Hints & Tips

 

Issue 20

Mar/Apr 86

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If you have a window open for a particular drive and wish to see the directory for another disk just change disks and press ESC. Much quicker than closing and opening windows.

If you have problems in figuring out how to change the date and time on the control panel (click with the mouse and use the back space), ESC will clear the highlighted area.

Would you like to auto boot programs on your ST? It really is quite simple. Just create a folder named AUTO and place your program inside it. Make sure that your program has the extender .PRG and away you go!

What is the biggest pain in using a colour monitor and a monochrome monitor? Right, it's pulling that plug out time and again. Well, help may be on hand. The ST apparently has the ability to handle both monitors connected at once with switching controlled by software (or the control panel). It is rumoured that Atari may bring out a switch box and also publish a circuit diagram in Atari Explorer. If it appears we will let you know.

It is not very easy to get the ST to work with just any monitor. Firstly the RGB output is analogue and most monitors expect TTL input. This should not present too many problems to TV/Monitor owners as these tend to accept analogue RGB, but the biggest problem to overcome is that the vertical output sync is at 60Hz and most TV/Monitors just can't sync to this, they expect 50Hz. If you've got a TV/ Monitor you may be able to purchase a NTSC auto sync sensor conversion board from your TV manufacturer (certainly Luxor and Scantic have one for their sets) and, if you are very lucky, and own a recent model Fidelity, it will work without any mods!

If you want to copy more than one file into a folder or onto another disk you can hold down the SHIFT key and click on each file you wish to copy, even if they are not adjacent. Hold the button on the last file selected and drag them over to the appropriate icon or window and the whole lot will be copied one by one. This also works when deleting files.

If you have trouble getting a printer lead for the ST, you can use an IBM PC/Centronics lead.

The ST's resident screen dump (called by ALT/HELP) is for Epson compatibles only.

You can't rename folders (unless you know different?) so choose names with care.

Many thanks to David Keel from Hull for supplying many of the hints and tips above.

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