AtariUser36-Apr88.pdf

A Database Publication

VoL 3 No. 2

TOOLKIT

Full details of the

unique Atari User

programmer's aid

*Computer Ambush

*League Challenge

*Space Shuttle

such accolades as Game of the Month in

Computer and Video Games, and was

awarded a Crash Smash.

• What reviewer Bob Chappell

said about the Atari version:

'Starquake is top-notch fare..

quality dripping from every byte'

Don't miss

out on this

tremendous

offer — ﬁll in

the coupon

on Page 61

without delay.

In this delightful game you control BLOB,

the Biologically-Operated Being, navigating

him through 500 action-packed screens to

rebuild the unstable planet's core.

Bubble Bus' Starquake is one of the

biggest-selling games for home micros, due

to its incredibly-addictive gameplay and

cleverly-animated graphics. It has received

••••••••

YOU

SAVE

Otter including

subscription

Special

reader offer

N.B. Current subscribers

can re-subscribe early to

take advantage of this

very special opportunity.

RAP

Product

For mat

Suitable for

FREE

EEC%

E4 95

Tape

Atari 8-bit

148k minimum)

Starquake

FREE

E6.95

Di sc

E12.95

Contents

News 5

All the latest from the ever-changing world of the 8 bit Atari.

Basic Revealed 9

A further look at how Atari Basic interprets your programs.

Toolkit 1 2

The author of Atari User's programmer's aid explains its uses.

DirSort 1 5

Muddled disc directories? We present a routine to sort them.

Vol. 3 No. 12 April 1988

MANAGING EDITOR

Derek Meakin

GROUP EDITOR

Alan McLachlan

FEATURES EDITOR'

Peter Davidson

Programmer's Challenge

The second in our series that tests your skill at problem solving.

MicroLink 2 4

News about Britain's nationwide online database for micros.

Rouloc 2 5

Enjoy more amazing exploits with our resident Atari adventurer:

Hardware 2 8

We take a look at some US products designed for your Atari.

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Peter Glover

EDITORIAL ASS'S TAAIT:

Neil Fawcett

NEWS EDITOR'

Mike Cowley

REVIE NS COORDINATOR:

Pam Turnbull

Reviews 3 1

Our evaluation team assesses the latest software releases.

TECHNICAL EDITOR:

Andre Willey

ADVERTISEMEA'r MANAGER:

John Snowdon

Five Liners

Prize-winning mini programs sent in by our clever readers.

Game of the month 3 8

Help to save mankind in our fast-action arcade shoot-'em-up.

Checksum Buster •

Tired of typing listings? Is this super utility the answer?

Reversi 4 3

A superb game of strategy to put your powers of logic to the test.

ADVERTISING SALES

Nora Lawton

Tel: 0625 878888 U\i deptsl

0625 879940 ISubscriptions I

Telex: 26571 MONREF G

Quoting Ref. 72:MAG001

Telec om Gold: 72: MAG001

Prestel Mailbox: 614568383

Fax : 0625 879966

Published by:

Database Publications Ltd,

Europa House, Adlington Park,

Adlington, Macclesﬁeld, SKI° 4NP

ABC

Software Solutions 4 9

Our resident expert helps to solve your programming problems.

Hints and Tips 5 1

Get more fun out of the top games with help from our readers.

33.573 Ja n u a ry-Ju n e , 1 9 8 6

Subscription rates for

12 issues, post free:

115 — UK

EIS — Europe (incl. Eire)

£33 — Overseas (Airmail)

ISSN 0266-545X

"Atari User" welcomes program listings

and articles for publication. Material should

be typed or computer-printed, and pref-

erably double-spaced. Program listings

should be accompanied by cassette tape

or disc. Please enclose stamped, self-

addressed envelope, otherwise the return

of material cannot be guaranteed. Contri-

butions accepted for publication by Data-

base Publications Ltd will be on an all-rights

basis.

material may be reproduced in whole or in

part without written permission. While

every care is taken, the publishers cannot

be held legally responsible for any errors in

articles, list in g s, o r a d ve rt ise m e n t s.

"Atari User" is an independent publication

and Atari Corp IWO Ltd are not responsible

for any of the attiCIOS they contain or for any

of the opineons expressed

News trade distribution: Europress Sales

and Distribution Limited, Unit 1, Burgess

Road, lvyhouse lane, Hastings, East Sussex

TN35 4NR. Tel: 0424 430422.

Easy Programming 5 2

Learn more about Atari Basic: This month we look at animation.

Mailbag 5 7

This is your chance to get your news, views and name in print.

All major listings in this issue

are accompanied by checksums

to help overcome typing

mistakes. For full details of how

they work, see the article on

page 23 of the November 1987

issue of Atari User.

Add TEN

new commands

to Atari Basic with this latest

package from Atari User.

April 7988 Atari User 3

The phenomenal growth in demand

for Atari computers means a much

bigger home for the BIG show

Alexandra Palace

London

N22

Organised by

Dat abas e

Exhoboons

Wood

Green

Sunday

Apr i l

Oant-4pm

Fr i day

Apr i l

I Oam-r,pm

Saturday

Apr i l

I Dam•opm

THREE action-packed

days for Atari owners!

And that means you can enjoy unique

hands-on experience of programs

everyone will soon be talking about.

You'll ﬁnd some of the best prices

around for blank discs, disc boxes and

other accessories, learn about the many

opportunities to expand your computer

system, get helpful advice from some of

Britain's leading experts, and so much

more!

The spectacular Alexandra Palace

represents a new showcase for the

fastest-growing range of computers

on the market.

From the exciting games console to

the ever-popular 8-bit Atari and the

sensational Mega ST, they'll all be

there at the Atari User Show!

Some of the very latest software

will be on show for the ﬁrst time.

MUM'

MMM

Exhibitors who have booked stands to date

Bring this coupon to the Show

to get 50p per person off the

normal admission price of

E3 (adults), E2 (children).

Mic

Evesham Micros

Frontier Software

Futu reset

Gollner Publishing

Gultronics

Harlow Computer Centre

Hi Soft

Home & Business

HSV Computer Services

JKL Computers

Kurile

Llamasoft

Mandarin Software

MCD

Metacomco

Microdeal

MicroLink

Micro Media Computer Supplies

Micronet

Al Computer Supplies

Adamsoft

Advanced Systems Technioues

A R Enterprises

Arno

, Atari User

Atari ST User

Calis to Computers

Care Electronics

Centec Disk Supplies

CDS Software

Compumart

Compunet

Computer Bookshops

CPM

Cut Price Software

Dataphone

Direc t Disk Supplies

Eidersoft

Electric Distribution

Miniature Tool Co

Mirrorsoft

Monitor Magazine

Page 6 Magazine

Palantif

Precision Software

Red Rat Software

Robtek

Signa Publishing Systems

Silica Shop

Siren Software

Software Express

Start Systems

Tirith

Trowbridge

Try bridge

Ty nes oft

Zonefour

Friday, April 22, 10am-6pm

Saturday, April 23, 10am-6pm

Sunday, April 24, 10am-4pm

The West Hall, Alexandra Palace,

Alexandra Park, Wood Green, London N22

Ample car parking nearby

A360

MEMB

[Am7

EuEn

'More to the Atari

Pirates are

under ﬁre

than just games'

ATARI has been showing

Far East software pirates

that it means business.

The company has

obtained court injunc-

tions against six Singa-

pore ﬁ rms alleged to

have infringed its

patents.

The move follows the

recent inclusion of com-

puter software under

Singapore copyright

laws.

Atari has also seized a

large consignment of

games cartridges origi-

nating in Taiwan and

destined for European

markets.

THE capabilities of the Atari

8 bit micro are not being

fully utilised, according to

Keith Mason, general man-

ager of Software Express.

"Serious programs such

as word processors, spread-

sheets, databases and pro-

gramming languages are

being overlooked in favour

of cheap cartridge and

cassette-based games", he

said.

"We have no problems

selling budget titles, but

when it comes to anything

over E10 it would appear

that there is a no go area for

8 bit users.

"It's a great pity because

the machine is more than

capable of handling serious

applications".

Software Express (021-

328 3585) produces a

number of packages for the

Atari such as the )(lent word

processor for E29.95, the

FynCalc spreadsheet at

E49.95 and the Fyn File data-

base also at E49.95.

"Even though the prices

are relatively cheap com-

pared to other full function

programs, sales are very

low indeed", said Keith.

"The problem may be that

many newcomers to the

Atari just don't know that it

is more than a games

machine.

''If they could only look

beyond the joystick they

would get a lot more Out of

their micro".

ON THE SERIOUS SIDE . .

ATARI users who want

more than entertainment

from their machines have

a new source of serious

software.

Valar Software has just

completed development

of a desktop publishing

and circuit board CAD

program for Atari 8 bit

machines, and wants to

hear from prospective

users.

Richard Prangnell of

Valar (0273 417370) told

Atari User: "We believe

the aspirations of the

average 8 bit user extend

further than games.

"I am sure a lot of Atari

owners are interested in

getting more from their

machine and we would

like to hear from them.

"If the response is

good enough then we

will set up a creative user

group".

New games

group

formed

A MAJOR international pub-

lisher has joined forces with

a new software house to

launch an exclusive enter-

tainments label for the Atari.

Mandarin combines the

marketing muscle of the

Europress Group, parent

company of Database Publi-

cations, in a series of joint

ventures with some of the

UK's top programming

teams.

The ﬁ rst title to be

released by Mandarin is an

adventure trilogy, Time And

Magik, from Level 9.

"We believe that Level 9's

programming skills, to-

gether with Mandarin's

knowledge of the mar-

ketplace, abilities in printing

and packaging, and its

understanding of the need

to get products out on time,

will be an unbeatable corn-

Fresh from the USA

ATARI Corporation's com-

puter activities continue to

prosper. The company has

just reported net sales of

$147.5 million for the last

quarter — up 59 per cent

from the previous year's

$92.6 million.

Income was 53 per cent

up at $31.3 million. This

means net sales for the year

stand at a record $363.8

million — a rise of 41 per

cent over the previous year.

Income was up 49 per cent

at $72 million.

Atari President Sam

Tramiel said: "The com-

puter segment of our busi-

ness continued to grow at a

record pace, contributing

over 51 per cent of our net

sales for the year".

THE range of acclaimed

Atari 8 bit programming

aids from American com-

pany OSS is to be made

available in the UK.

Frontier Software (0423

67140) is importing them

in its role as distributor

for ICD Inc of Illinois,

which recently took over

OSS's product line_

An alternative to Basic,

the fast programming

language Action! blends

the best elements of

Pascal and C. It is avail-

able on cartridge for

E49.95, and toolkit disc

for E19.95.

Macro assembler and

editor Mac/65, for serious

assembly language pro-

grammers, includes the

powerful DDT screen-

oriented debugging pro-

gram. The cartridge costs

E49.95 and the toolkit

disc E19.95.

Downward compatible

with standard Atari Basic

but with an additional 45

commands, Basic XL

supports all Atari 8 bit

micros. The cartridge is

E39_95 and the toolkit

disc E19.95.

Basic XE has all the

commands and is

designed for the 'Atari

130XE to make better use

of the memory but still

retain compatibility with

Atari Basic. The cartridge

costs E49.95.

Tur n to Page 7

April 1988 Atari User 5

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