     This article is being uploaded at the request of ADAM
Sysop: Rob Friedman.  About two months ago he put me in
touch with P.J. Herrington, of MOAUG (Metro Orlando Adam
Users Group) in Florida after I mentioned how I was using
Adam & SmartLogo for guest info in the hotel I manage in
Rhode Island.  PJ asked me to submit an article describing
the system for publication in their newsletter.  Here it is.
     It is being submitted for anyone's interest.  My only
request:  If you want to use it in any other 
publication...it's ok, but please give MOAUG priority in
their Feb issue.  This is only fair as PJ asked for it
first & I feel some obligation in that regard.
     If you have any questions (technical or otherwise)
leave me a message in Adammania Message section (#9.)
I used to be in radio & tv broadcasting industry & can help
with hookup info, etc.  Enjoy! RWJ

                 THE LITTLE ADAM THAT COULD

                      (Alternate title)

              THE ANALYTICAL ENGINE THAT COULD

                     by Robert W. Jones

     As dedicated "Adamites" we can all agree that this is a
great little machine.  It does word-processing, plays games
and is wonderful for just "hacking."  But what can it
really do?

     In the hotel I manage in Smithfield, RI I have an Adam
hooked-up to our master TV amplifier and run cable-TV style
bulletin board messages to all 117 guest rooms.  These
messages provide information about guest services, local
restaurants and more.  The system is programmed in SmartLogo
and runs continuously on Channel 3.

     The operating system is simple.  In SmartLogo single
letters or words can be "defined" to execute a long series
of commands such as screen color, sprite shapes, print
statements and much more.  For example the "super" command
that runs my system is called simply:  TV.  This definition
is:

TO TV
MOVIES PIZZA COFFEE EATS1 EATS2 CLUB TV.
END

     Each of those terms is a defined command that creates a
new screen of text.  TV calls each routine in turn,
executes it, and moves on to the next. Note that the last
command is TV, calling the whole list over again.  Some of
the routines call sub-routines that scroll muti-page
listings, activate sprites or other "frills."

     In addition, just as SmartBasic looks for and
automatically runs a user-defined "HELLO" file upon booting,
SmartLogo auto-runs a "STARTUP" file.  I have written a
STARTUP file that sets up the sprite shapes:  a stylized
shield for our company symbol, a "happy face" for our coffee
shop, etc.  STARTUP then "recycles" the system and loads
and runs the TV file.

     This is handy in case the system crashes due to power
failure or other reasons.  All my desk clerk has to do is
insert the SmartLogo tape in the drive, hit the Reset switch
and Adam does the rest.  The entire operating system and TV
file loads and begins running in 3 minutes.  The DDP can
then be removed from the drive and put away.

     After SmartLogo boots-up, there is enought RAM left in
Adam for 8-12 screens of text depending on how much use is
made of graphics.  The more sprites (in Logo they are called
"turtles") that are programmed in, the less memory space
left for text.  If anyone knows of a patch that will let
SmartLogo access a memory expander, let me know, please. I'm
out of space and would like to run many more messages.

     SmartLogo is so easy to program in due to the built-in
resident commands such as: CS for Clear Screen.  These
commands are pre-defined by the operating system and are
explained in detail in the operating system manual supplied
with SmartLogo.

     I put the system on line last March and naturally have
made several improvements and additions.  That's the really
nice part about SmartLogo.  The more I use it the better I
get at achieving the same results with tighter commands
leaving more RAM available for actual text.

     For example the definition:

TO SS
PR []
END

causes the text to scroll up one line.  Pretty easy
programming, huh?  Smartlogo allows 28 text characters per
line with 23 lines from top to bottom of the screen.  To
avoid a cluttered look I type SS after each line of text.
This command prints a blank line between each two lines of
text reducing the available text to 11 or 12 lines per
screen.

     It is now only one step further to the definition:

TO S
TO S :N
REPEAT :N [SS]
END

where N equals the number of blank lines you wish SmartLogo
to insert after a print statement.  If I type:  S 23 Logo
will insert 23 blank lines, in effect scrolling the current
text off the screen. Otherwise, I would have to type:  PR []
23 times in a row. That sort of thing quickly fills the
system leaving less room for actual text.

     The hardware hook-up wasn't too difficult because tv
channel 3 is blank on our system.  I did have to install a
low-cost VHF-RF (radio frequency) amplifier to carry Adam's
Channel 3 output from the front desk to the utility room
through a 50-foot co-axial cable.

     Also, I found I needed a channel 3 bandpass filter to
avoid causing interference on adjacent channels 2 and 4
which are NOT blank.  This whole procedure took less then a
day including tuning the bandpass filter.  This setup has
worked very nicely for over nine months.

     Possibilities for your own use include putting a tv in
a store window with Adam hooked up and advertising your "hot
specials" or other attention getters.  Since that would be
a single-set hook up, no RF amplifier or band-pass filter is
needed.

     If anyone is interested in installing a similar system
feel free to call me for assistance.  This technique is only
easily applied to Adam or other small computer with an RF
output designed to display on a standard tv...IBM & Mac
users need not apply.

     My mailing address is:  
Robert W. Jones, Manager
Susse Chalet Hotel
Smithfield, RI
P.O.Box 17309
Esmond, RI 02917
Phone (401)-232-2400
Fax: ext. 141
(Compuserve ID# 71341,3372)
*END*
