[net.micro.cpm] WordStar with ZCPR2

DGILBERT.ES@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (02/11/84)

		USING WORDSTAR UNDER ZCPR2

Programs like WordStar are a problem, in that one would like to keep 
only 1 set of files and be able to use tham from any USER area.  
WordStar always looks for its overlay files on drive A, if not on the 
default drive.  Unfortunately, there is no provision for specifying 
the USER area, so if your in drive G, user 7, WordStar will only 
check drive A, user 7 for the overlays if not on drive F, user 7.

There is a solution.

A public domain program called 'DUPUSR' will create a duplicate 
directory entry on your CP/M disk, but a new User Number.  So put the 
WordStar files on Drive A, User 0 (physical drive E).  Create 
duplicate entries for the overlay files for A1, A2, A3, ... to your 
highest user number used.  Each directory entry actually points to 
the same allocation numbers, so there is only one actual copy of the 
file.

This system works fine.  I can be in any user number, on any disk, 
and run WordStar without a problem.

There is only one danger.  If you ever erase one of the directory 
entries that are duplicated in another user area, CP/M will assume it 
can reuse the allocation groups thus 'freed', unless you do a disk 
reset by 'Warm Boot'.  By always doing a 'warm boot' after erasing an 
entry, no problem occurs.  It's better than having duplicate files in 
every user area and wasting lots of good ol' disk space.

Doug.

emigh@ecsvax.UUCP (02/20/84)

[]

  There are two other ways to fix this:

1)  WSUFIX5.ASM:  This is a patch to WS.COM and WSOVLY1.OVR that will have
    WordStar search a default user area for COM and OVR files.  Therefore,
    you need only one copy of the WS files (thereby saving you directory
    entries).

2)  SUPUSER.COM:  This program resides just below the BDOS and has a list
    of files and where (drive/user) they are to be found.  The program
    must be initialized for a particular set, and for many programs it
    can be integrated into the COM file (not WordStar, however).

For WordStar, I prefer to use WSUFIX5, since it merely changes the user
area, and does not defeat the drive searching feature of WordStar (look on
default, then on A: (or wherever)).  I have several copies of WS.COM in
my DU areas, each configured for a different application.  I use SUPUSER
for most other programs with overlays, etc.

--Ted Emigh-- decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!emigh

emigh@ecsvax.UUCP (02/20/84)

[]

  Please replace all SUPUSER with SETDRU.  Sorry.

--Ted Emigh-- decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!emigh