8-bit Software Disc Magazine (c) Duncan Webster DEC 1991 Issue 17 December 1991 PROGRAMMERS RETURN ISSUE 17 72B: Address Book This is a big improvement on the previous version and I only have three comments to make:- 1. I could not find how to enter an address that did not have a house number - the cursor would not move off this field without an entry of some kind, but by no means all addresses include a house number, particularly in small villages. I have a daughter living in a little village in Cumbria, and her address begins simply, 'Hill House' - no number of any kind. All the other fields, such as house name, can be by-passed by entering a space, followed by RETURN, but not the house number field. 2. Changing a complete address is very cumbersome, and people do move from time to time. The current process requires a return to the menu after a change to each field. It would be better to be able to change as many fields in each record as required before returning to a menu. An associated comment is that deleting an address totally is similarly laborious. 3. A PRINT facility for one or more names and addresses would be a very useful addition. K1P: Address Book This seems to work a lot better than the old one, but how about some sort of search facility for the different fields? I don't think I'd fancy wading through 50ish address' to find what I was looking for. Also, how about improving the layout of the displayed address' by tabulating it so looks a bit neater and easier to read off. Finally, the pcode procedure for changing the postcode doesn't seems to have been included! K1P: STD Code System Demo The demo looks good and would be very usefull, pity most numbers I know weren't included in it! Just wondering how long the searches would take with the full version? How about including some sort of facility to see if the number is local/long distance etc in relation to another exchange, but I suppose that would take up another disk or two! 275: Address Book I must say the new address book is very easy to use I have been unable to find any faults so far. If no faults are found by other members would it be possible to put this program in the SYSTEM DATA BASE system. 275: Cassette Inlay I must say that this program is very usefull utility, very simple and clear instructions for the program. Nice clear layout on the screen, the print out is good, what more can be said about the program that dose what it is in tended for. 275: STD Code System Demo This is another good data base program, I was unable to get the search by name to work. But the rest of the demo seem to work all right. The only bad fault I have to say is that on the print out, a lot of paper is used to give the information required, ie. details search for at top of the page then on next page the screen layout for next request is printed and this is repeated every time (see print out). It seems as if the printer is not closed down after each print out. L1L: Address Book This is probably the most extensive implementation of this idea that I have seen. It is a comprehensive program that does itself justice. For some reason having all the options on screen is slightly off putting, but I believe that this has been overcome by limiting the menu to two readily interchangeable screens. One feature which I would have liked to see would have been the ability to search for entries. Also, why is the maximum number of entries limited to 50? Is this due to memory? If so, one could customise the amount of information per entry (ie. make it briefer) in order to increase the number of entries possible. Also it would be nice to input user entered filenames for the address book to be stored under. That way the 50 entry limit could also be overcome. That is one filename could be called "COMMON" and would store all phone numbers used regularly, and another colud be called "B.USINESS" containing all commonly used business phone numbers. This idea is not actually my own but was suggested when using the Systems server. It is also the actual system I use to store phone numbers in my Sharp personal organiser which has three separate sections of memory set aside for phone numbers and addresses - each of which can have its own 'directory' name. Anyway, a great program. The above suggestions are probably only applicable to a few who like to customise everything anyway. L1L: Cassette Inlay. At last. No not at last such a program, as these have been numerous in magazines etc, but at last one that works first go, without alteration, on my printer setup (a Super 5 - CPA80 ie. an Epson 'compatible'). Most programs of this sort that I have tried have used a reverse paper feed (reverse line feed) command which my printer does not support. Hence the relief when on first go, this one worked perfectly. This sort of program holds a genuine appeal in its own right. That is, it is a genuinely useful program, and made even better when it works hassle free. (Widespread compatibility is a huge plus..!) 483: Archiver Program The program assumes that you are already in DFS which is annoying if your computer is normally configured for ADFS. The insertion of line 205 *DISC would solve this problem. It would also be helpful if the program displayed a catalogue before asking which file to compress/decompress. 0E7: Mastermind Nicely done. I have a similar programme from AB Computing from some years back but I think this is the better presentation of the two. I have the same trouble with it and that is not being able to solve it. 0E7: Chemistry Test / Database I think that more time should be given to the displayed answers. These disappear at a rate of knots before one has time to read them. BUG - In search for atomic mass I receive the message NO SUCH VARIABLE 1040. Would it not be better if when searching for matches that they were not all displayed on the screen during the search. I know it shows the computer is working but it does appear a bit distracting rather like watching a fruit machine at play. 0E7: Slatter I found myself searching in vain for a SOUND OFF key. I find control of the slates rather eratic. They never quite seem to go where one expects. The response from the key board seems a bit delayed. A pity that the colours overlap. 0E7: Sorting Article When this excellent article is concluded next month may I have a full copy of all the articles on one disc please which I believe is promised?