Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcbig!diamant
From: diamant@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM (John Diamant)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: Todo program
Message-ID: <1010012@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Apr 91 21:03:04 GMT
References: <1991Mar12.144908.1088@truevision.com>
Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 47

Norman Walsh (NORM%IONAACAD.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU) writes:
> >    Has anybody else had troubles with the TODO program that has shown
> >up here lately?  When I run it through ASC, I get CRC error, bad string.
> >Frustrating...

> Probably your d/l.

I did test downloading, converting and running the ASC file before I
posted it so I would imagine it was your kermit settings.

>  I had no trouble getting into my calc, 'cept for
> having to do an ON-A-F to get enough memory ;-).  If you have only 32kb
> of RAM, it isn't worth bothering, you don't have enough memory to use
> it.

Actually, I think it will be possible to run in 32Kb with some careful
space-savings.  Here are 3 things which will help:

1) If someone answers my question regarding how to manipulate a PICT without
   having to have two copies of the PICT in memory, it should double the
   size of lists that can fit in any given amount of free memory.

2) Set the PW variable in the TODO directory to have a value of 131 instead
   of the 200 I shipped it with or 262 which I recommend.  That will turn
   off horizontal scrolling and make the PICT only as wide as the screen.

3) Delete GROCERY.LIST or make it much smaller.  It is still quite large
   even though I already truncated it once.  If all the lists you're going
   to maintain are smaller than the GROCERY.LIST, then you should not be
   constrained to fit the large list in memory when you don't need it.

4) Use the smallest font ("-" key while displaying a list) as you'll be able
   to see more at once and the number of extra lines at the bottom of the
   GROB will use less space.

Also, a couple other comments.  Once I get #1 fixed, I will post the new
version.  My inclination is to post in clear text (and possibly ASC) so
that machines with limited memory can download.  There isn't much point
in doing that now since the program is not that space-efficient yet and
will be much better after #1.

The TODO directory is about 6K and a list occupying 1 screen is about 2.3K
(including blank space at the end of the list in the GROB).  You should be
able to manage with 32K, though fixing #1 should help a lot (because without
#1, that same list would require 4.6K free to display). 

John