New Apple IIgs Library Disks
By Richard Bennett and Cameron Brawn
Copyright (c) 1992 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
GS Disk librarians
AUG GS Disk 110
===============
This disk contains "Noise Tracker" a sound program written by Olivier Goguel (GOG) of the French FTA group of programmers.
NoiseTracker is another excellent music program for the IIgs, but different from previous ones (Soundsmith, Synthlab, Music Studio) by the fact that it can use almost as many instruments as you want, and you're not limited by the size of the Ensoniq sound ram (64k)
NoiseTracker can load a number of music formats:
- NoiseTracker Music Format (compacted).
- Soundsmith Music format
- Noisetracker Module (for use in your own programs)
- Amiga "MOD" files
The ability to load Amiga MOD files is the most powerful option of NoiseTracker. It allows you to import music modules from the Amiga. Just convert the module created on the Amiga (by SoundTracker, NoiseTracker, ProTracker) to a IIgs, load and then play it.
There is a number of songs on this disk, in different formats, that you can play. They are:
Dragnet - The theme song to the "Dragnet" Movie/TV Series
Lambada - The Lambada dance
Between
Megamisque
There is also a sound editor on the disk, this can be used for editing any of the noisetracker sounds.
AUG GS Disk 111
===============
This disk contains more songs for Noisetracker, released on GS Disk 110. The songs are:
Savage
Pump
Hitmix88
Rap
Cyber
The Airwolf
AUG GS Disk 112
===============
The third disk this month sees a mixed bag of GS programs:
"About Today" - About Today is a new desk accessory (NDA) that provides you with today's date, and what today is (i.e. April Fools day).
"Animated Watch" - An Init that you place into the system.setup folder to make the watch hands rotate whenever the watch is being displayed.
"Basic" - A CDA that gives you access to Applesoft BASIC at almost any time.
"Bunny" - A NDA that changes the pointer to a bunny rabbit.
"Cryptograph" - A program to encrypt any files or programs (except resources).
"Daleks" - A simple but addictive game. The object is to move your man around and try to get the Daleks to run into each other.
"Errorcodes" - A CDA for the Desk.Accs folder. This CDA gives you a comprehensive list of GSOS, ProDOS 8, Applesoft and Fatal System Errors.
"Expressmod" - GS/OS has a feature called Expressload. If you boot GSOS holding down both Apple keys, the "Expressload" message appears on the splash screen. This basic program will patch GSOS to always display the Expressload message on bootup. This makes no difference to the performance of the system, as Expressload is automatically used whenever required. This is only a cosmetic enhancement.
"Greetings" - Greeting allows you to play two sounds while the system boots. One which is selected by the time of day, and a second one selected at random. Pascal source code is included for anyone interested in "how it is done".
"GS Gold" - A long Soundsmith song that plays on all 14 tracks. Soundsmith is available on AUG GS Disk #56
"Gusboot v0.2" - A handy program for people with hard disks. This program modifies the GS/OS version of prodos to check what you wish to do when booting your machine. If you do not do anything, GS/OS is loaded, as would normal happen. If you hit ESC, ProDOS 8 is launched. Alternatively, you can hit 5 and boot a disk in slot 5.
"Lock Out!" - Is a desk accessory which allows the user of a GS to lock the system from use by others. It may be automatically invoked at boot time to prevent unauthorized access or can be invoked manually while in a desktop application.
"Next" - An NDA that makes the GS resemble a NeXT workstation
"ShowPic 6" - ShowPic is an New Desk Accessory that will allow you to view any type of IIGS Super HiRes Graphic, plus some other non-IIGS formats. You can also save that graphic in a couple of different formats, and do some simple color conversions. This version of ShowPic has been completely rewritten.
You may view:
- Unpacked graphics (Screen) files
- Eagle/Packbytes format packed graphics files
- Apple Preferred format packed graphics files
- PaintWorks format packed graphics files
- PaintWorks Gold 640 mode packed graphics format
- PrintShop GS Color Graphics
- 3200 Color pictures, either normal or "3201" Packed French pictures
- Graphics Interchange Format, GIF graphics
- MacPaint graphics, Full or Half height
You may save graphics in: (does not apply to 3200 color pictures)
- Unpacked graphics (Screen) files
- Apple Preferred Format packed graphics files, Full or Screen Size
- Double Height Apple Preferred Format files, Full or Screen Size
You may convert: (does not apply to 3200 color pictures)
- 320 mode pictures into 640 mode color pictures
- 320 mode pictures into 640 mode gray scale pictures
- 320 mode to 640 mode
- 640 mode to 320 mode
- 640 mode to 320 mode with default palette
- 320 mode to 640 mode with default palette
You can also display more that one graphic at a time like a slide show.
"SoundOff" - SoundOff! is a CDev and a Permanent Initialization File, which combine to give you control over the System Beep of your computer, and to choose a sound to be played at boot time. You can choose any digitized sound file to be the Startup (boot time) Sound, and any digitized sound file to be the System Beep.
"Space On Disk" - Space On Disk is an Applesoft program that patches the ProDOS FST to allow spaces in GS/OS filenames. It is important that you read the documentation with this, as this patch can cause problems with some programs.
"SuperDataPath" - SuperDataPath does three things:
1. Transparently sets the default (original) data directory for any and all Apple IIgs desktop application (S16 files) that you wish. The default data directory is the one that is shown first when you select 'Open' from the Application's 'File' menu.
2. Adds a folder icon to Open file dialog boxes that, when clicked, displays a pop-up menu of all you FastPaths so you can quickly switch to them. This is an optional feature of SuperDataPath.
3. Fixes a minor bug in the current version (System Disk 5.0.4) of Apple's Standard File Toolset.
"Thexder Cheat" - Patches your backup copy of Thexder so that you are immortal.
"Zlink" - Is a program for the Apple // that is small, fast, and powerful. It includes everything you'd expect from a good modem program including a text capture buffer, robust terminal emulation, and split-screen person to person chat mode. Z-Link can transmit and receive files using several protocols including XMODEM/Checksum, XMODEM/CRC-16, YMODEM/CRC-16, and YMODEM/Batch and it is compatable with Ascii Express: The Professional and MouseTalk. The program runs on an Apple //c, //c+, enhanced //e, or //GS under ProDOS 8.
While not being a GS specific program, it is an excellent communications program, and better than many GS specific programs.
HyperCard IIGS - Stack Disk #7
==============================
This is the seventh HyperCard IIGS public domain disk released by the AUG, and contains the following stacks:
Eamon, Beginner's Cave, by Whit Crowley
Whit Crowley has down a great job converting the "Beginner's Cave" to HyperCard IIGS. The graphics are really neat, and it even has some sound.
Bills Blocks, by Bill Tchakirides
Greg Roach and King's Gambit have converted "Bills Blocks", originally a Macintosh stack, to HyperCard IIGS, enhanced it, and of course added
colour. "Bills blocks" is yet another executive toy which allows you to push little blocks around the screen. This stack is also useful for a few neat HyperCard IIGS scripting techniques.

THIS CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2007, APPLE MACINTOSH USERS' GROUP, SYDNEY
Permission has been obtained to make this material available on the Internet.

Permission is hereby granted for non-profit user groups to republish this content.
PLEASE CREDIT THE AUTHOR AND THE SOURCE: Applecations, publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia

THIS PAGE COPYRIGHT © 2007, ANDREW ROUGHAN