CHARACTERS

This utility allows you to alter the shapes of the letters and numbers that

appear on the screen; in other words, it allows you to design your own fonts.

The screen display is divided into three areas, the top showing all the current

character shapes, the central box showing an enlarged version of the currently

selected character (together with a normal size version to its right) and the

bottom area providing a summary of the operating keys.

Characters to be redefined may be selected in one of two ways:

-- by pressing the appropriate key on the keyboard (for standard keyboard

characters);

-- by using the cursor control keys to position the cursor under one of the

characters at the top of the screen and pressing This method may be

used to select both standard characters and those which cannot be obtained

directly from the keyboard.

Once a character has been selected, an enlarged version is shown in the central

box. Thereafter, the cursor keys may be used to select a particular element in

the central box and depression of changes its state (i.e. if it is currently

is white, switches it to black and vice versa). The effect of any change is

reflected immediately in the character to the right of the grid.

is used to end execution of the program.

is used to save the current font to disc, making it possible to design a

number of fonts, each of which may be reloaded when required.

is used to reset the font to normal. Note that unless you use before

ending the utility, the effects of any changes to the font will remain until you

switch the computer off or execute a hard break.

ENVELOPE

Brief mention of the BASIC ENVELOPE command has been made on page

C65, but the fact that it takes no less than 14 parameters makes it unsuitable

for description in a guide of this nature. However, ENVELOPE is a utility

program which enables you to experiment with the envelope command. It

allows you to change some or all of the various parameters and to listen to the

effect that the changes have upon the sounds generated by the computer. It

may also be used to determine the parameters necessary to generate a

particular sound for inclusion in say, a computer game.

B l1