Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!sdd.hp.com!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!toddpw
From: toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: info for the masses
Message-ID: <1991Jan14.132812.2572@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Date: 14 Jan 91 13:28:12 GMT
References: <1991Jan14.005429.1@gacvx1.gac.edu>
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 43

youngdahl@gacvx1.gac.edu writes:

>I have a great interest in the 3200 "mode" of the IIgs. I understand the basic
>ideas behind tweaking out the extra colors, but the Orca/C code I have written
>to date performs below my expectations. I have to wonder: is there any source
>code for the 3200 mode available?  Even the source to a simple display program
>would be all I need to get my programming going in the right direction.

The only way to get 3200 colors to work properly is to do some tight assembly.
Unfortunately, I don't have any source to pipe your way yet -- try Jonah Stich,
his routines are big but they get the job done.

>It strikes me as funny that the IIgs has such fantastic demos out for it,
>showing border animation, multiple pallettes on screen, better-than-apple-tool
>sound, etc... and yet there is really no clear source of getting information
>on how this is done.  

Nearly everything you need to know is in the hardware reference manual and in
various technical notes published by Apple. The question is whether you figure
it out yourself or wait for somebody to tutorial it.

>Now if this FTA book is REAL, then we may all have a source to some fresh new
>ideas on programming the IIgs.

It's real, all right; What we don't know is when the translation is going to be
finished.

>Any comments?  Maybe I'm missing some fantastic Apple programmer magazine that
>tells the nitty-gritty on programming stuff like the FTA demos...

GS+ does a bit of that (I think; dang, gotta subscribe).

>I mean if FTA REALLY wants to save the IIgs, they should do as Apple has not--
>make the true power of the IIgs known to the "programming masses."  Otherwise,
>a few flashy demos does nothing but remind us that Apple is taking us for a
>ride.  

I agree with this. The XMAS demo gave me an idea: a game that used the borders
as info displays. I know how the border animation is done; but I've got a queue
of utilities to write before I can spend too much time on fun stuff.

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu