HALIFAX AREA
               PERSONAL COMPUTER SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER                                         NOVEMBER 1994

Meets 4th Sunday of each month, 7:00 pm
     Nova Scotia Institute of Technology (NSIT)
     Leeds Street, Halifax, N.S.

27 NOVEMBER MEETING

Intro Topics - Windows Feature - Bill Marchant
          Question and Answer - Rob MacCara
          
Feature Event - Programming Basics
          featuring David Potter


IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE:

Announcements

We're Legit Now!
The Society is now registered

And The Lucky Number Is
Draw for a CD-ROM drive at the next meeting

Windows PIF Files
What these are used for and why

Library Report
Update from the disk library

Worth Paying For
Shareware review

About This Document
A few notes about this document

Meeting Schedule 94/95


GENERAL INFORMATION

This document is mailed to all paid up members and to anyone who
has attended a meeting within the past three months.  Yearly
membership dues are $15.00.  The text of the newsletter is
available on ATAB 435-0751, (8N1) and other local bulletin
boards.
Society Mailing Address -
     P.O. Box 29008, Halifax N.S., B3L 4T8
Executive
     Chairperson - David Potter
     Vice-Chair - Andy Cornwall - 861-4503 (h)
     Secretary/Newsletter Editor - Colin Stuart - 461-0370 (h)
     Treasurer - Garth Bennett - 492-3368 (h)
     Disk Librarian - Thayne MacLean - 461-0082 (h)
     and but not least Norman DeForest, Henry Hill, Arthur
     Layton, Rob MacCara, Bill Marchant, George Richards, and
     Diane Smith


ANNOUNCEMENTS

Last Planning Meeting
Attending the November 1st planning meeting were Colin Stuart,
Norman DeForest, Garth Bennett, Henry Hill, Rob MacCara, Thayne
MacLean, George Richards, David Potter, Arthur Layton, and Andy
Cornwall and Bill Marchant.

Much of the meeting was taken up with the paperwork for
registering the Society and seeing who wanted to volunteer for
what position.  See David Potter's article for more details on
this.

Tour of the Maritimes Weather Centre
A number of Society members (8) toured the Weather Centre on
Tuesday evening, October 25th.  The tour was very interesting
both from the viewpoint of how the Centre operates and the
equipment used to carry out the work.  We would like to thank
Richard Hill for arranging the tour and to Alan MacAfee for an
excellent job conducting us through the operation.

Another tour can be arranged and if anyone is interested let us
know at the November meeting.  A sheet will be passed around.

Agenda for the November General Meeting
Three items are planned for the General Meeting on November 27,
7:00 p.m. at the Institute of Technology Campus of the N.S.
Community College (5865 Leeds St. Halifax):  Bill Marchant
continues with his series of presentations on "Windows Feature of
the Month", Rob MacCara will lead a Question and Answer session,
and David Potter will provide the gathered multitudes with some
useful information on getting started in creating programs.

Membership Expiry Dates
Please look at the upper right corner of your newsletter mailing
label for the expiry date and renew if possible.  This is one way
to ensure that you receive a copy of each newsletter and know
what interesting meetings are coming up.

OS/2 Users Group
Meets the third Thursday of each month.  For more information
contact Carey Rolfe at 462-4551 or E-Mail crolfe@fox.nstn.ns.ca

WordPerfect Users Group Meeting
Meetings of the Atlantic Canada WordPerfect User Society are held
on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm.

For more information contact:
Therese Mackintosh, 435-5456.

Computer Lecture
Monday, 5 December at 8 pm at Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer
Street, Halifax.  Topic will be a one hour lecture "Computer
Vision and Image Processing" by Dr. Gregson from TUNS.  Sponsored
by Nova Scotia Institute of Science.

For Sale
1 - 2400 baud internal modem - $15
4 - 256K RAM - $30
1 - HD 3«" floppy drive with power - $45
1 - HD 5¬" floppy drive - $45
1 - PC Tools version 7 - $20
1 - Percent Edge - $25
1 - GeoWorks with QuattroPro - $75
Always open to offers.
Call Diane Smith 445-2021 evenings.

Advertising and Want Ads
We don't charge for small individual want ads.  That is any
Society member or other interested person with some computer
related item that they wish to sell, trade, or give away can
contact the editor to place an ad similar to the ones above in
the newsletter.  We would expect that more commercially oriented
advertising provide the Society with some renumeration for
carrying the ad.

An ad will normally only appear once but let me know if you need
it repeated.  Ads can be given to me at meetings or give me a
call two weeks to ten days before the next general meeting
(newsletter deadline).


Biblical Bits #12
-- The Computer Press --
..of making many books there is no end   ECLESIASTES 12:12


WE'RE LEGIT!

by David Potter

This month has seen the formalization of our status with our
registration with the Provincial Registry of Joint Stocks.

The adopted by-laws of the group reflect our awareness of gender
neutrality and our hi-tech new-age interests.  We don't have a
Chairman or Chairperson, we have a 'Chair' (myself) and a
Vice-Chair (Andy).  In addition, notice of meetings does not
specify (snail) mail delivery but simply the members last known
address which we will interpret as e-mail enabled.

It is our intention to conduct the business of the Society at the
'planning' meeting usually held on a Monday evening a week after
the regular gathering.

We have specified in our registration that the number of
directors shall be unlimited.  Any individual may become a
director of the organization simply by expressing an interest in
doing so.  This will continue the open welcome that has always
been extended to members to become involved in the planning of
group activities.

Our funds have been transferred to the new society and Garth has
indicated that he would prepare a statement that would represent
the final/initial position of the society.

One of the changes that our new status will bring is our ability
to engage in fund raising activities regulated by the Lottery
Commission.  We have discussed a number of uses for society funds
including sponsoring a phone line for the Chebucto FreeNet, the
awarding of scholarships and the purchase of equipment for the
group.  In the past there has been support for the purchase of a
laptop that could be used for the library and for demonstration
purposes.  This idea died a slow death, in part, because we were
interested in more machine than we had budget for.  Another idea
that may be worth considering would be the purchase of a GOOD
projection system that would allow those sitting in the back to
see the demonstration.

Any serious attempt at fundraising activity will require the
support of all members and will require additional peoplepower to
manage.  Our first attempt may not raise a lot of cash, our first
draw may cost more that it raises but in any case it can be
expected to add interest to the meetings! (More about this
elsewhere!)

I'm optimistic that the new Society will maintain the best
elements of the old and add a few new elements that will make our
meetings more enjoyable.

Thanks to all those members who helped with the process.


Biblical Bits #13
-- Last throes of a hard disk? --
the FAT closed and the dirt came out   JUDGES 3:22


AND THE LUCKY NUMBER IS...


by David Potter

The November meeting will see the first in a series of raffles
for a computer related prize.  The plan is to sell tickets at the
meeting with the draw to be held after the break.  The first draw
will be for a double spin CD-ROM player with a controller card. 
Ticket prices have been established at $2.00 each or three
tickets for $5.00.  The value of the CD-ROM player is $200.00
retail.

We have been running around 40-45 members/public in attendance at
the meetings so the odds are considerably better than the 649!

We're very interested in comments from the membership with
respect to this topic.  If you're on the Internet or Freenet I
can be contacted at ab934@chebucto.ns.ca or at 466-4490.

Good Luck in the DRAW!


PROGRAM INFORMATION FILES (PIF) IN WINDOWS

by Bill Marchant

 PIF  stands for Program Information File, and is also the file
name extension used with these files, so we find ourselves using
redundant statements like  PIF Files .  Somehow it seems to make
more sense to write or talk about  PIF files , just as we do
about  EXE files , so I won t apologize for an redundancy if it
occurs.

 A PIF is always created for any non-Windows application when you
install it to run under Windows, and a program item is added to
the Applications group in Program Manager.  You can add PIFs
during Setup by specifying the disk location of a custom PIF in a
[win_copyFile] section in SETUP.INF, or by letting Setup create a
PIF from custom entries in APPS.INF. 

The above paragraph is a quote from the Windows Resource Kit. 
What does it mean?

Let s look at a typical PIF.  We ll look at the SETUP.INF
connection in another in a later Newsletter.

Non-Windows applications do not use memory the same way Windows
applications do, so it is necessary to tell windows about the
applications requirements.  One way to discover what is in a PIF
is to examine some existing ones using the PIF editor.  I decided
to look at the PIF for dBASE IV, which the system made for me
when I installed it.  Under the Program Manager, Main icon, I
clicked on PIF Editor.  I got a dialog box which in my case was
specialized for the 386 Enhanced mode.  If I had been using 
Windows Standard mode, the box would have looked slightly
different.  With this window open, I selected FILE OPEN and then
a PIF to look at.  I selected DBASE.PIF.

The Program Filename in the box was DBASE.EXE, and the Window
Title was DBASE IV version1.5.   On-line-help is available at the
F1 key for each entry box.  I made extensive use of it.

There were no optional parameters listed.  With other programs
this space might be used for such things as setting a /B
parameter for a black and white monitor, or specifying some other
special condition.

There was no Start Up Directory specified either, thus Windows
was allowed to specify the directory.  I changed this to
C:\DBASE\WORK to force DBASE to use that subdirectory because
that is where I keep the data files when I use dBASE under DOS.

The selection of Video Memory showed TEXT, and I changed this to
HIGH GRAPHICS.  Text uses 16 Kbytes of memory, Low graphics - 32
Kbytes, and High graphics - 128 Kbytes of memory.  I think I have
enough memory to do this and maybe it will improve the
presentation.

At Memory Requirements, the editor was already set to 450 Kbytes
required.  The Kb Desired box contained -1.  The -1 means that
the dBASE will use all the available memory without limit.  The
EMS and XMS memory were all set to 0.  I used the F1 key here to
read about the reasons for changing these fields.  Then I decided
not to change them.  If  I used my dBASE for larger applications,
I would probably find that Expanded or Extended memory should be
specified.  I am waiting for one of my applications to get big
enough to raise the alarm.

Display Usage was set to Full Screen.  I left it that way because
to change to a window simply puts other irrelevant stuff around
the dBASE data, and occupies useful space.  

Close Window on Exit was also selected.  You leave the window
Open on exit if you want to continue reading your data after
dBASE is finished with it.  The F1 key explains it.  I didn t
change this.

The Advanced Settings button takes you to a second screen with
more selections.

In the Multi Tasking box, my settings were Background Priority
50, Foreground Priority 10000, and the Detect Idle Time was
selected.  After reading the helps for each of these settings, I
decided to leave them just as they were.  In effect, the system
had given the highest priority to whatever application would be
in my current window, and very little priority to any background
program.  I think this means that if dBASE had some work to do
(say printing) while I was using Microsoft WORD, then WORD would
get more attention.

In the Memory Applications box, I read the helps for each
selection.  I left the EMS Memory Locked, The XMS Memory Locked. 
The Helps here indicated that this memory would become
unavailable for other uses if I locked it.  I didn t want to do
that.  There appear to be some applications which require this
selection.  The Lock Application Memory selection was also
unselected.  This too seemed applicable only to some special
applications.  I selected Uses High Memory Area.  With these
boxes, the advantages and disadvantages of each selection are
clearly described in the helps, and it appeared to me that the
default selections could not be improved on.  

In the Display Options box, I selected High Graphics on the
grounds that the Help suggested that most applications require
this setting.  I also selected the Emulate Text Mode because the
Helps indicated that my application would run faster,  but I
decided I did not need the Retain Video Memory since, if it is
not set, the system can use the available memory in a more
flexible manner.

In the Other Options box, I selected Allow Fast Paste.  The Helps
told me that most applications can use this, so what the heck! 
If it doesn t work, I can turn it off.  I left all the other
selections in this box unselected.  Allow Close When Active was
not set.  When this is active, it permits Windows to be closed
while dBASE is not closed.  Since one must be careful to ensure
that all dBASE files are closed before leaving the application, I
thought this selection was a bit risky.  I left it unselected.

The Reserve Shortcut Keys selections allow one to select shortcut
keys for use in the application.  This means that the Windows
meaning of the keys is ignored, and dBASE gets the use of them. 
I left them all unset for the time being.  The Application
Shortcut Key may be specified to start the application in
Windows.  I left this blank, being quite content to select the
icon from the dBASE box.

After Ok ing the Advanced menu box, and saving the PIF, I
selected the dBASE icon from my Program Manager.  DBASE  seemed
to run fine.

The use of Windows is such a large and complex subject that one
can never be sure that everything is OK.  There are always doubts
about whether some setting requires a matching setting somewhere
else.  For example, whether the use of Expanded memory is
selected must depend on whether the application can use it.  If
it can, does it need it, or is it just permissive.  The matching
entry must also be present in the CONFIG.SYS file, so it seems as
though it has to be assumed OK until something goes wrong.

PIFs are files with the extension PIF.  The file name is always
the same as the application they are designed to go with.  The
best place to store them is in the SYSTEM sub-directory under the
Windows sub-directory.  If you have a non-Windows application
which doesn t run under windows the way you think it ought to,
check for the existence of a PIF.  If you have one, maybe it can
be changed for the better.  If you have none, then Windows is
using the default values.  Retrieve the _Default.PIF file into
the PIF editor and have a go at making it better.  Save the file
to the same name as the application, and add the PIF extension. 
If you discover anything that can add to the understanding of
this complex maze, write it up and send it to the NewsLetter. 
This piece is just the beginning.


DISK LIBRARY 94-95

by Thayne MacLean

As announced in the last newsletter I'm the new disk librarian. 
I'm looking forward to carrying on the tradition of George and
Bill.

As in the past if you call me at home prior to the "meeting" I
will bring the requested disk to the next meeting or we can make
arrangements for you to pick it up at a mutually convenient time.

My home # is 461-0082 and you can call me any time between 1200
(noon) and 1000 (pm) daily.  I do not have an answering machine
but  my wife will take a message if I am not at home.

Please include your name and phone number as well as the name and
# of the requested disk if you know it.  I will confirm you order
via phone as soon as possible.  If there is a program you would
like to have but don't see in the library I will try to get it
for you but I can make no promises.

If you have any trouble with a disk I will be happy to assist you
in any way I can.  I only have limited experience in some
software but I am always willing to learn.

I would be interested to know what types of software applications
you would be interested in seeing in the library.  Let me know 
what you think.

See you at the next meeting.

Thayne


...WORTH PAYING FOR

by John Howard Oxley

A Couple of Games

Another in this irregular series featuring reviews of shareware
I've found worth registering (486DX66/16Mb; mostly WINDOWS;
available from club librarian unless noted).

Games represent one of the most prolific shareware categories
(even more so when add-ons are considered.), they also represent
one of the broadest categories.  In selecting the following to
praise highly, I mean to suggest they are close to 'best of
breed' -- that is, excellent games of their particular type.  
Someone who does not like a TETRIS type game will not like the
one mentioned below, regardless of its quality.  All I can say
about these two is that they rate as 'superior time wasters' --
you start playing, look over at the clock, and a couple of hours
have gone by -- in fact that's why this issue's column is so
short....

QUATRIS II+ (Awesome Softworx; U$24.00 including S&H): I've
hinted above that I like falling block games, and I've tried
about a dozen, but when I tried Quatris, I deleted all the rest
from my hard drive.  Here is a game which runs equally well under
DOS or as a full-screen window, and which installing is simply a
matter of creating a subdirectory and copying the file.  VGA
resolution support and discreet sound effects are standard, while
concern for player health is evidenced by the fact that every 15
minutes or so a reminder screen pops up to suggest intense
players take a break and stretch their hand and eye muscles.

Like any TETRIS worth its salt, this game gives you options to
save, toggles for grid and preview, and has logical and simple
controls.  In addition to gaining a high score, however, you have
to worry about running out of energy (which is topped up from
stage to stage), so you can't dawdle.  The 2-D graphics are
particularly attractive, and provide pop-up help, a
variable-width well with each stage, and bombs (coming in 3
stages of severity of effect, blowing away blocks at the bottom
of the screen while also depleting your score and energy). 

Quatris provides two additional elements.  For one thing, the
game proceeds by stages, getting progressively more difficult,
but in between each stage you get to play a 'Simon' type game
where the computer displays a pattern and you must key to match
it -- doing so given you bonus points and energy, and breaks the
linear focus of the main game.  The other thing is the fact that
as the complexity levels rise, so does the variety among the
blocks, which become positively baroque at the higher levels.

In short, this is a game you never get tired of.  The only
alarming thing about it is the fact, as the intro screens make
clear, that it was a programming project designed by high-school
students, which raises rather disquieting thoughts about what
they will be able to do when they are older....

BLOCK BREAKER 4.00E (EMsoft; U$15.00 including S&H): Way back
when we were all using steam computers (at least the PC/XT felt
that way!), Vince Bly's freeware game BRICKS was a fun way to
spend an afternoon, and an evening, and....  There are a number
of 'Breakout' style games available, all involving bouncing balls
against an array of blocks to destroy them, but many of these
don't run well in WINDOWS.  Block Breaker is a WINDOWS breakout
game, complete with bells and whistles (almost literally, since
it has music and sound effects of particular pungency -- you can
turn them off).  In addition to the menus, a toggled toolbar
provided quick access to game controls (including variable speeds
and starting points) and allows you to pause or save games.

The game starts with the typical solid grid, but gets a lot more
complex after that (and you can start at or switch to a higher
level at will).  Two new block types get introduced: silver,
which must be struck a number of times before crumbling, and
gold, which are permanent.  Higher levels of the game introduce a
maze-like effect (with the drawback that sometimes you spend a
lot of time just watching the ball bounce through the mazes). 
The game can be played in several magnification modes, and I
found the higher magnifications easier to play.

The game installs easily, and includes on-line help.  A fast
processor is needed (I found it worked significantly better with
a DX66 than a DX33) and keyboard control is surer than using the
mouse (at least with the UNMOUSE I use, occasionally the paddle
would 'hang' and the ball would be missed), but if you like this
sort of thing, it gives hours of absorbing pleasure.

CORRIGENDA and ADDENDA

The gremlins were working overtime in my last column.  

Under POWERBAS/WRITE I noted most WINDOWS install programs look
for NOTEPAD or WRITE 'as a standard way of displaying their help
files' -- what was intended was 'their README files'.  
Under NOTEIT, I intended to mention that the nag screens in the
unregistered version are so intrusive they almost prevent you
from evaluating the product.  This becomes more significant
inasmuch as Tardis DP Consultants can no longer be reached at the
address given with the program, and therefore you can't register
it.  Having looked around since, I can say that I know of no
other notepad type program which is so easy to use for quick
notes, so this is a regrettable state of affairs --  I will keep
members posted on developments in this case.
Under INFORECALL, the first sentence in the review should end:
'costing three times (or more) as much'.

Errors aside, next time I will look at some valuable shareware
utilities -- if anyone has a particular program category they
would like featured (other than accounting programs!), please
suggest this to me (or the Editor) and I will do my best to
comply.


ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT


The newsletter is formatted using both the DOS and Windows
versions of WordPerfect 6.0.  The original was printed at 600
dots per inch resolution on a HP Laserjet 4M.  If I don't have
access to this printer then we print it on an Okidata 850 at Bits
and Bytes on Portland Street in Dartmouth where they allow the
Society to print the originals at no charge.

The main body of the newsletter is set in 10 point Palatino with
the article headings being 14 point bold.  The title on the first
page is ITC Zapf Chancery Medium Italic 19.2 and 16 points.

Again for those interested in numbers, we made about 100 copies
of the newsletter this month and mailed out around 82 of these. 
The extra copies from the previous few months issues will be
brought to the next meeting for those who are new to the group or
may not be in regular attendance.

If anyone has something that they feel would make a good article
or meeting, please don't hesitate to pass it on.  I will accept
articles in almost any format, ASCII text, AMI Pro, MS Word,
Windows Write, and of course WordPerfect.  We look forward to
hearing from other members who have a good story to tell or come
across something that may interest others.  You can even give me
a call and upload it to me.


MEETING SCHEDULE - 94/95

The dates for the general meetings for this year are listed
below.  Note that there is no meeting in December.  It has been
moved to the second Sunday in January because it happened to fall
right on Christmas day this year.  The regular January meeting is
on the fifth Sunday of the month.

27 November
8 January
29 January
26 February
26 March
23 April
28 May
25 June

The planning meetings are normally held on the second Monday (8
days) after the general meeting (none in January).  They are also
located at NSIT, in a small boardroom to the left as you come in. 
Anyone is welcome to assist in the planning of future meetings or
events.

Any changes to the scheduled dates will be announced where
possible at the regular monthly meetings and/or in this
newsletter.