila j ;~:~~i (1 ~3lJ L;~~~ITE :::: $:=~-"-D~~ !jC~~:119;~i(1(itJ TE}lF' ::: $6:~:4 ;TEMP STORAGEFOR FILE LENGTH 00020 0000 .: DE'".'I CE /'JUt'1BER :2;C1~J:21iJ(,;Of~ ~3ESONDARYADDRESS ::;TA'TiJ~:;-- $J6 :~~~] ;;~~ ~:'1 ~j :3 [i (1[1 I) L~: ;t:::EF~-- $3F' .FLAG FOR DISK ERROR :jf:!~32~CiCiti!2l ;=:F~~t1::;C1 - ~rBF:1 I! .PRINT MESSAGE, 2.0 - feAlS O?EN COMMANDCHANNEL iaCi(t:3(l 1 (1[1121 fi9 [iF LDA #$0; ~GETFILE NUMBER ~j~=1(1:~::1 1 [i(i~~ ~ ::~5 1::2 3TA FNUM ;AND STORE IT l2j0(i:3:~~i (i(14 F"19(1!:~ LDA #3 ~GET DEVICE NUMBER ~~:iCi~J:3:31 ~JCli5;::5 DL.l ::;"!'A IiE'I/ .;F(r~II ~:;TOF~E 1 T LDA #$OF ;GET SECONDARY ORA #$6J ,RDDRESS STR SECADR,AND STORE IT LDA #0 ;SET THE FILE STA FNLEN ;LENGTH TO J Sf A STATUS ; AND STATUS TO 0 013040 1 ri 1 4 ;;~]6:~: F5 JSR OPEN ;OPEN CHANNEL 0004i 1017 C1U04:2 1 :~11(' GET FILE NAMELENGTH C1~j;a4:~:i (11 ? 00(145 1019 [:[1 eD i (1 :::'ETLEr'~L_DA Fl LE., ;:.:;:iJET CHAF:~ACTEPI r·i r'~Ai'1E 00046 lSIC F003 BEQ GOTlT ;IF LAST CHARACTERTHEN GET OUT fi~=1[1Ll?1 ~)1E E::: 1['1>::.; I f··IC~F:EJ"'iEr·~TC:Cii-'I"~I'EF:F I]r:~ 11.··jE;:,::T C:t-i~: CnJ04::: i ::1i F DO F;:; .t:r-iE CiETLEr'~.: BF:AriCH AUJA'T""::; FOt? i'~E:= ~]~j(l~ili1 ~:i21 GET FILE NAMEAND OPEN iz.iC1~~151 .' ~i(!~J52 ~:~E:34 1~16C~CiT I T ::;T:= Commander March/April 1983/21 LINE# LOC CODE LINE 00056 102A 09 60 OPA #$60 ~J0057 10;2C :::5 D:3 ::;TA ':;ECr=iIlF ;STORE SECONDARYADDRESS 0005:::: i 02E AD 34 06 LDFI TaiF' ; GET FILE LEr~GTH OO~~1591031 ::::5 III ::;TA F[·~i_Et··i .;:3TCF:E IT 0~:10601 (13:::: A9 :::Ii LIlA #<:F I ~_E .;G~~T Lm,j B'r'TE 1210061 1 t1:35 :::~~rIA ::;TA Ff'4FtTF~; STORE AT FILENAME POINTER 1037 AS! lD i_DR #=>FILE .; CiET HI CiH E:'T'TE 00063 1 [1:39 ,:,._, DB .; Hr·m::;TOPE IT 000f'::4 103E: A9 ~J~~i 00065 103D 85 96 STA STATUS ;SET STATUS TO 0 00066 103F 20 63 F5 JSR OPEN ;OPEN FILE 00067 1042 20 75 10 JSR ERRCHK ;CHECK FOR DISK ERROR 00068 1045 F2 08 LDX #8 ;GET FILE NUMBER 00069 1047 20 AF F7 J3R OPEN! ;OPEN DEVICE FOR INPUT 00070 104A AS 3F LDA DISKER ;CHECK ERROR FLAG ()OO? i i 04C C9 [11. CMF #1 } IF SET THEN 00012 104E FO OC BEO FINISH ; CLOSE FILES AND GET OUT 0007:::: 1050 U0074 1.~~150 READ AND DISPLAY FILE 00075 i 050 00076 1050 20 E4 FF DI ::::;F'L'.' ';=:P CiETCHF: ..GET A CHFj~:ACTE~: 00077 1053 20 D2 ~F JSR WRITE ;WRITE A CHARACTER 00078 1056 AS 96 LDX STATUS ;GET ST 00079 1058 D0 02 BNE FINISH ;IF SET THEN CLOSE FILES 00080 105A FO F4 BEG DISPLY ;BACK FOR ANOTHERCHARACTER C1~J~)::;1 1 iJ5C: 000:::;2 105C CLOSE FILES AND RETURNTO BASIC ei~JCj::::~: 1 ~35C: 00084 lose A2 08 FINISH LDX #3 .;: :iET FILE r·iIJt'lBEF: 00085 l05E 20 A6 F2 JSR CLEAR ; CLEAP CHm·~t~EL 30086 1061 A9 ~R 00087 1063 20 E2 F2 00088 1066 A2 OF ~DV #15 ; GET FILE NUMBER C~~Jri::;~31 (it;::; 2[; At; F"2 :SR CLE~R ;CLEAR CHANNEL 00090 106E A9 OF LJA #15 ;GET FILE NUMBER 00091 106D 20 E2 F2 JS? CLOSE ;CLOSE ~ILE 00092.070 AS 80 LDF~#~~J; FESET DI Sf::: E~:POF.: 00093 1072 85 3F ::;T:; Ii I :::;tE~'; TO 2EPO ~30(1'341 :~i~74EJ:i .: BACK TO BA::;IC [i~J(~:~~~j 1.~:!:5 i]!21(i9f; 1 ~~175 JISK ERROR ROUTINE :2!C!~1~j71 ~)7: ; ( i(1[19::: 1 ~~1752:] f:Ii FF Er;~F:C:f-!!<.J::;F~IiI :=;} ::~Ii:; ,; GEl" D::;$ !a~J(1991[~7:~~: A~J (1~] i_Ii:Ti #(1 .; C;ET FIF.::::;T C:HAF.:ATEF.~ DO100 1078 B1 DE LDA ( tOE >, 'T' .; FH··iII CCIt'1F'AFE IT CMP #$32 ~IF GREATERTHAN 2 00102 107E 30 01 BCS PERROR ;T~ENERROR OCCUREII RTS ; ?ETURN TO CALLER 00104 1081 AS A0 PERROR LDA #(PPTERR ;3ET LOWBYT~ OF ERROR MSG 00105 1083 ~0 10 :.... L i'-;: ~1:>F·~~:T.::F:F~~C1ET HI GI-t E:lrlTE 80106 1085 20 iD BB ; F:~:I f'~i E~:F. ~C!F.::11~=~C1 00107 1088 A2 01 .~;3ET ~'ltlt';:BEF~ FCjF~FLAC-i 1.~=l::;R ; Ft·iD ::;TOPE IT CiOl0::'i 1 i;j:::C: 00 j 10 22/Commander March/April 1983 LINED LOC CODE LINE [;0111 ~]!~H1:2 108D .' 00113 11]::::D 303Ft FILE .BYTE ~0:0PENFILE.SRC.S.R~.J 00113 109F 00 :~H31141 (1RO 2A 2R PRTERR .BYTE /*** DISK ERROR***/.0 00114 10B2 00 00115 lOB:;: n EJm :::;IT't'1:BOL I.... ALUE CL.ERP F~~A6 CLOSE F2E2 DE'."r I~K1D4 DI::;KD:; FFBD II I :::;KEF.~00::::F DI::;PL'T' 1~J5(1 EF.:F.: CHI< 1 ~~175 FILE 10BD F I r'~I ::;f-I 105C Ft'~LH~ 0~:1D1 H~PTR tKiDR Ft'1Ut'1 liOD2 GETCHF.: FFE4 GETLEr-~1019 CiOTIT 1021 OPEr·i F563 OF'Et·~I F7AF PERROF.: 1081 F'Rt'1!=:Ci BB1D PfHEF.:P 1:;::1A0 :::;ECFtDR 00]):3 ~=;TATU:::0096 TEt'1F' ~16~34 t,JPI TE FFII2 CROSS REFERENCE •••••• PAGE 1 CL.EF,F.: $F2116 16 ~::5 ;::9 CLOSE $F2E2 it:"._, 1=-'7'_'I 91 ':1-":,- DE',/ $0~JD4 2~Z1 ,_"_, 55 :DI ::;t< II !:: $FFBD 14 9::: .-,'-. DHW:ER $(103F c:..:.. 70 9:~: 10::: Ii I ::::F'L.'T' $1Ia5~~1 76 ;:~~~1 .--, EF::F.:CHK$1(175 1:'.{ 9::: ..-.-. FILE $1 (1:::D 45 6~J C1 '::' 1 1'-'..:- ~.-, -:OQ F It·i ISH $1 ~J5C I' .::. ( -' E:4 '-II-~ FULH·I $fK1Dl U:1 .':11:' 59 Ft'lF'TR $~)(1DA 11 61 6~3 H~Ut1 $(1[1D2 9 31 54 CiETCHP $FFE4 17 76 CiETLEH $1(119 ,45 4':'0;;;' GOTIT $1 (121 46 52 ClPEt·~$F563 1'-'.::. 40 66 OPEt~I $F7AF 1'-'.;.. 69 PE F:: F.: 0 R $H~1:::1 102 104 PF.:t'1SG $E:B1D 24 106 PRTEPP $10A(1 1 ~~14 H~15 114 SECADR $(U~1D:3 21 :~:6 57 '-)'"":- STATUS $~K196 .:...:.. 39 65 78 ~'-I TEt'1P $0634 19 :.J'::' ~·JRITE $FFD2 18 77 Commander March/April 1983/23 P.O. Box 'J!J7, Cannon Falls, MN 55009 507-263-4821 During the last three months we've learned a lot-all about what assembly An Introduction to Assembly Language language is, about monitors and Programming on the VIC-20- assemblers, and about the 6502's Part IV: Loading and Storing Registers registers and addressing modes. By now you must be itching to start some by Eric Giguere actual programming, and so I'm here Alberta, Canada to relieve that itch. This month we do some real, albeit elementary, program ming in assembly language, all the able to do so, you have to specify the reference guide that lists all the op while learning how to load and store addressing mode. If you recall from codes and their respective values. registers. I'll be providing some ex last month's column, the addressing One such book is the VIC-20 Program amples along with the text, and these mode tells the microprocessor hOw it mer's Reference Guide, which has a can be typed in using a monitor (which is supposed to find the data it needs section on assembly language and a one you get doesn't matter). Along to perform its operation. You can tell table listing all the opcodes and their with the examples will also be some the chip to load the accumulator, but , hexadecimal equivalents. Thus, using suggested changes for the PET/CBM it has to know what or where to load such a guide, you can take the and the Commodore 64, just so that it with or from. Because there is a large following: those of you with either machine won't number of addressing modes that can LOA #$08 feel left out, OK? If everybody is ready; be used, how the computer loads a STA $00 then we can start. register depends on how you specify RTS Loading the Registers an addressing mode. If you wanted to and change it to When we say that we are loading load the accumulator with the byte A9 08 (values given in hex) a register, what we are doing is plac found at $00, you would code: 8500 ing a value from 0 to 255 in that LOA $00 60 register. It's sort of like assigning a which tells the microprocessor to place and then enter it into the computer us value to a variable in BASIC, only a bit the value it finds in byte $00 into the ing the monitor .M function. It may more complex. We have to specify the accumulator. It is analogous to saying sound like a lot of work, and it is. For register we want, and the way the A = PEEK(,0) tunately, if you have the VICMON value to be loaded is to be found (the in BASIC, which would give the Machine Language Cartridge, you addressing mode). Thus the opcode variable A the value of location JJ'.Of can use the .A command to type in (short for operation code-a fancy course, you can use other addressing your code in mnemonic form, and it name for instruction or command) modes with the instruction. For exam will automatically decode it for you and for loading a register is as follows: ple, the following loads the X-register place the appropriate bytes directly in LOn (data) with $20 hex (32 decimal): to memory, which saves you the trou where n is the register you are referr LOX #$20 ble of converting them manually. But ing to and (data) is the addressing The pound sign preceding the hex because most VIC owners don't have mode you want. The registers used by number is a signal to the chip that the VICMON or an assembler, I am this statement can be either the Ac value following is to be stored straight presenting all examples in monitor cumulator, the X-register, or the Y into the register, and to not be inter form, all decoded and ready to type register, indicated in the instruction by preted as an address to load data in. You won't have to worry about using A,X or Y (respectively) in the from. This is known as immediate translating the opcodes into their cor place of n. Consequently, the mode because it uses the byte im rect forms. instruction mediately following the instruction. Examples of Loading LOA (data) If you are hand assembling your the Registers will load the accumulator with the assembly language code (that is, you Following is a simple assembly specified data, while aren't using an assembler), you have language routine, followed itself by the LOX (data) to manually translate the opcodes in proper bytes you need to type in. First will load the X-register. This also ap to the proper numbers which you can load and enter your monitor (using the plies to LOY, which will load the Y then enter into the computer using a instructions that came with it). Then register. Generally any instruction that monitor. Unless you've got every code type in ends with A, X or Y affects the ac memorized, you'll need some sort of . M ,0"33C .0'342 cumulator, X-register, or Y-register, reference manual to help you, as each which will display on the screen the respectively. addressing mode of each opcode has values contained in the bytes from Specifying the a different value, and it gets pretty $033C to $0342, like this: Addressing Mode hairy after a while if you try and . :033C 00 00 00 00 00 It is of little use to know how to code remember them all. So I suggest that .:0341 00 00 00 00 00 an instruction if you can't use it. To be you get yourself some kind of Don't worry if the numbers aren't the Commander March/April 1983/25 same. Simply move the cursor over to cumulator with zero ($00) .:033C A9 01 8000 SO the first..0'after .:033C and type in the LOX #$00- This loads the X-register .:0341 00 xx xx xx xx(for PET/CBM) five numbers that follow the mnemonic with zero Once again, type .M ~3C ~41 listing, and hit RETURN. The cursor LOY #$00- This loads the Y-register (RETURN) and then cursor over to the will then be on the first f1 after .:0341, with zero first byte displayed after .:OO3C. Then and you will then type in the following BRK- This is a special instruction to proceed to type in the bytes as shown two bytes and hit RETURN. (The rest tell the computer to BReaK off from for each machine and hit RETURN of the line can be ignored.) Voila! what it is doing and return to monitor. when you are at the end of the line You've just entered your first assembly As you can see, all we really did was (those with the Commodore 64 and language program, and are now load the three registers with zero and PET/CBM have a monitor which pro ready to test it. then stopped by using the BRK in bably displays more than five bytes LOA #$fi5f0 struction. We could have just as easi per line, in which case you can type LOX #$.00 ly loaded different values, such as $3F in the sixth byte in the monitor listings LOY#~ or $SC, but I just wanted to use a directly after the fifth, and then hit BRK number with no particular significance RETURN. It amounts to the same A9 00 A2 00 AO to demonstrate what I was getting at. thing.) The program is now in memory. 0000 The different listings are required for First, though, we've got to make Storing Registers each machine because screen sure the program is in fact still there. So far, all we can do is load the memory starts at a different location Type in .M 233C .ro42 and hit three registers, and not much else. But $1 EOOfor the VIC, $0400 for the Com RETURN . The following should what if we could store the values in the modore 64, and $8000 for the appear registers in memory? Couldn't it just PET/CBM . Note that when typed in, .:033C A9 00 A2 00 AO work like a POKE from BASIC? Yes, the addresses after the ST A instruction .0341 00 00 xx xx xx (xx signifies it could and does. The command to ($SO) are entered in reverse-as 00 the byte can be ignored) store a register is: 1 E instead of 1 E 00. This is because If it doesn't, then repeat the process STn (data) the low part (least signifi~ant)byte (in of entering in the numbers, and then where once more n is the register this case.OO) must precede the high test to see if they are in fact there once desired and (data) is the memory part (most significant) of the address, more. location it is to be stored in. The in this case 1E. This is required Now that everything is ready, we opcode whenever you store an address in can try our program. First, type in .R STA $00 memory, and should be remembered. and hit RETURN. This is the Register would store the present value of the The VICMON assembler does this display command, which causes the accumulator into the address $00, just automatically, as will any assembler. present values of the registers to be as if you had said POKE0',A from If forgotten, though, it can lead to displayed on the screen. The ones we BASIC, where A equals a value from trouble! are concerned with are AC (ac J5 to 255. This is a very useful com When you have finished entering the cumulator), XR (X-register) and YR (Y mand, then, because you can now program , you can then execute it us register). Note their values (the bytes load a register with a specific value ing the .G (goto) command. Type: displayed directly underneath the ab and then store it where you want. Con .G,0'33C (RETURN) breviations), and then key in sider the following short program: This will start the computer to execute .G..E133C (RETURN) LOA #$01 the program it finds at 033C, which is Presto! The computer returns and STA $1 EOO our little program. Quick as a flash, our redisplays the registers, which should BRK code is executed and command look like this: First it will load the accumulator with returned to the monitor when the BRK B* a value of one, and then it will proceed instruction encountered. The result? PC SR AC XR YR SP to store it at location $1 EOO',which is An 'A' should have appeared in the . ;0342 xx 00 00 00 xx the start of screen memory on the VIC. top left-hand corner of the screen, and (again, xx is to be ignored). As you can It's as if you had said the registers displayed. If there isn't an see, you have changed the values for A = 1 :POKE76S0,A 'A', then perhaps the screen scrolled the accumulator and the X- and Y from BASIC, and does the exact same and the 'A' was wisked away to Never registers. They are now ;f And thing, only hundreds of times faster. never Land. Cursor back up to the .G although this doesn't prove very Here is the monitor listing: command again and hit RETURN. The much, it does show you how the LOn 'A' should appear. If not, then perhaps command does in fact change the .033C A9 01 80 00 1E you typed something wrong, and you values in the registers. Now let's go . :0341 00 xx xx xx xx (for VIC) should check to see if that is the pro through each step of the program, to .:033C A9 01 SO 00 04 blem. If you still can't figure out what's see exactly what it does: .:0341 00 xx xx xx xx wrong, then drop me a line and I'll try LOA #$00- This loads the ac- (for Commodore 64) and locate your problem. 26/commander March/Aprrl 1983 More Useful Things To Do As you have seen, STn can act just vFull Screen Editing v Copy-Move sentences, paragraphs TRANSFER like a POKE. The thing is, this can be vlnsert-Delete letters. sentences vForm letters-User defined data "BASIC DATA EXCHANGE" used for a variety of applications. You vShorthand-words. phrases vCentering-Justification-Tabs DISKETTES can set memory locations to whatever vHeaders-Footers-set page size v Automatic Page Numbering you want, and thus can control certain vDouble columns-set margin. line size MAINFRAME v Printer graphics-send hex codes to/from aspects of the computer, such as the vSet up to support most printers vDisk file concatenation CBM/PET screen color, top of memory, etc. You vProgram update support provided can use the instruction to store a value THE NEXT LOGICAL (us PEOISK Model 877 IS an 8" SO lIoppy disk system that uses for later retrieval by your program the IBM 3740 format . Using FllEX . a program by Wilserve, STEP IN THE PED1SK 877 can read and write records on a " Basic Data ing the LOn command). Most machine E;.;change'· dis ketle . Routines read the lable of contents . Records are read and converted from EBCDIC TO ASCII. and assembly language programs use EVOLUTION of Records can be converted from ASCItIO EBCDIC and recorded. Mult iple volume files can be handled and FllE X even has LOn and STn in some form or another facilities 10 so't formal a new diskette. The FllE X program if it wants to do someting noticeable. WORD PROCESSING resides on ROM. " ['"------..) floppy In fact, I've yet to see a program that 8 ~§ 'iL)ISKII . disk doesn't use one of these. I COPY-WRITER I 877 -1 Singledrivesystem ... $ 995.00 877-2 Dual drive system .... $1695.00 PEDISK 877 also provides a high performance general floppy Copy-Writer is a full featured professional quality disk for any Commodore system. Its simple design gives A Cute Program word processor. It oHers all the capabilities required greater reliability and it oHers much faster perlormance than for high performance and efficiency. In addition. the IEEE type drives. A considerable amount 01 stan.d~Hd advanced features such as double columns. multiple software is available. Eight inch SO CPM (trademark of Digital Before leaving, I'm presenting the disk files. printer hex control. etc. Copy' Writer is Researc h) diskette s can also be read/written with the 877 in FORTH. system. A compleleCPM system using the Z-RAM (tr~demark VIC owners with a small machine written a unique language that runs of Madison Computer) can exchange standard CPM diskettes. nearly as fast as machine code but actually occupies In Y language program, with the monitor less memory. This allows more room memory for fldO'PSPk lines of text. More than otherwise possible. 5" [_ ~§ 'iL)ISKII ). and assembly listings. It doesn't do Copy-Writer updates will be distributed on request to all registered users for Just the update cost. Even 540-1 Sing Ie drive system ... $ 595.00 that much, but it does show what LOn when a more powerful version is introduced' 540-2 Dual drive system .... $ 895.00 and STn can be used for. Try and AVAILABLE FOR 40XX/8032/C64 SEE YOUR DEALER OR: figure what it does before executing it. r," " P.O. Box 102 only $145.00 l",IM;.;",;::;IC=.;R..,;",;O;;.,.T;.";;;E;,;C;;;,,.;H~]Langhorne. Pa. 19047 - - 215'757-0284 .:033c a9 08 8d Of 90 SEE YOUR DEALER OR: .:0341 a9 08 8d 00 1e r,"" P.O. Box 1 02 PEDISK AVAILABLE for LMICROTECH)LanghOrne. Pa. 19047 40XX,8032,C64 .:0346 a9 09 8d 01 1e - 215·757·0284 .:034b a9 20 8d 02 1e DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED .:0350 a9 14 8d 03 1e .:0355 a9 08 8d 04 1e COLOR VIDEO Commodore ,:035a a9 05 8d 05 1e for .:035f a9 12 8d 06 1e 40XX, B032,AI M Gets Smart .:0364 a9 05 8d 07 1e .:0369 a9 21 8d 08 1e $139 COLOR CHART "Having a modem and a good terminal AIM/SYM system video display, 64 x 16 software package like this can really open .:036e 00 xx xx xx xx characters 8 colors, plugs into ROM up a new world of applications for your socket, 4K 'RAM Multiple modes; semi Commodore system." - Robert W. Baker Ida #$08 Ida #$05 graphics, alpha . - MICROCOMPUTING sta $900f sta $1 e05 PET/CBM color graphic display, 128 x 192 pixels, generate color bar graphs V record to disk/transmit from disk Ida #$08 Ida #$12 on one screen with data on main v output to Commodore/ASCII printer sta $1eOO sta $1 e06 screen. RS 170 video color chart. 6847 based video output. v XON/XOFF control capability Ida #$09 Ida #$05 v translates files ASCII/BASIC/W-PRO COLOR VIDEO FOR PET/CBM/AIM/SYM sta $1 e01 sta $1 e07 v system status line-clock with alarm ROMSWITCH - 4 ROMS IN 1 v user table allows encoded data Ida #$20 Ida #$21 SPACEMAKER $39.95 v user access to routines-telemetry sta $1 e02 sta $1 e08 Switch 4 ROMs into the same socket. Ida #$14 brk A slide switch activates one of four . The most sophisticated terminal package Electronic controls insure no glitches available. Gives you all the features need sta $1 e03 and allow ROM switching under soft ed now and for the luture. Available - Ida #$08 ware control ROMs can be switched Commodore 40XX, 8032 with 4040, 8050, from the keyboard PEDISK II sta $1 e04 fuIiFORTH+ for APPLE/PET Available from cgrs MICROTECH, (Use .G jl33C to activate.) FULL FIG FORTH implementation plus conditional assembler. floating point. P.O. Box 102, Langhorne, PA 19047 string handling. multi-dimensional arrays. 215-757-0284 and disk virtual mamory Next Month ... fuIiFORTH+ from IDPC Co .. $100. $129.00 DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED Next month we continue our ex Target Compiler .. . $ 50. With Intelligent Terminal ploration of assembly language by SEE YOUR DEALER OR: Communications Package r,"" P.O. Box 102 talking about branches and com LMICROTECH) Langhorne. Pa. 19047 So, - - 215'757-0284 parisons . until next month, keep DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED on assembling! 0 COMPACK Commander March/April 1983/27 for C~commodore VIC-VILLE TM SOFTWARE division of Data Equipment Supply Corporation Exclusive distributors of ' BOSS (c) by Kavan Software Kavan Software The Definitive Chess Game jl ~ D for the VIC·20 * 10 Levels of Play o * Beats Sargon II * Two Clocks * Wide range of opening moves S * En passant, queening, castling ~~r..·~~~~ BONZO (e) by Kavan HOPPER Commodore 64 YAHTZEE .. .. .J'[. . r:tM I g I I l!t l~H I IUU _ One of the most popular games in AVOid Ihe cars. dragslers . bUildings, logs BONZO strikes again as he takes money Commodore 64 version of Ine famous Europe. You control BONZO as he climbs and other obstacles to bring the Irog bags out 01 the pit. Avoid the allen ram by dice game. 10 player capacity. Watch the ladders and pICks up the'point blocks. safely home . MaChine language lor fast standing under the shields . Every suec,s dice roll across the screen. Automatic Walch oul for the alien guards. 100% and smooln arcade aClion. Joystick. stan sfuUy remOved bag 01 money reinforces tabulation of score and bOOllseS. Spnte machine language. cassette based dard VIC. 120.00 your sheilds. 100% machine language. graphtcs and sound . Casseue based. Joystick or keyboard. minimum 8k ex cassene baseel . Joystick or keyboard. $20.00 pansion. 120.00 Siandard VIC . $11.00 Nigh' C, .... , 125.00 3-D ~by'lnth $14.00 M.lllng LI.' $25.00 b,. Inl.'Mlktg Softwer. Escape from the labyrinth. Shown in 3-D perspecllve Keep mailing IISI, print reports. labels. 6k expansion Shoot down cenlipedes. spiders, mushrooms and all view with randomly generated mazes. Standard VIC. or 16k expansion required . kinds of bugs before they gel you. Machine language AI, 5"lke $11.00 A.!ro·M""" $17.00 arCade aclion on standard VIC with joystick. Fly the new super bomber V-20 on a mission. Stan. Hi·res graphics and sound space game. Requires 3k Th. 81eck C •• ,.. $20.00 dard VIC. or 8k expansion. Adventure. 'ravel Ine countryside. fight demons, buy Aneck on 5110 III $12.00 P_e, Anack $14.00 goodS, storm Ihe castle. Requires 3k or more expan You are tne commander of Silo III. Defend your Enemy tanks are anacking and you must destroy sion. country. Standard VIC. them. Hi~resgraphiCS . Standard VIC. AM ... Ing $12.00 8_.n 5"".111 $12.00 P_len Polo $14.00 Travellhrough the maze. Game of skill and tense ac The excitement of baseball 8S a VIdeo strategic 'Orive your car ttlru the streets. Based upon Death tion. S1andard VIC . game Standard VIC. Race. Standard VIC . Gobbl.. $11.00 VIc Pok.. $14.00 Vii/rtz.. '12.00 Sounds easy? You have 25 seconds to get him and Play poker against the VIC. Hi-res graphics and Solitaire version of Ih.s famous dice game. Standard Ihe lime gels Shorter al each higher lever. Standard sound. Standard VIC. VIC. VIC. Frogg.' by (e) K••• n $14.00 Commodor .... Softw.,. A"elleble Now II H.ng U $12.00 Eat the flies and avoid the car. Standard VIC. M M~I,. from AP Software Tradilional Hangman plays agamst Ihe VIC's 250 Spece Phr-. US .OO 64 Melling Lla. from VIC-VILLE" Software wQrd dictionary or anolner person. Standard VIC. b,. Inl ___ tlng Softw ...... Flnenee trom VIC-VlllE- Software eoggle . $11 .00 PilOI Ihe spaceship -Infinity" and fight the "Space ... Time Menager 2.0 from TOTl Software Compulerj~edversion 0' Boggle. Standard VIC. Phreeks". 15 different anack panerns, 33 levels. Gold Briel< $14.00 MaChine language, arcade quality. Standard VIC, look for more 64 Software from VIC-VILLE- & gel on Our Many levels of play. sound, and color. joystick. mailing list tor all 64 updates and users' group . Complete descriptive catalog $2.00 Dealer. Welcome· Author. Wanted / Add $3.00 for shipping & handling Network your CBM, VIC and COMMODORE 64 with the PET SWITCH and VIC SWITCH from DATATRONICS. Distributors for Datatronic AB 28/Commander March/April 1983 Solitaire Four by Edwin Sund Tacoma, WA Solitaire Four, is a version of that all program easier. stack the resulting hole being replac time favorite single-player card game. Following is a brief explanation of ed from the replacement stack (if emp This implementation will run on the Pet, the rules for Solitaire Four and a ty from the top of draw pile). The top 64 and Vic (with changes) and uses no description of the variables and their card from any stack or pile may be fancy short-cut or time saving coding use. I have also included the modifica placed on a win stack of the same suit techniques. My intent in writing this tions to allow VIC-20 users, (no, I didn't in ascending order. Note: The first game was to get my wife interested in forget you VIC people), to use card of all win stacks are the same my computer and maybe even into this program. Enjoy the program and number as the card dealt in step 4 of writing her own programs. Some peo if you don't want to key the program layout. ple do not enjoy shoot-em-up type in, send $6 or a self addressed Computer Play games which made up the majority of stamped mailer and cassette plus $1 To playa card enter the denomina games available 5 years ago and my to: tion (A,2-9, T, J, Q or K) followed by wife falls directly into this category. Solitiare game a suit designation (use keys with card With that in mind and knowing that she c/o Ed Sund symbols) and the computer will figure likes solitaire, the first step to ease her 7101 Topaz Dr. SW. out where to put it for you. If the move onto my computer was to give her a Tacoma, Washington 98498 was invalid it will flash "INV" where it program she could both relate to and said "MOVE" and you must try again. enjoy. The second step, (I hoped), was Rules for Solitaire Four To turn over the next 3 on the draw pile to show her how a complex program Layout: enter " N". If you just saw a move after could be written using simple basic in 1. Shuffle a deck of 52 cards. you hit the" N" then enter" B" and it structions. As it turns out, in the last 5 2. Deal out 11 cards face down and will go back to the last draw card for years of playing Solitaire on the com turn the top one face up. This is the you (caution: it only goes back 1 set puter, step one was a big success replacement pile. of three) and you can then make your because she plays it all the time, step 3. Deal out 4 cards in a row face up play. To restart the game enter " E" two was a dismal failure because she next to the replacement pile. This is the and it will automatically deduct 52 didn't care how it worked. playing stacks. points from your score and start over. The program listing provided uses 4. Deal out 1 more card face up above some standard conventions for prin one of the play stacks. This is the win Modifications for the Vic-20 ting graphic characters on a non row. Lines 690-930 display the cards on the graphics printer. The symbols [] mean 5. Place the remaining 36 cards face screen. These lines must be modified that a cursor control key, function key down as a draw pile. to change a 40 column display to a 22 column display. The modified code is or graphics key will be represented Object as follows: within the brackets. In addition to cur To build four stacks of cards of the sor control keys this program contains same suit in ascending sequence. 8 different graphic keys which are the Score is kept by deducting 52 points four cursor characters and right,left, for each game and adding 5 points for top and bottom bar characters. I have each card added to a win stack. * Caution * represented them in the listing as It is difficult to tell the difference [COM DR T] to designate holding the The play between O's and zeroes in the commodore logo key down and typ Cards are taken 3 at a time and turn Solitaire Four listing. A simple ing the T character, or [shift P] to ed face up in a pile. The top card of guide to use is: No variable designate holding the shift down and the draw pile may be placed on any names will contain the letter 0; typing a P. There is nothing fancy play stack in descending sequence no Basic commands (GOTO, about this program as it is neither effi alternating colors. The top replace FOR, etc.) will contain a zero. cient nor structured. The inefficiency ment stack card may also be used in No numbers will contain the part was intentional as it allows inex the same manner. A complete play letter O. perienced people to understand the stack may be played on another play Commander March/April 1983/29 Modifications for the VIC·20 810 IFA>10THENA=10 820 PRINT:PRINT:PRINT:IFA=2TH£N840 830FORX=3TOA:PRINT:PRINT:NEXTX 840IFC=0THEN940 850CC$=MID$(C$,3,1) :IFCC$=" [CLOB]"ORCC$="[SPADE]"THEN90~ 860PRINTTAB( (B*4) -4)" [SHIF'r 0] [COMDR T] [COMDR T] [SHIFT P]"; 870PRINT"[DOHN] [4 LEFT] [COMDR G]"MID$(C$,2,2);"COMDR M]"; 880 PRIN'r" [DOWN][4 LEFT] [SHIFT L] [COMDR @] [COt-lOR @] [SHIFT @] n 890 RETURN 900 PRINTTAB((B*4)-4)" [RVS] [Dmm] [4 LE FT] "i 910 PRINTMID$(C$,2,2)U "; 920PRINT" [DOWN][4 LEFT] [OFF] "; 930 RETURN 940IFA=2THENPRINTTAB((B*4)-4)" [UP] " 950 PRINTTAB((B*4)-4) " [DOWN] " ,. 960 PRINT" [DOWN] [4 LEFT] "; 18e0 IFDR(10)=lTHENB=1:A=10:C=D(I) :GOSUB680 1810 PRINT" [HOME] [22 DOWN] [RVS]SCORE ";SC+((Wl+W2+-WD HI4)*5);"[O FF]"; 280 PRINT"[HOME]MOVE[15 RIGHT]"iUl$; Variable useage: Arrays D(52) = DRA~lPILE T(52) = CARD IS TAKEN IF = 0 Rl (13) = PLAY STACK ROW 1 R2 (13) = PLAY STACK ROW 2 R3 (13) = PLAY STACK ROW 3 R4 (13) = PLAY STACK ROW 4 Wl(13) = WIN S'l'ACK ROW 1 vl2 (13) = WIN STACK ROW 2 W3(13) = WIN STACK ROW 3 W4(13) = WIN STACK ROW 4 P(ll) = REPLACEMENT STACK uR(10) = \vHICH ROW(S) TO REDRAW OTHER VARIABLES SC = SCORE U = SUIT VALUE OF FIRST CARD ON WIN STACK FM = WHICH STACK CARD(S) ARE BEING TAKEN FROM 'rl = WHICH STACK CARD(S) ARE GOING TO ER = INDICATES THAT THIS CARD CAN'T BE MOVED Solitaire Four 10 I=RND(-TI) :DIMDR(10) 20 DIMD(52),T(52)yP(11),R1(13)JR2(13),R3 ( 1 3) ,R4 C1 3) , W1 ( 1 3) , W2 ( 13) , W3( 1 )) , W4 ( 1 3 ) 30 SC=SC-57:PRINT"[CLEAR]":FORI=1T052 40 T(I)=0:NEXT:FORI=1T052 50 C=INT(RND(1+TI)*53):IFC=OGOT050 60 IFT(C)=1GOT050 70 T( C) =1 : D( I ) =C : NEXT 80 FORI =1 TO1 1 : P ( I ) =D ( I) : T( D( I ) ) =0 : NEXTI : J = 1 1 30/Commander March/April 1983 90 R1(1)=D(12):T(D(12))=0:R1=1 :W1=1 100 R2(1 )=D(13) :T(D(13))=0:R2=1 :W2=0 110 R3(1 )=D(14) :T(D(14))=0:R3=1 :W3=0 120 R4(1 )=D(15) :T(D(15))=0:R4=1 :W4=0 'vi1 130 (1 )=D(16) :T(D(16))=0:U=D(16) 22·B MILLER STREET. BELFAST. MAINE 04915 140 DR(1 )=1 :DR(2)=1 :DR(3)=1 :DR(4)=1 :DR(9 (207) 338-141 0 ) = 1 : DR( 5) = 1 Software & Accessories for the VIC-20 150 IFU>13THENU=U-13:GOT0150 -CARDCO- CAROADAPTER: Play Ala"; ves Games on your Vic .. 160 U1$=STR$(U) CARDBOARDi6: 6 5101ExpanSIOn . . CAROPRINT: Parallel Prinler Inler1ace lor VIC or 64 170 IFU=10THENU1$="T" with 6 180IFU=11THENU1$="J" 3K 190 IFU=12THENU1$="Q" SK RAil EXPANSION . . ,".99 16K RAil EXPANSION ...... $80.99 200 IFU=13THENU1$="K" 3 SLOT EXPANSION BOARD . . $2S.99 VIC IEE...aaaINTERFACE : Use CBM Pnnlers. Disk Dnves .. $75.99 210 IFU=1THENU1$="A" VIC RS 232 INTERFACE' Use Modems and Serial Pnnlers $42 ~ 220 T=0:FORI=17T052:IFT(D(I))=1THENT=T+1 GEMINI-10 by STAR :L=I:IFT=3THENT=0:LS=LN:LN=I:GOT0270 A FUll· FEATUREDDOT MATRIX PRINTER AT AN AF· FORDABLE PRICE. 100 CPS; 9-wire User Replaceable 230NEXTI:IFT<>OTHENI=L:T=4:GOT0270 Prinl Head; Friction & Tractor Feed; Dot Addressable 240 FORI=17T052:IFT(I)<>OTHEN220 Graphics; Normal.Italic and ProportionalCharacters; 2.3K buller; - 10. 12. t7. 5. 6. B.S. CPI; Super/Sub Scripts; 250 NEXTI:I=O Standard Typewriter Ribbon; Up to loo·wide Paper. 260 GOT0220 $399.99 pOJs$10.00 ~ ard Har-drg. -HES- 270 DR(10)=1 :GOSUB1710 GRID RUNNER: Avoid Droids Weapons and Anmhllate them . $33 .• PAOTECTOR: TransJXIrtCitizens to Safery in New City ... .. $36 •• 280 PRINT"[HOME]MOVE?[25 RIGHT]";U1$ SHAIIUS: Search Rooms 'or !he Shadow - Avo,d Dro;ds . . . $33.99 290 GETE$:IFE$=""GOT0290 QUEEN'S BEDRoolI: LooI SENDSl OOFOA(:(:IMPLETEl IST (Aeh,lI'\Oe(lOtlIlr$lOt'08f) 590:NEXTZ:R4=0:DR(4)=1 OVER 100 ITEMS - SP'ECIFYV1C ·20OR(;()IrAIOOClR£ e,.. Commander March/April 1983/31 560 GOT0610 1I111·tOJl]PUSENSEI: 1,1 570 IFFM=1THENXX=R1(R1) :R1=R1-1 :GOSUB159 t, "CARD/?" 0:DR(1)=1 (CA~~(~~~NT) 580 IFFM=2THENXX=R2(R2):R2=R2-1 :GOSUB159 UNIVERSAL CENTRONICS O:DR(2)=1 PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE FOR THE VIC-20(o, 590 IFFM=3THENXX=R3 (R3) : R3=R3-1 : GOSUB159 Now you can use your VIC-20 CO) with 0:DR(3)=1 an EPSON MX-80 printer . or an OKI 600 IFFM=4THENXX=R4(R4) :R4=R4-1 :GOSUB159 DA TA printer. or a TANDY printer. or just about anybody's printer . And you 0:DR(4)=1 don't have to give up the use of your 610 IFFM=5THENXX=P(J) :J=J-1 :GOSUB1590:DR user port (MODEM). or change to' special printer commands. or load any (9)=1 special software driver programs to do 620 IFFM=6THENXX=D(I) :T(D(I))=0:GOSUB159 it. 0:DR(10)=1 • Outputs standard ASCII codes to the printer. 630 GOT01110 • Plugs in the VIC-20"" printer serial 640 IFT=4THEN220 i/o port. • Understands all standard VIC-20~) 650 GOT0230 print commands. 660 SC=SC+((W1+W2+W3+W4)*5) :GOT030 • No modification to your VIC-20'" • No special progr3ms required . 670 REM SCREEN DISPLAY ROUTINE • I ncludes all necessary cables to 680 REM PRINTS ONE CARD hook up a standard printer using 690 IFC<14THENC$=tI[HEART]" centronics parallel input. • MADE IN THE USA . 700 IFC>13ANDC<27THENC$="[DIAMOND]" The 'CARo/?" IS a product 0 1 CA RD eO. Inc 710 IFC>26ANDC<40THENC$="[CLUB]" $79.95 TO ORDER 720 IFC>39THENC$="[SPADE]" P. O. BOX 18765 WICHITA . KS 67218 730 IFC>13THENC=C-13:GOT0730 (316) 263-1095 740 IFC=13THENC$=" K"+C$:GOT0795 Personal checks accepred (AllOw 3 we eks) or 750 IFC=1 THENC$=" A"+C$:GOT0795 COD (Add $200) Handling charg es 52 00 760 IFC=12THENC$=" Q"+C$:GOT0795 VIC -20 · IS a re alslered Iradem ark Of COnlmOdore 770 H'C= 1 1THENC$=" J" +C$: GOT0795 780 IFC=10THENC$=" T"+C$:GOT0795 790 C$=STR$(C)+C$ 795 PRINT"[HOME]"; 800 IFA=1THEN840 DON'T 1THENA=1 BLAME 810 IFA>1 1 THE 820 PRINT:PRINT:PRINT:IFA=2THEN840 SOFTWARE! ISO·3 830 FORX=3TOA:PRINT:PRINT:NEXTX Power Line Spikes and Hash often cau!'-c 840 IFC=OTHEN940 memory loss or erratic operation. Often 850 CC$=MID$(C$,3,1) :IFCC$="[CLUB]"ORCC$ floppies, printer & processor interact I ="[SPADE]"THEN900 OUR patented ISOLATORS eliminate equipment interaction AND curb damag 860 PRINTTAB((B*6) -6) " [SHIFT OJ[ COMDRY] ing Power Line Spikes, Surges and Hash. [COlv'fDRY] [COMDRY][SHIFT p]"; Filtered 3-prong sockets and integral 870 PRINT"[DOWNJ[5 LEFTJ[COMDR G]";MID$( Spike Suppression. 125 VAC, 15 Amp, C$,2 ,2) ;" [CO~1DR~n"; 1875 W Total - 1 KW per socket. 880 PRINT"[DOWNJ[5 LEFTJ[SHIFT LJ[COMDR ISO-1 ISOLATOR. 3 Filtered Sockets; 1000 Amp 8/20 usec Spike Sup- PJ[COMDR P][COMDR P][SHIFT @]" pressor ...... $76.95 890 RETURN ISO·4 ISOLATOR. 6 Filtered Sockets; 900 PRINTTAB((B*6)-6)"[RVS] [DOVINJ[5 1000 Amp 8/20 usec Spike Sup pressor ...... $128.95 LEFT][ RVS] "; ISO·3 SUPER-ISOLATOR. 3 DUAL fil- 910 PRINTMID$(C$ 2,2);" "; tered Sockets; 2000 Amp 8/20 usec Spike Suppressor ...... $115.95 920 PRINT"[DOWN][5 LEFTJ[RVS] [OFF]" ISO-7 SUPER-ISOLATOR. 5 DUAL fil 930 RETURN tered Sockets; 2000 Amp 8/20 usec 940 IFA=2THENPRINTTAB((B*6)-6)" [Up] Spike Suppresor .. $186.95 ." Ma.ter·Charge, Visa, American Express TOLL FREE ORDER DESK 1·800-225-4876 950 PRINTTAB((B*6) -6)" [DO\vN] " ., loxcopt AK HI MA PR & Canada) 960 PRINT"[DOVINJ[5 LEFT] " 970 RETURN Electronic SpeCialists. Inc. 980 IFR1(1)=STHENFM=1 :GOT01100 171 Soul/! Main Slreel. Nallc~.MA 01760 Technical & Non·aOO· 1·617·655·1532 990 IFR2(1 )=STHENFM=2:GOT01100 32/Commander March/April 1983 10001FR3(1)=STHENFM=3:GOT01100 1010IFR4(1)=STHENFM=4:GOT01100 1020 IFR1 (R1)=STHENFM=1 :GOT01100 1030 1FR2(R2)=STHENFM=2:GOT01100 1040IFR3(R3)=STHENFM=3:GOT01100 1050IFR4(R4)=STHENFM=4:GOT01100 10601FP(J)=STHENFM=5:GOT01100 10701FD(I)=STHENFM=6:GOT01100 1080 PRINT"[HOME]1NV!" 1090 ER=1 :FORZZ=1T01000:NEXTZZ:RETURN 1100 ER=O:RETURN FOR 11101FJ=OTHEN1160 PET~ VIC® AND 1120 IFR1=OTHENR1=R1+1 :R1 (R1 )=p(J) :J=J-1 COMMODORE 64 : DR( 9) = 1 : DR( 1 ) = 1 READING MATH SCIENCE 1130 1FR2=OTHENR2=R2+1 :R2(R2)=>-P(J) :J=J-1 VOCABULARY METRICS HEALTH : DR( 9) =1 : DR( 2) = 1 LANGUAGE ALGEBRA COMPUTERLIT . 1146 IFR3=OTHENR3=R3+1 :R3(R3)=P(J) :J=J-1 SPELLING PHYSICS SOCIALSTUDIES TEACHERAIDS CHEMISTRY MUSIC :DR(9)=1 :DR(3)=1 PET & VIC are (egl slereCl 1150 1FR4=OTHENR4=R4+1:R4(R4)=P(J) :J=J-1 trademarks 0 1 Commodore BuSiness Machines : DR( 9) = 1 : DR( 4 ) =1 o Please send me FREE rnformation about your o PET. 0 VIC. and 0 Commodore 64 programs 1160 1FJ=OANDR1=OANDT(D(1))=1THENR1=1 :R1 Name ______( 1 ) =D ( I) : T ( D( I) ) =0 : Fr1=6 Address ______City _ 1170 lFJ=0~NDR2=)OANDT(D(1))=1THENR2=1:R2 ______(1)=D(1):T(D(1) =0:FM=6 State Zip __ 1100 lFJ=OA(Nl)R3=OANDT(D(I) )=1 THENR3=1:R3 (1)=D(1):T D(1))=0:FM=6 INCORPORATED 1190 IFJ =OANDR4=OANDT(D( I) ) =1 THENR4=1 : R4 "() I'OX ? Jf; Lovrs PARK L Ii' '30 ~ '>"ONE A 1 ') 'H~{)2464 (1 )=D( I) :T(D( I) )=0:F~1=6 1200 1FFM<>6THEN1240 1210 DR( 10) =1 : 1=1-1 : 1FT( D( I)) =1 THENLS=I: IntelligentSoftware For LN=LS:GOT01240 CommodoreComputers 1220 IF1<17THENGOSUB1680:GOT01240 Copycalc is an affordable electronic 1230 GOT01210 spread-sheet which turns your video screen 1240 GOSUB1710:GOT0270 into a window on a matrix of numbers. Cur sor around the matrix. enter numbers; the 1250 X=S totals reflect the changes. You can save the 1260 1FFM=1ANDR1>1ANDR1(1)=STHEN1380 matrix to disk or tape. or print it or your printer. For $20 ($ 15 with another program). 12701FFM=2ANDR2>1ANDR2(1)=STHEN1380 this program might justify the cost of your 1280 1FFM=3ANDR3>1ANDR3(1)=STHEN1380 computer. Requires 6k RAM; smaller version available for a standard VIC. 1290 1FFM=4ANDR4>1ANDR4(1)=STHEN1380 Word Processor Plus was not designed 1300 IFX>13THENX=X-13:GOT01300 to be an expensive toy; it was designed 1310IFX=UANDW2=OTHENT1=6:ER=0:RETURN solely to facilitate correspondence. for a wide range of personal and business uses. 1320 1FX=UANDW3=OTHENT1=7:ER=0:RETURN quickly and easily. with a minimum of train 1330 1FX=UANDW4=OTHENT1=8:ER=0:RETURN ing and irustration on the part of its user, and at the least possible cost, both in hard 1340 Y=W1(W1 ):GOSUB1530:1FER=OTHENT1=5:R ware and software. The most thoroughly ETURN tested, useable word processor available 13501FW2>OTHENY=W2(W2):GOSUB1530:1FER=0 at anywhere near the price, $25; 10k RAM, printer req'd.; RS-232C version available for THENT1=6:RETURN VIC and 64. 1360 1F\13>OTHENY=Vi3(W3):GOSUB1530: IFER=O Also available : Baseball Manager, a sports-documentation program; and Inven THENT1=7:RETURN tory, a perpetual inventory control program 1370 1FW4>OTHENY=Vi4(W4):GOSUB1530:1FER=0 for a small retail business (various reports, multiple vendors); $30 each; 10k RAM THENT1=8:RETURN req'd ., printer suggested. 1380 Y=R1(R1) :GOSUB1430:1FER=OTHENT1=1:R All programs will load and run on any ETURN Commodore computer; all support tape , disk, and printer. 1390 Y=R2(R2) :GOSUB1430:1FER=OTHENT1=2:R Prices include documentation and ship ETURN ping; Calif. residents add 6%. Please specify hardware configuration when 1400 Y=R3(R3):GOSUB1430:1FER=OTHENT1=3:R ordering. Sorry, no games available. ETURN Wiliom Robbin,. Box 3745, San Rafael, CA 94912 Commander March/April 1983/33 1410 Y=R4(R4):GOSUB1430:IFER=OTHENT1=4:R H~'ruRN Formatting & Error Checking 1420 GOT01510 Continued from page 13 1430 X=S 1440 IFX<27ANDY<27THEN1510 return would bring you back to the subsequent line from which you came. 1450 IFX>26ANDY>26~HEN1510 1460 IFX>13THENX=X-13:GOT01460 We need to re-input, thus lines 10 and 1470 IFY>13THENY=Y-13:GOT01470 30 are our target lines and only a goto, 1480 IFX=13ANDY=1THEN1520 not a gosub will work here. Also you will notice on the complete demonstra 1490 IFX=13THEN1510 1500 IFX=Y-1THEN1520 tion program that A$ and B$ input 1510 ER=1 : RETURN have 3 shifted spaces and 3 left cur 1520 ER=O:RE'l'URN sors for further input protection, thus, 1530 x=s if just return is pressed without an en 1540 IFX<>14ANDX<>27ANDX<>40ANDX=Y+1THEN try, the program will branch to the er ER=O:RETURN ror alert routine. To remove the input prompt (?) after 1550 IFX>13THENX=X-13:Y=Y-13:GOT01550 input, you could poke a 96 value to the 1560 IFY<>13~BEN1580 '570 IFX=1THENER=0:RETURN screen location occupied by the prompt. The 96 value is a blank thus 1 580 ER=1 : R~;~'URN removing the prompt character. No 1590 H'T1 = 1 TH"B;NR1=R1 +1 : R1 (R1 ) =XX: RETURN 1600 IFT1=2THBNR2=R2+1 :R2(R2)=XX:RETURN prompt to clutter our display. You could dress up this program by 1610 IFT1=3~HRNR3=R3+1:R3(R3)=XX:RETURN putting in column headings and 1620 IFT1=4THENR4=R4+1 :R4(R4)=XX:RETURN tabular borders, as well as change the 1630 IP'l'1=5THRN\v1=';l1+1 :\{1 (W1)=XX:RETURN formula to fit your needs. 1640 IFT1=6THENW2=W2+1:W2(W2)=XX:RETURN 1650 D'1'1=7TH.KN\f3=\V3+1:W3(Vl3)=XX:RETlJRN So, in summary, we've learned to format and align decimal numeric 1~60IFT1=8THENW4=W4+1 :W4(W4)=XX:RETURN 1680 T=0:LS=0:FORI=17T052:IFT(D(I))=OTHE data, how to error check for correct NNEXTI:I=LS:RETlJRN numeric entry, and how to erase er 1690 T='r+1 :LS=I:IFT=3THENLS=I:RE'rURN roneous entries and give the operator 1700 NEXTI:I=18:RETURN another chance. All with a few short routines and a couple of tricks from our 1710 IFDR( 1) =1 THENB=2:FORZZ=1 TOR1 : A=ZZ+1 l :C=R1(ZZ) :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ bag of programming magic D 1720 IFDR(2)=1THENB=3:FORZZ=1TOR2:A=ZZ+1 :C=R2(ZZ) :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1730 IFDR(3)=1THENB=4:FORZZ=1TOR3:A=ZZ+1 :C=R3(ZZ) :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1740 IFDR(4)=1THENB=5:FORZZ=1TOR4:A=ZZ+1 :C=R4(ZZ) :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1750 IFDR(5)=1THBNB=2:A=1 :C=\I[1 (W1) :GOSUB690 1760 IFDR(6)=1THENB=3:A=1 :C=W2(W2):GOSUB690 1770 IFDR(7)=1THENB=4:A=1 :C=W3(W3):GOSUB690 1780 IFDR(8)=1THENB=5:A=1 :C=W4(W4):GOSUB690 1790 IFDR(9)=1THENB=1 :A=2:C=P(J) :GOSUB690 1800 IFDR(10)=1THENB=1 :A=11 :C=D(I):GOSUB690 1810 PRIN'J"' [HOME]" TAB( 34) SC+ ( ('111+vI2+W3+W 4) *5) 1820 IFDR(1 )=1ANDR1<10THENB=2:FORZZ=R1+1 T011 :C=O:A=ZZ+1 :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1830 IFDR(2)=1ANDR2<10THENB=3:FORZZ=R2+1 T011 :C=0:A=ZZ+1 :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1840 IFDR(3)=1ANDR3<10THENB=4:FORZZ=R3+1 T011 :C=O:A=ZZ+1 :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1850 IFDR(4)=1ANDR4<10THENB=5:FORZZ=R4+1 T011 :C=0:A=ZZ+1 :GOSUB690:NEXTZZ 1860 FORZZ=1T010:DR(ZZ)=0:NEXTZZ 1870 RETURN 34/Commander March/April 1983 Expandedoffering of EducationalSoftware F'lii".C·llL 'W/1A~ for the COMMODORE64 • Touch Typing Tutor (m64) . . . diskette $2495 Diskette Programs for 16K PET/CBM cassette $19 95 Ideal for typing students or computer users Learn to type with all fingers on your computer's keyboard by following the keyboard and finger placement pictured on your TV screen. 19 lessons fully de· scribed In 12·page manual Select PRACTICEand type computer generatedpseudo words for your rate and hst of errors. Select TEXT and pracllce EngliSh words for timed test of any duration for the VIC-20 • Touch Typing Tutor 3.0 (m5K) ...... cassette $1995 Has same features as TTTS4above . Will run on basic VIC Four separateprograms. Enhancedversion now provides practice tYPing Englishwor ds Includes t2·page manual Selectedby Denver PubliC Schools to train 700 elemenlary students In keyboard skills • Fun Fractions (FF + 8K)...... diskette $2495 cassette $ I 9 95 The fun way to learn addition. subtraction muiliplicalion and divi· sion of fractions for grades 4·9 with sound. color. and graphiCS. Watch VIC show you all the intermediate steps on the screen black· board Then take a turn and see If you can answer before the parachute fumper crashes. Three levels of difficulty. Help IS given for incorrect answers. learn your score Requires 8K (or more) memory expansion Includes IS· page manual Financial Programs Foreign orders payable U.S. dollars plus $3.00 shipp,ng/handl,ng The WIZard helps you quickly calculale 12 maior lypes 01 Financial TrallsaClions wllh ease dnd accuracy. TAYLORMADESOFTWARE Crealed for bUSinesses and Individuals. lhis DISK P.O. Box 5574 PACKAGE has 9 programs plus InstruClions. The Wizard \IIS4' 1-=1 Lincoln, NE 68505 delivers answers on the screen or printer --' (402) 464·9051 - CASCADE COMPUTERWARE • (206) 355·6121 80. 235.4 • heren . WA 98203 Dealer inquiries invited STep VICRABBIT CARTRIDGE More than just an Assembler/Editor! Standard Terminal Communications Pac~age MAE It's ' PFO' 100 OOA CP < Ol >02 BEll· 12 JO 00 101436 " High-Speed " " . / $39.95 a for Cassette I' V ~) (IncludesCanndge ProfeSSionally PET Don 'I sente for non-slandara Communicalions Protocol' Loadand Save!" and Manual) Designed Access Micro Nel. Source. Bullelin BoardS . Local Main· V. APPLE frame. etc Software ExpanSionConnector • ComplelePackage - IncludesRS232 I",er . -- Development face Boar(Jand software (does not Include System modem) "Don't wasteyour Life awaywaiting to LOADand SAVE t(EW'~Pft/(;/£ • Communicates In Industry Standard ASCII programson CasseteDeck ." ~CJ9/15"" • UploadJOownloa Workswith or without ExpansionMemory . ~_""'ErIotor.etc ATARIAND PET Workswith VICCassette DeCk . • Aao_. II'dudes W:wdProcessor . Retoc.atlnQloader . ind much 12Commands provide other neat features. EPROMPROGRAMMER • ()ptc:m EPROMProgIlmmel . ulUrT"C)Iemetltecl_Ode CIrCUitry Also Availablefor 2001.4001 . and 8032 • Slill NOTCONVINCED SeOO Ior~ .. soec""'" ProgTams 2716 and 2532 EPROMs. Includes hardware TRAP65 5% INCHSOFT TRAP65 is a hardwaredevice mal and software. PET= $75.00- plugsinto your 6502's socket . PrevenlS SECTOREDDlSKmES ATARI (includes sophisticated execution of unimplementedopcodes andprovide s capability10 extendme machinelanguage monitor) = maChines'InSlruClion sel For PET/APPLE/SYM. $119.95 Reducedfrom $149 .95 10 $69 95 Commander March/April 1983/35 AARDVARK - THE ADVENTURE PLACE TRS-80 COLOR COMMODORE 24 VIC-20 SINCLAIR/TIMEX TI99 WE CARRY MORE THAN ADVENTURES!! ADVENTURES - Adventures are a unique PYRAMID by Rodger Olsen - This is one of form of computer game. They let you spend our toughest Adventures. Allerage time MAXI-PROS WORD PROCESSING ~~""30 to 70 hours exploring and conquering a through the Pyramid is 50 to 70 hours . The The easiest to use word processor that I world you have never seen before . There is old boys who built this Pyramid did not mean know of_ Has all the features of a major word little or no luck in Adventur ing_ The rewards for i t to be ransacked by people like you. processor (right and left margin justification , are for creative thinking, courage, and wise Authors note to players - This is a lIery page numbering, global and I ine editing, single, gambling - not fast reflexes. entertaining and very tough adventure : I left In Adventuring, the computer speaks and clues came some in · double, triple spacing, text centering, etc_) at everywhere but up with listens to plain English. No prior knowledge genous problems. Th is one h as captivated a very cheap price because we wrote it in of computers, special controls, or games is re people so much that I get calls dai Iy from as BASIC _ Includes 40 page manual and learning quired so everyone enjoys them-even people far away as New Zealand and France from guide. Easily modified to handle almost any who do not like computers. bleary eyed people who are stuck in the printer combination. Available on disk or tape Except for Quest, itself unique among Ad Pyramid and desperate for more clues. for V IC20, COMMODORE64, and TRS-80 venture games, Adventures are non-graphic . MARS by Rodger Olsen - Your ship crashed· COLOR computer. Requires 13k RAM on Adventures are more like a novel than a comic book or arcade game. It is like reading a par on the Red Planet and you have to get home. Vic, 16k EXTENDED on TRS-80 COLOR . ~ ticular exciting book where you are the ma in You will have to explore a Martian city, repair $19 .95 on tape $24.95 on disk . ~-c;character. your ship and deal with possibly hostile aliens GENERAL LEDGER - Complete bookkeep All of the Adventures in this ad are in Basic, to get home again . ing for a small business. Disk required . For They are full featured, fully plotted adventures Authors note to players - This is highly recommended as a first adventure . It is in no Vic20 (13k), Commodore64, TRS-80 COLOR that will take a minimum of thirty hours (in several sittings) to play . way simple - playing time normally runs from (16k EXTENDED). $69 .95 (Send $1.00 for Adventuring requires 16k on Sinclai r, TRS· 30 to 50 hours - but it is constructed in a manual before ordering.) 80, and TRS·80 Color. They require 8k on OSI more "open" manner to let you tryout ad· and 13k on VIC-20. Sinclair requires extended venturing and get used to the game before BASIC . Now available for T199. you hit the really tough problems . TREK ADVENTURE by Bob Retelle - This li~fiJ.ff'~one takes place aboard a familiar starship and is a must for trekkies. The problem is a famil iar one - The ship is in a "decay ing orbit" (the Captai n never could learn to park!) and LY~)Q l, l_ the engines are out (You would think that in - --,~'. " . . all those years, they would have learned to LABYRINTH - 16K EXTENDED COLOR build some that didn't die once a week). Your BASIC - With amazing 3 D graphics, you fight options are to start the engine, save the ship, your way through a maze facing real time get off the ship, or die. Good Luck. monsters . The graphics are real enough to Authors note to players - I wrote this one cause claustrophobia . with a concordance in hand. It is very accurate Similar game for Timex/Sinclair 16k - hunting - and a lot of fun . It was nice to wander treasure instead of monsters $14.95. around the ship instead of watching it on T.V . DERELICT by Rodger Olsen and Bob Ander· son - For Wealth and Glory , you have to ran· Ii,-., sack a thousand year old space sh ip. You'll have to learn to speak their language and ~, ~ operate the machinery they left behind. The hardest problem of all is toJive through it. QUEST by Bob Retelle and Rodger Olsen - Authors note to players - Th is adventure THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE is the new winner in the " Toughest Adventure OTHER GAMES OF ADVENTURE!!!! It is at Sweepstakes i played on a compu ter generated map of ;~~-' ~ Aardvark ". Our most diff cult ~ problem in writing the adventure was to keep Alesia. You lead a small band of adventurers ADVENTURE WRITING/DEATHSHIP by it logical and realistic . There are no irrat ional on a mission to conquer the Citadel of Moor lock. You have to build an army and then arm Rodger Olsen - This is a data sheet showing traps and sudden senseless deaths in Derelict. This ship was desi gned to be perfectly safe for and feed them by combat, bargaining, e1 Please specify system on all orders ALSO FROM AARDVAR K - This is only a partial list of what we carry. We halle a lot of other games (particularly for the TRS-80 Color and OSI) , business programs, blank tapes and disks and hardware. Send $1 .00 for our complete catalog. AARDVARK . gt' f e~ ,2352 S. Commerce, Walled Lake, MI 48088 / (313) 669-3110 at. Phone Orders Accepted 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p,m, EST. Mon.-Fri. (~ / TRS-80 COLOR TIMEX/SINCLAIR COMMODORE 64 VIC-20 $2.00 shipping on each order 36/ Comm ander Marc h/April 1983 by Tim Parker popularity, the field expanded. When tion magazines: Microsystems and Ontario, Canada the Atari and VICs were introduced, Lifelines. The beginning computerist the field underwent a population is not ignored, either. The field has ex explosion. When last I wandered into my local panded as the publishers realized that Now, there is nothing wrong with the computer store, I was somewhat there were many computer owners out number of different magazines avail there that didn't have the technical astonished to find that they had doubl able. It is definitely to the user's ad background previously assumed. ed the number of computer maga vantage. The major complaint I hear zines they stocked. I had been under is that most newcomers to the field are the impression that they already had I Which to Buy? unsure which magazines to buy, and the widest selection around, but the which will be wasted money. The The major difficulty lies in trying to new titles made a somewhat discon answer to that question is not easy to find a few good magazines that suit certing display, spread over three give. It depends on where your interest you , and deliver the content you re browsers! lies. quire without wasting your hard earn Computer There are now specialist magazines ed dollars. Obviously, the magazine(s) Magazines available for most of the big com devoted to your specific machine Proliferate puters. Commander is devoted to the should be included on your reading Commodore series, and at the mo list. A few general magazines couldn't Few computerists can be unaware ment leads the pack in that respect. hurt either. For those who are software of the large number of magazines (The previous holder to that fades in oriented, there are several of the big spawned in the past few years as this comparison.) Apple user shave circulation monthlies that fit the bill. field has grown. (Exactly the same several magazines including Nibble Hardware magazines are somewhat thing happened in video: when Sony and Softalk, while I BM users have scarcer, but do exist. So try a few dif released its first Beta recorder, there PC. Then there are the "general" ferent ones, and judge each on its con were no magazines devoted to the magazines, that either cover several tent, and whether it appeals to you field: now there are well over ten. The types of systems, or have definite Then stay with them. That way, you'll same thing appears to be happening editorial slants. For example, for stay informed of most of the to video games.) It used to be that business users, Interface Age is aim breakthroughs and developments. there were (in the old days) only a few ed at the software most likely to be en This habit does tend to eat up the magazines. Creative Computing was countered in that field. Others such as money that can be used on software, one of the first aimed at the starting Byte are for the most experienced but some magazines will give more computerist. For the higher level user, user, although aimed at all systems. useful information than a shoot-em-up Byte was available. Other than that, Magazines devoted to operating can offer I (As an owner of four different there were the professional journals, systems are readily accessable. CP/M systems, from small to large, the but most were unavailable to the (the most popular operating system) is reading begins to get exorbitant: over layman. Then, as the Apple gained supported by two fairly large circula- ten magazines a month just for the Commander March/April 1983/37 hobbyl) Sound (again the VIC-64 has an edge have developed some rather in Do not be put off by the size of some here) is better than any other com teresting tricks to avoid unlicensed of the magazines. While Byte has a parable personal computer on the duplication. (These techniques are not width that quickly fills shelves, a large market. infallible, but I am bound by ethics to chunk of that is advertising. On the The important point is revealed by not disclose the secrets.) Most of the other hand, a magazine such as this two words on the last line of the games are written in machine erudite publication has far more con previous paragraph: personal com language, and that is a major stumbl tent than adverts. And the information puter. Used to be, only the Apple, Atari ing block for many people. Machine is usable by the majority of readers! and IBM were considered personals. language programs cannot be SAVEd the same way a normal BASIC pro What more could anyone ask for? (No The VIC was great at games, but 5K? one will ever accuse me of being By a technique known as paging or gram is: the computer has to be told biased!) block selecting, the 6502 processor in where the program belongs in the VIC-20 can handle far more than memory This is the reason for most Exchangeable 64K of memory (the theoretical limit for failures at backing up games. Software a 8 bit machine.) The logic in backing up programs It to have To repeat something from my earlier cannot be faulted. is nice a An interesting development came to column, consider the following: buy an reserve copy of all software in case an my attention several months ago for (heaven forbid) accident happens to Apple II Plus, with two disk drives, con the VIC-20 . A few hardware oriented the original. (Most professional pro troller card, eighty column card, friends of mine had put together a grammers back everything up as a modem card, printer card, and joystick breadboard that would play Atari VCS matter of course.) I do not believe any adapter. Compare the cost to a VIC-20 games on the VIC. The next month I purchaser should be prevented from with two disk drives, eighty column saw two separate advertisements for protecting his investment, either. Un card, modem plugin, and joystick. the same purpose. This will probably fortunately, the software companies do Then pay your money for the best buy. be welcome to most VIC-20 owners, not agree with me. I have to leave it Ever wonder why the VIC-20 sold so primarily because of the number of up to your own ingenuity to solve your many units? Now you know. games now playable on the VIC. The problem. (It's not that hard, reallyl) A quick addendum to the remarks quality of the Atari VCS games does Several software releases for the on games made in the January Com not approach the limits of the VIC, with VIC-20 deserve mention. Although a mander. Many new games have ap block characters in most games, but word processing package for the '20 peared over the last three months. It there are so many that have become has been available almost since day is virtually impossible to keep track of classics that the option to play them is one, they are finally getting to the point the different companies, let alone their now available for less than a hundred where they are of some versatility. titles! Several of the games that I have bucks. Advertisements in several of the seen were astonishing, to understate Developments like this, though, are magazines last month touted a the issue. The accomplishments of the illustrating a point I tried to make in my package that seems to fit the bill. programmers are remarkable . first column (was it really that long Released by UMI, who have been However, there were (inevitably) a few ago?) for Commander. At that time, I mentioned here before, it is called duds. (Again, check the game before tried to point out that the VIC-20 is not "Wordcraft 20. " Although I have not buying if possible.) simply a toy, but a real honest-to run it (I have a large CP/M machine for One very encouraging note was that goodness computer (albeit somewhat my word processing), the preliminary one major software house that sells smaller than others). Now, as eighty reports I have heard have been some superb games for the Apple /I column boards, modem packages, encouraging. has released VIC-20 versions. expanded memory boards, emulation A package called "Quick Brown Although I have not had the opportuni modules, PROM (programmable Fox" from Quick Brown Fox (who ty to preview the VIC editions, if they Read Only Memory) burners, and else?) offers expandability in word pro are anything like the Apple versions many other hardware features cessing. As column expansion cards, they are sure to become favorites. I become available, the VIC progresses printers, disks and memory are add hope more companies follow this from the 5K machine first found in a ed, the program easily adapts to them . trend. (Thanks, Creative Software.) cardboard box. When added on to, Yet another word processor that is the VIC can be transformed into a tru getting some good comments is ly powerful computer. (One fellow I Back-up Copies "Rapidwriter Plus" from Rapidwriter. know has a VIC-20 emulating a Unfortunately, I have few details about Televideo terminal, at a fraction of the A few letters I have received have the package, so I have to restrict my cost!) While graphics of the VIC-20 asked about backing up copies of comments to a mention en passant. chip are not as powerful as the sprites some of the better games. Although it Speaking of en passant (tricky, eh?), in the VIC-64, they are more than ade is not possible to completely protect a a new chess program from Kavan quate for the majority of purposes. game on the VIC, some publishers Software (distributed by Data Equip: 38/Commander March/April 1983 ment Supply Corp.) called "Boss" is supposedly able to beat Sargon II con sistently. It offers ten levels of play, two WALLBANGER - Blast your way through the dodge 'm, blast'm, chess clocks, moves such as en pas and attack modes. If you destroy the bouncing balls before they destroy sant, and allows rearranging of the you, the walls close in for the next round. WALLBANGER is written in board virtually at will . Written com machine language, has great sound, and encourages complex strategies. CASS/5KNIC 20 pletely in machine code, it ran at a ALL 40 /80 COLUMN PETS & CBM8 (Includes Shipping/Handling) 519.95 good speed. " Boss" requires at least ICALIF RES. ADD 6 % SALES TAX) CHICKEN CHASE - Help your hapless hen avoid hungry an 8K expansion. (Chess players here chicken hawks, sneaky coyotes, and fiendish zompys. If your chicken gets is the rationalization for the memory into trouble, "hyper-hen" to a new spot on the maze. If your chicken travels the entire maze , you advance to the next level where the action is board you've been looking at.) faster and the predators more numerous. Hi-res graphics, great sounds, Finally, a surprise to me. Back when and machine language help make CHICKEN CHASE a hilarious fun-filled floppy disks and disk drives were game for t he whole family . CASS/5KIVIC-20 . (Includes Shipping/Handling) 519.95 rather esoteric pieces of equipment for [CALIF. RES ADD 6 % SALES TAX ) most home computers, a company ROADTOAD - Hop your toad across 5 lanes of traffic, avoid deadly snakes, and dodge the dreaded toad-eaters. Cross a raging river called Exatron developed a " Stringy full of logs, turtles, alligators, and park your toad In the safety of a harbor. Floppy". A stringy floppy is a cartridge Each time you park 5 toads, you enter a tougher level where the action is faster and the toad-eaters are more numerous. ROADTOAD is written in of looped tape about the size of a machine language and uses high resolution graphics. The sound effects are business card. It runs many times excellent and you can use a )oystick or the keyboard to control your toad . faster than a cassette; typically at 7200 CASS/5KNIC 20 (Includes Shipping/Handling) 519.95 [CALIF. RES. ADD 6% SALES TAX) baud. Each cartridge handles around NIBBLES & BITS, INC. 64K of memory, and is available for Write For Write For FREE P.o. BOX 2044 FREE the cost of a standard cassette. This Catalog ORCUTT, CA 93455 Catalog was very popular several years ago with machines such as the Radio WARNING! These games cause high panic levels! Shack computers , and now is available for the VICs (20 and 64) . If a disk drive is out of reach of your budget, this is definitely a product to be looked at in some detail. I Revenue Service In closing this month, I would like to f the TreaSury-lnterna extend my thanks to all the people ~1 040 Du:S~e'~dividua'Ineom Tax Return who took time to write and comment u. December 3 1. on these miscellaneous ramblings. For the year Jan uary 1- d · tlal ( if JOint return , al~o You r lust name an InL They always start with no preconceiv Use ed plan, and usually end up showing IRS label. that rather well! Nevertheless, the other · response has been somewhat astonishing. Nary a nasty word was ut tered! If this keeps up, I'll be spending all my life at the keyboard. 'Tis a con It's that time again ... summation devoutly to be wishedn This year, make it easy with A Commodore 64 And VIC-20* The Tax-Man is friendly, easy-to-follow, includes 1040 and Schedule G forms. and generous! Program computes tax Fits standard printers, 10-pitch/6 Ipi. table, sched. XYZ, income averaging rates, and finds your lowest tax rate! I I~ Available in diskette or cassette and Computer Software & Consulting 7510 Foxridge Way Anchorage, Alaska 99502 (907) 272-1373 Commander March/April 1983/39 Game-CONTEST Terms for Game Contest First prize will be awarded to the person with the highest score. The winning entry must contain a photo graph of the highest score of the game A Video Vermin package front and proof of purchase slip. Entries must be mailed to Com mander, Video Vermin Contest, PO Box 98827, Tacoma, WA 98498. All entries must be mailed, as postmarks are required to determine the earliest winning entry. In the event of a tie, duplicate prizes will be awarded Employees of United Microware In dustries and their families may not par ticipate. First prize will be $250, se cond prize $100, third prize $50. The contest will run until a first prize is awarded. United Microware Indus tries will notify Commander Magazine of the winner(s) and provide copy and photographs for a follow-up story. Video Vermin Your once-peaceful garden is being invaded by a hoard of hungry Vermin. Shoot ihem and their fallen bodies sprout a barricade of mushrooms to conceal more swarming raiders. Snails oil path on which the Vermin slither er The Game Contest is a continuing feature of Com ratically toward you. Dropping but mander magazine aimed at providing entertainment for terflies leave a trail of mushrooms in and promoting competition among our readers. United their wake, and pouncing spiders, ants, beetles, and fleas infest the area. Microware Industries has graciously provided us with One vigilant gardener strikes first. If February's Game Contest. he's destroyed by the fatal touch of the invaders, two more defenders lie in DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: JUNE 1, 1983 wait to take his place. If the third gardener succumbs, and you have Video Vermin may be purchased from United Micro 10,000 points, another gardener will ware Industries or anyone of its fine dealers. emerge to help save the garden from 3503-C Temple Ave. devastation. I thought it was going to be a Pomona, California peaceful afternoon, just me and my 1-714-594-1351 Continued on page 61 40/Commander March/April 1983 NDER Only COMMANDER will do all this Reports that give you hands-on, user oriented information on the entire GUIDE range of Commodore Computers • More comparison charts, diagrams, instructional illustrations, and how-to photos than any other publication in the field • Articles written by the top working experts in the field. Innovative ways to use your computer equipment-from self-improvement INSTRUCT to home security • Valuable tricks and practical advice on how to get the most from your investment in the high tech field of computers • In depth and unbiased analyses of the latest in educational software. Fascinating glimpses into the wonders of the computer future • Profiles of ENTERTAIN the industry's most creative people • Provocati ve discussions on the im pact computers will have on you and your family. Critical comparisons of the Commodore Computers • Exactly how your SIMPLIFY computer equipment works • What those computer " buzz words" mean and expensive "special fea tures" do • Useful trouble-shooting & maintenance advice. An expanded directory of the latest programs on ROM-PAK, tape and disc INFORM • New product previews of the latest and best equipment on the market • Exciting technologies in deve lopment for tomorrow • Important applica tions of computers for health, education, business, and the public good • New directions in computers • Much More ... o 1 YR. U.S. $22 0 2 YR. U.S. $40 C 3 YR. U.S. $58 cription Orders (PRICES DO NOT INC LUDE $4 DISCOUNT) -Subs Only PRICES Toll Free Number: 1-800-426-1830 Wilshington re>idents please add 6.7% sales tax IN U S Payment Enclosed FUNDS (except WA, HI , AK) Charge To: [ Am eri can Expre,s ;::: VISA o Maste r Card Expiration Date ____ _ MMAN R Account # ______P.O. BOX 98827 Maqe rC drd ON LY- Li>t 4 digits above you r name Signature ______TACOMA, WASHINGTON 98498 If you are using a credit card, you can enter your order by calling TOLL·FRE E 1·800·42&· 1830 (except WA , AK , HI), (206) 565-6816 Name~~- --~------ (1'1E'.l"\.' I)' I.>e or plm l) Title ______ Company LIMITED OFFER Street ______City _ $4 DISCOUNT ______State ______Zip _ __ _ _ o CHECK HERE Subscriptions 10 COMM ANDER are $22 per year in the Unit ed States , Ca nadian and M eXica n rates are $26 per yea r. Surface rates 10 Other countries are $37, air mail to other countr ie, is L- ___ ==-______~I.....CJJ....S.LJ.llCLWl=i.llf'1!J1l_"'lJC!L.lJQR.j:.uI~~>£I IJE...l'le;l\p_iJlli::ill.!.~pk , (n r {irq rnnv Bits Pieces Editor's Note. Our new Bits and Pieces READY, or from an INPUT statement, The reason I ended up with this pro department will spotlight questions put there are no flashes of white , and blem is as follows. This guy I work with, forth by our readers and feature the when the 64 is not in use, there are no had a rebuilt Data Products DP-50 answers provided by other readers or flashes, and none when LOADing or daisy wheel printer for sale. Only one of Commander's technical SAVEing. Does the POKE3654,133 $250.00 but little did I know what was experts. change for the 64? I did do the poke ahead. I bought a Quantum Data Dear Sir or Madam: over the first line where it says 38911 Model 1800 printer. Which is a RS-232 We do our monthly reports on a bytes free. interface connected to the users port. CBM 8032. We have use of a TRS-80 My second comment has to do with Hey, this is great, now alii have to do DMP100 printer, but don't know how the program "Blocks." It scrolls when is power up, and we are in business. to make them compatible. Please help the lefthand (Lh) player uses the bot WRONG! My first problem, it didn't line us out. tom right hand corner. This causes a feed. Every1hing printed on the same Several companies have suggested wipeout on the righthand (Rh) player line. After many failures and much hardware/interfaces, but none of them if there is a block of his with a block research, I found the answer. I had to are sure the equipment will work, since below it. I have spent some time look use open128,2 or greater. That was in they have not actually tried the ing at the logic of the program and May of 1982. Only you who have ex CBM8032- TRS80 DMP100 together. ZP = 1 in line 350 is supposed to pre perienced this will know that wasn't the What can you suggest? Do your vent scrolling; see lines 590 and 900. only problem. For you beginners readers have the answer? We Only the Rh player scrolls for me, the here's a couple hints. ourselves are initial subscribers. Lh player does not. I have tried various To list a program, use Thank you. fixes but none work. One problem is OPEN128,2,0,CHR$(6):CMD128: R. Ellis understanding the use of ZR and ZL. LIST Mem Investment Club Anyway, if you could look into this also, I'd appreciate it. Explanation: You must use greater Dear Sirs: Sincerely yours, than 127 for line feed, in this case 128. I would like to address two topics in Vincent J. Mooney, Jr. The 2 is the users port device. The your premier (Dec, 1982) issue. CHR$(6) prints in 300 baud. On page 32, a note about Zenith Am I the only VIC-20, RS-232 printer To convert to standard ASCII and VIC's is made. I have a 64 which user? It seems that way when it comes subroutine has enormous white flashes on the to getting information or buying soft 1000 REM Standard ASCII screen whenever the computer is run ware. When you do find anything on subroutine ning. Therefore, I tried the hint but it the RS-232 interface, it's on the 1010 X = LEN(P$):IFX< HHEN had no effect on the white flashes. (It modem only. It's time we stood up and 1060 did affect the program in storage.) Do be counted. Let's have a RS-232 in 1020 FOR 1= 1TOX:X$ = LEFT$ you know if the flashes can be cured? formation exchange on printers and (P$,1-1):SS$ = MID$(P$,I, 1) :Z$ = I should add that when I wrote above disks. Write to me and let me know any RIGHT$(P$,X-I) "whenever the computer is running," of your experiences with the RS-232 1030 Y = ASC(SS$):IFY> 64 I was referring to transmission, not interface. If there are enough, maybe ANDY<9 HHENSS$=CHR$ power. Thus if the 64 is waiting, in we can start our own users group. (Y + 32):GOT01 050 42/Commander March/April 1983 1040 IFY> 192ANDY <219THEN 5. Move the cursor over the R in Debugging & Fixes SS$ ==CHR$(Y-128) RETURN . 1050 P$ ==X $ + SS$ + Z$ :NEXT 6. Type " LOAD " and press of Programs 1060 RETURN "SPACE" twice . Commander has dedicated this col Boy, would I like to have a way to 7. Press " RETURN " and proceed umn exclusively to the Debugging and change some of the Vic printer pro with loading. Fixes of Programs. We want to keep grams to print on my printer. 8. Once your program is loaded our readers informed of any changes Write to me Daryl E. Williams c/o press " HOME". or mistakes in programs we publish. DEW-RITE ENTERPRISES, P.O. Box 9. Then press "RETURN" once on This column is designed for that pur 1932, Santa Ana, Ca. 92702. 0 each subroutine statement. pose only. If you as a reader find any You are now ready to list the merg bugs, please let us know. -Editor ed programs. With a disk the procedure is essen Volume 1, Issue 2 If you do not have software to merge tially the same except in place of typ -Parity Check- two programs, the following procedure ing " LOAD " in step (6) above type The [\+ 1 in line 920 of the makes it a simple matter to merge a " LOAD " " name of prg",8" . With tape SOUNDER program January 1983) subroutine with a program you are you will be able to use a subroutine means enter the plus sign while writing . The only condition is the with a maximum of 14 lines and with holding down the Commodore shih subroutine is limited to the number of disk the limit is 19 lines. A larger key. Sorry for any confusion . GRG statements that will fit on the screen . subroutine could be handled in two or If you are using a Commodore 64 Fixes three parts. 0 and tape use the following procedure. Why Didn't I Think of That? 1. Load the subroutine into the Page 16, first paragraph: 50 octal computer. converts to 40 decimal. 2. Position the tape just before a Page 20, bottom , line ft1!2ft: WHILE copy of the program you are writing . 1~1~ 3. Hold down shih and press ' 'CLR Page 21, top, line J'j1~;UNTIL HOME ". I ~1.¢ 4. Then type " LIST" and press Page 21 , third paragraph: A$ (6:2) " RETURN " . would be IS 0 COMPUTERS BRINGSYOU THESENEW ITEMS! 5114"FLOPPY DISCS, Boxes of 10, Guaranteed SPEECH SYNTHESIZER· by METAVOX™ for 5 yrs. 12MM Passes ... SS, SD S20.30/SS,OD Vic-20TM and COMMODORp M64 ... $168.00 S23.10/DS DD S27.30 BACK ISSUES· COMPUTE! Magazine· 5 Issue C-10 Blank Cassette Tapes, of 50, Case minimum, S2.50 per issue, specify month screw-pac Commercial Grade ... S25.00 A/V Interface for COMMODORE™ 64 .. , $19,95 The TAPEWORM™ the Amazing Cassette Recorder interface for all COMMODORE™ VISA MASTERCHARGE, No COD's Products ... S24.95 Prices exclude delivery cost (allow 30 days delivery) COMPUTER FURNITURE,All styles and sizes Dealer Inquiries Invited Ask for our catalog 1125 N.E. 82nd SwCOMPUTERS Portland, OR 97220, (503) 257-9464 Commander March/April 1983/43 New Products Commodore Introduces monitor, but it has to be aHordable." The accessory uses 4V2 inch roll " From a purely business standpoint, paper and prints in four colors- or $300 Color Monitor we 've diversified into color monitors combinations of colors-to achieve (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PAl because a color monitor is a key com multi-colored graphs, charts and other Commodore Business Machines, Inc. ponent in any color computer system, types of illustrations which are enhanc (NYSECBBU) has introduced a low and in 1983 most computer retailers ed by the use of color. High resolution priced color monitor especially design will begin to sell computers like stereo illustrations are achieved by the ed for its line of home, school and component systems. We want our printer/plotter's ability to "step" 480 business computers. retailers and their customers to be able dots horizontally and up to 999 steps The announcement was made by to buy their full system from vertically. Robert H. Lane, Commodore's presi Commodore. " Four separate ball point ink pens dent in charge of North American Commodore expects first delivery of provide a clean, high quality color im operations. the new monitor by March 1, 1983. age and the 5 inch wide carriage ac Commodore Business Machines, commodates standard roll paper. Lane said the new 13-inch Inc is the world 's leading manufac " The printer/plotter complements monitor-designated the " CBM turer of color computers. The com and rounds out our existing line of low 1701 " -reta ils for $29995 and was pany developed the first self-contained priced computer printers," Lane said. especially designed for use with the desktop computer (the PET) in 1977, "A healthy segment of our market COMMODORE 64 and VIC-20 per the first color computer priced under wants color printing and plotting sonal computers. The monitor accepts $300 (the VIC-20) in 1980, and the first capabilities, and this new printer/piot a standard 75 ohm composite video 64K color computer priced under ter meets that need." signal or a "Commodore" video signal $600 (the COMMODORE 64) in 1982. The device is easily programmed with separate provisions for luminance As a vertically-integrated computer from BASIC and requires no special and chrominance signal input as well manufacturer, Commodore designs modification to use. Business or as audio input. and produces its own semiconductor educational statistics can be The monitor was developed in con devices-including the 6502 generated on a Commodore com junction with a major television microprocessor, developed by Com puter such as the VIC-20 or COM manufacturer, he said, and includes modore 's MOS Technology MODORE 64 and displayed graphical special circuitry which greatly subsidiary.O ly, in color. enhances the picture resolution. Com The printer/plotter is designated the modore has applied for a patent on the Color Printer/Plotter CBM 1520 Printer/Plotter. First units design. are scheduled for deli very during "From a marketing viewpoint, we're from Commodore January 1983. 0 in the business of responding to our (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PAl customers' needs," he said . " For a Commodore Business Machines, Inc .. Commodore Adds long time, our customers have been (NYSE:CBU) today unveiled a new Computer Desk to Its complaining about the high price and printer/plotter priced at $199.95 retail. low quality of color monitors. Many The announcement was made Jan Product Line computerists have to keep connecting uary 7 at the Consumer Electronics (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PAl Com and disconnecting their computer Show in Las Vegas by Robert H. Lane, modore Business Machines, Inc. to from their family TV set every time they Commodore's president of North day announced the addition of a low use it. Those people need a dedicated American operations. priced computer desk to its line of 44/ Commander M arch/April 1983 Computer products marketed through • Compatible with WORDPRO 3 + problem. authorized Commodore dealers. word processing program. 'No expensive RS-232C cable Designed specifically for computers • Eliminates hand shaking problem necessary. and their peripherals, the desk has a of RS-232C cartridge. • Lower cost than RS-232C type ventilated compartment for a disk • Mode switch to correct ASCII hook-up. drive, a handy shelf for storing disks problem. 'Allows use of multiple printers. and other accessories; as well as • No expensive RS-232C cable 'No external power required. special slots to conceal equipment necessary. The CX6405 comes standard with a cables. The sturdy, steel-framed desk • Lower cost than RS-232C type 3 ft serial bus cable and connector for stands at a comfortable height for typ hook-up. director connection to the Commodore ing on a computer keyboard. • Allows use of lower cost parallel 64 or VIC-20. The desk top (26" x 48" x 1 Va" type printers. Suggested Retail Price: $79.95 thick) , is made of durable easy-care 'No external power required. For more information contact: Arborite and is T-molded with round 'Allows use of multiple printers. ECX Computer Company, 2678 ed corners. The steel legs have ad 'Unused user port lines available for North Main St. , Walnut Creek, Ca. justable leveling glides. external usage. 94526. (415) 944-9277.0 The suggested retail price for the The CX-6401 B comes standard with Commodore Computer desk is a 3 It serial bus cable and connector Verbatim Offers $279.00. for direct connection to the Com Free Exercise Guide Commodore Business Machines, modore 64 or VIC-20 and a 1 It parallel for Workers in Inc., is a wholly owned subsidary of cable for connection to the printer Commodore International , Ltd. Suggested Retail Price: $89.95 Automated Offices (NYSE :CBU), a fully-integrated For more information contact: A new exercise guide, dubbed manufacturer of advanced microcom ECX Computer Company, 2678 " Tone Up at the Terminals, " has been puter systems, consumer electronics North Main St., Walnut Creek, Ca. developed by VERBATIM CORPORA products, semiconductors and office 94526. (415) 944-9277.0 TION to help operators of automated equipment. Commodore's Computer office equipment alleviate Job stress Systems Division markets the Com CX640S and muscular strain . modore MAX Machine™, VIC 20™, Commodore 64/VIC-20 Endorsed by the California Gover R Commodore 64™, PET , CBM™ and Epson MX Series Printer nor's Council on Wellness and SuperPET™ systems and software to Physical Fitness, the 12-page booklet major accounts and stores. 0 Interface is being published in response to the ECX COMPUTER COMPANY an findings of a recent nationwide survey CX6401B nounces its new Model CX6405 EP by Verbatim , which polled office Commodore 64/VIC-20 SON printer interface board. The workers attitudes to new technology in CX6405 allows the new Commodore the workplace. The study by the Parallel Printer Interface 64 and VIC-20 computers to connect Sunnyvale-based manufacturer of ECX COMPUTER COMPANY an directly to any model of the EPSON magnetic data storage media showed nounces its new Model CX-6401 B MX series of printers, including the that over 68 percent of respondents printer interface for the Commodore new high speed FX-80 FIT. The had health concerns about the extend 54 and VIC-20 computers. The CX6405 installs internally within the ed use of word and date proceSSing CX6401 B interface allows these com EPSON MX series printers. This new machines. Specifically, 63 percent said puters to use ANY type of standard interface is fully compatible with the they experienced eyestrain and 36 commercially available parallel inter popular WORDPRO 3 + wordprocess percent cited backstrain. In addition, face type printer. This new interface is ing program. nearly eight in 10 wanted regular rest fully compatible with the popular The CX6405 interface connects to breaks and better lighting. WORDPRO 3 + word processing pro the SERIAL PORT/BUS on the com According to Malcolm B. Northrup, gram. In addition CX6401 B also has puter, NOT the user port, allowing the president and chief executive officer of all of the features of the original user port to remain open for use by a Verbatim, "there is little evidence to CX6401 model. MODEM or other RS-232C peripheral suggest that machines themselves are The CX6401 B interface connects to device. the culprits. Rather, elements in the the SERIAL PORT/BUS on the com Some of the key features of the working environment, work pressures puter, NOT the user port, allowing the CX6405 are: and the amount of time spent at the user port to remain open for use by a 'Compatible with WORDPRO 3 + machines have some bearing on the MODEM or other RS-232C peripheral wordprocessing program. physiological strain felt by many office device. 'Eliminates hand shaking problem workers." Some of the key features of the of RS-232C cartridge. Northrup believes that regular exer CX-6401 Bare : ' Mode SWitch to correct ASCII cise breaks will do much to help com Commander March/April 1983/45 puter and word processing operators Itoh family , includes 120 cps bidirec distributor of microcomputer overcome the symptoms of tional printing, logic seeking and pro peripherals in the US. technological stress while increasing portional spacing combined with ex The PROWRITER is a new dot concentration and performance levels. cellent resolution . Graphics capability matrix printer offering correspondence His company commissioned Los is built-in and includes shape and high quality copy at 120 CPS . Angeles-based exercise physiologist resolution features. The PROWRITER Denise Katnich to design and has 1K buffer in parallel and 2K buf demonstrate the 20 exercises featured fer in serial, incremental printing abili in Tone Up at the Terminals. They can ty, 7x9 dot matrix, and offers cor be done at an automated work station respondence quality print in eight in a matter of minutes and require no character sizes. The PROWRITER of special skills or athletic abilities. fers built-in tractor feed and friction "Studies have show that exercise feed that will accept single-sheet feed improves the ability to relax, " notes Its paper cut-off is less than one Inch Katnich . "During a hectic day muscles from the print line. Vertical and The PROWRITER 2 is the same as store up tension which can lead to horizontal tabbing is automatic and the PROWRITER but has a fifteen inch back pain, stiffneck or headaches In due to the use of a stepper motor, the carriage Both are available with creased circulation through exercise PROWRITER is very quiet. parallel or parallel and serial interfaces. can reduce or eliminate nervous Manual functions include Select, The ST ARWRITER is a 40 CPS let fatigue as well as improve memory Line Feed , Top of Form and Power ter quality daisy wheel printer. It and cognition." On, combined with Paper Empty, and features a low profile design only six Katnich begins the Tone Up at the Cover Open Switches PROWRITER is inches high Terminals routine with four warm ups available in either parallel or serial The PRI NTMASTER does that include "wobbling" the neck, (RS-232-C) interface The serial version everything that the STARWRITER will reaching with the arms, deep actually includes both the parallel and do except it does it at 55 CPS and is breathing, and tensing the muscles. serial interfaces. The PROWRITER also only six inches high. Then she instructs how to stretch and also includes X-On/X-Off, Ready/Busy, Both the STARWRITER and the relax every part of the body, beginning ETX/ACK, and Current Loop pro PRINTMI-iSTER are available in stan with the neck and continuing tocols Suggested retail for the parallel dard parallel or serial RS232-C inter through the shoulders, arms, pectoral model is $595 and $745 for the serial faces with extensive built-in word pro muscles, the quadriceps, back, trunk version cessing functions that allow easy and knees Even the fingers and wrists The PROWRITER is also available in adaptability for all data and word pro get attention Appropriately, the last wide carriage. The PROWRITER 2 is cessing applications exercise is a self hug, which Katnich the same as the PROWRITER, but of Leading Edge has ten warehouses says, "relieves tension from shoulders fers a 15" carriage and up to 231 col strategically located across the US. and upper back." umns in compressed print. Suggested and has over 250 employees The exercise booklet has been retail for both models of PROWRITER For further information contact reviewed and approved by the Califor 2 is $995. Both serial and parallel Leading Edge Products at nia Governor's Council on Well ness PROWRITERS come with a one year 1-800-343-6833 or write to 225 TURN and Physical Fitness. " The impact of limited warranty on parts and labor, PIKE STREET, CANTON , MA 02021 . new technology on the health of office and are supported by Nationwide In Massachusetts, call collect (617) workers is a major concern of the Authorized Leading Edge Service 828-8150. 0 council and Verbatim is to be com· Centers. mended for addressing some of the For more information, contact problems associated with the changes Leading Edge Products, 225 Turnpike Ram Expansion in today's office environment," says Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021. Cartridges executive director Theodora Wilner. Toll-free 1-800-6833-in Massachu Free copies are available on request setts , call collect (617) 828-8150.0 from Verbatim Corporation, Attention Tone Up at the Terminals, 323 Soquel Way , Sunnyvale, CA 94086. One Stop Shopping for Printers Prowriter Finally, one family of printers that The PROWRITER is a new dot covers every business, data or word matrix printer offering professional processing application. All from C. Itoh CENTURY MICRO announces the quality printing. The PROWRITER , and distributed exclusively by Leading release of their 8K and 16K ram ex which is the newest member of the C Edge Products, the fastest growing pansion cartridges for the VIC-20 46/C ommander March/April 1983 home computer. These cartridges are addition, all numeric functions and Commodore Introduces enclosed in quality plastic cases and variables contained in BASIC can be use CMOS static ram chips for low utilized ... and it's easy to make prin First Speech power consumption. touts of calculations as well as BASIC Technology Product The ram expansion cartridges are programs. available at these prices: 8K retails for The compact computer uses the (7 Jan. 83-Dallas, TX) Commodore $47.70 and and 16K for $69.90. world standard QWERTY style key has announced a sophisticated new CENTURY MICRO, 7881 La Riviera board, with a separate calculator voice synthesizer for the Commodore Drive, Suite 131, Sacramento, CA keypad. One-stroke BASIC functions 64 home computer. This is the first 95826. (916) 386-0711. Quantity dis make the HHC-4 especially easy to voice I/O product to be developed at counts available for clubs. program. the company's Speech Technology Information may be viewed on a Division in Dallas, Texas. built-in 24 character liquid crystal The low-cost speech add-on is Commodore Introduces display, or-with the addition of a TV capable of generating a wide variety HHC-4 Handheld interface-on a standard television or of voices-including female and monitor. children's voices-for games and Computer A combination mini-printer and learning cartridges, and will be usable (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PAl peripheral interface provides fast (24 from the Commodore BASIC pro Commodore Business Machines, Inc. characters-per-second), silent printing, gramming language. has announced the introduction of a with an option to connect larger dot The voice peripheral has three handheld computer/calculator which matrix printers. modes of operation: two of which are can be used as a portable computer An RS-232 Interface connects the immediately available with the basic and full-function calculator, or con HHC-4 to other Commodore personal module, and a third with the purchase nected to a TV for full screen computers, to provide a portable ex of optional cartridges. computing. tension of more powerful information The Commodore voice module can The new handheld computer processing and retrieval systems. be used as soon as it is inserted into called the "COMMODORE HHC-4" The computer is powered by 3 AA the cartridge port of the Commodore was unveiled at the Consumer Elec batteries with a rated life of 300 hours 64. When the Commodore 64 is tronics Show January 6-9 in Las of operationn powered up with the voice module, the Vegas. Robert H. Lane, Commodore's president for North American opera tions, said the handheld computer will expand Commodore's product line to COMMODORE 64 SOFTWARE encompass an area where "significant future growth is anticipated." Let the ELECTRIC COMPANY "With the home computer revolution turn your 64 into a home arcade! well underway, the time is right for a COLOR • GRAPHICS • SOUND consumer-oriented handheld com ON CASSETTE puter which combines the power of a programmable calculator with the ver ARCADE PAl< · $24.95 EDUCATIONPAK$24.95 satility of a true computer." 3 Programs 3 Programs The Commodore HHC-4 forms the Head On Geography Match nucleus of a portable computer system Alien Invasion Math - Adventure which is easy-to-use and compact Target Command King enough to carry in a briefcase. Memory starts at 4,000 characters ADVENTURE PAl<· $14.95 GAME PAl< $14.95 of memory (4K RAM) and is easily ex 2 Programs 2 Programs panded to 16,000 characters (16K Adventure Dragon Chase RAM) with the addition of a plug-in Caves of Silver Deflect memory expansion cartridge. The Joystick and Keyboard uersions included computer contains a powerful 20K ROM operating system which sup Write For Free Catalog ports the built-in BASIC computing language as well as special calculator THE ELECTRIC COMPANY functions. The HHC-4 can be operated as a calculator with the flick of a switch . In Commander March/April 1983/47 user may create speech through sim This delightful and unique concept or stereo system ... but priced as low ple BASIC commands, such as: in teaching young people to program as a video game cartridge! Say "A", " B", "C", or combines a space adventure story Commodore has introduced a low 10 SAY "ENTER YOUR NAME" with lessons in BASIC programming. priced three-pad electronic drum set 20 INPUT B$ Gortek comes in two versions, for the called DIGI-DRUM(tm)wh ich attaches 30 SAY "THANK YOU " Commodore VIC-20 and COMMO to the COMMODORE 64 and VIC-20 This short program instructs the DORE 64 color computers. personal computers. computer to speak the name typed in The first lesson is designed for The new peripheral plugs into the from the keyboard. children under age 14, and consists of computer's expansion port and comes Besides the capabilities added to 2 cassette tapes containing 12 educa complete with special software which the BASIC language, the module tional programs and a colorful glossy lets the user simulate a snare drum, features a built-in learning activity call instruction book which reads like a bass drum and " high hat" cymbal, ed "A Bee C'S"TM, an instructional comic book while teaching the fun with startling realism . program that uses speech to teach the damentals of BASIC. The book in The combination of computer and alphabet to pre-schoolers. cludes imaginative full color illustra DIGI-DRUM(tm) visually displays 3 The most exciting feature of the tions, large easy-to-read type, and is animated drums on a television voice module, however, is its capability written so it may be read by older screen, which " perform" with each to integrate voice into games and lear children . or used by younger drumstroke. The three drums can be ning cartridges. Commodore is now children with parental assistance. The combined in an infinite variety to pro developing cartridges that will offer the unique combination of computer les duce high quality rhythm effects widest variety of exciting games and sons and storybook format makes suitable for entertainment, learning or instructional material for home use. Gortek a fun experience for adults as sound effects. The voice synthesizer's ability to ac well as children. DIG I-DRUMmers can use their cept different vocabularies and dif As the story goes, the planet Syntax VIC-20 or COMMODORE 64 com ferent "characters'" voices means is being invaded by the fearsome puter to create and save drum routines Commodore computer owners will be Zitr.ons. Gortek is working furiously to and play them back through their able to choose the type of voice (male, teach the microchips to program the stereo system or television speaker. female, child's, cartoon character, etc.) computer to repel attack. The First delivery of DIGI-DRUM(lm) is used with various programs. "Microchips Training Manual" teaches scheduled for Spring/Summer 1983. This fleXibility is achieved through a the child how to help stop the Zitrons special technique which allows speech (by learning how to program the to be generated while the computer's computerl). New VIC-20 Software microprocessor is performing other Those who complete the lessons Looks Like functions such as graphics/cartoon and successfully repel the Zitrons earn Clnimation. the right to wear the Gortek badge "Paperback Books" For example, the technique allows which comes in the package. (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PA) the computer to put an animated face This innovative approach to com Commodore Business Machines, Inc. on the screen simultaneously while puter education was developed by (NYSE :CBU) has introduced a series speech is being generated. three British school teachers who of software products for the best Pricing for the speech synthesizer wanted to make programming fun to selling VIC-20 computer which has not been announced but the pro learn. The result is a pioneering resembles paperback books in theme, duct is expected to retail for under achievement in the field of computer packaging and content. $100, with delivery scheduled for education. The products were introduced at the Spring 1983.0 Commodore introduced the new Consumer Electronics Show January "Gortek" product line at the Consu 7 in Las Vegas. Gortek & Microchips mer Electronics Show in Las Vegas The first five titles in this series in Teach Children How January 7. Gortek is scheduled to be clude: " Know Your Personality, " to Program gin delivery to stores by February 1.0 "Know Your I.Q.", " Know Your Child's I.Q.", " Robert Carrier's Menu Plan (7 Jan. 83-Valley Forge, PA) ner" and "Quizmaster." All programs Commodore Business Machines, Inc. Commodore DIGI-DRUM"" include a booklet and computer tape (NYSE :CBU) today unveiled for the Commodore 64 cassette(s) and were developed for "GORTEK" -a new robot-like Commodore by recognized experts in character who will be helping children & VIC-20 Computers their field ." learn to program in a unique series of (7 Jan. -Las Vegas)- Imagine an "We all want to know more about books and cassette tapes, the first of electronic drumset controlled by com ourselves, " said Michael S. Tomczyk, which is entitled: GORTEK AND THE puter, with volume control and sound Commodore's product marketing MICROCHIPS™ generated through a TV set, monitor manager. "Many people don't know 48/Commander March/April 1983 their 1.0. or their child 's 1.0. but they'd computer, so these new programs are sumer Electronics Show which begins like to find out without having to track accompanied by easy-to-read instruc today in Las Vegas, Nevada, an down a university testing center or pay tion guides aimed at the beginning nounced the following plans by a large fee for a test. A computer is a computerist. " Commodore. wonderful interactive way to take an He added that several hundred According to Mr. GOUld, " Com 1.0. test ... or any other test, for that thousand VIC-owners who originally modore will introduce several new matter. " bought their VIC-20's to learn com microcomputer systems, a number of But giving tests is fun and helpful, puting or for entertainment, have since new microcomputer peripheral too, so we developed a neat program become what Tomczyk calls "a new devices, and several new software called "Ouizmaster" which lets you breed of hobbyist. " packages. " design your own test. This one is not " A few years ago, " he said, "com Mr. Gould went on to note that only useful for giving tests in a puter hobbyists were electrical "among the microcomputer systems classroom, but it's great at parties and engineers who learned how to pro to be introduced are three portable for trivia contests." gram in machine code. Most of them systems, each of which has 64K bytes, Bookstore 'Fair Game' were called 'nerds'. Today's hobbyists or 64,000 characters, of built-in user for Computers are more like the people who bought RAM , or random access memory. In " Any topic you can find in a chemistry sets in the 1950's . . . now addition, all three systems have built bookstore is fair game to be converted I doubt whether anyone who owned in 5-inch television display monitors, into a computer program. In 1983, a chemistry set in 1950 ever thought two of which are in color, as well as software will look more like paperback he could use it to develop a cure for one or two built-in floppy disk drives books. It will feature topics that playoff cancer but I'll bet there are quite a few which provide, respectively, 170K of fads, novelties, educational in people working on cancer cures right bytes or 340K bytes of additional mass terests, self-improvement needs and now who used to own chemistry sets. " storage capacity. All three microcom all the other themes that make paper " Maybe a teenager who's just lear puter systems will have compatibility back books popular." ning how to type, or a colorful senior with the COMMODORE 64 personal "We're already selling 'computer citizen writing her memoirs, will take computer as to software and novels,'" Tomczyk said. For example, the VICWRITER and write a great peripherals. we at Commodore have seen a book, a book that might not be writ "The price of these machines," add tremendous interest in our half-dozen ten if it had to be written in longhand ed Mr. Gould, "like all Commodore Scott Adams Adventure Games or if the 500-page manuscript hi3d to microcomputers, will be substantially interactive novels which lead the be retyped or rewritten a dozen times. below any comparable product now . reader through a computer controlled Computers make those kinds of ac on the market. Each system, depen adventure where all decisions are tivities easy, by speeding up the pro ding upon its configuration, is ex made by the reader. Computer cess of creation and discovery. That's pected to retail from $995 for a system owners are looking to their computers the kind of end result we're striving for with a built-in 5-inch monochrome for more products like this that 'go in our new software ... creation and display monitor and single disk drive beyond' the one dimensional pages of discovery.' , to $1,495 for a system with a built-in a book. The popularity of our Scott The Commodore VIC-20 personal 5-inoh color display monitor and dual Adams adventure games is only one computer is the best-selling computer disk drives. Initial shipments are ex symptom of this trend . . in the United States. The computer, pected to commence in approximate Word Processing, Data Base which now retails for under $200, was ly 90-120 days." & Spreadsheet for the VIC originally introduced in 1981 as the Mr. Gould also noted that " as a Commodore's new software for the first color computer priced under result of the extraordinary demand for VIC-20 also includes "serious" soft $300. The VIC-20 has become known the $595 COMMODORE 64 personal ware which can be used with expand as the most "user friendly" computer computer, the company is expanding ed memory to file and store large for first-time computer owners, and is its channels of distribution for this amounts of information on disk or tape: also the least expensive computer revolutionary personal computer to in - SIMPLICALC , an electronic system to expand in terms of memory clude several of the largest mass mer spreadsheet. and peripherals. 0 chandisers in the world , and is - VICFILE , a data base manage simultaneously beginning initial ment program. Three New Low shipments of its new P500 series -VICWRITER, a high-quality word microcomputer, to be named the processor. Cost Systems COMMODORE 128, to its regular "Because the VIC is an introductory (6 Jan. 83-New York, NY)-Mr . computer dealer network. The COM computer for many people, we wanted Irving GOUld, Chairman of the Board MODORE 128 which has 128K bytes, to make sure that our 'serious' pro of Commodore International Limited, or 128,000 characters of built-in user grams maintain the 'friendliness' that in conjunction with Commodore's memory, will have a suggested retail has become the trademark of that planned announcements at The Con- selling price of $795." 0 Commander March/April 1983/49 News Releases First Full Year nationwide. developer of the 6502 microprocessor Warranty Offered by Founded in 1980 as a distributor wh ich is used in many other com and marketer of state-of-the-art com puters besides Commodore. 0 Leading Edge Products puter peripherals, Leading Edge cur For the first time in the history of the rently employs more than 250 people. Leading Edge microcomputer industry, a full year Leading Edge markets and distri Elephants never forget-neither do warranty on computer printers is be butes its proprietary product, Elephant Elephant Memory Systems® disket ing offered to end users. Making the Memory Systems@ , as well as a full tes , exclusi vely marketed by Leading offer on all C. Itoh printers is Leading line of microcomputer peripheral Edge Products, Inc. These heavy du Edge Products of Canton, Massachu products. ty , reinforced hub ring disks are cer setts, who are the exclusive U.S. For further information on the war tified 100% error free, and are design marketers and distributors of the C. ranty and other products offered by ed to handle over twel ve mil lion Itoh line of printers. Leading Edge, call 1-800-343-6833, or passes on a single track. Tested to This is the only full year warranty of in Massachusetts , call collect meet or beat ANSI and industry stan fered in the U.S. on printers and it (617) 828-8150 or write to Leading dards, EMS diskettes are offered in covers the entire C Itoh line, including Edge Products, 225 Turnpike Street, thirty-two formats to ensure com the Starwriter, Prowriter, Prowriter 2 Canton, MA 02021 .0 patibility with all the leading makes of and Printmaster. The warranty can be computers. Retailers are provided a applied to all parts and service re The Market compact counter display and an quired resulting from defects in Commodore expects that many Elephant Trunk™ diskette storage is manufacturing. students and others now USing por available for end users. Priced for Because the industry standard for table calculators will begin using hand volume sales, EMS diskettes are the printer warranties is 90 days, the ex held computers at an increasing rate . fastest growing brand in the country tended warranty is regarded as an ap Owners of larger computer systems and include the Leading Edge propriate reflection of the quality and like the Commodore 64 will also want problem-free warranty. 0 reliabi lity of the C. Itoh machines ac to acquire a handheld computer as a cording to Leading Edge@ . portable extension of their larger com " This revolutionary, one year war puter system . ranty represents a real savings to end When asked about the market for users," said Bill Sellers, Vice President handheld computers, Commodore of Market Research at Leading Edge marketing personnel responded by Products. " This is one item that will not asking the rhetorical question " Why have to be covered by service buy a programmable calculator when agreements that typically costs $90 or you can buy a handheld computer for more per year." about the same price?" " More than that , however," Sellers Commodore Business machines, continued, " It is our statement to the Inc. (NYSE :CBU) is a vertically consumer about the reliability of this integrated manufacturer of computer product. It says that we know the C products and accessories, semicon Itoh line of printers is the highest quali ductor devices, office furniture and ty product available in the market watch components. The company was today." founded in 1958. Commodore in C Itoh printers are widely used in troduced the first self-contained home, education and small business desktop computer (the PET) in 1977. settings as well as in industrial fields. Commodore's MOS Technology sub They are currently available in more sidiary designs and manufactures than 8,000 computer retail outlets semiconductor devices, and is the 50/C ommander Marchi April 1983 Starwriter F-10 and Commodore Printmaster F-10 Board The ST ARWRITER F-10 and the Upgrade QUICK BROWN FOX $60.95 PRINTMASTER F-10 are the answer The # 1 word proce ssor! GENERAL LEDGER $19.95 for every letter quality printing need. A single board upgrade that will (VIC-20) The Starwriter F-10 is the 40 cps convert the Commodore CBM 8032 CHECK MINDER microcomputer into a SuperPET is VIC-20 $19.95 C-64 $24.95 model which includes such features HOME INVENTORY $19.95 as: low profile design (6" high) to fit now available from Commodore (VIC-20) CENTIPOD $27.95 easily into your system, industry Business Machines, Inc. Like Centlped, only better! standard ribbon cartridges and print FROGEE $27_95 With the SuperPET board, the The exciting arcade game of Frogger . wheels, standard centronics 8 bit MOTOR MOUSE $29.95 parallel or RS-232-C interfaces (in upgraded machine will feature a What a cheese'ee game! RS232 interface, 64K additional CRIBBAGE cluding ETX/ACK, X-On/X-Off pro VI C-20 $14.95 C-64 $17.35 tocols) and built-in IEEE 488 interface RAM in 8K RAM chips , standard Th iS is the game 01 Cr ibbage 6502 microprocessor as well as a STAR TREK at no extra charge, extensive built-in VIC-20 $12.95 C-64 $17.95 word processing functions that allow pseudo 16 bit 6809 based proces Exce llen1 adventure game ! sor. Six languages are also MASTER MIND easy adaptability, optional 2K buffer, VI C-20 $12.95 C -64 $19.95 provided. Makes you think . ROACH MOTEL $9.95 The sells for $795 Kill the bugs! upgrade board YAHTZEE 1.1 $12.95 and is a vailable at authorized YAHTZEE 2.1 $14.95 Commod ore dealers. For infor TO ORDER · mation contact Busi P O. BO X 18765 Commodore WI C HITA . KS 6721 8 ness Machines, Inc., Computer (3 16) 263- 1095 Personal c hecks accepted Systems Division, The Meadows , (Allow 3 weekS) or 487 Devon Dr., PA C O. D. (Add $2.00) Park Wayne, Handling charges $2.00 19807. VI C-2 0· is a registered trademark of Commodore low noise operation, and standard fric ** ••••••••••• tion feed with optional bidirectional tractor feed available. The Printmaster POWERBYTE SOFTWARETM F-10 is the 44 cps model that includes Presents all the same features as the Starwriter APPLICATION SOFTWARE F-10, plus: faster print speed and car Business and Home riage return time, acceptance of data for the transmission up to 9600 baud, capability to use a dual color ribbon, - Commodore 64 and original plus four copies. -Vic 20 and TRS 80 CC Both the Starwriter F-10 and the 65 Applications Available including: Printmaster F-1 0 are covered by a one THE EDITOR - Advanced Word Processor $34.95 year parts and labor warranty and are with Powerful Editing Features (64 & SK Vic 20) THE ACCOUNTANT· General ~dger,Inc o me $29.95 supported by Nationwide Authorized Statement & Balance Sheet ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/PAY ABLE - Create $21. 95 Leading Edge Service Centers. Journal for Current Accounts & Record o f Paid Accts. For more information, contact BUSINESS INVENTORY $19.95 AT HOME INVENTORY $12.95 ORDER TRACKER $19.95 CHECKBOOK BOOKY $12.95 Leading Edge Products, 225 Turnpike MY PROFIT MARGIN $16.95 THE STOCK TICKER $16.95 Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021. BILLING SOLVER $19.95 TAPE CASH FLOW MODEL $16.95 UTILITY BILL SAVER $12.95 Toll-free 1-800-6833-in Massachu THE CLIENT TICKLER $19.95 THE BAR CHART $S.95 INCOME & EXPENSER $15.95 MOTHER'S RECIPES $12.95 setts, call collect (61 7) 828-8150.D BUSINESS $16.95 THE MAILMAN $12.95 APPOINTMENTS GRADE MY KIDS $15.95 AND MANY, MANY MORE!! i FOR CASSETTE OR DISC ($10.00 Extra - 64 & Vic 20) -FREE CATALOG WITH INTRODUCTORY SPECIALS POWERBYTE SOFTWARE I 2 CHIPLEY RUN • WEST BERLIN, NJ 08091 ~~****** 16091 346-3063 Commander March/April 1983/51 The Skyles Source Connection by Neil Omvedt Roseville, MN In order to telecommunicate, one gram is shown. The menu options in the other is through a series of menus. needs a modem arid software for clude sending from disk to modem, in The menus are the easiest to use since uploading and downloading data. put from modem to disk, input from there is a long series of commands to One course of modems and software modem to printer, communicate in learn. for the Commodore CBM and PET teractively (the terminal option), list disk Charges for the Source are based series is Skyles Electric Works. Skyles directory, view a disk file, print a disk on connect time to the system. Regular sells the Cat and O-Cat modems with file, and a help command that explains time costs $18.00 an hour with even interfacing for CMB/PET computers. the other options. The most common ings, weekends and holidays billed at The Cat modem is an acoustic modem choice would be to communicate in $5.75 an hour (and an even cheaper (you place the phone in the modem) teractively in which case the program rate for midnight to 7 am). Also billed while the O-Cat which costs $25 more operates the PET like a terminal. is the cost of maintaining files on the is a direct connect modem. The list Another useful option is to send input Source. Certain Source services such cost of the O-Cat with the communica to a disk file in case you wish to print as the Media General stock analysis tions program and a membership in it (which can then be done offline us program are billed at higher rates. the Source (normally $100) is $350. ing the print disk file command). These are referred to as Source Plus The modems interface to the PET There is documentation provided for services. There is $1.00 minimum file user port rather than to the IEEE port the system, but it is rather skimpy. The charge and a $10.00 minimum total and are provided programs on first page explains how to hook the charge each month. 0 cassette to provide communications system up to the computer and the II II potential. phone. The documentation then con 1I111.tOil]PUSENSEI: 1·1 The programs loaded onto my com tinues on to explain how to use the puter with some difficulty. Since I was software and the modem. There is also CARDBOARD 6 experiencing difficulty loading the pro a listing of the modem program, but $87.95 grams I called the Skyles Electric not the initial setup program. An expansion interface for the VIC-20. Allows expansion to 40 K or accepts up works over the weekend and re As I stated the whole package in to six games. May be daisy chained for quested copies of the programs and cludes the Source an information util more versatility. was told they would be sent on disk. ity. Charges for the Source are nor CARDBOARD 3 This was never done but I finally did mally $100 to connect and a minimum $39.95 manage to load the programs to my of $10 a month. The Source is an in Economy expansion interface for diskettes the following week. To run formation utility which provides elec the VIC-20 the programs is a little bit tedious. First tronic mail, text editing, information on CARD "?" CARD/PRINT there is apparently a machine the stock market, government, news, $79.95 Universal Centronics Parallel Printer language program to load and run. sports, travel arrangements, games, Interface for the VIC-20 or CBM-64. Then you have to make a poke to and telecomputing in various lan Use an Epson MX-80 or OKIDATA or memory and type a new command. guages. At the time I first signed on to TANDY or just about any other. Then the second program must be the Source the service was very spor CARDETTE loaded and run. adic and there were a lot of problems. $39.95 Use any standard cassette player Ire is Also, the Commodore computer The second program the control corder with your VIC-20 or CBM-64 program. It first comes up with a series doesn't have a control key so it was LIGHT PEN of prompts to set the baud rate sometimes hard to break out of various $29.95 (300,1200,600 or 110), select half or services. Since then the Source has A light pen with six good programs to full duplex mode, select PET/ASCII switched to its own computers and use with your VIC-20 or CBM-64 character conversion, disable PET things have improved somewhat since Prices subject to change. graphics, and trap the clear screen most functions require a stop key to TO ORDER POBOX 18765 WICHITA, KS 67218 character. Once all the options have break out of. (316) 263-1095 been set (there are defaults to the most The Source has two methods of use. Personal Checks Accepted (Allow 3 Weeks) or C 0.0 (Add $2) Handling Charges 52 00 common option), the menu for the pro- One is through direct commands while 52/Commander March/April 1983 UMISoftware is Making --Home"WorkFun Wordcraf~20 Vi~ermB BUTI UMI gives you sophisticated word A sophisticated communications pro Improve your BASIC program with processing software complete in gram that links you and your VIC" to UMl's BUTI treatment. Adding 17 new one package! Wordcraft 20©, with the world of information, VlTERM B is commands to the BASIC language in a tutorial tape, contains 8K RAM. a compatible with virtually any modem. your computer, BUTI formats the VIC" unique automatic mail list feature, Your access to information banks and to imitate 8K, 3K. or minimum mem and everything else you'll need to seNices over the telephone system is ory configuratiOns. BASIC program create piaure-perfect documents. astonishing. At your fingertips, you'll errors will stop program execution, This fully featured system lets you have UPI news and features, informa list and mark the line of BASIC where change a character, a word, C1nentire tion encyclopedias, discount buying the error occurred. Other features are block of text; and sends encoded seNices, the stock market and educa single-step execution, renumbering, electronic mail. With 4-direction tional programs. And, VITERM B block search & replace, block line scrolling, you see it before you print; accesses CompuSeNe, THE SOURCE, delete. tape append, and BASIC and irs compatible with any printer. and other similar computer seNices. variable dump. With Wordcraft 20©, you'll never be You'll be able to send and receive Simple ... quick ... and on command. at a loss for words again. personal elearonic mail, set up per That's the BUTI treatment foryourVIC"'. sonal finance progtams, make travel reseNations - all at electronic speed. The world is yours at the touch of a key with UMI's VlTERM B. T VlCEPS ~ Connects Epson MXI 00 or MX80 to your V1C20 '" • Prints high-resolution graphics and character sets using Epson Graftrax • Does formatted BASIC program listings VI-CALC - 10 memorY registers and 4 stacked data. Registers al ways visible. Math function results visible at a single keystroke V1-DATA - Powerful data base program on cassette or disk. User defined screen format. Print screen format. Format print output • Alphanumeric sort VI-CHECK - Manages checkbook. Lists accounts. Makes de posits. Keeps balance current. Lists transactions. Catches duplicate entries. Features calculator mode FORTH 20 Structure of PASCAL or COMAL: • Speed of machine code - 10 times faster than BASIC. Inter active; both a compiler and an interpreter. Transportable - based on FORTH 79-Standard • A language you tailorto your application by adding new commands. Comes complete with an extensive instuction manual and examples. United Microware Industries, Inc. 3503-C Temple Avenue I Pomona, CA 91768(7141594-1351 VIC & \/Iezoare trademc1rks of CommOdore, Inc. Wordcrah 20 is copyrighted by P.L. Dowson. CompuSerue ISa regiStered (rademark of H R Block. THE SOURCE is a regl sfered traaem•. :u1 ( of Source TeJecompuung Corporallon. Product Revie"". can be used). C64-IEEE tion by renumbering the program after The interface plugs into the cartridge it is entered as they recommend. Transparent Interface expansion port of the C64. A cartridge Memory conservation can occur DUR Manufacturer: can then be plugged into the interface, ING the editing process as smaller line MSC, Inc. so there is no loss of expansion numbers take less space on the 40/80 11105 Shadytrail, Suite 104 capability. A standard PET-488 cable column editing screen. Dallas, TX 75299 (not supplied) then connects the inter Overall, the guide is pertinent, I have been using the interface be face to the buss. Once you get the useful , readable and usable. If you tween the C64 and a Commodore heavy 488 cable and expansion hook plan on doing more than minimal ed up, the C64 will need a good solid 2040 disk drive (REV 2A ROMS) for Basic/machine language programm surface to call home. This is not a con several months. I have found the unit ing, then the guide will be a necessity easy to use and reliable. figuration you can hold in your lap. and a good investment. 0 The interface almost lives up to its If you already have 488 drives or name when used with the C64 Basic. your application requires the faster disk speeds, then the MSD interface C64-Link: Review The logo, which it prtnts every time it should be given serious consideration. is activated, is not transparent and will Manufacturer: trash a menu or display. Once we For about $160 (interface and cost of Richvale Telecommunications cable purchased locally) the C64 was know this happens, it is very easy to 10610 Bayview Avenue work around. The interface traps all on the 488 Buss.D Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada Basic commands going to device The C64 Programmer's L4C 3N8 (416) 884-4165 number four and higher. It has also Price: $185 (Canadian) plus $10 worked very well with an EPSON Reference Guide P&H Optional connectors: MX-80 printer that is on the Buss. Commodore Business VL-3: Parallel Printer/User Port: At the machine language level the Machines, Inc. and $60 interface becomes so transparent it Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc. VL-4: RS232 Modem/User Port: $60 almost disappears. The manual did Price: $19.95 It is difficult to assess which feature not provide any call addresses for the Pages: 486 of this device may appeal most to the 488 primitives such as TALK and UN This book is much more than the Commodore-64 owner. Be assured TALK, nor were they at their expected name implies. In addition to program that even one benefit could make this places in the KERNAL JUMP TABLE. ming reference material, it contains a product a " must" for any serious user. This means high-level languages or large amount of technical data on the But, first of all, let's start at the machine language programs that do primary chips and has a large fold-out beginning-what is it? use the serial primitives will be incom schematic at the back of the book. Description patible with the interface Also, at the There are some pleasant surprises The C64-UNK is a hardware machine language level, there is a such as the color combination table on device about three inches square and large block of code in the $AOOOarea page 152 and the extensive definitions 3J4inch thick. It plugs directly into the which needs to be reserved if the in for the standard KERNAL JUMP expansion port, or cartridge port of the terface is going to be used. For me, TABLE. C64. The rear of the plug has a it would have been much nicer to have The subject index at the back of the PET/CBM edge connector, which has this at the top of the $COOO area. book is very useful for quick reference, been configured as an IEEE488 port. The machine language programmer and has been more than adequate in Inside the cartridge is a ROM with 4K can work around the above minor most cases (NMI is noticeably absent) . or machine language code (more on defects by generating custom jump On page 25 the book continues the its contents later). tables and relocating the code (most myth that using low line numbers will of the larger monitors have conserve memory. The line numbers Functions disassemblers and relocators for this are stored as double-byte unsigned in Depending on your particular equip purpose or a symbolic disassembler tegers, so there will be no conserva- ment configuration, you may find 54/Commander March/April 1983 some of these more noteworthy than or IEEE disk devices, to allow max section which refers to them. others: imum flexibility of operation. Activation Details on using the monitor, 1,. The ROM provides all fifteen of this device is done with the modem, and chain features are also Commodore Basic 4.0 standard disk/ " PARALLEL" command. It may be included. The addition of a table of file handling instructions, plus the disk altered with "IEEE" or "SERIAL" at memory usage is a very useful, and status variables (OS and DS$). These any time to reconfigure the ports, with often-neglected, benefit. Too few pro are implemented with full compatibili no loss of information. The user port grammers identify key locations, which ty to Commodore's existing scheme. connects the C64 to the printer. become important if other programs Therefore, it is quite likely that pro 4 For those with a standard RS232 get connected to the system and sud grams written in Basic for the modem, the VL-4 adapter is required denly don't work! 4016/4032/8032 which rely on disk (optional extra). The user port is again Inside the package is a cassette commands, will be compatible in their employed, and the "MODEM " com tape with two programs on it. Each has file handling. mand allows the C64 to act as terminal a purpose, and may well be required Please note that the additional Basic to a bulletin board system or another in certain cases: 4.0 commands do not mean that Com modem-equipped computer. Escape When you turn the C64 on, you will modore Basic 4.0 has been provided: and Break are supported by the notice that only 30719 bytes are garbage collection and the string modem software. available to Basic. What happened to variable storage remains the same as 5. Also within the ROM is a machine the missing 8K? It turns out that the 4K with Upgrade ROM. language monitor, which, allows of code actually consumes this 8K Any user with a disk drive will benefit display and modification of memory or block of memory. If you're not in tremendously from the added instruc registers, load and save of memory, danger of 'OUT OF MEMORY' with tions: you do a catalog or check disk execution of ML programs, and exit to your program, leave everything alone. status without losing the program in Basic. This is Jim Butterfield's The first little program will shift the memory. TINYMON FOR VIC, adapted for the ML code to a (possibly) vacant 4K of 2. The ROM and the edge connec C64 (no credit acknowledged). The memory starting at address $COOO tor combine to provide the IEEE488 "MONITOR" command calls this (49152 in decimal). You then get back port necessary to interconnect the C64 routine. Even a budding machine your missing 8K for those big pro to all PET/CBM parallel devices: language programmer will find this an gramsl You still have the disk com 2031/4040 8050/8250 and hard disk essential feature. mands at your disposal. drives plus Commodore IEEE printers 6. The ability to share a disk drive There are occasions where neither (2022/4022 et. al.). On power-up the and/or printer amongst eight or more of the two locations will be acceptable system defaults to this IEEE connec C64's is provided. All computers are for the program you are using. (The tor. Holding down the COMMODORE connected through IEEE to IEEE sprite demc with CLYDE and the key on power-up, shifts the default op cables, with one machine connected Christmas demo are two examples tion to the "SERIAL" devices (1541 to the shared drive/printer. This net I've found). The second ML program disk or 1525 printer) instead. working feature should prove very at on the tape covers this condition. The To me, this is the big plus for the tractive to educational users, and may program moves Basic into RAM and C64-LlNK. With two CBM systems justify the purchases for this purpose inserts IEEE routines in place of already, I couldn't justify the invest alone. Remarkably few restrictions SERIAL into Basic. You surrender the ment for a (painfully-slow) serial disk apply when this is in effect: only one Basic 4.0 disk commands and the ML drive. Dumping to tape to load into the person may catalog at a time, and monitor, but recover all the RAM nor C64, and then reSAVEing the modified each user must use unique secondary mally consumed by the C64-LlNK. version back in to the CBM system is addresses when multiple users are Since I do consider the IEEE access too horrible to consider. I'm not being reading or writing files simultaneously. essential, this is a valuable addition to elitist-just can't bear to see a fully Comments the package. paid-for disk drive sitting idly by while A typeset 46-page manual is includ The manual describes these pro a tape spins away ed in the package. It is very com grams as well, and also tells you how If you already have a CBM type prehensive and quite readable, giving to shut off the C64-LlNK entirely. This prir.ter and/or disk drive and at least detailed instructions and diagrams on is given as a direct statement (one line, a PET to IEEE cable to connect to the correctly connecting the system to the with seven instructions). I would back of the C64, you will use this too. C64. recommend that you type this in as a 3. The connection of a "Centronics A brief description and example is program and save it on disk. This will standard" parallel printer is done with given for each of the added disk com eliminate the certainty(?) of a typo the option,al VL-3 cable. Printers such mands. A cross-reference to four when you come to use it. Of course as the Ep'son MX80, C. Itoh Starwriter publications for thorough discussion of you would lose whatever is in memory or NEC become usable. In fact, com the commands is provided. The table this way. You judge for yourself, binations of the PARALLEL printer on Page 18 which identifies the source though I haven't had any reason to may be intermixed, with either SERIAL manuals is (oddly) separate from the disconnect the C64-LlNK so far. Commander March/April 1983/55 Recommendations Batteries Included the WordPro series functions. Most My copy of C64-LlNK is a review 71 McCaul Street readers will have had some such ex copy, borrowed from Peter Smith of TORONTO, Ontario, CANADA perience, and the behaviour of Richvale Communications. He will not M5T 2X1 PaperClip is very, very similar to the be getting th is one back. As program (416) 596~1405 user. So here we go: librarian for the 3200-plus members of Price: $150 Canadian (advertised 1. WordPro compatibility-Don't feel the Toronto Pet User's Group, this at $125 U.S.) like you have to junk all those files that device is essential for me. The Description you have written in WordPro 3 or 4 for capability for quick review, modifica PaperClip is a new word processor mat. They load properly into PaperClip tion and cataloging the flood of public program for PET/CBM Basic 4.0 com and you may immediately edit them to domain software is provided by the puters. The same program functions your heart's content. More important C64-LlNK. with both 40- and 80-column com is the fact that the syntax of all the The unit works as advertised, and I puters. Text may be saved to both embedded format commands is iden believe it can represent excellent value tape and disk, though serious users of tical to WordPro. (All except the " ma" , for a wide range of C64 users. The a word processor will undoubtedly margin release, command anyway. It IEEE connection and Basic 4.0 com have disk storage available. The at requires a " + " or " -" oHset value). mands are my main reasons for traction of tape storage will not be lost This common syntax means that you needing it. The networking, parallel in a school environment where limited can probably output them without a printer and modem interface may be disk availability is common. The pro single change to the text. This was a more important to you . gram is supplied on disk: both 8050 huge relief for me on two counts: I Postscript and 4040 disk formats are available. wouldn't have to keep switching back This review was originally to Additionally there is a ROM with active to WordPro to use the old text files, describe the V-LINK cartridge for the code: this is to be inserted into the and I had a lot fewer new things to VIC-20. It is a functionally simi lar $AOOO socket inside the computer. absorb. device, but is now being redesigned A version has just been released for 2. Horizontal scrolling- Even if you by Richvale to work totally through the the Commodore-64. The author have a 40-column machine, you can expansion port rather than partly recently indicated that a separate set a text width of 80-columns (or up through the user port. The unit I have SuperPet version is nearing comple to 126-columns) . The text will scroll is of the earlier design, and consists of tion. This one will use the 64K of bank horizontally as it nears the edge of the a standard cartridge, which added switched memory to give a huge text screen. You can now do a video out RAM (3K , 8K and 16K versions area. put (to the screen) watching all the for available). The ROM with the added Features mat commands in eHect. This preview code is fitted inside the cartridge. Con A review cannot give the full extent feature shows the sam~output that the nection to IEEE , parallel printer or of the features that this program pro printer would use: inserting paging, modem is eHected with an (extra cost) vides. It would require 99 pages (as line-spacing, margins, headers and adapter(s) plugging into the user port. per the instruction manual) to cover the footers, centering and highlighting any Hence, no IEEE disk can be combin ground adequately. I have worked underlined or enhanced text. This ed with a parallel printer simultaneous with all the Word Pro versions to 4 + , video output mode is also avai lable in ly. No networking provision is built-in. and PaperClip has so much more in WordPro 4 versions. With a 40-column There are two bugs in the code: cluded. To cite an example: I made machine, no Word Pro feature includes catalog with no disk connected hangs notes on just the added functions and this handy mode-lots of paper gets the system instead of giving an error how they are handled. It took five full chewed up with \he trial-and-error message, and some of the Basic 4.0 handwritten pages! method . With PaperClip on a statements don't work properly after Please excuse the lack of objectivi 40-column you only see the left-most IF/THEN. (Both of these were cor ty in this review. It is diHicult to find any 40-columns, but it is still a terrific paper rected in the C64 version). I'd suggest shortcomings worthy of mentioning. saver. The horizontal scrolling and waiting until the new version is The enthusiasm I feel for PaperClip is resetting of text width makes it so available. As of this writing, I do not heightened by the most outstanding much easier to enter many columns of know the release date for this one. 0 feature of all : its PRICE! To oHer such numbers. Have you ever tried setting a program at a price comparable to 80-columns worth of tabs on a Paperclip Word Word Pro 4 + would be quite 40-column computer? The tabs wrap Processor: Review reasonable. To provide this at one around and make for very confusing third the price is astonishing . entry. Even with an 80-column by David A. Hook In order to mention even the basics, machine, resetting the width for a wide Ontario, Canada I'm going to presume the reader has printer gives the same benefits of non a fairly good idea what a word pro overlapping tabs. Author: Steven Douglas cessor is and does. I also must 3. Disk Directory- One of my Available from: presume a good knowledge of how greatest annoyances with WordPro 56/ Commander March/April 1983 has been the risk of losing an even strings. Verify command is included, mainly for ing's work when asking for a disk 6. Printer Support-Other word pro tape users to get some assurance that directory. I usually was careful to do cessors must limit the number of the tape save was a good one. Its se this in extra-text. Both my wife and I printers they support because of the cond purpose is to allow the common have lost hours with this goof (I know wide variation in their special com trick of using Verify to Cl,Jeup the tape that WordPro Plus versions give you mands to activate special print modes. to the end of the last "saved" file. The a confirming second chance, but one PaperClip has a completely different format of the characters saved is dif does get a little too hasty even with this approach: a separate "printer file" is ferent from the Program mode. The warning). Hallelujah, you don't lose defined. When you are ready to print files are in PET ASCII, rather than PET your text file when you do a directory your text, the program asks if you wish screen code. The ASCII format is a in PaperClip . The directory is to load a special printer file. There are more standard code for interaction displayed on the screen, but not twenty such printer files on the pro with other programs (data-base or stored in memory. This still permits you gram disk. All the common printers mailing lists) that expect the data in this to "read the screen" at the cursor have been represented . (A printer set format. These files are also used for position to eliminate the drudgery of up program is included on the disk so storagelrecovery of variable blocks of typing in file names for loads or disk you may provide for all the special information for form letters, in the same commands. On this latter point, you codes of your printer) . It was quite a way that the extra-text area is used in are allowed full cursor editing of this surprise to see my friction-feed 2023 WordPro. When changing line lengths phrase, not just the delete key of printer doing underline and overstrik (see above), you can use this mode to WordPro. ing after all these years. Similarly temporarily store the file , since it 4. Text Phrases-PaperClip offers a 2022/4022s can do superscripts and doesn't keep the width or the tab in much more comprehensive ability to subscripts, and Epson Type Ills will do formation in the file. define blocks of text. Both PaperClip italics too. As the manual states, "this While the program loads, it is and Word Pro allow definition of a routine allows the user to use the best displayed to the screen, unlike Word "range" of text, which may be mov features which their printer has to of Pro which requires you to scroll ed, copied or deleted. This range must fer." For both the video and the printer through the text to see what you've consist of full lines, i.e. no starting part output, the count of the number of got. When saving a file the program way through a line (at a logical words in the text is displayed on the updates the line number indicator to sentence start or end). Word Pro can top line. show that something is happening. define words or sentences, but only for 7. Text Load/Save- Two modes are You may save a specific line range as deletion purposes. PaperClip allows supported: the regular Program files well as the whole text file, and can ap the phrases and sentences to be mov which are only usable with disk pend to the current file in memory, ed or copied elsewhere in text. This storage, and a Sequential file which without erasing all the current file. A range definition is much more conve can go to tape or disk. very handy feature is the ability to nient. It even includes a single-key As mentioned previously, the Pro move a chunk of text from one file to "find the end of the sentence for me" gram files are WordPro compatible. another when you are running out of feature. PaperClip has chosen to store both the space in the present one. This techni 5. FindlSearch and Replace-A horizontal text width and the tab stops que is particularly well described in the wild-card character (the backslash) will as the first few characters in the file . manual. match any character in the text string. Having to re-establish tabs has been 8. Column Manipulation-A big plus This may be used in both the find and a bit of an annoyance with WordPro. to PaperClip for this addition. A colum the replace modes. Both leading and Storing of the line lengths makes files nar area can be framed with the cur trailing spaces are significant in the more transportable between 40- and sor keys, and manipulated in a wide search string too. This makes it easier 80-column machines, but has hazard variety of ways You can add, delete, to find words such as " the " without as well: redefinition of line width re move, insert and copy columns in the getting "there" as well. You may do quires clearing of the text from matrix almost at will. A table of infor up to five simultaneous search-and memory. (Save it before changing mation can be massaged to give just replaces of different strings with both width). The files saved with this com the right presentation to the date. You local and global modes. There is also mand will now not format correctly may do column or row addition, using the option of a query before replace when loaded by Word Pro. The manual exact decimal arithmetic and a defin ment, which is a great relief for the does not tell you how to " fix " this: if ed degree and decimal precision, in careless who goofed in defining the you do a "global file copy" you get cluding rounding. This seems like the strings (Yes, I've been guilty i'J.ndpaid prompted asking if the taps and width place to mention a unique system of the price of manual restoration with should be stored too. A negative numeric tabs that does not get mixed WordPro) . A notable absence in response will save a file that is up when entering columns of PaperClip is the lack of the "absolute" backwards compatible for Word Pro. numbers. On a given line, there may feature of Word Pro. PaperClip treats The Sequential file mode is required be some non-printing characters that "The" and "the" as entirely different for tape saves and loads. A convenient would make it very difficult to keep the Commander March/April 1983/57 columns correctly aligned . The heading of significance and PaperClip tion on the how-tos and whys for the numeric tabs in PaperClip work by will write a sequential file with the titles novel features. I believe that the pro considering the " printable" characters and the page numbers where they ap gram's author wrote the current when deciding where to put the pear. This can make the production of edition-not usually the best choice. I decimal point (on the screen). Don't a table of contents page quite would rate it as better-than-average. worry, it will all work out OK in the end, painless: just reload the file PaperClip There are three appendices: control despite the nonsense that appears on produced, add some formatting com functions, formatting directives and er the screen . In Numeric Mode, paren- mands to this and there is your table ror messages. theses, dollar signs and minus or plus of contents page. I could have used There is one omission in the signs may be part of the numbers this a couple of times already. package that is of great benefit to entered . 11. Arbiter Interface-The program WordPro users: the quick reference 9. Sorting-When the table is just interacts with Batteries Included guide which can be left on the deck right, why not do an alphanumeric sort peripheral-sharing system . This may of.the PET/CBM. All of the control func on it? That's right, multi-field sorting in be toggled on and off, even if the Ar tions and embedded format com your word processor. Up to 16 fields biter system software is installed. Other mands are organized for convenient may be permitted, with your choice of wordprocessors may have to be reference. Because of the multitude of field delimiter and whether leading reworked to be compatible with some PaperClip features this should be a spaces are significant. You may sort of these systems. priority item . in ascending or descending order, us- Summary Because of the similarity to WordPro ing your choice of hierarchy for the The manual is 112 pages long and commands, PaperClip was quite easy sub-sort. A mailing list file could be has a reasonably friendly style. There to adapt to . The different Control se loaded in and sorted by postal code is an Addenda file on the program disk quences were kind of a mixed or whatever you choose. This feature which describes some features added blessing-I had to "unlearn" Word is very impressive and usually found since it went to press. A WordPro user Pro 's before the PaperClip ones only on the big, stand-alone word pro- can probably get through it on his became more familiar. (Many of these cessors (until now!). own, but the description of the so- Control sequences are the same as 10. Table of Contents-Put a special called standard features is rather brief. with Word Pro) format command in text for each Thankfully, there is plenty of informa- Continued on page 72 ~~~------~~ANNOUNCINGTHE ONE MEGABYTE WANNAKNOW ASECRET? DISKETTE WORD PROCESSING Full capapility word processing. Word-qr\ented-n<)t a IineedltOl'. Menu-driven. For VIC: TOTl TEXT2.0 $25.00 ~ powem;l verJionsi nclude fotrtnotea, headi,. . footing, keyboard I~.~I Pflntel' cOntI'OIand more. Eo! VIC + 16K or 241<:TOTl TEXT 2.5$39.00 • . For C.e4: TOn. TEXT 2..8 $40.00 MAiUNG LIST and LABELS ~ editing; aUtomaticalIy$)ff8d. optimaJnon print(ng data line(s). browaen select functions. Menu-driven. A Revolutionary New For VIC or 64: TOn. LABEL 2'.0 $20.00 Concept in User Support KEYWORD CROSS REFERENCE Student. and authors: keep Irack of reference notes and bibliographies. Quick Feference by keyword. Requires printer. -A soft-sectored novelty . For VIC: AESEARCHASSISTANT 2.0 $30.00 pillow no serious computer For ()&(: RESEA8.CH ASSISTANT 2.0 $35.00 user should be without. .TIMe MANAGEMENT Keep ~Qf actIYitles bYde. (and time). Screen i~ $25.00 including full by date, ~. projec:t. 56 different bat chart fQr1natsavailable. documentation! . For VIC:.TOTL TIME MANAGER 2.1 $30.00 Mail Orders: Send check or . For C-64: 'FOTL TIME MANAGER ~.6 $35:00 money order (Calif. residents BUSINESS,. ACCO~NT(NG~ntS¥eceivable alld payable. IIlvtntQ(y, ~ add 6% sales tax) to: expenselmctong. print Invok:es, statements. tepOrt8. Disk only. . . . t=orVIC and C-84: InqI,Iirefor: prlce. TOTl Software for TOYL VIC 20* and COMMODORE 64* software inc. the best deal in town! 1555 Third Ave., Walnut Creek, CA 94596 All programs work WIth disk and/or tape, adaptable for 40 or 80 column formats and most printers. VIC programs require minimum 8K expansion II a£l Call (415) 943-7877 (Be sure to specify machine when ordering) • VIC 20 and COMMODORE 64 are trademarks of Commodore Business Machines. S8/Commander March/April 1983 Why Didn't I Think of That? by Howard Rotenberg Toronto, Canada Editor's Note: Due to an error in quential files follows. I have used a TI$ and converts it into a regular every February's issue, the listing for "Why small machine language routine to day 12 hour clock. It even displays AM Didn't I Think of That? " is being read the file and will explain exactly or PM. It's not that I am opposed to reprinted in this issue. It is not our prac what it does and its BASIC equivalent. the 24 hour military clock but unless tice to continually reprint articles and 10 FOR J = 0 TO 22 you are in the service or a hospital we appreciate your understanding. 20 READ A (hospitals like to use the 24 hour Have you ever been using a routine 30 POKE 634 + J ,A clock), the more familiar 12 hour clock for a long time assuming that it was 40 NEXT J seems more friendly. (See program 3) common knowledge? I have met a lot 50 INPUT "FILENAME";F$ I have included a return statement. of people using useful routines that I ·60 DOPEN#1,(F$) in line 70 since this routine lends itself wished that I had in my little bag of 70 SYS 634 to be called as a subroutine. I have found that displaying the time in the tricks. The funny thing about them is 80 DCLOSE that they are usually so simple the 90 GOTO 50 more common way adds less confu question arises, Why didn't I think of 95 DATA 162,1,32,198,255,32 , sion to an end user of one of my pro that? These were the exact words that 228, 255, 32 grams. a friend of mine used the other day 97 DATA 210, 255, 166, 150, 208 , I imagine I could go on for a long that inspired me to pass on these few 2, 240, 244 time sharing these small routines as I routines. NOTE: Usually he is the one 99 DATA 162,1,32,166,242,96 am sure we all could. Rather than doing that I would like to end off with to figure them out first. Line 70 jumps to the machine lan just a few very small but extremely The routine that he spoke about is guage routine loaded by the first four useful ones that I find very handy. the one I will present first. This small lines. The BASIC equivalent to this line routine may be used in a program to is: The version of MICROSOFT BASIC that comes on the Commodore com see if the printer is turned on before 70 GET #1 ,A$: PRINT A$;: IF (See 1) puters lacks an extremely useful logi trying to print text. program ST <> 64 GOTO 70 cal operation. They have included the I have used the word "home" to The main reason for using the ma represent the home key on the key AND, OR and NOT function (even chine language is of course the speed though the NOT function is NOT what board. As you see, the routine is sim at which it will read and display the in ple and may be easily put into any pro you would expect it to be), however, formation. You may easily substitute unless you get into machine code you gram. The crucial lines are 15 and 20. the BASIC line 70 to see the difference After the printer is opened, we do a do not have an exclusive or function. yourself. Since the routine is just load The truth table for this function is as simple print#4. Line 20 checks the ed as data statements that don't mean status at this point and it should be follows: too much to a lot of users, program 2 0:0 0 zero if the printer is on. If it is not, it will show exactly what the routine is. looks back and tries again. The pro 0: 1 1 gram loops until the printer is finally The two JSR instructions ($FFC6 1 :0 1 turned on in which case you are gra and $F2A6) are ROM dependent for 1: 1 0 ciously thanked. You may, of course BASIC 4. The other routines are Ker To EOR or as some languages pre put in any type of error detection you nal routines that may be used on all sent it (XOR) the variable A with B the wish (ie: flashing messages), however, Commodore computers. To find the following may be done: ((A) AND (NOT I chose to keep it simple for the exam proper routines for the VIC 20 or the (B))) OR ((B) AND (NOT(A))) ple. One strange occurence was that Commodore 64, you may just look in Next we will round off the number we tried the routine with the IEEE cable any memory map. I have the maps but (N) to (D) decimal pla~es: disconnected expecting to see a without the computers to test it on I 10 INPUT D DEVICE NOT PRESENT error, how would rather not print the addresses 20 INPUT N ever, we did not. This one I will let you in case of error. 30 N = INT(N* 10 I D + .5)/10! D figure out. Another routine I have found many 40 PRINT N A short but useful routine to read se- opportunities to use is one that takes I have used an exclamation mark in Commander March/April 1983/59 stead of the exponent or up arrow sign decimal to hex routine. (See program course are much more difficult than in line ten , since my method of writing others, however, even if we don't fully 5) Th e two conversion routines may b e this text does not include that char .. understand them , with the proper in put into one line, however, I decided acter. If you use the routine, please structions, we :nay all benefit from for the sake of clarity to display them use the proper key as I can guarantee them . There is a limit on the number you that the exclamation mark will not as two. of ways that one can implement the work. Lastly, if you do not want to convert same function using ariy one given In an earlier example I used a basic a hex number to decimal but prefer to premise. I am sure that there are a lot loader to poke a small machine sub list it in data statements as hex and still of routines out there being used every routine into memory. These numbers, poke it into memory, then the final day that do the same as the few I have however, had to be converted to deci routine is for you . (See program 6) shown . I hope mine will be of use to mal first so here are two one liners to The data statements contained the some of the readers and if so, please do conversions for us. First we submit same sequential file reading routine let us in on your tricks that you assume the routine where our hex number is that I used earlier. that everyone else already knows. If in the variable L$, and is returned in Conclusion you do, I am sure that just like that L as a decimal number. (See program We over the years seem to acquire friend and myself, a Ibt more people 4) a number of subroutines that we like out there will benefit greatly while say Now we submit the variable L to this to use in our programs. Some of ing : " Why didn't I think of that? " Program 1 ~ ~EM *~f lES~ RND WAIT FOR PRINTER ttt ~8 REM **f T~E REST OF THE PROGRAMt*t Program 2 , START OF ML (634 DECIMAL) , GET TrlE FILE NUMBER ,SET THE I~PUT DEVICE ~WRITE ONE CHARACTER '~'I ·'~;1-'!"" 1_'I-'_i·:,C , IF NOT Z~RO THEN GOTOEND OF ROUTINE .-.. - ...... - . Uc I L·H FOR ANOTHERCHARACTER LD::: #$01 ; GET T~E FILE NUMBERAGAIN ; CLEARTHE CHANNEL GO/Commander March/April 1983 Video Vermin Continued from page 40 Program 3 Vic. I turned my set on, and started to play Video Vermin, the Centipede type arcade game by UMI. Before I realiz ed it I found myself in the midst of a large infestation of snails, butterflies, 30 IFVAL(LEFT$ ( TI$,2) ) =12ANDVRL beetles, fleas and ants. I was trying diligently to kill them but to my dismay (MID$ (T I$ , 5 .. 2»)=lGOT080 they just sprouted into mushrooms. It seemed as though my garden would ·-+0 LK$:::11 Ar·1." · IF \iAL 20 PRINTL$; : L=16*(L-L%) : NEXT Program 6 10 FOF: .J == 634 TO 20 READ H$:M:t=LEFT$(H:t .. 1) :L$=RIGHT$(H$ .. 1) 30 POKE .J, 0::Ft::;C (t'l$::O -4:::+ (: ("'1$) "9 " ::0*7) ::0* 1 6+A::;C 40 t·jE:: 50 DATA A2 .. 01,20,C6,FF.20 .. E4.FF.20.D2.FF 60 DATA A6 .. 96,D0 .. 02.FO.F4 .. A2 .. 01.20 .. A6,F2 .. 60 Commander March/April 1983/61 Game Reviews Annihilator Age Level: At least high school age Grave Robbers Type of Game: Word games, no Victory Software graphics 0 Victory Software 2027-A S.J. Russell Circle 2027-A S.J. Russell Circle Elkins Park, PA 19117 Big Bad Wolf Elkins Park, PA 19117 Format: Cassette, joystick required Format: Cassette, keyboard Price: $9.95 There is a feeling of impending Price: $14.95 System: VIC-20 crisis. A big, bad wolf is coming System: VIC-20 Language: machine toward your house. He is only 590 Summary: First graphic adventure Age Level: 12 and up yards away. He is coming to gobble for VIC-20 you up! And he is getting closer. You Age Level: At least high school age Annihilator is a defender-type space must command the computer as it Solving Time: 6 to 8 hours game. It is a fast moving game where asks you, "what do you want me to you defend your planet against in do?" You'd better come up with some Beware of the Dangers vading aliens. You have three defen fast, accurate ideas to thwart the wolf's in the Cemetery! ding ships and for every 10,000 points plan or you'll end up as wolf bait! As you score you get an additional ship. he comes closer to your front door and Occassionally a fuel depot will appear It might not seem too difficult or the computer continues to ask "what on the bottom of the screen. Docking scary working your way through a do you want me to do" your mind to with it will earn you 500 pOints. cemetery; yet there are obstacles must race for solutions. Your trusty overcome. Wait until you meet the Shooting an asteroid is worth 1000 VIC-20 computer will save you if you vicious dog-and try to get past him! points. The aliens come from all direc will just tell it what to do! By the time tions and surround you. One of my If and when you get by him, breathing you finally conquer the wolf, if you do, a sigh of relief, you are confronted by sons scored 35,000 points, but his you will have lived out a very fun and reflexes are quicker than those of a an unmoveable tombstone which you exciting hour. 0 must get under! fast-draw contestant at a gun show' by-or over-or Quick reflexes increase your score. When and if you succeed you feel you This is a no-win game, but you can Moon Base Alpha are well on your way to obtaining the better your score each game. treasure. But whoa. Not so fast. You Rating: Very good action game. 0 A comet is racing toward your base, come to' a tomb where the treasure a station in outer space. You must supposedly is hidden and you must destroy this comet before it destroys search four different levels to find it. By Adventure Pack 1 you. But that's easier said than done! this time, you are so engrossed you Consists of three games: You have a missile which can obliter wonder where the time has gone! Pret Moon Base Alpha ate the comet-that is if all systems at ty soon, if you're lucky and smart and Big Bad Wolf your base are "go." But you find your use the right commands, you will end Computer Adventure missile control computer isn't on line, up finding the treasure. Victory Software there is a dangerous virus in the lab Our family found this a very fun and 2027-A S.J. Russell Circle which threatens to destroy you. The exciting new game. However, we were Elkins Park, PA 19117 comet increases its speed as it ap slowed down when we tried to use too Format: Cassette, keyboard proaches your base. You must very much deductive reasoning to solve the Price: $14.95 quickly overcome your numerous pro puzzle. You must look for the obvious! System: VIC-20 blems and launch your defensive mis Once we discovered this secret it sile or the comet will wipe out your became much easier. Summary: There are three games as base. An impending sense of urgency In this unusual game you play the listed above. However, we could makes Moon Base Alpha a fascinating role of a character in an unknown envi not get Computer Adventure to and captivating new computer game. ronment. Through the computer you function so cannot report on it. Rating: Very good-both games.D control the character and try to solve 62/Commander March/April 1983 the mystery with plain English statements like "open the gate," or "get the key." The computer con Two Winners from UMI siders the first word the verb and the last word the noun. It also only looks by Tim Parker at the first two letters of each word. Ontario, Canada Therefore, "op ga" means the same as "open the gate." Rating: Very good. 0 United Microware Industries, one of rapidly follows. Kongo Kong the first companies to offer cartridge Saturnian Bats are (not surprisingly) Victory Software games f.or the VIC-20, has racked up bats that follow the hapless fly around, 2027-A S.J. Russell Circle a surpnslng number of successes. homing in on it. A bat's touch is lethal. Elkins Park, PA 19117 Two of their more popular games are They are destroyed by a direct hit with Format: Cassette, use joystick or "Spiders of Mars" and "Amok." a dart. keyboard Spiders of Mars is an arcade game Plutonian Dragonflies are danger Price: $19.95 which allows the player to control a fast ous little critters. They drop smart System: VIC-20 moving" Martian Space Fly." The fly bombs that head unerringly towards IS moved about the VIC-20 screen by Language: Partial machine the hapless fly. The dragonflies are kill Age Level: 12 and up means of either keyboard or joystick ed by darts, but the bombs are not. (the latter is definitely preferable), and They do, however, have a limited life The object of Kongo Kong is to its mission in life is to destroy various time, and wink out after several climb ladders, avoid barrels being roIl types of nasties that wander its way. seconds. To help do this, an unlimited supply of ed down by a crazy ape, and rescue Jovian Hornets round out the cast. "laser death darts" is available. These a fair damsel. This game is similar to These are the deadliest of the bunch. will be emitted from the fly as fast as Donkey Kong, the arcade game, but They shoot very rapid darts at the fly, you can hit the fire button (or space is only one level. which are almost always unerringly ac bar). This is a fun and fast paced game. curate. Most players do not have time The nasties come in several forms. At the top of the screen is a damsel to dodge these darts. waiting to be rescued. You are at the Martian Spiders descend from the top of the screen suspended at the end of The game begins with two each bottom of the screen and must ad hornets, dragonflies and bats on the vance five levels up a series of ladders a web's thread. If a spider succeeds in reaching the bottom of the screen first level, and a random number of while a crazy ape near the damsel rolls spiders dropping at intervals. The it sits there and occasionally slings ~ barrels down toward you. You must screen wraps around, with a land thread vertically. If the fly wanders into avoid being smashed by a barrel. For scape several times the screen's width the thread, or is hit by it, the fly loses each barrel you jump over you receive presented, similar to "Defender." As a score. You get three tries to reach its life. The spider can be destroyed when it is descending by hitting either the levels are cleared, and the player the damsel. progresses, the number of enemies in the spider itself or its thread. The Rating: Fair to good. 0 creases, as does their point value. spider then falls to its doom. If it makes it to the ground, however, it cannot be Bonus flies are awarded at intervals. destroyed. The vertical threads it Graphically, the game is very well shoots upwards can be eliminated by designed. Authored by Peter Fokos, a hit from the darts, but a fresh thread who has other excellent games, it o o .• DISK -a-MATE I. (Write for Price) en A ~ust for 2040;4040 disk owners. Write protect Indicators en ...J sWitches. power indicator and error beeper ...J • rrReal World" SOFTWARE (517 - 525) « « Word Processor Mailing Lisl Catalog. Ham RadiO. Frequency Counler o r-"OLD" 8K PETs------, o I N I .2114· TO· 6550 RAM ADAPTER 1$12-525) I N I I Replace 6550 RAMs with low COSI 2' , 45. Hundfflds Sold' : I l • 4K MEMORY EXPANSION ($1.-S02) ) . () () . ______Low cost mflmory expanSion uSing 2' 14s lor bigger plograms JI - - .. ' OPTIMIZED DATA SYSTEMS CiiiL > Dept.O. P.o. Box 595 - Placentia. CA 92670 ~ > ttDISK·Q-MATE t'acJ.mlJr~ PET "caM I,.d.m.,~Commo(:lore Commander March/April 1983/63 taxes the VIC-20's limits. The anima 256 levels: I've only managed 20 odd!) bonus points are awarded for clearing tion is superbly done, with smooth The function keys on the right of the several levels. scrolling of the game's participants. VIC-20 are used to control the game's In play, this game is not quite as well The fly beats its wings rapidly, and the difficulty, and allows resetting of the designed as Spiders of Mars. The ani spider waggles its legs in a manner game. The game can also be paused mation is jerky, and the sound is very that rivals arcade games. The colors and restarted by pushing the "P" key: rudimentary. This, however, is direct are bold, and if a suitable source is a very handy feature for when the ly due to the game being written in provided, they give a stunning display phone rings, or the fire button thumb BASIC instead of machine language. of color. gets sore. As a BASIC program, it does rather The sound is adequate, although In summary, this game is a winner, well and plays at a satisfactory speed. somewhat elemental. An opening and is sure to be one of the most A little variety would go a long way music piece (Bach's Tocatta and popular games in a library. It comes in improving Amok, as would more Fugue in D Minor) begins to weary packaged in a cartridge that plugs in elaborate sound and graphics. As it after a few playings, and the sound of the back of the VIC, and has complete stands, Amok will still be popular. The the fly firing darts is reminiscent of first instruction sheets that tell all there is to Berserk theme has appeared in sev generation arcade games. The sound know. Definitely recommended! eral incarnations for the VIC, and this could certainly be improved to take full Amok is a game by Roger Merritt is one of the front contenders. On play advantage of the VIC's capabilities, that resembles the arcade game Ber testing , however, most people seem to but this is not a serious deficiency. serk. A hapless human is placed in an tire after a few games. But this is in The game plays very well , and is · . endless maze of rooms inhabited by dicati ve of the subject, not UMI 's addictive. Once the tricks of the game robots bent on destruction. The walls version . are mastered (check the directions are also deadly to the player. Amok is available on both cassette each of the critters flies in, and clob The game is controlled by joystick tape and cartridge to simplify loading bers the hornets) the levels rapidly or keyboard. Points are awarded for The game will appeal most to the mount up. Equipped with 256 skill each robot destroyed. (They come in younger crowd: older audiences will levels, the game will tax even the best four colors, each with a different point look for something with more sophisti Joystick pilot. (I take UMI's word for value.) One extra man is available, and cation. 0 -.. VIC-20 and CBM 64 EXPANDER BOARDS Quit Playing Gc;lmes ... PTI offers the finest selection Disk Based Software to Make Your Computer Get Down to BusilJess of expander boards available for the VIC-20 and CBM 64 . Disk Data Manager- Create and manage · your o wn data The design features, quality base. Allows YOL> to create, add, change, delete, sear.ch, sort, print, etc. Up to 1200 records on a Single disk. construct ion, and competitive VIC 20 . . . 59.95 CBM 64 .. . 79 .95 prices make any of them an 4 Slot tor the 64. Toggle switches and exceptional value. New pro Payroll System-Full featured, complete payroll Sys' reset switCh. tem. Even prints checks . ducts are being added monthly, VIC 20 . . . 89 .95 CBM 64 . . . 99 .95 PIN C64 '69.95 so write for complete catalog. Mailing List-Up to 1200 records on a single disk. Presorts by Zip Code . Pr ints on stock UP to four .....,j -- ...... labels wide. VIC 20 ... 44 .95 CBM 64 . .. 54 .95 Inventory Package-Ma inta ins quantity on nand, cost, sales price, reorder point, etc. Generates suggested . iii reorder, sales report, and sales analysis. VIC 20 . .. 79 .95 CBM 64 ... 99.95 1~ -~ General Ledger-Up to 75 accounts! Generate~Balance 6 Slot for the VIC. To ggl e sw il ches Slot for the VIC. No switc h es, reset . o r Sheet, Income Statement, Update Report, etc. and reset switch . fuse . VIC 20 .. . 89.95 CBM 64 ... 99.95 PIN V36 579.95 PIN V13 S49.95 Checkbook Manager- u p to 2 5 expense categories . Tracks all outstanding checks until they are paid. --... ~~ VIC 20 ... 49.95 CBM 64 ... 49.95 -r CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR " i DISK BASED SOFTWARE NEEDS ~ I Call for specifics on Hard ware Configurations . Send Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope for • • .!" -" 1m' ~ Catalogue of Games and other Applications ~L.L-' DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME 4 Slot for the VIC. To gg le switches and 3 SIOI tor the Vic . Stide sw itches. no reset sw itCh. reset switch. PIN V24 '69.95 PIN V23 S59.95 2905 Ports O'Call Court Plano, Texas 75075 PRECISION TECHNOLOGY INC r:J CO MPU TER PRODU C TS D IVISIO N See your dealer, or place (214) 867-1333 POBOX l'i .t S4 your order direct VISA and MASTERCARD Accepted 'Ii~ S AL T LAKE CI T Y UTA H 8 .J l 1S (8011 187 "26b VISA-M/C-CHECK-COD 64/Commander March/April 1983 VIC-20® CSl BROWN FOX $60.50 VIC-20'" Computer $169.95 QUICK Perlonal The Word Processor of lhis decadel VIC-1515 Printer 334.95 VIC-1530 Datasene 67.50 VIC-1541 Disk Drive 375.00 COMMODORE SOFTWARE VIC-l0lO Expansion Module 139.95 VIC-1211A VIC-20 Super Expander $57.99 VIC-1311 Joystick 9.95 Everylhlng Commodore could pack Into one cartridge - 3K RAM memo ry expanSion. VIC-1312 Game Paddlel 1995 high resolution graphics plolting . color. paint and sound commands . GraphiC. tex!. VIC-1600 Telephone Modem 99.95 multicolor and musIc modes 1024" 1024 dol screen plotting All commands may be typed as new BASIC commands or accessed by hitti ng one of the VIC·s special VIC-1210 VIC 3K Memory Expander Cartridge 34.95 function keys. Includes tutoriallnSlructlon pook Excellent for all programming levels. Plugs direclly into the VIC's expansion port . Expands to 8K RAM lotal . VIC-l110 VIC 8K Memory Expander Cartridge 52.50 VIC-1212 Programmer's Aid Cartridge $45.99 at Given here, in zip code order, is a Echo Consulting Services Wayne Computer Store partial list of the Charter Dealers who PO Box 1199 1459 Route 23 will be carrying the COMMANDER. Conway, NH 03818 Wayne, NJ 07470 We will provide updates for this list in (603) 447-5455 (201) 628-7318 following issues as a service to provide Manager-Owner: George Epotien Manager-Owner: Rick Delti our readers with a local source at Software City which they will find information, hard Maine Maine Micro Systems, Inc. 147 N. Kinderkamack Road ware, or software for their Commodore 55 Center Street Montvale, NJ 07645 Computers. Auburn, ME 04210 (201) 391-0931 Manager-Owner: C.M. Hatfield U.S.A. (207) 786-0696 Manager: Nancy Lecompte Computer Workshop Puerto Rico Vermont 1200 Haddenfield Road The Micro Computer Store Computeam Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 1408 Avenue Jesus T. Pinero 205 Dorset Street (609) 665-4404 Rio Piedras, PR 00921 S. Burlington, VT 05401 Manager-Owner: ChriS Kolbe (809) 781-0350 (802) 862-2802 Electronic Service Assoc., Inc. Manager-Owner: Julio C. Martinez Manager-Owner: Mark Robinson Route 541 N. Massachuttes Market Place Medferd, NJ 08055 Northshore News Co. 1 Main Street (609) 953-1200 150 Blossom Street Winoski , VT 05404 Manager-Owner: John Handfield Lynn, MA 01902 Manager-Owner: Bob Howe Software-n-Such Manager-Owner: Tom Mulken, Jr. Connecticut Warren Plaza, Route 130 Computech Ltd. Multi-Business Computers Inc. East Windsor, NJ 08520 214 Derby Street 28 Malborough Street (609) 443-8984 Salem, MA 01970 Portland , CT 06480 Manager-Owner: Paul Hammer (617) 741-1724 (203) 342-2747 BB/The Computer Store Manager-Owner: Tim Bush Manager-Owner: Bob Stasko 216 Scotch Road Omicron Corporation Trenton, NJ 08628 1416 Providence Highway New Jersey (609)883-2050 Norwood, MA 02062 Micro Computer Services Manager-Owner: Barry Brown (617) 769-6867 61 Mountain Blvd. New York Manager-Owner: Steve Gavrilles Warren, NJ 07060 Computer Center Rhode Island (201) 561-3111 31 East 31st Manager-Owner: Jerry Prevete I nternational Com puter Services New York, NY 10016 Manager-Owner: Elliot Robinowigtz 165 Oyervilie Avenue Computer Workshop Johnston, RI 02919 1200 Haddenfield Road Leigh 's Computer (401) 273-1001 Cherry Hill, NJ 07013 212 East 85th Street Manager-Owner: Steve Lablanc (609) 665-4404 New York, NY 10028 Manager-Owner: Charles Kolbe New Hampshire Manager-Owner: Leigh Goldstein Compu-Craft, Inc. Computerability, Inc. CompTek 17 Dunbar Street 441 Route 23 90 John Street Keene, N H 03431 Pomton Plains, NJ 07444 New York, NY 10038 (603) 357-3901 (201) 835-0688 (212) 962-6131 Manager-Owner: Richard Bishop Manager-Owner: Dennis Mull Manager-Owner: Frances Banks 66/Commander March/April 1983 Computer Emporium Syracuse, NY 13210 CALPRO- The World of Computers 37 North Street (315) 472-4531 3119 Waterlick Road Middletown, NY 10940 Manager-Owner: William McCarthy Lynchburg, VA 24502 Manager-Owner: Kate Honders (804) 237-3825 Upstate Computer Shop Manager-Owner: Walter Leroy Ashley B.C. Communications, Inc. 99 Commercial Drive World Wide Electronics Dis!. Whitesboro, NY 13492 207 Depot Road Manager-Owner: Tony Violante West Virginia Huntington Street. NY 11746 Computer Associates, Inc. Personal Computers, Inc. (516) 549-8833 113 Hale Street 3251 Bailey Avenue Charleston, WV 25301 Computer Headquarters Buffalo, NY 14215 (304) 344-8801 1245 Middle Country Road (716) 832-8800 Manager-Owner: Jeff Knapp Selden, NY 11784 Manager-Owner: Frank C. Smeirciak (516) 698-9373 Pennsylvania North Carolina Manager-Owner: James and One Stop Computer Shope The Program Center Kathy Lyons 65 North 5th Street 3400A West Wendover Avenue Ray's Supply Lemoyne, PA 17043 Greensboro. NC 27407 350 Cornila Street (717) 761-6754 (919) 855-8667 Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Manager-Owner: Joanne Wright Manager-Owner: Rupert Fenequito Manager-Owner: Bob Howe Micro Age Computer Store Piedmont Microsystems Inc. Upstate Computer Shop 1352 Tilghman Street Route 3, Box 150 H 1823 Western Avenue Allentown, PA 18102 Frazier Professional Bldg. Albany, NY 12203 (215) 434-4301 Newton, NC 28658 (518) 456-3019 Manager-Owner: Ed Eichenwald (704) 465-3600 Manager-Owner: William J. Smith Maryland Manager-Owner: Lorne Machael Ray's Supply Professional Micro Service Bob West Computers 190 Route 9 100 West 22nd Street 54 West Main Street Cohoes, NY 12047 Balto, MD 21218 Brevard. NC 28712 Manager-Owner: Bob Howe (301) 366-001 0 (704 )883-2595 Manager-Owner: James A. Breen Manager-Owner: Sylvia West Ray's Software Tri-State Computers 106 East Main Street Georgia 1504 South Salisbury Blvd. Mallone, NY 12953 Cardinal Computers Salisbury, MD 21801 Manager-Owner: Bob Howe 903 North Gleenwood (301) 742-2020 Dalton, GA 30720 Future Distribution Manager-Owner: Tom Weiland Trimex Bldg.-Route 11 (404) 226-0502 Virginia Mooers, NY 12958 Virginai Micro Systems I nag rated System . Inc. (514) 861-2831 13646 Jeff Davis Highway 3300 Buckeye Road NE. Suite 178 Manager-Owner: Phillippe Faure Woodbridge, VA 22191 Atlanta, GA 30341 Ray's Software (703) 491-6502 Florida 412 East Jenesee Street Manager-Owner: Suart Mitchell COMPUTECH Fayetteville, NY 13066 Unidyne Corp. 1415 Timberlane Road Manager-Owner: Bob Howe 536 Independance Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32312 Durmac Cash Registers Virginia Beach, VA 23462 (904) 893-1743 1628 Erie Blvd . E. Manager-Owner: Vicki Knick Manager-Owner: Dan Evans Commander March/April 1983/67 Dealers, continued Random Access Computers Clearwater, FL 33515 Computer Corner Inc. 296 Eglin Parkway (813) 442-8803 5104 Mayfield Road Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548 Manager-Owner: Charles Kautz Lyndhurst, OH 44124 (904) 862-7763 (216) 423-5010 Manager-Owner: Joanne Dodd Alabama Manager-Owner: Ross Black T ricelin Corporation Computer Showcase Florida Book Store Route 1, Box 128 5855 Youngston-Warren Road SE 1614 West University Avenue Bankston, AL 35542 Niles, OH 44446 Gainesville, FL 32604 (205) 689-4999 (904) 376-6066 (216) 652-2571 Skippers Inc. Tennesee Waltz Photo 217 SE 1st Avenue American Computer Co. 438 Sixth Street Ocalm, FL 32671 1004-8th Avenue South Canton , OH 44701 (904) 732-3221 Nashviile, TN 37203 (216) 455-9421 Manager-Owner: David Lee Skipper Manager-Owner: Jane Maggard Manager-Owner: Brad Zupp Osceola Computer Metro Computer Ctr. Wards Computers, Inc. 1300 Dakota Avenue 416 West Main Street 868 Ohio Pike Street Cloud, FL 32769 Chattanooga, TN 37402 Cincinnati, OH 45245 (305) 892-1501 (615) 875-6676 (513) 752-2882 Manager-Owner Raymond Barrieau Manager-Owner: Wayne F. Wilson Manager-Owner: Carl Ward Sigma Systems of Orlando Mississippi Computer Plus 1501 Cyoliet Street 590 North Semoran Blvd. Sunrise Persons Supplies Dyer, IN 46311 Orlando, FL 32807 901 South John Street Manager-Owner: Nancy L. Grey (305) 273-2434 Corinth, MS 38834 Manager-Owner: Tom Clance (601) 287-4721 Computer People 900 Highway 212 Computer Specialties, Inc. Manager-Owner: Felex Gathings Michigan City, IN 46360 701 East Lincoln Avenue, Kentucky (219) 879-8557 PO Box 1718 All Business Computers Manager-Owner: Harry Hopkins Melbourne, FL 32901 Suite C-2317 Versailles Road Computer Corner (305) 725-6574 Lexington, KY 40504 6722 East State Blvd. Manager-Owner: Otis P. Lutz (606) 253-2545 Fort Wayne, IN 46815 Manager-Owner: Bud Wilson Micro Byte, Inc (219) 749-8338 13710 SW 56 Street Stowehuewge Computer, Inc. Manager-Owner: Tom Kutina Miami , FL 33175 2026-29th Street Custom Software (305) 385-2108 Ashland, KY 41101 3197 South 3rd Place Manager-Owner: Ed Silverman and (606) 359-0545 Lyman Conover Terre Haute, IN 47802 Ohio (812) 234-3242 Focus Scientific Manager-Owner Vicki McEntaffer Earthrise Micro Systems, Inc. 224 North Federal Highway 562 West Central Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 indiana Delawar, Ohio (305) 462-1010 Allan's Jewelry & Loan Co. (614) 363-1100 130 East 10th Street Manager-Owner: M. Rienhardt Manager-Owner: John Kessler Anderson , IN 46016 The Software Connection (317) 642-7978 Office Mart, Inc. 5460 North State Road 7, Suite 108 1151 East Main Street Manager: Jerry Rubenstein Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33319 Lancaster, OH 43130 McCarels Computers Business Machines (614) 687-1707 1204 Meridian Plaza 2821 Pinewood Avenue Manager-Owner: Pat Blake Anderson, IN 46016 West Palm Beach, FL 33407 (317) 643-2662 (305) 655-4730 The Computer Store of Toledo, Inc. 18 Hillwyck Drive Manager-Owner: Robert Frazier, Jr. A VC Corporation Toledo, OH 43615 2702 Applegate The Software and Computer Store (419) 535-1541 Indianapolis, IN 46203 1506 Gulf-to-Bay Manager-Owner: AI and Jackie Miller Manager-Owner: Brent Enderle 68/Commander March/April 1983 ------~ Impair Newman AN Communication Digital World 342 Bosart 400-82nd Street SE 711 Army Trail Road Indianapolis, IN 46201 G rand Rapids, M I 49508 Addison, IL 60101 (317) 353-9947 Manager-Owner: Nancey M. Isler (312) 628-9222 Manager-Owner: Fred Imhausen Manager-Owner: Sam Gunda Computer Tutor A Computer Store 502 East Front B-A Computer Sys. 2140 North Mithoefor Road Traverse City, MI 49684 2 North Batavia Avenue Indianpolis, IN 46229 (616) 941-5320 Batavia, I L 60510 (31 7) 898-0331 Manager-Owner: Caroline Garrick (312) 879-2350 Manager-Owner: Skip Robbins Manager-Owner: Robert Appel Michigan Iowa Softwareland, Inc. Micro Station Inc. Micro Computer Applications 420 West 75th Street 24484 West 10 Mile Road 111 East Church Street Downers Grove, IL 60516 Southfield, MI 48034 Marshalltown, IA 50158 (312) 852-6340 (313) 358-5820 (515) 752-8845 Manger-Owner: Maureen Quinn Manager-Owner: Jerry Goldberg Manager-Owner: Harold Montover Rozel Industries, Inc. Comm Data Gronert Computers, Ltd 7360 North Lincoln Avenue 320 Summit 4505 Forest Avenue Lincolnwood, IL 60646 Milford, MI 48042 Des Moines, IA 50311 (312) 675-8960 (3 1,3) 685-0113 (515) 255-0618 Manager-Owner: Fred Whitlock and Manager-Owner: Frank Gronert Roseville Computer Becky Kowalsky 25929 Gratiot Cosmos Computers Fisher Scientific Roseville, MI 48066 1721 G rant Street 4901 West Lemoyne Avenue (313) 772-0760 Bettendort, Iowa 52722 Chicago, IL 60651 Manager-Owner: Tom Potter (319) 355-2641 (312) 378-7770 Manager-Owner: Paul Rung Allen Park Computer Center Manager-Owner: A.C. Heidrich 7000 Roosevelt, Suite 109 Kappel's Computer Store Allen Park, MI 48101 Wisconsin 125 East Main (313) 383-8254 Majic Business Systems Belleville, I L 62220 Manager-Owner: Sam Noble 3519 West Wanda Avenue (618) 277-2354 Milw, WI 53221 Haney's Stereo, Inc. Manager-Owner: Tom Kappel (414) 282-8072 1~5270Gratiot Manager-Owner: Dennis Woitekaitis Data Plus, Inc. Detroit., M I 48205 1 706 Broadway (515) 752-8845 Computerland of Madison Quincy, IL 62301 Manager-Owner: Paul M. Paul 6625 Odana Road (217) 222-65602 Madison, WI 53719 Computer Mart Manager-Owner: James Moore (608) 833-8900 915 South Dort Highway Manager-Owner: James Sullivan Missouri Flint. MI 48503 Micro Age Computer (313) 234-01 61 11413 Olive Blvd. Manager-Owner: Pat McCollem South Dakota Street Louis, MO 63141 Computerland Rapid City Computer Connection (314) 567-7644 738 Street John Street 444 West Maumer Street Manager-Owner: Norm Fisher Rapid City, SO 57701 Adrian, MI 49221 (605) 348-5384 Common Wealth Computers (517) 265-7872 5214 Blue Ridge Blvd. Manager-Owner: Ron Gamling Manager-Owner: John Mattson Kansas City, MO 64133 Newman AN Communications, Inc. Illinois (816) 356-6502 400-32nd Street SE Manager-Owner: Dick York The Software Store, Inc. G rand Rapids, M I 49508 1767 Glenview Road Kansas (616) 243-3300 Glenview, IL 60025 Compusense Computers and More (312)724-7730 1001 South Washington 2915 Dretom Manager-Owner: David Pokritis and Witchata, KS 67211 Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Jeff Rayer Manager-Owner: J. Kendrick Commander March/April 1983/69 Dealers, continued Computer Business Machines (512) 451-4347 Central Utah Electronics Supply Officenter 357 South Lulu Manager-Owner: John Krieg 735 South State Wichita, KS 67211 Provo , UT 84601 Professional Computer Associates (316) 267 -1150 Manager-Owner: George S. Moore 5326 Cameron Manager-Owner: Mrs. R. Santoscoy Austin, TX 78723 Arizona Nebraska (512) 459-1220 Personal Computer Place Hobby Town Manager-Owner: Steve Derosa 1840 West Southern Avenue 220 North 66th Street Computerland of Amarillo Mesa, AZ 85202 Lincoln, NE 68505 2300 Bell Street (602) 833-8949 Central Office Equipment Amarillo, TX 79106 Manager-Owner: Roger Smith 2020 Central Avenue (806) 353-7482 Computer Super Store Kearey, NE 68847 Manager-Owner: Mark Trowbridge 4001 E. Thomas Road (308) 234-2515 Phoenix, AZ 85018 Manager-Owner: Byron Hanse Colorado Whole Life Distributors Manager-Owner: Richard Sarhan Louisiana 965 Washington Street #6 Computer Depot The Computer Center Denver, CO 80203 1201 Iron Springs Road 111 C Rena Drive (303) 861-2825 Prescot, AZ 86301 Lafayette, LA 70503 Manager-Owner: Tom Tarbart (602) 778-7473 (318) 988-2478 Zero Page, Inc. Manager-Owner: Brice Eldridge Manager-Owner: Robert Jones 2380 Naegele Road New Mexico Texas Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Computer Super Store Taylor Computer Systems (303) 633-0211 1660 Eubank N E 949 Melbourne Road Manager-Owner: David C. Cooper Alberqurque, NM 87112 Hurst, Texas 76503 (817) 284-5251 Idaho Nevada Manager-Owner: Mike Taylor Electronic Specialties, Inc. 8411 Fairview Avenue PCS Computer Computer Home Boise, 10 83704 3900 West Charleston , Ste R 431 East Avenue C (208) 376-5040 Las Vegas, NV 89102 San Angelo, TX 76903 Manager-Owner: Terry Romero (702) 870-4138 (915) 653-7488 Manager-Owner: Mickey Cole Manager-Owner: Brent DeMovilie Wyoming Computer Concepts Harry's Business Machines, Inc. Texas Technical Services 3125 East Grand Avenue Street 323 West Street 3115 West Loop South, #26 Laramie, 'NY 82070 Reno, NV 89501 Houston, TX 77027 (702) 322-4559 (713) 965-9977 Utah Manager-Owner: Gordon Foote Manager-Owner: Phil Ray Computer Plus 1078 East Ft. Union Blvd . California I.T.S. Midvale, UT 84047 Opamp Tech Books 420 Plantation Drive (801) 566-3902 1033 North Sycamore Lake Jackson, TX 77566 Manager-Owner Steve Whitzelor Los Angeles, CA 90038 Manager-Owner: I.K. Kelly, Jr. and Allen Vincent (213) 464-4322 The Computer Experience Manager-Owner: Alicion Mnemonics Memory Systems 125 Southbridge (DBA Mnemonics Computer Store) Data Equipment Supply Corp. San Antonio, Texas 78217 141 East 200 South 8315 Firestone Blvd. (512) 340-2901 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Downey, CA 90241 Manger-Owner: Carolyn Roberts (801) 266-7883 (213) 923-9361 Valley Computer Systems, Inc. Manager: Rick Giolas Manager: Robert Johnson 1101 North Cage, Suite A 1 The Hi-Fi Shop Computer Place Pharr, TX 78577 2236 Washington Blvd. 23914 Crenshaw Blvd. Software-N -Thi ngs Ogden, Utah 84401 Torrance, CA 90505 2141 West Anderson Lane (801) 621-5244 (213) 325-4754 Austin, TX 78757 Manager-Owner: Brent Richardson Manager-Owner: Wen T. Huang 70/Commander March/April 1983 Fyrst Byte Ventura, CA 93003 Manager-Owner: R. Reid , 10053 Whittwood Drive (805) 642-1979 J. Barlow, N. Kinney Whittier, CA 90603 Manager-Owner: David Stewart Inland Electro Mart (213) 947-9411 Jay-Kern Electronics 8624 California Drive Manager-Owner: Darrell Miller 1135 Columbus Riverside, CA 95204 Game Room Bakersfield, CA 93305 (714) 687-3776 5675 Kanan Room 871-5800 Manager-Owner: Jack Agora, CA 91301 Manager-Owner: Don Taylor (213) 707-0142 Educational Connection Micro Pacific Computer Center Manager-Owner: Jean Collier 1508 CoHee Road 5148 North Palm Modesto, CA 95355 General Computer Store Fresno , CA 93704 (209) 576-1611 22323 Sherman Way Unit #7 (209) 229-0101 Canogca Park, CA 91303 Manager-Owner: Mike Reinhold Software Plus (213) 704-6600 6201 "C" Greenback Lane J. Snell & Co. , Inc. Manager-Owner: Anita Broadway Citnes Heights, CA 95610 657 Mission Street (916) 726-4979 HW Electronics San Francisco, CA 94105 Manager Owner: Carolyn Webster 19511 Business Center Drive (415) 421-5898 North Ridge, CA 91324 Manager-Owner: James Snell The Radio Place (213) 886-9200 2964 Freeport BI. PC Computers Manager-Owner: Ronda Sacramento, CA 95818 10166 San Pablo Avenue (916) 441- 7388 Levity Distributers EI Cerrito, CA 94503 Manager-Owner: Gary Stilwell 6857112 Ben Avenue (415) 527-6044 North Hollywood, CA 91605 Manager-Owner: Gary Guttebo Ray Morgan Co. (213) 982-2514 554 Rio Lindo Avenue Manager-Owner: Melinda Plesha Computer Ideas, Inc. Chico, CA 95926 1029 Tennessee Street (916) 343-6065 Data Systems West Vallejo, CA 94590 Manager: Dave Wegner 421 West Las Tunas Drive (707) 552-5076 San Gabriel, CA 91776 Manager-Owner: J. Gavin Computer Place (213) 289-3791 1698 Market Street Owner: Frank J. Mogavero Fox Computer Co. Redding, CA 96001 2678 North Main Street (916) 221-1312 Consumer Computers Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Manager-Owner: John Fredricks 8314 Parkway Drive (415) 944-9277 La Mesa, CA 92041 Manager-Owner: Stan Nielson Radio Mart (714) 465-8888 1075 Cypress Albany Typewriter & Computer Manager: Steve Scott Redding, CA 96001 923 San Pablo Avenue (916) 241-3000 Caico Digital Equpiment Inc. Albany, CA 94706 Manager-Owner: John Cokeley 1919 Aple Street (415) 526-1959 Oceanside, CA 92054 Manager-Owner: Bill Tichy Oregon (714) 433-4119 Idea Computers SW Com puters Vice President: Ronald N. Paperno 301 North Santa Cruz Avenue 1125 NE 82nd 20-64 Software Center Los Cratos, CA 95030 Portland, OR 97220 9829 Mira-Mesa Blvd. (408) 354-1210 Manager-Owner: Jerry San Diego, CA 92131 Manager-Owner: Tom Wolf Edu-Tech (619) 695-0214 The Computer Room 1575 NW 9th Manager-Owner: Larry Skaggs 230 Mt. Herman Road Corvallis, OR 97330 Inland Electro Mart Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (503) 758-5577 8624 California A venue (408) 438-5001 Manager-Owner: L. ClarkIW. Brown Riverside, CA 92504 Manager-Owner: Gary Guttebo Ace-Tec (714) 687-3776 The Computer Center Stores Manager-Owner: Jack Highway 101 South Sypress Center 930 Town & Country Village Bandon, OR 97411 Quality Computer Center San Jose, CA 95128 (503) 347-9322 801 South Victoria Street, #104 (408) 246-5710 Manager-Owner: Ace Egnew Commander March/April 1983/71 Dealers, continued Washington Alaska Calgary, Alberta T2H 2G7 Compu-Play BG Systems Co. Manager-Owner: David Evans 1320 South 324th, Suite A-3 204 East International Computer World Federal Way, WA 98003 Anchorage, AK 99502 4921 -49th Street (206) 839-4453 (907) 276-2986 Red Deer, Atlanta T4N 1V2 Manager-Owner: Kevin Mitchell Manager-Owner: Robert Deloach (403) 347-4280 Manager-Owner: David Todd Electronic Supermart Micro Age Computer Store 7040 South 180th Street 2440 Seward Highway Saskatchawan Kent, WA 98032 Anchorage, AK 99503 Micro Shack, Ltd. (206) 251-8484 (907) 279-6688 333 Park Street Manager-Owner: Richard Thorp Manager-Owner: Jay Wisthoff Regina, Saskatchawan S4P 5B2 (306) 543-4079 Programs Plus Manager-Owner Dave Claypool CANADA 16874 Southcenter Parkway Computer Time Seattle, WA 98188 British Columbia 240-22 Street East (206) 575-1375 Book Shoppe Saskatoon, Saskatchawan S7K OE8 Manager-Owner: Nick Smith 33-10th Avenue South (306) 664-3456 Cranbrook, BC V1 C 2M9 Manager-Owner: Paul and Russ Conti Electronics Ltd. (604) 426-3415 c/o Afcon Manager-Owner: Tommy Wheeler Micro Shack, Ltd. 140-14th 607 -45th Street West Blaine, WA 98230 Dynamic Computer Systems Saskatoon, Saskatchawan S7L 5W5 Manager-Owner: GW . Harder 6-1960 Springfield Road (306) 244-6909 Kelowna, BC V1 Y 5V7 Manager-Owner Ray Real Computer Corner (604) 860-7795 1610 North Laventure Manager-Owner: Wayne Henrickson Nova Scotia Atlantic News Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 Sight & Sound Computer Center 5560 Morris Street West (206) 428-1840 657 Central Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1C2 Manager-Owner: Kirk D. Shroyer Prince George, BC V2M 1C6 (902) 429-5468 (604) 562-0356 Manager-Owner: Pat Doherty Computer + Manager-Owner: Jim Condon 2504 Jefferson Avenue Prince Edward Island Tacoma, WA 98402 Quebec Jeta Systems (206) 272-2329 Systems Ormic Ltd. 33 Belmont Street Manager-Owner: David Dodd 909 DeBourgone Box 2857 Ste-Foy, Quebec G1W 4S6 Charlottetown, PEl C 1A 8C4 Computer Town (418) 659-3858 (902) 566-1059 1215 Center Systems Ormic Ltd. Tacoma, WA 98409 999 De Bouragogue (206) 272-2271 Sinte Foy, Quebec G1W 4S6 PaperClip Word Processor Nibles & Bytes Manager-Owner: Yvon labbee Continued from page 58 4020 South Steel Street, Suite 105 Ontario As stated at the outset, this is a real Tacoma, WA 98409 Questar International, Inc. winner. The price of word processing (206) 475-5938 7270 Woodbine Avenue has become incredibly reasonable. Its Manager-Owner: John Clark Markam, Ontario l3R 4B9 usablity on any Basic 4.0 PET/CBM The Electronics Shop (416) 475-8044 may potentially save you a bundle if you suddenly upgrade to a newer 131 North Decator Electronics 2001 Olympia, WA 98502 5529 Yonge Street machine, or an 80-column one. (206) 357-6304 Willowdale, Ontario M2N 5C3 My thanks to Alan Krofchick for pro Manager-Owner: Frank and (416) 223-8400 viding me with a review copy of the Tim Linaham program. (Version 2.83 is the one I us Lichtman's News Agency ed). Batteries Included plan to provide 34 Adelaide Street West Bits, Bytes and Nibbles, Inc. continuing support to customers, and · Toronto, Ontario M5H 1 P6 209 Northtown Shopping Center encourages users to submit printer Spokane, WA 99207 Alberta files for any other printers they use, so (509) 487-1601 Soft Option that they can include them on the Manager-Owner: Richard Shulman Box 11 2, Station T disks.D 72/Commander March/April 1983 ·0 .- 0 0 > 0 " 0 0 ~ t> 0 . 0 0 /) " 0 0 0 /) 0 0 <7 c 0 0 o D o ~~)5;J-~,,--,:,_~_~";~4-,o~h;-~:o '-~~~'VIC' ~5~ 74/Commander March 1983 Advertising Index Aardvark ...... 36 Academy Software ...... 2 Cascade Computerware ...... 35 Century Micro ...... 76 CGRS Micro Tech ...... 27 Comm Data Software ...... 1 Compu-sense ...... 32 , 51, 52, 64, 76 Computer Marketing ...... 11 Computer Mat ...... 20 Data Equipment ...... 28 Eastern House ...... 35 Electric Company ...... 47 Electronic Specialties, Inc ...... 32 French Silk ...... 24 Intelligent Software ...... 33 Leading Edge ...... Back Cover Liberty Computer Distributers ...... 5 Luna Software...... 76 Midwest Micro ...... 74 Micro-Ed ...... 13 Micrograms ...... 33 Micro Spec ...... 64 Nibbles & Bits, Inc ...... 39 Optimized Data Systems ...... 63 Precision Technology ...... 64 Protecto ...... 3 Saura ...... 39 Skylight ...... 31 SW Computers ...... 43 Tamarack Software ...... 19 Taylormade ...... 35 Totl Software ...... 58 Tsasa, Inc ...... 51 Victory Software ...... Inside Back Cover United Microware Industries ...... 47, Inside Front Cover Commander March 1983/75 lfels d . Climb ladders. a"old ""e ba ""e crarl ope Is lolling 0\ you. and les the damsel. fast mochlne cue code action. " ...01101)18101 \IIC-20 ood COMMODORE0 64 P\.A~OW\1l-\ JO'lSlIC\( OR \(£'/11 /1.110 IntroducIng ""e IIIS\ GRI'PHIC I'oYEN1URE e"el a"ailable on theal VlC-201 With realistic audiO-"ISU effects. yoU ellplore on old deserted grO"eVOrd and oduall'f0nd see the perils that lie be'f . " ...01101)18 ",c-20 ood COMMoDORE 64 101 P\.A~OWll'" \(E'/IIO"RO __--- .. ~~$~A.9S.pL---....~.. oete your planet agolnst the hostilend aliens. I'JI machIne code ma\c.es this "oetender-\l\c.e" cade prOgram one ot our best al games. "...01)18 tor",C- 20ood COMMODORE 64 ADVENTURE 110 · P\.A~OWll'" JO'lSllC\( THEKEY • .....__ ...... pL_ $~9.95.----....-· IS YOUR COMPUTER HIgh speed machine action. Don't 0u let ""e bullies catch 'f in a game pac\c.e tull 01 machine code. d roS "...01)18 101 COMMoDORE 64 D (3 ptOgto ) p\.A'IEO110 Wlll-\ JO'lSllC\( oR \(E'ISO/l.ll ~rlcanEscape ~the sole sUNi"or 01 ° plone crosh. 'f0u must lind 'fOUl _ ...... $~9.95- ... (3 ptOgtO mS) t wO'f out 01 the dOl\( continent. .lac\( and the seonstol\c. oeteo the HospitO ,,~n\U!e'Iou are sP'f programs tor ,he I ° Giont in 'four Quest tor hiS Golden whose mission is to complete the V\C-20 and the bungled ossossinotiOn ortempt lOton COMMOOORE 64 Hen.computer "dventure Re-li"e the the e,,11dictoto!. whO IS recupe - l "ell f1'len'" ot gerting 'fOur ing in the hosplto under heO""'" COf1'lPUcite . An ad"entule with a "ef'( All progroms tit in tel guord.60mb 1\"IreOt Get bOC\( to town to 1 st s\ondord memof'l· ditterent 110,,0. wo the outhoritieS 01 ""e bOmb0u Moon BOse /'Jpho 'IoU f1'Iur lind ° A\I progroms are wO'f to destlO'f the f1'Ieteo that is plontedtn b'f ""e t.elfOlistS whO left 'f on cosse\1e tope. rocing towoldS 'fOUl bOse, 01 else priSOnel ot ""elr hIdeoUt. " ...olloI)Ie tor ",C 20 ood CoMMODORE 64 011f1'Io on colonies will be def1'loliShedl p\.A~DWI1'" KE'IIIO"RD " ...ollOl)le tor ",C-20 ood COMMODORE 64 pl,A'IEO WIll-\ \(E'IIIO"RD $~9.95 Says who? Says ANSI. make life miser,able for everyone in the disk-making Specifically, subcommittee X3B8 of the' American business. National Standards Institute (ANSI) says so. The fact How? By gathering together periodically (often, is all Elephant™ floppies meet or exceed the specs one suspects, under the full moon) to concoct more required to meet or exceed all their standards. and more rules to increase the quality of flexible But just who is "subcommittee X3B8" to issue such disks. Their most recent rule book runs over 20 single pronouncements~ spaced pages-listing, and insisting upon-hundreds They're a group of people representing a large, upon hundreds of standards a disk must meet in well-balanced cross section of disciplines-from order to be blessed by ANSI. (And thereby be taken academia, government agencies, and the ,omputer seriously by people who take disks seriously.) industry. People from places like IBM, Hewlett-Packard, In fact, if you'd like a copy of this formidable docu 3M, Lawrence Livermore Labs, The U.S. Department ment, for free, just let us know and we'll send you of Defense, Honeywell and The Association of Com one. Because once you know what it takes to make puter Programmers and Analysts. In short, it's a bunch an Elephant for ANSI ... of high-caliber nitpickers whose mission, it seems, in We think you'll want us to make some Elephants order to make better disks for consumers, is also to for you. DUTY For a free poster-size portrait of our powerful pachyderm, please write us. Distributed Exclusively by Leading Edge Products, Inc., 225 Turnpike Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021 Call: toll-free 1-800-343-6833; or in Massachusetts call collect (617) 828-8150. Telex 951-624.