AtariWriter (rev. B) - Software MAME

Atari 400/800 cart. published 42 years ago:

AtariWriter © 1982 Atari, Inc.

TECHNICAL
Model RX8084

TRIVIA
AtariWriter is actually a rewrite of an older program called Text Wizard, a word processor originally published by Datasoft.

According to some Analog magazines, there are several Easter eggs (a message, a game, and a couple of demos) which can be accessed by shorting certain joystick pins together (See Updates section). Approximately 80k carts were made before Atari found out about it and had them removed. Supposedly Atari sued Robinson over this one but the lawsuit was settled out of court. The cartridges with the Easter eggs were rumored to have been recalled, but thousands had already been sold by that time.

UPDATES
In prototype version Rev# 3, WRITTEN BY WILLIAM AND MARK 11/1/82 (for programmer William Robinson) will appear if you press UP+LEFT+DOWN at the same time on joystick #1 at the main menu. Prototype Rev #7 had this message removed but the code to trigger it still remains.

At least 2 prototype versions, Rev #3 and Rev #7, have a hidden color rainbow effect. To trigger it, you must be in preview mode. Select Edit from the main menu, type something, press OPTION+P to enable print mode, pick any printer, and then select preview whole document. From there, on joystick #1 press UP+LEFT+DOWN at the same time. With Rev #3, you have to trigger the other color demo in order to turn the effect“off.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Undocumented feature – Mail Merge:

It's possible to do a mail-merge. What you do is create a text file with the information you want merged into your document. You then create your letter, with the insert text command where you want information from the text file inserted. Then when you print the letter, and it asks you to enter the text, you hit CONTROL-V, and then type the pathname of the text file. It will then add the information from the text file.

• Undocumented feature - 825 BOLD PRINTING:

Some commands can be used to do more than they were intended for. The superscript command causes the printer to back up half a line and print. If two of these commands are used together, the printer backs up one whole line-the same line it just finished printing. So if you type in the same words before and after the two superscript commands, you can get the letters printed over twice. Instant boldface on your Atari 825 printer!

• Undocumented feature - 1025 ELONGATIONS:

To print elongated characters with the 1025 printer you need to set [CONTROL][G] to [3]. To turn off the elongated characters type in [CONTROL][G] followed by a [1] for 10 characters per inch (cpi), or a [2] for 16.7 cpi. The usual [SELECT] [E] command will not create elongated printing on the 1025.

• Undocumented feature - TIPS FOR THE 1025 AND 1027:

To print with single sheets of letter paper on your Atari 1025 or 1027, insert the [CONTROL][W] page wait command at the beginning of the document under the print formatting line. The printer will pause at the end of each page, and you can insert a new sheet of paper. Press [RETURN] when you're ready to start the next page. NOTE: For the 1025, first tape down the Paper Out switch on top of the printer towards the upper left. International characters can be accessed on the 1025 and 1027 by inserting a [CONTROL][O] (capital letter) [27] followed by [CONTROL][O][23]. This activates the international character mode. As each character is needed, you have to use the [CONTROL] [O] and the decimal code for that letter. These codes are listed in your printer manual.

• Undocumented feature - 1027 MYSTERIES:

The 1027 has an unusual quirk. It sometimes stops printing for no apparent reason. Try not to worry when your printer falls asleep on you. Just leave it alone and it will recover in about 4 1/2 minutes. When it awakes, it will begin printing right where it left off. Also, the 1027 does not underline when inverse video is used. Select printer number one from the main menu and insert [CONTROL][O] (capital letter) [15] where you want the underline to begin and a [CONTROL] [O][14] where you want the underline to end. If your margins have been brought in closer than the default values, the underline starts from the far-left of the paper. The easiest solution is to adjust the margins. If this is not possible, you can turn off the underlining after the last word on the line, and turn it back on for the first word on the following line. Never use labels in your Atari 1027 printer. They can easily peel off their backing and stick to the delicate inner workings of the printer. When the 1027 gets repaired, the entire print head mechanism is removed and replaced. It can be costly. Instead, you can use your 1027 to make a label template on plain paper, but reproduce the finished labels on a photocopier, using special peel-off sheets that work with most copying machines.

CONTRIBUTE
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