Documents TI-99 - DOCs, Manuals, eBooks, Lost & Found

[blackbox]

Continuing from yesterday here is part 2 of the
tishug news digest v9 n1  Jan/Feb 1990
A zip file of tif images (plus a dsk file).

This contains: author index for tishug nd 1989
Article on TI Base Vn 2.0; Tips from the Tigercub #38; Article on TI-Writer vn 4.0 software written by R A Green;  The docs file for Todd Kaplan's alsave; Forth article; How basic programs are stored; article on Page Pro 99.

The bit on alsave is dotted about the pages so I have added a guide to ensure you get all the parts, and as you may not have access to alsave (the source to get it is not quoted in the magazine) I have included in the zip file a dsk file with the files you need.

tishug news digest v9 n1 JanFeb 1990 Pt2.zip

Edited June 11, 2021 by blackbox

[blackbox]

A couple of smaller magazines today in their own zip file of tif images-
 
From Perth Australia: TIUP tit-bits V3 N4 undated but from 1985.  This includes a review of "Getting Started with the Texas Instruments TI-99/4a" a book by Stephen Shaw. Includes an assembly utility for Mini Mem or Ed/As with speech synth,  for a Basic program to say any vocab word and the 32k "matchbox expansion" unit.

 

From the USA- Bluegrass 99 Bytemonger March 1988 which includes an update on Wesley Richardson's Count 99999 program.

 

I am now  working on a Los Angeles group magazine that isn't on wht yet- although I have an original from the group the print is poor with lower case letter m's looking like black blobs, and letters a and e with filled in centres... it does report that at their August 1985 meeting their members watched a video of Stephen Shaw and his TI99/4a.  This could be a few days. I have 26 pages including supplemental letters from John Behnke which includes his 40 column screen design "graph paper" program

bluegrass 99 bytemonger Mar88.zip tiup tit-bits v3 n4 1985.zip

[blackbox]

Another user group magazine for someone to add to the wht collection please.
In a zip file of tif images here is:
LA99ers TopIcs v4 n9 September 1985.
I started with an original magazine from the user group which was not too well copied- and I have done a lot of work cleaning it up, you won't see a better copy!!  Although one or two little bits I had to leave as I couldn't guess what they were...

This magazine has an introduction to Gram Kracker; an article on using sound in Forth; a circuit diagram to take rs232 in and produce parallel output; using TI Writer formatter; cleaning disk drives; a letter from John Behnke; a program to print a 24x40 grid.

s

la99ers topics v4 n9 Sept85.zip

[pixelpedant]

Tenex Winter/Spring 1985 catalogue and inserts.  56 pages. 

 

 

Tenex Winter-Spring 1985 OCR.pdf

 

I do not believe this one yet exists in digital form, in any of the usual places. 

 

[blackbox]

A zip file containing a US User Group magazine not yet in the wht archive (please add)-
Chicago TImes V4 N6 January 1985

(the original front cover date of 1984 was in error)
The outer cover was a light blue with inside white pages.

A nice A5 folded and stapled magazine containing:  A Basic program by David Punke to test your ability to read numbers in Roman (using the form IV and IX); a TI Basic game listing by John Behnke, Holey Moley 2 (or Holey Moley- the next day); an article on programming in TI Basic for absolute beginners by Rich Klein; an article on Forth by Seaborn Smith on Floating Point- the page is a puzzle as the columnar formatting has been stripped; an article on video modes by Jim Nees; Learning Assembly pt2 by Nick Iacovelli-placing a character on the screen; a Forth article by Stephan Meyers-all about the Stack; and a summary of those TI Writer commands eg E, T, F, L, SH and so on.

chicago times v4 n6 Jan85.zip

[+OLD CS1]

On 6/21/2021 at 2:15 AM, pixelpedant said:

Tenex Winter/Spring 1985 catalogue and inserts.  56 pages. 

Yeah!  I own a copy of this, but in terrible condition.

[blackbox]

This is a US group magazine that is missing on WHT- please add.
The zip file contains tif images for you to read, print, OCR or PDF.

Today: from Central Ohio 99ers (CONNI) we have SPIRIT OF 99 V5 N11 from November 1987.

Nicely printed folded and stapled with an A4 page size.  Contents include:
Tips from the Tigercub 44 (this was Jim Peterson's group!); Review of CorComp's "Real TI/IBM Connection"; several pages on FUNLPLUS! a software package from Jack Sughrue; using .IF and .TL in TI Writer by Jack Sughrue; Using a Cassette System (for beginners); Correcting text errors with TI Writer by Stan Katzman; a Christmas card program listing by Barb and Ed Will.

s

conni spirit of 99 v5 n11 Nov87.zip

[blackbox]

Another gap in the wht archive to be filled please.

From LA99ers (Los Angeles) V4 n10 October 1985 TopIcs.

 

 

Fairly thin, not too well printed.  Highlights are two small listings by George F Steffen, VARYLIST and MULTIPRINT- the first will take a DV80 file (eg program LISTed to disk)  and amend the margins (eg 28 columns) for printing.  The second will take a text file and print in multiple columns (newspaper style)- you first use VARYLIST to amend the line width.

Little programs with room for bells and whistles.

The zip file contains TIF images to print, read, OCR or PDF.
 

la99ers topics v4 n10 Oct85.zip

[blackbox]

CORRECTION TO POST 680-   Chicago TImes v4 n6 Jan 85- 
the Roman Numeral program.

Many user groups printed their newsletters with TI Writer using the formatter. This often had unfortunate results on program listings.  Here is an example.  All the less than signs in the program have been omitted.
In many program lines there are for example "IF X1234 THEN"  which should be "IF X<1234 THEN".

Here is a replacement page with the correction note added to the page- please update your downloads.

(Is it possible to add a note to post 680 to incorporate this? Thanks)

bb
( the original post was dated 22nd June and should be above this post....)

 

chicago times v4 n6 Jan85_05_correct_tif.zip

Edited June 30, 2021 by blackbox
confusion

[blackbox]

Two more user group magazines to be added to the wht collection - please.
Here as zip files containing clean tif images at hi res for you to print, read, OCR or pdf...
First from the UK:
TI Home TIdings V1 N5 October 1981.    The magazine heading was a bit variable in the first year, but the real name was TIdings  published by TI Home.  You can see the chaos ruling when this issue was published as the date and volume number were not printed on it. This issue marks the launch of the UK PAL TI99/4, and a sudden growth in the User Group.
A very lengthy article by Peter Brooks which includes screen character motion methods. There is a magazine article about the launch of the TI99/4- promising ghost goodies that never made it to the UK such as VCR interface, and Texnet. The first article on the extra CALLS when the Personal Record Keeping module is inserted.  A joystick port pinout and Atari-TI joystick converter circuit.

 

A little thinner there is also the Chicago TImes V4 N7 Feb 1985, with a summary of 99/4a magazines and their fate, a Basic article- PRINT USING to a printer; and Video Modes with a little assembly routine for "SCROLL".

 

Chicago TImes v4 n7 Feb85.zip TIHome TIdings v1 n5 Oct81.zip

[blackbox]

This American User Group newsletter does not seem to be on wht - yet (please?).

MSP Newsletter v10 n3 March 87
(-Minneapolis St Paul)

An odd little newsletter- full of construction articles, copied from other sources. The other sources had reduced their print size 50% and then MSP reduced it another 50% making for tiny tiny print - so I have scanned this at 600 dpi, but where the data is lost in the original magazine, I can't get it back.   Bluecard cover with white paper pages, folded and two staples.

Contents- How to open up a console; cartridge insert with no reset; manual reset switch; 32k micro expansion (John Willforth); 32k expansion to go into the speech synth (Willforth); fitting a "32k memory in use flashing light" into the console or speech synth (Willforth)' installing cartridge chips into the console (Ugorcak); Power Supply for TIshug Mini PEB; general TI99/4a internal layout; Alpha Lock modification.

John Willforth wrote for "West Penn 99ers" whose magazines may have more legible content- I don't have any copies.

bb

msp99 newsletter v10 n3 Mar87.zip

[blackbox]

A user group magazine to add to the wht archive please, from the UK:
TI HOME TIdings v1 n6 December  1981

Now with the complete magazine name on page one.

Issued on A4 white paper, printed on one side, my issue was received loose leaf (no staples).

In this issue-  the effect of adding a disk drive to the amount of free memory for Basic programs and using CALL FILES; 
long article from Peter Brooks includes more on Basic memory use,  
moving characters on screen, debugging using the thermal printer, 
toggling a two state function (A=0/A=1) and logic functions (eg ROW=ABS(ROW<24)*ROW+1), 
substring sorting using a string array (Peter fails to indicate what this does or why you would need it), Quicksort using arrays, Peter's thoughts on the PRK Enhanced Basic;
a couple of pages from Mike O'Regan on his thermal printer;
From Stephen Shaw a suggested mod to the game "Invasion from Space" in 99er Magazine issue 1, how to BREAK when using CALL A, reports of a disk drive delivered by TI broken and not replaced after a month,  notes on converting programs from other machines' Basics; screen dump to thermal printer. The initial report of speeding up XB Version 100 by manually turning sprite motion off with a CALL LOAD, and first thoughts on "programs that rewrite programs". Using MERGE to place the line numbers in order IN MEMORY after editing a program.  First idea of using CALL LOAD to place machine code programs into XB. 
News:  Pascal soon for the TI99/4.

TIHome TIdings v1 n6 Dec81.zip

[blackbox]

A zip file containing tif images of:
CONNI Spirit of 99 v5 n12 December 1987
-not currently in the whtech archive if someone wished to place it there.

Some growls from the Tigercub- Unemployed Australian Arto Heino, seeking to have US commercial  distribution of his "Picasso Publisher" found it being distributed on US Bulletin Boards.  (Arto later went on to play guitar and was a pavement artist); Bulletin Boards taking trade from US TI retailers by distributing copyright TI programs; a request that programmers clearly mark the copyright status of their programs in the program- if they are happy for free distribution, say so; 
A programming tip- "Press fire button" and the program will remember if you are using Joystick 1 or 2.
Tips from the Tigercub 45.
Simple TI Writer- saving a document to disk; a review of Rodger Merritt's PRINTIT; an article by Irwin Hott on using disk files; report by Warren Agee on the 1987 Chicago TI Fair.

 

CONNI Spirit of 99 v5 n12 Dec87.zip

[blackbox]

Two UK magazines not yet in the whtech archive- can someone please add!

The two zip files contain tif images for you to print, read, pdf or ocr...

From the printer of Peter Brooks in Oxford we have:
TI-Lines (uk) v1 n6 Sept 1984:
 

 A correction to the article in the last issue re storing programs in MiniMemory; an explanation of E=1111 in last issues speech article; some tips from David Brown on saving memory in your Basic programs (although there is no credit, David followed an article I wrote in May 1983 almost word for word....);  an article "Using your joysticks" with a snippet of Basic code; a letter from Christine Godman* of Christine Computing regarding hardware development; Beginners Basic: Numeric functions; article "Uncovering undocumented functions"; Speech Synthesis analysis part 3.

TI-Lines (uk) v1 n7 Oct 1984:

Beginners Basic: String Functions; a further article on the extra CALLs with the PRK module, looking in detail at CALL A and CALL D; a long printout of an Infocom adventure The Witness from Scotland- Ian Martin of Timeless Software; the introduction of authorised (eg UK legal) modems marked with a green triangle.

[*Christine Godman was the only fellow TI owner to visit and sleep over with us and we returned the visit to see her family in Watford. She had a fatal accident far too young leaving behind children and husband. Recalled with great fondness.]

ti-lines (uk) v1 n7 Oct84.zip ti-lines(uk) v1 n6 Sept84.zip

[blackbox]

Here is a zip file of .tif images of a UK TI99/4a magazine, not in the wht archives (please add it!)- this is part one, the first 18 pages.  Part 2 will follow shortly.

PARCO (uk) V1 n3 Feb 1985  (part 1)

Faster random number from 1 to 255 using CALL PEEK;  Using sound including (with permission) a listing which plays "Don't they know it's Christmas"; sound effects for games; two amendments to make for "Commando" from Collins Games Writer Pack 2 and Number Scramble from TI Oldies but Goodies 1; help with file processing with tape files; introduction to peripherals; and listing for XB game "Close Encounters" by Colin Ashworth.

part two soon...      s

Parco Magazine v1 n3 Feb85_pt1.zip

[blackbox]

part 2 as promised...

Here is a zip file of .tif images of a UK TI99/4a magazine, not in the wht archives (please add it!)- this is part two, the last  18 pages.  Part 1 was posted 23rd July.

PARCO (uk) V1 n3 Feb 1985  (part 2)

Games listing- Hangman by Andy Cory; Games listing-Spontaneous Reaction by Malcolm Adams. Possibly the best game from a magazine listing???  If you don't want to type it in you can find it in the TI99/4A GameBase. (There is also  a rare version that says Stainless Software instead of Parco).
Utility listing "Sprite Editor" by Peter Hutchison; 
Sprite article for XB including use of CALL PEEK and CALL LOAD, and using a joystick or keyboard to guide sprite movement. 
Reviews of Popeye module; Fathom module;
How to scroll horizontally.

have fun-  bb

Parco Magazine v1 n3 Feb85_pt2.zip

[blackbox]

Two zip files today each containing clean hi res scan tif images of TI99/4a user group magazines for you to read, print, OCR or PDF.  They are not in the wht archive so if someone would like to add them there....
==============
From Central Ohio, the CONNI Spirit of 99 v5 n10 October 1987

  A4 size white paper, two staples in spine. Sent through the post without any covering- held shut by one staple on right. Many lost in the mail- and this copy of mine was delivered in the rainfall...
Contents
Notice of the 1987 Chcago TI fair; Tips from the Tigercub 43;  Using a cassette recorder part one: the plugs.; TI Writer part 1 by Stan Katzman- getting started; building and using the New Horizons Ram Disk;  Making Banners by Jack Sughrue; different disk file program formats; finding out which company made that 5.25 inch disk
================
From Minneapolis the  MSP 99 v10 n3 April 1987
 

  Light blue paper cover with white paper contents, A5 in size, two staples in spine.
Contents:
 Ed Johnson "Handling DSRs in assembly language subroutines that are linked to XB".
 Correction for joystick fix in last issue which in fact isolated the caps lock! (use Blackbox's CALL KEY(3... fix in Basic/XB.)
 A fix for the Horizon Ramdsk V04 when there are over 32 files and you are saving a non-program file;
 List of useable floppy disk drives
 Deep review of LGMA 99 Fortran
 Using TI Writer FORMATTER commands and "control documents"
 Notes on Navarone Data Base Manager;  Using MERGE to place internal line number table  in order; Little program to calculate the date of Easter (1583-2099); Change the cursor shape; and a little program to tell you what day a particular date is.
 ==========  enjoy- bb
There is much to be recalled from these magazines. Why reinvent the wheel...  (with any luck these long descriptions will make the content easier to find with a search engine...)
 

CONNI Spirit of 99 v5 n10 Oct87.zip msp 99 v10 n3 April87.zip

[blackbox]

A UK TI99/4a user group magazine for you today- not in the WHT archives so please feel free to place it there.
A zip containing hi res tif images for you to print, read, ocr or pdf of:
EAR (East Anglia UK) V2 N7 Nov 1988

Finished size folded, A5, 40 printed pages, double staple, white paper.
Detailed description of the disk format (bit level) by Colin Hinson (of TI UK)- the File Descriptor Record and file allocation; plus from Micropendium Dec 85 a program to extract a portion of a program SAVEd in MERGE format to disk; and three pages on an alternative RS232 chip offering 1200/75 baud etc - but no details of how to get it; and finally  a games listing- from B A Traver, Giant and Dwarfs (from 99er V2) plus a great deal of "domestic" material.

bb

EAR East Anglia v2 n7 Nov88.zip

[blackbox]

Back to games manuals- just found this straggler.  You can find Newton's Revenge in TI99/4a Gamebase.  This is the official documentation issued by Sam Pincus who sold the game directly for a short while....

NEWTON'S REVENGE

Just one sheet so your choice of a hi res tif image or a pdf (the pdf is textless - just the image of the document).

 

 

 

QUERY- I have a three page mint condition set of documents for "Forgotten Valley" by Challenger Software (later renamed CSI Design Group) so probably written by Mark Sumner, but not stated. I don't recall seeing this game, and I can find not even a mention of it still less a file. Has anyone else heard of the game, and could there be files somewhere?  If not- it is worth posting the docs as an "unreleased, possibly never written game".  The game setting is "The Valley of Findail"  and you need to find an amulet and a Helm.

 

bb

Newtons_Revenge.pdf Newtons_Revenge.tif

[blackbox]

Two UK User Group magazines in tif image format, zipped together in one zip per title (or two zips if over 20MB):

From the pen of Peter Brooks, then based in Oxford, 
TI LINES V1 N8 Nov 84

Enhanced Basic (PRK Basic)- details of CALL P command;  echoing keyboard input to the screen; detailed instructions on using joystick input in Basic programs.

 

 

TIHOME TIDINGS V2 N1 Feb82 PART 1 

The first 22 pages.  Page 20 is historic as it is the first publication of Peter Brooks routine for using pixel graphics in Basic- so page 20 appears as a clean scan and also a retyped page. Also added a supplemental updated XB routine of the same by Gary Harding.
Other content:  Difficulties finding cassette recorders that work with the TI- some models to look for; Review of a 1965 computer book; note: p4 has a way to speed up the listing on p20; Major article on pixel plotting in TI Basic with explanations and examples of usage.

part two follows in a few days....    bb

tihome tidings v2 n1 Feb82 Part 1.zip ti-lines_(UK)_v1_n8_Nov 1984.zip

[blackbox]

A piece of game documentation that is probably superfluous as it is so easy to understand.... the game is in the Game Database, on tigameshelf.net and the listing was in Parco Magazine V1 N3 which is in a post above (Post 691).
SPONTANEOUS REACTION by Malcolm Adams (Addatex Software)
One page so here it is as a tif image and as a pdf.
The documentation now includes screen grabs from all versions of the game- originally written for Stainless Software, then submitted to Parco for a contest which it won hands down.
Enjoy.  bb

 

spontaneous_reaction.pdf spontaneous_reaction.tif

[blackbox]

Two UK magazines for you to read, ocr, print, PDF and add to the whtech archive...

I'm a little short on time so I'll leave the descriptions off these- if you have been looking at previous posts you know what you'll find in these...  two zips:-

Part 2 of ti-home tidings v2 n1 February 1982  plus 

from Peter Brooks, ti-lines (uk) v1 n9 December 1984

tihome_tidings_v2_n1_Feb82_part 2.zip ti-lines_(uk)_v1_n9_Dec 1984.zip

[+Ksarul]

On 8/3/2021 at 4:33 AM, blackbox said:

A UK TI99/4a user group magazine for you today- not in the WHT archives so please feel free to place it there.
A zip containing hi res tif images for you to print, read, ocr or pdf of:
EAR (East Anglia UK) V2 N7 Nov 1988

I have to look, but I seem to remember having a dozen or two issues of this newsletter. . .

[blackbox]

Thanks ksarul.  I have a big box file with nearly a complete run of the EAR magazines- I'm just scanning here the ones that seem to be omitted from wht.      bb
 

[blackbox]

A UK magazine for you to read, ocr, print, PDF and add to the whtech archive... due to its size posted in two parts - here is part one:    PARCO MAGAZINE  V1 N4    (part one)

  - no date on the publication but it would have been April or May 1985.  A4 in size, two spine staples, all white paper.
These first 16 pages include:
A "Music Control Program" by Malcolm Birkett in Extended Basic which allows music to be entered as DATA statements; Note on joysticks and alpha lock; an Adventure Help article with brief tips for Return to Pirates Island, Ghost Town, Pyramid of Doom, documentation for Spontaneous Reaction -listing in last issue.  The docs have been posted above.
Listings- note that instructions appear in their own section before all the listings. So in this part one we have instructions for "Statistical Graphics" by Sam Nash (TIB); "Telephone Timer" by Clive Tucker (XB); Sonar by Alan Jones (XB+JS); "Treasures of Xerox" by Christopher Rock (TIB).  And just squeezing into part 1 the first page of the listing for "Statistical Graphics".

bb

PARCO_V1_N4_1985_PT1.zip