Re: how to switch from 40-column mode to 80-column mode?

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

Mr Nukem wrote:
> On Aug 23, 1:06 pm, "William Garber" <willy4...@garberstreet.com>
> wrote:
>
> > "Paul R. Santa-Maria" <paul...@buckeye-express.com> wrote in message46CDE2BF.144AC918@buckeye-express.com...:">news:46CDE2BF.144AC918@buckeye-express.com...: poppyer wrote:
> >
> > : > When I boot into ProDOS, it says it do have a 80-column card in Slot 2.
> > : > But still operator in 40-column mode.
> > : > How do I switch to 80-column mode (by command?)
> > :
> > : If you really mean slot 2, and not slot 3 (the
> > : normal 80-column slot), then try PR#2 to activate
> > : the 80-column card.
> > :
> > : --
> > : Paul R. Santa-Maria
> > : Temperance, Michigan USA
> >
> > Thanks, Paul R.
> >
> > Duh, I skimmed right over the fact that he has his
> > 80-column adapter in slot 2. In that case, yes, you
> > say "PR#2" from ']' and C200G from '*'.
> >
> > William Garber
> > Email Address - willy4...@garberstreet.com
> > Alt. Email - willy4...@comcast.net
> > Web address -http://www.garberstreet.com
>
>
> This question is on a real Apple 2 that I have recently got up and
> running. I have it plugged into a composite type monitor input but
> when a program goes into 80 column mode I can not read the text . It's
> there but just very tiny and blury. I have a combo RAM 80 Column card
> in the apple.

This is correct behavior--80-column text requires more bandwidth than
a composite monitor can provide (there is one exception:  the AppleColor
Composite Monitor, which has special circuitry to increase the bandwidth
of the luminance channel when a color burst is not present (text).

> Is there a way with key combinations to force a program that auto
> boots to 80 column mode to boot up to 40? Or will I have to exit out
> of the program each time and run some system commands then reload it?

If the program has a configuration mode that allows you to select
40-column text, that would be the way to do it.  This was quite
common, since people using color monitors could not view 80-column
text.

Otherwise, if the *application* selects 80-column text, and you can't
change it, you're stuck.

>  The program I am having most trouble with is Modem Manager which is a
> Pro Dos autoboot disk and it comes up in 80 column mode,

During the ProDOS boot sequence, the machine is initialized to
40-column mode, so if it switches to 80-column mode, it's being
done either by the startup program or by the application itself.

After ProDOS boots, it runs the first .SYSTEM file in the root
directory.  If that is BASIC.SYSTEM, then after it loads, it runs
a BASIC program called "STARTUP" in the root directory.  If the first
.SYSTEM program is not BASIC.SYSTEM, then you may not be able to modify
its call to initialize the slot 3 (80-column) firmware easily.

See if there is a "STARTUP" program on the disk.  If it's Applesoft you
may see a PRINT CHR$(4)"PR#3" statement and can add CHR$(27)CHR$(17) to
the end of the line.  This enters 40-column mode leaving the 80-column
firmware active, so mousetext, etc., still works.

It all comes down to modifying the application, or the state of the
machine when the application is run, if it doesn't actually set the
mode itself.

-michael

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Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

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