Editor's note - Prospects for the development of the shell.

                                          
EDITORIAL                               
                                          
Prospects for shell development       
------------------------------------------
 Perhaps something in this article will show-
seems far-fetched to the reader.  I confess that
much of the text was written
impressed by reading the article about
creating a multimedia disc "Russian
museum Painting", published in the magazine
"PC World", #6, 1998. In the article, representatives of races
talks about the main stages of work on
multimedia application.  There was a lot
so close, familiar and recognizable,
that I unwittingly transferred some of the concepts and
terms into your thoughts about the process
creating an electronic magazine for ZX Spec-
trum.                                     
                                          
 1. Types of screens and design elements    
                                          
 1.1. Main Menu Screen         
                                          
  The screen consists of 12 icons in size
8*8 acquaintances.  Each pictogram is
Login to the magazine section.  Thus, in
everyoneroom is supposed to have 12
sections:                                 
                                          
editorial - editorial;             
soft group - section for programmers;    
hard group - hardware issues
nia;                                      
user group - for users;           
ZX mouth-pourri - section with selections of materials
rials not included in other sections of the no-
measure;  there is a trend towards publication
advertising materials: catalogues,
price lists, announcements, advertising, articles about
groups, associations, companies, projects;  
Party... - information about those preparing and pro-
ongoing Festivals, problematic articles on
demomaking;                             
x-files - Unidentified Flying Objects,
anomalous phenomena;                       
alarm - rock music, philosophy;            
enjoy! - relax!  any general material
character;toys - computer games;                 
software application;                   
(c) elders group - output data of the number,
information about the participants of the issue, addresses. 
                                          
  The main requirement for a screen is unity
pictogram style.                         
                                          
 1.2. Section login screen         
                                          
  Three types of screens: horizontal, vertical
tikal arrangement of the screen saver and half-
no screen saver.  Common element for
the first two types of screens are control
ruler located at the top
screen parts:                             
                                          


                                          
                                          
S (service):                              
 +----------------------------+----------------+    
    |music |op/off |    
    +--------------+----------------+    
    |monitor|colour/monochrom|    
    +--------------+----------------+    
    |write an article|U/N |    
    +--------------+----------------+    
    |record screen |U/N |    
    +--------------+----------------+    
                                          
x - return button                       
                                          
1.2.1. Horizontal placement of the splash screen 
                                          
  Graphic splash screen 32*8 acquaintances can be
can be located either in the lower part of the e-
wound, or under the control line.  Os-
the remaining part of the screen is 32*15 familiar
is displayed under the text-graphic output window
some information: introductory part to different
case, introduction, from the presenter, etc.        
                                          
 1.2.2. Vertical placement of the splash screen  
                                          
  Graphic splash screen and text output window
they have the same height of 23 familiar
ta - from the bottom edge of the screen to the control
cabbage soup ruler. Screensaver - 16 acquaintances - le-
half of the screen;  text box - 23*
*16 acquaintances.                            
                                          
1.2.3. Full screen splash screen       
                                          
  The use of this type of screen is justified
but, apparently, only when entering the "Applications"
nie". A window menu is superimposed on the screen.
                                          
 1.2.4. Text box           
                                          
After the actual text part, following
text, one or more
how many sprites whose total size is
match the size of the text window.
When the sprites are completely displayed in the window, the reverse
The counter is set to zero. Display
day sprites (sprite) is the first
section menu item: when clicking the mouse
according to the sprite, a window system appears
nude or switches to viewing mode
ra text.                                
                                          
 1.3. Basic text viewing mode   
                                          
  At the top of the screen there is information
formation-control ruler with a height of
2 familiar places:                             
                                          


                                          
                                          
  There is a switch under the counter
viewing mode: line - line-by-line
motr, page - page-by-page viewing. Strel-
ki "to the right", "to the left" suggest a pop-
Single shift of text left-right.  These
buttons only work if
the loaded part of the article does not contain gr-
fics (sprites).  To the left half of the line
The title of the article is displayed.  If the name
the article does not fit entirely into the allotted space
part of the screen, then it breaks off and is placed
ellipsis.                               
                                          
 2. Shell programming       
             and number assembly              
                                          
  Involved in writing work procedures
naturally, group system programmer
and, as a rule, it develops on it
responsibility for layout (assembly) of the number.  If
creating new procedures is creative work
what, then the layout of the number is routine, one
varied work that takes a lot of time
neither arousing enthusiasm.  Besides,
when laying out sections they can quite often
situations arise that require re-
text editing. Soway, version
the grinder must be more of a realist
doctor rather than a programmer, and therefore
separation of duties is desirable: system
dark programmer, layout designer.          
  Today's practice of assembling your number
assumes that the system programmer
using basic operating procedures to
of each new issue he writes, in fact,
a new program, linking into one whole the
Bor of drivers, text, music and
graphic files. If you entrust the assembly
numbers to another person, then it is obvious that
the group must have two system
programmers, since not having a rich
experience in assembly language programming, you
It is impossible to complete such work. expedient
it would be better to entrust the system program with
rammist to write another program (or
software package) of an applied nature for
magazine layout.  Thus, the layout
will be reduced to working with an application program
on construction of the shell frame and input of in-
formations.                                 
  Preliminary work preceding
the final stage of the number layout, you can
divided into three main stages:            
                                          
development of the general layout of the magazine;           
prototyping and template development;
preparation of starting materials.           
When developing the general layout of the magazine it is necessary
we need to have a good idea of what in-
the formation will be offered to the reader and how
how will access to this information be ensured?
formations. At this stage of work,
all possible types of information flows from
main menu to a magazine article. Hello
The diagram below shows the expected
log structure.                        
                                          
            
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                                          
                                          
1 - login screens for the magazine section;        
2 - graphic elements of the menu system;    
3 - window menu system;                 
4 - executable modules (return to shell
 log implied);             
T - main text viewing mode;      
P - call programs from the "Application" section
  The main information is highlighted in color
streams.                                   
                                          
Preparation of a prototype of the future model number
may seem vain at first glance
a waste of time. However, since the prototype
fully implements the general scheme of the number, then
it allows you to work out the design and individual
log shell routines. Simultaneously with
the prototype will be prepared and developed
A list of templates for the main types of screens. Himself
the template itself may not contain any
information, but it must include
design and control elements.            
 Preparation of source materials includes
includes a selection of unformatted texts,
illustrative graphic material,
music files, small software
demonstration modules.  By
as the source material accumulates, there will be
the frame of the number will be formed and the
The graphic elements of the menu system will appear.
Selecting a template type for a specific section
agreed with the artist-designer, further
work continues on the formation of content
zhaniya section.                            
  After preparing all the starting materials,
fishing and final selection of templates can be
start layout of the number.Layout should
start with building the frame of the room,
including the presentation of all in-
formation flows from the main menu to
each specific article or demonstration
onny program.  For example, by clicking the mouse
according to the icon "(c) elders group", we
we get to the screen of the main mode pro-
mothra text;  by clicking the return button,
again we get to the main menu screen. This one
the path must be described in the number frame and
contain screen templates without padding
their specific information. So connected
set of templates and information flows
for each section and represents
frame of the number, defining everythinglogical
connections between basic work procedures
shells.                                 
  Now you can begin toenter information
tions by sections. Moving along specific
mu information flow of the frame, after-
Consequentially enter a specific text and
graphic information is generated, if not
necessity, window menu system, connection
tea background music and software modules
for viewing.                            
  The section assembled in this way is subjected to
is testing, which includes
careful review of the entire section, ana-
analysis of its content and structure, search for non-
additions and errors.  Testing is recommended
carry out both for each section and for
content of the entire issue as a whole to avoid
elimination of possible logical or stylistic inconsistencies
knitting between individual parts of the magazine.   
 After entering information on sections and
testing is at the final stage
assembly numbers:  processing of all sections
program for compression and integration of packaging
bathroom information in log blocks. This ra-
bot, in principle, can also be developed
Lana using a software package for
magazine layout.3. Additional text viewing modes 
                                          
  This implies writing two additional
of text viewing procedures: with inferential
house in window 32*15 acquaintance and with output in
window 16*23 acquaintance. Information, output
May through these windows is fundamentally divided into 2
components: text part - introduced -
tion to the section; graphic part - sprite-
you or one sprite that is composite
part of the magazine's menu system.  At the same time,
the text part may be missing, but
Sprites are required. Overall size
sprites must match the size
text window.  When the sprite is completely withdrawn,
com in the window the countdown counter sets -
goes to zero (in the absence of a text hour -
sprites and reverse are displayed in the window
the counter will be set to zero immediately).
When you click on a sprite, one will be made
of three possible transitions: calling a window
menu system, call to execute program
many modules, switch to view mode
articles.  Return on completed transition
implied.                          
                                          
 4. A few additional notes   
                                          
  The article should end with a small, but
extremely significantremark: everything is explained
the thoughts discussed above have not yet been discussed
judged with the person from whom directly
their software implementation depends.  Please
forgiveness from readers for what was taken from them in vain
them time, because I'm not at all sure that
the idea of writing a new shell will find a living
response in the soul of our programmer and support
pushes him to creative daring.  It's a pity.
But besides all of the above, we want to
I would like to have a new text viewer for 51
character in a string, finally implement the re-
moves through the text within at least one
articles... Will this fantasy come true
editor into a software product - will show
time.                                    
                                          
SWdZ