Scans of the manuals of all Amigas

Leandro Jardim · 20 October 2010, 00:50

I will order a copy of Amiga Forever directly from Cloanto, but one thing I think is missing from the package are the scans of all the manuals which came with the computers, and that impossible to find Metacomco ABasiC (not AmigaBasic!) original disks and manuals.

This would give to AmigaForever users more pleasure to work in the emulated environment like a real computer.

gilgamesh · 20 October 2010, 08:59

Totally agree.

Ever tried contacting Cloanto about this? He might like the idea.

Leandro Jardim · 20 October 2010, 21:00

I sent an e-mail to Cloanto with the suggestion, but dont got a reply yet.

Only we can do now is wait...

prowler · 25 December 2010, 01:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leandro Jardim

I will order a copy of Amiga Forever directly from Cloanto, but one thing I think is missing from the package are the scans of all the manuals which came with the computers, and that impossible to find Metacomco ABasiC (not AmigaBasic!) original disks and manuals.

Hi Leandro,

Back in 1985, the first Amiga 1000 computers came with the ABasiC programming language by Metacomco.

It is, of course, on the Workbench v1.0 disk. However, if you don't have ABasiC but would like to try it, it can be obtained from 17-bit disk 71:
http://ftp.back2roots.org/back2roots...17bit-0071.dms
http://ftp.back2roots.org/back2roots...17bit-0071.txt

Unfortunately ABasiC does not work under Kickstart 2.0 (V36) and later; this patch fixes the problem:
http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/ABasiC_patch

Leandro Jardim · 27 December 2010, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

Hi Leandro,

Back in 1985, the first Amiga 1000 computers came with the ABasiC programming language by Metacomco.

It is, of course, on the Workbench v1.0 disk. However, if you don't have ABasiC but would like to try it, it can be obtained from 17-bit disk 71:
http://ftp.back2roots.org/back2roots...17bit-0071.dms
http://ftp.back2roots.org/back2roots...17bit-0071.txt

Unfortunately ABasiC does not work under Kickstart 2.0 (V36) and later; this patch fixes the problem:
http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/ABasiC_patch

Thanks Prowler, ABasiC is a very cool tiny BASIC environment. It reminds me of that 8 Bit BASIC interpreters.

mark_k · 05 February 2012, 16:46

Bit of a late reply, but I have an original ABasiC manual. I'm guessing no-one else has scanned their copy, so I might try scanning mine. Or more likely, taking a picture of each page with my old phone. The quality won't be the greatest but everything should still be legible. Better than nothing at least.

Leandro Jardim · 06 February 2012, 09:59

mark_k, thats wonderful news because this manual is very very rare!

I started this thread and another one looking for the ABasiC manual, but no one had the manual or knew ABasiC. Everybody thinks we are talking about Microsoft AmigaBASIC.

I find impressive the games made with the Amiga 1000 product, not to say, its a very tiny and cool environment.

I would love to have a copy of the manual. Later we may arrange the pictures into an PDF with PDFCreator, I think.

mark_k · 06 February 2012, 13:31

Maybe of interest: I just uploaded an updated version of ABasiC_patch.lha to Aminet. The actual patch to get it working on Kickstart 2.0+ is unchanged, but there's also a new patch to convert ABasiC to PAL. With that, ABasiC opens 256-line screens, meaning you should be able to write programs which use the full PAL screen area. I'd like someone to test that (i.e. use various drawing and graphics commands in the larger PAL-size window) more fully than I did.

PeterK · 06 February 2012, 14:05

Try here:

http://amiga-manuals.npage.de/willkommen.html

http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/

Update:
There is an OS 3.5 Manual (HTML) in the zone now.
Open it with your favourite browser at index2

Leandro Jardim · 06 February 2012, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterK

Try here:

http://amiga-manuals.npage.de/willkommen.html

http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/

Thanks for helping me. Unfortunately they lack the Metacomco ABasiC manual (ABC).

Quote:

Maybe of interest: I just uploaded an updated version of ABasiC_patch.lha to Aminet.

I visited Aminet and downloaded your patches. Funny, I was thinking on it recently.

Although its not so powerful as, I find ABasiC much more cool than AMOS or Blitz Basic.

Its unfortunate that you could not find Jim Cooper to talk about the patch and that old window code.

PeterK · 06 February 2012, 17:19

Hmm, I thought that you were interested and looking for other Amiga manuals, too ?!? Not only the Metacomco ABasiC manual and disk.

Leandro Jardim · 06 February 2012, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterK

Hmm, I thought that you were interested and looking for other Amiga manuals, too ?!? Not only the Metacomco ABasiC manual and disk.

Oh yes, sure, I am interested in these too!

The misunderstanding is that my last conversation was about the ABasiC. I forgot completely...

Solid Snake · 06 February 2012, 17:29

I'm looking for either a PDF scan or the original English manuals for:-

1. Commodore Amiga 600 computer

2. Commodore Amiga 601 ram expansion manual

Can anyone help?

PeterK · 06 February 2012, 18:30

Sorry, no original A600 docs....

http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/hardwa...Manual-ENG.rar

http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/schema...Manual-ENG.rar

http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/schema...Schematics.rar

http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/am...(1992_Apr).pdf

Leandro Jardim · 06 February 2012, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark_k

Maybe of interest: I just uploaded an updated version of ABasiC_patch.lha to Aminet. The actual patch to get it working on Kickstart 2.0+ is unchanged, but there's also a new patch to convert ABasiC to PAL. With that, ABasiC opens 256-line screens, meaning you should be able to write programs which use the full PAL screen area. I'd like someone to test that (i.e. use various drawing and graphics commands in the larger PAL-size window) more fully than I did.

Hmm, seems like ABasiC is not compatible with SystemPatch (my is version 3.3, without TLSF).

mark_k · 09 February 2012, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leandro Jardim

Hmm, seems like ABasiC is not compatible with SystemPatch (my is version 3.3, without TLSF).

What seems to go wrong when you run ABasiC after SystemPatch?

Well I got quite bored this afternoon taking pictures of my ABasiC manual! You can get it here: File name: ABasiC_manual_mark_k.zip File size: 62.25 MB

The quality is pretty poor, but I don't have a scanner with automatic document feeder so it was quicker to use the camera on my old phone. I figure poor quality but legible is better than no online copy at all.

If you have a copy of the ABasiC manual which contains more pages or errata sheets, please let me know.

For viewing the images, I got good results using Evince under Linux. Rename the .zip file to end in .cbz and load into Evince.

Edit: The download link above no longer works. See this post for current links, and a link for the errata/index.

Josh · 10 February 2012, 01:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark_k

Well I got quite bored this afternoon taking pictures of my ABasiC manual! You can get it here: File name: ABasiC_manual_mark_k.zip File size: 62.25 MB

Great job! I just convert it to PDF and have add it to my manuals website

http://amiga-manuals.npage.de/updates.html

Thanks and cheers,

Josh

Leandro Jardim · 10 February 2012, 15:01

Quote:

What seems to go wrong when you run ABasiC after SystemPatch?

It crashes when the screen is reopening after a screen mode change... It happens when I execute the program "cardfile.bas" of one of the archives you submitted to the Aminet and with other programs too.

The problem seems to be the Exec patches of SystemPatch... When I disable only the Exec patches it works as normal.

Quote:

Well I got quite bored this afternoon taking pictures of my ABasiC manual!

Thank you Mark, I always wanted to have this manual! I love to see how each version of the BASIC language is different from the other... None other language that I know have this indistinguishable "feature". This BASIC is one example of that.

prowler · 10 February 2012, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark_k

Well I got quite bored this afternoon taking pictures of my ABasiC manual! You can get it here: File name: ABasiC_manual_mark_k.zip File size: 62.25 MB

The quality is pretty poor, but I don't have a scanner with automatic document feeder so it was quicker to use the camera on my old phone. I figure poor quality but legible is better than no online copy at all.

Hey, that's not bad at all. Everything's legible.

And thanks for the PDF conversion, Josh!

Leandro Jardim · 11 February 2012, 01:48

I didnt receive any message from Cloanto. Well, I didnt bought Amiga Forever too...

Thats unfortunately, because I really like the entire package, mainly that enhanced WinUAE interface.

I would like to have it a lot. One day I buy it...

20 October 2010, 00:50	#1
Leandro Jardim Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Legoland Age: 45 Posts: 1,461	Scans of the manuals of all Amigas I will order a copy of Amiga Forever directly from Cloanto, but one thing I think is missing from the package are the scans of all the manuals which came with the computers, and that impossible to find Metacomco ABasiC (not AmigaBasic!) original disks and manuals. This would give to AmigaForever users more pleasure to work in the emulated environment like a real computer. Last edited by Leandro Jardim; 20 October 2010 at 01:10.

20 October 2010, 21:00	#3
Leandro Jardim Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Legoland Age: 45 Posts: 1,461	I sent an e-mail to Cloanto with the suggestion, but dont got a reply yet. Only we can do now is wait... Last edited by Leandro Jardim; 24 October 2010 at 00:37.

06 February 2012, 14:05	#9
PeterK Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: digital hell, Germany, after 1984, but worse Posts: 3,365	Try here: http://amiga-manuals.npage.de/willkommen.html http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/ Update: There is an OS 3.5 Manual (HTML) in the zone now. Open it with your favourite browser at index2 Last edited by PeterK; 06 February 2012 at 14:40.

11 February 2012, 01:48	#20
Leandro Jardim Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Legoland Age: 45 Posts: 1,461	I didnt receive any message from Cloanto. Well, I didnt bought Amiga Forever too... Thats unfortunately, because I really like the entire package, mainly that enhanced WinUAE interface. I would like to have it a lot. One day I buy it... Last edited by Leandro Jardim; 15 February 2012 at 22:03.

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20 October 2010, 08:59	#2
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	Totally agree. Ever tried contacting Cloanto about this? He might like the idea.

05 February 2012, 16:46	#6
mark_k Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Posts: 3,333	Bit of a late reply, but I have an original ABasiC manual. I'm guessing no-one else has scanned their copy, so I might try scanning mine. Or more likely, taking a picture of each page with my old phone. The quality won't be the greatest but everything should still be legible. Better than nothing at least.

06 February 2012, 09:59	#7
Leandro Jardim Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Legoland Age: 45 Posts: 1,461	mark_k, thats wonderful news because this manual is very very rare! I started this thread and another one looking for the ABasiC manual, but no one had the manual or knew ABasiC. Everybody thinks we are talking about Microsoft AmigaBASIC. I find impressive the games made with the Amiga 1000 product, not to say, its a very tiny and cool environment. I would love to have a copy of the manual. Later we may arrange the pictures into an PDF with PDFCreator, I think.

06 February 2012, 13:31	#8
mark_k Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Posts: 3,333	Maybe of interest: I just uploaded an updated version of ABasiC_patch.lha to Aminet. The actual patch to get it working on Kickstart 2.0+ is unchanged, but there's also a new patch to convert ABasiC to PAL. With that, ABasiC opens 256-line screens, meaning you should be able to write programs which use the full PAL screen area. I'd like someone to test that (i.e. use various drawing and graphics commands in the larger PAL-size window) more fully than I did.

06 February 2012, 17:19	#11
PeterK Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: digital hell, Germany, after 1984, but worse Posts: 3,365	Hmm, I thought that you were interested and looking for other Amiga manuals, too ?!? Not only the Metacomco ABasiC manual and disk.

06 February 2012, 17:29	#13
Solid Snake Wonderful World Of Amiga Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 359	I'm looking for either a PDF scan or the original English manuals for:- 1. Commodore Amiga 600 computer 2. Commodore Amiga 601 ram expansion manual Can anyone help?

06 February 2012, 18:30	#14
PeterK Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: digital hell, Germany, after 1984, but worse Posts: 3,365	Sorry, no original A600 docs.... http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/hardwa...Manual-ENG.rar http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/schema...Manual-ENG.rar http://amiga-manuals.xiik.net/schema...Schematics.rar http://www.bombjack.org/commodore/am...(1992_Apr).pdf

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