The Atari Compendium: Errata Sheet: 11/1/1993
This file is the errata sheet for the book "The Atari Compendium".
The author, Scott Sanders (s.sanders2@genie.geis.com) has permitted me to upload this text.
I can't think of where it should be placed though. "TheAtariCompendium.update.930111" is probably excessive, but so too might be adding /atari/Books/TheAtariCompendium/update.930111
--
Warwick
The Atari> Compendium
by Scott Sanders
Errata Sheet: 11/1/1993
1.3 (The 260/520/1040ST)
The original ST computers contained a 320x200x16 mode, a 640x200x4 mode, and a 640x400x2 mode (not 640x400x1 as stated).
1.5
The MegaSTe has three serial ports, not two (one is shared with the LAN).
The TT has a 1280x960x2 mode (not 1280x960x1).
1.6
The Falcon030 may have a 2.5" IDE drive installed, not a half-height drive as stated.
2.3 (Overview)
GEMDOS derives its heritage from CPM 68k (not CPM 86k).
2.4 (GEMDOS Directories)
Each sub-directory contains a directory named '..' which refers to its parent directory. In addition, each sub-directory contains a directory named '.' which refers to itself. The root directory contains neither of these files.
2.5 (Disk Transfer Address)
The DTA structure is never defined. It is as follows:
typedef struct _dta
{
BYTE d_reserved[21];
UCHAR d_attrib;
UWORD d_time;
UWORD d_date;
ULONG d_length;
BYTE d_fname[14];
} DTA;
2.17 (Signal Table - SIGABRT)
The last sentence in this table entry should be "It is unrecommended that you catch this signal."
2.23 (GEMDOS Time & Date Functions)
TOS 1.02 is incorrectly referred to as 1.2. Any references to TOS 1.2 should be considered references to TOS 1.02, likewise with TOS 1.04 or TOS 1.06.
2.38 (Dcntl() - FS_INSTALL entry)
The structure fs_descr is defined without the portability macros. 'WORD' should be substituted for 'short' and 'LONG' should be substituted for 'long'.
2.51 (Fchmod() - table)
The definition 'S_IRUSER' should be 'S_IRUSR'.
2.54-2.58 (Fcntl() - table)
Several constant definitions for the cmd parameter of Fcntl() were omitted. The correct constants are (note: TIOCSTOP was documented, but the constant listed was incorrect):
Definition Constant
F_SETLKW 0x0007
TIOCSTOP 0x5409
TIOCGXKEY 0x540D
TIOCSXKEY 0x540E
PSETFLAGS 0x5404
PGETFLAGS 0x5405
PTRACEGFLAGS 0x5007
PTRACESFLAGS 0x5006
PTRACEGO 0x5008
PTRACESTEP 0x500A
PLOADINFO 0x500C
SHMSETBLK 0x4E01
SHMGETBLK 0x4E00
2.77-2.78 (Fsfirst() and Fsnext())
The DTA structure was never defined. See the note for page 2.5 above.
2.87 (Pexec())
Pexec() mode 6 is available as of 0.15.
3.4 (System Startup)
The Fuji logo and hard disk spin-up delay occurs on all TOS versions past 2.06, not just 2.06 and 3.06 as is stated.
3.8 (Searching for a Cookie)
The example code references the cookie structure members 'cookie' and 'value' as 'c' and 'v' rather than by their full name.
3.11 (_MCH cookie)
The ST Book '_MCH' cookie contains a value of 0x00010008.
3.12 (FSMC cookie)
The value field of the 'FSMC' cookie contains a pointer to a structure with information about the current version of GDOS as follows:
typedef struct _gdos_info
{
ULONG gdos_type;
UWORD gdos_version;
WORD gdos_quality;
} GDOS_INFO;
The structure member gdos_type will be either '_FSM' for FSMGDOS, '_FNT' for FONTGDOS, or '_SPD' for SpeedoGDOS.
The structure member gdos_version contains the currently installed version of GDOS with the major version number being in the high byte and the minor version being in the low byte.
The structure member gdos_quality is initialized to 0xFFFF to indicate that printouts will be processed at the 'default' quality setting. Applications may change this value to 0x0000 to force GDOS drivers to output in DRAFT mode or 0x0001 to force GDOS drivers to output in FINAL mode. The variable should be restored to 0xFFFF after each print.
3.13 (BIOS Devices)
The Mega STe supports devices 6, 7, and 9 as Modem 1, Modem 2, and Serial 2 respectively. Reliable use of BIOS serial devices other than the ST compatible device #1 on a Falcon030 requires the use of the TSR program "FPATCH2.PRG" (available from Atari Developer Support) or a TOS version > 4.04.
3.31 (Setexc() - table)
The vector number for TRAP #1 (GEMDOS) is 0x21.
4.16 (The Serial Port)
No mention was made of the Mega STe's serial ports. They bear the same functionality as serial ports on the TT except that there is no Serial 1 port on a Mega STe.
The Falcon030 contains an MFP chip, however, it is not used to control any of the serial devices.
4.23 (Bconmap() )
The Falcon030 requires "FPATCH2.PRG" or an installed TOS version greater than 4.04 for Bconmap() to work as expected.
4.xx (DSP functions)
Most of the DSP functions contain an incorrect function opcode in the 'Binding' section of the function reference. The correct opcode for all DSP functions is properly listed in the 'Opcode' section, however.
4.33 (Dosound())
Dosound(-1) returns a pointer to the sound block of the currently playing sound or NULL if no sound is currently being played. This feature is broken in MultiTOS 1.00-1.08.
4.58 (EsetGray())
Mode 0 of EsetGray() causes the low 12 bits of a palette entry to be interpreted as a TT color. Mode 1 causes the low eight bits of a palette entry to be interpreted as a gray value between 0-255.
4.59 (EsetPalette())
The correct binding for EsetPalette() is:
pea palette
move.w count,-(sp)
move.w start,-(sp)
move.w #$54,-(sp)
trap #14
lea 10(sp),sp
4.61 (Flopfmt())
buf should be a word-aligned pointer to a buffer large enough to hold one complete track (not sector as stated).
4.74 (Kbrate())
The correct binding for Kbrate() is:
move.w rate,-(sp)
move.w delay,-(sp)
move.w #$23,-(sp)
trap #14
addq.l #6,sp
4.80 (Offgibit())
Offgibit() bit #7 toggles SCC A between the Serial 2 and LAN ports on a TT.
4.81 (Ongibit())
For each bit of mask that is set, that bit will be toggled.
4.86 (Rsconf())
Rsconf() with a speed parameter of -2 will return the last set baud rate on TOS 1.06 or TOS 1.04 with "TOS14FX2.PRG".
4.92 (Setscreen())
If any parameter of Setscreen() is -1, then the value is left unchanged.
4.94 (Sndstatus())
Sndstatus() is available when bit #2 of the '_SND' cookie is set.
4.96 (Soundcmd() - table)
The sample rates generated by using a TT compatible prescale value with SETPRESCALE are incorrectly identified in MHz rather than KHz.
4.97 (Supexec())
The function pointer taken by Supexec() was not properly prototyped. Supexec() takes a pointer to a function accepting no arguments and returning a LONG.
4.99 (VgetRGB())
VgetRGB() is available when the '_VDO' cookie contains a value of 0x00030000 or higher.
4.100 (VsetMask())
The opcode for VsetMask() is 92 (0x5C).
4.101 (VsetMode())
Vsetmode() should be VsetMode(). In addition, a value of -1 for the mode parameter will return the current mode setting.
5.10 (The IKBD Controller - Kbdvbase())
The chain of events that occurs when an IKBD event is generated is incorrectly documented. When an interrupt occurs on either 6850 chip (IKBD or MIDI), the following chain of events happen:
- The system interrupt handler installed in MFP #4 is called. This routine determines which 6850 caused the interrupt.
- If the MIDI 6850 caused the interrupt, midisys() is called immediately. midisys() checks the MIDI control register for either an error condition or a data byte. If a data byte is available, it is placed in the low byte of d0 and sent to midivec(). If an error occurred, vmiderr() is called.
- If the Keyboard 6850 generated the interrupt, ikbdsys() is called immediately. The ikbdsys() handler checks for an error condition or the availability of a data byte. If an error condition exists, vkbderr() is called. Otherwise, the ikbdsys() handler reads data byte(s) as necessary to form a complete 'packet' depending on what generated the interrupt (joystick, mouse, or keyboard).
- If the ikbdsys() handler receives a keyboard make or break code, it handles the packet internally. Otherwise, the address of the packet is passed to statvec(), mousevec(), clockvec(), or joyvec().
Handler vectors may be altered by modifying the structure whose address is returned by Kbdvbase() or by using Mfpint() as appropriate.
5.22 (Falcon030 Video Modes)
The Falcon030 is capable of producing a wide variety of video modes. The table represents those accessible from the Desktop only.
6.5 (Applications)
The sample code contains an error. Replace the lines:
if(_AESglobal[0] == -1)
menu_register( ap_id, menu_title);
with:
if(_AESglobal[1] == -1)
menu_register( ap_id, menu_title);
6.30 (The Desktop Window)
Calling wind_get( 0, WF_WORKXYWH, ...) will return the size of the desktop work area minus the menu bar (not WF_PREVXYWH as stated).
6.37 (_aes)
The _aes binding should list the arrays _addrin and _addrout as being of type '.ds.l', not '.ds.w'.
6.51 (appl_init())
appl_init() may return a value of -1 which indicates that the AES failed to initialize the application. GEM applications may not make any AES or VDI calls unless appl_init()
succeeds.
6.53 (appl_search())
The type parameter will be filled in with the value 10 to indicate the current system shell.
6.53 (appl_tplay()/appl_trecord)
These functions require a patch (available from Atari) to work under TOS 1.0.
6.59 (evnt_button())
evnt_button( 0x101, 0x03, 0x00, ... ) may be used to wait for either the left or right mouse button. This method works with evnt_multi() as well.
6.65 (evnt_mesag() - table)
The AC_OPEN message contains the menu identifier returned by menu_register() in msg[4]. msg[3] is unused.
6.73 (form_alert())
Each line of an alert may be as many as 30 characters long (not 40 as is stated).
6.99 (menu_attach())
If you remove a menu with menu_bar(), all attachments are cleared and must be reset upon reenabling the menu.
The MENU structure is missing a member. It should be defined as follows:
typedef struct _menu
{
OBJECT *mn_tree;
WORD mn_menu;
WORD mn_item;
WORD mn_scroll;
WORD mn_keystate;
} MENU;
mn_keystate is unused with menu_attach() but is used to return the current keyboard state in menu_popup().
6.124 (rsrc_rcfix())
rsrc_rcfix() is available as of AES version 4.0 and higher.
6.136 (shel_read())
The last sentence of the 'Parameters' section should be: "The first BYTE of the command line indicates the length of the string which actually begins at &tail[1]."
6.138 (shel_write() - table)
shel_write() mode 1 should have a wisgr paramater of 0 to launch a TOS application or a wisgr parameter of 1 to launch a GEM application.
6.145 (wind_create() - table)
The SMALLER attribute shows the correct mask but an incorrect bit. The correct bit is 14.
6.156 (wind_update())
The first sentence of page 6.156 should read:
As of AES version 4.0, you may logically OR a mask of 0x0100 to either BEG_UPDATE or BEG_MCTRL.
7.4 (VDI Device Identification Numbers - table)
The "MEMORY.SYS" driver should always be assigned to device #61.
7.35 (v_clswk())
v_clswk() closes a physical workstation.
7.60 (v_opnvwk())
v_opnvwk() opens a virtual workstation.
7.113 (vqt_name())
As of SpeedoGDOS version 4.20, this call will return the a modified font index for GDOS bitmap fonts to avoid conflicting with outline font indexes. The index will be added to 5000 for bitmap fonts.
11.13 (Illustration)
The version of Pagestream shown is actually 2.2, not 2.1.
11.15 (The File Menu)
If a menu item 'Recall' appears, it should appear between the 'Open' command(s) and
'Save' command(s).
11.23 (Application Software)
The '_IDT' cookie does not contain any information that could be used to determine a nation's currency symbol. Use the '_AKP' cookie if present (or the OSHEADER if not) to determine the country for which this version of TOS was compiled (and thus the correct symbol).
Applications (like entertainment software) should place any data/configuration files in a sub-directory of the application folder. Only directly reveal those files which the user may have to launch or manipulate.
B.6 (Memory Map)
The SCC vectors are present on a Mega STe.
B.7 (System Variables)
The availability of system variables depends on the installed TOS version, not the computer as might be implied by the layout of the table. The columns next to system variables were shaded based upon the release of TOS which is most often associated with that computer as follows:
Computer TOS Version
ST 1.00 or 1.04
Mega ST 1.02
STe 1.06
Mega STe 2.0x
TT030 3.0x
Falcon030 4.0x
B.15 (_longframe)
This system variable is valid on an ST as well (it will simply contain 0).
B.15 (kcl_hook)
This vector is jumped through with the keycode contained in the low byte of d0.
B.16 (0x00E00000)
The operating system ROM's moved to this address as of TOS 1.06.
B.16 (0x00FC0000)
This block of memory extends to 0x00FEFFFF, not FF7FFFF. The memory between 0x00FF0000 and 0xFF7FFF is reserved for the operating system.
B.30 (MFP)
The MFP is present on a Falcon, however it is not used for serial communications.
C.6 (Image Compression)
.IMG files do not always contain a vertical replication count at the beginning of every scanline.
