**** Q&A *********************************************************** PAGE *** ___ | | uestions, questions, questions. Well any you have we have the | | answer to (we hope). I have just taken over this section from | | the previous occupier of this spot Daniel Wood. He has a lot of --\ other things to do on the magazine so I will be editing and answering some of your questions. My name is Thomas Thornan and along with the rest of the team, I will be offering this free advice service for any computer relates questions you may have. You can write now: Daniel Wood 3 Cavendish Drive Northlands Co Durham DL1 2GQ Inside mark the letter for Q&A and it will be passed on to the person who can deal with the problem best. We have lot's of experience with the Amiga range of computers with knowledge of hardware and a whole range of different software packages, programming is also a good area. We do how ever reserve the right to chose which letters we use, please keep your letters short and to the point, we will use most letters apart from letters which waffle on and are silly with unrelevant questions. But please do not let this put you off, we will help you if you have a serious problem which you need help on and cannot sort out yourself. Please take note that we cannot supply ANY one with a personal reply unless you enclose an SAE along with your question, then you will receive a printed copy of your answer in Q&A. Remember that you MUST address any letter to this magazine to the editor otherwise the chances are very slim of it reaching anyone, there are lots of other things getting sent out to the people and the occupants of the building send the letters to the organisers of the disks and Daniel is the person who gets sent anything for Page. We have also redesigned the layout a bit and split the questions into different sections, just read on and you will see. Now on to your letters from over the past two months: /\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\ Questions & Answers: PAGE ISSUE 7 (JEMSOFT) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- __ \ / O R K |__| E N C H \/\/ |__| Q: I have recently purchased a second hand Amiga 500 for my son. It has Amiga Workbench V1.2. We have been learning how to use the Workbench by working slowly through the manual. In the manual it speaks of a disk called the RAM disk which is some kind of diskless disk or something. Can you tell us what it is and how to get it? STEVEN JOHNSON, WINSTON A: The RAM Disk is a part of the Amigas memory which may be reserved as a `dummy' disk. This acts just like a real disk which means that you may store files on it and create directories. The only flaw with it is that it loses everything contained on it each time you reset or switch off your micro. There is another type of RAM disk called the RAD disk which survives a reset and you can still keep the things off it and even boot up from a RAD disk, this RAD disk is only available from a newer version of Workbench called V1.3. The RAM disk is really only used for quicker access for files, and you should ALWAYS back up any important information from the RAM disk to a floppy disk incase there is a power cut. To use the RAM disk on your computer go to the Preferences icon and make sure that the CLI is ON. Now go to use and then back in Workbench open the System drawer and double click the CLI icon and type this in: (Ignore the 1.> bit this is what the CLI says to you) 1.> CD RAM: Then hit return, then type in: 1.> Endcli And hit return and the CLI will go and then the RAM DISK will be on the Workbench to use just like a normal disk. THOMAS Q: How can I copy games with Workbench? PAUL LINEN, DARLINGTON A: You can't, it is illegal and they won't copy. THOMAS Q: I have Workbench 3.1 and I want to run AmigaBASIC. I know everyone says that it is poor, but I need it for a few games that I have. Where is it? SARAH McCOURT, WHITBY A: Nowhere. AmigaBASIC has not been part of the Amiga Workbench operating system since 1989. You will have to make do without it. If you have a way of getting hold of a Workbench 1.x version then it is on the Extras disk, but these disks are no longer for sale. If you have a hand for programming then you may be able to convert them to another programming language like EASY AMOS which is quite similar. THOMAS Q: How can I write with the Workbench? MARTYN WOOD, REDCAR A: Insert the Extras disk and double click the icon. Now go into the Tools drawer and double click the Memacs drawer. You could have very easily found this out by checking your manual Martyn. I would like to ask all readers to check the manual first. THOMAS Q: Can you please tell me if the RequestChoice command from Workbench 3 will run on Kickstart 2.x? ANDY McLEEN, GATESHEAD A: Yes. Put it in the C dir and then open the shell and type in the command with a ? after it for the command syntax: eg. 1.Workbench3.1:> C:Requestchoice ? TITLE/A,BODY/A,GADGETS/M,PUBSCREEN/K: RICK Q: Can you tell me which register contains the Workbench pointer on a 6M A3000 with Kickstart 3.1? REDDY GLOUJIT, SUNDERLAND A: Yes, after a hard check I think it is between $770880 and $770991. THOMAS Q: Please tell me how I can add my own commands to the Workbench tool menu. MIKE WELCH, TOWLAW A: You will need to get hold of a program like Toolmaster which will give you the correct instructions. If you send me a disk and an SAE I'll send you a copy + the documents. RICK //\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\ __ ___ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ |__| | | |\ | | | | |____ | | | | \ | | |--- | | | | __|__ | \| | |_____ | _____| Q: I have just bought a Canon BJ10sx for my A1200 and I do not know how to install a printer driver, if I try to print I just get a load of rubbish. TERRY THORNEN, HARTLEPOOL A: Open up your DEVS drwer and then open the PRINTERS directory and then open up the Storage3.0 disk and open the printers, now drag the CanonBJ10 driver into the DEVS/Printers drawer on your Workbench3.0 disk. Now close all the windows and then insert your Extras3.0 disk and open the Prefs drawer and double click printer, then select BJ10 and select your paper sizes (DINA4 is best), then switch your margins (5), and select Single sheet paper and click save, then all should be fine providing you boot from the Workbench3.0 disk every time you want to print. RICK Q: I have been given a Brother HQ10 8-PIN dot matrix printer and I want to use it with my A2000. It has a socket on the side like this: __________ \________/ and it has little holes around it and a hole in the middle (rectangular). Please help me. SEAN CHASTUM, WALKER A: You simply need a Centronics lead, these are available from Dixons, Tandy and nearly every electrical shop, ask for a Centronics lead for the Parallel port on a micocomputer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | a r d \ / a r e |--| \ /\ / | | \/ \/ Q: My Mouse has recently stopped clicking and both buttons do not work. Can I fix it? MARK STAFF, NORTHALLERTON A: No. It's knacked. The micro switches have worn away, so go get a new one. RICK Q: I have a problem with my Amiga. I have been moving it around too much and by unplugging the joystick some of the Pins have snapped off. Can this be repaired? STEVEN ELLIOT, TOW LAW A: You can repair it by sending it to a repair company. Or you could have a go at soldering the pins back in. But your best bet is to send it off. RICK -------------------------------------------------------------------------- So send your problems to: Dan Wood 3 Cavendish Drive Northlands Darlington Co Durham DL1 2GQ ----Page