User Guide TORCH
Contents
1. HAM PIP PIHE PE PEPEPEPE OM PP WHA PT HHAHAAAA AHA P H PEPER E H HPH HAH i bat t i P r W w w a w a w a User Guide TORCH COMPUTERS TORCH COMPUTERS LIMITED Abberley House Great Shelford Cambridge CB2 5LQ Telephone 841000 Telex 818841 TORCH G AP KP LT CP LE LP LP E LP LP LP CT PCI UP IP EP CP EP EPP D EP EPP EPP ET QE ET EE EP EP EE A 1982 Torch Computers Limited SERRES DIR ES E LE ERS NE EN PR RE VERRE TORCH COMPUTERS Introduction Your new TORCH computer has been designed to meet the demands and pressures of businesses of the 80s both large and small It will handle all possible office procedures from word processing to financial planning and stock control It will also communicate by telephone and telex with other offices and computers both nationally and internationally This manual explains how to start making your TORCH work for you It has been written for people who have no experience or training in using computers and by following each section step by step you should be able to start using your TORCH from the day it arrives When you have read this manual you should know how to unpack your TORCH assemble it switch it on use the keyboard give it some simple commands start a program running load look after and copy floppy discs sort out minor faults link up a printer if you have one The guide also gives you a list and explanation of many o2. MEM ype NOTE You must make sure when copying groups of files that you give the computer enough files to copy into There must always be the same number of files to copy to as from Example You cannot use the command COPY LETTER TO LETTER RA as there might be more than one file called letter to put into a single file COPY B TO A will copy all files on disc B to disc A You can also rename files This is particularly useful if you wish to regroup information or put outdated information into storage and release the file names to use again To rename a file Type RENAME filename AS filename Example Ifyou want to rename afile called PROG COM and call it OLDPROG COM TYRENAME PROG COM AS OLDPROG COM You can also rename groups of files with ambiguous filenames Example Ifyou are using the same disc as you wished to copy JMB 1 LET RA3 LET JMB 1 MEM TOR LET VS MEM and you vt to rename all the JMB 1 files OLDJM RENAME JMB 1 AS OLDJMB ET Type NOTE Aswith the copy command you must always have the same number of new names as there are files to be renamed 27 TORCH COMPUTERS DELETE You can also remove files from a disc once you have finished with them To remove a file Type DELETE filename ata Example Ifyou wish to wipe out a file called TEXT RED Type DELETE TEXT RED If you wish to remove a group of files with ambiguous filenames Type DELETE filename itil where th
3. __ Type KEY 0 1234 j If you wish to include a quote within the string you will need to press the quote key twice Example To set key 8 to produce es ey ee u XAXA ee ee Type KEY 8 rT as ou 5 If you wish to include carriage returns in your string you have to have another way of telling the TORCH to make a carriage return since to press return will close the command To do this you can use i M to mean carriage return where represents the character on the bottom of the Example Tosetkey 5tosetthe foreground colour of the screen to dark blue and the background to light blue Type xKEY 5 F 4 MB 6 i MEME Pressing key 5 then gives F 4 8 6 EMN r Mi QAR AE A CA AA UP A A a a A A b b A Mode The MODE command allows you to change the format of the screen This means that you can increase or decrease the character size To use a MODE command Type MODE number Where the number shows the format you wish to use and will be from 0 to 7 Modes are explained more fully in the Programmer s Guide The codes for the different formats are as follows O 80x32 text 4 40x25 text 1 40x32 text 5 20X32 text 2 20x32 text 6 40x25 text 3 80x25 text 7 40x25 teletext dispiay In this table the first column is the number of characters on a line and the second the number of lines on a page The Teletext display is the mode used for the British Telecom PRESTEL System When yo
4. C or direct sunlight 5 Keep the discs in a dry atmosphere as dampness can damage them 6 Donotbend the disc more than you have to 7 Donotturn the power off and on while the discs are in the drives unless the drive doors are open Before you can store information on a disc you need to go through a process called formatting This is a bit like putting primer on wood before painting it itis a process which prepares the disc to receive data The TORCH has a built in command to do this You would use the FORMAT command when using anew disc or erasing all the information on an old disc to use it for something else NOTE Formatting completely wipes the disc concerned so that you must be very careful that it is the right disk As a double safety check you should make copies of the discs supplied with your TORCH and any other important discs you buy or make to be quite sure that you don t completely lose the data on them by mistake To format a blank or unwanted disc Type FORMAT Screen Enter drive tes Forma t The TORCH is now asking you whether you wish to wipe the disc loaded into drive A or that in drive B Nowtype A orB The computer will now wipe the disc which will take some time and a red light will come on to show which drive is being formatted NOTE To safeguard against formatting an important disc you can use a write protect tab as explained on page 22 lf a key other then A or B is pre
5. PRINT command This is used in the same way as the TYPE command Example PRINT INFO TXT will make the printer print the contents of the file INFO TXT COPY If you want to make a copy of a file you can use the COPY command You can either copy a file onto another disc or make a second copy of the file on the same disc To copy a file Type COPY filename TO filename Example Tocopyafile called JMB 1 LET from disc Ato disc B Type COPY A JMB 1 LET TO B JMB 1 LET EM Example Tomake a second copy ofthe file JMB 1 LET on the same disc calling the new file JMB 2 LET Type COPY JMB 1 LET TO JMB 2 LET If you do not specify a disc the computer will assume you are referring to the one currently being worked on The COPY command is particularly useful for making back ups of single files Before practising the command follow the instructions on page 22 for duplicating the disc to make sure that if you do make a mistake there is no danger of losing any of your files Copying groups of files The COPY command can also be used for copying groups of related files with ambiguous filenames see page 23 A ER LEP AP A CE EE E RL A E EE K E R a a R RENAME Example Ifyou have a disc containing the files JMB 1 LET RA3 LET JMB 1 MEM TOP LET and VS MEM and if you wish to copy all the files called JMB 1 to new files called JMB 2 COPY JMB 1 TO JMB 2 Type If you wish to copy all the LETters to MEMos n COPY LET TO
6. SA AAA Illegal filename PROGRAM Meaning Action File nat found PROGRAM Meaning Action Command too long Meaning Action The filename was not of the correct form 1 to 8 characters or 1 to 8 characters 1 to 3 characters Check the file name and correct the spelling if necessary The program was not found on the disc Check spelling and make sure you are using the correct disc Acommand starting with KEY FXor BASIC was too long Shorten it to less than 60 characters The following are errors which may occur when you are using built in disc commands File not found FILENAME Meaning Action Illegal filename FILENAME Meaning Action The filename given was not present on the disc Check spelling and that you are using the correct disc The name was not of the correct form see page 23 Check typing Errors when using COPY or RENAME commands Separator not TO OF as Meaning Action Filenames equivalent ignored Meaning Action Old Filename too ambiguous Meaning Action Ma such file failed Meaning Action Using the Copy and Rename commands you have not typed TO or AS Retype correctly see pages 26and 27 You have tried to copy or rename a file to itself Check typing You have tried to rename or copy a number of files to a different number Be more specific when naming the files The source file did
7. not exist Check that you have the discs in the drive and the file you wish to copy from is there 33 TORCH COMPUTERS d 4 d Meaning The TORCH could not create the destination file Action Check thatthe file does not already exist and the disc is not full or write protected Cannot create file failed 4 i 1 j LI Meaning The copying did nottake place probably because the destination disc is full Action Check for space on the destination disc f Write error failed ial 4 ys ELLENOME XXX Meaning Itwas not possible to rename the sala aliens set file either because the new name already A FILENAME MMM failed exists or the disc is write protected Action Delete the file if necessary or use a different name or remove the write protect patch Errors when using the DIR command j Meaning A character in the DIR command is invalid Illegaal use of char STR abandoneg Action Check typing stent tne Meaning Anumber in the option is Le ps See Enar ares too high or a character invalid Action Use only L P S and0O to 31 ae VBE HI LEUR Meaning The user number quoted inside the Sa oo options field is too high Action Use avalid number Errors when using the FORMAT command 7 Meaning A drive other than Aor B was typed when Format abandaned requested NOTE this is a way of cancelling a format request
8. the TORCH has stopped working or has become disconnected Contact your TORCH repair centre Error 18 means the disc referred to is incorrectly formatted Error OE and OC mean that the information on the disc has probably become corrupted Check whether you need to copy any of the files from the disc and do so if necessary using the Copy command Then discard the disc Make sure itis not a blank disc which has not been formatted The disc is write protected If you really wish to write to the disc remove the write protect sticker The disc in the drive referred to in this case A is corrupt A program may have written garbled information onto the disc or a power failure or maltreatment may have confused the information on it Recover the files by copying them onto a blank disc If this problem occurs several times contact your dealer who will be able to check out your software in consultation with TORCH Computers Command Errors The following are the messages which result from mistakes made when typing a command Invalid command or Break Meaning Action Empty Program Meaning Action 32 A built in command starting with has not been recognised by the computer Check that the command KEY FXor BASIC was typed correctly The program you have asked for has been damaged probably through damage to adisc Make anew disc from a back up copy D a A A A a A PL LP A A UP A AS A
9. the screen and to select various other options which are described in full in the Programmers Guide To use the FX COMMAND Type FX number number Example To turn off any printer which is connected to the computer Type FX 5 0 Abandoning a program Before looking at the various ways of using programs on your TORCH you need to know how to stop a program running if something is amiss If a program running on the TORCH is faulty or for some reason it fails to respond to what you type on the keyboard you must make the computer go back to receiving commands Example If you are using the word processing program and you try to type in a command this will simply appear on the screen as part of the text If the program is not working properly you should abandon it NOTE This should only be used as a last resort as any files you have made may be lost To abandon a program hold down then press and together The computer will respond with the normal prompt Contrast Control Keyboard Alternatively you can press the master reset button at HAS senNanre the back of the TORCH This abandons the program _ o and also clears the screen 18 OISE EE IEEE EU E RRR RR R Using your TORCH Floppy discs Buying new discs Your TORCH can help you in a wide variety of applications using different programs You will have received several programs on the floppy discs which came with the computer and others
10. to something on a disc for example a text file and will scan to find it It is useful therefore to put in a disc so that it has something to scan See page 19 If it cannot find what you have typed in it will produce the message File not found FILENAME There are two types of command covered in this guide Simple commands these are built into the computer and will operate whether or not a disc is in position Disc commands these are also built in and are used to look at and manipulate information stored on disc 0 14 A A A A Ar A CR LR RQ QC CE EE EE EEE EE EE Simple built in commands This section deals with the seven simple commands while the disc commands are covered later in the guide Help Type HELPOr H This will produce a list of the commands available and the information they expect The command F is used to change the colour of the characters on the screen known as the foreground The colour is indicated by a number from 0 to 15 as follows Black 8 Black White flashing Red 9 Red cyan flashing Green 10 Green magenta flashing Yellow 11 Yellow blue flashing Blue 12 Blue yellow flashing Magenta 13 Magenta green flashing Cyan 14 Cyan red flashing White 15 White black flashing NOOB D Example Type F 1 KM sets the foreground to red NOTE Ifthe screen appears to go blank you have probably set the foreground to the same colour as the background so that you
11. 8 Switching on 8 Switching off 9 Communicating with your TORCH 10 The keyboard 10 The screen 13 Built in commands 14 Entering a command 14 Simple built in commands 15 Help 16 F 15 B 15 KEY 15 MODE 17 VDU 17 FX 18 Abandoning a program 18 Using your TORCH 19 Floppy discs 19 Buying new discs 19 Loading a disc 19 Looking after your discs 20 Formatting a disc 21 Making back up discs 22 Files and filenames 23 Using ambiguous filenames 23 Built in disc commands 24 DIR 24 TYPE 25 PRINT 26 COPY 26 RENAME 27 DELETE 28 BASIC 28 Editing cursors 29 Appendices 30 Connecting a printer 30 Troubleshooting 31 Screen messages 32 Glossary 35 Index 36 Some terms you need to know ARR RO A A A A EE RQ QE Before you read any more of this guide you need to understand a few basic concepts which will be referred to in later pages To use the processing power of the computer you have to give it instructions This is done using programs which are sets of instructions written in a logical way to tell the computer what to do Programs which have been written to perform a particular function such as word processing are called applications programs One program controls the function of the computer itself and has been built into the TORCH This is called an operating system The TORCH operating system is known as CPN and this is compatible with CP M which was written by Digital Research and will be familiar to t
12. Action Type the correct drive s a Ai Meaning The format was unsuccessful probably ee due to a bad disc Action Repeat format and if it fails again discard the disc Errors using F B SYSTEM and VDU commands Meaning Youhave used anumber which is too high ornotanumber Action Use a valid number Illegal number a4 TL Aa A a A SS A SA AN Glossary The following is a list of some of the terms used in this manual and other TORCH manuals APPLICATION A program written to carry out a specific task such as PROGRAM word processing BYTE A group of digits called bits which the computer treats as one unit CHARACTER Any letter number or symbol on the keyboard CURSOR The flashing rectangle which shows the current typing position on the screen DATA Information that can be processed by a computer DISC DISK DISKETTE A floppy plastic disc used to store data DISC DRIVE The unit into which you insert the discs FILE A unit of storage on a disc which is named and can be accessed FORMATTING Preparing a disc to receive data HARDWARE Physical equipment which makes up a computer MEMORY The part of the computer that can store data MENU A list of the activities a program can perform PROGRAM A set of logically ordered instructions which tell the computer how to perform certain tasks RAM Random Access Memory also known as read write memory ROM Read Only Memory SOFTWARE The instructions used wi
13. The cursor will move over the letter and copy it in the position of the other cursor This therefore has exactly the same effect as typing that letter on the keyboard This is useful when you wish to copy a whole line of complicated instruction to save you typing it out again In this case hold down move past until you wish to stop copying Two other keys also have specific editing functions Hold andpress y means delete line Hold and press means delete the text from the memory but leave it on the screen incase you wish to refer back to it 29 TORCH COMPUTERS Appendices Connecting a printer Parallel Printer Serial Printer Two printers Your TORCH dealer can advise you on the printer to buy and will supply appropriate connecting leads A point to note is that parallel printers which are cheaper are not normally suitable for producing high quality documents such as letters Parallel printers also cannot be located more thana few feet from the computer High quality daisy wheel printers are usually supplied with a RS232 connector A parallel printer is connected through a lead to the socket marked printer at the back of the TORCH Once connected switch the printer on and it is ready for use Look at the printer manual for details on how to select such things as page length This is connected to the socket marked RS423 and will indicate to the computer using the
14. and what they mean EE TORCH COMPUTERS tte Built in commands A command is a single word with which you tell the computer what you want it to do Several of these have been built into the TORCH so that by typing a specific word you can bring about changes on the screen or affect the information stored on disc When the TORCH was first switched on it automatically ran a program called the console command program or CCP which allows the user to enter commands and the computer to respond This resulted in the message BA gt appearing on the screen This is called a prompt and will always consist of number letter gt where the number and letters may vary Commands usually consist of a word of one to eight letters with possibly a space and more text on the same line Entering a command To use a command type the appropriate word on the keyboard and press ET You can use upper or lower case letters or a combination of the two Example HELP Help help will all give the same result some commands can also be abbreviated If so the abbreviation is shown by the capital letters in the command list given on your reference card or by the computer itself when you type H EME Example DELete can be abbreviated to DEL NOTE If you make a mistake when typing a command use to rub out one character at a time If you mis spell a command and do not correct it the computer may think you are referring
15. are available from your dealer You can also of course write programs for your own specific applications and a manual on how to program the TORCH is provided with the computer Most of the data and programs used on the TORCH are kept on mini floppy discs These are thin circular plastic sheets coated with a magnetic compound to enable them to store data Each disc holds 400K Bytes of information enough to hold some 100 000 words or ten copies of this guide The discs are enclosed in a protective jacket and the disc plus jacket can be called a diskette floppy disc or simply disc or disk Your TORCH uses very high capacity discs with the following specification 80 tracks 96 tracks per inch double sided single density 800K TORCH drives require double density discs soft sectored To give this large capacity it is important to use top quality discs and your TORCH dealer will advise you on the best brands to buy NOTE When you buy extra programs always make sure they are for CP M systems If you buy a program for a different type of computer it may not work on your TORCH Loading a disc Before you can use the programs supplied with your TORCH you have to insert a disc into one of the disc drives There are two of these on the right of the screen one beneath the other known as drive A and drive B When using only one disc you will usually use drive A the top drive and when copying one dis
16. c onto another you will have a disc in each drive 19 TORCH COMPUTERS Looking after your discs 20 To load a disc 1 Check that the drive door is open 2 Remove the disc from its envelope taking care to hold it only by its protective jacket 3 Slide the disc into the slot with the label on the top surface and on the edge nearest to you 4 When the whole of the disc is inside the drive press the door closed until it catches If the door does not close properly the disc may not be fully inserted Loading drive B As the door closes a clamp is lowered internally to grip the centre of the disc It will spin it to centralise the disc making a short whirring noise Now that your disc is in position Hold Press C This tells the computer that it has a new disc to look at You are now ready to work with the disc To make sure your discs are kept undamaged and in good condition and that your data is safe follow these simple precautions 1 When completing the contents label on the jacket use only a soft felt tipped pen Pressure could dent the disc and spoil it 2 Do not touch the exposed parts of the disc as finger prints and dust could damage the surface 3 Do not put the disc near magnetic fields such as those found near power supplies electronic equipment or loud speakers D A AP A A eR EEE Formatting a disc 4 Do not subject the disc to temperatures above 50
17. cannot see what you type This is used in the same way to change the background colour and uses the same codes Example Type B 6 sets the background to cyan Key This command is used to program the 14 blue function keys along the top of the keyboard These are numbered 0 to 13 from left to right but are unmarked on the keyboard Programming these keys is very useful if you have a function you wish the TORCH to perform frequently or a piece of text you have to type often for example your company s name and address To use the KEY command Type KEY number string where number the key you wish to program string the characters you wish the key to represent 15 TORCH COMPUTERS Including Leading Spaces Including carriage returns 16 Example If you wished the third key to produce the name FRANCIS Type KEY 2 FRANCIS remember that the keys are numbered 0 to 13 not 1 to 14 There are two other aspects of using the KEY command which you need to be aware of These are how to include spaces in the string and include a carriage return in the string remembering that pressing normally tells the computer that the command is finished To include spaces at the beginning of the string you must enclose the whole string in quotes This tells the TORCH where the text begins and ends otherwise it will ignore the spaces Example Tosetkey0to produce 12 spaces are represented by
18. ch Off and Plug out Power Switch On and Plug in NOTE If you have to rewire the plug on your TORCH at any time remember that the wire colour codes are brown live blue neutral and green yellow earth Your TORCH will now carry out an automatic self test This takes about a second and the computer will emit two beep sounds to show that everything is as it should be You may also hear a faint humming noise from the internal fan After the screen has warmed up about 20 seconds the screen will display the message TORCH Computer System BAD If this does not happen turn to page 31 EC A A a A A ARR RRQ AE Your TORCH is now ready for use Check that the processor and keyboard are working by carrying out the following test Type H Screen BASH Press Screen The following Built in commands are available under Torch CCCF Version E BACKGROUND Resi C COMMAND CORP DEL DELETE DIR DIRECTORY DUP DUPLICATE F FOREGROUND FORMAT H HELP INPUT KEY MODE PRINT REN RENAME TYPE USER WD VIE Type DIR CON BA Switching off Colour number Enter BBO Basic Filename arguments Filename TO Filename Filename Be Careful List of filespece Coptians a disc Colour number Floppy disc Warning Destroys old contents This command Filename from keyboard number text number for screen Filename Filename AS Filename Filename onto scr
19. duce the symbol on the top of the key To do this you must hold the shift key down for as long as is needed Example Totype TORCH Press and hold shift ls TORCH Release 11 TORCH COMPUTERS CCE More useful is the capitals key which converts only the P letters into upper case and doesn t change the function of the number and symbol keys To use it press the key once before typing the text you wish to appear in upper case and then press capitals again when you wish to return to lower case Example Totype TORCH Tap BES Type TORCH Tap Both these keys normally remove the last character which was typed and move the cursor back one place delete delete and HIT delete tabdato This moves the cursor and therefore the next character typed on to the position of the next tab as you would find on a normal typewriter The tabs are normally set at positions 8 16 24 etc but this may vary according to the program The total number of characters across the screen is 80 The meaning of this key depends on the program that is running at the time This is the escape key which has a meaning dependent on the program being used Example Using BBC BASIC pressing A stops the program running The meaning of this key also depends on the program Example In some word processing programs it tells the computer where to hyphenate a long word oa move WO fm upper QES These ke
20. e name you can use what is called an ambiguous file name This makes use of two characters and rather as if they were blanks in a scrabble set That is they can mean anything in any position in a file name means any character Example FRED means FRED COM FRED XoraFRED file with any other optional extension in any position has the same effect but it can mean any number of characters Example COM means all files with a COM extension means all files TORCH COMPUTERS Built in disc commands Displaying a named file In the section on Simple built in commands we looked at instructions which had been programmed into the computer so that when a certain command word was keyed in action resulted This was to save time and avoid typing out lengthy instructions The same thing applies with the use of discs and there are certain commands which can be used to tell the computer to for example list the names of the files stored on the disc or change the names of these files Two of these disc commands have been dealt with already namely FORMAT DUP Also included here are some of the other commands which you will most frequently wish to use There are many more and you can program the computer yourself to carry out specific disc commands which you require An explanation of how to do this is found in the Programmer s Manual NOTE Whenever you type in a command you must
21. een New user number 4 31 List of character numbers separated by commas Filename cantaining graphics list other commandes This is a list of instructions called commands whose uses are explained later in the guide NOTE Those familiar with CP M operating systems will be aware that many such systems require a special disc to be inserted before the computer can interact with the user known as booting This is not necessary with the TORCH so that you can use the processor without inserting a disc or with faulty disc drives This feature also makes more disc space available for program use It is important that the power supply is not switched off accidentally If this does happen all the information keyed into the machine which is not on disc will be lost Occasionally damage can also be done to a disc which is in a disc drive lf you do have to switch the power off or have prior warning of a power cut make sure that data you wish to retain has been copied onto a disc and that this has been removed from the drive See pages 20 and 26 To help make sure that no one switches off the computer at the wall by mistake mark the plug clearly 9 TORCH COMPUTERS i ii fl Using your TORCH is a two way process You Communicating with communicate with it through the keyboard and it your TORCH responds via the screen If the machine cannot understand your instructions it will say so for example if you as
22. ere is a ora inthe first or second part of the filename Example Using the same disc as before JMB 1 LET RAS LET JMB 1 MEM TOR LET VS MEM If you wish to delete all the files named JMB 1 Type DELETE JMB 1 To remove the files ending MEM Type DELETE MEM NOTE Once you have deleted a file you cannot recover it so be sure that you have back up copies if the text is likely to be needed at a later stage BASIC The BASIC command is used to enter the BASIC language provided on the TORCH in read only memory ROM This is the language used on the BBC micro computer and a guide describing it is available from your dealer NOTE This BASIC cannot be used with your normal CPN files unless an Acorn Disc System ROM is fitted To leave BBC BASIC use the CPN command see the BBC User Guide or press the master reset button at the back of the computer while holding down ctr DE A a LP A a SS ee Editing cursors To make it easier to type corrections when entering a command you can use a second cursor called the editing cursor The editing cursor is an extra cursor which is produced by pressing one of the keys move move f upper lower gt es case case You can move this cursor around the screen by pressing these keys as shown on the arrows Pressing upper case moves it up and lower case moves it down If you wish to move a letter move the cursor to the letter then Press flee past
23. f the jargon terms and abbreviations you will come across when reading about the computer and the meanings of messages that appear on the screen which you might at first find confusing If you have not had experience of using a micro computer follow the guide carefully Do not be afraid to practice typing out instructions onto the keyboard or of making mistakes the TORCH will tell you if it does not understand and errors are easily corrected Where special care should be taken for example in looking after discs and making sure you don t wipe out programs or stored information unintentionally clear warnings are given in the guide If you have any problems you cannot sort out contact your dealer He is there to help you AAAA A A A A A A a UP ET EL LP ET ET D EP EP E Torch manuals and guides Secretary s Communications Aid Manual Communications Guide This manual will not teach you how to program the computer or how it works More detailed manuals have been written for those experienced in the techniques and equipment as shown in the chart below There are also manuals and information sheets to go with each of the programs you will use User Guide Test and p l r Demonstration aoe S par Instructions uide anua Systems Manual TORCH COMPUTERS Contents Introduction 2 Manuals 3 Some terms you need to know 5 Setting up your TORCH 6 Unpacking the TORCH 6 Setting up 7 Attaching the keyboard
24. hose who have used micro processors before The operating system does not have to be put into the computer on a disc because it is permanently stored in what is called Read Only Memory ROM This is part of the computer s memory which cannot be altered by instructions from the keyboard There is an explanation of some additional terms you may come across in the Glossary on page 35 CP M is a registered trademark of Digital Research TORCH COMPUTERS Settin r TORCH This section deals with how to unpack set up and g up you ORC switch on your TORCH Unpacking your TORCH Unpack your TORCH carefully keeping all the packing materials You should use these again when the TORCH is moved over long distances or returned for servicing Check that you have the following items Equipment TORCH computer main unit with video screen TORCH keyboard 2 floppy discs Manuals Programmer s manual which tells you how to write programs for the computer Secretary s aid manual which describes how to use the word processing program supplied with the TORCH Communications manual which shows how the TORCH can communicate by telephone or with other computers TORCH reference card which records on a single card some of the most important things you will need to remember when using the computer You may also have bought some extra items Hardware TORCH compatible printer the most common extra piece of equip
25. k it for a file which is not on the disc you are using the screen will give the message File not found If you are not sure what to do next you can ask the computer for help using the HELP command The Keyboard Before you can use the TORCH you need to become familiar with the layout and function of the keys on the keyboard The TORCH keyboard is like that of a normal typewriter with some extra keys Unlike a typewriter however the function of some of the keys can change according to which program is running Details of this are given in the manuals and leaflets which accompany the programs There are two special features you should be aware of 1 Auto repeat If you hold down a key it will repeat itself automatically like the underlining key on an electric typewriter 2 Type ahead If you type into the TORCH when it is processing other information there may be a delay before the characters appear on the screen KA _ D Co amp 3 f f5 710 T1 2 18 lower NES Hi move LS move delete se case case past 4 fil redo esc H DHARARAGHRAGRER under tabuiat W screen ling abulate E T Y U line 4 k Mex para window word line EG HHO OOo EX JE EBA ODOUR EEE as IY E a O D A CO Cr A RL RRQ A akl d ett 0 You will find the following keys on your keyboard Function Keys There are 14 unmarked blue keys along the top of the keyboard
26. key 11 Connecting a printer 30 tabulate key 12 COPY command 26 Invalid filename 33 23 Teletext 17 errors with 33 Trouble shooting 31 34 Copying a disc 22 27 33 Keyboard 10 13 TYPE command 25 CP M 5 9 19 attaching 8 TYPE ahead 10 CPN 5 31 x KEY command 15 33 ctrl key 12 18 28 29 Keys 11 13 Unpacking the TORCH 6 Cursor 29 35 Upper case 11 Letter keys 11 key 29 Delete command 27 Loading a disc 19 delete keys 12 29 Looking after discs 20 VDU command 17 Destination disc 23 Lower case 11 errors with 34 Disc disk 35 key 11 29 back up 22 Write protecting 21 22 25 commands 24 Manuals other 3 6 copying 22 27 Memory 31 care of 21 Messages on screen 13 32 34 formatting 21 MODE command 17 space left on 25 move keys 12 29 specification 19 write protecting 21 22 25 Number Disc drives 6 19 keys 11 Disc head 6 pad 11 DIR command 24 errors with 34 Operating system 5 Displaying a filename 24 DUP command 23 Bee yy hy kod fed ded ded eked ed ed ek ved dekh VA TTT TT COMPUTERS User Guide
27. llowing meanings P means indicate which files are write protected L means give the length of each file in kilobytes S means give the space used on the disc so far These are used by typing them after the DIR command and filename and enclosing them in square brackets Example DIR P tells you which ofthe files on the disc are protected Screen COM ra SERVE COM r o TEXT CW UT r w means read and write r o means read only write protected Example DIRLETTER L gives all the files with the main name letter and their sizes in 1000 s of characters K screen IK LETTER R 23K Example DIR B S will give the space free on disc B Screen Space left on B 146K Example DIR LP would give the sizes of all files on the selected disc and whether they were protected If you wish to see the text in a file you use the Type command To use the command Type TYPE filename 25 TORCH COMPUTERS Example Toshowthe textin one ofthe files on the disc supplied with your TORCH called DEMO TXT Type TYPE DEMO TXT ONA Screen abcdefahijkKimnopgqretuyvwxyz This command can be abbreviated to T Example TDEMO TXT will have the same effect as TYPE DEMO TXT NOTE Do not use the type command with information other than text such as programs as these use unusual character codes PRINT If you have a printer connected to your TORCH you can print out information from files using the
28. ment Blank floppy discs see page 19 for specification software TORCH application programs written to do aspecific job such as stock control Discs and manual on languages Application programs for CP M microcomputers Manuals Repair manual systems manual BBC micro computer user manual since your TORCH is fully compatible with BBC BASIC programs NOTE When you have unpacked your TORCH you will see that there are cards in the slots on the right of the screen These protect the disc heads with which the computer reads the floppy discs Take them out and keep them with the rest of the packing materials Open the disc drive doors just as you would an up and over garage door and leave them open until you are ready to insert a disc RAR A Ar A GAL ttt torr A Setting up Peripheral Connectors NS Contrast Control Brilliance on Monochrome version ne ce Now that you have unpacked your TORCH and made sure that you have all the components you are ready to assemble the system Put the main module which contains the screen and processing power of the system on a firm surface at normal desk height Avoid soft or spongy surfaces such as a typewriter pad as these will restrict the flow of air round the computer Make sure the TORCH is near an ordinary electric wall socket If you are going to use the TORCH as a link with other locations and computers you will also need a telephone point
29. nearby The TORCH is designed to operate in a normal office environment and should not be kept in a place which is excessively dusty or dirty or where the temperatures drop to less than 15 C or more than 30 C Once you have positioned the main unit you can plug in peripherals such as the printer at the back ie Top Disk Drive Drive A ce eS Telephone Lead Power Connector and Power Switch Bottom Disk Drive Drive B System Reset TORCH COMPUTERS Attaching the keyboard Next put the keyboard in front of the screen so that it is comfortable to use as a typewriter and plug the curly cable which comes from the keyboard into the socket at the back left hand corner of the main module Switching on Now the main units of your TORCH are connected up you are ready to switch on the power 1 Make sure that the main power switch at the back of the TORCH and the switch on the wall socket are both turned off 2 Plug the mains power cable into the connector at the back of the main unit and plug the other end into the wall socket 3 Make sure that the circuit breaker on the connection into the TORCH is pushed in This acts as a fuse and can be reset easily if it blows 4 Check that the keyboard and mains cable are connected correctly and both disc drive doors are open 5 Turn the power on at the wall and then at the back of the TORCH Power Swit
30. press the key to tell the TORCH that you have finished the command The following are the most commonly used built in disc commands Each disc can hold up to 256 files depending on their size The names of the files and details about their size and position are kept in a directory on the disc The DIR command is used to display the list of the files on a disc on the screen To list the names of all the files on the disc 1 Load the disc into the disc drive 2 Type DIR This will display the files in the top drive drive A Example DEMO THT FETCH COM FILES A GRAFH COM SERVE COM NOTES To list the names of all the files on disc B Type DIR B If you wish to display information on a named file Type DIR filename REME Example Todisplay information on the file named GRAPH COM Type DIR GRAPH COM A A A a RR RR DIR commands using ambiguous filenames DIR options DEMOTEXT LETTER TYPE DLE FFW 2 i 2K FETCH LETTER The DIR command is particularly useful when used with ambiguous filenames to give a list of files with similar names Example DIR COM will give alist ofall the files with extension COM Example DIRLETTER willgive alist of all files with mainname LETTER NOTE DIR alone is equivalent to DIR To find out more information about the files on a disc you can use what are called DIR options These are the single letters P L and S which have the fo
31. rmal sequence of events is for the fan to come on an image to appear on the screen and the computer to emit two beep noises The message on the screen should be TORCH Computer HAY System This section tells you what to do if this does not happen and what the problems probably are Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Problem Action Circuit breaker has popped out Push itin Fuse on wall plug has blown Replace fuse Internal power supply problem See dealer Brightness turned down Turn it up at control on the back of the main unit Screen is faulty See dealer Peripheral processor failed self test See dealer Z80 processor failed to communicate correctly with the peripheral processor See dealer Keyboard not plugged in Check connecting lead Keyboard faulty See dealer Peripheral processor faulty See dealer TORCH COMPUTERS Screen messages This section gives a list of messages which may appear on your TORCH screen what they mean and what action you should take Hardware Errors Ne 298 Meaning Action Disc A track 5 Meaning hardware error Kx where XX 18 OE or OC Action Disc A track 44 is read only Meaning Action Disc A track 47 corrupt Meaning Action The Z8O computer card inside
32. ssed the formatting will not take place Screen Format abandoned TORCH COMPUTERS Making back up discs Write protecting a disc Because of the danger of losing valuable information and a lot of hard work through discs being damaged or data being accidentally removed it is strongly recommended that you make copies of such discs as safe records To start with you should copy the two discs which came with your TORCH so that you can practice using these copies without running any risk of losing the information stored on them It is also recommended that you acquire the habit of making back up copies of the discs you have been using at the end of each day It does not take long and since you can re use the discs as often as you wish neither is it as extravagant as it may at first appear To duplicate a disc 1 Putthe disc to be duplicated called the source disc into drive B 2 Putthe blank disc called the destination disc into drive A The disc need not be formatted as this will happen automatically 3 Type DUP KR 4 Follow the instructions which appear on the screen You will see that the discs which came with your TORCH have a small piece of adhesive paper at one side This is another device to prevent you accidentally wiping the information off the discs It is known as write protection The adhesive paper covers a small notch in the disc jacket When this is covered the compu
33. standard RTS CTS method of signalling that the printer is connected up When the TORCH is switched on or after the master reset switch is used the computer assumes that a parallel printer is being used To tell it that this is not so use the command FX5 2 Before trying to use the printer If a serial and a parallel printer are connected at the same time either can be selected for use by typing FX 5 2 for the serial printer FX 5 1 for the parallel printer FX 5 0 for no printer WARNING If you accidentally select either printer without plugging it in a program will attempt to print characters then stop and wait To abandon this program without connecting the printer follow the procedure on page 18 30 a Ls a a ee a af L pf le a L L af S L gt L muff Lo mf T L a L mal L maf L CE L af Lo nf z a i l 5 L l L a l L_ Troubleshooting No fan whirr no screen image no beeps Fan whirr no screen image no beeps Fan whirr 2 beeps nothing on screen Fan whir continuous burring noise screen unclear or garbled Fan whirr one beep screen displays TORCH Computer System but not OA gt Screen displays No 734 Fan whirr one beep flashing cursor appears on the screen Fan whirr two beeps screen displays TORCH Computer System BA gt but no response to keyboard When you switch on your TORCH the no
34. ter is unable to put information onto the disc but can only read it If you try to write on this disc the screen will show the message Disc A is read only and give a short Beep sound When you have made your back up disc you should stick the write protected patch supplied with the blank disc over the notch This done with the copy safely put away you can use the disc for general work knowing the data is safe Write Protect Notch DE A AE A IME IMI aa aaa a R R R R R R Files and filenames Using ambiguous filenames When you key information into the computer for storage on a disc you open a file on the disc This file has to have aname so that you can give the computer instructions about it such as to print out the file or display it on the screen and identify it by name A file name is made up of 1 to 8 characters or 1 to 8 characters 1 to 3 characters where a character is one of the following a letter from A to Z a number from 0 to 9 amp Example FRED9 JMB RA DEMO 1 TORCHTEL COM X Z LETTER 001 Within these limits you can name your files according to your own system Any names that do not conform would be considered invalid by the computer Example LONGSTRING morethan 8 characters NORMAL LONG optional extension more than 3 characters ZED ALP colon not allowed Where you wish to include a file within a certain group without giving it a precis
35. th computer hardware such as application programs languages and operating systems 35 TORCH COMPUTERS Index mn Abandoning a program 18 Editing 13 Parallel printer 30 E _ Ambiguous filenames 23 cursors 29 Peripherals F with Copy command 26 Environment for TORCH 7 Plugging in 7 with DELete command 28 Erasing 21 Positioning the TORCH ri g with DIR command 25 Errors Power supply 8 with REName command 27 hardware 31 cuts 9 d Assembling the TORCH 7 command 33 35 switching on and off 8 n the printer 30 esc key 12 PRINT command 26 mm Auto repeat 10 exact space key 12 errors with 33 34 5 Printer 18 26 30 B command 15 F command 15 Programs 5 6 ni BASIC command 28 33 errors with 34 Background colour 15 Fan 10 31 Read only memory ROM 31 BBC Basic 28 Floppy disc 6 19 RENAME command 27 Blue keys 11 16 Files 23 errors with 33 Booting boot strapping 9 ambiguous names 23 33 Reset button 17 31 Built in commands 14 24 copying 26 return key 11 deleting 27 28 Capacity of discs 19 25 invalid name 33 23 48 Screen 13 17 capitals key 12 names 23 34 Self test 8 Care of discs 20 renaming 27 Serial printer 30 Characters 13 Foreground colour 15 Setting up 7 Circuit breaker 8 FORMAT command 21 shift key 11 Colour of screen 15 errors 50 Simple commands 15 18 Commands Function keys 11 16 Source disc 23 simple 14 FX command 18 30 33 Specification of discs 38 disc 24 Switching off 9 entering 14 HELP command 9 14 on 8 errors with 32
36. u first switch on the power the TORCH appears in mode 3 and this together with modes 0 and 7 is the most useful Once you have issued a MODE command this will apply until anew MODE commandis given an application program changes the screen mode the Master re set button at the back of the TORCH is pressed to stop a program running NOTE Changing the mode clears the screen completely The VDU command also changes the screen configuration It is a very powerful command but it is not necessary to master it when you are first experimenting with your TORCH Once you are more familiar with the computer you will find it easier to use To use the VDU command Type VDU number number number The numbers you key in tell the computer what you wish it to do Numbers from 0 to 31 have special meanings which are given in the Programmer s Guide Numbers from 32 upwards represent the characters they would normally represent TORCH COMPUTERS Here are a few of the most common examples Example VDU 12 clears the screen Example VDU 7 will sound the bell Example VDU 14 Will tell the screen to stop scrolling moving on from line to line a page of text and wait for you to press shift before moving to the next page Example VDU 15 causes the screen to go back to scrolling normally and is used to cancel the effect of VDU 14 FX This is used to select the type of printer in use to change the flashing rate of
37. which are used to perform specific functions When you receive your TORCH the first four from the left are already programmed to indicate QUIT HELP NO YES Pressing these will therefore have the same effect as typing out these instructions or commands in full some programs may change these meanings and you can reprogram them yourself if you wish to at a later stage The remaining blue keys can be set up to perform specific functions you find useful as described on page 15 Letter Keys These function as on a normal typewriter unless you are using a program which says otherwise They can be used for both capitals upper case and small lower case letters Number Keys Those in the row above the letters are also used as in a normal typewriter The numbers are repeated however in a block on the right hand side to make it easier to type tables and schedules of figures quickly This is a very important key It is usually used to tell the return computer that you have finished preparing a piece of text or keying in a command When you have typed in a command see page 14 you must then press the return key If you do not do so the computer will not respond Example Tousethe HELP command Type HELP some programs use the return key differently and this will be explained in the program instructions The two shift keys like those on a typewriter make the letters appear in upper case and any other keys pro
38. ys are used to move the cursor about the oe gt EE PS ES and EN screen particularly when editing and to copy characters from one position on the screen to another Again their function may be changed by the program being used ctrl The control key is often used to change the function of other keys when using different programs for example the editing keys It is also used to tell the computer when you have loaded a new disc by holding down the control key and pressing C A AR a a a a A RQ A Ml A k A AA A A A A aa Editing Keys The Screen The 12 keys marked with the following words are used by application programs and their action will be explained in the manuals which come with each program The screen displays both the text you are typing into the keyboard and the messages the computer wishes to give to you You will soon become familiar with the way information is displayed though this may seem unusual and confusing at first The screen has space for 80 characters from left to right and 25 from top to bottom though this can be changed if required By means of the screen you can find out what is on the discs you put into the disc drives You can ask the computer to display a list of files contents of specific files sections of text or program instructions How to do these is explained later in the guide On page 32 you will find some of the messages which often appear on the screen
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