ANTIC WRITER MANUAL - PART 1››(This manual is divided into 2 Antic›Writer files -- ANT1.TXT and›ANT2.TXT. You can print out these›files immediately by using the C›option from the DOS menu.)››INTRODUCTION››Antic Writer is easy to use, whether›you need to prepare simple letters or›complex documents. It's simple›enough for the novice, but powerful›enough for the professional. (A›complete list of the main commands›will be found at the end of this›file.)››The program is written in assembly›language and uses fewer bytes than›most comparable word processors. The›amount of memory left for your text›is displayed on the bottom (prompt)›line and is updated each time you›switch into a different mode.››SEARCH AND REPLACE››How many times have you typewritten a›letter and thought "I wish I could›just change Mildred's name and send›this to Aunt Mabel in Hoboken without›retyping the whole thing?"››Well, it's a cinch with Antic Writer.›Just use the LOOK mode to find›Mildred every time it occurs and let›the computer change it to Mabel.›Then simply use the PRINT mode to›type a fresh letter to Aunt Mabel.››What if you need to keep a copy of a›letter you send to a company? Saving›it to disk is one way of preserving›history files of important›correspondences.››Antic Writer can also:››a) Insert and delete characters or›lines;›b) Move sentences or paragraphs;›c) Maintain text history files;›d) Ease filing burdens by using disks›instead of file cabinets;›e) Reformat documents by simply›changing one or two control›characters.›››I/O ERRORS››In the course of working with your›computer system you may get error›messages in the prompt line. If you›were attempting to access your disk›drive or printer it may be an I/O›(Input/Output) error. I/O refers to›the direction in which information is›moving in respect to the computer.›For example, a computer inputs›information from a keyboard and›outputs it to a printer.››Errors detected during this›information transfer are called I/O›Errors.››Here are the error codes:››128-BREAK KEY ABORT›129-IOCB ALREADY IN USE›130-NON-EXISTENT DEVICE›131-OPENED ONLY FOR WRITE›132-INVALID COMMAND›133-DEVICE OR FILE NOT OPEN›134-INVALID IOCB NUMBER›135-OPENED FOR READ ONLY›136-END OF FILE›137-TRUNCATED RECORD›138-DEVICE TIMEOUT›139-DEVICE NAK›140-INPUT FRAMING ERROR›141-CURSOR OUT OF RANGE›142-DATA FRAME OVERRUN ERROR›143-DATA FRAME CHECKSUM ERROR›144-DEVICE DONE ERROR›145-BAD SCREEN MODE›146-FUNCTION NOT SUPPORTED›147-SCREEN MODE WON'T FIT MEMORY››Of the above errors, the most common›is #138. Usually it's because you›attempted to print while the printer›was off or not plugged in. You'll›see Error #144 if you try saving to a›disk with its write-protect notch›covered.››160-DISK DRIVE # ERROR›161-TOO MANY OPEN DISK FILES›162-DISK FULL›163-FATAL DISK I/O ERROR›164-INTERNAL FILE # MISMATCH›165-FILE NAME ERROR›166-POINT DATA LENGTH ERROR›167-FILE LOCKED›168-COMMAND INVALID FOR DISK›169-DIRECTORY FULL›170-FILE NOT FOUND›171-POINT INVALID››After noting the error, push [ESCAPE]›twice to return to EDIT TEXT.››COLD START››To load and run Antic Writer, first›turn on disk drive 1. When the red›BUSY lite turns off, put Antic Writer›in your drive and turn on your›computer.››WARM START››1. Turn your computer off with either›the switch or by opening the›cartridge loading door on the 800.›2. Insert the Antic Writer disk into›drive 1.›3. Turn your computer on.››The system will load and start by›itself.››NOW THAT YOU'RE TURNED ON››The monitor will display a HELP menu.›The prompt line will say HELP on the›left. The five-digit number on the›right is amount of memory available›for your text. Any time you change›modes, the prompt line will be›updated.››HELP MENU››To get the HELP menu press [CONTROL]›[H].››WRITE A LETTER››Press [ESCAPE] to remove the HELP›menu. The PROMPT line now says EDIT›TEXT. Type in your letter. If you›make a mistake press [DELETE] to›remove the previous key stroke.››By now you've noticed that a white›square appears on the TV screen where›the next character goes. That's›called a CURSOR and it helps you find›your way around your text. Press›[BREAK], and your cursor blinks.›Press [BREAK] again to turn it off.››Type in a sentence. The program only›allows lines that fit the screen. If›you reach the end of a line and›continue entering text, the program›automatically gives you the next›line. (You may of course end your›line anywhere by pressing [RETURN].)›But for now let the computer do it:›continue typing without pressing›[RETURN]. When you've typed in some›sentences, try your HELP mode again.››PRINT IT››Let's make a printout. Turn your›printer on and set it online. Press›[CONTROL] [T] (to go to the start of›your text), then [CONTROL] [P] (for›PRINT mode). On the prompt line you›will see "PRINT FROM SCREEN TOP›(Y/N)?" and the cursor will be›blinking by the "?". A blinking›cursor in the prompt line always›indicates that the computer needs a›reply from you. Press [Y] to print.››The printed document will look›exactly like your screen display.›"Then why have an 80-column printer?"›you might ask. For now, don't worry›about it. Later we'll show you how›to use FORMAT statements to make your›printed document look right.››SAVE IT››Remove your master now and insert a›FORMATTED disk. Press [CONTROL] [S].›The prompt line will display "SAVE›(Y/N)? D1:TEMP.WPC". Press [Y].›(If you want to save the file with a›different filename or disk drive,›press [DELETE] till you clear out›D1:TEMP.WPC and type in your›changes.)››The prompt line cursor will stop›blinking, the BUSY light on the disk›drive will turn on, the drive will›spin. Then the prompt line will›display EDIT TEXT, the BUSY light›will go off and the disk drive will›stop.››1. You have saved your file to disk›drive 1.›2. Its name is "TEMP.WPC".›3. You are back in EDIT mode.›4. Your document is ready to GET.››CURSOR CONTROL››If you hold down [CONTROL] while›pressing an [ARROW] key, the cursor›moves in the direction of the arrow.››When pressing the right arrow at the›end of a line, the cursor will "wrap›around" to the beginning of the next›line. When pressing the left arrow›at the beginning of a line, the›cursor will wrap around to the end of›the previous line.››The [UP-ARROW] and [DOWN-ARROW] move›the cursor line by line. If the›cursor is at the top line in your›letter when you press [UP-ARROW], the›bottom line is removed and a new top›line is inserted. If the cursor is›at the last line of the page and you›press [DOWN-ARROW], the top line›disappears and a new bottom line›appears.››GET IT››To retrieve (Get back) that letter,›press [CONTROL] [G]. The screen›momentarily goes blank and the prompt›line says LOADING; the disk drive›whirrs, the disk directory appears›and the prompt line will read "CURSOR›TO NAME-RETURN".››Move the cursor to the line›containing "TEMP.WPC". Press›[RETURN] to highlight that line, and›the prompt line will say "GET THIS›FILE (Y/N)?". Press [Y].››The screen goes blank and the›computer prompts LOADING. The drive›spins, your document is displayed,›and the computer puts you back in›EDIT mode and puts two copies of your›document in computer memory.››(The reason for TWO copies is that›Antic Writer has an automatic MERGE›when you retrieve a file from disk.›MERGE simply means that you've›combined two or more documents.)››If you don't want to merge files,›press [CONTROL] [X] (Clear all text)›before dooing a [CONTROL] [G].››The number on the right of your›prompt line tells you how much free›memory is left.››SCROLLING››Scrolling (or browsing) is where the›computer rolls text through your›screen as though the text were on a›long strip of paper.››Antic Writer lets you scroll by line›or page. To scroll by line use›[CONTROL] [UP-ARROW] and [CONTROL]›[DOWN-ARROW].››To scroll by page, use [CONTROL] [U]›(Up) and [CONTROL] [D] (Down), which›let you flip rapidly through the›pages of your text.››Try mixing page and cursor control.›Note that if the cursor is NOT at the›top line of the displayed page when›you press [CONTROL] [U], then it will›go there WITHOUT getting a new page.›The same is true if you press›[CONTROL] [D] if you're not at the›bottom line of the screen. This is›called homing. [CONTROL] [U] puts›you at the first character of a page,›and [CONTROL] [D] puts you at the›last character.››A line also has two home positions,›beginning and end, and a›"pseudo-home," the middle. To go to›the beginning of a line, press either›[CONTROL] [A] or [SHIFT] [TAB]; for›the end of a line, press [CONTROL]›[Z] or [CONTROL] [TAB]. For the›middle, press [TAB].››[CONTROL] [T] puts the cursor at the›top of the text, and [CONTROL] [B]›puts it at the bottom.››Now put the your cursor anywhere and›start typing in new sentences. The›NEW material types right over the OLD›material.››EDITING TEXT››Antic Writer automatically puts›carriage returns at the end of each›text line. When the line overflows,›the computer looks for the first›space to the left and moves that word›to the following line. However, you›MUST press [RETURN] to get empty›lines.››To clear all text, press [CONTROL]›[X]. At the prompt, "CLEAR ALL TEXT›(Y/N)?" press [Y].››Remember that the display is 38›characters per line and the printout›can be more than 80 per printed line.›The default setting for the printer›line length is 64, but these details›are covered later.››SIMPLE EDITING››After you've printed a document,›notice that the sentences line up at›the extreme right.››To make corrections in the document,›place the cursor on the mistake and›type over it.››To insert characters, put the cursor›where you want to insert and press›[CONTROL] [INSERT], which puts in a›space each time you press it. Now›just type in whatever you want. Or›you can press [CONTROL] [I] (Insert›text) and simply type in what you›want to add.››If you don't want the computer›rearranging your text as you type,›you press [CONTROL] [J] (Job control)›to turn it off. You will then have›to press [RETURN] to end your lines.››PARAGRAPHS››To combine paragraphs, remove the›empty lines between them by placing›the cursor on an empty line and›pressing [DELETE].››NOT TO WORRY››If the screen display looks uneven,›press [CONTROL] [O] (Organize text).›When the prompt line says ORGANIZE›TEXT (Y/N)? press [Y].››EDIT TEXT WITH "PARSE OFF"››To update a file, position the cursor›on an empty line. If the prompt›doesn't say EDIT TEXT, press›[ESCAPE]. Press [RETURN] to give›yourself an empty line and cursor up›to it. This prevents the computer›from reparsing through the following›line if you are NOT editing with›"PARSE OFF." This is a good habit to›get into: PARSING WILL NOT CROSS AN›EMPTY LINE WHEN IN EDIT TEXT OR›INSERT MODE.››Press [CONTROL] [J]. Your prompt›should read "EDIT TEXT PARSE OFF".›This mode is important only for›preparing charts that will print›exactly as they appear onscreen.››To split a single paragraph into two,›place the cursor where you want to›split it, and press [RETURN] twice.›Press [DELETE] to get rid of the›space at the beginning of the second›paragraph.››FORMATTING››To indent the beginning of your›paragraphs simply put in a couple of›spaces by putting the cursor there›and pressing [CONTROL] [INSERT]. If›you plan to indent paragraphs and›don't want empty lines between them,›just take one of each pair of blank›lines out.››To format the file (not your disk),›press the [ATARI] key once. (The›[ATARI] key is at the lower right›corner of your keyboard and gives you›inverse video.) Then press [SHIFT]›[F]. An uppercase F is displayed in›inverse video. That character is now›flagged in your computer's memory and›every time it is encountered the›computer will know that it requires›special handling.››Following the [ATARI] [F] will be›normal upper case letters and›numbers. (For instance, "A0" tells›the computer to print things exactly›as they appear on the screen, and M›followed by a number simply sets the›left margin.)››Preceding each FORMAT is [ATARI] [D],›which simply sets FORMAT back to its›normal values. FORMAT A0 does NOT›allow organizing any text --›[CONTROL] [O] -- that follows it. It›also turns off right justification of›a printed document. In other words,›any time you need a "what you see is›what you get" format, FORMAT A0 is›useful.›demonstartion purposes.››One very important thing to remember›and to understand is that you can›change FORMATs anywhere and as often›as you wish in your document. The›printed document will adjust itself›as it is printed.››ADVANCED EDITING››[CONTROL] [A]: puts the cursor on the›first character of the line you are›on. This mode exits to EDIT TEXT›mode.››[CONTROL] [B]: puts the cursor at the›end of your text. This mode exits to›EDIT TEXT mode.››[CONTROL] [C]: This is used with›[CONTROL] [M] (Move text). This›takes the information in the copy›buffer and inserts it in front of the›cursor. The data is put into the›COPY buffer by MOVE TEXT mode. The›copy buffer has no fixed length,›using free memory. Text put into the›copy buffer remains there until›erased with a [CONTROL] [E] (Erase›copy).››Memory used by the copy buffer is not›available for entering text, but it's›possible to move information into it,›and then enter enough text so that›there won't be enough room to copy it›back. Erasing the copy buffer›recaptures that memory. It's useful›to save text to the copy buffer and›then transfer it to a different file›with the following sequence: move›text, clear all text, get file, copy›text, save file.››[CONTROL] [D]: If the cursor is at›the bottom screen line, the next page›down will have show that line as the›top of the next displayed screen.›However, if the cursor is at any line›OTHER than the bottom line of the›displayed page, it will be moved to›the end of the displayed page.››[CONTROL] [E]: removes text in the›copy buffer and restores that memory›for entering text.››[CONTROL] [I] lets you insert text to›the left of the cursor as you type.›If the line overflows, the rightmost›word moves to the next line and the›rest of the paragraph is reparsed.›If you are preparing a document that›you do NOT want Antic Writer to parse›as you type, press [CONTROL] [J] to›turn automatic parsing OFF.››[CONTROL] [J] toggles automatic›parsing on and off when in EDIT TEXT›or INSERT MODE. It's useful to keep›the system from rearranging your text›if you accidently type in a character›that causes a line to overflow. When›Job control is active, the prompt›line in INSERT or EDIT will say›"PARSE OFF". When parsing is off,›displayed lines are ended by pressing›the [RETURN] key with the cursor›where you want the line to stop.››[CONTROL] [L] (Look string): lets you›find a particular word or group of›words words wherever they occur in›your text and, if you choose, change›that string to something else. The›search begins at the cursor of the›displayed page and continues to the›end of your document.››To search the entire document, press›[CONTROL] [T] (Top text) before›[CONTROL] [L]. The LOOK and CHANGE›strings don't have to be the same›length. If during CHANGE, the line›overflows, any following text in the›paragraph will be reparsed to make›the change fit. If [CONTROL] [J] is›set to "no parse" any portion of the›line that overflows will be given its›own line.››[CONTROL] [M]: Find a block of data›to move. Press [CONTROL] [M]. The›prompt line will read "CURSOR TO›BEGINNING-RETURN". Put the cursor at›the beginning of the block and press›[RETURN]. The prompt will now say›"CURSOR TO END-RETURN". Using the›[CONTROL] [ARROW] keys marks your›text by highlighting it in inverse›video. If you mark more than you›intend simply back up the cursor.››When the block is marked properly›press the [RETURN] key. Press [Y] at›the "MOVE TEXT (Y/N)?" prompt. The›marked block is now removed from your›text and saved in computer memory.››To get it back press [CONTROL] [C].›The computer will prompt "CURSOR TO›INSERTION-RETURN". Position your›cursor where you want your data›inserted and press [RETURN]. The›data you originally "moved" is still›in memory. You can copy it into your›text as often as you like.››If you mark and move another block of›text it will be merged with any›previous moves.››[CONTROL] [O]: If the right screen›margin becomes ragged, this mode›reparses your entire document. It›will not reparse blocks of text›protected by a FORMAT A0.››[CONTROL] [R]: works just like MOVE›mode except that it doesn't move›anything into the copy buffer --›deletes the marked text from memory›on command.››[CONTROL] [T]: displays the first›page of your document and puts the›cursor at the first character. It›exits to EDIT TEXT.››[CONTROL] [U]: displays the previous›page of your document if the cursor›is at the top screen line. If it›isn't, the cursor will home to the›top left character of the displayed›page.››[CONTROL] [V] (Video color): simply›changes the display screen color.›Pressing [0] gives black printing on›a white background. Pressing›[DELETE] [BACK SPACE] returns you to›the default setting, and any other›key simply strips the color›information from the key itself to be›used as the background. To exit this›mode, press [ESCAPE].››[CONTROL] [W]: removes all data from›the beginning of the document to the›point of the cursor.››[CONTROL] [X]: erases the entire›document, but NOT the copy buffer.››[CONTROL] [Y]: removes all data from›the cursor to the end of the›document.››[CONTROL] [Z]: puts the cursor at the›end the current displayed line. This›mode exits to EDIT TEXT mode.››[CONTROL] [CAPS]: lets you enter›graphic character strings directly›into your text. However, most›printers treat graphics characters as›control codes, so except for the most›sophisticated user, this is of little›interest. To exit press the [CAPS]›key.››NOTE: It's very easy to get into this›mode ACCIDENTLY by pressing [CONTROL]›[CAPS] instead of [SHIFT] [CAPS]. If›you see graphics characters, press›[CAPS] by itself to return to normal›text entry.››There are three cursor positions›commanded by the edit utility:››1. [SHIFT] [TAB]: to the start of the›displayed line.›2. [TAB]: to the middle of the›displayed line.›3. [CONTROL] [TAB]: to the end of the›displayed line.››[CONTROL] [INSERT]: inserts a space›to the left of the cursor. All›characters on that line (including›the cursor) are shifted right.›Characters can't shift off the line.››[CONTROL] [DELETE]: removes the›character under the cursor. It will›not backspace or remove empty lines.››[SHIFT] [INSERT] moves the entire›line containing the cursor down one›line, leaving an empty line.››[SHIFT] [DELETE]: removes the entire›line containing the cursor, moving›all following lines up, and can also›remove blank lines.›