Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (05/21/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Tuesday, May 20, 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 55
This Week's Editor: Phyllis O'Neil
Today's Topics and Queries:
SPLINE.C Donated to Library
Reading Ultrix 1.1, uVax II, 5 1/4 Floppies
PC-DOS Sector Size
Help Selecting Video Card
MAX's Phone Number
LINT
Executing .BAT from C
Booting Xenix or DOS/BOOTCODE.ASM Query
TYMNet's New Version of X.PC Protocol
Apple Cross-Compiler/Assembler Query
BSC RJP Communication Query
Killing the EGA Cursor Query
BBS Programs for the IBM PC (2 messages)
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To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: SPLINE.C Contribution to Library
Date: Sat, 17 May 86 17:18:28 -0500
From: James R. Van Zandt <jrv@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
I'd like to submit this program to the library.
SPLINE.C Generates splines under tension and allows general curves
and multiple independent curves in the same file. Text
input and output files like the UNIX program. Written in
C by J. R. Van Zandt, based on algorithms by A. K. Cline.
[Thanks. SPLINE.C and spline.doc have been added to the library. -pmo]
------------------------------
From: hermix!stan@rand-unix.ARPA
To: randvax!info-ibmpc%ISIB@ECLB
Subject: Reading Ultrix 1.1, uVax II, 5 1/4 floppies
Date: Sat May 17 19:42:16 1986
Does anyone have a program for an IBM to read the 5 1/4 floppies
generated by a uVax II under Ultrix? Does anyone have any idea
how those floppies are formatted? Any leads, comments or ideas
are welcome. I will summarize and post to info-ibmpc if anything
works. Thanks in advance.
Stan Stead
UUCP: {ihnp4|decvax}!hermix!stan
ARPA: hermix!stan@rand-unix.ARPA
BELL: (213) 206-6238
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 09:29:32 edt
From: gatech!ncsu!uvacs!edison!jso@seismo.CSS.GOV (John Owens)
To: usc-isib.ARPA.UUCP!info-ibmpc@seismo.CSS.GOV,
nbires.UUCP.UUCP!lloyd@seismo.CSS.GOV
Subject: Re: PC-DOS Sector Size Query
In the manual for the Priam InnerSpace 60MB disk, it describes various
ways to use this 60MB disk. The preferred way is to divide the disk
into volumes, never exceeding 32MB. The first is read by the normal
driver, the rest by an installable driver that handles the higher
cluster numbers. (Past even what the ROM type (12) defines.)
The "alternative" is to have one large volume, with a large sector
size. I quote from the "PRIAM InnerSpace HIGH PERFORMANCE DISK USER'S
MANUAL", P/N 780075, (c) PRIAM Corp. [to give credit where it is
due...]
An alternative to dividing the disk into multiple volumes
is to modify DOS so that larger volumes may be created.
[...] Larger volume sizes may be realized by choosing
a larger sector size. The InnerSpace Disk software pro-
vides a method for modifying the sector size so that larger
volumes may be created. The disadvantages of modifying DOS
usually outwiegh the advantages. Larger sector sizes require
larger buffers [....]
The following additional large volume restrictions apply:
[...]
o Program using other than DOS INT 21 calls will
not work.
[...] the PSIZE utility [...] must be used to patch DOS so
that the sector size is increased [....]
This "PSIZE" program patches IBMDOS.COM to allow sector sizes of 512,
1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, bytes, but I'm sure if you disassembled it you
could figure out how to do whatever you wanted. I wonder how they
plan to be compatible with DOS versions they haven't seen, like 3.2?
Anyway, good luck.
(I have no affiliation with PRIAM, except having their manual on my
desk. I've also never used the "PSIZE" patch - I use my own MS-DOS
anyway! Also, nothing said here has anything to do with GE.)
John Owens @ General Electric Company
edison!jso%virginia@CSNet-Relay.ARPA [old arpa]
edison!jso@virginia.EDU [w/ nameservers]
jso@edison.UUCP [w/ uucp domains]
{cbosgd allegra ncsu xanth}!uvacs!edison!jso [roll your own]
------------------------------
Date: Sunday, 18 May 1986 17:14:01-PDT
From: fulton%comet.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM (Cathy Fulton -- CXO Technical Training)
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA, fulton%comet.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM
Subject: Help Selecting Video Card
I am about to receive as my home computer the following system:
- Zenith Z-200 (AT compatible) with 1.2M floppy drive
- 30M Seagate full-height internal hard drive
- Zenith ZVM-1240 high res monochrome monitor (DB9, TTL)
I need suggestions from those of you who have experience with
various video cards. My requirements are the following:
1) Hercules high res monochrome compatible
2) DB9 TTL interface
3) Able to translate signals intended for the IBM CGA
into appropriate signals for my Zenith monitor
4) All video modes software selectable
I have perused several PC-oriented magazines for an extensive
review of video cards, but have found none. In reading the ads
for various cards (Tecmar Graphics Master, Paradise, Everex, Persyst,
etc.), I am led to believe that each card is the greatest thing
since sliced bread. What I need is input from experienced users
who can tell me how compatible a given video card is with, say,
programs written with a Hercules monochrome software driver. A
card may provide great looking output, but if few programs
incorporate software drivers for it, it's pretty useless (kind of
like the present state of the enhanced mode of the EGA card).
Regarding point 3) above, I have seen advertised several cards
which supposedly convert signals intended for the CGA into 16
shades of gray for TTL monitors. Does anyone have experience with
such a card?
Thanks in advance.
- Cathy Fulton
uucp: ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-comet!fulton
ARPA: fulton%comet.DEC@decwrl
------------------------------
Date: Sun 18 May 86 11:12:38-CDT
From: CRSP.STAFF.IVO%gsbacd.uchicago.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
Subject: My telephone number (MAX)
To: info-ibmpc%usc-isib.arpa%gargoyle.uchicago.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
If people should inquire about MAX, and how to get in contact with me,
please tell them this ARPAnet address and my address:
Ivo Welch
5020 SOuth Lake Shore Drive (3505)
Chicago, IL 60615
(312) 324-5036
Thanks,
Ivo
------------------------------
Date: 19 May 86 11:42 EST
From: davidsen%kbsvax.tcpip@ge-crd.arpa
Subject: LINT and PC-DOS
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
I have found that the Microsoft C compiler with the warning level turned
up will catch things which LINT misses. I have been moving code from VAXen
and 68000 based systems to PC-DOS for verification. I am beta testing the
version 4 compiler and it is even pickier that the current version. Unless
you have a political need for a compiler with a separate LINT or have
a rabid dislike of Microsoft products, it's the best I've seen.
------------------------------
Date: 19 May 86 12:02 EST
From: davidsen%kbsvax.tcpip@ge-crd.arpa
Subject: 80/40 track drives
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Mike Yetsko has described the problem with reading disks written on
a 1200k drive in 40 track mode on a 40 track (360k) drive. However, I
believe that if the disk is formatted on the 1200k drive (at least under
PC-DOS) it *seems* to write all 80 tracks and put "silence" on the
unused tracks. I have been moving software between about 11 machines and
have found that if I format and write on the 1200k drive, it will read on a
360k drive just fine. The evil is to write (format OR data) on a 360k drive
then write with a 1200k drive. After that it usually won't read on a 360k.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 86 13:09 MST
From: Steve Herbst <Herbst@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA>
Subject: Executing .BAT from C
Thanks to Dan M. Frank for a helpful suggestion. I was unable to reach him
by network mail. Given a function that executes an arbitrary program, the
following call will do it:
exec("\command.com", "\command.com", "/c", "foo.bat", (char *)0);
It turns out that Lifeboat Associates does market a library of functions
called C+ Utility Library ($185) that includes such a function as exec above.
It calls an arbitrary program in a different linked object. The library also
contains a function that executes an arbitrary DOS command line, which would
also probably do the trick.
There is also a DOS function listed in Peter Norton's reference book on the
IBM PC (I forget the title but it's probably famous) that executes a program,
though I haven't been too successful at first pass decoding what its
capabilities are or how to use it.
Dan Frank also suggested that Microsoft and Lattice may have a system()
function that executes a batch file.
[ From the INFO-IBMPC Program library:
EXEC2.ASM Equivalents of the Unix EXEC function. EXEC2 is for
exec3.asm EXE files and EXEC3 is for COM files. See EXEC.DOC
exec.doc for details.
<PLANK@BTL-IH> 4/20/84
<PAPA%USC-CSE@USC-ECL> 5/12/84
EXECTEST.ASM Example of how to call the DOS EXEC function from an
assembly language program.
<GOLDBERG%VIKING.DEC@DECWRL> 9/20/84
One need only write the appropriate "C" interface to these assembly routines
and one can roll ones own exec routine. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 86 00:42 GMT
From: DEVOTO%LLL@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: booting xenix or dos/bootcode.asm
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I'd like to have the versatility of the bootcode.asm program to be able to
optionally boot either xenix or DOS, but a comment in the code says that
it only works for an AT or a PC with an EGA. Has anyone fixed it for
an XT or Compaq portable (8088 cpu)? Please contact me dierectly
or put you revision into info-ibmpc library.
"devoto%lll"@lll-mfe.arpa
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Date: 19 May 86 18:11:57 PDT (Monday)
Subject: TYMNet's new version of X.PC Protocol
From: Wax.OsbuSouth@Xerox.COM
To: Info-Micro@BRL.Arpa, Info-IBMPC@usc-isib.Arpa
cc: Wax.OsbuSouth@Xerox.COM
I have received a letter that the newest version of X.PC is available.
Has anyone already paid up the fee($20)? If so could you post the new sources
and docs and .EXE/.COM files to the net IF you are amenable to doing so.
The programs are public domain but they want a $20 shipping fee. They used
to do it for free and updates came by shipping the old disks back with a mailer.
It is no longer their policy though apparently.
Allan Wax
ARPA: Wax.OsbuSouth@Xerox.COM
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 1986 11:06 +0300
From: Guy Sirton <MLSIRTON%WEIZMANN.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: Apple Cross-Compiler/Assembler Query
To: Info-IBMPC digest <info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa>
Does anyone know about a cross compiler or cross assembler which
compiles Apple (6502) code on an IBM PC?
Please reply directly by mail to me...
Thanx,
Guy
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Date: 20-MAY-86 17:17 MET
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (IBM PC Users Group)
From: U30Q%CBEBDA3T.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Konrad Haedener,
<U30Q@CBEBDA3T>)
Subject: BSC RJP Communication Query
We are planning to use an IBM PC/XT/AT as a workstation communicating
with an IBM mainframe using BSC RJP protocol.
Has anybody experience with 2780/3780 emulator software (e.g. 'PC3780'
of TDT, Miami, FL) and the neccessary resp. serial interfaces ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Konrad Haedener Phone: (031) 65 42 69
Institute for Inorganic Chemistry University of Bern
Freiestrasse 3
CH-3000 Bern 9 MAIL form:
Switzerland BEDAG at Bern via EARN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Tue 20 May 86 08:43:51-PDT
From: STEPHEN KING <K.KING@LOTS-B.STANFORD.EDU>
Subject: Killing the EGA cursor
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
How can one kill the cursor on an EGA board? There are Turbo
Pascal routines to kill it on monochrome or color monitors, but
the color routine kills the cursor only until a key is pressed,
then the cursor reappears.
Suggestions would be most welcome
Stephen King
K.KING @su-lotsb
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Date: 20 May 1986 10:50:34 CDT
From: U14888%UICVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Joseph George )
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA, JAMESON@UNCA-MULTICS.MAILNET
Subject: BBS Programs for the IBM PC
There are 2 VERY good "shareware" BBS programs for the IBM PC, FIDOnet, and
one called Colossus BBS... FIDOnet is pretty much the standard, and they
have a worldwide "netmail" system, much like BITNET or others...
Colussus is a VERY fine system, much like FIDOnet, but it is currently
"out of service" until the new version comes out... Version 1.20Q of
Colossus came out FULL of bugs, so the "colossus" network went down, they
are supposed to release a new, improved version of Colossus sometime in
the summer...
Aside from the bugs, I would have to say I prefer the Colossus system...
It is copatible with FIDOnet mail networks, and its a generally "nicer"
system.. John Friel did most of the work for Colossus.. He is also very well
known for writing a WONDERFUL shareware terminal program called Qmodem...
If you would like any more info, please let me know at either
U14888%UICVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU or
U16881%UICVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Joe George
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 86 10:52 PDT
From: Dave Platt <Dave-Platt%LADC@HI-MULTICS.ARPA>
To: Jameson%UNCA-MULTICS.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
cc: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Re: BBS software query
There is a very popular bulletin-board package called Fido, which
runs on IBM PCs and quite a few clones. It's not public-domain,
but is instead "user supported" (a.k.a. "shareware"); I believe
that the current fee is $100. Fido supports multiple message
areas (with a last-message-read counter kept on a per-user/per-area
basis), multiple file-storage areas, multiple levels of user
authorization, XMODEM (checksum or CRC), Kermit, and other goodies.
Fido's message-handling software supports a mail-network system
called Fidonet. The net is broken down into a set of regions
(usually city-sized), with each system being given a region/node number.
Systems can register themselves (region/node/name/phone #) with
Fido 1/1, and the updated registrations are distributed weekly.
Between 1 and 2 AM, many Fido systems take themselves out of service
and begin executing a script that automatically dials other Fido
systems country-wide and delivering mail. Frequently, one Fido
in each region will volunteer to act as a store-and-forward server
for other systems in that region, thus cutting down on long-distance
call charges.
Messages are stored and delivered as MS-DOS files, using a variant of
the XMODEM protocol (larger block sizes & batch delivery, I believe).
It's possible to attach a disk file to a message; when the message
is delivered, so is the file.
Fido is very popular... there are certainly several hundred active
Fidos in the U.S., and possibly over a thousand. My favorite Macintosh-
oriented BBS (MacQueue) runs on a 20-meg Fido system, and I know of at
least one Fido with 70+ megs of storage.
From what I've heard from various sysops, the support for Fido is
excellent. There's an extensive collection of Fido utilities that
simplify BBS operation and add features not included in the core of
Fido. Some of these were written by Fido's author[s], while others
were written and posted by Fido sysops.
Fido's major limitation is that it's strictly a single-user system;
there is no real-time conferencing. I suppose that one might be
able to run two copies under one of the multitasking shells that
have been written for the PC, but I don't know that for certain.
If you're interested in further info, drop me a note and I'll dig
up the number for Fido 1/1; you can download further information
(or a complete working set of the Fido software) from them.
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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