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Most of the readers of this article will be aware of OSLib, the type-safe C/C++ API wrapper for RISC OS. OSLib was originally developed by Jonathan Coxhead, who released it into the public domain in early 1999. For a few months I took responsibility for its maintenance, and in April 1999 handed this task over to Richard Sargeant, who promptly disappeared. Since then OSLib has been in limbo.
Prompted by some recent correspondence on c.s.a.p., Tom Hughes and I propose to once again take up the initiative in maintaining OSLib. Tom will be taking the technical lead, whereas I will take responsibility for co-ordination, and distribution of the library. Any submissions and/or suggestions from the RISC OS user community will be extremely welcome.
Please bear with us while we resurrect the Web site and mail lists, and re-establish the status quo. I expect to have everything in place by mid-February, and a brand new release of the library and its StrongHelp manual incorporating the latest RISC OS 4 additions shortly thereafter.
Further announcements will be made at the time.
Update to PICsuite
What's happened?
Existing PICsuite users will be receiving the update automatically, but for the rest of you support has just been added for the 16C554,16C556,16C558 micros from Microchip (http://www.microchip.com/).
What is PICsuite?
It's a programmer, assembler, disassembler, simulator and launcher to help you write code for these tiny computers; from 8-pin to 40-pin!
More details?
Go to http://www.sprow.co.uk/pics/.
I have just uploaded a new version of Tidy (which tidies HTML files): http://www.toth.org.uk/~aardvark/.
It is the same as the previous release, except it now (theoretically) also has throwback support (you will need DDEUtils for this to work).
The RISC OS Cell and Molecular Biology Site is a host for RISC OS software links and persons using RISC OS machines in Cell and Molecular Biology.
It will also serve as a request site for software porting from other OSs, e.g. Unix.
At present we have three software links (one port and two native apps) and some general links. If anyone has a relevant application or site, please mail me: r.hartley@freeuk.com.
The site will also serve as a place to post reviews on general applications useful for analysis.
I will be adding an article on using Photodesk 2 for DNA Gel sharpening etc.
The RISC OS MolBiol Web site is: http://home.freeuk.com/r.hartley/.
My site at http://www.bursa.freeuk.com/ has been updated and expanded.
Contents include various programs I've written, such as a newsgroup analyser and hard disc free space grapher. There is also a page of internationalisation resources for RISC OS, and information on EarthData.
I look forward to your feedback.
I've just put FTPc 1.24 on my Web site: http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/. It has the following changes:
!FTPc is a freeware Internet File Transfer Protocol client. It enables you to transfer files/directories to and from your Web space from the desktop using drag and drop.
CD_Search v1.07
Helps finding applications on seventeen of the most common RISC OS CDs.
I have now added RiscDiscs 1-3 to the files, which means that seventeen of the most popular CDs are covered:
To download go to: http://richie.ukgateway.net/search/
Printer Definition File Survey
As part of RISCOS Ltd's continuing development of !Printers, we are going to produce an installer application to allow simplified selection of the printers available. The choice will be made first on manufacturer, then on model name/number, then on originator of the PDF.
We are therefore trying to create a definitive list of printers currently supported under RISC OS, hence this survey.
We would be interested in knowing what printer you use, what printer definition file you use with it, and where you got that printer definition file.
We would be very grateful if people would mail us the details of their printer(s) in the following format:
| Manufacturer: | Manufacturer name | |
| Model: | Model name/number | |
| PDF: | PDF filename | |
| Originator: | Originator of the PDF | |
| Status: | Status of the PDF (supported/unsupported, copyright etc) | |
| Comments: | Any comments |
For instance, I might send the following in:
| Manufacturer: | Citizen | |
| Model: | Swift 24 | |
| PDF: | Citizen.Swift-24 | |
| Originator: | Acorn | |
| Status: | Supplied with !Printers | |
| Comments: |
| Manufacturer: | HP | |
| Model: | LaserJet 5L | |
| PDF: | HP.LJ.LasJet-5 | |
| Originator: | Acorn | |
| Status: | Supplied with !Printers | |
| Comments: |
| Manufacturer: | BogoCorp | |
| Model: | BogoSet 5000 | |
| PDF: | BogoSet5K | |
| Originator: | LittleCo, Tel: 0891 50 50 50 | |
| Status: | Commercial | |
| Comments: | Mythical printer. Drives to a maximum of 1200dpi only. |
We are interested in all the printers you can lay your hands on, both old and new. We are interested in:
(a) which printers are being used.
(b) which printers would be used if definitions were available.
(c) which drivers can be used to drive printers other than the ones for which they were intended.
At this stage we are interested in collecting details of PDFs only, not the PDFs themselves; please do not send PDFs in with your survey replies. If you do have PDFs which you are prepared to make public then please say so; we may contact you later.
Obviously there should be a strong impetus for dealers to send in details of PDFs they are using; inclusion in the list should represent some free advertising!
Please send your completed mails to printersurvey@riscos.com, or by snail mail to:
Printer Survey, RISCOS Ltd, 3 Clarendon Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff, CF3 7JDMany thanks.
The new version of DigitalCD is available at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Horizon/4471/.
New in this version is:
Also new on the site is a new skin.
For those who still don't know:
DigitalCD is a desktop music player compatible with RISC OS 3.1 or later (including StrongARM). It provides independent control panels for any connected CD drive and music files playlists. Its main features are:
Robert Seago wrote:
Due to a wave of requests for Speak, I have put it on to my Web site.
Just to point out, in case it causes any confusion, this is not the same product as mine, also a text-to-speech system called Speak. A demo version of this is available from my Web page at: http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/jsd/.
Due to a wave of requests for Speak, I have put it on to my Web site: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/rjseago/. Both it and the modules within it are freeware.
Virus Slayer 0.63 (23 Jan 2000) has been released, and is available from http://www.kiwisoft.co.uk/. People who are currently using 0.61 and 0.62 are strongly encouraged to upgrade, as 0.63 includes many bug-fixes and speed improvements.
Slayer is an advanced anti-virus for all RISC OS 3 and 4 machines, sporting "lightning fast scanning" (Acorn User, October 1999) and uses far less memory and processor time that others that are available.
Slayer is a free program for single-computer personal use. For multiple personal use, or for the use in a educational or commercial environment, please refer to http://www.page-designer.co.uk/slayer/cost.html.
The homepage for Rozilla, the RISC OS port of Mozilla, is at http://www.wellytop.com/Rozilla/.
I'm currently looking for people that can help with programming this or offer kind words of support. ;-)
It is certainly my hope that in the process of trying this port, if it is successful or not, a lot of good reusable code will be generated.
Already the JavaScript library and the threading library have their uses. Which is great!
Nothing much is working at the moment, but a lot of the cross-platform code compiles so far with minimal tweaks. RISC OS Wimp or Toolbox experts greatly appreciated. ;-)
The VIDEODESK MAILING LIST exists as an INDEPENDENT self-help discussion forum for those using or considering using Irlam Instrument's Videodesk application.
(Although the list is independent, Irlam are subscribers, and Melvin contributes as time permits, with definitive answers and explanations. The Videodesk Logo on my Web site: www.fillin.co.uk is used by permission.)
TO SIGN ON:
Send an email to vdesk-user@fillin.co.uk with the subject SIGNON vdesk-user
IF CHANGING ISP:
Send an email to vdesk-user@fillin.co.uk with the subject SIGNOFF vdesk-user from the OLD ADDRESS, please.
The list runs automatically, and usually without problems, thanks to JD's !Pluto application, with a response time of about 1 day on average.
Emails with the SIGNON/SIGNOFF subject are automatically processed, and NOT read or passed on to the other subscribers: please do NOT include emails with them. In case of problems write directly to Phil@fillin.co.uk.
The Web site http://www.fillin.co.uk/ also has details of how to subscribe to the list.
!Buttons 1.04b, a button bar maker for Web site designers, is now available as a beta from http://www.software.solutionsweb.co.uk/buttons/.
Briefly, it allows the easy creation of a Web site navigation system. It uses the DrawFile module and the font and sprite handling capabilities of RO3.5 and greater to create a series of buttons and then InterGIF, ChangeFSI and Spr2Png to allow them to be saved as Sprites, PNGs, GIFs or JPEGs.
This release is freeware.
I would greatly appreciate any feedback.
I have recently corrected a millennium fault in this application.
Unlike other diary programs, this one is geared to accept regular or irregular entries, which can then be compiled into a text file covering a length of time.
This and other software is available from my Web site: .
RODATE is a small utility to synchronize the (DOS/Windows) date and time on a PC card with RISC OS.
It can be used with old versions of !PC/!PCx86/!PCpro that do not pass the date correctly after 1 Jan 2000 for those people that do not want or cannot update !PCxxx.
It can also be used at any time in a DOS/Windows session to resynchronize the time if you think it is drifting too far apart from the RISC OS time.
An added feature is that it can set the DOS/Windows date and time to RISC OS's UTC time, irrespective of RISC OS territory, timezone and daylight saving time/summertime. This is useful if you want to use Windows 9x's own timezone and daylight saving time/summertime management.
RODATE requires ARMEDIT by Alexander Thoukydides.
Download ARMEDIT and RODATE from http://www.btinternet.com/~thouky/software/armedit/.
I've put the latest version of Tidy up on my Web site now: http://www.toth.org.uk/~aardvark/.
Tidy is a port of an HTML tidier by Dave Raggett; see http://www.w3.org/People/Raggett/tidy/ for more information.
RaspSoft are pleased to announce the latest version of HardCash (2.16).
HardCash is the ultimate RISC OS payroll system, simple to use yet very powerful, giving the user fast results with the minimum of effort.
Some of its many features are listed below.
Features include:
For further details contact RaspSoft on 0113 252 1767 or email us at raspsoft@argonet.co.uk or visit our Web site at http://www.argonet.co.uk/business/s.dine/ where you can download a demo version of HardCash.
All the programs below have been fixed so that they now work with RISC OS 4. Most of them simply needed a new help file reader.
The new versions are all on my Web site, http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/tudor/.
| !Analyser2 | a front-end for the Black Star logic analyser |
| !FSI_Batch | batch processor and front-end for ChangeFSI |
| !LED_Board | educational binary |
| !MoveIt | makes movies from Olympus camera multi-shots. |
| !MoveSite | converts an Acorn Web site to DOS format |
| !NumberFix | allows you to manipulate files with numeric names |
| !Planets | planetary animation and experimentation |
| !PlayAnton | sound CD player |
| !SearchCD | allows you to search a CD for various files |
| !ShowPic | slide-show program |
| !WimpFetch | educational sequence control program |
Most of these programs are shareware.
R-Comp Interactive is pleased to announce the release of version 2.10 of our highly praised Anthem MIDI sequencer. Additions in the new version include additional keyboard short-cuts, support for non-square-pixel screen modes (e.g. mode 12) and improved handling of MIDI files with sustain pedal information.
As usual, if you haven't received the update via email by Monday evening, and think that you should have done, please get in touch.
Full information regarding Anthem can be found at http://www.rcomp.co.uk/.
R-Comp's popular Web site grabbing tool SiteSeer has now reached version 1.06, and this has been sent out to all registered users. As usual, if you don't receive a copy by Monday evening, and think that you should have done, please get in touch.
Main enhancements in the latest version make adding a site to be fetched much quicker and easier, with additional keyboard short-cuts and the ability to add a site via a dragged text selection (e.g. from a mail reader etc.). Handling of comments has been improved, and FTP URLs can be grabbed (via proxy).
For more information on SiteSeer, and ordering information, check out http://www.rcomp.co.uk/.
SiteSeer costs £25 for a single-user copy.
I've managed to compile the recent LAME 3.51 on RISC OS. In case you don't know what it is, LAME stands for "LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder". It has support for encoding with variable bit-rate.
As it's placed under the GPL you'll find a link to download the binary as well as a link to download the source I used to build it.
The archives are linked from my main download page at http://rupert.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~bellonsn/software/index.html or (more easy to remember) http://www.sbellon.de/, and then follow the link to the software page.
NetLM 0.33 has just been released and is available for download at http://www.teletec.u-net.com/networking/riscos/.
Verison 0.33 includes the following updates:
Also the NetLM configuration utility has been updated and reads back the NetLM configuration file into the configuration utility and a few other bug-fixes. The configuration utility is included in the NetLM zip file as a complete package.
For those of you are have not heard of NetLM, basically it is a front-end to the LanManFS/LanMan98 module or logging onto a users workspace on a LanManager file server (like in an RM environment) but can be used to logon to fixed LAN Manager shares. It also includes several other functions as well.
To get past versions of NetLM then these can be obtained by via http://www.teletec.u-net.com/networking/riscos/ and adding netlm.xxx.zip on the end, where xxx is, is the version number (for example, netlm.031.zip).
On our Web site, http://www.flying-snail.de/, in the 'Free Software' section there is a small, crude patch against the Y2K problem of the PC card driver software before 2.00.
Due to the large number of emails I've been getting about ROX recently (since someone put it on slashdot...), I've created a new mailing list for the discussions.
To subscribe, send an email to rox-request@ecs.soton.ac.uk with the single line 'subscribe' as the body.
The list is not just for developers but for anyone who wants help installing or using ROX, suggestions for new features, announcements of new releases or for people who are thinking of trying it one day...
The ROX desktop aims to provide a RISC OS style GUI on Unix/Linux machines. Currently the filer is mostly finished and the desktop already supports drag-and-drop loading and saving, application directories and an icon bar. The desktop is stable and fully usable; I have been using it as my only desktop for several months now without problems.
The ROX homepage is at http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/rox.php3.
The desktop is distributed under the GNU General Public License, which means that anyone can modify it, use bits of it in their own (GPL) programs, etc.
Release 0.1.11 of the filer has also just appeared on the site, and features an improved manual, (optional) single-click navigation and some tweaks to the menus.
Compo Clues is a new Web site to provide information for users of the Compo graphics application. The home page of the site is at http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Compo/clues.html.
The site is not intended to provide information on art or graphic design skills (I'm not talented enough for that!). Its main purpose is to help users to customise and exploit the many features of Compo. In due course, the site will also outline some of the application's features, so it should also become useful for anyone considering buying a copy.
As yet the site is quite small, but I hope to extend it in due course with more information.
Following our ownership of the unfinished GEK Programs games, we have released some of their free games on the VOTI Web site at http://www.stormloader.com/wrath/. The latest addition is SpeeC, a nice easy-going space invaders game.
The VOTI site contains information and downloads to both VOTI's games and, as mentioned above, GEK's. Currently the following games are available:
GEK:
AstroSmash
Balloon Invaders
No Windows
Joop
SpeeC
VOTI:
Bomb
Super Foul Egg
TDT
SunBurst Demo
Battle Tanks
News will be announced shortly about possible forthcoming projects.
Just to tell you that Toolkit (1.02) has now been released at http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/Program.html#Toolkit.
The only real change is a bug-fix to the fore and background colour selector icons on the iconflag window.
It's a simple program which gives you the window or icon flag values for the Wimp. The main use of this program so you can create (if you want) windows and icons from within your program without using templates.
Requires the WimpBASIC 2 run-time modules.
SiteMatch - Latest Version 1.05
SiteMatch is a utility to synchronise your uploaded Web site with a local copy (from your filing system) so that they are the same.
The latest version of SiteMatch has been uploaded to my site for your use. The main changes from the last version are a choices file and the ability to use FTPc instead of sFTP.
SiteMatch will gives the ability to:
SiteMatch is still undergoing development, so feedback, suggestions and bug reporting are welcome.
A copy may be downloaded from http://www.dave-edwards.com/riscos/software.html.
This program is Thanksware, which means that if you like it and use it then it would be nice of you just to say thanks. ;)
Also my thanks to Colin Granville, author of FTPc, for his assistance in getting SiteMatch to work with his very nice FTP client.
R-Comp Interactive is pleased to announce that RISC OS Quake version 1.09 has now been sent out to all registered gamers. If you believe that you should have received the update, but haven't done so by Monday afternoon, please contact us at rci@rcomp.co.uk, giving the usual registration details.
Information concerning RISC OS Quake can be found in the Leisure section at http://www.rcomp.co.uk/.
R-Comp are pleased to announce that version 2.10 of the Messenger Pro email system has been sent out to all registered users. 2.10 is a major update with lots of new features as a result of user feedback.
If you believe that you should have received this update, but have not done so by Monday pm, please email rcomp@rcomp.co.uk, requesting the update, and including registration details (name, email address, version etc.)
Further information on the many features of Messenger Pro, and Messenger Pro Online (its big brother with network IMAP/NNTP support) can be found at http://www.rcomp.co.uk/.
For all of you who are registered users of HTMLPro and haven't been informed about the recent upgrade, please send me your current email address, serial number and full name (for security) and I shall make sure that you are back on the list.
Upgrades are available from http:www.levens-software.co.uk/software/projects/htmlpro/upgrade/index.shtml.
Your user name is your email address and password is your serial number (including the HP prefix).
If you haven't received a private email concerning the upgrade you won't be able to get the download until I have received your corrected details, as mentioned in the top paragraph.
Coming soon there will also be a publicly available demo version of HTMLPro for all users of Ovation Pro. News of this upgrade will appear in due course when it is available, along with details of other forthcoming software and a new Web site.
[Editor's note: The demo version is now available, and is included on this CD.]
Thanks for listening.
Tiles version 3.67 now has autoplay and is available from http://www.maceng.demon.co.uk/BG.html.
The game 'Tiles' has now been equipped with computer generated play so that any or all of the players can be selected to be 'autoplayers' with different levels of competence of play. Further timing functions allow a player's turn to be 'timed out' so that play passes to the next player; or a player's turn can be taken over by an autoplayer after a selected time interval. With apologies to those users who thought that 'Tiles' should have had these features when it first came out eight years ago!
Please note that it runs in the desktop using RISC OS versions 2.0 to 4.0. The download is an abridged version without sound, packaged in a Zip compressed data file (243k), so you will need an UnZip application such as SparkPlug or ZipFrend, but ArcFS is now unnecessary.
Tiles is a visually attractive and entertaining crossword game that provides a basis for learning spelling, vocabulary, strategy and computer literacy. To cater for all levels of ability, 40 boards are supplied in 5 languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. The game is played using only the mouse by up to four players. Each player has his own window from which he drags tiles to the main board window. If a word is completed an entry is made in the player's score window and its meaning and an example of its use can be displayed.
Tiles was originally released in September, 1991 and has been debugged and updated several times to use newer system and hardware facilities. The latest versions will permit true-colour sprites to be used as tiles.
An update from WimpBasic 2.03 to version 2.08 is now available from http://www.claresmicro.com/support/wbsupp.html.
This adds a quick save icon, improved icon array support and fixes for problems reported in 2.03.
WimpBasic 2 is a programming language based on BBC BASIC which allows you to write Wimp-based applications without having to learn about Wimp SWI and polling loops.
See http://www.claresmicro.com/misc/wbasic.html for details.
David Jackson
Clares Micro Supplies Ltd
Spacetech Product announcements for BETT 2000
Spacetech are pleased to announce that they can make Warp Speed Internet Delivery via Satellite available to home users and schools who do not have the luxury of a fixed connection to the internet. All that is required is a dish pointing at Astra connected to a DVB card supplied by us. Typical setup costs are between UKP300 and UKP350, then a small monthly subscription gives an Internet connection capable of 2Mb/second (30 times faster than ISDN!)
Photodesk 3: The studio quality image editing package, Photodesk 3 for RISC OS is on show, now featuring Layers for Photoshop compatibility. Students will be amazed by what they can do with Photodesk, not only by the spectacular effects possible by editing existing photographs but also the ease of creation of original artwork.
PhotoLink and Olympus digital cameras: The new range of digital cameras for the year 2000 from Olympus is on view at the Spacetech stand, including the new flagship SLR, the C2500L, and the miniature C21. These cameras have a very high specification but are realistically priced, robust and very easy to use. All Olympus cameras now feature Megapixel specification. As supplied by Spacetech they come with PhotoLink software for Acorn, PC and Mac. These cameras are ideal not only for creative work with software like Photodesk, but are also suited to fieldwork, scientific observation with timelapse photography, producing graphics for the school web site and even underwater photography!
OHP is intended as an electronic Overhead Projector (OHP) and is designed to be quick and very easy to use. The read-only version, OHPShow (which is freeware) can be given away with presentations or used on any number of computers; this makes OHP presentations an ideal way of communicating or advertising. It is literally possible to prepare presentations minutes before the start of a lesson! OHP2 with sound as well as graphics and export facilities is previewed at this show.
David Cowell's Introduction to Digital Art CD and Creative Digital Imaging CD: The Digital Art CD gives general tutorial help for Photo editing software as well as Vector Graphics by the well known Digital Artist, David Cowell. This is complemented by a second CD which covers a wide range of knowledge from the use of a digital camera to creative painting techniques using digital material. A third CD called "Digisnaps" contains over 100 high quality photographs taken by David as a resource base for digital artists.
New "Digi-Snaps" CD-ROM
A resource for Creative Digital Imaging by David Cowell
Spacetech is pleased to announce a new photographic resource-bank for digital artists comprising over 100 digital photographs taken by the well known artist and photographer, David Cowell. This is his third CD in a series intended to complement his Introduction to Digital Art and Creative Digital Imaging.
The Digisnaps CD contains high quality photographs taken with David's Olympus digital camera in a variety of settings, and each one confirms his uncanny ability to see the right shot! Each one is a masterpiece. Subject areas include:
David Cowell of the Digital Art Centre in Dartington, Devon, produced these photos in response to many requests for source material to complement his first two tutorial discs, Introduction to Digital Art and Creative Digital Imaging. All images are for the free use of the purchaser, although permission to reproduce any in quantity rests with the copyright holders. In most cases this permission would be freely given.
The Digi-Snaps CD by David Cowell is available from Spacetech Ltd for £12.50 inc. VAT.
David Cowell
In 1983, at the start of a government initiative to introduce computers into education, David was seconded from his post as a Deputy Headteacher to develop the skills of teachers in the use of the new technologies. Since retiring from The Babbage Information Technology Centre, David has devoted time and space to develop his techniques and to continue his work developing the digital image. He has held several successful exhibitions of his work. His work has created interest not only here but also in America and Germany. Portfolios of his work have been published in various specialist magazines.
David now runs a successful Digital Art studio at Dartington in Devon.
Just to let people know that a rudimentary Web site for Composition users is at: http://www.crosswinds.net/~rdavison/compo.htm.
About the only thing of note there at the moment is an update archive which will give you version 1.17e. This adds a few nice new features and fixes some minor bugs. Full details are on the Web site.
Please note that the Web site has no connection with Clares and that this version is not yet officially supported by Clares.
Also, you must have Compo 1.15 or 1.16 for the update to work.
Rob Davison, http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7320/A new version of !Nuke (v0.91) has been released at http://web.bham.ac.uk/N.M.Queen/pgp/acorn.html.
!Nuke, by Tony Hopstaken, is a convenient front-end for Sergio Monesi's powerful utility 'nuke'. This program enables you to overwrite the sectors occupied by files or free space on disc, with various levels of security, making it impossible to recover the data by means of disc editors or 'undelete' utilities.
New in this version:
Enjoy!
Now that Calligraph are no longer trading, I have set up a mailing list so that owners and users can be a mutual self-help group.
Subscribe: calligraph@4qd.co.uk?Subject=Subscribe
Unsubscribe: calligraph@4qd.co.uk?Subject=Unsubscribe
Near the end of November, I released updated versions of the various SWI manuals; an announcement was posted to the StrongHelp manual announcement list.
I've now also set up a general discussion list for the manuals, and anything else StrongHelp-related.
If you want to either sign up for that, or download the updated manuals, visit http://eh.org/~koschei/manuals/ and peruse the links.
After many years with Demon I have decided to move the Web site for my Acorn software to a free provider and it is now at http://www.bramber.org.uk/. Among the software you can find there is:
Also on the site is details of my book on the Z88 and an archive about using the Z88 with the BBC micro and Arc.
My e-mail address has also changed to john@bramber.org.uk.
The final version (2.00e) of SibToDraw is now completed. It includes a thorough and unlimited Undo/Redo, and a number of major improvements. The conversion process now multitasks, showing a progress bar and info, and may be stopped at any point. The menu layout has been completely redesigned, and transforms by dragging are much faster, as well as general mouse responsiveness.
The relevant demo can be downloaded from my site as usual, along with a sample score to experiment with it: http://space.tin.it/musica/glonigr/.
!SibToDraw is a complete vector application which can be used together with Sibelius to build music scores of any complexity. Its unique text style handling features make it an attractive stand-alone package as well.
Build (provisional name)
This program takes mapping data (uses Ordnance Survey grid references) from a number of databases (CSV) and Draw files and processes them to generate HTML. The HTML comprises an image (gif), image map and a table.
The pages reached from http://www.armage.demon.co.uk/nuff/maps/index.html are an example of a set of pages created using this software.
It is freeware, and both source and executable are available from http://www.armage.demon.co.uk/software/index.htm.
In the source, and available for use by others, there is:
The ROX desktop aims to provide a RISC OS style GUI on Unix/Linux machines. Currently the filer is mostly finished and the desktop already supports drag-and-drop loading and saving, application directories and an icon bar. The desktop is stable and fully usable; I have been using it as my only desktop for several months now without problems.
The ROX homepage is at: http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/rox.php3.
This site contains screenshots, downloads and various comments people have sent.
I'm looking for people to try out the desktop and send me feedback. You need access to a Unix or Linux machine (but root access is not required). In particular, if there's a feature you want that is missing then please email me; all the features I use are already implemented so nothing is likely to happen unless people ask for it...
The desktop is distributed under the GNU Public License, which means that anyone can modify it, use bits of it in their own (GPL) programs, etc.
Some people have already come forward and submitted code and graphics... more developers are very welcome!
Changes since the previous announcement are:
The ROX desktop has been reported, at various times, to have been working on: RedHat 6.0, Slackware 3.3, Debian 2.1, SuSE 6.2, ARM Linux (Netwinder) NetBSD, Solaris (2.5.1, 2.6 and 7) and IRIX.
Thomas Leonard
RISC OS freeware to download at http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/
Just to let anybody who's interested know that version 0.40 of RiscPCB can now be obtained from the address below.
For those of you that have never heard of RiscPCB, here is a short description of what it does.
RiscPCB is a Freeware printed circuit board designer for Acorn RISC OS computers. RiscPCB main features are:
Due to a minor(?) Y2K issue with the ANT Internet Suite (which I spotted on the Ant Chat mailing list this afternoon) I've written !NewsDate which is now available to download from http://www.vigay.com/riscos/comms.html.
NewsDate should allow you to configure the news fetching back several days without encountering any problems with the wrap-back from 00 to 99 in terms of year.
!NewsDate is written as an AntUtils plug-in, but will function perfectly ok without AntUtils (as long as InetSuite has been 'seen') for those who want the bug fix without installing the whole AntUtils.
As this fix was done quickly in order to fix an immediate problem, I haven't done as much extensive testing as I normally do, so please tell me if you encounter problems. However, it all seems to work as it should.
Happy 2000
An updated version of the program Planets is on my Web site. The front-end is redesigned and some other features have been added.
!Planets simulates a three body planetary system, where most of the parameters can be adjusted. Simply load the program and click on the Animation button to get an idea.
Planets will only run on a Risc PC with at least 1Mb of video memory. The program is shareware.
Also on the site is !PlayAnton.
This is an Audio CD player which is still under development. The program has interactive help and most of the features are straight forward.
!PlayAnto is shareware.
All registration fees are donated to Limavady College as usual.
Thank you.
The CBSA Web site has now been updated to include a new section entirely given over audio (players and MP3 encoders). The education site has had a number of bug-fixes to the HTML and a few more bits added (like a rather cracking structure renderer).
http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/index.html
http://www.acornusers.org/education/index.html
These both have anonymous ftp access via ftp://ftp.acornusers.org/pub/cbsa/ or ftp://ftp.acornusers.org/pub/education/.
Just emerging from the workshop briefly to announce that the first RiscStation R7500Lites assembled in Australia went to their new owners on Christmas Eve.
The bulk of the first production run will be with our resellers by Wednesday (5th January), with further stock being available from the middle of the month.
Next week we hope to be able to announce the appointment of two resellers in states not covered at present, South Australia and Tasmania.
Some pictures of the Antipodean version taken at our recent Reseller's Workshop can be seen at http://www.riscstation.com.au/launch/workshop.htm.
Mal McClenaghan
Reseller Liaison
RiscStation (Australasia) Pty Ltd
Tel: +61 3 9440 6077
Fax: +61 3 9458 3488
Email sales@riscstation.com.au.
PCY2K- Antibiotics for !PC's millennium bug
Older versions of the PC card software, such as 1.92, suffer from the millennium bug; it does not report the correct century to DOS but gets confused and so sets the clock back to 1984.
The bug can, however, be tediously overcome by using DOS's DATE command to reset the clock when DOS starts up.
PCY2K, which runs within RISC OS, creates a small batch file containing the date which DOS can pick up when it runs. The clock is reset to the correct date, and all your Windows applications are happy.
Once installed correctly (which requires some dexterity with a text editor), the program is transparent in operation.
Download the 9K archive from http://web.ukonline.co.uk/david.thomson/.
WebFX3D can now be obtained for £25 (inc. postage) from our UK agent. A software version of the manual is provided, supplied on a single 1.6Mb disc.
Have a look at the Web site: http://www.dansoft.co.nz/webfx3d/.
For information about the manual: http://www.dansoft.co.nz/manual/.
Also, SiteWriter is very very close to completion, and it's looking very good. We will make an announcement soon.
Daniel JohnsonAPDL is pleased to announce the launch of RISC World, a new CD-ROM-based magazine, in February 2000.
RISC World is a bi-monthly magazine intended to complement the existing printed publications available to RISC OS users and enthusiasts. Producing the magazine on a CD enables the price to be kept low, particularly for overseas readers, without compromising quality or content.
RISC World will cost just £17.90 per year for UK subscribers, and only £2 more, £19.90, overseas. For more information see the RISC World Web site at http://www.riscworld.com/.
To subscribe to RISC World, email subscriptions@riscworld.com or contact the distributors, APDL, by telephone on 0181 778 2659 or fax 0181 488 0487.
RISC World is currently looking to commission contributors for one-off articles and series. Please contact editor@riscworld.com for more details if you are interested.
ArcSite has got a new and better look, a German magazine, an English advertisement and a better support for visitors who want to view the English pages.
You don't know ArcSite? ArcSite is a place in the Web only for RISC OS computers. The best way is to move with your browser to http://www.arcsite.de/.
At ArcSite you can find:
Just to let you know that the first batch of the new RiscStation machines for end users are now on their way.
With luck, these machines will arrive for Christmas; if not, then early next week.
For more information, visit http://www.riscstation.co.uk/ or phone us on 01942 797777 (fax 01942 797711).
I am willing to host a Molecular Biology RISC OS Web site at http://home.freeuk.com/r.hartley/.
This is initially for cell biology analysis and application reviews but is intended as a launcher for biology-dedicated and medical apps for our platform.
If anyone has experience of porting GNU Mol.Biol apps to RISC OS, please contact me and I will act as a chair for initial development.
In addition I would be interested in a Glasgow RISC OS group. Interested people can mail me after the New Year.
I have pleasure in announcing version 1.00 of a new application....
FresUtils is a stripped-down version of AntUtils, containing just the bits that are of relevance to Fresco, such as launching search engines, toggling cookies/JavaScript on and off and altering the various faking options.
This application is ideal if you use Voyager or just prefer a simple, cut-down version of AntUtils (it requires much less memory).
It's available to download now from http://www.vigay.com/shareware.html.
As always please read the Help file (text & StrongEd versions included) before use.
For many years, Christian Floter has programmed and enhanced the small MouseAxess module to fulfil a large range of useful functions in the RISC OS desktop.
However, the lack of a Web site dedicated to MouseAxess has prevented it from becoming as popular as it should be. I was given permission by Christian to distribute the module until he makes his own Web site.
Just in time for Christmas, I have put up a small Web page at http://rupert.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~bellonsn/software/mouseaxess/ that holds two versions of MouseAxess:
For those of you that don't already know what MouseAxess is about at all, here's a short summary of its functionality:
(*) Not available with RISC OS 2.
You can contact Christian Floter at cfloeter@gmx.de, GUS at gusuni@otenet.gr and myself at sbellon@sbellon.de or http://www.sbellon.de/.
This screensaver is just a bit of last-minute millennium madness. Based on the dodgy !Bomb counter by Adam Granger, it has the following features:
Updates available from my Web site at http://come.to/daves-place/ or http://www.gla.ac.uk/~websoc/~9404943w/riscos/. All comments to: davew@the18thhole.com.
Drobe Launch Pad (http://www.drobe.co.uk/), the most frequently updated RISC OS news site in the world, has today launched a new Instant Chat service for RISC OS users worldwide, and is the first commercial RISC OS site to do so.
The Java-free software is easy to use for both new and experienced users of chat systems, offering a user-friendly interface to well-known IRC principles.
The service was developed by Peter Price after extensive research in the RISC OS user market.
The service is open 24 hours a day, and anyone can join in. You can log in from the Drobe Launch Pad homepage at http://www.drobe.co.uk/.
Users are requested to submit their suggested names for different chat rooms to the Editor (editor@drobe.co.uk) and special guests are expected to be invited to chat and answer questions in the near future.
For more information please contact: Peter Price, The Beeches, Shelton Park, Shrewsbury, SY3 8BL. Email peter@drobe.co.uk or phone/fax: 0870 740 2734 (national rates apply).
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