NEW - AMIGA BOOKS

Mastering Amiga Programming Secrets
368 pages
with 2 disks
38 US$ / 56 DM

Mastering Amiga Programming Secrets shows the reader how to achieve all the difficult programming tricks which fascinate enthusiastic users of the Amiga. The Amiga is used by amateur programmers to create programs which are sometimes useful, sometimes for entertainment and showing-off to friends. Paul Overaa applies his renowned programming experience to a selection of routines in C and assembly language which programmers will find invaluable. The sexier areas of programming for graphics and sound/ music are also covered. The in-depth coverage of using the Amiga's special graphics chips will be high on the agenda for any would-be Amiga games writer. As always Paul Overaa doesn't leave examples lying around in isolation but he explains the concepts behind the Amiga's own software system and how programmers can correctly operate in conjunction with it. The programs which appear in the book are all on the enclosed disk.

Total! Amiga Assembler
512 pages
with disk
40 US$ / 60 DM

Total! AMIGA assembler is the complete guide to learning assembly language programming on all Amigas, including the new Amiga Technologies A1200 and A4000 computers. This book is totally up to date with the latest developments and trends in assembly language programming on the Amiga. Assembly language is a popular way to program the Amiga for games and graphics, especially among young people using their Amiga for computer studies and with a view to a career in computer programming. Popular assembler software packages such as Devpac are supported by this book. Readers are expected to have some experience of programming but not necessarily of assembly language.

Topics covered include: fundamental assembly language concepts, the 68000 processor family and its instruction; use of the system header files and official Amiga documentation; using commercial and PD assemblers; advanced 68000 topics including mixed code programming; Intuition tutorial and example programs; Shell and Workbench programming; macro programming; system include files; working with Amiga libraries; 68000 addressing modes. Everything is covered, making this an invaluable tutorial and reference work combined for the serious Amiga user.

Assembler Insider Guide 256 pages
with disk
27 US$ / 40 DM

Amiga Assembler Insider Guide

The Amiga Assembler Insider Guide has been written for the new user who wishes to learn to write programs in the native code of the Amiga computer assembly language.

The approach taken to this, often daunting, subject is designed to achieve practical results. This is done through short examples which demonstrate different programming skills. Each program in the book can be assembled and run in under one minute so the beginner need have no fear of long impenetrable listings. This is programming for the novice, made all the easier though the mini Insider Guides which summarise important operations and fundamental concepts.

The author Paul Overaa writes many articles and columns for beginners to programming so his style is carefully crafted for the programming newcomer. Possible stumbling blocks are anticipated and areas which regularly cause beginners problems are taken head on. The issue of using Commodore libraries, and not using them, is dealt with. No extra libraries are required to run the examples provided. After reading the book, the user will be able to confidently type in and edit source code, assemble it, debug it and and run it.

The book is compatible with all the main assemblers on the market. A support disk is enclosed which contains the A68K assembler, all the listings in the book, additional utilities and examples. With the Amiga Assembler Insider Guide learning assembler on the Amiga has never been easier.

Total! Amiga DOS
416 pages
with disk
37 US$ / 54 DM

Total! AmigaDOS 3

This is a complete step-by-step guide to AmigaDOS 3 and related topics. AmigaDOS is the main way of programming the UK's best-selling home computer. There is coverage of all major AmigaDOS functions in text suitable for users with a minimum of background knowledge. Commands are grouped by facility and arranged in increasing order of complexity. This new title contains a vast amount of new material with a more modular approach and better pacing. Confidence building early chapters take newcomers into this exciting and complex topic quickly and accelerate them into the world of AmigaDOS in a very short time. Copious examples dissolve the most complex and thorny problems. The most common questions on multi-tasking, startup-sequences and boot disks are explained in simple terms. The book that defined easy-to-read has just got better: can your customers afford to leave Workbench without it? Completely stand-alone, it's also the perfect companion to the Mastering AmigaDOS 3 Reference.

Mastering AmigaDOS 3 Reference (vol 2)
416 pages
35 US$ / 52 DM

Mastering Amiga DOS 3 Reference

Mastering Amiga DOS 3 Reference is a complete A to Z reference to DOS commands and the current version has full details up to version 3. The action of each command is explained and examples to try are provided. Chapters on AmigaDOS error codes, viruses, the Interchange File Format (IFF) and the Mountlist complete this valuable guide.

Mastering AmigaDOS Scripts
320 pages
with disk
34 US$ / 50 DM

Mastering Amiga Scripts

AmigaDOS is the main way of programming the UK's best-selling home computer. This collection of over 100 script programs will surprise Amiga owners through its diversity and sophistication. There's something for both beginner and expert. The beginner can use the many off the shelf programs which are instantly useful and useable and which are good examples of script programming. The expert can learn from the fully documented listings and can pick up advanced AmigaDOS programming techniques which can be used in their own programs. The script programs vary in size and complexity but are presented in a consistent fashion throughout the book. An accompanying disk containing these original programs is available free on presentation of a form which can be torn from the book. Written by Mark Smiddy, the world's best known AmigaDOS author, Mastering AmigaDOS Scripts Programming is guaranteed to be a best-seller amongst all serious users of this popular computer. This book is a perfect second sale alongside any of the other Mastering AmigaDOS titles.

A to Z of Workbench 3 Insider Guide
256 pages
25 US$ / 38 DM

Amiga Workbench 3 A-Z

Amiga A to Z of Workbench 3 has been a product much in demand as sales of CommodoreÕs flagship Amiga A1200 home computer have taken off, supported by sales of the Amiga A4000 range for serious computer users. Bruce Smith Books provided new users of the A1200 with the A1200 Insider Guide which has helped the novice quickly become a competent user, now eager for more information about how to put their computer to work. Calls to our office and requests on our response forms indicate a high level of interest.

Against this background the world's best-selling Amiga author Bruce Smith has produced an A to Z guide of all the features of the Workbench (the graphical interface which all users encounter every time they use the Amiga). The format makes the information users require instantly available. As well as describing everyday usage of the Workbench in step by step terms, there are more in-depth tutorials on setting up the Amiga via the numerous Workbench-based utilities, Preferences, Commodities etc. Annotated and captioned screenshots are used throughout. It is fair to say that every aspect of the Amiga's Workbench is explained in easy to understand language.

Total! Amiga Workbench
352 pages
with disk
34 US$ / 50 DM

Total! Amiga Workbench

Total! Workbench is the most comprehensive guide to all the features of the Amiga's user-interface. The Amiga owner uses Workbench to manage every aspect of his computer, from copying a file to configuring the software for a new printer or monitor. Workbench 3 is common to all new Amiga computers and version 3 is now available for all the recent makes of Amiga. There is an installed user base in the UK of two and a half million units! Amiga Technologies' flagship Amiga A1200 home computer has Workbench 3 as standard and so does the Amiga CD32.

Many new aspects, such as PC file compatibility, enhanced colour and graphics support and hard drive installation, backup, and usage, are explained through practical examples, making this the most up to date book about the Amiga's built-in software.

Every aspect of Workbench is covered from scratch with step by step examples of how to use the utilities, fonts and printer drivers which make up the system. The author has also built up a vast knowledge of areas where Amiga users run into trouble and the book describes strategies for avoiding potential problems and for coping with them if they occur.

It is fair to say that every aspect of the Amiga's Workbench is explained in easy to understand language in Total! Amiga Workbench 3.

Total! Amiga ARexx

Total! AMIGA ARexx is the complete guide to learning ARexx language programming on all Amigas, including the new Amiga Technologies A1200 and A4000 computers. This book is totally up to date with the latest developments and trends in ARexx language programming on the Amiga. The ARexx language is a popular way to program the Amiga, because it comes free with the computer and it is used to automate and integrate popular application programs, such as image processing programs and comms terminals.

Mastering ARexx was a consistently popular purchase amongst Amiga users and, as the new batch of users discover that ARexx is part of their computer then they will turn to Total! ARexx to learn how to use it. The Amiga is especially popular amongst home video enthusiasts because of its graphics/titling capabilities. The relevant video titling programs, such as Scala, are often controllable from ARexx and thus there is a considerable demand for this superior ARexx programming tutorial.

Amiga Disks and Drives Insider Guide

Amiga Disks and Drives Insider Guide is the definitive guide to the standard items of hardware which come with the Commodore Amiga - the UK's most popular home computer. Using the computer revolves around using the floppy disk drive or hard disk drive fitted into every computer sold. Screenshots are used throughout, together with Insider Guide style graphical step by step procedures for novice users to copy. These graphically-presented guides allow the reader to spot mistakes in their own use of the computer and to try again without penalty. At the same time the reader learns about how the computer works and gains confidence along the way.

Leading Amiga author Paul Overaa explains the jargon terms and recommends the best methods of dealing with such topics as choosing and installing equipment; the internal Ram and RAD disks; using the filing system - tips and tricks; dos and don'ts of floppy disk handling; Workbench and AmigaDOS operations; automation with script files; backing up; utilities you should not be without; compression and archiving - computer magazine cover disks; viruses; data security; encryption; using Atari, PC and other format files - graphics and music conversion; installing software; technical aspects of the filing system; disaster recovery. This book is a must for every Amiga owner.

Mastering Amiga Printers

After reading Mastering Amiga Printers, any Amiga owner will be able to choose effectively the ideal printer for his or her requirements. The Amiga's own printer control software is pulled apart and explained from all points of view, from the Workbench to the operating system routines. Individual printer drivers are assessed and screen-dumping techniques explained.

A1200 Next Steps

Amiga A1200 Insider Guide Next Steps has been carefully written to overlap subtly with its very successful predecessor but to then move on to expand on subjects raised in the first book. Without becoming technical in any way and with the usual Insider Guide distaste for jargon, Next Steps introduces the A1200 user to further features of the software which comes with their computer. Learn how to use the important new addition MultiView to write hypertext files for viewing documentation and pictures and playing sounds.

Important subjects covered include the (much requested) hard drive how to install, format and partition one and how to use it effectively. There's even a tutorial on how to change the startup sequence to suit your way of working. There are details on how to configure the A1200 for different screen displays how to effectively use AmigaDOS, getting Intellifont to convert outline fonts, adjusting printouts through Preferences and many more step by step tutorials. The unique Insider Guides show the important actions required in a graphical manner.

Next Steps also expands the reader's horizons towards additional software and hardware. The book covers the Amiga A1200 with floppy or hard drive.