Update – changes / corrections / comments

This section is a focus for news about the workings of AMPLINEX, corrections to items in previous issues, and other small items of information which might otherwise be missed amongst the details of each issue.

AMPLINEX control program (A.MPLINEX)

We had a problem with the AMPLINEX control program in the previous issue due to the size of the program. It was substantially bigger than in earlier issues due to the inclusion of the 'Feedback' utility. This increase in size, however, meant that BBC Model B owners using the Studio 4000 software were unable to run the program. Fortunately, most realised the cause of the problem and switched to their Studio 5000 system discs to run AMPLINEX.

In order to ensure that the control program can be used in the smaller memory space allowed by the Studio 4000 software a change has been made to the program to check the memory available before allocating space for the 'Feedback' note. If there is insufficient memory, the program will delete the word which displays the title screen, thus freeing enough space to continue.

Since the title screen will normally only be seen once during an AMPLINEX session, this change should be transparent to most users.

We are pleased to report that we have reached an agreement with the MCPS (Mechanical Copyright Protection Society) to allow us to publish material of which the contributor is not the copyright owner. The agreement should be in effect by the next issue of AMPLINEX and this will allow us to include some 'copyright' music contributions. The agreement is effective for one year and is at a cost of about £35. We felt that this was a reasonable price to pay and will be confirming this to MCPS as soon as this issue is published.

Corrections

Wordwise Plus owners were frustrated in their search for a utility promised in the 'Hints and Tips' section of AMPLINEX 003. The file containing the utility (H.WWconv) was omitted from the disc after a last-minute change of contents.

Our apologies to those who were searching in vain and especially to its author, David Westbrook. It is included in this issue under the same filename.

Feedback

The 'Feedback' section was well used after its inclusion in the previous issue, and it will remain a standard part of AMPLINEX from now on.

A note from Chris de Whalley asks why the filename in 'Feedback' is restricted to seven characters (which does not allow space for a drive or directory prefix). The reason for this is to avoid filename errors (e.g. eight character filenames with DFS) which cause an AMPLE error and return (when TAB is pressed) to the main AMPLINEX menu.

Ideally, we would use an error trapping routine to allow display of such errors and return to the appropriate point in the original program but haven't yet devised the means to do this. Is there an AMPLE programming member able to help?

In the meantime, the drive and directory can still be defined via *commands from the AMPLINEX main menu.

Music from Music 4000 users

Music 5000/4000 compatibility is proving a problem with music contributions to AMPLINEX. Music programs developed using the Music 4000 software can contain module words which are not available in the Studio 5000 environment. Programs containing such words cannot be run on a Studio 5000 system. We will try to adapt such programs to run on a Studio 5000 system where possible, but we would ask members to try running any music developed on a Studio 5000-4 system on a Studio 5000 system before sending it to AMPLINEX.

Finally, please continue to send us your ideas for improving the workings of AMPLINEX - almost all the changes to date have been prompted by members' suggestions. Also, please let us know if you spot an error or omission - you may be the only one who has noticed.