A and B Computing 1985

AN ARGUS SPECIALIST publication January 1985

FOR USERS OF THE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON Cover: Pilot One’s Computer Volume Two Number Controlled Crane

Group Editor: Elspeth Joiner Acting Editor: Mark Webb Editorial Assistant: lone Holmes Software Assistant: Simon Rockman Advertising Manager: Barry Bingham Sales Executive: Jonathan McGarry Chief Executive: TJ Connell

News More of the latest add-ons, software releases and information to help you get the most from your computer. Accountant 36 Mailsort How good is Acorn’s book-keeping program? Your comments, complaints, ideas and opinions. Keep them Life 40 coming. An intriguing puzzle for the Beeb and Electron that will Dynamic Duo 16 fascinate you for hours. An in-depth look at the facilities offered by Acorn’s spread- Sorting On Index 45 sheet, ViewSheet, in combination with the Raven-20 board. Silversoft’s disc-based database. Disc Menu 22 CRTC Under Control. . . 48 Create a menu of all your files on disc. Direct Programming of the 6845 graphics chip. Apologies for Laser Cycles 28 the wait but it’s well worth it! GOTO 48. A race against time. Vapourise the enemy before your cycle Developing Ideas On 6502 55 disintegrates. A detailed look at Acornsoft’s 6502 development system. Access 34 Random ROM Report 63 Dave Carlos provides the answers to some of the questions Watford Electronics’ ROM Manager reviewed. he’s often asked about discs and drives. Buggy Briefing 65

A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written The Economatics Buggy becomes more versatile with a Fenkit. articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts meet- our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us Questions and Answers 68 for consideration for publication. Bruce Smith solves your computer problems. All submitted material should be printed or typed, double spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 character ROM Report 70 width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program alone will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a An analysis of the DUMPOUT 3 ROM from Watford full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the struc- Electronics. ture. We also require the program in machine readable form " 3" (cassette, 40 track 5Vi . or disc) plus any suitable screen Solo Pilot 72 photographs, printer dumps and so on. Pilot One’s interface for the BBC teaches digital control. All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for con- Bouncer 74 sideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square The second part of our series creates the sprites for this arcade address. game.

4 A&B COMPUTING JANUARY 1985 One January 1985

Published by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626.

All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Square address.

Edsoft 80 Educational programs for students of all ages. Create Your Own Adventure World 90 Melvyn Wright’s article concludes by explaining the importance of the story itself in a successful adventure game.

Software Reviews All the latest programs for the BBC and Electron. Down To Business 104 The Miracle WS2000, Pace Nightingale and Prism 1000 modems compared as executive aids. IEEE Experiment 108

Acorn’s IEEE-488 interface is put through its paces.

Software Listings 112 A guide to the multitude of programs available for your computer.

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London. -

Move to the Sound of MIDI - Mixing Music and the Micro

Disc Drives are here

A Nightingale sings and travelling beyond the bounds of

t BBC BASIC Extension ROM News 6 Update on the latest developments for the BBC and Electron.

Mixing It With TMS 12 Become a computer composer with Island Logic’s Music System. Amazing Mouse 18 A graphics designer mouse from AMS to make using the computer easy for everyone.

Random Access Dave Carlos unravels your disc problems.

A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us for consideration for publication. All submitted material should be printed or typed, double spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 character

width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program alone will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the structure. We also require the program in machine readable form * 3" (cassette, 40 track 5V " . or disc) plus any suitable screen photographs, printer dumps and so on. All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square address.

4 A&B COMPUTING FEBRUARY 198 >erTwo February 1984 Machine Code Made Easy 84 Make your own machine code music. aimer Published by Argus Specialist Publications Akhter Drive In 88 Webb Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London We look at a range of disc drives from Akhter. W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. olmes Tokenising Function Keys 90 gham Use BASIC tokens instead of function keywords to increase All work for consideration should to athan be sent your Beeb’s computing capacity. Garry the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden >nnell Square address. Beeblab 94 Another look at the BBC as a laboratory instrument. This time we focus on the digital interface. Music Machine 98 A teaching aid for those learning to play a musical instrument. Secret Agent 102 This adventure game takes you on a dangerous mission to destroy the enemy and save the world. Decision Maker 108 Important decisions are never easy. This program helps you consider all the options.

Software Listings 112 Our guide to what’s available for the BBC and Electron. NEXT MONTH

A computer aptitude test to tingle the nerve ends and tangle your reactions.

Why your micro may show signs of intelligence but not live up to them.

How Mining is catching on as a activity! Bookshelf ...68 games 4 q A bumper selection of reading material to help you make the The ABCs compared with immediate business rivals J lve most of your micro. such as the IBM PC and ACT Apricot ranges.

Edsoft 76 Meet Spiderman looking for the Garden of Eden in a Maze down at Arendarvon Castle — software sector. Educational programs for all. arm The Electron gets a section all to itself. 1984 80 48 Bis Brother takes his revenge. A frustrating puzzle that will entertain you for hours. ^

A&B Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by: SM Distribution Ltd, 16-18 Trinity Gardens, London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01-274 8611. Printed in the UK by Gatnett Print. Rotherham and London 56 The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. 54 £ Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London.

85 A&B COMPUTING FEBRUARY 1985 5 FOR USERS OFTHE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON Disassemble Your Brain! -a unique opportunity

Electron Extra - essential reading

Making the Most of your Micro - with BASIC, Assembler and Logo fun

Futures - machine intelligence debugged

S: > Can the ABCs compete? Econet Level 3 in Action and Software to Blow Your Socks Off! :

Thn News 6 Volume Two Number Keeping you in touch with the latest developments tor your micro. Group Editor: Wendy PalmPublish* Acting Editor: Mark WebJtd., Ni Soft Sector 10 Editorial Assistant: lone HolmeVIR 3A We review some of the software you can expect to find on the Manager: Barry Binghar shelves for your BBC and Electron. Advertising Assistant Advertising Manager: JonathaUl worl Disassemble Your Brain 16 McGarrhe Edit A unique and fascinating program utilising the computer to Chief Executive: TJ Connaquare help further your understanding of how the brain works.

Intelligent Systems and the Micro 22

Is the Beeb capable of artificial intelligence? 26 Bouncer Red Shift Into Gear ^hy No The final piecing together of our exciting arcade game. A small company producing big strategy games for the BBuardian S Basic 30 and Electron. . Making the most of BBC )own t< Continuing our Walk Before You Run series with a further look Making the most of Assembly 5an your f at graphics. An introduction to assembler for newcomers to machine cod *ersona Questions and Answers 34 Electron Books . . . 5 irrorsoft's You provide the problems and we’ll do our best to solve them. Just some of the reading matter available exclusively f reviewed. landorr to Keystick 35 Electron users Key Jave Carle your At last we bring you the program that allows you to define Electric Software 5 own command keys for games and replace keyboard controls The Beeb’s baby brother loses out in the software stakes ttdvanCf with joysticks. there are still many titles available. We’ve gathered togeth- exrrac: recent releases. 2cce Port: File It with File-Plus 40 Watford Electronics’ ROM based database reviewed. Edsoft Let's Ge lead the way in home education software t- R542 Software Reviews 44 Acornsoft aim to the BBC and Electron. le ~tiw V Our monthly selection of games and utilities for your computer. Making the most of Logo 6olar S

Logical Logo is the ideal language for beginners to computing space well-written A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for f articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts Turtle Fun our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us meet Is Acornsoft’s Logo the definitive version? for Iftnsideration for publication. All submitted material should be printed or typed double

spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed < 55 character alone width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program will not be considered. All programs must come complete w ith a full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the structure. We also require the program in machine readable form l " 3' plus suttable screen (cassette, 40 track 5 A . or disc) any photographs, printer dumps and soon. All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in such works which will pass to Argus Spec.a st Publications

Limited will be paid for at competitive rates A 1 work tor consideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square address.

AStB COMPUTING MARCH 19V&S C 0 MPl 4 r Three March 1985 A Nightingale Sings 92 Pace combine their Nightingale modem with Commstar’s ROM to create an interesting communications package. alm^ublished by Argus Specialist Publications WebLtd., Number One, Golden Square, London Analyser 94 almaVlR 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. A pair of computer aided design programs for everyone from ghar the home hobbyist to the professional circuit engineer. atha\ll work for consideration should be sent to Beebword 98 Garr:he Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden DnneSquare address. Our computer-based crossword. Mailsort 99 Your comments, hints and suggestions. Keep them coming. Language Lab 103 HCCS and Computerphile versions of Forth compared and . . 5Vhy Not Start a Library 66 contrasted. ie BBjuardian Software’s Library Manager ROMs reviewed. Cut and Thrust 107 )own to Business 68 The traditional scissor-stone-paper game adapted for the Beeb. • • ^'an your BBC compete as a business machine? e cod. Software Listings 112 Personality Tester 75 Want a new program? Check out our guide to what’s available • • discussed, ^jrrorsoft’s program Know Your Own Personality for the BBC and Electron. 'ely ft _ , Random Access 76 )ave Carlos advises on more of your disc problems. A^rr MW/& . . 5 kes b^dvanced Graphics 78 ogeth\n extract from Bruce Smith’s book The BBC Micro Machine fin issue packed with features on 'ode Portfolio.

• • 6_et’s Get Serial 86 - high level networking with hard vare ffhe RS423 serial port can be used for connection to a printer. disc based Econet level 3. Ve show you how. - listings to type in to make

• • 6iolar System 90 learning fun. lputiniee space with our fascinating program displaying planetary - a Hode 7 toolkit to fully exploit irbits. Teletext, . . 6 Husic588 in the recording studio and ftuch rtuch MORE,

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. •S Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

;/V 19S&B COMPUTING MARCH 1985 FOR USERS OF THE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON t Networks in Action Level 3 Econet in Education Generate Your Own Educational Programs - Listings and Utilities Microworlds The Challenge of LOGO We Take Music 500 Into The ding

PLUS: A complete Mode 7 toolkit, BASIC converter, machine code plotting, scrolling and printing

The first supergame of ’85 from Micro Power News 6 Volume Two Number A roundup of what’s new for Acorn owners.

Soft Sector 8 Editor: Mark Webb The Quest begins. Micro Power’s challenge to all BBC game Editorial Assistant: lone Holmes players is on. Group Editor: Wendy Palmer Trudy’s Cottage 12 Advertising Manager: Barry Bingham Advertising Manager: Jonathan Simulate the seasons changing. Assistant McGarry Micro Class 16 Chairman: TJ Connell What does the future hold for Microkids? Edword Explored 18 Tens of thousands of this popular educational wordprocessor are already in use. We explore the reasons why.

Electron Plus 3 26 A powerful combination of Advanced Disc Filing System and Sony 3" drives.

Mode 7 Pixel Plotting 36

The first of our Teletext Toolkit. Random Access 34 Disc Users turn to this page! BASIC Maker 36 Turn Teletext screens into BASIC listings.

Teletext Translation 38 Transformation from screen to paper. Bingo 44 Educational fun for youngsters. Alpha 48

A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written Sorting out the alphabet. articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us Educational Program Generator 51 for consideration for publication. powerful method for the creation of interactive teaching All submitted material should be printed or typed, double A listed character software. spaced . Any programs submitted should be (55 alone width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a Econet in Action 58 and where relevant, the struc- full explanation of the operation, Top of the class networking. ture. We also require the program in machine readable form (cassette, 40 track SVC, or 3' disc) plus any suitable screen Punctuation 64 photographs, printer dumps and so on. All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in An opportunity for teacher or parent to help out with a tricky such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications subject. Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square Q&A 72 address. Further agonising over readers’ problems from Bruce Smith.

COMPUTING APRIL 1985 4 A&B . .

Four April 1985 NEXT MONTH

Putting your micro to WORK. Published by Argus Specialist Publications We’ll be telling you how to get your Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London BBC /Electron to do the hard graft. W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. Software for database, mail list and integration with Wordwise. All work for consideration should be sent to Reviewed: Wordwise Plus, Accounts the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden software. Penman and the complete Square address. Solidisk double density disc upgrade, including packaged software. Value from your microcomputer with A&B.

Parlez Vous Logo? 72 Ttext — Scroll it! 91

As the Logos come on line, we ponder on their use in schools. Super smooth scrolling text and graphics for all types of display. Chart 74 BBC and Electron software chart as compiled by Gallup. Edsoft 94 A comprehensive look at the programs currently competing to Micro Class 78 educate us. The influence of the BBC in education results in many projects and products for our favourite micro. Making the Most of BASIC 103 A window on the world of screen design Teletext Control Characters 82 The invisible power of control characters harnessed. Software Reviews 106 More pages chock-a-block with the best in arcade, adventure, Symphonic Overtones 86 strategy and much more besides. The incredible musical combination of Music 500 and ATPL’s Symphony keyboard. Software Listing 112 Flick through the “yellow pages” of BBC and Electron software

The Truth Behind CAO! 127

All is revealed. Diamond Adventure 130 Complete this testing adventure trail and we will want to know why!

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. ‘ Z Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

A&B COMPUTING APRIL 1985 5 AN ARGUS SPECIALIST PUBLICATION May 1985 e o

£1.25

Put your Micro to WORK: Database Management % Integration Mail List

Wordwise Plus Is it Double Plus Good?

Addicts Smashing software for Electron and BBC

PgUS: The realities of doing business with your BBC, what price the Solidiskit? and the new breed of educational software .

REGULARS

News 6 Software, hardware, products roundup and news of BBC and Electron applications.

Making the Most of BASIC 10 The best series for BBC BASIC programmers.

Competition 16 Up for grabs this month: Over £200 worth of Penman printer/ plotter/robot/mouse.

Making the Most of Logo 18 Wandering Turtles. Edsoft. Random Access 20 Kontiki and Viking England packages help make this an excitin Valuable advice on disc matters. edition.

Soft Sector 24 Down to Business 95 Arcade antics with the likes of Bouncer and Combat Lynx. Balancing the pros and cons of accountancy software for BBC systems. Gallup Chart 28 Top of the Softs. Software Reviews 102 Eight pages of reaction testers, mind benders and home helps. Mailsort 43 A&B’s reader interface and the Bouncer header you’ve been Software listings 110 waiting for. Search and sort out the software you require. TC Making the Most of Assembler 48 E More machine code miracles made dead easy. FEATURES

Back from the Brink 8 A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written Acorn’s recovery from possible financial disaster and the role articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts played by Olivetti. meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us for consideration for publication. All submitted material should be printed or typed, double Doubling Up 30 spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed character (55 Double Density filing systems. The sticky subjects of performance

width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program alone and software compatibility. will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the structure. We also require the program in machine readable form Ultracalc 2 34 (cassette, 40 track 5V

4 A&B COMPUTING MAY 1985 r Five May 1985 Bouncer 42 u. Electron modifications for the game. See Mailsort for header pro- Published by Argus Specialist Publications gram. Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London Tel: Mail list n W1R 3AB. 01 437 0626. 58 n Create your own mailing list and lighten one of the main burdens of business. y All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Integrate 78 Square address. Code to integrate wordprocessing and database functions. Both s View and Wordwise supported. HARDWARE

Organ Master ) Spellcheck 55 56 ' The budget riced music add on for the BBC Micro - 3 Beebug’s speedy Spelling checker for us jomel'its. P Graphics Touch 76 Solidiskit 64 Cumana’s stylish input device. Amazing value? Free software? High performance hardware? What really goes into the latest Solidisk disc interface package? Digital Interfaces 82 Wordwise Plus 86 What best suits the laboratory Beeb? Interfaces on test. New possibilities opened up by the Plus in the favourite of BBC Penman wordprocessors. 125 A combination of functions. But does that mean compromise? BBC Means Quality 90 Strict quality control means a reliable machine. NEXT MONTH Doing BBC Business 99 Global View — stunning graphical The sometimes humourous realities of moving in to the high tech office, BBC style. reproductions of mother earth. Relaxing with Biogram. Cumana’s Electron disc interface. Torch Graduate and the famous XCHANGE package. Coming soon... Adventure in SOFTWARE Xanadu — am exciting start for our sensational Adventure generator. filer 12

Managing data of all kinds with this friendly to enter and easy to use database.

A&B Computing Is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by: SM Distribution Ltd, 16-18 Trinity Gardens, London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01-274 8611. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London

Die contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Ail rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. t Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London.

A&B COMPUTING MAY 1985 5 FOR USERS OF THE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON

A&B Say: Relax! with Biogram Cumana Electron disc interface

Torch Graduate IBM 1| compatible?^)

PLUS ,

Volume Two Number Cover Photograph courtesy of NASA

Editor: Mark O Webb Assistant Editor: Fiona J Eldridge REGULARS Software Assistant: John Donovan Group Editor: Wendy J Palmer Advertisement Manager: Barry C Bingham News 6 Advertisement Manager: Jonathan McGarry Publishing Director: Peter Welham Be in the know with all the latest hard and software news Chairman: Jim Connell and views. Gallup Poll 14 Software bestsellers. Soft Sector 16 Gremlins, Kissin’Kousins, Sub Strike. The best of the bunch this month. Edsoft 30 Mailsort 99 Storm’s Flightpath and Garland’s Make Sam Smile among others. Reader feedback. Making the Most of BASIC 50 Making the Most of Assembler 103 Concatenating and extracting strings for beginners. Snazzy graphics on the interrupt. Random Access 53 Software Listings 112 catalogue with the opportunity to More words of wisdom from our disc wizard. Comprehensive software win Robico’s Island of Xaan and club membership. Down to Business 54 Back issues 126 The BBC paying its way. Complete look at Payroll by From October 1984. computer. Software Reviews 62 Latest BBC and Electron releases assessed by the A (&B) team. FEATURES Bookshelf 82 Acorn related matters on the page. BBC PLUS 12 A Brand spanking new version of the BBC Micro. on the look-out for well-written A&B Computing is constantly Graduate with Honours 18 articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us First part of a complete look at Torch’s IBM compatible for consideration for publication BBC upgrade. should be printed or typed, double All submitted material of Pascal 24 spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 character Making the Most alone . program width emphasised if possible) A cassette of the An appreciation of Acornsoft’s ISO Pascal with program will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a examples. full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the struc- 28 ture. We also require the program in machine readable form Biogram (cassette. 40 track or 3” disc) plus any suitable screen 5V*' Synergy Software’s answer for those who want to relax. photographs, printer dumps and so on. 36 All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in When in Rome such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications Deciphering ancient numbers for a modern machine. Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for con- s deration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square Another Plus for the Electron 38 address. The consumer’s guide to the Electron Plus 3 in action.

1985 4 A&B COMPUTING JUNE June 1985 Six SOFTWARE Published by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London Caps Lock REM 48 W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. A practical mnemonic for programmers. Itchy Fingers 60 to All work for consideration should be sent Useful advice on mastering the basics of programming. the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Global View 70 Square address. Create graphical representations of planet earth with our stunning cover feature. Software Sale 75

Easy access to the best of A&B software, plus an amazing offer to computer musicians. Music 500 on the cheap! Program Packing 88 Sound advice on squeezing your BASIC programs into the available memoryspace results in an educational program for all. Walk the Plank 92

Estimating distances, calculating risks, fun for kids. Qman 95 A hopping and bouncing extravaganza for fans of the classic game. From Here to Eternity 101 Relocation of software made simple. Going East 42 Inscrutable review of the far eastern favourite game. NEXT MONTH Mikefax 46 Prestel emulation for Econets. Don’t miss Xanadu, the first Dragonsworld will win you over, Cumana Connection 66 adventure to be born within Touchtech, the touchscreen, will Adventurescape, the adventure demand your interest and Feed- The alternative disc interface for the Electron, double generator listed in our July issue. back will keep you informed.

density, battery backed up RAM and more. It’s a fascinating chalienge.and, if Down to Earth is an equally Electron Bible 81 you choose to imagine, design and inspiring follow up to Global View produce your own adventure you and there is a whole host of An excellent guide to the Electron and a pointer to the could win an Electron as well as reviews, of hardware, firmware future of this machine. being honoured within our pages. and software. Don’t miss it. Printer Protocol 109

Low level advice for printer users.

A&B Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by: SM Distribution Ltd, 16-18 Trinity Gardens. London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01-274 8611. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London

The contents of this publication Including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. £ Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

A&B COMPUTING JUNE 1985 5 ) AN AHUUS SPECIALIST PUBLICATION July 1985

Visit Xanadu Generate adventure IWo Electrons to be won Enter Dragon World

REVS - on review

PLUS: .

REGULARS Volume Two Number 6 News Editor Mark Webb Exciting moves on the micro musical front. Assistant Editor. Fiona J Eldridge Domesday News 9 Software Assistant: John Donovan Group Editor: Wendy J Palmer Domesday under way. How the discs are up and Advertisement Manager Barry C Bingham running. Assistant Advertisement Manager: Jonathan S McGarry Software Sale/Competition 27 Publishing Director Peter Welham Chairman: Jim Connell Electrons up for grabs. Soft Sector 50 We were just putting together the soft sector when Revs roared in. You find yourself by the track at Silverstone, a formula 3 racing car is here. Random Access 52 Software listings 114 A run down of the major new features in the BBC Plus Disc Filing System. The publishers, the prices, + special Adventure listing. Feedback 76 Making the Most of Logo 81 How to protect tape software, what’s up with Fileplan?, what equpment would you buy on a £600 Introducing Logotron and LSL Logo. Filehandling and budget? procedural extension. Edsoft 90 Subscriptions 128 You can just make out a classroom. Children are playing. There’s a microcomputer and a pile of FEATURES software. Software Reviews 101 Assassin 33

There’s a utility ROM here, some games and a drawing Wit and style in a new Robico Adventure. package. TAKE reviews. The BASIC Editor 34 Mailsort 103 Acomsoft’s 16K program editor. Second Processor blues and Pools Program prettified. Doubling Up II 38 Watford DDFS, Cumana QFS, Solidisk and UDM updates. The most comprehensive look at double density interfaces. A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts Dragonworld 40 meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us art for for consideration for publication You’ll be enchanted by 4Mation’s latest work of All submitted material should be printed or typed, double the young, at heart. spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 character BROM 44 width emphasised if possible) . A cassette of the program alone will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a Clares’ professional piece of firmware for the full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the struc- programmer. ture. We also require the program in machine readable form 46 (cassette, 40 track 5 1A’', or 3" disc) plus any suitable screen Demonic Powers photographs, printer dumps and so on. Software wizardry is the hallmark of this key to All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in communication. such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for con- Xchange Xtra 55 Square sideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Gordon Taylor continues his look at the Psion trio address. bundled with the Torch Graduate IBM compatible.

4 A&B COMPUTING JULY 1985 Seven July 1985 Jingle Composer 96 Write, edit, playback, record. Once produced, tunes Published by Argus Specialist Publications can be incorporated in your own program. Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. Next All work for consideration should be sent to Month the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden

Square address. Attractive computer graphics are quickly making their mark in many walks of life, for practical presentation of facts, for games and for computer fine art. In the August issue of A&B Computing, out on the 5 July, you will be able to sample some sensational computer graphics, beginning with the cover. There are features on how

it’s done, and how you can do it too. There’s also some terrific Not So Hard Discs 66 software to let you create cartoon characters, accurate line drawings, three dimensional objects and much more. Plus a A Down to Business special feature on how hard discs review of the official Acornsoft Graphics Extension ROM. can prove a valuable investment. Unistat 83 NEW: Unique to A&B Computing — a foolproof method of entering program listings! Proving one of the most popular statistics programs for the BBC. From next month all listings will contain a simple yet thorough

Grafix 84 error checking system, line by line. Find out how it works in next month’s issue. Graphito and Tesselator form a dynamic duo for screen design. Wordwise Plus is turning out to be so much more than just a wordprocessor. Jonathan Evans has produced some highly SOFTWARE practical software exploiting the interactive abilities of the program. Adventurescape 14 Alan Rowley begins his expert look at events. Imagine an easy to use Adventure Designer for BBC and Electron. It enables you to use full flowing Jon Vogler bring you some of the finer aspects of business descriptions, to set puzzles and lay traps, to carry and computing with the help of the Torch Graduate wear objects. Here it is, and more.

Down to Earth 60 Trevor Attewell gives the tracker balls a try. How easy do they

make it to work with the micro? Gravity plays its part in a follow up to Global View.

Wordwise Plus BASIC Editing 87 Gordon Taylor combines an Acorn Winchester disc and A BASIC program editor for the new wordprocessing Viewstore, the latest ROM addition to the View family language. with.. .what results? Find out next month. Computer Hint 89

Computer Aided Origami? It was no joke!

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property' rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of ntemational copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. £ Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1984 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London.

-&B COMPUTING JULY 1985 a AN ARGUS SPECIALIST PUBLICATION AUgUST 1900

FOR USERS OFTHE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON Graphic Design - How it’s done

Software to DIY Ikon Mosaic CADpack Touch of Class

Official: Graphics Extension ROM

Mouse Matters: AMX Utilities, AMX Desk, Watford’s Colour Art

Viewstore joins the family 1

Volume Two Number

REGULARS Editor. Mark Webb Assistant Editor: Fiona J Eldridge News • ^ Software Assistant: John Donovan borrowed, nothing blue, nothing old, Nothing Group Editor: Wendy J Palmer lust all that’s new. 4Q Manager: Jonathan McGarry Most of Assembler A6 Advertisement Making the Publishing Director: Peter Welham A neat routine to improve your games writing. Chairman: Jim Connell Software Sale graphics On offer this month, our four superb rograms. 58Co Ploft Sector Alligata and Ultimate battle it out among the dungeons and caverns of the underworld. Edsoft 59 Music and mathematics programs classroom features tested. Feedback Art of Abbas ....10 cover — see how it was Hints, tipsJielp and advice. You’ve seen the Software Reviews done. A spotlight on graphics artist, The latest BBC/Electron releases assessed. Abbas. oo • 12 Making the Most of Logo Rollerballs ;•;••• v* • v track - We look at two Logos - Logotron and LSI- A&B put you on the nght Down to Business w reviews of the Marconi and Wigmore in The Torch Graduate and Xchange software trackballs. a business environment. Creative Sound • -30 Bookshelf 10Z A sound review ofAcorn’s latest offering in the Books on every aspect of Acorn computing. ’Creative’ series. Q1 Greater Graphics 3 At last - the official Graphics Extension ROM from Acom: was it worth the wait? the look-out for well-written A&B Computing is constantly on 34 feel that your efforts BBC Road Safety articles and programs for publication. If you work to us special fea- meet our standards, please feel free to submit your Look right, look left - look at our

consideration for publication. . for , safety software. or typed double ture on road All submitted material should be printed character spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 Mighty Mouse the program alone . cassette of - width emphasised if possible) A Three packages to enhance the mouse two programs must come complete with a will not be considered. All Watford. relevant the struc- from AMS and one from full explanation of the operation, and where machine readable form oz ture We also require the program in Quinkey Education 3" any suitable screen (cassette, 40 track or disc) plus How the Quinkey Keyboard performs in photographs, printer dumps and so on. ... and the copyright in All submissions will be acknowledged schools..... cn Publications such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Ail work for con- Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. Square interactive abilities of Wordwise sideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Explore the address. Plus and get more from your wp.

A&B COMPUTING AUGUST 1985 Eight August 1985 Design a Diesel 96 Published by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626.

All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Square address. Next Month

Get it right! Exorcise program typing errors with A&B’s own program verifier that checks your typing — line by line! Quinkey Business 84 Microcomputers in photography — special feature it help in business. And how can you that shows you how.

Ally Pally — make an exhibition of yourself with our SOFTWARE original adventure game. Beebug’s MUROM — for music while you work? Cadpack 16 Tackle quite complicated technical drawings Jon Vogler on mail merging. with our computer aided design program.

Events ...... 22 More eventing with Alan Rowley. Make an event of it — expert programming advice from Alan Rowley. More bite to your BBC — the Watford RAM board Mosaic 26 reviewed. Create lively graphic images and cartoons on your Beeb. Plus: Random Access, Feedback, Making the Most Touch of Class 39 of..., the latest soft and hardware reviews and more. Impress your friends and business associates September issue of A&B Computing — on sale 2nd with a personalised letterhead designed on August. your computer. Ikon 64 A&B’s very own breed of mouse software.

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other Intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Z Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1985 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

ABB COMPUTING AUGUST 1985 5 .

FOR USERS OFTHE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON DOWN TO Computer - BUSINESS aided slide Mail merging photography made easy

GET IT RIGHT! Unique Watford program RAM board, verifier Ally Pally, Design and rogrammiQffef EducaJ“ UROM Software, Music while you . A abase Number N REGULARS Volume Two Pu Webb Lt< News ^ Editor Mark Assistant Editor: Fiona J.Eldridge W and Electron newsroom. Bulletins from the BBC Softurare Assistant: John Donovan All Wendy J.Palmer 30 Group Editor Software Reviews Advertisement Manager Jonathan McGarry th« Welham chart toppers. Publishing Director Peter Sq Confuzion, Repton, Flip! and many other 34 Making the Most of Logo

in our schools. A tale of turtles. How is Logo progressing

Bookshelf ^ bookshelves. Just browsing on the computer 7/* a 31 Gallup Chart Soft Sector The top ten chart toppers for BBC and Electron. and First Division Bobby Charlton Soccer, Football Manager 78 in the playoffs. Edsoft join a wide variety of Competition 39 Garland’s Vikings, and ESM’s Fishy classroom software. information and win £50 worth of software. I Easy. Exchange ^ 35 Feedback Soft Sale back yard. Read about what’s going on in the Acom owners fingers. More tapes and discs to choose from for tired Access ^8 36 Random Down to Business the 8271 and the Gets “low level” this month with a look at operation. The BBC offers Plus. Mail Merging is a vital business new link settings on the BBC many options but which one to choose. FEATURES the look-out for well-written A&B Computing is constantly on efforts If you feel that your articles and programs for publication. your work to us meet our standards, please feel free to submit ^ for publication Photographies for consideration , . should be printed or typed, double All submitted material combining computer graphics and be listed (55 character The art and science of spaced Any programs submitted should cassette of the program alone photography. width emphasised if possible). A must come complete with a will not be considered. All programs operation, and where relevant thei struc- 22 full explanation of the for Education machine readable torm Programming ture We also require the program in 3" disc) plus any suitable screen and restrictions laid on (cassette. 40 track 5VC, or An appreciation of the requirements and so on. photographs, printer dumps educational programmers. and the copyright m All submissions will be acknowledged Specia ist Pub ications such works which will pass to Argus competitive rates. All work for con- 36 Limited will be paid for at Events II at our Golden Square sideration should be sent to the Editor Alan Rowley’s look at software “butting in . address. Concluding A&B COMPUTING SEPTEMBER 1985 Nine September 1985 Plotmate 75 A friend indeed. A specialist plotter for the BBC. Published by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London Intersheet 88 W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. The best so far? It looks as though Computer Concepts have done it again. All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Square address. SOFTWARE

Ally Pally 52

Taking on the crowds, and the kids! at an Acorn exhibition.

Android 100 Checker., .46 Target practice on a desolate alien planet

Well worth the wait. Error free entry of program listings. Highly practical. Automatic generation of check sum on line entry.

Compressing Clever 92 NEXT MONTH Dave Carlos has been busy writing a new book. Here’s a very Programming in the Shadows — Alan Rowley on useful extract. how to fully utilise that extra memory and the Aries 32K board. Is it an upgrade to BBC Plus, or better? Electron ROM software. The latest Slogger Starword and Starstore, plus the Wizard Joystick REVIEWS interface. Hard disc breakthrough — Solidisk’s amazing Winchester package. Murom 12 Video graphics. The background to the most Trevor Attewell sounds out Beebug’s music on chip. exciting Beeb visuals we’ve seen.

Paintpot 26 Top printers tested. 80 important criteria.

More subtle brushwork from Tony Self and his Mouse. Accelerator, AMX edge detector utility, Valiant Watford RAM board 28 turtle, keying with Concept and computers in the classroom. The first 32K upgrade for the Model B.

A&B Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by: SM Distribution Ltd, 16-18 Trinity London Gardens. SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01-274 8611. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print. Rotherham and London

C 0 0 t i S 1,ca““" P** »H articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights th]Jr»!n hi1I!?„ *o A r US SpeC,“"st Pxbllcations Ltd. ° All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and byrirtue of international copyright>?, conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. X Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1985 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

A&B COMPUTING SEPTEMBER 1985 5 .

FOR USERS OF THE BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON

Programming in the Shadows - BBC Plus

First with the firmware! - Electron word, store and joy

Hard disc breakthrough - Solidisk Winchester

Programming: Video graphics - faster than

the eye. . Business: Top printers tested

Education: COMAL, Valiant T urtle, Keying with Concept

Software: Accelerator, the edge on AMX .

Volume Three Number rf REGULARS Editor Mark Webb News 6 Assistant Editor. Fiona J.Eldridge Software Assistant: John Donovan Bulletins from the BBC and Electron newsroom. Group Editor. Wendy J.Palmer Advertisement Manager. Jonathan McGarry t Soft Sector 26 Publishing Director Peter Welham a

Become a Beach-Head blaster or a Boffin bouncer.

Random Access 33 Plustalk 95 ADFS, a discussion. Dedicated to dedicated Wordwise Plus users. Soft Sale 40 Making the Most of BASIC 99 More tapes and discs to choose from, games galore and an educational compilation. Richard Ives’ favourites: the function keys. Feedback 51 FEATURES The column for real programmers continues to lend a helping hand. Faster than the Eye 12

Digitised graphics and the stunning effects that follow. Down to Business 66

The ergonomic considerations of your BBC based electronic Sprites Special 20 office. A chance to win Logotron’s marvellous Sprite Logo, the chip, the manual, Advanced Logo, Contol Logo, the sprite board. Edsoft 80 And for everyone a money-off offer you can’t refuse.

Software from Down Under. The Jacaranda Wiley suite of adventurous software plus Micro Smile and Addison Wesley Valiant Turtle 22 maths. John Henderson’s touching tale of a turtle that went to school... Software Reviews 88 Birdie Barrage, Chicane, and the manic multiple screens of Pressing Matters 28 Lode Runner. Des Thomas in touch with Concept Keyboard and the

A&B Computing is constantly on the look-out for well-written software that makes it work. articles and programs for publication. If you feel that your efforts meet our standards, please feel free to submit your work to us for consideration for publication. MUD Competition 74 All submitted material should be printed or typed, double your creative talents win free entry to the world spaced. Any programs submitted should be listed (55 character Employ and a width emphasised if possible). A cassette of the program alone of Multi-User Dungeon. will not be considered. All programs must come complete with a full explanation of the operation, and where relevant, the struc- Programming Plus 75 ture. We also require the program in machine readable form 3" (cassette. 40 track 5 Vt" or disc) plus any suitable screen Alan Rowley supplies the routines to make good use of that photographs, printer dumps and so on. shadow RAM, for data storage of various kinds. All submissions will be acknowledged and the copyright in such works which will pass to Argus Specialist Publications Limited will be paid for at competitive rates. All work for con- Confuzion Competition 98 sideration should be sent to the Editor at our Golden Square Complete the puzzle, extend the fuse and BANG! You’ve won address. a Confuzion T-shirt.

4 A&B COMPUTING OCTOBER 1985 Ten October 1985 SOFTWARE Published by Argus Specialist Publications Grisley Gardens 41 Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London Weird wanderings in a seemingly ordinary suburban back 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. W1R garden. All work for consideration should be sent to the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden The Edge on AMX 55 address. Square Sophisticated edge detection, made practical with an AMX application.

Delivery 93

REVIEWS Not to be missed. Designed for kids, fun for all, a game but educational. The dialogue is humourous and varied, the ElectROMs 16 scenario realistic. An open ended package requiring and instantly gaining the attention of children. The hardware and firmware permutations for Electron owners. Especially Slogger System’s Starword and Starstore combination. NEXT MONTH

Communicator — Acorn’s latest machine. The Filing Advanced 34 latest news Gordon Taylor on Solidisk’s future filing systems for BBC and Electron. List processing, Logo, children and words.

Toolkit II 57 Acornsoft’s Home Education suite including ABC and Talkback. An important collection of utilities from the respected Ian Trackman and BBC Soft. Double Dutch — take a piece of Beatles Music or

French text, have your BBC or Electron analyse it COMAL 70 and then... The latest contender for your highest priority ROM socket. Better than BASIC? An £8 speech synthesiser for you to build + sophisticated software. Speedy Romzales 86 Notes on MIDI, the ergonomics of the electronic Attewell gets the stop to test the effectiveness Trevor out watch office, interactive printer character design, Printer of Computer Concept’s Accelerator. Buffer, an Adventurescape text editor and BASIC utilities. Sideways Stepping 102

What’s happening in Sideways RAM. Software: Full-feature machine code wordprocessor for BBC and Electron. Amnesia — almost 1 00K of Adventure challenge.

A&B Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding covet date. Distributed by: SM Distribution Ltd, 16-18 Trinity Gardens, London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01-274 8611. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London

The contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. £ Argus Specialist Publications Ltd 1985 Printed in the U.K. by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

-SB COMPUTING OCTOBER 1985 5 . P ; n

. i wonaer wneiner i migni open ; AN ARGUS SPECIALIST PUBLICATION ira-song or excl.) I very much doubt it. "•nymph, (I) * (as dryacf ‘,( 2 ) nwlTfnimerar^^ ( s pred.j] humming-bird ai subjected to strong bias Marvellous, surprising ' a twood ; ~'p e walls etc.). 6. ~-cardii tier than) what was expectec it c st' ,re_- by which short, long 2 lirable; hence /v-ly adv. [( iinsi p spinning; ~-dyed, dyi iNPEK\ -FUL)] lanolin; o -uo\ |!~-fell, skin < adv. (poet, or rhet.) v still ) a. & fuei ;ge| on; ~-gatherin; e /-tly* adv., ~ness n. 2. ‘•hr*- U

11c COMPUTING Ol pres^ FOR USERS OFTHE ANDELE f warbler; nests in of ~-wasp, wasp that hangs wool, esp. from sh is in general kVhat customa tree or barrows in rotten wood; waxen. fabri c, as hlanlfot « an 2 r *»n ~-wind, (1) I Interactive Printer p|*w< ws [OE weaxe (as wax )] ; r,( ^instruments made (orig.) o | Character Design nfulful orig., pork. f. obui .uupnc wood; _ V'He pine etc. shavings used as d I irgical r*>r>r pr>;K'k''a< kmg;1 K: vv<>T*Jh, £> Adventurescape | 1 » (j) ne < i\ ‘.hi nK' »»;*«! wad tne Word ork»d° wood]C I Text Editor wo. Habitual to person, accus csp.wic ;,^''vornJ wood-borins . BASIC utilities wonted coin vithr f. sion of VwI /, C * iViduZ] incisiveness; (of m; in ). 1. Ask hazy; wild and wi I( hence ~'t ‘ Pnnt 5. n. .) ; f h\, Woollen gai e!< * ime, fortune, undergarment, [f persuade, (person d/ wdo'mera n. (Au ; -stick ;.). [OE wogian v. for dart or s [Aboriginal]

pi.) Growi **vooV;y g. or a . (colloq sely a conside. slightly drunk; mot see the ~ 1 fcSfogss n. [19th c., general view; ou r. of who danger etc.; don’ r^p 2 n the |[~ or *~s, do pean, esp s & icul t ies a re over, he^ unkn.] S S’ 0 tt iact fibrous sub. Worcester f trunks and aeav. * pungent sai 1 1 -iskss (-n-* V P _ o ' or cut for timber oir England] -afts; timber, fuel, etc., of this; 2 abbn S .eg. f. wooDj-f-Y ] | | s (on) put hand etc. against abounding in wooc jmg a> o ¥ ^bte, 1 ^ *n (as superstition to avert ill .ure, consisting, of w<£>d word (we: 8“| capture in children’s game), ant; woody stem tissue soundjy^H , ) ®B< oottled storage of wine etc. (in, plan. .m and branches of wood cWfomarily W J *S I. 2 (woody Nil f. it (Bowls) = bowl 1 ; (Golf) *.); hence ~iness n. [ME, of but n 2 club. 5. ~ methyl wood -f- -v element of alcohol, ] E“§ Acomsoft s Talkback, ABC Reviewed er. See woo. native ideas r\i* /v. * 1 1 V\« « lilt ifi uciirk 1 n. — weft alt. f. of, woof . [OE owef, owebb (after the who 3 « List Processing - Logo, children 1 weave f. as a- web; f. assoc, basic unit o wefan ) 1, w- re S and language w. warp ] in compute 2 1 woof n., & v.i. (Give) gruff bark of dog; hence Have no /v £ i Electronic Office - Ergonomics 5 < iuiinaiiiiiiiii[‘AjriMir4»t:iiia ^'er 1 n., loudspeaker for accurately reproducing it'iil'qyia Notes on MIDI -Powertran, Siel low-frequency signals (cf. tweets), [imit.] pressing the m) engraving made on wood; wool n. 1. Kind of hair distinguished by fineness, of it, no par n who cuts wood. (2) maker softness, wavy structure, and scaly surface. the ~ for •• [oi] ••• IBC PLUS 128K INSIDE * >» >» t hatborp'! in wood: ~-fibre, occurring mixed with ordinary hair in coat of as in thought; ~ for Volume Three Number

REGULARS Editor. Mark Webb Assistant Editor Fiona J.Eldridge BBC 128K 7 Group Editor Wendy J.Palmer Gordon Taylor maps out the memory and explains how why Advertisement Manager Jonathan McGarry , and what you can do with the extra RAM. Editorial Director Ron Moulton Managing Director Peter Welham News 8

Major software releases, new hardware, and some interesting application stories.

Ultimate’s Atic Atac has proved a real winner on the BBC. Making the Most of Logo 21 Take a look around the game, mapped in Soft Sector. Logotron List Processing, Logo, children and words. Making the Most ofAssembler 45 h Putting on the brake in machine code. Software Reviews 32

The quality releases for BBC and Electron. Making the Most of Logo 69

Competition 34 Random Access 89

Like to win U.S. Gold’s Electron Beach-Head? Then battle More points and problems from the floor. Dealt with by Disc your way to page 34. wizard Dave Carlos.

Soft Sale 36 Down to Business 96 More tapes and discs to choose from. There’s an attractive Jon Vogler takes you through the ergonomic considerations of package for BBC Plus owners and great value utilities as well your BBC based electronic office. as the Amnesia Adventure and Easyword machine code wordprocessor. FEATURES Double Dutch 24 Articles in the next month equally acceptable. Please also column are in an advanced indude hardcopy and any suit- This highly original Program analyses and reproduces patterns state of preparation but cannot able illustration, photographs within text and music. Let your BBC Micro compose a be guaranteed to appear. and/or screen dumps. new Beatles song for instance. If you are considering sub- mitting material to A&B then Notes on MIDI 53 please send a S.A.E. for a com- Powertran’s MIDI interface and sound sampler play along with A&B Computing is constantly prehensive style sheet. It’s also Siel’s MIDI interface and composing software. on the look-out for original and sensible to give us a ring before well -written articles and pro- going ahead with any major Amnesia 58 grams for publication. Feel free work. to submit your work to us for All submissions will be Adventurescape, the disc upgrade. A full text editor allows consideration for publication. acknowledged and material entering of messages and location descriptions. Also on offer: AH submitted material must returned if not required. On Amnesia, a massive Adventurescape production; a be in machine readable form. acceptance the copyright in psychological thriller which should keep you glued to the m This applies both to programs such works which will pass to Keyboard. (in any language) ana to docu- Argus Specialist Publications In the 71 mentation, which should be Limited will be paid for at com- Shadows prepared with a BBC or Elec- petitive rates. All work for con- Alan Rowley follows up Programming Plus with routines to tron wordprocessor. inch sideration should sent to 5| be the make full use of shadow RAM. This month it makes room for disc (40/80) or cassette Editor at the above address. a multiple choice question marker program.

A&B COMPUTING NOVEMBER 1985\ Eleven November 1985

Published by Argus Specialist Publications Deathstar 22 Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London Superior’s marvellous new space fantasy. More than a touch W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. of originality in the classic arcade style.BBC and Electron. All work for consideration should be sent to ROMSPELL 29 the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Square address. Spellchecker Clive Grace feeds Watford’s firmware with a word or two and it all comes out 100% Queen’s English!

Easyword 78 Homework 38 Talkback, ABC and Workshop are brand new educational Our machine code wordprocessor for BBC Micro or Electron. packages from Acomsoft. They employ the finest Easy to use and easy on the pocket! Documented in full. programming, friendly design and fascinating content. Des Thomas is the lucky reviewer. Keyboard Vultures 103

A typical tale of woe, recogniseable in BBC Micro households Oxford Pascal 95 throughout the country. A popular version of Pascal for the BBC. How does it fare as a practical programming language? SOFTWARE

Side Stepping 46

Intelligent routines for messing about in sideways RAM.

3D Art 50

The beginning of a series on producing three dimensional images with BBC and Electron graphics.

BASIC Companion 85

Friendly helpmate for BASIC programmers. A full range of ; utilities. REVIEWS Font 90 A versatile character designer for dot-matrix printers. Charting Success 16

C :r-.puter Concept’s Interchart described in graphic detail - jordon Taylor.

MtB Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by SM Distribution Ltd., 16-18 Trinity Gardens, London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01 274 8611. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

Tbe contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein Delong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. AD rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of International - .pyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. Any reproduction requires the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd.

?85 : IMPUTING NOVEMBER 1985 5 DECEMBER

ROM SOFTWARE FOR BEGINNERS

SLEUTH II ALTRA ROMs

FAST FLOOD FILLS PRINTER BUFFER FOR MODEL B+ BUMPER PACK OF CHRISTMAS GAMES - PLAY SCROOGE! 16K SIDEWAYS RAM FOR £10 Volume Three Number Editor: Mark Webb EditonFiona J FWlndge Assistant Bradshaw Group Editor: Dave REGULARS Wendy JPataOT Group Managing Editor: Advertiscm^^Managcn^Jonaihan Moulton Welham Managing Director: Peter '

I News rT

and the Music Maestro. 78 Soft Sale 22 at modest massive games compilation Soft Sector A&B tapes and discs: a favourites. Ocean s stunnrng all this year’s It’s Matchday. cost plus Scarves on and rattles Mt game for the BBC Micro. 81 football Feedback 24 profitable open for another Competition A&B’s communication lines are Rings sets the challenge. exchange of views. Wizard from Bored of the The 99 64 Competition to Business Electron, Down interface for your on ROM box/printer UNIX and comes out .^P' Win a Slogger I°orthe in it. and some firmware to go businessman. 75 Software Reviews features Video s Revenge. Lost Souls. Arcade: Adventure: Valley of the Beginner’s ROM Utility: Replay. —” Please also mrr. iSHH month equally acceptable. — in the next any suit- Articles include hardcopy and are in an advanced photographs column able illustration, and/or screen dumps. considering sub- If you are IH then mitting material to A&B S.A.E. for a com ssiis — please send a mm wt also prehensive style sheet. It s is constantly before A&B Computing to give us a ring original and sensible SHI on the look-out for with any major pro- going ahead well-written articles and publication. Feel free grams for submissions will be mm work to us for All to submit your and matenal publication acknowledged consideration for required On if not mk material must returned All submitted the copynght in readable form. acceptance mm be in machine works which will pass to both to programs such 34 This applies Specialist Publications and to docu- Arqus Top of the Class (in any language) be paid for at com- should be Limited will mentation, which work tot con El®> mips. All prepared with a BBC or KtioTaS 5? inch tron wordprocessor. Suburban Fox. or cassette disc (40/80) 1985 A&B COMPUTING DECEMBER

4 Twelve December 1985

Published by Argus Specialist Publications Doubling Up 28 Ltd., Number One, Golden Square, London W1R 3AB. Tel: 01 437 0626. Tony Self with the latest UDM double density filing system, the Acorn 1770 upgrade for Model B and a mysteriously fast All work for consideration should be sent to benchmark. What could it be? the Editor of A&B Computing at our Golden Square address. Bookshelf 89

Practical hardware projects and how to get your spreadsheet to perform.

View from the Top 53 Sleuth 110 Trevor Attewell dons his Deerstalker and draws on his pipe in How one London school took on the challenge laid down by this investigation of the Beebug utility. the advent of microcomputers. Plotting Success 84 Gordon Taylor turns his hand to getting the best of business SOFTWARE graphics out of Plotmate and Interchart.

Cheaper RAM 90 Library 26 A bunch of BASIC PROCs and FNs which are guaranteed to 16K Sideways RAM for a tenner? Give this profitable project a come in handy. try. Flood Tide 44 Printer Buffer ROM 92 Fast flood fill, techniques and examples. Ian Copestake implements a printer buffer for the BBC Model B+. Acorn didn’t supply one, so we have. Scruge 56

A Christmas tale, of Scruge, of gold, of strange spirits. Guide Scruge around the caverns in search of seasonal treasure. REVIEWS Fortune Teller 100 Horrorscope for forecasters of future events.

Memory Module 30 Ultracalc F’rinter Driver 105

A 64K battery backed RAM extension for your BBC. It needs one. We supply one.

Rom Report 50 Falcon Pilot 107 Flying into the jaws of death. Dave Reeder on a handy half dozen utilities from Altra and

Chalice plus A’n’F’s Slave II.

A&B Computing is published monthly on the first Friday of the month preceding cover date. Distributed by SM Distribution Ltd., 16-18 Trinity Gardens. London SW9 8DX. Telephone: 01 274 861 1. Printed in the UK by Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.

The contents of this publication Including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and ail copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Ltd. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications lid. Any reproduction requites the prior written consent of Argus Specialist Publications Ltd.

A&B COMPUTING DECEMBER 1985 5