Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!tektronix!reed!douglas
From: douglas@reed.UUCP (P Douglas Reeder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Help with mouse text
Message-ID: <8157@reed.UUCP>
Date: 29 Jan 88 08:22:16 GMT
References: <964@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Reply-To: douglas@reed.UUCP (P Douglas Reeder)
Organization: Reed College, Portland OR
Lines: 47


   I don't think IIe's have mouse text.  The IIc character generator has 
two sets of  characters: the old set, with inverse, flashing, and normal 
text.  Inverse and flashing have only uppercase letters.  When Apple 
wanted to add lowercase inverse and flashing letters, there was not enough 
room in the range of charcter values (each set takes 96 numbers).  
Therefore, the new character set has only inverse.  They decided to stick 
mousetext in 32 character values that were basically free.  It's lots of 
useful symbols(like open and closed apple and arrows) that are text 
characters, and can thus be written quickly and without using the 
graphics screen.  The IIc system utilities disk uses them to make darn 
nice looking windows.

character # in memory  standard set                  alternate set

0-31                   inverse @,A to Z, and [/]^    inverse A to Z
32-63                  inverse symbols (!@#$%^&*)    inverse symbols
64-95                  flashing A to Z               mousetext
96-127                 flashing symbols              inverse a to z
128-159                normal A to Z                 normal A to Z
160-191                normal symbol                 normal symbol
192-223                normal A to Z                 normal A to Z
224-255                normal a to Z                 normal a to z

    Apple II's and II+'s have only the standard character set and 224-255
are uppercase. The normal characters are ASCII with the high bit set, but
inverse and flashing are switched around from ASCII.  The reason that
the alternate has inverse A to Z out of place is to be backward compatible
with earlier programs.  The new firmware maps inverse characters to their
proper place.  If you print a certain control character(I can't remember
which one) the firmware starts printing inverse A to Z as mouse text.
You can also use them by sending COUT something between 64 and 95, or
using PRINT CHR$(x). The imagewriter II will print mousetext charcters
directly, if you send it the right escape sequence.  Using mousetext and
the mouse, you (yes, you!) can easily create windows and 
scroll bars and all that good stuff, that,
if somewhat less clear than those on the IIgs, are a heck of a lot faster.

Two questions: Does anyone know of a word processor that uses mousetext?
Does anyone know what ASCII characters ETB and SYN are supposed to be 
for?

-- 
Doug Reeder                      USENET: ...!tektronix!reed!douglas
Box 502 Reed College             122 38' W   45 28' N
3203 S.E. Woodstock              planet Earth, sol system
Portland, OR 97202               `Seldon helps those who help themselves.'