              SPRITECHASER ADAM NEWSLETTER


#1Adam Users' Group

P.O. BOX 3761, CHERRY HILL NEW JERSEY 08034
(609)  667-2526

Presents
The

SPRITE CHASER

This  is  the newsletter of the #1 Adam Users' Group.  We are  an 
organization  for  the sharing and advancement of  knowledge  and 
resources of people having  interests in,  or ownership of Coleco 
Adam ColecoVision Family Computer System.

Vol. 1	No. 1

October 1984

Page - 2

THE  SPRITE CHASER is published quarterly by the #1  Adam  Users' 
Group  for  the  enjoyment and furthering the  knowledge  of  its 
members  in  the  use of the Adam Computer  System.  Address  all 
correspondence  to The Editor,  #1 Adam Users'  Group,  P.O.  Box 
3761, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.

Articles from other newsletters are welcome and will be  included 
to  broaden  our  readerships base of  knowledge  and  experience 
level.  All  submissions  will be noted and credit given  to  the 
author. Articles from this newsletter may be reprinted for use by 
other  user  groups so long as the user group in question  is  an 
existing  viable entity for the benefit of those wishing computer 
literacy.  User  groups that exist without a membership at  large 
will  not  be  considered user groups  per-se.  All  articles  or 
letters  sent  to the Editor for publication are subject  to  the 
unrestricted right to edit and comment. Below is a list of Users' 
Groups -You can have your group listed, just have an officer send 
us a letter about your group.  We don't list companies that  only 
produce  a Newsletter and call themselves Users' Groups.  We will 
list this in another section.  Since this is our first listing we 
know  that there are many more groups,  please write,  so we  can 
keep an updated list.

#1 Adam Users' Group - Cherry Hill, NJ + National
Adam Microhackers - New York, NY
Montgomery Adam Users' Group - Montgomery, AL
The US Adam Network - Forest Hills, NY
First Southern CA Adam Users' Group - Venice, CA

THE  SPRITE  CHASER is available by subscription for  $20.00  per 
year. It is free to members of the #1 Adam Users' group. Send all 
subscription payments and/or change of address to #1 Adam  Users' 
Group,  Subscription  Service,  P.O.  Box 3761,  Cherry Hill,  NJ 
08034.

It will be the policy of The #1 Adam Users' Group,  not to  pass, 
copy,  or  sell copyrighted text,  cassettes,  diskettes,  or any 
other copyrighted medium thru The Group without the permission of 
the  copyright owner either by written permission or through  the 
Copyright Clearance Center, 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970.

Membership  in  The #1 Adam Users' Group does not impart  to  the 
general  member any corporate authority or status to act for  the 
corporation.  Membership  in The 11 Adam Users' Group is for  one 
year  from the month membership is acquired.  Present  membership 
rates are: $15.00/yr. as of January 1, 1934. Rates are subject to 
change without notice.

THE  SPRITE  CHASER is soliciting advertisers  at  the  following 
rates:

Pull PAGE $100.00
1/2 PAGE $60-00
1/4 PAGE $35-00
Note:  All  submitted  advertisements must be printer  ready  and 
prepaid

THE GROUP OFFICERS:			THE SPRITE CHASER STAFF:

PRESIDENT  - Jay H.  Forman		Editor-in-cheif	Jay  H. 
Forman
VICE-PRESIDENT   - Robert  Geers 	Research  Editors 	
Mark Thomas
SECRETARY - Michele Lovenstein				Ken Shaw
TREASURER 	- Bernice Pollack		Technical Editor 
- Ray J. Russell

Page - 3

Editorial Comment
by Jay H. Forman
President, #1 Adam Users' Group

We hope that you will enjoy this first edition of SPRITE  CHASER. 
It  has  been a real labor of love for us in putting it  together 
for  you.  As you will notice,  we have not necessarily stuck  to 
standard  magazine publishing procedures with  this  publication. 
What  we  have  tried to do is offer our members  an  informative 
publication with a minimum of literary license.

SPRITE  CHASER  is  meant  to truly  be  a  publication  for  our 
Membership.  We  sincerely  urge  that if you have  any  comments 
regarding  the  format,   text,  or  editorial  comment  of  this 
publication  that you please let us know.  We are  also  actively 
seeking  programs,  articles,  and  reports from our members  for 
future editions of SPRITE CHASER. Remember the faster you send us 
programs  that  you wrote,  the faster we can  start  our  groups 
exchange program.  Send us your problems, ideas or solutions. Ray 
J. will be handling that department.

It  has  taken a considerable amount of help from many  different 
people  to  put together the #1 Adam Users' Group and  the  First 
edition  of SPRITE CHASER.  To try to thank all of them  at  this 
time   would  be  virtually  impossible  and  their  names  would 
certainly fill the pages of this publication.  These people  also 
helped us become one of the largest users' groups in the country.

The  Adam is not just doing ok,  but it's like Xmas in  September 
for  Adam  sales.  The Adam user base is growing at a fast  pace, 
since the ad program began. Shipments from Coleco are still slow, 
but are getting better.  The Disk drive is great,  it comes  with 
the  disk  manager which is one of the easiest I have ever  used. 
The saving and loading of programs are so much faster it is  like 
owning a new computer.

Third  party companies have already changed their  attitude,  and 
are gearing up to come out with a good number of new programs for 
the  Adam  on data pack and disk.  Image Microcorp  is  releasing 
Diablo,  which is a hit on other computers like TI. Victory Soft-
ware  now  has a Savings and Loan program in addition to the  new 
program  called TREK (outer space text adventure).  Randall  Mfg. 
now has a printer silencer which significantly reduces the  prin-
ter  noise  by 85%.  It will sell for $89.50.  Data Backup has  a 
printer  stand (leggs)etc.  with remote off/on switch  in  front, 
selling for $22.95. Extended Software Co. has a program that will 
extend  SmartBasic capabilities (Renumber,  colors in text etc.). 
It sell for $22-00 on data pack.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Welcome  users to the #1 ADAM USERS GROUP a newsletter for  using 
and programming the ADAM computer.

My  name  is Raymond J.  Russell you can address me as  "RAY  J."  
What  I am here to do is to answer your questions  regarding  the 
COLECO ADAM computer such as programming tips,  forthcoming items 
for  the  ADAM and anything that pertains to the  ADAM  computer.  
Grant you I might not be able to answer every question but,  with 
COLECO  behind  me along with our great staff of  programmers,  I 
hope to clear up any problems that you may have.

Sincerely,
RAY J.

Page - 4

Q.  - On  my  ADAM computer,  when I type in  the  command  flash 
nothing  happens.  I have a friend who has the APPLE computer and 
on  his  machine the command flash displays text white  on  black 
then quickly reverts to black on white. I want to know is why the 
ADAM manual has the command flash listed and yet when you type it 
in, nothing happens?
Randy Johnson, Maine

A.  - Basic  is  Basic  except when it's Smartbasic on  the  ADAM 
computer.   Coleco seems to have released several versions of the 
Smartbasic  Operating System for the ADAM which are for the  most 
part  the  same.   You  seem to have an earlier  version  of  the 
Smartbasic  Operating  System and apparently it lacks  the  flash 
command.  All I can say is to try to call Coleco and perhaps  get 
hold of another Smartbasic tape.

Q.  - When typing an Applesoft listing into my ADAM computer some 
very  weird things happen,  such as;  CALL 12345 --> it seems  to 
"kill" the computer, I'm locked out of it and the only way to get 
it back is to reboot the Smartbasic tape needless to say anything 
in  memory at the time is lost.  Also:  10 for x=1 to 40 -->  the 
computer  consistently  returns ILLEGAL STATEMENT  what's  wrong?  
lastly;  How  come  the "EXEC" command doesn't work on the  ADAM? 
Coleco claims to be Applesoft compatible and EXEC is an Applesoft 
command?
Glen Myres, Rochelle

A.  - First of all,  the ADAM and APPLE are similar in many  ways 
yet  VERY different.  With the CALL statement;  this statement is 
used to access a machine language subroutine from basic,  but the 
CALL  has to go to certain memory location,  here's where one  of 
many  differences  come  to play.   ADAM  and  APPLE  have  their 
respective memory mapped out differently,  in other words APPLE'S 
location  to read the keyboard is PEEK(-16384) where as ADAM's is 
PEEK(-651) get the point ? Any program (APPLESOFT) that refers to 
specific memory locations is not going to run right on the  ADAM.  
As  for  the  line statement,  ADAM is very  picky  about  spaces 
between  parts  of line listings I know the APPLE  is  relatively 
intolerant  of  this  and all I can say is  read  the  Smartbasic 
manual  to greater detail and learn where ADAM wants its  spaces.  
The EXEC command was not given to ADAM,  why,  I don't know. Many 
people  have  resented this little exclusion as EXEC was  a  very 
useful  command  to have.  Perhaps in the future Image  Microcorp 
will publish a small Assembly Language program to correct this.

Q.  - A friend of mine who has tne APPLE computer was telling  me 
about  APPLES  built  in assembly language  monitor  accessed  by 
typing  in  CALL -151,  he also told me what he c an do with  the 
monitor such as type in
assembly Ian.  listings,  memory moves,  shape table  input,  and 
others.  Knowing the ADAM to be APPLE compatible I went and typed 
in CALL -151, nothing happened to my amazement. What I would like 
to  know  is  Coleco says the ADAM is APPLE  compatible  and  yet 
doesn't accept the CALL -151 to get into ADAMS monitor.
TOM	DILL, NEWPORT

Page - 5

A.  - Look  closely  at where it says ADAM is  APPLE  compatible. 
Notice  it says ADAM is APPLESOFT  SOURCE CODE  compatible.  What 
this  means is that the majority of APPLESOFT basic commands will 
work  on  the ADAM while some won't work at  all.  Also  the  two 
computers  are different in their internal structure.  APPLE uses 
the 6502 CPU as ADAM uses the Z/80 CPU.  The memory is mapped out 
differently  so what may be 12345 on one machine may be 54321  on 
the other. By the way the ADAM does not have an assembly language 
monitor  built into it so you just may as well quit  looking  for 
it!

Q.  - When running a program on the ADAM, for no apparent reason, 
it  pauses  for an almost unnoticeable period of  time.  Is  this 
normal ?

A. - Yes it is, if in your program you're constantly looping back 
to  a variable and altering it ADAM does not forget the  original 
values.   They  lie  off in a corner of memory taking  up  space, 
after  a  while  ADAM " cleans house" by  gathering  the  defunct 
variables and discarding them.   This is that so called pause you 
mentioned  when running a program.  The process is call  'GARBAGE 
COLLECTING'  and  is  common  to  most  computers.    A  possible 
preventive  to  this is to pick a spot in your program that  will 
for  some reason or other pause anyway,  at that point type  this 
Z=FRE(O)  This will tell ADAM to get his act together so that  by 
the  time  you  get into varying variables  ADAM  won't  have  to 
collect the garbage since you did it beforehand.  By the by,  you 
needn't be
concerned  about the variable Z in terms of printing or  anything 
just so long as you have somewhere in the program var.=FRE(O) you 
will be
alright.

Q. - Does the ADATI handle SHAPE tables?
JACK SYMS, CALIFORNIA

A.  - Yes  it does,  here is where tae ADAM can really mimic  the 
APPLE.  If  you can obtain the Shape table in DECIMAL  equivalent 
#Is  I  can help you.  First of all you need some memory to  play 
with that can be taken
care of with the command HIMEM:  51455 this will tell ADAM not to 
write  anything beyond 51456 and up.  Next you have to tell  ADAM 
where the Shape table is in memory. This is accomplished with two 
POKE
statements POKE 16766,0 and POKE 16767,201. 1 won't get into here 
what those two statements mean and represent.  Next it is just  a 
matter  of  poking the numbers into memory starting  at  location 
51456 and so on.
With  the table secure in memory you'll want to draw it.  This is 
done in the HI-RES graphics mode of the ADAM.
Enter HGR <return>
Set color.rot and scale with;
HCOLOR=3
SCALE=1
ROT=0
And finaly to draw type in;
DRAW 1 AT x,y --> x and y are specified by you to be any point on 
the
HI-RES screen.

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME YOU WRITE-HAPPY COMPUTING

RAY J.

Page - 6

** BUGS TAKE OVER THE WELL WRITTEN, ADAMS COMPANION MANUAL. **
by Louis Vassallo, Glenolden, PA

The  Musicmaker Program enhancement on page 210 that sets up  the 
function keys has a minor bug in it.  After you type the program, 
run  it and you should get an error message  that  says:  Illegal 
quantity  error  in STMT 1020.  It's because row% and column%  in 
that STMT have not been defined elsewhere in the program. If they 
are not defined, the system defaults them to a value of Zero (0), 
and  zero is not a valid row and column.  So in the beginning  of 
the  program I put a STMT that reads:  ROW% = 2:  COLUMN% = 2  Be 
sure to give this STMT a number that doesn't appear elsewhere  in 
the  enhancements,  so the STMT will not be overwritten.  Another 
tip in that portion of the program on page 210 STMT 5710,  put  a 
space between "and tempo so it reads as:  "Tempo". This will stop 
the  words play and tempo from running together on the bottom  of 
your  screen.  Look  for further exterminations of other bugs  in 
future newsletters.

PROGRAM REVIEWS by Steve Chamberlain

Bounty	Hunter

Victory Software Corp.
Paoli, PA
Data Pack for ADAM - $24-95

Bounty Hunter is a text adventure set in the old west.  You  take 
the role of a cowboy who must capture the notorious Oil Gang, and 
return the stolen gold.

On the screen you are given the following information:  Where you 
are what you see,  Where you can go, and the results of your last 
command.  Your  commands consist of a verb and a noun  (Ex.:close 
door)

After  playing for a while you will discover that every item  you 
find only has one purpose (some are not used at all) and there is 
not much room for straying off track.  There are no dead ends and 
the  game can be solved.  There is a bonus game included that you 
can play after you solve the adventure.

This  is  a  good game for people who enjoy  thinking  a  little, 
instead of only shooting up space monsters.  It is a nice  change 
of pace to have a Same like this available.

Donkey Kong

Coleco Industries, Inc.
West Hartford,, CT
Data Pack for ADAM Only

Donkey  Kong  is the familiar Same in which you control Mario  in 
his quest to free Pauline from the giant ape.  You must climb  to 
the  top  of one of four structures while avoiding fireballs  and 
barrels thrown at you by the ape.

This  version for ADAM has everything that was missing  from  the 
ColecoVision  cartridge.  It has all the extras that are found at 
the  arcade  and  the convenience of  a  pause  button.  All  the 
cartoons  and extra graphic elements make this Same a real  treat 
to  watch  and  to play.  All your high scores can be  saved  and 
printed  if you wish which makes this even more like the  arcade. 
The conveyor belt screen has been included! this is fine tape and 
a great way to start your data pack collection.

Page -7

Using "ERRNUM" and Error Codes in
SmartBasic

Coleco  and  others  have  documented  SmartBasic,  but  certain. 
commands  have  been left out of programming  manuals.  One  such 
command is "ERRNUM", which I have found useful and simple to use. 
"ERRNUM"  is used in an error-trapping  subroutine  (i.e.,  after 
issuing and executing an "onerr ... goto" command.)

ERRNUM enables ADAM to branch to a particular subroutine after an 
error has occurred,  based upon the type of error,  identified by 
an  error-code number.  These code numbers are documented in  the 
back  of  the most recent edition of Coleco's  SmartBasic  manual 
(this edition has a white cover.)

For  example,  suppose  you had created a program in  SmartBasic, 
that  requires  the  retrieval  of a file  from  a  digital  data 
cassette.  If  ADAM  can't find the file it will issue  an  error 
statement ("File Not Found") and will cease running the  program. 
If  you  want  to  try again you must input  a  "cont"  or  "run" 
statement from the keyboard and resume or restart your program.

A  better  approach would be to devise an error-trapping  routine 
using "ONERRR ... GOTO" and "ERRNUM."

As  described  in Coleco's manual,  "ONERR GOTO" must  be  issued 
early in the program before an error occurs,  and must direct the 
computer  to  a  line  number  which  begins  an   error-trapping 
subroutine.  (Experience  has shown it is better to issue a print 
statement of some sort as the first statement in the  subroutine; 
this seems to keep ADAM from locking up.)

Until next time!



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