Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA.UUCP (05/17/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Saturday, May 17, 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 54
This Week's Editor: Richard Nelson
Today's Topics:
Reading MS-DOS Disks Under UNIX
Executing .bat from C
Disk File Purge the Government Way
Icon: Public Domain Language Available
German MS-WORD v2.0 Undocumented Parameters
German dBase III v1.10 Undocumented Commands
Review of MS-Project v2
DOS 3.2 Fatal Internal Stack Failure
Today's Problems/Queries:
Zenith 200 Heating Problem
8087 Output Routine & Trap Flag Queries
Leading Edge Model D Color Graphics Fix Query
Emacs for DOS, XENIX Query
DOS 3.2 Bug Patch Query
SEARCH PD Program Query
Object Formats Query
BBS Software Query
Setting IBM Async Board to COM3, COM4 Query
New Modes in PC-Talk Version 2.6 Query
Music Composition Programs Query
Architectural Design Software Query
Frame Buffer Query
MicroSoft Xenix 2.0 Query
MicroSoft/IBM Macro Assembler Query
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Kevin Terpstra <war%tp3@rand-unix.ARPA>
Subject: Reading MS-DOS Disks Under UNIX
Date: 14 May 86 22:10:16 PDT (Wed)
I have happened across some files that I found quite useful myself
and I thought that I might offer them to all of you. Specifically,
I have come upon the source to a program written to run under most
Unixes that can read an write IBM-PC disks. If anyone wants this I
will upload it (~60k source).
- Howard Postley
(war%tp3@rand-unix.arpa)
[This is probably best supported via the normal Unix source distribution
schemes than here in INFO-IBMPC Library. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 15 May 86 10:45 EDT
From: Mark Williams <mlw@ncsc>
Subject: Executing .bat from C
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Re: search for C fn that executes arbitrary .bat file...C Utility Library
by Essential Software, Inc., includes a function called doscmd that "enables
you to run a DOS command or batch file or another program as a sub-task of
your program." (From CUL manual, (c) 1984, 1985, Essential Sftwe, Inc.). I
haven't used that particular function yet, but my experience with other parts
of the library has been positive so far. CUL is available from most companies
who make a point of selling PC(MS)-DOS C compilers and support products.
Mark L. Williams
mlw@ncsc
------------------------------
Date: 15 May 86 10:57:08 PDT (Thursday)
From: Eldridge.ES@Xerox.COM
Subject: Disk File Purge the Government Way
The latest version of the Norton Utilities (V 3.1) has a program called
WipeFile to purge files. There is a /G option to use the government
method of overwriting the files.
George
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 19:59:40 EDT
From: Mark S. Feldman <MARKSF@UMD2.UMD.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@isib.arpa
Subject: Icon: Public Domain Language Available
For those of you who are interested in languages, PC Icon 5.9 is distributed
by the University of Arizona Icon Project for a disk/postage fee of $15.
There are versions for both PC-DOS (actually any MS-DOS 2.0+ compatible) and
PC-Xenix, each available for $15. I have a copy of the PC-DOS version and
it is public domain. Currently only binary is distributed, though Ralph
Griswold (Mr. SNOBOL & Mr. Icon) assures me that the source will be made
available when version 6 is complete, sometime this summer.
For those of you not familiar with Icon, here's a brief description.
Imagine combining SNOBOL 4 and C. Then imagine adding such novel
features as coroutines and generators (functions that produce a series
of results). If your imagination is good, you now have an idea of what
Icon is about. Have no fear, one of the files on the Icon diskette
is an overview of the language. If you want to learn more about Icon,
read _The Icon Programming Language_ by Ralph E. Griswold and Madge T.
Griswold, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1983.
Icon is written in C and version 5.9 uses the small memory model so it
is somewhat limited, but it is interesting none the less.
If the keeper of one of the arpa libraries (<Info-Ibmpc>@Isib, <Cc.Galvin.
Public>@R20, Etc@Somewhere) will tell me where I can ftp this stuff to,
everyone will be able to give Icon a try.
If you can't wait for a network distribution of this software, you can
send a check for $15 payable to The University of Arizona to:
Icon Project
Department Of Computer Science
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
Mark
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 10:21:32 MEZ
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
From: UZR500%DBNRHRZ1.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: German MS-WORD v2.0 Undocumented Parameters
There is a German version of MS-WORD here in Germany. In addition to the
commands one can find in the manuals we found three new commands which
work but which are not written in the books:
Word /c -> Color on CGA ( with A<usschnitt O<ptionen (=window options)
Compatible to SIDEKICK with CGA and HERCULES-card
Word /h -> 90 characters/32 lines with HERCULES-card
Word /l -> WORD will load the last edited text and will set the cursor
on the last written position.
It is necessary to have COMMAND.COM on one's disk for the following
command : B<ibliothek B<etriebssystem (=directory OS)
Thorsten Glattki <UZR500%DBNRHRZ1.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Computer Center of the University of Bonn (RHRZ Bonn)
Room 003
Wegelerstrasse 4
D-5300 Bonn 1
Federal Republic of Germany (West-Germany)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 10:23:24 MEZ
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
From: UZR500%DBNRHRZ1.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: German dBase III v1.10 Undocumented Commands
dBase III (German version) - list of undocumented commands
The German version of dBase II (version 1.10) is able to run several
functions and commands which are not documented.
1.)undocumented functions:
---------------------------
LTRIM(string)....-> this function will erase all leading blanks.
OS().............-> gives back the OS-version number.
VERSION()........-> gives back the version number of dBase.
ISUPPER(string)..-> the result is TRUE if the first character of the
string is in upper case.
NDX(num. expr.)..-> gives back the name of the specified index file.
DBF()............-> gives back the name of the current data base file.
RECS()...........-> gives back the number of all records.
FIELD(num.expr.).-> gives back the name of the specified field.
MIN(n.e.1,n.e.2).-> gives back the minimum.
MAX(n.e.1,n.e.2).-> gives back the maximum.
INKEY()..........-> gives back the ASCII value of the pressed key.
2.)undocumented commands:
--------------------------
SET SEGMENT TO (num.expr.)->will determine the data segment for PEEK()
and POKE in decimal numbers.
Example:(to switch to NumLock)
SET SEGMENT TO 64
old value=PEEK(23)
=> POKE 23,32
SET DATE ANSI.............->wil create the format of the date in the
form YY.MM.DD
3.)Parameters to known commands:
--------------------------------
FREEZE......-> the parameter of BROWSE which will effect that only the
specified filed can be edited;all other fields will on=
ly be shown.
LOCK........-> the parameter of BROWSE which will effect that the speci=
fied number of fields will be shown also ever shown
during paging of the screen.
NOFOLLOW....-> a parameter of BROWSE and only relevant in relation with
an active index file and changing the key fields.
Without NOFOLLOW and changing the key fields the record
will be repositioned at once and the actual active record
With NOFOLLOW the record will also be repositioned, but
the next record ('next' in relation to the key) will be=
come the current record.
Syntax:
BROWSE FIELDS <field list> LOCK <num.expr.> FREEZE <field> NOFOLLOW
PLAIN.......-> a parameter of REPORT and will effect that no date and no
page number will be printed.
SAMPLE......-> a parameter of LABEL and will create an output in order
to right justify of etikettes. It can be repeat so long
as it is necessary/as you want.
4.)Others (parameter of SET TO ?):
----------------------------------
CALL........-> It needs SET CALL ON befores its first execution.
ODOMETER....-> 'SET ODOMETER TO <num.expr.>' will be accepted.
AMERICAN,BRITISH,FRENCH,ITALIAN,GERMAN,MODULE,LOAD,CODE,DATA,CMDSET,
FAST,LOAD,MERGE,GETNV,GETOPT,EVAL,UNLOCK(),FLOCK,NLOCK,LOCNDX,LOCK
Thorsten Glattki <UZR500%DBNRHRZ1.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Computer Center of the University of Bonn (RHRZ Bonn)
Room 003
Wegelerstrasse 4
D-5300 Bonn 1
Federal Republic of Germany (West-Germany)
------------------------------
Date: Sat 17 May 86 11:27:50-PDT
From: Robotics Group <ROB@SU-STAR.ARPA>
Subject: Review of MS-Project v2
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
MS-Project version 2:
Compared to other similar project scheduling programs this one has
the most features and is relatively easy to learn and manipulate.
These words summarize the good news about this program. The bad news
are the bugs that I found:
- For no apparent reason the program hangs up usually during
recalculation and the system has to be rebooted. Other symptoms are
"divide error" messages that throw you back to the operating system.
- Printer support: The program was not tested with a variety of
printers and my Epson FX-185 is one of them. Printout in graphics mode
results in missing several activity lines (Epson FX-80 was ok).
MicroSoft suggested to use the IBM printer configuration instead but
the results are still the same.
As for the first problem, it is known to MS but they were reluctant to
say when a fix will be available "maybe 6 weeks or so" was the best
I heard...
Usual disclaimer...
------------------------------
Date: Fri 16 May 86 13:21:00-PDT
From: Ted Shapin <BEC.SHAPIN@USC-ECL.ARPA>
Subject: DOS 3.2 Fatal Internal Stack Failure
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
TITLE: 04/21/86 PC DOS : PC-FLASH - DOS 3.2 STACK MANAGEMENT AS
RELATED TO HARDWARE INTERRUPTS/ PAUSE KEY NOTES
.
$SOURCE: ITEM 959MG FROM EQUAL SYSTEM HONCDPD 3
SOURCE MATERIAL DATED: APR86
.
Q:
Due to the confusion surrounding DOS 3.2 and its interrupt
processing and a known problem with the enhanced keyboard's
pause key, I will try to set the record straight.
.
PAUSE KEY
Repeated use of the pause key while scrolling is already paused,
will cause repeated interrupts, within the same interrupt
handler. This MAY lead to the exhaustion of DOS's stack pool
leading to a DOS INTERNAL STACK ERROR. This exposure was alluded
to in the announcement letter under the Technical Assistance
paragraph. The supplemental information mentioned, is a software
fix for the problem, which is available. To circumvent the
problem without the fix, the user need only hit the pause key
once to pause scrolling, and any other key to resume scrolling
since the PAUSE key is not a toggle key.
.
DOS 3.2
DOS 3.2 has been enhanced to provide stack management for
hardware interrupts, and allow the user to tune the system using
the STACKS parameter of CONFIG.SYS. This enhancement allows for
the use of available applications in an environment which is
interrupt intensive, i.e., high speed communications etc., at the
expense of loosing memory to a stack pool. Since most
environments do not need more than 9 stacks, that number is the
default and acceptable to most environments.
.
The following provides the details of DOS 3.2's stack management
enhancement. Only the detail necessary to explain DOS Stack
Management as it relates to hardware interrupts has been
provided.
.
DOS 3.2 Stack Management
.
This version of DOS has implemented a technique known as stack
swapping when handling hardware interrupts. When a hardware
interrupt is generated, DOS gets control and swaps the stack that
had been used for a clean DOS stack. After swapping stacks DOS
passes control to the interrupt handler associated with the
hardware interrupt. Upon return from the interrupt handler, DOS
restores the old stack and adds the stack to its pool of stacks.
.
This implementation was necessary to allow existing applications
to run in an interrupt intensive environment. Prior to stack
swapping, it was up to an application to maintain a large enough
stack so that interrupt processing routines could use its stack.
Hardware interrupts are unscheduled events and can occur at any
time. They may occur when executing a DOS function, an
application or most importantly when another interrupt is being
processed. The last case, "when another interrupt is being
processed" has an exposure.
.
An explanation of the exposure necessitates the understanding of
how interrupts and stacks relate to one another. We'll keep it
as simple as we can. The stack is an area of memory which can be
thought of as a stack of boxes. These boxes are used to
temporarily store information. In the case of interrupt
processing, this information is the register values saved at the
acknowledgement of an interrupt. The interrupt handler saves
these register values so they are preserved when the handler uses
the registers for its own work. The registers belong to the
application etc. which was running when the interrupt occurred.
The interrupt handler must restore these registers when it
prepares to return to the interrupted application so that
application can continue processing where it was interrupted.
Let's call the saving and restoring of these registers the
preservation and restoration of the interrupted environment. Do
not confuse the DOS ENVIRONMENT STRINGS, with environment as
discussed in this article.
.
Keep in mind that this environment could refer to DOS, the
application or an interrupt handler, i.e., any code being executed
when a hardware interrupt occurs. So, the register values are
put in the little boxes by the interrupt handler. They are
filled sequentially starting at the bottom of the stack and
working up. The pointer to the "next box" is maintained by the
microprocessor. When the interrupted environment is restored the
data is taken from the boxes and placed back into the registers.
The stack is allocated and defined by the application which is
running.
.
Before the days of high speed communications (Token Ring) and
multitasking the users stack was generally adequate in size to
handle normal hardware interrupt processing. Imagine, if you
will, the problem encountered if an application is interrupted
and the environment saved, then the interrupt handler is
interrupted and the environment saved and on and on. This could
represent an interrupt intensive environment.
.
Note that interrupts are occurring so fast that an interrupt
handler never gets a chance to restore the environment and thus
free up some boxes in the stack. If the stack is not large
enough to accommodate all these saved environments then boxes are
still filled even though they aren't within the allocated stack.
When the stack is exceeded as discussed, an overlay condition
exists where the environment was saved outside of the defined
stack area. This leads to unexplained errors such as no response
from the keyboard (hang), or divide overflow or divide by zero
etc, because executable instructions or data was overlayed.
.
Since the application defines and owns the stack, and the PC, in
an increasingly number of cases, is being subject to an abundance
of interrupts, DOS 3.2 was designed to utilize stack swapping.
With DOS 3.2 the exposure of interrupting an interrupt handler
and over utilizing the application's stack has disappeared since
DOS manages the stacks used by the hardware interrupt routines.
Now when an interrupt occurs the applications stack is saved and
DOS passes a free DOS stack, from its pool of stacks, to the
interrupt handler. This stack is used the same way the original
stack was used, to save and restore the environment. Now when a
second interrupt occurs while processing the first interrupt, DOS
uses another free stack, and so forth and so on until all the
environments are restored, and all the stacks swap back until,
finally, the application gets its stack back and continues
processing.
.
There aren't an infinite number of DOS stacks, so it is possible
for DOS to find itself in a position that he cannot swap to a
free stack because they are all being used. This will result in
an error message with DOS 3.2 which reads;
FATAL:INTERNAL STACK FAILURE, SYSTEM HALTED
In the past, the user could not be notified that they had a stack
problem (overlay), except by hangs and unrelated error messages.
With DOS 3.2, a notice is provided prior to locking up the
machine. There is no way to recover from the error without
loosing data integrity so the machine is put into a never-ending
loop by DOS. While data may be lost, the error is an indication
that the number of stacks used by DOS should be increased, as
your configuration is exceeding the available stack space via
hardware interrupts.
.
A new CONFIG.SYS parameter allows the user to redefine the number
of stacks to be allocated and used by DOS to prevent future
errors and the subsequent lose of data. This new parameter is
the STACKS parameter and is located in the DOS users manual on
page B-2. If you are worried about experiencing this problem you
could set the STACKS parameter to its maximum and have an
excellent chance of never experiencing the error. However,
nothing is free, and you would have lost 32k of memory to the DOS
stacks. Since DOS is growing from release to release it is
better to allow the user to set the amount of memory he can
afford to utilize for stack space, rather than add another 32k to
DOS. Keep in mind that only users in an interrupt intensive
environment will need to alter the default STACKS parameter.
.
For those of you unfamiliar with PC interrupts, the following is
a partial list of some of the more popular adapters and PC
functions using interrupts;
TOD CLOCK (religiously 1 interrupt every 18.6 ms)
KEYBOARD (pressing and releasing key)
3278/79 ADAPTER
ASYNCH ADAPTER
BSC ADAPTER
SDLC ADAPTER
NETWORK ADAPTER
TOKEN RING ADAPTER
DISKETTE DRIVE
FIXED DISK DRIVE
DACQ ADAPTER
------------------------------
Date: Thu 15 May 86 06:22:53-PDT
From: Tony Brand <BRAND@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: Zenith 200 Heating Problem
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
The Z200 with AST Advantage (3Mbytes) and 2 30Mbyte Seagate drives and EGA
board is a great machine but... it gets hot. Has anyone solved the heat
problem? How about removing the little plate on the back in the middle and
putting in an extra fan?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 07:56:57 PDT
From: dgb%DEImos.Caltech.Edu@Hamlet.Caltech.Edu (Daniel S. Briggs)
Subject: 8087 Output Routine & Trap Flag Queries
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Does anyone out there have any pure assembler routines to format the
various real number data types produced by the 8087? Specifically, I'm
interested in formatting a 10 byte temporary real as a full 17 digit
mantissa plus exponent. It doesn't have to be pretty, just in a form that
a human can read. The application is to use it in a memory resident
interrupt handler that prints a full status on the 8087, including all the
status regs, and the internal stack. It really isn't a difficult job, and
except for output formatting routines should be the work of a few hours.
Pointers to vaguely related code is appreciated as well.
For that matter, can anyone give any words of wisdom about the use of the
trap flag? Supposing I wanted this handler to trigger the debugger again as
it exits. I can set the trap flag, and sure enough the debugger wakes up
a few instructions later (?). God only knows what housekeeping isn't
being done, however. Is there an "approved" way to signal the microsoft
debugger to wake up? (Int 3 just starts up the whole kit & kaboodle from
the beginning. Since the debugger is not reentrant, this dies....) For
that matter, the only way I have found to access the trap flag at all is
to POPF a word with bit 9 set. Is there a better way?
Thanks again for any help. If this thing flies, I'll upload it to the net
libraries.
------------------------------
Date: 0 0 00:00:00 PST
From: "COX R.G." <cox@nusc.ARPA>
Subject: Leading Edge Model D Color Graphics Fix Query
To: "info-ibmpc" <info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA>
The Leading Edge model D has a color board that allows 16 color, 640 x 200
resolution which can be used by the graphics mode in BASIC. Other programs,
however, such as Mouse Systems PC-Paint+, only see this board as a CGA board,
and only allow four color medium resolution graphics. Does anyone know a
fix that will allow these programs to use the full color graphics capabilities
of the Model D? Thanks - Bob Cox (cox@nusc.arpa)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 10:20:03 edt
From: Kevin Sullivan <kjs%tufts.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc%usc-isib@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
Subject: Emacs for DOS, XENIX Query
I run an AT under both IBM-XENIX and MS-DOS. Can I run Emacs? Is it free?
How do I get it?
Kevin Sullivan
Tufts University
kjs%tufts@csnet-relay
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 11:22:30 pdt
From: Wm. L. Brown <wbrown@lbl-ux4>
Subject: DOS 3.2 Bug Patch Query
We've heard about the DOS 3.2 bug from several sources including info-ibmpc;
however the patch for it seems to be a well-kept secret. Yesterday I
called our local IBM Product Center, but they didn't know anything about
it. They gave me a 800 number. I called that number, and those people didn't
know anything about it, but they gave me another 800 number. This cycle
continued until I just gave up. (The people at the next-to-last number
wanted to sell me c maint contract on my main-frame. Since I don't have
a main-frame, they gave me the 800 number of somebody would sell ne a
main-frame. ARRGGGGH!!!)
Anyhow, if anyone has managed to track down the "fix that IBM has
documented," could you please post it to the net? It would be a great help
to those of us who are not lucky enough to find the right curse necessary
for extracting it from IBM.
Thanks.
Bill
------------------------------
From: "Philip_M._Burton.osbunorth"@Xerox.COM
Date: 15 May 86 09:29:53 PDT (Thursday)
Subject: SEARCH PD Program Query
Several weeks ago I downloaded SEARCH from one of the local bbs's. The
DOC file is in the form of a UNIX man page, and the header reads
something like: UNIX-like Utilities for DOS 2.0.
All in all, very nice, with UNIX-like ability to select files by
combinations of name, size, date, attributes, etc., and to perform
several operations, including dir list short/long, resetting attributes,
copy/move/delete/rename, etc.. It has a backup option that resets the
archive bit, and it even supports TAR files !!! The subdirectory form
is the UNIX "/" rather than the DOS "\".
Backup to a floppy subdirectory doesn't work, as follows The operation:
copying C:/DIR/ FILE1.TXT to A:/DIR/FILE1.TXT
fails, even though the subdirectory \DIR exists on the floppy in drive A,
because it can't write to :
A:\/DIR/FILE1.TXT. [note the mix of \ and /]
Any suggestions? I am using a PC AT with DOS 3.1, but may go to DOS
3.2. There is no documentation on how to change the subdirectory form,
and I don't have sources. Does anyone have sources? There is no clue
as to the author, company, etc.
Phil Burton
Xerox Corp.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 08:13 MDT
From: Jameson@UNCA-MULTICS.MAILNET
Subject: Object Formats Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Can anyone point me in the direction of publications which describe the
Intel, Microsoft, and Digital Research object module formats? i.e.,, the
names of the publications by the principal companies or third party
documents. My whole motivation is to write an assembler and linker for
an msdos machine. Any relevant public domain assemblers or linkers from
which this information could be derived would also be of use if such
things exist.
Many thanks
Kevin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 May 86 08:15 MDT
From: Jameson@UNCA-MULTICS.MAILNET
Subject: BBS Software Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Is there any public domain bulletin board software available for the
ibmpc which will implement a reasonably reliable system?
------------------------------
Date: Thu 15 May 86 14:09:28-PDT
From: Tony Brand <BRAND@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: Setting IBM Async Board to COM3, COM4 Query
I have just set up EasyLan, a "network" which uses RS232 ports to link PC's.
It's fine for my educational computer lab. Can the IBM Async board be
modified to appear as COM3 or COM4? As I see it, I'd have to modify the
address lines and the interrupt number. I have several async boards which I
removed from XT's. I've run out of funds to buy one of the multiport boards!
Tony Brand
Trenton State College
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 06:33:14 AEST
From: munnari!runx.oz!misja@seismo.CSS.GOV (Michael Jude)
Subject: New Modes in PC-Talk Version 2.6 Query
This is the latest version of PC-Talk we have down under and is
from ExecPC. Unfortunately none of us have the new documentation.
Two new features are the Stealth Mode and the IBM 3101 Mode. Could someone
please explain the functions of these modes?
Thanks in advance,
Dr Michael J Jude
PO Box 317, Caringbah, NSW, 2229, Australia.
ACSnet: misja@runx CSNET: misja@runx.oz
ARPA: misja%runx.oz@seismo.css.gov JANET: runx.oz!misja@ukc
UUCP: {enea,hplabs,mcvax,prlb2,seismo,ubc-vision,ukc}!munnari!runx.oz!misja
Graduate student, School of Health Administration, University of NSW.
------------------------------
Date: 16 May 86 15:12:00 EDT
From: "Maarten Nederlof" <maarten@wharton-10.ARPA>
Subject: Music Composition Programs Query
To: "info-ibmpc" <info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA>
There's been a lot of interest here recently about music composition programs
for the IBM-PC/XT line. Does anyone out there have any experience or
information regarding music composing software/performing hardware that you
could possibly share with us?
We're not so interested in just writing sheet music, more like composing
5-part harmony and play it back. It could also interface with synthesizers,
etc.
If I receive useful replies, I'll gladly summarize to the net.
Thanks in advance,
Maarten Nederlof
University of Pennsylvania
ARPA: <Maarten@Wharton-10.ARPA>
CSNET: <Maarten%Wharton-10@CSNET-RELAY.CSNET>
MA BELL: (215) 387-6190
Where: N 40 deg 06 min 05 sec
W 75 deg 10 min 18 sec
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@isib
Subject: Architectural Design Software Query
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 16:58:47 -0500
From: Jeff Edelheit <edelheit@mitre.ARPA>
I have a friend who is interested in architectural design software
He has seen AutoCAD and was not very not impressed with it. Any
pointers, suggestions would be most helpful.
Thanks,
Jeff Edelheit (edelheit@mitre)
The MITRE Corporation, 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd.
McLean, VA 22102 (703) 883-7586
------------------------------
Date: 16 May 1986 10:00-PDT
From: Kenneth Sloan <sloan@uw-tanga.arpa>
Subject: Frame Buffer Query
To: INFO-IBMPC@usc-isib.arpa
Folk-
I'm looking for a frame buffer with the following specs:
*standard mono video in
*flash digitized to approx 640x480x8
(512x512 is ok, square pixels strongly preferred)
*input look-up table(s)
*mask-able frame store
*output look-up tables(s)
*standard RGB video out (8 bits per primary)
*software support for C, Pascal, or Modula II
The leading contender is the Matrox PIP-1024.
I would appreciate comments from those who have used the Matrox board,
and leads to other, comparable products. Note especially the
requirements to deal with standard video, and the bare minimum of 512
pixels per line (640 preferred, but I can't find one...)
Replies to me, please; I'll summarize.
-Kenneth Sloan <sloan@washington.arpa>
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: MicroSoft Xenix 2.0 Query
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 18:58:58 -0500
From: Mark Colan <mtc@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
I have a few questions about Microsoft Xenix 2.0 (System V). I'm NOT
interested in these answers for the previous releases (i.e.,, those based
on System III). Any help out there?
1. I've heard that you can "hot-key" between 4 screens that each can be
running different cshells, etc. Is this true of Microsoft Xenix, or
did I hear it about SCO Xenix?
2. Is there a difference between SCO Xenix and MicroSoft Xenix?
3. Does Xenix 2.0 support the EGA in graphics mode, 43-line text, etc?
4. What are the "PC Extensions to Xenix" that are available from IBM
as a fourth package? Is it worth $400+? Where did it come from?
5. Does the DOS cross compiler facility support curses yet?
6. Do you like it, overall?
Thanx in advance
Mark Colan
MIT Project Athena
(617)253-1358
mtc@athena.mit.edu
...!mit-eddie!mit-athena!mtc
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Subject: MicroSoft/IBM Macro Assembler Query
Date: Fri, 16 May 86 19:01:23 -0500
From: Mark Colan <mtc@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
What is the correspondence between the revision numbers for the IBM
and MicroSoft Macro Assemblers, if any? In particular, which version
of Microsoft corresponds to the IBM Macro Assembler V2.0?
Thanx in advance
Mark Colan
MIT Project Athena
(617)253-1358
mtc@athena.mit.edu
...!mit-eddie!mit-athena!mtc
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------