** Suggestive Remarks / 554 words ** Mike Kerslake with a progress report on recent suggestions and some ideas for programmers... As I've said before it's really good to hear suggestions made in this column are taken up by programmers and new programs get developed as a result. Following on from the last column, programmer Mark Wherry is currently gathering information on "Windows Only" printers with an eye to programming an utility that will enable Atari users to access many of the functions of some of these printers. However, the biggest nut to crack is the fact that many of these printers use the Windows operating system and computer memory and hardware to handle everything other than the actual printing. Mario Becroft reckons we're barking up the wrong tree: ** italics ** As I understand it, Windows printers leave the computer to do all the work then send a completed image to the printer. This suits the Atari platform perfectly since GDOS has always worked this way! So rather than developing a new program to support those printers we need SpeedoGDOS and NVDI drivers. ** /italics ** ** ON READER DISK ** ** Column wide banner here ** Staying with printing matters, mention was recently made in the Atari conference on CiX about the ready-made library of templates for Avery laser and inkjet labels, and it was agreed that it would be good if such a library existed in Papyrus format. The subsequent discussion and supply of some vital data by Roger Derry (of Namenet fame!) enabled Gary Bainbridge to come up with a program that converts Avery Windows Label configuration files into the required Papyrus paper format. AUTOLAB is the name of the program, it's simple to use and appears to do the job very well, you'll find a copy on Reader Disk. ** AUTOLAB3.GIF here ** AUTOLAB was a direct result of minor moan and groan from Martin Dryden and follow-up postings from myself and others on CIX and it just goes to prove programmers are more than willing to have a go at a project if they get some help and feedback. So, if you've got an idea for a program that could do something useful for you and other Atari users, please do let us know. One good aspect of the present Atari scene is that many programmers are either working together or at least working to similar guidelines and protocols. One other excellent way of co-operating is to allow the main program to use modules programmed by someone else, as is the case with the CAB web browser. One of the latest programs to interface with CAB in such a way is GEMTrade which can translate a German language web page into English "on the fly". This prompted Joe Connor to suggest it might be a good idea if someone programmed a CAB module to turn HTML documents/pages into raw ASCII. So if anyone is up to this we'd be more than delighted to see the results! Finally, I've had a bit of response to my plan mentioned in the last issue for a directory of people willing to assist other Atari users with help and advice. However, we really need some more offers of help, so if you think you can help, please get in touch with me via the usual editorial address or email me at: ** BC ** mike@ataricomputing.com ** /BC **