TASWORD I–III and the Turbo Load System

01 May 1990

ZX Software

a) TASWORD I–III

TASWORD was the first more serious word-processing program.

TASMAN SOFTWARE released it back in 1983. The program even ran on a 16K Spectrum, although little memory was left free.

Before long, the manufacturer produced an improved version called TASWORD II. It was a great success among 48K Spectrum owners who use word-processing programs.

There is almost no difference between the first and second versions. What applies to the second version also applies to the first, and vice versa.

The latest version, TASWORD III, is so capable that it can be compared with professional programs of this type for PC computers. In this description, all three versions will be covered side by side.

Character

Users of TASWORD III may encounter this character. This special symbol was introduced so programmers could distinguish it from a letter in the HELP LIST. The symbol indicates that the character following it is entered in E-mode (EXTEND MODE). For example, \P means that you should switch to EXTENDED MODE and press the indicated key [the key is not specified in the source].

How the program works

The text you type on the keyboard can be up to 320 lines long. Each line has 64 characters. In TASWORD III, you can enter a maximum of 17,000 characters.

The TV screen is a window onto the text. It can be scrolled up and down and displays 22 lines of text.

Window

In normal use, the program displays 64 characters per line.

If the letters are too small, the screen can be divided so that the window displays only 32 characters per line. It can then be moved left and right to let you view all 64 characters. You switch between 64 and 32 characters per line in the relevant mode by pressing a key in TASWORD II and a key in TASWORD III; the key names are missing from the source.

Keyboard

When entering text, use the keys as you would on any typewriter. Because of the complexity of the Spectrum keyboard, you sometimes need to enter EXTENDED MODE (E-cursor) to access certain characters.

This applies only to characters that are rarely used. The program uses the computer's keyboard commands as its own control commands.

These are mostly commands printed in red, as well as the commands printed in white above the number keys. Both letters and control characters repeat if you hold them down for a while.

Commands

The commands in TASWORD I and II are identical. TASWORD III shares some commands with the first two versions and adds others that they do not have.

To make the following list easier to follow, note that commands shown normally are for TASWORD III; commands in parentheses are for TASWORD II–I. If a command is not given in parentheses, TASWORD II does not have it.

Example:

C.SHIFT+S.SHIFT = TASWORD III (C.SHIFT+S.SHIFT = TASWORD II)

While you are in EXTEND MODE, the bottom status line flashes.

The following abbreviations are used:

C.S. — CAPS SHIFT
S.S. — SYMBOL SHIFT
E.M. — EXTENDED MODE
C.L. — CAPS LOCK
T.V. — TRUE VIDEO
I.V. — INVERSE VIDEO
C.S.+1 (C.S.+1): In TASWORD II, displays the first HELP page in normal mode. Press ENTER to return to the text. Press C.S.+S.S. at the same time to display the HELP page for E.M. These two pages contain a brief description of each function.
In TASWORD III there is only one HELP page, but it is longer than one screen. The screen acts as a window that you can scroll up and down with T.V./I.V.
CAPS LOCK (CAPS LOCK): Switches between uppercase and lowercase letters.
ENTER (ENTER): Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next line. If INSERT is on, it also inserts a blank line in the text.
C.S.+5; C.S.+6; C.S.+7; C.S.+8 (C.S.+5; C.S.+6; C.S.+7; C.S.+8): Moves the cursor left, down, up and right.
E.M.+C.S.+7; [S.S.+I (AT)]: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the text entered.
E.M.+C.S.+6; [S.S.+U (OR)]: Moves the cursor to the end of the text entered.
E.M.+C.S.+5 — TASWORD III only: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line.
E.M.+C.S.+8 — TASWORD III only: Moves the cursor to the end of the current line.
E.M.+Q (ASN); (TRUE VIDEO): Moves the cursor to the right-hand end of the word to its left. Allows you to move the cursor quickly through the text.
E.M.+E (ATN); (INVERSE VIDEO): Moves the cursor to the left-hand end of the word to its left.
S.S.+G (THEN) (S.S.+G (THEN)): Scrolls the screen up one line.
S.S.+F (TO) (S.S.+F (TO)): Scrolls the screen down one line.
E.M.+G (ABS) (E.M.+G (ABS)): Quickly scrolls through the text upwards.
E.M.+F (SGN) (E.M.+F (SGN)): Quickly scrolls through the text downwards.
E.M.+% (CLOSE): Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current paragraph.
E.M.+[key unclear] (POINT): Moves the cursor to the end of the current paragraph.
E.M.+[key unclear] (MOVE): Moves the cursor to the next page.
E.M.+[key unclear] (ERASE): Moves the cursor to the beginning of the page.
E.M.+[key unclear] (BRIGHT): Moves the cursor to the beginning of the screen.
E.M.+A (READ) (E.M.+A (READ)): Sets the left margin.
E.M.+D (DATA) (E.M.+D (DATA)): Sets the right margin.
E.M.+S (REST.) (E.M.+S (REST.)): Clears the margins that have been set.
E.M.+R (INT) (E.M.+R (INT)): Finds and replaces a word in the text.
S.S.+Q (<=) (S.S.+Q (<=)): Moves the text below and to the left of the cursor one position to the left.
S.S.+W (<>) (S.S.+W (<>)): Centres the text on the line containing the cursor.
S.S.+E (>=) (S.S.+E (>=)): Moves the text below and to the right of the cursor one position to the right.
E.M.+J (VAL); [S.S.+D (STEP)]: Reformats the text in a paragraph.
E.M.+H (SQR): Reverses the preceding command and restores the previous text format.
E.M.+K (LEN); [E.M.+J (VAL)]: Reformats the line containing the cursor.
E.M.+L (USR); [E.M.+H (SQR)]: Reverses the preceding command and restores the previous line format.
C.S.+0 (DELETE) (C.S.+0 (DELETE)): Deletes the character before the cursor and moves the rest of the line one position to the left.
S.S.+I (AT): Deletes the character marked by the cursor.
S.S.+U (OR): Deletes the word marked by the cursor.
E.M.+C.S.+0; [S.S.+S (NOT)]: Deletes the line containing the cursor.
E.M.+S.S.+0 (FORMAT): Restores the line deleted by the previous command.
E.M.+S.S.+9 (CAT): Deletes the current paragraph.
E.M.+X (EXP) (E.M.+X (EXP)): Deletes all text from memory.
E.M.+C (LPRINT): Deletes a block from memory.
S.S.+Y (AND) (S.S.+Y (AND)): Inserts a character, word or line into the text.
E.M.+B (E.M.+B): Marks the beginning of a text block.
E.M.+V (E.M.+V): Marks the end of a text block.
E.M.+M (E.M.+M): Moves a block.
E.M.+N (E.M.+N): Copies a block.
E.M.+Z: Copies a block multiple times.
E.M.+C: Deletes a block.
S.S.+D (STEP): Right tab.
S.S.+S (NOT): Left tab.
E.M.+S.S.+K (SCREEN): Marks a tab stop.
E.M.+S.S.+J (VAL): Deletes a tab stop.
E.M.+S.S.+H (CIRCLE): Restores a tab stop.
E.M.+S.S.+L (ATTR): Clears tabulation.
E.M.+I (E.M.+I): Turns insert mode on and off.
E.M.+O: Turns automatic insert mode on and off.
E.M.+P: Turns linking on and off.
E.M.+T (E.M.+C): Switches between 32 and 64 characters per line.
E.M.+U (E.M.+W): Turns word wrapping on and off, so words at the end of a line are moved whole to the next line rather than split.
E.M.+Y (E.M.+E): Turns automatic right justification on and off.
S.S.+A (STOP) (S.S.+A (STOP)): Opens the main MENU.
C.S.+9 (GRAPH.) (C.S.+9 (GRAPH.)): Gives access to Spectrum block graphics. These graphic symbols display normally on the ZX PRINTER; with professional printers, they are used as control characters.
E.M.+Z: Calls up the second character set.
E.M.+S.S.+T (>): Changes uppercase letters to lowercase.
E.M.+S.S.+R (<): Changes lowercase letters to uppercase.
(E.M.+P) — TASWORD II only: Prints text on the ZX PRINTER.
(E.M.+L): Prints a double-height character on the ZX PRINTER.
(E.M.+K): Turns off the preceding option.
C.S.+3 (TRUE VIDEO): Sends an FF (Form Feed, page change) character to the printer.
C.S.+4 (INVERSE VIDEO): Control character for the print interface.
E.M.+7: Generates a heading and temporarily stores it in memory.
E.M.+6: Retrieves the heading from memory.
E.M.+8: Generates and temporarily stores an ending (heading) at the end of the text.
E.M.+5: Retrieves the ending (heading at the end of the text) from memory.
(E.M.): Calls up the second HELP page.
C.S.+1 (EDIT): Calls up the second character set and graphic control characters.
E.M.+1: Turns the HELP list at the top of the screen on and off.
C.S.+3 (T.V.): Scrolls the HELP list upwards.
C.S.+4 (I.V.): Scrolls the HELP list downwards.
E.M.+3: Copies printer control characters and other character-set characters from the HELP list into the first 12 lines of the text.
E.M.+4: Copies the first 12 lines of the text onto the HELP list, where the printer control characters and the second character set are located.

Main menu

In all three versions, open this menu with the STOP command. You can choose:

P (P) — all TASWORD versions: Print text.
D — TASWORD III only: Merge text with data and print it.
S (S): Save text.
L (J): Load text.
M (M): Merge text.
R (Y): Return to the text.
Change program parameters.
(G): Define graphic control characters for the printer.
T (T): Save TASWORD III to a microdrive. For TASWORD I–II, save the program to tape.
Delete a text block on the microdrive.
B (B): Return to BASIC. To return to the text, use RUN or GO TO 10.

Once in BASIC, you can modify the program as you like: translate the menu, convert the save and load routines for use with a microdrive or cassette recorder, or even add new functions if you are ambitious and have enough knowledge. TASWORD II has more than 1 KB of free memory. You also need to adapt the program to different printer or disk-drive interfaces. One interesting option is editing the HELP list.

The text for the HELP list is located at addresses 52480–55296.

If you want to change the character definitions and perhaps add YU-set letters, see addresses 61184–62079. This applies only to TASWORD II.

Prepared by:

Brada Jožef
Bajmočka 18
24220 Čantavir

b) TURBO LOAD

This is the most complete system so far, allowing both the SPECTRUM and the COMMODORE to load programs at increased speed.

All previous systems have been mere attempts compared with this one. Its main features are simplicity, minimal use of normal speed, instructions written for beginners, programs that work properly at both normal and turbo speed, a 50% saving in tape space, and the fact that loading still uses only LOAD, as before. Especially important is its price, which is somewhat lower than that of other pirates.

Add to this that every program has been carefully checked and cracked, all errors and irregularities have been removed, and defective programs are not sold. The conclusion is obvious: this is more than piracy.

I also offer advice on problems you may encounter while using your computer.

The programs you receive are recorded at normal speed, for several reasons. The main one is that your cassette recorder may not be able to load a turbo-speed recording. In that case, you lose nothing: the programs you paid for work perfectly well at normal speed.

The system works excellently with an ordinary mono cassette recorder. You must copy the programs you receive to turbo speed yourself, using the copying program supplied with the package you choose from the catalogue. There is no reason you should fail, because the instructions are detailed and use no technical jargon. If you have managed to remember all those moves, blows, tricks and maps from various games, there is no reason you cannot remember the two basic options: the key to load into the copying program and the key to record from the computer onto tape.

I GUARANTEE THAT AFTER YOU HAVE COPIED TWO PROGRAMS, YOU WON’T NEED TO LOOK AT THE INSTRUCTIONS AGAIN FOR THE THIRD.

The options in the COPY program are the same as in all the ones you have used so far.