Conception
11 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: ARCA93
Weird
I've always had a problem with this: Any "translated" text that is not first
loaded into nova.Text Editor and then saved right back to disk will not import
correctly into geoWrite regardless of whether or not Wrong Is Write or
Text Grabber is used.
This means that if I want to import any text file greater than 150 disk blocks
in size (nova.Text Editor's capacity when LOADed and RUN independently of
Novaterm itself), I must either download it as ASCII (Translation OFF), or
find some means with which to break it into a group of smaller text files
so that nova.Text Editor can do to them whatever it is that it does, or just
forget using geoWrite entirely, as far as working with that text file goes.
Ironically, it is geoWrite that I like to use to break large text files into
smaller ones!
Text files that have been "processed" via nova.Text Editor however, import
beautifully into geoWrite when Text Grabber is used with the Generic III file.
Even then neither Generic I nor Generic II, which are for importing plain
ASCII and PETASCII files, will work.
This must go!
Myke
Progress
16 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: ALL
Hey!
Thanks all who informed me that the version of ZED here at Delphi was a
whole lot better than the one I'd gotten as part of ACE a few months back.
In just my first day using it, it has worked its way into my heart!
I have *fifteen* 1581 disks of email that I've collected since the first time
I ever went online with a modem back in May of 1992. I have a homespun
program that can link a million little text files into one great big one
in no time flat. I used my program to combine my email files month by month
some time ago and, thanks to ZED, I can finally begin to break them back down
into nice, neatly organized files!
I have only one file which is too large even for ZED to handle with my 1750
Clone REU there helping out! Don't worry though, I have a plan to handle it.
Myke
16 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: NOVAN To: MYKEC
This month's Commodore World has a type in program called File Splitter,
that could help. It is suppose to break up any ascii file into handleable
pieces. Hmmmm....was that a word ?
Don
16 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: NOVAN
You know, I've already written one of those, too! Although I never made it
as full-featured as I really wanted it to be.
Basically, the user would have
to copy the large text file to an otherwise blank disk, whereupon running the
program it would be split into eight smaller files of approximately equal
size.
I never did implement the feature that would give the user more control
over the sizes of the files to be output, nor over the quantity (more or less
than eight).
It's been on the shelf for the past couple of years now, and
now you tell me Commodore World has finally come up with one! Kewl. Perhaps
theirs will offer the things that I never put in mine. If not, I'll just
have to one up them, I suppose.
I assume you are talking about CW issue #17 when you say "this months",
correct? I haven't received it yet. I keep sleeping out by the mailbox,
just in case it does finally arrive!
:-)
Myke
16 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: NOVAN To: MYKEC
Yup, 17.
I had a file I got from the net, that I couldn't read, cuz it was 1.4 meg;
I asked a friend, if I sent it to him, would he edit out the stuff I
didn't want, and send the rest back. He agreed, but didn't know if he could
handle it either.
In the mean time, I've been dying to read this file, and
several days passed :-) I still had it in WORK, so I sent
it to him. He wrote back to ask how many files I'd sent; I said one. He said
it showed up in ten files. Sooooo....he found the info I wanted and sent it
backto me :-)
Since then, I found a program for the PC that will divide a LARGE file, much
like the one described in CW. (It's called PCLite; a version of PCWrite, with-
out all the bells and whistles.) I think I will still type in the one in CW,
because I like to do all the text files on the C= , then I can run the
Genealogy program on the PC, and compare data.
Did you get ZED all formatted as you like it ? I got rid of that black screen,
white txt in a hurry :-) didn't like that at all. Then I put ZED in the same
dir as Dialogue. Of couse, Dialogue is the first file, so I jump out, and the
128 reboots, then my menu is on the screen, I select ZED, do my editing, then
when I jump out of ZED, it doesn't reset, so I push the RUN key, and presto,
I'm back in Dialogue again :-) Quick and neat.
I use that Menu-Magic with
the autofile feature in RamLink, and it all works very fast. Can't wait for
the SuperCPU, Maurice says it makes the RL even faster. Is that possible ?
:-)
Don
(Wow, I go onandonandonandonandon)
16 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: FRMCKEE To: MYKEC
There is a program in the library in the utilities section to split
large files. It is called FILSPLT2.SFX and is for the c128.
17 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: NOVAN
Hey!
I got CW #17 last night. The first thing I did was look up the file splitter
program section and read about it. From what I gather, it copies the original
file from one device to another and opens and closes the files being written
so that the original comes out broken up into several parts on the destination
disk.
Well, ha! For me this is good news because that is not at all what *my*
file splitter program does, so at least there is still room in the "market"
for my program, too, once I get it finished. I'll still most likely type it in
soon just out of curiosity. I like these kinds of programs because they're
so *necessary* when you're working with as much RAM as we do on a daily basis!
I was also just informed that there is a 128 file splitter, here in the
database, which I can download.
Myke
17 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: FRMCKEE
Thanks for the info.
However, I downloaded that file this morning before I left for work.
The file I want to split is 2811 blocks big. It is snowing here and
traffic is a mess. After a little more than an hour of sitting in neutral
and/or managing to travel about 2 1/2 miles, I decided to turn around and
come back home (will try again later!). When I got back, the file splitter
program you told me of (which I started before I left, to begin with) was
working on the 2nd of 18+ files.
I think this is just a little too slow
for me to tolerate. Especially when my own prototype program can split a
2811 block file in around 5 minutes with my SuperCPU turned on. At least
it should be able to. I tried using my own splitter but it still has some
bugs in it which make a nice mess out of formerly OK text files! I'll keep
you posted as further developments on this unfold.
Myke
17 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: RAYMONDDAY To: FRMCKEE
I typed in File Splitter from Commodore World issue 17 and the line #'s are a
little wrong. When it starts at 2820 I renumbered it to 3820, and so on. Then
it went to disk ok. It looks like CMD's
file copy program. It works very well!
Raymond Day
18 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: JHALLORAN
Um, thanks for the upload. Always willing to try new programs!
Still, I think I've got the best idea when it comes to file splitters.
As far as I can tell, I've still got the best strategy for getting this
job done in the shortest amout of time.
I've been tinkering with this
program for about a year and a half now, but just today I came up with an
even better strategy than I had previously!
So, it looks like I'm gonna
rebuild it from scratch. I'm doing this, also, with Loadstar in mind, so
those of you who subscribe to that fine disk-based magazine will be getting
it, if I can finish it and if Fender and/or Jeff down there accept it.
Myke
18 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: FRMCKEE
Thanks for the upload. I still say mine's gonna beat 'em all when I get it
finished, as far as time goes. I've got a really kewl strategy in mind which
I have yet to see employed in any other file splitter program.
Myke
20 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: JHALLORAN To: MYKEC
Still I think I've got the best idea when it comes to file splitters.
As far as I can tell, I've still got the best strategy for getting this
job done in the shortest amout of time.
Good luck with it. If you want to use a different approach that the
common one used in splitters, keep a close watch on what hardware the
program works with. As you go further away from standard programming
techniques, the quirks of our computers will show up more.
I'm doing this, also, with Loadstar in mind, so
those of you who subscribe to that fine disk-based magazine will be gettin
it if I can finish it and if Fender and/or Jeff down there accept it.
The important thing is, that if you write something worthwhile, it's available
for others to use. We still need software to be written for our machines,
and to deal with needs that weren't present in the computing world a
few years ago.
John
22 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: JHALLORAN
Does your comment regarding availability of software indicate that you would
prefer I not send my work to Loadstar for fear that it would not reach as
many as it probably could if I didn't make it public domain?
If so, you are probably correct to assume that. However, I went to Loadstar's
office in September of 1995 and met Fender and Jeff in person. They told me
that they were interested in seeing any software I might write, as that is the
stuff they need to keep Loadstar going - which makes sense.
In addition, they
said they quite regularly pay their programmers anywhere from $100 to $300
for their programs, depending on the quality of the programs they submit.
I was surprised to hear that. Jeff actually said, "We pay $100 for crap!"
So, unless they turn my program down, I'm giving them first "dibs" on it.
(I think for first time submissions, they try to offer a year's subscription
to Loadstar in exchange, but even that's fine with me. Loadstar is a great
disk-based publication.)
Re: hardware...
My program is being written entirely in BASIC 2.0 and can automatically
detect whether it's working with a 3.5" or a 5.25" floppy disk drive, which
is crucial in my estimation.
I have not attempted to make it compatible
with CMD native mode partitions. I don't have a single CMD storage device
to work with at this time. So until I do, I will only guarantee it to work
with 1541, 1571 and 1581 disk drives - although it should work equally well
on a CMD drive from an emulation partition.
I'm using nothing bizarre in
the programming technique that would prevent that from being the case, unless
you consider that I have yet to find another programmer to write a program
for this purpose that does it the way I'm doing it.
Thanks, everybody, for providing me with the impetus to get back on this project.
I've been working on it a little bit at a time over the past few days and it
is coming together quite well in a short amount of time, which has surprised
me. The first time I tried it, it was much more difficult, and I never
finished it. This new version, however, is a complete reworking of the
original idea and I think that is what has made it easier for me.
Myke
Birth
23 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: NOVAN
Believe me, if I could buy a RAMLink tonight I would.
I've been salivating over the prospects of owning one for more than 2.5 years
now, and every day the pain just grows worse! :-)
It sounds as if you are being a bit sarcastic about the amount that Loadstar
pays those who submit programs to them. I cannot say exactly what they will
consider my program to be worth. All I know is that Jeff said to me in person
that they pay "$100 for crap" but usually go for the 1-year paid subscription
for 1st time submissions. At this point, I'd be happy just to get the paid
subscription for my splitter program.
Which reminds me...
My program is functionally complete! Earlier this evening I began testing it
and it has delivered to me excellent results without fail using 1541, 1571
and 1581 disks.
I have not typed in the new File Splitter program that appears in Issue 17
of Commodore World, so if anybody else reading this has done so already,
find some really huge file - big enough to nearly fill a 1581 disk - and
compare its time results with mine.
In my initial tests, I split a 2811 block SEQ file on a 1581 disk into eight
352 block files (well, the eighth file wasn't fully 352 blocks, but it was
close).
2 minutes + 31 seconds (20 MHz w/ JiffyDOS)
5 minutes + 36 seconds (1 MHz w/ JiffyDOS)
6 minutes + 59 seconds (1 MHz w/out JiffyDOS)
Please note that my program is only 9 blocks long and written entirely in
plain ol' BASIC 2.0. I am assuming that the File Splitter in Commodore World
is an ML program, which really makes me curious about how mine measures up.
Also, be aware that all of the 1541 and 1571 tests were considerably
slower with the SCPU and JiffyDOS running, simply because the 5.25"
Commodore drives are inherently slower. I use 1581s primarily, so naturally
I would want to see first how well my program performs with the drives I
use most. I can't wait to get a RAMLink and see how quickly a full
1581-sized file can be carved with my new PRG!
Now all I have to do is give it a more friendly user-interface and make the
screen displays prettier before I feel fully comfortable in offering it to
Jeff and Fender at Loadstar. Oh, the joys of programming cosmetics!
Myke
26 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: RAYMONDDAY To: MYKEC
For file splitting would it not be made faster by making a new dir?
Say the file is on track 19, sec. 1, goes to 21,1. So on the dir it would say
19,1 with the file name before that and how long the file is. Just make another
file name and say the file starts at track 20 and 1/2 the lenth, would not
that work? I don't think you would even have to valadate that disk because the
bam would still be the same. But might have to because the dir track would
use up more. I bet you could split a long file in 10 part in 10 sec. like
this.
Raymond Day
27 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: RAYMONDDAY
Well, I'm glad to know that I'm *not* the only one who's thinking this way!
That's exactly the way my program splits files! Good for you! Two great
minds think alike!
The only problem is, working directly with a disk directory is very tricky
stuff. I had to create a special chart for myself that makes it easier for
me to know what information is supposed to go where. Every diagram for this
that I have ever seen, in all the books I have, are very difficult to comprehend
when a programming project like mine is being written.
As I said earlier, I was able to split a 2811 block SEQ file with my program
in 2 minutes 31 seconds running a JiffyDOS'd 1581 and my SuperCPU at 20 MHz.
I've since tried it with my RAMLink and my SuperCPU and the same job was
finished in only 36 seconds!
Myke
2 JAN 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: CINDYSIMMS
In addition, they (Loadstar)
said they quite regularly pay their programmers anywhere from $100 to $300
for their programs, depending on the quality of the programs they submit.
I was surprised to hear that. Jeff actually said, "We pay $100 for crap!"
That's what he said. I don't exactly know what Jeff's definition of crap
is, but he said it. You'll note that I've opted to submit it first to them
(my program, that is) before I considered uploading it here for
free. If I have half a chance of getting paid for my work, I'll take it.
It never hurts to try.
Myke
16 APR 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: ALL
Some of you in here were offering me encouragement last December when I
decided to forge ahead with my BASIC program that splits SEQ files.
I got it working well with both 1541/1571 and 1581 drives numbered 8-11.
Then for Christmas I finally got a RAMLink, but had to send it back for
a replacement. The one I've got now has worked flawlessly since "Day 1".
I picked up where I left off on my program last week and have now
modified it to work with devices 8-16 and with root directories of native
mode partitions. At 20MHz in RAM tonight, I split an 1106 block SEQ file
into 8 139-block files in only 14 seconds! I'm now adding graphics to the
text displays to make it look prettier 'cuz I really wanna get this one into
the hands of every Commodore user that wants it, as soon as possible.
Now my question is, whether or not to go ahead and sell it to
Loadstar. I thought about doing that early on, and they have expressed
interest in it, but there are some other companion utilities I'm developing
that would go along with this one quite nicely. If I sell this one to LS,
I would lose my legal rights to eventually bundle it with the others as
a nice text file utility collection.
If I could sell just 60 copies of this one for $5 each, I'd be happy with
that and be quite content to just retain the rights to my work. Are there
60 people in here - or enough contacts in here- that would enable me to
reach at least 60 other Commodore users who could use a utility such as
this? Or am I just dreaming, in all of your honest/humble opinions?
I've long dreamed of writing good commercial software independently, but
this is the first time I've actually gotten this close to doing just that.
I guess you could say I'm having trouble deciding which marketing approach
is best.
Myke
24 DEC 96 COmmodore Central
From: PHILIP758 To: JHALLORAN
Why not advertise programs for sale here?
He could either post a box number here for sending the check,
or forward the program to someone generally known and trusted
to handle it for him.
19 APR97 COmmodore Central
From: CRUISER1466 To: MYKEC
Myke,
To refresh people's memories, why not re-post all the details along with
your future plans for the "bundle"? I for one would be happy to spend
the $5.00 to support your effort. The more you create, the better you
get. The better you get, the more possibilities you see- before you
know it, the Commodore community has another NEW programmer to support
our machines. Keep plugging, keep the prices reasonable, and consider
me a customer.
John
20 APR 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: CRUISER1466
Thank you so much for supporting my efforts to support this platform and
all those who continue to use it. Philip758 has offered to handle the
marketing side of things as far as my program goes, so instead of buying
it directly from me you'll need to order it from him. I do hope to have it
ready to be shipped to him in the very near future. I spent all day today
getting it a perfect as I could get it. I cannot wait to actually start
hearing the reviews and comments from the first few people who buy it and
use it on a regular basis (if they're all good things to be said and heard
of course!) :-) I've been tinkering around with BASIC and ML on my C=
for years but never knew there was actually a market for my creations!
I am really blown away from all the support I've received so far - and it
(OctoDoctor) hasn't even been officially released yet!
Thank you, thank you!
Myke
Growing Pains
21 OCT 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: ALL
I saw Philip758 mention OctoDoctor the other day at the bottom of
one of his messages, but I've not seen it mentioned in here by anybody
anytime since. When I was writing the program, I mentioned it in this
forum and it sparked quite a bit of discussion. Is everybody here aware
of what OctoDoctor is? Or is a small refresher in order?
I developed it to solve a problem I'd been having with extremely large
text files for years. However, that problem escalated when I got online
here at Delphi - and because of that I actually got busy and finished
writing that program! So, I can easily see several of you Delphi
Commodorians benefitting from its use just like I now do.
Myke
..and it's for sale!
That's right! Pardon me for not mentioning that!
And it's optimized for use with a SuperCPU.
And it supports 1541, 1571, 1581, and CMD Native Mode Partitions
(root directory only) - as well as all the CMD emulation partitions,
of course.
It slices! It dices!
But, seriously, folks... This utility is something I wrote for myself
which has finally given me power over large text files like I've never
had it before. And even though it's written in BASIC, it outperforms
every other program I've ever seen that's designed to do the same job.
Even the ones written in ML!
L8r!
20 APR 97 COmmodore Central
From: CRUISER1466 To: MYKEC
Don't thank me, Myke- I only wish I had some talent to throw into the "pool".
It's certainly worth a few dollars here and there to help a C= programmer
cover some of his/her costs in time and effort needed to become a better
programmer. Soooo, when will YOUR web browser be ready?? ;-)
Best of luck.
John
20 APR 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: CRUISER1466
Soooo, when will YOUR web browser be ready?? ;-)
Heh heh! Actually the thought of programming RS-232 stuff is beyond me at
this point. I have always been a kind of nuts and bolts programmer that has
spent his time writing programs that mainly deal with text files for some
reason. In fact, 5 of my 6 favourite programs/ideas deal with text files
exclusively. I need to get them all finished now that I have some more
confidence about the possibility of actually selling them. Funny how that
works, isn't it? :-)
Myke
20 APR 97 COmmodore Central
From: MYKEC To: NOVAN
I would like to one day write an HTML editor.
For the Commodore, that is.
But at this point, it's not going to be me that rushes to be first on that.
A friend of mine locally has also mentioned doing one of those for the 64 too.
It is something that is definitely within the boundaries of my style however.
I don't care much for Java at this point.
I've seen a lot of kewl websites that use it, but it's generally useless
glitz that I see. My website is content based. I like people who visit
my website to be bombarded with substantial information that has a lot to
do with me and who I am as a person. I don't like personal homepage's
which attempt to impress by showing off while telling little or nothing
really about the person who designed it.
Myke
Addendum
"Many have often wondered why I didn't make it able to
create more than 8 segments at a time. But the answer
to that one is simple. If it did, I couldn't call it
OctoDoctor!" ;-)
"I am currently working on the companion to
OctoDoctor, which sews all of the SEQ files found
in any one directory into one Single File.
That's why I'm going to call that one, 'Single File'."
"Also in prototype stage is a really nifty 'CR-taker-outer'
that will help ease the burden of importing CR-laden
text files into geoWrite; they'll neatly respect
geoWrite's right margin setting."
"After these are completed, I'll begin work on the
'CR-putter-inner', which will be handy when using exported
geoWrite files with text editors like nova.Text Editor.
It has a 255-character-per-line limitation which
exported geoWrite files like to ignore. Make the
wrong move while trying to edit one of those files
and nova.Text Editor crashes big time.
Myke is also an arts and entertainment junkie and loves to share his
interests.
Myke was born "five minutes late" in Ruston, Louisiana, 18 May,
1966 and married Angel on Friday the 13th of September, 1991.
Currently, Myke is writing programs to provide changing graphic
images that will ultimately accompany his current VHS HiFi audio project,
tentatively titled "Safeball".
To purchase a copy of OctoDoctor contact Phil Moore
