Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (05/15/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wednesday, 14 May 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 53
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
kwic-index.txt
8087 Clone Available in Early 1987
Diskette Purge Program
REFORMAT.FILES
ARC -- Latest Version
Proprinters
Mountain 20MB Hard Card
TCP/IP for the PC
^H in Pibterm
Mark William's Let's C
MicroEmacs
Sharp PC-7000 (2 Msgs.)
PC-Lint
3 1/2 <--> 5 1/4 Conversion on Laptop Toshiba T1100
NANSI.SYS and NANSIS.SYS
Current DOS Environment
MASM 4.00 Bugs
Quick Reference List to SIMTEL20's MSDOS Directories
DOS 3.0 FAT
Okimate 20 Color Printer
Today's Queries:
Ivo Welch...Where Are You?
Remote Displays
1.2M & Tandy Floppy Disk Compatibility
80286 POPF Inline Code
Microsoft C and Assembler . . .
VT240 Emulators
EGA/INT 10H
TURBO Pascal Run-Time Quirks
PC+
Problems Reformatting Non-IBM AT Hard Disk
Zenith 200 and AST Advantage Memory Problem
XT Speedup Problem
Bug in New AT Keyboard
Executing .BAT from C
EGA Clones
Professional Graphics Adaptor Bug
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1986 15:03:40 PDT
Subject: kwic-index.txt
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Thanks to Virginia Hetrick we now have an updated current kwic-index.txt.
This file contains all the subject lines of all messages arranged in
a kwic index fashion. It is current through mid April. (Issue #43)
It can be FTPed as <INFO-IBMPC>KWIC-INDEX.TXT.
------------------------------
DATE: APR 30 1986
To: <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
From: Hermann Willers <G95%DHDURZ2.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: 8087 Clone Available in Early 1987
I answer my own question on the availability of an 8087
clone. The german distributor of NEC wrote me that it
will become available early in 1987. They did not specify
a price to be hoped for.
Hermann Willers <G95@DHDURZ2.BITNET>
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1986 22:43-EDT
Subject: Diskette Purge Program
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA, w8sdz@SIMTEL20.ARPA, eiben@MARLBORO.DEC.COM
Gentlemen,
Recently a fellow on one of the nets inquired about any code to
purge disks according to the NSA standard: write 1's, write 0's,
write random, with verify.
Couldn't find any, so I wrote it myself. Works fine on a PC clone,
and does as thorough and legal a job as I could think of.
Released for non-commercial use (e.g., no sales unless you cut me in).
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS
[TOADPURG.ASM is in the <info-ibmpc> lending library -ed]
------------------------------
Date: 4 May 1986 09:23-EDT
Subject: REFORMAT.FILES
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
[REFORMAT.FILES and REFORMAT.DOC have been updated to allow a choice of
either in line assembly code or a seperate .COM file for the INT 25/26
linkage. Thanks to David Kirschbaum. -wab]
Regards,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID
----------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 May 1986 19:36 EDT
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: ARC -- Latest Version
I just checked with Seaware (bulletin board). The current version of
ARC is 5.12. They have reports of the phony 5.13 as well as a 5.20
but do not appear to be aware that 5.13 is a trojan horse (not that
they could do anything about it anyway).
The solution to this appears to be for people to get ARC and similar
programs directly from the developers, if possible. Alternatively,
people who make programs publicly available should ensure that they
have authorized versions and should test them before making them
available. Unfortunately, it is not practical to test each program
exhaustively (or even to read through all of the source code).
Looks like the time has to come to develop some standard procedures.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10-May-86 21:20:31 EDT
From: David Farber <farber%pcpond.pc.udel.edu@Louie.UDEL.EDU>
Subject: Proprinters
21:56:17 3/29/1986 (From PC Week Bulliten Board)
For those of you with IBM PROPRINTERS, I have some important
information for you. Some of you will have Proprinters which
work fine, and are a pleasure. Some of you will have Proprinters
which print wiggly letters, and have misaligned and misfiring
pins in the print head. It is these Proprinters that this information
concerns.
The person's name which I have been dealing with in IBM's Customer
Relation Department at Boca Raton is Mr. Jim Meadows. It seems
as if it is one of those problems that if you complain loudly
enough, and long enough - they will do something about it. But
only if you push. So far, this seems to be one of the phantom
problems that "is not a problem" as far as they are concerned.
I had originally purchased my Proprinter at Sears Business
Systems, and they have been very cooperative in trying to fix the
problem. At one point, they even traded mine for a new printer.
Unfortunately, the new one had 4 pins which were either
misfiring, or out of alignment. Since this was worse than my old
one, I took my old one back home. They are now going to replace
the print head in my old one (which is ok if it works). Mr.
Meadows seems to be in agreement with this. Sears has done all
they could be expected to do under the circumstances. If IBM
sends them wiggly printers - they only have wiggly printers to
sell and trade. So far, about 40% of the Proprinters I have come
into contact with have this problem.
The name address and telephone number is as follows (and
they will accept collect calls):
Mr. Jim Meadows
IBM Customer Relations
IBM Corporation
P.O. Box 1328A
Boca Raton, Florida 33432-1328
305-998-6048
305-998-9201
If you have any questions, suggestions, or need any further
particulars please feel free to contact me at either Fido ERL
(net 104/node 607), or Y-108 Fido (net 104/node 108). I will
keep you posted as to the results obtained from the head change!
Greg Moore
Addendum 4/30/86
One of the Proprinters at the main office where I work go so bad
that the local commercial IBM outlet in the Tech Center at 7900
East Union traded for it. But beware of trades! What they
traded them for was a REBUILT Proprinter that had definitely been
through the wars! Even the IBM logo on the metal tag on the
front was worn off. As was pointed out by the clerk--they
reserve the right (yes, it's in that good ole warrantee) to give
you USED RECONDITIONED equipment in FULL satisfaction of the
warrantee. The one that was brought back to the office lasted 1
whole day before getting the "Hula" shakes again. Fascinating
that there are those of us who still pay the premium for the IBM
logo. Three years ago this would not have happened.
Greg Moore
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 May 86 21:05 CDT
From: Wilkinson@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: Mountain 20MB Hard Card
To: AURORA%SBBIOVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
We have purchase Mountain's 20MB Drive Card ($900) and have been very
pleased with its performance in an IBM-XT. It also controls my original
XT hard disk, so I did not lose a slot (I pulled the original controller
card). I understand that with an AT you have to buy an additional
adapter ($49). We are considering getting their newer 30MB Drive Card
($1079). Call me if you want more details.
Richard Wilkinson {Wilkinson@HI-MULTICS.ARPA}
(612-542-7788 work)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 May 86 23:44:11 EDT
From: Chris Schmandt <geek@MEDIA-LAB.MIT.EDU>
Subject: TCP/IP for the PC
I have also been testing FTP's software, mostly telnet, rlogin, and ftp
to a Vax running 4.2, using both Interlan and 3Com boards. The current
version works like a charm for me, and has several bugs fixed. (In fact,
the current version has never failed using it about 4 hrs/day for a
couple of weeks now). I recommend it highly.
As for boards, we have found the 3Com to be more reliable. I have 5
Interlan boards and 8 PCs. There is no board which will run on all
PC's, nor is there a PC which all the boards work on. You have to
try different slots and things like that.
chris
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 May 86 18:53 EST
From: "George Barbanis, Heldenprogrammer" <BARBANIS%umass-cs.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: ^H in Pibterm
To send a ^H in pibterm, append this line to the PIBTERM.FNC file:
K.=^H
The caret symbol is a caret symbol and does not mean ctrl-H.
This is going to make the Del key of the PC keypad send a ^H
character. The backspace key still sends a DEL character and
so does ^H from the keyboard. Alternatively, you can redefine
(always in PIBTRM.FNC) the backspace key to send ^H and the
Del key to send ascii-DEL, so you will have to use the Del key
to delete stuff while emulating a vt100. The above assume that
the PIBTERM.FNC file is the VT100.FNC file supplied with Pibterm
(since you are emulating a VT100 I guess you copied VT100.FNC
into PIBTERM.FNC; otherwise just include the K.=^H command)
Hope that helps.
\gb
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 May 86 12:11:26 PDT
From: pnet01!mtarrani <crash!Mike.Tarrani@sdcsvax.ucsd.edu>
Subject: Mark William's Let's C
If you're looking for a decent, reasonably priced C compiler, I strongly
recommend that you look at the Mark Williams Let's C package.
You get top performance at a giveaway price. This compiler is no toy;
the heart of the system is the same compiler that comes with the Mark
Williams Professional system, but without some of the advanced utilities
and with a restriction on memory models.
Program Description
-------------------
The $75.00 Let's C package will not support the large memory model (640K
of program instructions and data), but does have the following features:
o Full K & R implementation (including register variables)
and common extensions. Two of the latest data types, enum
and void are included, as is structure assignment.
o Full Unix compatibility--your source will compile without
a hiccup under Unix if it compiles on your machine.
o Two libraries: math and standard.
o The ability to generate ROMable code.
Included with the package are:
o Supporting programs
* assembler
* linker
* Unix-style utilities
- egrep
- pr
- tail
- cmp
Finally, you get MicroEMACS, an editor, with source code.
Performance
-----------
Let's C is a one step compile and link compiler. You invoke with compiler
with a simple 'cc' and when it's finished you have an executable file.
The compiler is rich with options--too many to list here--that give you
total control over the compilation process. The preprocessor can also
be controlled with options. One of the nicest compiler options is the
'-vsbook' switch that causes the compiler to alert you to code that does
not conform strictly to K&R specifications. This allows you to write
code that can be ported to any number of environments, as long as the
target machine has a full K&R compiler.
The compile and link process is not quick. If you're used to Turbo Pascal,
then you're going to fall asleep while Let's C is doing its thing. Even
for short programs, the time between invoking the compiler and getting an
executable program dragged on. My points of reference are small c and BDS
C running in the CP/M environment--both CP/M implementations were signif-
icantly faster than Let's C. (Note: The CP/M compiles were done on a
5 mhz floppy-based machine, Let's C compiles were done on a hard disk-based
IBM PC clone.)
Despite the apparent feet dragging during the compile-link-load process, I
am still pleased with the overall power and performance of the compiler.
MicroEMACS
----------
The editor that came with the package initially interested me because it
came with source code--something I could dissect. After a frustrating
bout with Perfect Writer that came bundled with my old Kaypro CP/M machine
I wanted nothing to do with EMACS (Perfect Writer was a mismatched cross
between EMACS and troff.)
In order to make sense of the source code, I opened the manual to the
MicroEMACS reference guide, called up MicroEMACS on the machine and began
putting the editor through its paces. The damn thing grows on you. I
had originally intended to use good old Wordstar as my editor, but I think
I'll stick with MicroEMACS. For word processing EMACS-type editors don't
impress me, but for code editing, they're hard to beat. The relative merits
of editors are so subjective that you'll have to make up your own mind on
this one. One nice feature is you can exit to DOS with a quick keystroke,
compile your source code (or execute any other program you want) and when
you're through, typing 'exit' at the DOS prompt returns you to where you
left off in editing.
The Manual
----------
The 330 page manual that comes with Let's C is wire spiral bound for easy
flipping through pages. It covers the C compiler itself, and all of the
preprocessor and compiler options, the assembler and linker. It then goes
on to describe every library function in great detail, and gives compre-
hensive coverage of error messages. Note that the compiler produces
error messages in English, not error codes--another impressive feature.
The final section is devoted to MicroEMACS and provides all the infor-
mation necessary to use its plethora of functions and features. The manual
has two tables of contents and two indices, one each for Let's C itself
and for MicroEMACS. On using the compiler, assembler, and utilities, the
manual serves well as a tutorial and technical reference manual. It does
not, however, try to teach the C programming language or 8086/8088 assembly
language. You'll have to select third party books on those subjects if you
need to learn them.
Overall
_______
I'm impressed. Although the compile process sometimes seems like it won't
finish before the next eclipse, the resulting code is both compact and
quick. The Let's C package contains everything needed to begin producing
C programs with no need to buy extras like an assembler, editor or to
have to write your own libraries. For $75.00 (I paid $60.00 at Byte and
Floppy Computers) Let's C represents a bargain analogous with Borland's
Turbo Pascal. If you are the least bit interested in C, then the cost of
finding out if C is your forte is minimal. Even if you're an experienced
C programmer you could do much worse than this gem.
Disclaimer: I have no connection with Mark Williams Company--except as a very
satisfied customer.
Mike Tarrani
ARPA: crash!vista!pnet!pnet01!mtarrani@{nosc,ucsd}
uucp: {noscvax,sdcsvax,ihnp4}!crash!vista!pnet!pnet01!mtarrani
MCI Mail: mtarrani (278-8623)
Physical: 8131 Brookhaven Road
San Diego, CA 92114
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 May 86 15:41:37 PDT
From: kegel@tybalt.caltech.edu (Daniel R. Kegel)
Message-Id: <8605112241.AA15416@tybalt.caltech.edu>
Subject: MicroEmacs
We obtained what we thought was microemacs 3.6 from mod.sources
a little while back, and modified it to work under microsoft C.
We also optimized the display code to take advantage of NANSI.SYS, getting
it to the point where it could almost keep up with the PgDn auto repeat on
an IBM PC/AT. Unfortunately, what we were working with was the DEC
redistribution of MicroEmacs, and our modifications have been distributed
to many people. We hope anyone who was confused by our misunderstanding
accepts our apologies.
Daniel Lawrence (ihnp4!pur-ee!pur-phy!duncan!lawrence), the author of
MicroEmacs 3.5, recently posted 3.6, and it has many desirable features
lacking in the DEC distribution. We will probably back-substitute our
modifications, and try to integrate them into the mainstream distribution.
Any questions, or comments should go to either Castor (clf@tybalt.caltech.edu
or ihnp4!escher!fu) or Dan (kegel@tybalt.caltech.edu).
-Castor Fu and Dan Kegel
Daniel Kegel
Mail: 1-60 Caltech, Pasadena, California 91126, USA
ARPA: kegel@juliet.caltech.edu, kegel@tybalt.caltech.edu
UUCP: {seismo!} hamlet.caltech.edu!kegel%juliet {@seismo.css.gov}
BITNET: kegel%juliet@caltech.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 86 10:17:12 +1000 (Mon)
Subject: Sharp PC7000
From: Stephen Withers <munnari!murdu.oz!stephenw@seismo.CSS.GOV>
In Vol 5, #51, James H Coombs asked about the PC7000's level of compatibility.
All I can say is that I've seen it run Jet. It struck me as being a machine
to look at if limited portability is needed, and the screen beats unlit LCDs
hands-down.
Stephen Withers,
Microcomputer Support Group, University Computing Services,
The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
ACSnet: stephenw@murdu
UUCP: {seismo,mcvax,ukc,ubc-vision}!munnari!murdu.oz!stephenw
ARPA: munnari!murdu.oz!stephenw@seismo.css.gov
CSNET: stephenw%murdu@munnari.oz
"The only thing I ever learned from experience was that I just made another
mistake."
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 May 86 14:03 N
From: <INNO%HWALHW5.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: Sharp PC-7000
- Flight Simulator worked well.
- Paintbrush seemed to work also (we had little time to try)
We had no time to evaluate this machine fully,
so I don't know if it's fully compatible, but the salesman
says it is.
It has 5,25 inch drives (2).
The quality of the LCD was very good (the best I've seen
since long) because of the backlight-panel.
Technical specifications:
CPU: 8086 (7,37 mhz)
8087 (optional)
Memory: ROM: 32Kb
RAM: 320 kb standard, upgrading till 704 kb is possible
Screen: 640 * 200 (80*25)
I/O: 1 serial RS232-C
1 parallel (Centronics)
Weight: 8,5 kg
OS: MS-DOS V2.11
GWBASIC 2.0 (optional)
Optional stuff: Color CRT-adaptor
10 Mb Winch.
3 Slots for PC-compatible cards (full or halfsize)
N.B: I have no commercial connections with Sharp !
Inno Frencken
Computing Centre
Agricultural University
Hollandseweg 1
6706 KN Wageningen
The Netherlands
phone: 08370-83875
EARN-id: INNO
EARN-node: HWALHW5
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 May 1986 23:44 EDT
From: Yedidyah Langsam <YDLBC%CUNYVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: PC-Lint
With respect to requests for information about Lint for the PC, I have
had excellent experiences with PC-LINT from GIMPEL software. It appears
to work just as does UNIX lint, catches the same linty code, etc.
If you have a specific question let me know, and I'll give it a shot.
Yedidyah
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 86 11:51 N
From: <DOMMELEN%HWALHW5.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: 3 1/2 <--> 5 1/4 Conversion on Laptop Toshiba T1100
Recent discussions about 3.5 inches asked for laptop computers able
to convert 3.5 to/from 5.25 flops. Has anyone tried the Toshiba T1100?
This 100% compatible (except for the drive) is equipped with one
internal 3.5 drive. Another can be attached externally, but they
deliver a 5.25 external drive also.
Our dealer in Holland claims to provide software for the conversion
to/from different drives. They also showed me a working version of
dBASE III which they were able to buy (and sell to me again if I had
enough money) legally on 3.5 flops.
Wim van Dommelen, Computer Centre Agricultural University, Wageningen Holland.
DOMMELEN@HWALHW5.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Mon 12 May 86 15:44:34-CDT
From: Pete Galvin <CC.GALVIN@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: NANSI.SYS and NANSIS.SYS
By popular demand, I've moved copy of NANSI.SYS into my public area. The
sources are available from USC-ISIB so I didn't post them too.
Also in that area are NANSIS.ASM and NANSIS.SYS. These are the source and
the binary of a version of NANSI which doesn't cause "snow" to be displayed
on systems with a standard color/graphics adapter. This new version doesn't
check for the display adapter type, so you should only use it if you see snow
with the original NANSI.
A couple of benchmarks: (simply TYPEing a fairly long file)
ANSI 65 seconds
NANSIS 53 seconds (about 20% faster than ANSI)
NANSI 46 seconds (about 30% faster than ANSI)
NANSIS in raw mode 34 seconds (twice as fast!)
Unfortunately, RAW mode disables control-break (and control-c), which
I can't live without. I have a keyboard enhancement program which traps
scroll-lock itself, so I don't lose control-s/control-q capability.
--Pete
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 86 12:07:35 PDT
From: Jim Anderson <bilbo.jta@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Current DOS Environment
One way to get the current environment would be to use DOS function 62H to
get the address of the current psp, then use the environment pointer from
that psp. Of course this function only works on 3.0 or later. Function
51H returns the same results on both 2.x and 3.x as 62H does on 3.x, but
it is undocumented. Caveat programmer.
In DOS 3.1 these function calls may be made at any time. There is no DOS
re-entrancy problem. I assume that is probably true of other versions of
DOS.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 86 17:02:12 pdt
From: jhass%ucbiris@BERKELEY.EDU
Subject: MASM 4.00 Bugs
MASM 4.00 bugs.
For those foolish enough to put a non-ASCII character in your
assembler language files, watch out. Microsoft MASM 4.00 may
accept it but do the wrong thing.
*******************************************************************
Bug #1. [Thanks to Jim Buyens.]
The following statement won't assemble!
HDR_MSG2 DB ':',13,10
Actually, the character in quotes is the double vertical line,
ASCII 186, which I see I can't transmit. The diagnostic I get is
"error 50: Value is out of range". The assembler substitutes a
hex FF in the code, instead of a BA as it should. I got around
the problem by putting 186 in place of the literal.
*******************************************************************
Bug #2. [Thanks to Bob Zale.]
If you have a JZ instruction with the high bit set on the 'Z',
MASM will assemble it as a JA instruction without any error or
warning.
*******************************************************************
The first error above was presumably introduced in 4.0 when
Microsoft ported MASM from Lattice C to Microsoft C. In Lattice
C, characters are unsigned and range from 0 to 255. In MS C,
characters are signed and range from -128 to +127. IBM characters
above 127 are thus a little awkward.
-- Roger Schlafly
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 1986 22:21 MDT
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: Quick Reference List to SIMTEL20's MSDOS Directories
Quick reference list to SIMTEL20's PD:<MSDOS.x> directories
as of May 12, 1986 (where 'x' is one of the names below):
ARC-LBR DIR-UTIL KEYBOARD SCREEN TVX-EDITOR
ASM-UTIL DISK-UTIL MICRO-EMACS SQ-USQ TXT-UTIL
C-LANGUAGE FILE-UTIL MODEM-UTIL SYSTEM-UTIL VOICE-SYNTH
DESK-ACCESSORY HAM-RADIO PRINTER-UTIL TEXT-EDITOR
------------------------------
Date: Feb 20 1986
From: <G95%DHDURZ2.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: DOS 3.0 FAT
The BPB is located in the first sector on a disk (hard, floppy, RAM)
and looks as follows (offsets with respect to the sector begin):
ofs(hex) len meaning
0B 2 bytes per sector on disk
0D 1 number of sectors per cluster
0E 2 number of reserved sectors
10 1 number of FAT copies (on RAM disks this may be 1)
11 2 number of entries in the root directory
13 2 number of sectors on disk (unsigned int)
15 1 media byte (FAT ID byte)
16 2 number of sectors occupied by one FAT copy
18 2 number of sectors per track
1A 2 number of heads
1C 2 number of protected sectors
To find the first data cluster (which always has number 2) :
Its sector number fc is :
fc = (0e) + (10)*(16) + 32*(11)/(0b).
(0e) means : contents of the field at 0e. All other numbers are decimal.
I hope I didn' forget to add or subtract 1.
To get the start address of cluster n, compute fc+(n-2) * (0d).
Hermann Willers <G95%DHDURZ2.bitnet>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 May 86 17:11 N
From: <DOMMELEN%HWALHW5.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: Okimate 20 Color Printer
A few weeks ago, I asked for information about the Okimate 20 Color printer.
Here's a summary of the responses and some things I've seen myself:
- The prints look nice, I've seen real dumps of C64 screens. Good and clear
colors. The only problem is that sometimes, small horizontal lines were
visible, due to improper position of the head and/or ribbon.
- Paper needed cannot be normal printer paper but should be plain thermal or
acetate transparencies. This paper is not delivered in sheets but
continuous forms.
- Several users where using the Okimate 20 for the production of overhead
sheets and reported good results.
- This printer spoils a lot of ribbon. For each line (approx. 1 x 20 cm.)
20 cm. of ribbon is used, even when just one pixel is printed. The ribbon
is not re-usable, it's thermal.
- Software provided for the IBM-PC and compatibles consists of a (color)
screen-dump program. A dump of the screen using this program takes about
10 minutes !
- The commodore Amiga knows how make color screen dumps on it.
- Resolution is 100 (dealer's statement) to 150 (user observation) colors. It
mixes solids, quartertones and whites.
- Speed is 40 char./sec. in correspondence black and white, 80 char./sec.
draft mode, although one user reported me 40 char./sec. in draft mode.
- Prices range from $150 (USA) to $480 (Holland).
(My) conclusion: Nice, cheap, but slow color printer if
you don't have problems spoiling ribbon.
Wim van Dommelen, Computer Centre Agricultural University, Wageningen Holland.
DOMMELEN@HWALHW5.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Tuesday, 13 May 1986 10:14:42-PDT
From: watson%akov04.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM
Subject: Ivo Welch...Where Are You?
Since Ivo Welch submitted his MAX editor and SCR program,
I have been trying to get in touch with him to obtain
copies of the programs with sources. I can't seem to get
mail to him and can't locate him by phone. If anyone
know where he can be contacted, PLEASE let me know.
Rick Watson
akov04.DEC.COM!watson@decuac. UUPC
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 May 86 14:15:37 edt
From: morrell@mitre.ARPA (James Morrell)
Full-Name: James Morrell
Organization: The MITRE Corp., Washington, D.C.
Subject: Remote Displays
I urgently need leads on the following IBM PC/AT display problem: I
have two side-by-side AT work stations, each equipped with IBM
enhanced graphics adapter and an IBM enhanced color adapter. I want
either work station operator to be able to take "snapshots" of his
display and place the snapshot on any one of 8 IBM enhanced color
displays (or equivalent) where it will remain fixed until another
"snapshot" is taken. In other words, I do not want the second
"outboard" monitor to simply "echo" the contents of the first and
primary monitor. This implies, I think, something like an EGA-like
driver for EACH monitor and some sort of video memory "dump" process
to accomplish the snapshot. Any leads to anyone who has done this (or
something similar), or who would be high on the learning curve
required to undertake a quick reaction-project of this type would be
much appreciated.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 May 86 14:12 EDT
From: Hess@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: 1.2M & Tandy Floppy Disk Compatibility
Thank you, Mike Yetsko, for your correct and clearly stated information
on transferring files from double-track to single-track density drives.
The obvious additional fact is that the Tandy can read most any disk
formatted by a standard 360K floppy drive. If you're paranoid, you
might want to bulk erase such a disk first too, to eliminate any
off-track noise from previous use.
For those of you who didn't follow his message or mine, just remember
this rule for data transfer: Given a virgin disk, whichever machine
writes on the disk first, don't let the other one write to it.
One additional hint: Remember the DEC Rainbow gathering dust in the
corner of your office? Well, it can read single-sided, IBM DOS disks.
But it never seems to be able to write them... Well, it's the same
problem. But it can't format them with IBM format, so you can't use the
Rainbow to format the disk as Mike described. So the only way to
produce a disk that the Rainbow can write, which an IBM can read
reliably, is to format the disk on a Tandy or AT in 40-track mode.
*BUT* on my Tandy at least, you can't specify 40-track AND 1-sided, so
the resulting disk is double-sided. So you sit down at the Tandy, and
change the information on the base of the disk so that it's single-sided
180K (put 0xFC at 0x0200 and 0x0600 from the base of the disk, to
replace the 0xFD that was there, using DEBUG). Whew. It works.
Brian (BNH@MIT-Multics.ARPA)
------------------------------
Date: 14 May 1986 05:22-EDT
Subject: 80286 POPF Inline Code
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
Several messages have mentioned the problem with the 80286 (older ones
anyway) and POPF. The common code-around I saw wasn't very obvious to
code into Turbo Pascal inline assembler, so here's the inline
equivalent, using labels instead of the $+n, $-n stuff.
A couple places I can recall needing it is the REFORMAT.NEW code
recently uploaded to the INFO-IBMPC directory, and the STAYRES code.
Inline(
{;popf ;..restored}
{;one way to evade the older 80286's problem of blowing up}
{;during a POPF.}
$E9/$01/$00 { JMP J1 ;skip over IRET}
{C1:}
/$CF { iret ;pop IP/CS/Flags}
{J1:}
/$0E { push CS ;make a return}
/$2E { CS:}
/$E8/$FA/$FF { call C1 ;pop the Flags}
);
Regards,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 May 86 03:45:56 EDT
From: Stev Knowles <stev@seismo.CSS.GOV>
Subject: Microsoft C and Assembler . . .
I was reading the Microsoft Languages insert in this months _BYTE_.
Have any of you ever read the little blurbs they put at the end of
these types of ads? IBM does this kind of thing too. They list,
right above the list of their world wide offices, a little blurb that
says that you can get a $25 rebate with the purchase of the Macro-
Assembler when you buy C, Pascal, or Fortran. The next line says:
For more information, call toll free, 800-426-9400. Well, I am getting
ready to plunk down the dollars for C, and since the M A has the new Make
facility, i thought i would buy that too, and get the rebate. So
I call the 800 number. They tell me that they can't help me, I need to
call another, non-toll free number to request one. REAL NICE.
Not to mention the fact that the local shops don't know what I am
talking about. Anyway, if anyone knows why they are doing this but
down playing it, I would be interested in knowing why.
Is 3.0 the latest version of MS C? Microsoft says so. They also say
the list price is $395. So why does the _programmers connection_ ad in
the may PC TECH JOURNAL list the MS C as "with source debugger . . .
. . New version $495 CALL" listing $495 as the list price? Or are they
bundling the Assembler with it?
Also, did anyone keep a running tally of the bugs found in MS C 3.0
and MS Assembler 4.0? I would like to get them, if so.
thanks
stev
stev@seismo.CSS.GOV stev@seismo.UUCP
Graduate of the Han Solo School of Action Without Thought.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 May 86 19:49 EST
From: MSAMH%UMass.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Michael Smith, Amherst
College Account)
Subject: VT240 Emulators
Has anyone had experience with VT240 emulators for the
IBMPC with standard color/graphics adapter? Any recommendations?
-- Michael Smith
MSAMH@UMASS
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 86 10:54:03 EDT
From: Steven Segletes <steven@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: EGA/INT 10H
I am having problems using BIOS Interrupt 10H to write text on top of the
640x350 EGA graphics screen. The same program works as expected on the CGA
640x200 screen if I initially invoke INT 10H with AX=6 rather than AX=16. I
would appreciate any assistance in resolving this problem.
My simple test program makes successive INT 10H calls with the register
contents shown below (please forgive the lack of 8086 mnemonics, since I call
on the interrupts from a high level language). Any register contents not
specified below can be assumed to be some arbitrarily random number:
AH=0 (set screen mode)
AL=6 or 16 (for CGA 640x200 or EGA 640x350 screen)
INT 10H
AH=5 (set page of display text)
AL=0 (Page=0)
INT 10H
AH=2 (Set Cursor Location)
AL=0
BH=0 (Page 0)
BL=0
DH=10 (Row 10)
DL=20 (Column 20)
INT 10H
AH=10 (Put character at location)
AL=65 (The letter "A")
BH=0 (Page 0)
BL=0
CX=1 (Print the character 1 time)
INT 10H
AH=0 (Set screen mode)
AL=3 (Reset to 80x25 text mode)
INT 10H
Steve Segletes <steven@brl.arpa>
U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory
APG, MD 21005-5066
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1986 08:56:24 PDT
Subject: TURBO Pascal Run-Time Quirks
From: Jeff La Coss <JLACOSS@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Phone: 213-822-1511
Address: 4676 Admiralty Way; Marina del Rey; CA 90292
I have a copy of TURBO located on a file server under 3COM
EtherShare. I also have a NEC V20 plus an electronic disk on a 2Meg
JRAM.
I have a very simple program that looks for only 8 or 9 commands.
I notice that as I change things about (like comment lines), the
program alternately runs fine, then cannot perform string matching
correctly. Am I seeing some addressing sensitivity or is there a
conflict with the disk server?
Jeff
Needless to say, I spent a few happy hour hunting down the conflict
between scrollmate and the TURBO editor. (If this turkey didn't have
to maintain hardware compatibility with a class I wouldn't use a PC or
Pascal.)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 86 08:41:39 pdt
From: Gerry Key <key%tetra@nosc.ARPA>
Subject: PC+
Has anyone had any experience with the $469 PC+ built by Thompson,
Harriman and Edwards Computer Products, Ltd.? It was featured in a
page-1 article in the 5 May 86 issue of "InfoWorld".
--Gerry
key@nosc
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 86 11:17:54 PDT (Monday)
Subject: Problems Reformatting Non-IBM AT Hard Disk
From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM
I tried to reformat the non-IBM hard disk drive in my PC AT to get the
full 30 MB out of it. Right now, because of ROM BIOS limitations, I
have to use it as a 20 MB. This effort cost me a weekend, or maybe 10
years off my life. It was an almost-disaster. I came d--- close to
putting the hard disk out of commission (actually my wife's machine for
her consulting business !!! !!! !!!), and I didn't get my extra 10 MB.
Please read and help me if you can. And, please no flames.
PC AT owners and other hardware mavens know that IBM supports a variety
of third-party hard disks for the AT, but the drive definitions are in
ROM BIOS, so they can't be changed. Any cylinders and tracks above the
specs of a ROM BIOS table entry drive are wasted, because the AT
Advanced Diagnostics' formatting routines start at the highest cylinder
and work down.
I have a 30 MB (formatted) drive, but I get only 20 MB, because my drive
has 697 cylinders, and drive type 8 is 5 heads and 733 cylinders. So I
have been forced to use the drive as a 20 MB Type 2, four heads and 615
cylinders.
I thought that two public domain replacements for the IBM low-level, or
hard formatting routines would allow me to reclaim the unused 10 MB
because they format starting at cylinder 0. These programs are:
HDPREPAT
ATDIAG
One program's documentation even claims that it works with hard disks
that don't have enough cylinders to match a ROM BIOS entry.
Unfortunately, things didn't work as expected.
First, I used the IBM Advanced Diagnostics to redefine the drive from
type 2 to type 8. Then I booted up from floppy drive A, but only after
getting a 1790 - Hard Disk error message. That was expectable.
Using ATDIAG, I formatted the drive. After the formatting was
complete, I got error messages saying all the until-then never used head
4 tracks had "Sector 1 - Missing ID"problems.
Bad controller? Hoped not, that had already been replaced once in the
IBM recall program, since it had a potentially bad TI clock chip on it.
Bad drive? Unlikely. Since installation, the drive had been flawless
except for one known bad spot.
So, I repeated the formatting operation, and then got the same error
message for *ALL* heads for cylinders 0 - 697. These messages were in
addition to the expected error messages for cylinders 698 - 733, since
my drive doesn't have those cylinders and the Type 8 drive does.
I tried to use FDISK, which flat-out didn't work. I also tried Xerox's
MS DOS 3.1 HDMAINT, an improvement over FDISK, and HDMAINT reported
that I had four partitions in use, including one for CDOS (?), and that
the bad track table had overflowed. The partition sizes and starting
and ending cylinders were all weird.
I formatted the drive using HDPREPAT, got no error messages, but FDISK
still didn't work.
I re-setup my system back to a Type 2, 20 MB drive, and reformatted the
drive using both the unconditional and conditional format of the AT's
Diagnostics, then ran a surface analysis, which reported only the one
known defect. Still FDISK didn't work.
By this time, I was a bit, ah, concerned. Again, I performed both
unconditional and conditional formats, and the surface analysis. This
time, I was able to FDISK and create a DOS partition. But only 20 MB.
And a weekend gone, watching the formatting process.
What did I do wrong? Any suggestions? Are the program's authors
listening?
Philp Burton
Xerox Corporation
415 496 6514
------------------------------
Date: Mon 12 May 86 11:27:36-PDT
From: Tony Brand <BRAND@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: Zenith 200 and AST Advantage Memory Problem
I have a Zenith 200 with a 1.5Mbyte AST advantage. All was fine
until I added the 1.5Mbyte piggy back board to the AST board. Now
when I run the Zenith monitor extended memory test, I get a
parity error at 16000:0011 bit 7. The problem is that the Zenith
200 tech manual does not tell how to interpret which chip is bad,
and, even if it did, there is no board layout/diagnostic in the
AST literature.
Help. If you can, please send replies directly to me. I'll post a
synopsis if I get a definitive reply.
I just think it is unacceptable to sell any memory board without
some sort of diagnostic program or notes.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 May 86 22:46:20 PDT
From: Ya'akov_Miles%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: XT Speedup Problem
I have recently traded in my IBM-PC for an IBM-PC/XT, and am now having
problems when I speed up the clock rate from 4.7 mHz to 6.8 mHz.
Specifically, all Program I/O works fine, and DMA works fine to and from
the (256K) mother board RAM. However, WRITING to disk from I/O channel
RAM causes the computer to crash, whereas READS from disk to I/O channel
RAM work OK. Both floppy disk DMA and hard disk DMA cause the same
symptoms. I know the expansion board works ok at 6.7 mHz, and have
tried three (3) different 8237A-5 dma chips in the mother board with no
success. I suspect that there might be a timing problem in the delay
(too much? too little?) between the CLK88 signal and the DMA clock signal.
Can anyone offer me assistance?
Ya'akov N. Miles (id=tryn%ubc.mailnet@mits-multics)
------------------------------
Date: Sun 11 May 86 10:13:41-PDT
From: Doug Brutlag <brutlag@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: Bug in New AT Keyboard
I have just received a new IBM AT with a 30 Meg drive and an 8
Megahertz clock. It also has a newer keyboard that looks very much like
the Keytronic 5151 keyboard with separate keypad for cursor arrows,
insert, home, page up etc. keys in between the normal keyboard and the
numeric keypad.
Unfortunately I think I have found a bug in my new IBM AT
keyboard. When the NUMLOCK switch is on, and one depresses the back
quote key followed by any of the new keypad keys mentioned above, the
main keyboard sends only shifted characters. The CAPS LOCK light does
NOT come on but all keys depressed on the main keyboard are shifted
including the numbers. Using a keyboard analysis program it appears
that typing back quote followed by a cursor movement key while NUMLOCK
is set causes the LEFT SHIFT key to be appear to be depressed. The
shifted state of the keyboard can be fixed by depressing and releasing
the LEFT SHIFT key (not the right one). This abnormal setting of the
left shift key depends on having NUM LOCK set to on. Unfortunately,
when the system boots, this new keyboard automatically sets NUMLOCK on.
I have tried this new keyboard with an old AT (20 meg drive) and it does
not show this problem.
Can anyone with a nice new AT out there confirm this problem or
is it unique to my machine?
Doug Brutlag
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 May 86 07:40 MST
From: Steve Herbst <Herbst@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA>
Subject: Executing .BAT from C
Does anybody have a C function that executes an arbitrary FOO.BAT file?
I would really love to get it.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 May 86 14:10:10 PDT
From: William C. Marsh <bmarsh%cod@nosc.ARPA>
Subject: EGA Clones
I am looking for experiences with EGA clones. I have some manufacturers data,
but I am looking for data such as compatibility with IBM's EGA, problems with
software, or even hardware problems. I would especially like to hear of any
problems getting one of these to run under Xenix (other than the normal EGA
problems). I'm trying to decide which one to buy, so I'm interested in
rumors too.
Please mail responces to me. I'll post a summary after a couple of weeks if
there is enough interest.
Thanks in advance.
Bill Marsh, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA
{arpa,mil}net: bmarsh@nosc
uucp: {ihnp4,akgua,decvax,dcdwest,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!noscvax!bmarsh
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 May 86 18:23:43 edt
From: John Bradley <bradley%upenn-dsl%upenn.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Professional Graphics Adaptor Bug
Howdy. Has anyone else out there run into a bug in the Professional
Graphics Adapter's rom, more specifically the 'filled-rectangle' portion
of rom. I think I have, and it's a source of much annoyment.
The Bug: Send the following stream of commands at your PGA.
resetf
prmfil 1
clears 0
lut 1 15 0 0 /* set up colors 1-3 as red/green/blue.
lut 2 0 15 0 /* for clarity only. nothing to do with the bug.
lut 3 0 0 15
color 1 /* draw a filled red rectangle on plane 1
mask 1
move 100 100
rectr 100 100
color 2 /* draw a filled (overlapping) rect on plane 2
mask 2
move 50 50
rectr 100 100
The result of this code SHOULD be something like this...
..........
..........
..........
ooooo*****.....
ooooo*****.....
ooooo*****.....
oooooooooo
oooooooooo
oooooooooo
where '.' = color 1, 'o' = color 2, and '*' = color 3.
Unfortunately, what gets drawn on the screen is THIS.
..........
..........
..........
**********.....
**********.....
ooooo*****.....
oooooooooo
oooooooooo
oooooooooo
Careful analysis has show that the second rectangle (and all rectangles) are
drawn from the bottom-left to top-right. My theory has it that when it is
drawing the second rectangle and a scan line ends in the OVERLAP color, it
STAYS in the overlap color for all succeeding scan lines. This problem does
not occur if the scan line ends in the original color, regardless of what's
happened during the course of the line. For instance, if I had asked the
PGA to draw the following figure
..........
..........
..........
ooooo**********ooooo
ooooo**********ooooo
ooooo**********ooooo
oooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooo
it would, successfully.
Any suggestions, information, or virtually anything else will be cheerfully
accepted.
John Bradley
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------