https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/inverseatascii-s3e05-mpp_microfilrer.mp3

This episode features MicroFiler, originally released in 1983 by MPP.  It was written by Jim Harrison.  MicroFiler was somewhat unique in that it was offered on cartridge, and allowed the database to be stored on cassette.

Podcast: Download

Scan of the front of the package:

Scan of the back of the package:

Scan of cartridge:

Ad from Compute! magazine, December 1983:

Main menu:

Create Database (Data Entry Screen):

Trying to complete the screen without fields defined results in an error:

Completed screen with fields defined.  N is numeric, C is character (alpha-numeric, required), blank is character (alpha numeric):

Database menu:

Entering data (invalid in this example):

Don’t try to save with the wrong disk in the drive:

Displaying the available record memory:

Printing

The print menu has two options, Print, and Change Format.  You must choose.  Choose wisely:

Enter the filter (search) criteria to restrict the printout:

Printing is complete:

For Change Format (custom) printing, you must specify which fields to print.  Part of the selection indicates how to print the field.  Placing a single character at the start of each field to be printed is how it is done.  Put a 0 to 9 to specify the number of spaces to follow the field.  Put an S, D, or T for single, double, or triple line spacing following the field:

For custom format you also choose how many lines between each record:

For custom format you also specify the left margin:

Retrieve (Find)

The retrieve menu is displayed once chosen.  This must be invoked to get to the change and delete functions as well:

Invoking the Search (SCH) option, you must specify what to look for (or filter on):

Result of the search operation.  First record is displayed.  Use FWD, BWD to browse forward and back:

Use the Delete (DLT) option to delete the currently displayed record.  There is a confirmation as well:

Using the SUM option causes each numeric field to be sum’d:

Likewise for the AVG (average) option:

MicroFiler creates data disks that can not be read by DOS, at least the directory.  One database is stored per disk (or tape).

“Normal” print sample.  Notice how all data fields are run together:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/s3e05-prt-normal.pdf

Custom print sample, with spaces between fields and extra line between records:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/s3e05-prt-custom.pdf

Un-modified single record print sample:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/s3e05-prt-record.pdf

Scanned manual:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/mppmicrofilermanual.pdf

Podcast: Download

This episode features HomeCard, originally released in 1985 by Antic Publishing.   It was developed by Star Systems Software.  It was written by Sparky Starks and Russ Wetmore.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/inverseatascii-s3e04-antic_homecard.mp3

Podcast: Download

This episode features HomeCard, originally released in 1985 by Antic Publishing.  It was developed by Star Systems Software.  It was written by Sparky Starks and Russ Wetmore.

Boot splash:

Boot error produced when running with a cart inserted or not enough memory:

Credits screen.  This is displayed for a few seconds or until you press a key (whichever comes first):

The primary functions menu (before a box or disk is loaded):

The primary functions menu (after a box or disk is loaded):

First confirm the operation:

Insert a blank disk:

Decide if it should be formatted or not:

Give it a box name (up to 16 characters):

Put the disk in and confirm:

Card box interface.  No card displayed:

Editing the Title card.  It has absolutely no bearing on any of the other cards:

Creating a new card.  The card becomes white with a red title line and blue dividers, and 8 holes at the top:

Editing an existing card, notice the border is now red:

Adding a back to the card.  You are prompted for verification:

Editing the new back:

Ripping a hole in the card:

Displaying the scrolling menu which is way to fast to read.  Select the type of match (similar to Find) with Any (OR condition) or Every (AND condition):

Selecting holes (ripping and un-ripping):

Browsing the results:

Destroy card, enter confirmation:

Select type of find – Any (OR condition) or Every (AND condition):

Enter match criteria:

Start the search:

Find using holes (3rd hole is ripped):

Mark entry with Dialer flag, little telephone icon:

Dialing in progress:

Setting the dialer type:

Setting new box name:

Setting the output:

Documentation menu:

When sending to the printer, it pauses at the conclusion of each page giving you the opportunity to quit:

When sending to the screen, it pauses at the end of each displayed page giving you the opportunity to quit:

HomeCard uses Atari DOS 2.0.  The contents of the program disk can be read, but the data disk can not.

Documentation:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/s3e04-prt-docs.pdf

Navigation Chart:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/s3e04-prt-flowchart.pdf

Podcast: Download

This episode features HomePak, originally released in 1984 by Batteries Included.   It was developed by Star Systems Software, Inc., and written by Russ Wetmore.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/inverseatascii-s3e03-batteriesincluded_homepak.mp3

Podcast: Download

This episode features HomePak, originally released in 1984 by Batteries Included.  It was developed by Star Systems Software, Inc., and written by Russ Wetmore.

Scan of the front of the folder:

Scan of the front of the folder inside:

Scan of the back of the folder:

Advertisement from January 1985:

Another advertisement:

Advertisement for Batteries Included, which includes HomePak, from December 2012:

Loading:

Splash banner:

Editor (empty file, replace mode):

Editor (full file, typeover mode):

Editor Options popup menu (invoked with OPTION console key):

Function Menu

Function menu:

Directory listing (of program disk):

Clear buffer (confirmation):

Configure printer commands (each commands ON and OFF is asked for, up to 5 sequences in each can be input):

Load file:

Preview file (file too large – needs 5K of the 6K+ to operate, workaround in the manual):

Preview (single page).  Colors highlight different formats:

Print:

Save file:

Writing the customizations (CTRL-W, not on the menu):

Loading:

Splash banner:

Creating a new data disk, or selecting a new data disk drive (result of pressing SELECT on previous screen):

Whoops, didn’t put the program disk back in the drive:

Interface

Primary user interface.  The top is where output is returned, the bottom is where commands are input:

Entering a new record.  Anything “new” is news to the database.  Add it?  Sure.  This first prompt is the subject of the entered record:

Continuing the entry, this is the prompt for adding a new tag which is the second part of the entered record:

With records in the database, query’s are performed using a similar syntax.  Entering “Who’s Allison” returns all records with subject Allison:

Function menu:

Listing the subjects:

Listing the tags:

Loading:

Splash banner:

Function menu:

Setting the capture file name:

Clearing the buffer:

Setting the delay:

Setting the timer:

Setting the character translation mode.  ATARI mode disables the custom font in favor of the system font:

ATARI mode:

Mini DOS:

HomePak uses Atari DOS 2.0.  The contents of the disk can be seen in this screenshot:

HomeText, and HomeTerm files are written to standard formatted disks.  HomeFind uses a custom format.  HomeFind data diskettes can not be read by DOS.

HomeText formatting sample:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/s3e03-prt-1tx-sample.pdf

HomeFind output sample:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/s3e03-prt-2fn-query.pdf

Check AtariMania!

Podcast: Download

This episode features SynTrend, originally released in 1983, and again in 1985 by Synapse.  SynTrend is comprised of two titles, SynStat and SynGraph.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/inverseatascii-s3e02-synapse_syntrend.mp3

Podcast: Download

This episode features SynTrend, originally released in 1983, and again in 1985 by Synapse.  SynTrend is comprised of two titles, SynStat and SynGraph.

Scan of the front of the box:

Scan of the back of the box:

At boot …

Main Menu:

The menu:

Edit

The loading screens from the 1983 version:

The loading screens from the 1985 version (in a different text mode, and does not offer the additional informative text after the actual disk load is complete):

The editor has a spreadsheet type entry (ENTRY mode).  Press ESC for the menu:

Editor menu:

Command menu options:

After data has been loaded from a file:

Label mode allows changing of the column labels:

Save File

Change the drive number with SELECT.  Use RETURN to continue:

Enter the file name:

Wait for it to write the file:

Define command

Using the DEFINE menu option with data already loaded:

Selecting the number of columns:

Math commands

The math command sub menu:

LN (Logarithm) of a Column:

Using FORMAT option:

Load File

Use SELECT to change the drive number.  Use RETURN to continue:

Entering the filename.  Why no directory or file picker?

RETURN

Returning to the main program menu.  It must be reloaded from disk:

Whoops!  Wrong disk inserted:

Format

You can only format a disk in drive 1:

Subtle reminder to put program disk back in after formatting.  Notice top line of screen:

DIF To SynStat

Follow the prompts.  This works like SynStat To DIF:

SynStat to DIF

Follow the prompts:

Loading the Analyze Data module:

Describe

Choose the file:

Choose the data:

Loading:

Processing:

Descriptive Results

Regression

Choose the file:

Choosing independent variable:

Error encountered:

Choosing dependent variable:

Regression Results

Main Menu:

Put the data disk in the drive:

Select the data file:

Editing the data points:

Create

Select the CREATE option to create a data set if none exist on disk:

Editing the data points:

Select the data disk:

Choose the previous graph to view:

Graph type menu:

Bar Graph

Creation:

Season 1 results:

Season 2 results:

Line Graph

Creation:

Season 1 results:

Season 2 results:

Graph Menu

The menu invoked among all graph types being demonstrated from the Line graph:

When printing, select the printer type:

When Saving, insert the data disk.  The name will either be GRAPH (if you didn’t enter one), or the name you input during graph setup:

Scatter Plot

Creation:

Scatter results:

Pie Chart

Creation:

There are a maximum of 12 slices:

Pie Chart results:

SynTrend uses Atari DOS 2.0 compatible disk format.  The contents of a disk can be seen in this screenshot:

The files are:

SynStat Analysis – Regression:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-regres-1.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-regres-2.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-regres-3.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-regres-4.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-regres-5.pdf

SynStat Analysis – Descriptive:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-statanal-s1-descript.pdf

SynGraph – Bar Chart:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-bar-s1.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-bar-s2.pdf

SynGraph – Line Graph:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-line-s1.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-line-s2.pdf

SynGraph – Pie Chart:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-pie-s1.pdf

SynGraph – Scatter Plot:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e02-prt-graph-scat.pdf

Podcast: Download

This episode features Scriptor originally released in 1983, and SpeedScript 3 originally released in 1985 (for the Atari) by Compute! Publishing.  These were written by Charles Brannon.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/inverseatascii-s3e01-compute_scriptor_speedscript.mp3

Podcast: Download

This episode features Scriptor originally released in 1983, and SpeedScript 3 released in 1985, both by Compute! Publishing.  Both were written by Charles Brannon.

Scan of the front of the Compute! magazine featuring Scriptor (April 1983):

Scan of the cover of the Compute! magazine featuring SpeedScript 3 (May 1985):

Sample MLX listing from one page of the SpeedScript source:

When running the program it loads the machine language parts of itself into memory in 2 phases.  Each phase the background color changes.  Text colors constantly rotate.  The third phase has a blank screen, during which it deletes the lines of code that contained all the machine language code:

Editor interface, loaded with Atari DOS 2.  Note free memory:

Editor interface, loaded with SpartaDOS.  Note free memory:

Error when it isn’t typed in correctly:

Main editing window demonstrating the basic formatting commands:

Define

This allows establishing lines to be block copied or deleted, note gutter on the delete and duplicate operations:

Early in program help:

Invoking print raises a menu, for (C)ontinuous or (F)ast.  Fast turns off Antic, though the screen remains blue.

Printing with Continuous option:

Printing with Fast option:

You must first choose to Save or Recall (load).  Recall will load the document at the cursor location in the current document:

Enter the filename and optional extension.  It only supports D: (drive 1):

While saving, not command bar color change:

Error while saving:

Menu:

Directory, only D: is supported:

Lock file, only D: is supported:

Unlock file, only D: supported:

Rename:

Scratch (delete) file, as with the others, only D: is supported:

No splash screens, straight into the program and job of editing:

Don’t like the colors, change them:

Edit

Editing, in insert mode.  Note title bar color change:

Find

Enter the search term:

Cursor is moved to the first letter of the search term:

To replace, enter new text:

Text is replaced and cursor is moved to first position after:

Free memory:

Save

Specify the filename to save:

Status is displayed in command bar after save:

Load

Enter the filename to load:

File is loaded and status is displayed in command bar:

Print

Choosing to print to the printer (P:), or enter a filename:

Killing some trees:

Mini DOS

Full suite of typical file management related DOS commands is available:

Example of Rename:

Sample document from SpeedScript:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/s3e01-prt-sc-sample.pdf

Scripture cheat sheet:

SpeedScript 3 cheat sheet:

Scriptor rating:

SpeedScript 3 rating:

Podcast: Download

This episode features The Bookkeeper, originally released in 1982 by Atari.