Info-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU (Info-IBMPC Digest) (08/18/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sunday, August 17, 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 76
This Week's Editor: Richard Gillmann
Today's Topics:
Vfeature (2 msgs)
Bootable Disks (2 msgs)
File Cataloging Software (2 msgs)
Kodak projector
Word Formats
386 Specification
Panel 6.20d
Superkey/newer PC-AT problem
Trackball Follow Up
Turbo Pascal 3.0 BlockRead/BlockWrite bug
2meg L.I.M. memory for $400
Brief 1.33--worth the upgrade cost
Re: Epsilon EEL Language Question
DeSmet "static" bug
Seeking past the last track
TECH PC Query
3COM LAN BASIC Chain Bug
Dos Trapping Interrupts
IBM PC Professional Graphics Adaptor Documentation
Higher density drives for PC?
Conversion from BASIC to ASCII
High Quality Digital Audio Board Wanted
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 86 08:20:16 pdt
To: shull@wharton-10.ARPA
Cc: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA, bmarsh%cod@nosc.ARPA
Subject: Vfeature Deluxe
I have been using Vfeature Deluxe from Golden Bow Systems for many
months now without any problems. I have a Maxtor 1065 drive hooked to
my AT, and I'm using a 55 Mbyte DOS partition. I am not any of the
security features that Vfeature Deluxe has, so I can't comment on them.
When I finish my system at home (with a Micropolis 70Mbyte drive) I am
also going to order Vfeature for it. I guess that is the stongest
recomendation I can make for it. The address of Golden Bow Systems is:
Golden Bow Systems
P.O. Box 3039
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 298-9349
I am not connected to Golden Bow in any way, other than a very satisfied
customer...
Bill Marsh, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 86 10:01:56 EDT
From: Hal_Varian%UMich-MTS.Mailnet@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Re: VFEATURE
Christopher E. Shull (shull@wharton-10.ARPA) asked if anyone was using
VFEATURE to break the 32 Meg fixed disk barrier in DOS. I've been
using VFEATURE PLUS on my Zenith Z241 with a 72 Meg CDC drive for
about 10 months now and have been very pleased. The driver is totally
transparent to the user and very fast.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 Aug 86 13:11:41 CDT
From: CCRJW%UMCVMB.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (Richard Winkel UMC
Computing Services)
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Re: Bootable disks on an AT&T
The 'non-system disk' message comes from a small program coded in the boot
sector of the floppy .. non-system disks have this version of the boot sector,
while the boot sectors of system disks have a program to load and
execute the dos files. So apparently, FORMAT is writing the wrong boot sector
to the disk. Maybe you have a bad copy?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 86 13:53:53 SET
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
From: ESC1111%DDAESA10.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA
Subject: re: bootable disk query
Not only does 'format /s' have to copy those files - it also has to put
them in the right place (at least io.sys). Maybe AT&T have a different
idea of what the right place is!
snail : n. head,
european space operations centre
robertboschstr. 5
6100 darmstadt
federal rep. germany
bitnet/earn : esc1111 at ddaesa10
bix : nhead
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 86 19:46:26 cdt
From: Jess Anderson <anderson@unix.macc.wisc.edu>
To: info-ibmpc@b.isi.edu
Subject: File Cataloging Software
[ref: Info-IBMPC Digest, v. 5, iss. 75]
dantowitz%eagle7.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM asks about software to
catalog files on floppy disks. A public-domain program that
I have used and found more than satisfactory (that is, it is
impressively good) is FILECAT.COM. It is available from a
number of free BBS in our neighborhood, one being
Madison PC Users' Group
P. O. Box 2598
Madison, WI 53701-2598
BBS Phone: 608/256-8088
I'm not sure of the exact filename to download, but it could
be FILCAT22.ARC (you'll need ARC51.COM to unarchive it). The
program was written by
Kenn Flee
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge
Madison, WI 53719
Here is a feature list:
* Written in Turbo Pascal (source code available).
* ISAM database with B+Tree structure.
* For floppy or hard disk systems.
* Menu-driven for ease of use.
* Allows entry of keywords with keyword search and sort.
* Library of 700+ common keywords may be accessed.
* Allows entry of Main File designation and Associated File
identification. Searches, sorts, and prints listings of
"families" of files.
* Allows creation of a "transfer file" to be included on
user group library disks. Senses existence of such a file
and allows automatic transfer of the data into the master
database file.
* Allows file descriptions of over 300 characters.
* Automatically includes hard disk path and floppy volume
name location identifiers.
* Add, search, sort, edit, and delete functions with duplicate
filenames identified, but allowed.
* Database size limited by floppy/hard disk size or 32,760
records, whichever comes first.
The program works like a charm. The user interface (menus) are
totally self-obvious and easy to use. I forgot to add that it has
an Epson printer setup utility, which I use to get my output on
a LaserWriter. I have experienced no problems with the software
at all.
Disclaimer: My only connection with FileCat is as a user. I am a
member of the Madison PC Users' Group, but I do not know Mr. Flee
personally.
==UUCP: {harvard,seismo,topaz, =========================Jess Anderson======
| akgua,allegra,ihnp4,usbvax}!uwvax!uwmacc!anderson 1210 W. Dayton |
| ARPA: anderson@unix.macc.wisc.edu Madison, Wi 53706 |
| BITNET: anderson@wiscmacc 608/263-6988 |
------------------------------
Date: 1986 Aug 12 23:57 EST
From: Bob Babcock <PEPMNT%HARVARDA.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>
To: <dantowitz%eagle7.dec@decwr1.DEC.COM> ,
<Info-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU>
Subject: disk cataloger
>I presently have several hundred floppy disks...
What you need to keep track of your floppy disk library is WSSINDEX.
This is a shareware disk cataloging program ($25 suggested contribution)
which does just about everything you ask for (it doesn't compute CRC's).
Usual disclaimers do not apply: I am the author of this program.
On BBS systems, you may find WSSINDEX listed as WSSInnn, where nnn is
the version number. It's available on many boards in the Boston area.
Bob Babcock
WSS Division of DDC
[Contact the author for more details. -rag]
------------------------------
Date: 7 Aug 1986 07:39:14 PDT
Subject: Kodak projector
From: Laurence I. Press <SWG.LPRESS@B.ISI.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
In reply to the projector query of a recent digest -- I have seen a
neat device being marketed by Kodak. It is a clear LCD panel about
the size of a piece of paper, which connects to a PC by plugging into
the RGB output of a CGA card. You just lay the panel on top of a
regular viewgraph (transparency) projector and you have your display.
It works satisfactorily in a lit room and is much cheaper than the
Sony, Electrohome, etc. projectors. As far as I know, it is only
available for the CGA at present.
I don't know where to get them -- my guess is that they are marketed
through Kodak A/V outlets rather than computer stores.
------------------------------
Date: 7 Aug 1986 07:41:20 PDT
Subject: Word Formats
From: Laurence I. Press <SWG.LPRESS@B.ISI.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
Someone asked about file formats for Word.
Jeff Walden has recently published a book with Wiley that spells out
file formats for several programs (it is intended as a programmer's
reference). I'm not sure if Word is coverred, but it is worth
checking out.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 Aug 1986 10:26 est
From: Eric Swenson <eric%gold-hill-acorn@live-oak.lcs.mit.edu>
To: "James R. Van Zandt" <jrv@mitre-bedford.arpa>
Subject: 386 Specification Question
Reply-to: eric@live-oak.lcs.mit.edu
Yes, you are correct, BSR should indicate an opcode of
00001111 10111101 mod reg R/M
You're correct about the SHRD instruction as well. For 32-bit
operands, the 64-bit value shifted is formed by concatenating the
Reg and R/M fields. For left shifts the R/M field holds the
high-order part of the double width input, and reg holds the
low-order part. For right shifts, the r/m field contains the
low-order part of the double width input, and reg holds the
high-order part.
[I understand Gold Hill has announced a Lisp for the 386. There must
be some of those machines out there somewhere... -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1986 20:52 EDT
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>
Subject: Panel 6.20d
To: <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Greetings! Panel users will want to know that the latest version is now
6.20d (with 6.20e) about to be released and that on-line support is now
provided through the Lattice/utilities conference on BIX. Normally I
would expect this information to come directly from Roundhill, but I
have not received any notification in the mail myself. So, join BIX and
let's here your bug reports and comments.
For all who are interested, Panel is a display management system. It is
forms oriented and provides extensive validation libraries. Some people
prefer Windows for Data, but it has not been made clear why. My only
experience is with Panel, so I can't provide a comparative evaluation.
Anyone who does get Panel should be aware that the full library source
may be purchased (in addition to the validation library source, which
comes with the binary version). If you start customizing anything other
than the validation routines, do yourself the favor of getting the full
source.
Version 6.20 has an improved manual--with index at last. A few minor
bugs have been fixed. The biggest change is in the organization of the
validation libraries. Functions are now accessed through pointers,
making it easy to add your own validation functions and to keep
functions that you are not using from being linked into your
application. It is definitely worth the cost to upgrade.
--Jim
P.S. If it sounds as though I work for Roundhill, I don't; but I would be
willing to sell them a much improved panelf().
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 86 10:09:12 PDT
From: crash!pnet01!adamsd@nosc.ARPA (Adams Douglas)
To: crash!noscvax!info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Subject: Superkey/newer PC-AT problem
After our section recently purchased 11 PC/AT's we discovered
that Borland's Superkey did not work properly on them. The menus
would come up all right, but some of the keys (including the
RETURN key!) were permanently inoperative until Superkey was
again killed. After determining it was not our copies (they run
fine on existing AT's here) we called Borland. Guess what...
Borland's Superkey is incompatible with the new ROM set on recent
AT's. Specifically, the internal keyboard codes--which apparently
only Superkey reads directly--have been changed around for some
random reason. Borland is apparently working on a fix, but in the
meantime, they told us that Superkey WILL work on newer AT's if
they are ordered with the Enhanced Keyboard, which apparently
costs the same as the standard keyboard. You do, however, have to
explicitly request it to recieve it with your machine.
If you just got your new AT and wonder what's wrong with
Superkey, see if your dealer will swap keyboards. If you're about
to purchase an AT, you should request the enhanced keyboard--
especially since there may be other incompatibilities no one's
discovered yet.
P.S. I haven't tried it, but I suspect ProKey would also fail on
newer AT's for the same reason.
------------------------------
Date: 07 August 86 16:35 EDT
From: T7Y%CORNELLC.BITNET@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Trackball Follow Up
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
This note is to provide a follow up to my original query of 30 June.
Our office purchased a product by Honeywell/Disc called the uLynx
Trackball (ver 2). The device piggybacks into the keyboard port of a
IBM PC/XT or keyboard compatible. We purchased the device because of
our limited workspace and felt that a mouse would be frustrating to use.
The trackball works with both text and graphics based programs. The
three programmable keys seem only to work in text mode (i.e. the keys
work with 1-2-3, but not with Freelance or Microsoft WORD). The documen-
tation claims that the uLynx emulates the Microsoft Mouse and that
programs which define the Mouse keys will also define the uLynx keys. I
have not yet seen this work with WORD (v3.0). Of course this may be a
set-up error on my part.
The product provides "pop-up" software for defining settings which
can be saved for a particular application and loaded from DOS (or
through a batch file). Vert. and horz. cursor speed, key redefinition
(only for text based programs), and other parameters can be set.
We are using the uLynx with a Zenith Z-158 (8mhz) & MSDOS 3.11. The
cable molding on the uLynx adapter (which plugs into the keyboard port)
had to be trimmed with a knife to fit into the rear panel cutout. We
have used the device with 1-2-3, Freelance, and WORD. According to the
documentations, it does NOT work with an AT.
There is an ad for uLynx on page 44 in the Aug 5 issue of PC WEEK.
The uLynx Trackball ver 2 costs $139.00 ($169.00 w/PC Paintbrush) plus
$4.00 for shipping. The address is -
Honeywell/Disc
102 E. Baker Street
Dept MX
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
phone 800-824-3522
We have found the product to be very useful as we do a lot of work
with 1-2-3 and Freelance. We are not associated with Honeywell/Disc
except as a customer.
Tom Abdella
Tufts University
------------------------------
To: dantowitz%eagle7.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (David LTN2-2/H07 -- DTN: 226-6957)
Cc: info-ibmpc@b.isi.edu
Subject: Turbo Pascal 3.0 BlockRead/BlockWrite bug
Date: 07 Aug 86 15:46:33 PDT (Thu)
From: chapman%amber@BERKELEY.EDU
>Date: Wednesday, 6 Aug 1986 07:19:04-PDT
>From: dantowitz%eagle7.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM (David LTN2-2/H07 -- DTN: 226-6957)
> Also does anyone know what the BLOCK file bug was in TURBO
> 3.0 and what Borland's exchange/update policy is with respect
> to this bug?
If you are referring to the problems with the BlockRead/BlockWrite
routines, I don't think Borland ever "fixed" them, because they
didn't thing there was anything "broken" about them. As far as
they were concerned, the problem was with the documentation of
the routines in the manual, not with the routines themselves.
For those not familiar with what we are discussing, the routines
in question are used to read and write "blocks" of 128-byte records.
One of the parameters to the call is the number of records to
read/write, an integer. What is NOT mentioned in the manual is
that the largest number of records a single operation can handle
is 512 (512 * 128 = 64k, or one segment). What the functions
really manipulate, instead of NumRecs records (as the manual states),
is (NumRecs mod 512) records, which can lead to some really
freaky bugs...
Basicly, you work around this by writing some simple routines
(BigBlockRead and BigBlockWrite, for instance), which accept a
request for any number of records, then break that request into
chunks of no more than 512 records and call BlockRead/BlockWrite
on each chunk.
Hopefully helpfully,
Brent Chapman
chapman@amber.berkeley.edu or ucbvax!amber!chapman
------------------------------
Date: Fri 8 Aug 86 15:09:26-PDT
From: Ted Shapin <BEC.SHAPIN@USC-ECL.ARPA>
Subject: 2meg L.I.M. memory for $400
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
I just ordered and received a 2 megabyte expanded memory board for
the IBM-PC/XT and AT from Vericomp, 8825 Aero Drive, Ste 210, San Diego,
CA, 92123, (619) 277-0400. At $400 it is priced at about 1/3 of the
Intel and AST boards! [Usual disclaimer: I am just a satisfied customer.]
It supports the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft expanded memory spec. It does NOT
fill in the hole between 512K and 640K.
It comes with software drivers and programs that include a memory test
(in case you buy the empty board and add your own memory chips), a
RAM disk driver, a print spooler and a setup program. You can install
up to four of these boards in a system. The setup program automatically
chooses a 64K space at C000:0, D000:0, or E000:0 for its page frame.
The memory chips they recommend are the AT&T WCM41256FX-15,
Fujitsu HM81256-15, Hitachi HM50256P-15, Mitsubishi M5M4256P-15,
Motorola MCM6256L, TI TMS4256-15L and Toshiba TMM41256P-15.
It comes with a two year limited warranty.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1986 01:26 EDT
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>
Subject: Brief 1.33--worth the upgrade cost
To: <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Greetings! Another company that does not notify its customers of
updates--Solution Systems. I just got the latest version of Brief,
which is now 1.33. I was running 1.3 and have found the upgrade worth
the $20. The new version is faster and has a number of bug fixes. They
also throw in a revised manual, but it is a good idea to tell them that
you want the new manual (some people did not receive theirs). They have
not been keeping good records, apparently, so they want you to send in
your diskette, but you can cut it in half and drop just the top half in
an envelope. (Call them first to make sure you have the right details,
e.g., they want $3 for shipping and handling.)
UnderWare is working on a 2.0, but it will be a while before it comes
out. The main things that I have heard about for 2.0 have been
speed--especially in searching and in processing macros. I think there
MAY be multiple-key macro capacity as well. Call up their bulletin
board and make your votes for new features now while they are working on
it. --Jim
P.S. The bulletin board also carries new macros--organized a la the
forthcoming 2.0. If you customize macros, you will probably want to
get this set instead of using the ones that come with 1.33.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 86 01:15:45 edt
From: <nike!lll-crg!seismo!cadre.dsl.pittsburgh.edu!rochester!pitt!darth!gary@cad.berkeley.edu>
To: nike!B.ISI.EDU!Info-IBMPC
Subject: Re: Epsilon EEL Language Question
The following message was posted by Randy Day (randy@washington):
>I have a question about programming in eel.
>To quote the rather scanty (should I say brief?) Epsilon manual:
>Quote:
> All loaded variables, commands, EEL subroutines, key tables, and keyboard
> macros have their definitions stored in the name table, which is internal
> to Epsilon....Entries can be retrieved by name or numeric index.
>Endquote. (p. 130)
>
>Does anyone know how to reference the name table? Say I have the numeric index
>(or the name) of a variable. How do I determine it's value? I want to do
>something like print the value of variable given it's index:
>
> bprintf("Variable's value is: %d\n", Name_Table[index]);
>
>
>How can this be done?
The answer to this is relatively simple. Epsilon's name table index
scheme is used to provide faster execution, easier key binding, and
more compact key map tables. There are two EEL functions which can
be used to access both the name and type of an Epsilon name index.
The function "name_name()" returns a pointer to a character string
which contains the name of the indexed item. The function
"name_type()" returns the type (defined in eel.h).
The above bprintf statement would be accomplished line this in EEL:
bprintf("Variable's value is: %d\n", name_name(index));
Although the documentation for EEL can require a lot of page flipping,
all of the information is there (somewhere). What can be very helpful,
however, is browsing through the EEL sources provided on your Epsilon
release disks. The EEL program "help.e" contains extensive usage of
the name table and would be helpful in solving some of the problems
you may be having.
If you do not have an Epsilon release disk, please obtain one from
Lugaru software in Pittsburgh (or check the back pages in BYTE). The
authors are friends and deserving of every sale they can get.
Gary J. Wisniewski
Pittsburgh
Phone: (412) 363-4685
Usenet: {allegra,bellcore,cadre,idis,psuvax1}!pitt!darth!gary
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Cc: scheutzow%gitpyr%gatech.csnet@csnet-relay.ARPA
Subject: DeSmet "static" bug
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 86 11:04:27 -0500
From: James R. Van Zandt <jrv@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
After I reported a bug in the DeSmet C compiler, Mike Scheutzow wrote:
> I disagree with your recent Bug Report that said that DeSmet C will
> overwrite the static variables if malloc() is used. I'm also using
> version 2.41...
When I asked:
> Are you sure you used the -c switch when you compiled your program?
...and published my test program, Mr. Scheutzow was able to track the
bug back one more level...
> I sho' did, Mister. The question is, did you use it when
> you BINDed (bound?) the object code?
> I ran your test program, and was puzzled as hell, because it worked
> fine! All locations are identical for the -c or not-c cases.
> Then The Idea occured to me. Guess what happens if you bind without
> the -c?
I agree with Mr. Scheutzow's findings: with the DeSmet 2.41 compiler,
if you use the -c switch for compilation, then you also have to use
it for binding.
I reviewed the documentation, and found no warnings about the -c switch.
But we now know enough to avoid the problem.
- Jim Van Zandt
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 86 10:50 PDT
From: GeorgeBurkitt.ES@Xerox.COM
Subject: Re: Seeking past the last track
To: INFO-IBMPC@B.ISI.EDU
>My program (from Basic-Time, aka Qubie', for a Tandon 20Mb disk) asks
>the hardware how many cylinders it has, adds 50, and seeks to that
>place. Well, the disk heads move (and light flash) for numbers up to
>INT 13 returns AH=02, address mark not found. Is it actually doing
>something or is my controller or drive defeating the +50 seek?
Yes, some drives will refuse a seek command for a track number greater
than its actual max track number. However, it may allow a couple of
extra tracks above the official. So if you can change the '50' to 1 or
2 it might accept that.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 86 09:13 ???
From: LABARBERA%ti-eg.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: TECH PC Query
I am interested in any information concerning the quality, performance, and
compatibility of the line of PCs produced by a company called TECH PC in
Santa Ana, Ca. I am specificially interested in the PC/AT Portable. It
is being offered at a very attractive price. (Almost too good!)
Thanks,
Ross LaBarbera
------------------------------
Date: 7 Aug 86 20:07 EDT
From: SRA @ DCA-EMS
Subject: 3COM LAN BASIC Chain Bug
To: info-ibmpc @ b.isi.edu
We are in the process of migrating a large application
written in BASIC and using the Softcraft Inc. Btrieve record
manager from an 3COM Etherseries 2.4.1 network to a 3COM 3+
network. We are using IBM's Basic Compiler 1.0 and Btrieve
4.0. The Operating System in use is PC DOS Release 3.1.
We continue to use the 1.0 compiler because the 2.0
compiler has an arbitrary open file limit of 15 files and we
need twice that number. This means that we do not use
callable subroutines, we must CHAIN from one module to the
next. This brings up our problem, which I'm hoping someone
in Netland can solve. When more than one user is logged
onto the system and one user chains back and forth between
several modules, the second user, upon attempting to chain
himself, gets a
DISK MEDIA ERROR IN LINE nnn.
We have narrowed the error down to the CHAIN statement
itself, but, since we can't interpret the error, don't know
what to do about it.
Also, does anyone know how to set the DOS errorlevel
from within a compiled BASIC program.
Thanx in advance for all assistance. If you need more
info about the first problem, call me at (703) 558-4700,
X7671. If I'm not in, please leave a message and I'll call
back.
Jeff Greenspan
SRA Corp
Arlington, VA
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 86 10:11:28 edt
From: edj@andrew.cmu.edu (Elliot Jaffe)
To: info-ibmpc@b.isi.edu
Subject: Dos Trapping Interrupts
According to the DOS 3.10 manual,
"..set BREAK=ON. This means that DOS checks for Ctrl-Break whenever it is requested.
This allows you to 'break-out' of a program that produces few or no standard
device operations."
I have a program complied in MS-C (V. 3.01) I use the MS-C signal
routines to trap Ctrl-C. It MAY be true (I cannot reproduce it) that
setting BREAK on actualy does let DOS trap Ctrl-Break all the time. I
almost certainly does not check Ctrl-C all the time. (My program does
output via cprintf, and cprintf does not use the "standard device
operations")
Does anybody know how to tell DOS to trap Ctrl-C all the time? It there some
BIOS call that lets it do this?
Please Help, I am in desperate need.
Elliot
Edj@@Andrew.Cmu.Edu
[Setting BREAK ON enables control break during any DOS call -- note that
this is not really "all the time". Control Break is the PC standard
way to interrupt a program, tho control C also works in COMMAND.COM.
If you want to have control C interrupt your program, you will have
to do that yourself, either by doing DOS or BIOS calls or by trapping
the keyboard interrupt. -rag]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 86 14:34:47 wst
From: munnari!swanee.oz!edmund@seismo.CSS.GOV (Edmund Lai)
To: munnari!info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: IBM PC Professional Graphics Adaptor Documentation
Many thanks to those who reponded to my previous query concerning
documentations for the IBM PGA card. Here is a summary of the
documentations available for those who might be interested.
(1) IBM Personal Computer Professional Graphics Controller
Technical Reference Manual. Part no. 6138161.
(2) IBM PC Options and Adaptors Technical Reference Manual
with updates. Part no. 6322509.
(This is a complete reference to different
options and adaptors. PGA data is contained in the
update. I was also told that this manual set is EXPENSIVE
but useful.)
(3) PC Magazine, August 1986 issue ---- on how to obtain IBM
docs for their display cards.
(4) Device Independent Graphics (with Examples from IBM Personal
Computers) by Robert Sproull, W.R. Sutherland &
Michael K. Ullner. McGraw-Hill, Princeton Rd., Highstown
NJ 08520 USA (phone (609) 426-0317).
Another source of reference is that for the Matrox pg640 card
which is upward compatible with the PGA. It supports all the
PGA commands and more. This doc might be obtained within 2
weeks of ordering rather than 6 to 8 weeks (plus 4 weeks for
the update) for IBM doc -- I was told.
Regards,
Edmund Lai
ARPA : edmund%swanee.oz@seismo.css.gov
UUCP : ...!{seismo,mcvax,ucb-vision,uks}!munnari!swanee.oz!edmund
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 86 11:00:20 EDT
From: "Norbert M. Burman" (TBD-PMB-MRL|turek) <burman@BRL>
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Higher density drives for PC?
I would like to fit my PC with a higher density disk drive than the 360K
drives that are currently supported. This would allow me to backup my hard
disk on at least half the number of floppies I have to use now (assuming I can
support 720K +). I already have a 96 TPI, 80 track CDC drive which I would
like to use to do this.
Is there anyone out there who has tried this and if it worked could you direct
me to any HIGH DENSITY public domain or proprietary floppy disk driver
programs or patches. Are there any major problems in using the higher density
disk drive, other than incompatability with the standard disks? I would also
be interested in any relevant hardware information such as problems, tips and
pitfalls in getting the new drive up and running.
Thanks in advance.
Norbert Burman
burman@brl-tbd.arpa
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Date: Mon, 11 Aug 86 14:09 EDT
From: Deba Patnaik <DEBA%UMDC.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>
Subject: Conversion from BASIC to ASCII
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Is there anyway to convert a BASIC file to ASCII without going into BASIC.
My problem is I cann't load the program because it says line buffer full.
deba%umdc.bitnet@wiscvm.wisc.edu
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Date: 07 Aug 86 0208 PDT
From: Julius Smith <JOS%CCRMA@SU-AI.ARPA>
Subject: High Quality Digital Audio Board Wanted
Does there exist a digital audio board for the PC? By digital audio I mean
at least 90dB of dynamic-range/signal-to-noise-ratio, at least 40KHz
sampling rate, stereo D/A, and hopefully an A/D channel as well. It would
also be nice if it used a TMS32020 to provide some processing along the
way. Finally, continuous playback from disk is required, and continuous
digitization to disk would be nice. Any direct responses to me should
be mailed to JOS@SU-AI.ARPA. Thanks for any info... Julius
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