SCROLL MESSAGE EDITOR by Richard Karsmakers
Originally published in ST NEWS Volume 1 Issue 6, launched on
November 15th 1986.
It always is quite a race to finish the promised programs in time
for the launch of ST NEWS, but once again it has turned out to be
allright. This program was written on Sunday, November 9th, 1986
(the actual rough scrolling routine had been finished by Jos
Schilders already about one or two months ago). The program is
added on the ST NEWS disk as a .LST file for GfA Basic. It has to
be loaded using the MERGE command of GfA Basic. After that, it can
be SAVEd to another disk using a normal SAVE (after which it can
be LOADed normally). The reason why I made a .LST file of it, was
that we had big troubles with disk space on this time's ST NEWS
disk (we didn't want to make it double sided, two single sided
disks, or maxiformatted). A small user manual is included in the
program (in the default scrolling message). This program is not
copy-righted, nor are the 'message-files' that can be made of it
(these are files that can be MERGEd into your own program and that
contain a ready scrolling text - typed in by you. They simply
have to be GOSUBed by you, and all is allright). But if you decide
to use this procedure in a (commercial) program of your own, I
would very much like to see a "thanks to" in it. You can also just
give any amount of money on my giro account number 5060326 (t.n.v.
Richard Karsmakers, Helmond, The Netherlands) if you like the
program!
The procedure that the 'message file' option creates, can very
easily be adapted to your own needs (it can scroll a different
line, for example). It can even be adapted to work on color
monitors; if you want to use it in low resolution, for example.
you'll simply have to devide all "PRINT AT" and "GET/PUT"
parameters by two - the large ones, anyway).
Try to run the Scroll Message Editor in medium resolution and
count the colours (there are eight!). I could also have used 16
colours, but that would make it all too messy. How many colours
can maximally be used at once in medium resolution?....
Disclaimer
The text of the articles is identical to the originals like they appeared
in old ST NEWS issues. Please take into consideration that the author(s)
was (were) a lot younger and less responsible back then. So bad jokes,
bad English, youthful arrogance, insults, bravura, over-crediting and
tastelessness should be taken with at least a grain of salt. Any contact
and/or payment information, as well as deadlines/release dates of any
kind should be regarded as outdated. Due to the fact that these pages are
not actually contained in an Atari executable here, references to scroll
texts, featured demo screens and hidden articles may also be irrelevant.