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Instruct/PROBLEMS

This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.

Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.

Tape/disk: Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron » Data.ADF
Filename: Instruct/PROBLEMS
Read OK: ✔
File size: 0AFB bytes
Load address: D4556
Exec address: 0101
Duplicates

There are 2 duplicate copies of this file in the archive:

File contents
�.........*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.<
                                                        28th November 1996
Dear Gus,
     In recent issues of EUG there have been several small bugs and
problems which may have caused some readers to encounter some problems
when trying to use their EUG discs. Below I have listed a few solutions to
these problems:

1. SpaceGolf
     SpaceGolf was published on EUG26. Unfortunately, the ADFS menu
program was set up with the wrong file name for the main game, and so when
this option is chosen a "Not Found" error is reported. To solve this
problem, and to play SpaceGolf, simply type CHAIN"SPACEGOLF" after the
error message. The game should now load and run normally.

2. Boot file on EUG28
     The ADFS version of EUG28 was not set up to execute the !BOOT file,
and so the disc could not be started by the usual SHIFT/BREAK method. To
change this, insert your EUG28 disc, ensuring that it is not write
protected, and type:

*MOUNT
*OPT 4,3

     Your disc show now start up as normal when you press SHIFT/BREAK.

3. Bounce
     Bounce was published on the EUG28 disc, although it would not work on
BBC computers. The reason why BBC users could not play this game was that
there was an unnecessary command at the start of the game to disable rom
cartridges, which only works on Electron computers. If you receive a "Bad
Command" error when you try to start the game, type "GOTO 50" below the
message.

4. Elva Parrot's lottery numbers
     In EUG28, Elva Parrot was having trouble selecting lottery numbers,
because the computer produces the same string of numbers each time it is
switched on. There is a function to randomise the random number generator,
using the value of the system clock:

LET A=RND(-TIME)

     The method used to ensure that there are not repeated numbers in this
program is not very effective, because although eight numbers are selected
instead of six, this does not stop the possibility of there not being six
different numbers among the eight chosen. A better method is to create an
array to test whether the number has been selected before. The updated
program is shown below:

10 LET A=RND(-TIME)
20 DIM n%(50)
30 :
40 FOR number=1 TO 6
50 REPEAT
60 LET A=RND(49)
70 UNTIL n%(A)=FALSE
80 LET n%(A)=TRUE
90 PRINT"Ball number ";number;" is ";A
100 NEXT

EXPLANATION:

10 randomise the numbers produced by the random number generator
20 set up an array variable to store which numbers have been chosen before
30
60 pick a random ball number
50/70 if this ball has been chosen before, pick another number
80 store in the array that this ball has been picked
90 display ball number to the user
40/100 repeat this process for six balls

Dominic Ford.

00000000  81 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e  2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e  |..........*.....|
00000010  2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e  2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e  |..*.......*.....|
*
00000040  2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e  2e 2e 2a 2e 3c 0d 20 20  |..*.......*.<.  |
00000050  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
*
00000080  20 20 20 20 20 20 32 38  74 68 20 4e 6f 76 65 6d  |      28th Novem|
00000090  62 65 72 20 31 39 39 36  0d 44 65 61 72 20 47 75  |ber 1996.Dear Gu|
000000a0  73 2c 0d 20 20 20 20 20  49 6e 20 72 65 63 65 6e  |s,.     In recen|
000000b0  74 20 69 73 73 75 65 73  20 6f 66 20 45 55 47 1a  |t issues of EUG.|
000000c0  20 74 68 65 72 65 1a 20  68 61 76 65 1a 20 62 65  | there. have. be|
000000d0  65 6e 1a 20 73 65 76 65  72 61 6c 1a 20 73 6d 61  |en. several. sma|
000000e0  6c 6c 1a 20 62 75 67 73  1a 20 61 6e 64 0d 70 72  |ll. bugs. and.pr|
000000f0  6f 62 6c 65 6d 73 1a 20  77 68 69 63 68 1a 20 6d  |oblems. which. m|
00000100  61 79 1a 20 68 61 76 65  1a 20 63 61 75 73 65 64  |ay. have. caused|
00000110  20 73 6f 6d 65 20 72 65  61 64 65 72 73 20 74 6f  | some readers to|
00000120  20 65 6e 63 6f 75 6e 74  65 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 20  | encounter some |
00000130  70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 73  0d 77 68 65 6e 20 74 72  |problems.when tr|
00000140  79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20  75 73 65 20 74 68 65 69  |ying to use thei|
00000150  72 20 45 55 47 20 64 69  73 63 73 2e 20 42 65 6c  |r EUG discs. Bel|
00000160  6f 77 20 49 20 68 61 76  65 20 6c 69 73 74 65 64  |ow I have listed|
00000170  20 61 20 66 65 77 20 73  6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 73  | a few solutions|
00000180  20 74 6f 0d 74 68 65 73  65 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65  | to.these proble|
00000190  6d 73 3a 0d 0d 31 2e 20  53 70 61 63 65 47 6f 6c  |ms:..1. SpaceGol|
000001a0  66 0d 20 20 20 20 20 53  70 61 63 65 47 6f 6c 66  |f.     SpaceGolf|
000001b0  1a 20 77 61 73 1a 20 70  75 62 6c 69 73 68 65 64  |. was. published|
000001c0  1a 20 6f 6e 20 45 55 47  32 36 2e 1a 20 55 6e 66  |. on EUG26.. Unf|
000001d0  6f 72 74 75 6e 61 74 65  6c 79 2c 1a 20 74 68 65  |ortunately,. the|
000001e0  1a 20 41 44 46 53 1a 20  6d 65 6e 75 0d 70 72 6f  |. ADFS. menu.pro|
000001f0  67 72 61 6d 20 77 61 73  20 73 65 74 20 75 70 20  |gram was set up |
00000200  77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65  20 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 66  |with the wrong f|
00000210  69 6c 65 20 6e 61 6d 65  20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65  |ile name for the|
00000220  20 6d 61 69 6e 20 67 61  6d 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  | main game, and |
00000230  73 6f 20 77 68 65 6e 0d  74 68 69 73 20 6f 70 74  |so when.this opt|
00000240  69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 63  68 6f 73 65 6e 1a 20 61  |ion is chosen. a|
00000250  1a 20 22 4e 6f 74 1a 20  46 6f 75 6e 64 22 1a 20  |. "Not. Found". |
00000260  65 72 72 6f 72 1a 20 69  73 1a 20 72 65 70 6f 72  |error. is. repor|
00000270  74 65 64 2e 20 54 6f 20  73 6f 6c 76 65 20 74 68  |ted. To solve th|
00000280  69 73 0d 70 72 6f 62 6c  65 6d 2c 1a 20 61 6e 64  |is.problem,. and|
00000290  1a 20 74 6f 1a 20 70 6c  61 79 1a 20 53 70 61 63  |. to. play. Spac|
000002a0  65 47 6f 6c 66 2c 20 73  69 6d 70 6c 79 20 74 79  |eGolf, simply ty|
000002b0  70 65 20 43 48 41 49 4e  22 53 50 41 43 45 47 4f  |pe CHAIN"SPACEGO|
000002c0  4c 46 22 20 61 66 74 65  72 20 74 68 65 0d 65 72  |LF" after the.er|
000002d0  72 6f 72 20 6d 65 73 73  61 67 65 2e 20 54 68 65  |ror message. The|
000002e0  20 67 61 6d 65 20 73 68  6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 77  | game should now|
000002f0  20 6c 6f 61 64 20 61 6e  64 20 72 75 6e 20 6e 6f  | load and run no|
00000300  72 6d 61 6c 6c 79 2e 0d  0d 32 2e 20 42 6f 6f 74  |rmally...2. Boot|
00000310  20 66 69 6c 65 20 6f 6e  20 45 55 47 32 38 0d 20  | file on EUG28. |
00000320  20 20 20 20 54 68 65 20  41 44 46 53 20 76 65 72  |    The ADFS ver|
00000330  73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20  45 55 47 32 38 1a 20 77  |sion of EUG28. w|
00000340  61 73 1a 20 6e 6f 74 20  73 65 74 20 75 70 20 74  |as. not set up t|
00000350  6f 20 65 78 65 63 75 74  65 20 74 68 65 20 21 42  |o execute the !B|
00000360  4f 4f 54 20 66 69 6c 65  2c 0d 61 6e 64 20 73 6f  |OOT file,.and so|
00000370  20 74 68 65 20 64 69 73  63 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20  | the disc could |
00000380  6e 6f 74 20 62 65 1a 20  73 74 61 72 74 65 64 1a  |not be. started.|
00000390  20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20  75 73 75 61 6c 20 53 48  | by the usual SH|
000003a0  49 46 54 2f 42 52 45 41  4b 20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64  |IFT/BREAK method|
000003b0  2e 20 54 6f 0d 63 68 61  6e 67 65 1a 20 74 68 69  |. To.change. thi|
000003c0  73 2c 1a 20 69 6e 73 65  72 74 1a 20 79 6f 75 72  |s,. insert. your|
000003d0  1a 20 45 55 47 32 38 1a  20 64 69 73 63 2c 20 65  |. EUG28. disc, e|
000003e0  6e 73 75 72 69 6e 67 20  74 68 61 74 20 69 74 1a  |nsuring that it.|
000003f0  20 69 73 1a 20 6e 6f 74  1a 20 77 72 69 74 65 0d  | is. not. write.|
00000400  70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 65  64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74  |protected, and t|
00000410  79 70 65 3a 0d 0d 2a 4d  4f 55 4e 54 0d 2a 4f 50  |ype:..*MOUNT.*OP|
00000420  54 20 34 2c 33 0d 0d 20  20 20 20 20 59 6f 75 72  |T 4,3..     Your|
00000430  20 64 69 73 63 20 73 68  6f 77 20 6e 6f 77 20 73  | disc show now s|
00000440  74 61 72 74 20 75 70 20  61 73 20 6e 6f 72 6d 61  |tart up as norma|
00000450  6c 20 77 68 65 6e 20 79  6f 75 20 70 72 65 73 73  |l when you press|
00000460  20 53 48 49 46 54 2f 42  52 45 41 4b 2e 0d 0d 33  | SHIFT/BREAK...3|
00000470  2e 20 42 6f 75 6e 63 65  0d 20 20 20 20 20 42 6f  |. Bounce.     Bo|
00000480  75 6e 63 65 20 77 61 73  20 70 75 62 6c 69 73 68  |unce was publish|
00000490  65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68  65 20 45 55 47 32 38 20  |ed on the EUG28 |
000004a0  64 69 73 63 2c 20 61 6c  74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 69  |disc, although i|
000004b0  74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20  6e 6f 74 20 77 6f 72 6b  |t would not work|
000004c0  20 6f 6e 0d 42 42 43 20  63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72  | on.BBC computer|
000004d0  73 2e 20 54 68 65 20 72  65 61 73 6f 6e 20 77 68  |s. The reason wh|
000004e0  79 1a 20 42 42 43 20 75  73 65 72 73 20 63 6f 75  |y. BBC users cou|
000004f0  6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 70  6c 61 79 20 74 68 69 73  |ld not play this|
00000500  20 67 61 6d 65 20 77 61  73 20 74 68 61 74 0d 74  | game was that.t|
00000510  68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73  20 61 6e 20 75 6e 6e 65  |here was an unne|
00000520  63 65 73 73 61 72 79 20  63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 20  |cessary command |
00000530  61 74 1a 20 74 68 65 20  73 74 61 72 74 20 6f 66  |at. the start of|
00000540  20 74 68 65 20 67 61 6d  65 20 74 6f 20 64 69 73  | the game to dis|
00000550  61 62 6c 65 20 72 6f 6d  0d 63 61 72 74 72 69 64  |able rom.cartrid|
00000560  67 65 73 2c 20 77 68 69  63 68 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20  |ges, which only |
00000570  77 6f 72 6b 73 20 6f 6e  20 45 6c 65 63 74 72 6f  |works on Electro|
00000580  6e 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74  65 72 73 2e 1a 20 49 66  |n computers.. If|
00000590  20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 63  65 69 76 65 20 61 20 22  | you receive a "|
000005a0  42 61 64 0d 43 6f 6d 6d  61 6e 64 22 20 65 72 72  |Bad.Command" err|
000005b0  6f 72 20 77 68 65 6e 20  79 6f 75 20 74 72 79 20  |or when you try |
000005c0  74 6f 20 73 74 61 72 74  20 74 68 65 1a 20 67 61  |to start the. ga|
000005d0  6d 65 2c 1a 20 74 79 70  65 1a 20 22 47 4f 54 4f  |me,. type. "GOTO|
000005e0  20 35 30 22 20 62 65 6c  6f 77 20 74 68 65 0d 6d  | 50" below the.m|
000005f0  65 73 73 61 67 65 2e 0d  0d 34 2e 20 45 6c 76 61  |essage...4. Elva|
00000600  20 50 61 72 72 6f 74 27  73 20 6c 6f 74 74 65 72  | Parrot's lotter|
00000610  79 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72  73 0d 20 20 20 20 20 49  |y numbers.     I|
00000620  6e 20 45 55 47 32 38 2c  20 45 6c 76 61 20 50 61  |n EUG28, Elva Pa|
00000630  72 72 6f 74 20 77 61 73  1a 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67  |rrot was. having|
00000640  1a 20 74 72 6f 75 62 6c  65 20 73 65 6c 65 63 74  |. trouble select|
00000650  69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 74 74  65 72 79 20 6e 75 6d 62  |ing lottery numb|
00000660  65 72 73 2c 0d 62 65 63  61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65  |ers,.because the|
00000670  20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65  72 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63  | computer produc|
00000680  65 73 20 74 68 65 20 73  61 6d 65 20 73 74 72 69  |es the same stri|
00000690  6e 67 1a 20 6f 66 1a 20  6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 20  |ng. of. numbers |
000006a0  65 61 63 68 20 74 69 6d  65 20 69 74 20 69 73 0d  |each time it is.|
000006b0  73 77 69 74 63 68 65 64  20 6f 6e 2e 20 54 68 65  |switched on. The|
000006c0  72 65 20 69 73 20 61 20  66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f 6e  |re is a function|
000006d0  20 74 6f 20 72 61 6e 64  6f 6d 69 73 65 20 74 68  | to randomise th|
000006e0  65 20 72 61 6e 64 6f 6d  20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20  |e random number |
000006f0  67 65 6e 65 72 61 74 6f  72 2c 0d 75 73 69 6e 67  |generator,.using|
00000700  20 74 68 65 20 76 61 6c  75 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68  | the value of th|
00000710  65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d  20 63 6c 6f 63 6b 3a 0d  |e system clock:.|
00000720  0d 4c 45 54 20 41 3d 52  4e 44 28 2d 54 49 4d 45  |.LET A=RND(-TIME|
00000730  29 0d 0d 20 20 20 20 20  54 68 65 20 6d 65 74 68  |)..     The meth|
00000740  6f 64 20 75 73 65 64 20  74 6f 20 65 6e 73 75 72  |od used to ensur|
00000750  65 20 74 68 61 74 20 74  68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65  |e that there are|
00000760  20 6e 6f 74 20 72 65 70  65 61 74 65 64 20 6e 75  | not repeated nu|
00000770  6d 62 65 72 73 20 69 6e  20 74 68 69 73 0d 70 72  |mbers in this.pr|
00000780  6f 67 72 61 6d 20 69 73  20 6e 6f 74 20 76 65 72  |ogram is not ver|
00000790  79 20 65 66 66 65 63 74  69 76 65 2c 20 62 65 63  |y effective, bec|
000007a0  61 75 73 65 20 61 6c 74  68 6f 75 67 68 20 65 69  |ause although ei|
000007b0  67 68 74 20 6e 75 6d 62  65 72 73 20 61 72 65 20  |ght numbers are |
000007c0  73 65 6c 65 63 74 65 64  0d 69 6e 73 74 65 61 64  |selected.instead|
000007d0  20 6f 66 20 73 69 78 2c  20 74 68 69 73 20 64 6f  | of six, this do|
000007e0  65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 73  74 6f 70 20 74 68 65 20  |es not stop the |
000007f0  70 6f 73 73 69 62 69 6c  69 74 79 20 6f 66 1a 20  |possibility of. |
00000800  74 68 65 72 65 20 6e 6f  74 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20  |there not being |
00000810  73 69 78 0d 64 69 66 66  65 72 65 6e 74 20 6e 75  |six.different nu|
00000820  6d 62 65 72 73 20 61 6d  6f 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20  |mbers among the |
00000830  65 69 67 68 74 20 63 68  6f 73 65 6e 2e 20 41 20  |eight chosen. A |
00000840  62 65 74 74 65 72 20 6d  65 74 68 6f 64 20 69 73  |better method is|
00000850  20 74 6f 1a 20 63 72 65  61 74 65 20 61 6e 0d 61  | to. create an.a|
00000860  72 72 61 79 1a 20 74 6f  1a 20 74 65 73 74 1a 20  |rray. to. test. |
00000870  77 68 65 74 68 65 72 1a  20 74 68 65 20 6e 75 6d  |whether. the num|
00000880  62 65 72 20 68 61 73 20  62 65 65 6e 20 73 65 6c  |ber has been sel|
00000890  65 63 74 65 64 20 62 65  66 6f 72 65 2e 20 54 68  |ected before. Th|
000008a0  65 20 75 70 64 61 74 65  64 0d 70 72 6f 67 72 61  |e updated.progra|
000008b0  6d 20 69 73 20 73 68 6f  77 6e 20 62 65 6c 6f 77  |m is shown below|
000008c0  3a 0d 0d 31 30 20 4c 45  54 20 41 3d 52 4e 44 28  |:..10 LET A=RND(|
000008d0  2d 54 49 4d 45 29 0d 32  30 20 44 49 4d 20 6e 25  |-TIME).20 DIM n%|
000008e0  28 35 30 29 0d 33 30 20  3a 0d 34 30 20 46 4f 52  |(50).30 :.40 FOR|
000008f0  20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 3d  31 20 54 4f 20 36 0d 35  | number=1 TO 6.5|
00000900  30 20 52 45 50 45 41 54  0d 36 30 20 4c 45 54 20  |0 REPEAT.60 LET |
00000910  41 3d 52 4e 44 28 34 39  29 0d 37 30 20 55 4e 54  |A=RND(49).70 UNT|
00000920  49 4c 20 6e 25 28 41 29  3d 46 41 4c 53 45 0d 38  |IL n%(A)=FALSE.8|
00000930  30 20 4c 45 54 20 6e 25  28 41 29 3d 54 52 55 45  |0 LET n%(A)=TRUE|
00000940  0d 39 30 20 50 52 49 4e  54 22 42 61 6c 6c 20 6e  |.90 PRINT"Ball n|
00000950  75 6d 62 65 72 20 22 3b  6e 75 6d 62 65 72 3b 22  |umber ";number;"|
00000960  20 69 73 20 22 3b 41 0d  31 30 30 20 4e 45 58 54  | is ";A.100 NEXT|
00000970  0d 0d 45 58 50 4c 41 4e  41 54 49 4f 4e 3a 0d 0d  |..EXPLANATION:..|
00000980  31 30 20 72 61 6e 64 6f  6d 69 73 65 20 74 68 65  |10 randomise the|
00000990  20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73  20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65  | numbers produce|
000009a0  64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65  20 72 61 6e 64 6f 6d 20  |d by the random |
000009b0  6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 67  65 6e 65 72 61 74 6f 72  |number generator|
000009c0  0d 32 30 20 73 65 74 20  75 70 20 61 6e 20 61 72  |.20 set up an ar|
000009d0  72 61 79 20 76 61 72 69  61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20  |ray variable to |
000009e0  73 74 6f 72 65 20 77 68  69 63 68 20 6e 75 6d 62  |store which numb|
000009f0  65 72 73 20 68 61 76 65  20 62 65 65 6e 20 63 68  |ers have been ch|
00000a00  6f 73 65 6e 20 62 65 66  6f 72 65 0d 33 30 0d 36  |osen before.30.6|
00000a10  30 20 70 69 63 6b 20 61  20 72 61 6e 64 6f 6d 20  |0 pick a random |
00000a20  62 61 6c 6c 20 6e 75 6d  62 65 72 0d 35 30 2f 37  |ball number.50/7|
00000a30  30 20 69 66 20 74 68 69  73 20 62 61 6c 6c 20 68  |0 if this ball h|
00000a40  61 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20  63 68 6f 73 65 6e 20 62  |as been chosen b|
00000a50  65 66 6f 72 65 2c 20 70  69 63 6b 20 61 6e 6f 74  |efore, pick anot|
00000a60  68 65 72 20 6e 75 6d 62  65 72 0d 38 30 20 73 74  |her number.80 st|
00000a70  6f 72 65 20 69 6e 20 74  68 65 20 61 72 72 61 79  |ore in the array|
00000a80  20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68  69 73 20 62 61 6c 6c 20  | that this ball |
00000a90  68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e  20 70 69 63 6b 65 64 0d  |has been picked.|
00000aa0  39 30 20 64 69 73 70 6c  61 79 20 62 61 6c 6c 20  |90 display ball |
00000ab0  6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 74  6f 20 74 68 65 20 75 73  |number to the us|
00000ac0  65 72 0d 34 30 2f 31 30  30 20 72 65 70 65 61 74  |er.40/100 repeat|
00000ad0  20 74 68 69 73 20 70 72  6f 63 65 73 73 20 66 6f  | this process fo|
00000ae0  72 20 73 69 78 20 62 61  6c 6c 73 0d 0d 44 6f 6d  |r six balls..Dom|
00000af0  69 6e 69 63 20 46 6f 72  64 2e 0d                 |inic Ford..|
00000afb
Instruct/PROBLEMS.m0
Instruct/PROBLEMS.m1
Instruct/PROBLEMS.m2
Instruct/PROBLEMS.m4
Instruct/PROBLEMS.m5

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