Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (03/10/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sunday, 9 March 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 31
This Week's Editor: Phyllis O'Neil
Today's Topics:
IP/TCP NRC & MIT
DBase III, printers, and LPTX (5 messages)
Microsoft C V 3.0 and Phoenix Linker PLINK86 V 1.30
MS C 3.0 Large model struct assign code generation BUG
Optimizer for DeSmet C compiler
`C` sources & MS-DOS implementation of MIT teco editor
Wish list for Microsoft C compiler
Emacs-like editor (2 messages)
Queuing System Simulation Software Query
FFT Boards, Frame-Grabber Hardware
FSCRC contract...
Incremental File Backup Utilities
Turbo Prolog
DOS Termination
Priam Drives on AT, Wait State on AT
Limits on files open: concurrent and lifetime.
LSPELL added to Library
Dirlib Package added to Library
Kermit 2.28 jrd/5b + Turbo Lightning
/G0 and /G1 benchmarks
NANSI (2 messages)
Today's Queries:
Turbo's 64K Limitation Query
Compaq Deskpro and NEC V30 Query
Qubie Modem Problem
Lotus 1-2-3 Version 1 vs. Version 2 Query
GEM Draw Problem
ICOM R71A Radio Receiver to PC Query
CMS Hard Disk, IBM Proprinter, Write & Spell Query
Ctags for MS-DOS wanted
Character ROMS Query
Serial printer on PCjr Query
Real-time PC operating systems query
Serial ports query
Graphics query
Clearing the screen query
Alternate Character Sets Query
Program chaining query
Wang PC "Open Architecture" package query
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: March 9, 1986
From: Richard Gillmann (Gillmann@ISIB)
To: Info-IBMPC@ISIB
Subject: New Editor
We would like to welcome Phyllis O'Neil of the Aerospace Corporation
as a new editor of Info-IBMPC Digest. Phyllis can be reached at
oneil@aerospace.arpa.
Richard
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 01:25:43 est
From: romkey@BORAX.LCS.MIT.EDU (John Romkey)
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: IP/TCP NRC & MIT
Well, it seems about time that I posted something as a followup to
Billy Brackenridge's message about NRC's TCP/IP and my code. I've just
been incredibly busy the last couple of weeks; keeping a small company
going is very time consuming.
I've never used NRC's code, but a number of the problems Billy pointed
out with it (terminal emulation, host name resolution) have been fixed
for a long time in the MIT PC/IP code. Now I'm taking the MIT PC/IP
code and selling it myself, after having spent several years
developing it. A couple of other companies seem to be selling an older
version of the MIT code: Spartacus and Wollongong, for those who are
interested in knowing.
The new implementation of PC/IP is going to correct (hopefully) many
of the problems with it that I've seen over the past few years but
haven't, for one reason or another, been able to correct. For
instance, there are a number of new applications: FTP, rlogin, rsh,
rexec, rcp, rwho. The terminal emulator has been 'fixed' so that it
will work on a greater variety of display hardware, but still be
fairly fast (PC/IP's had lots of problems on non-IBM displays). And
it's now written in Microsoft C - it compiles faster on my AT than it
did at MIT on a VAX 11/750. There will also be a set of programming
libraries available with both the native PC/IP programming interface,
and the demented 4.2BSD programming interface in them so that people
can write their own applications.
The new code is marketed by FTP Software, Inc., of Cambridge, MA. Our
address is:
FTP Software, Inc.
PO Box 150
Kendall Square Branch
Boston, MA 02142
(617) 497-5066
Odd, the Post Office Box is actually located in Cambridge, but its
address is in Boston...
That's all I'll say for now about the product; I don't want to get
into advertising on the net. If anyone has questions about it, feel
free to ask me.
Billy also suggested that we use INFO-IBMPC as a forum for discussing
TCP/IP implementations. Here's a list of all the available
implementations that I know of for the PC. A * means it's not
commercially supported:
Excelan (requires their hardware)
FTP Software PC/TCP
*MIT PC/IP
NRC Fusion
Spartacus KNET/PC
Wollongong WIN/PC
CMU and Stanford have done some additional work to MIT PC/IP that they
are making available to others, at least to academic sites. There are
others who have done work too, I'm just not sure that they're
distributing it.
So there seem to be about three strains of TCP/IP for the PC here:
Excelan's, which I know little about save that it's mostly on their
outboard processor; MIT's; and NRC's.
Anybody know of any other TCP/IPs for the PC? Want to describe what's
in these packages, your experiences with them?
I'd also be interested in hearing what some people think would be
useful new protocols to implement. Most of the current TCP/IP
implementations implement the 'standard DARPA protocol suite': telnet,
FTP, *maybe* SMTP, and some random protocols. The problem is, these
protocols were all designed for use by somewhat sophisticated users on
mainframes, and they're fine for that. But sharing files between PC's
using FTP is simply gross. So we have network filesystems nowadays
(yes, the reasoning does *not* quite follow...)
What other sorts of applications would be useful? I could see having a
dictionary server on a CD ROM based machine. It would be nice to have
some sophisticated printer spooling and user database (so that you can
get some info on *who* is using the PC - what's their favorite color?)
protocols built on top of TCP/IP.
Dave Clark once suggested a protocol that took me a while to digest.
He suggested implementing a program that allows you to basically
telnet to a PC from another machine - and get to use to see the
graphics display on your local bitmapped display. That way you could
access some of the more interesting software on the PC from your
bigger and better personal workstation without having to rewrite it
for the workstation. I finally decided it was a somewhat neat idea.
Perhaps this kind of discussion would not be appropriate for
INFO-IBMPC. I don't think it quite fits into the way the TCP-IP list
works, either. If so, we could always start up a new list elsewhere if
enough people were interested.
John Romkey
romkey@borax.lcs.mit.edu
President, FTP Software
Disclaimer? What disclaimer? I'm hardly unbiased...
------------------------------
To: Info-IBMPC@usc-isib
Subject: Problems with lptx.asm
Date: 06 Mar 86 17:19:20 EST (Thu)
From: opus@athena.MIT.EDU
I just recently downloaded the LPTX.ASM program from the library, and
tried assembling it with Microsoft MASM 3.0. The resulting .COM
program refuses to work correctly.
The first time I tried to run the program, it printed up the banner,
and then froze the machine, forcing a cold boot. I experimented in
debug, and successfully managed to trace my way through it without a
problem. This led me to believe that the program was interfering with
one of my resident programs/drivers. On a hunch, I removed NANSI.SYS
from my config.sys file, and re-booted. Wonder of wonders, it worked!
Now, question number 1 is: Which program is giving me the problems,
LPTX or NANSI?
Unfortunately, this was not my only problem with LPTX. After running
it, and redirecting lpt1: to the default file, I tried typing DIR >
PRN, to test the program. The machine halted, and I had to warm boot.
I examined the LPTX1.LST in the root directory, and noted that it
contained 512 bytes. I tried printing a smaller file, and the program
worked correctly. Now my question is: why doesn't LPTX work with data
larger than 512 bytes?
Thanks in advance for the help.
David Jedlinsky
opus@athena.mit.edu
[Are you running DOS 3.1? -rag]
------------------------------
Date: Thu 6 Mar 86 20:37:16-PST
From: David John Buerger <D.Buerger%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: Re: LPTX
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
In response to Steven Mahan's request for some way to output from
dBase III to a disk file, I've successfully used a public domain
software program called LPTX. This program allows one to define
parallel output to any disk file of your choice. You may then
detoggle this command and continue output to your printer.
Unfortunately, it only seems to work under DOS 3.1; I tried repeatedly
to make it work with DOS 2.1 and it didn't work.
David J. Buerger
Director, PC Center
Santa Clara University
Dave%SCU%Panda@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Friday, 7 March 1986 13:46:05 EST
From: Joe.Newcomer@a.sei.cmu.edu
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: DBASE III output-->printer
DBASE III works under some fairly serious delusions, not the least of which
is that all PCs have printers and "print" means "send to the physical
printer device". This is of course worsened by the inability of DOS to
do even the most primitive redirection of logical devices. My solution
in DBASE III is to totally ingore anything in the manual with the word
"print" attached, and use the "set alternate" mechanism to direct output
to a file. The use of "set alternate" is not obvious, but once you know
this is the mechanism, HOW to use it is fairly straightforward. set talk
off is a good mode to work in. Using the set alternate method, anything
printed on the screen goes to a file, so most of the reports can be
redirected this way.
joe
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 86 13:09:14 EST
From: ST602556%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: dBASE III output
In reply to the query about changing COM1 to be a file in order to
spool dBASE output to the disk instead of the printer:
Every dBASE output command that I know of provides a method of
sending the output to a disk file rather than the printer.
See the SET ALTERNATE and SET DEVICE commands and various options
of the LIST and DISPLAY commands.
Eric Wolf
ST602556 @ BROWNVM.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 1986 15:54-EST
Subject: Re Capturing Print Output from Dbase III
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
To: steve@NCSC.ARPA
Cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Steve,
I routinely use LPTX (LPTX.ASM, available via anonymous ftp from
INFO-IBMPC archives at USC-ISIB.ARPA).
I do NOT work with Dbase II or III, so cannot guarantee LPTX will work
with that program .. but it appears to work with everything else I've tried.
Price is right too.
Regards,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID
------------------------------
Date: 9 MAR 86 00:00-AST
From: IU%DACTH51.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Microsoft C V 3.0 and Phoenix Linker PLINK86 V 1.30
Two friends of mine are working on a comprehensive word processor
using the above C compiler from Microsoft. Due to the size they have
to split the program into overlays and thus have to use PLINK V 1.30.
Unfortunately they get an error message regarding the
object record type 8E
What we like to know is:
Is there a new version of PLINK available which supports MS-C 3.0 FULLY ?
Specifically does it support the object record type 8EH fully?
The German vendor expects them to pay about 300 $ without beeing able to
tell them wether it does support MS-C or not. They told me the latest available
version here in Germany was 1.48.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. (Either to info-ibmpc or to
IU%DACTH51.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA or IU%DACTH51.BITNET@psuvax1.UUCP)
el
(Eberhard W. Lisse)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 86 18:23:22 PST
From: Matthew J Weinstein <matt@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc-request@isib
Subject: MS C 3.0 Large model struct assign code generation BUG
There are a number of known bugs in MS C 3.0 struct/double assignments.
I found this one yesterday; given the following conditions:
1) you are generating large model code
2) you use ONE register variable in your function
3) you use that register variable to index a pointer to a struct
4) you are performing structure assignment of an element of
that structure which is not the first elt of the structure
If all of the above are true, the generated code contains two LEAs that are
mis-ordered. Code that exercises the bug (try cc -S):
----- slash here -----
struct a1 {char foo[6];};
struct a2 {int bar; struct a1 elt;};
struct a2 *broken;
struct a2 okay[];
Broken()
{
register i;
struct a1 wrong;
struct a2 *me_too = broken;
wrong = broken[i].elt; /* broken */
wrong = me_too[i].elt; /* broken */
wrong = okay[i].elt; /* WORKS */
}
----- and here -----
No fix forthcoming from Microsoft.
- Matt
------------------------------
Date: Fri 7 Mar 86 14:38:35-PST
From: Carl Fussell <CARL%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: optimizer for DeSmet C compiler
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
For those of you using the DeSmet C compiler...
I've written a public-domain optimizer that is available from the C-Ware
Fido Bulletin Board (143/9) at (408)-720-8197. The file is stored in the
IBM PC file area under the name O88-V207.ARC (version 2.07 of O88). The
ARC file contains three files:
O88.DOC - The documentation file
O88.EXE - O88 optimized by O88 for execution on an 8088
O88.V20 - O88 optimized by O88 for execution on a NEC V20.
(rename O88.V20 to O88.EXE before use.)
The optimizer automatically senses whether an 8088 or V20 is installed,
and optimizes for the corresponding instruction set. Either mode can
be forced by a command line argument. The V20 instructions that are used
are all 80188 instructions, and so the optimizer is also useful for
people with AT's.
In general, it will remove 5-10% of the instructions (10-20% if the 80188
instruction set is used), and simplify ~5% of those that remain. One user
said that the optimizer is better than that offered with MicroSoft's
compiler.
The optimizer is free for the taking.
Enjoy!
Dan Lewis
Key Software Products
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 04:19:46 PST
From: Ya'akov_Miles%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: `C` sources & MS-DOS implementation of MIT teco editor
I am in the process of translating the MIT context editor TECO into
standard Microsoft (UNIX) "C", and have a preliminary release of this
editor available in both "C" source and (MS-DOS) executable form which
is public domain, and can be downloaded at any time from the following
2400 baud RBBS bulletin boards shown (no user validation required)
RBBS PoCo.............604-464-7693
RBBS Smokey Mountain..604-462-8753
These versions will be updated if I can continue with my project...
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 08:39:56 PST
From: Ya'akov_Miles%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Wish list for Microsoft C compiler
It would be nice if Microsofts "C" compiler ver 3.0 was enhanced by
(1) Improving the optimizer such that string constants are folded.
Currently the following "C" statements
PRINTF("\nThis string is stored twice by Microsoft `C`");
PRINTF("\nThis string is stored twice by Microsoft `C`");
causes the string constant to be replicated, wasting space.
(2) Increasing the module size that the optimizer will handle before
warning: function `xxxxxx` too large for post-optimizer [0]
(3) Lowering the price sufficiently so as to become industry standard
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 09:18:10 est
From: T. J. Brando <brando%linus@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: RE: emacs-like editor
I've been using an editor called BRIEF on an AT running PC-DOS 3.1 for
about 4 months. I didn't realize until a couple of weeks ago that
it's an emacs clone. When I did realize it I immediately switched
from vi to emacs on the vax at work, and I'm in pig heaven!
BRIEF uses ctrl-keys for movement commands and alt-keys for other
commands. It supports multiple buffers, multiple files, and multiple
windows. The key bindings of existing functions can be changed, and
macros can be written in lisp-like format using most of the existing
functions. In fact, the editor comes with a large number of
user-contributed macros that were the winners in a contest the company
sponsored.
For more information on BRIEF, contact
Solution Systems
335 Washington Street
Norwell, MA 02061
Sorry I don't know how much it costs.
Thom
linus!brando@MITRE-BEDFORD.{ARPA,BITNET,CSNET}
{allegra,decvax,ihnp4,philabs}!linus!brando.UUCP
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 86 13:01:58 EST
From: ST602556%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Emacs-like editor
BRIEF, published by Solution Systems in Massachusetts, is a totally
reconfigurable editor which is very much in the EMACS vein. Although
it doesn't really start out too EMACS-like, you could very easily remap
the keys and write a few macros so that it would be just like EMACS.
I first used it last summer and within hours of getting it I was writing
small macros. I don't use it heavily, but find it more than powerful and
fast enough for the things I do.
Eric Wolf
ST602556@BROWNVM.BITNET
P.S. - Although BRIEF's authors are friends of mine, I in no way profit
from its sales.
------------------------------
From: op987!jsm@seismo.CSS.GOV
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: Queuing System Simulation Software Query
Date: Thu Mar 6 08:16:51 1986
Has anybody seen a PC/XT or PC/AT package of simulation software
that is useful for queuing-system simulation. Something like GPSS would
be ideal, but anything close might wrok as well. The application involves
modeling the queuing behavior of information management systems in which
each node can be thought of as a single or multi-server queuing system.
Can anybody help?
Jim McMichael
UUCP: seismo.css.gov!op987!jsm
------------------------------
Date: 7 Mar 1986 12:04:52 PST
Subject: Re: FFT Boards, Frame-Grabber Hardware
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: Ready.pa@XEROX.COM
cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
We built a system based on the Imaging technology frame grabber and
our TMS320 signal processor board. The board was built for speech
processing, but we used the fast multiply to do cosine transform based
image compression.
Warner Frei sells this board along with a very nice mouse/window driven image
processing system. He has FFTs running on the Marinco array processing board
that will meet your needs. The Marinco board does floating point. I don't
think 16 bit word is wide enough for 512x512 FFTs starting with 8 bit
image data.
Warner Frei (213)452-1730
------------------------------
Date: 7 Mar 1986 14:15:13 CST
Subject: FSCRC contract...
From: HUNEYCUTT@GUNTER-ADAM.ARPA
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
In response to a general flood of info requests, this is a shotgun initial
response. To those of you with no interest, I'm sorry to abuse your systems.
The new contract (Z-248s) is not a GSA contract. Rather, its a requirements
contract administered by the Air Force Computer Acquisition Center (AFCAC).
AFCAC is copying the contract, and will be sending copies to all affected
contracting offices. Check with you contracting office if in doubt. For
those of you in the Air Force, your MAJCOM/SOA small computer technical
center (SCTC) can assist you.
By the way, two items I forgot to mention. First, the delegation of
procurement authority has been modified to include all of the Department of
Defense. Second, the systems come with a one (1) year warranty.
Doug
------------------------------
Date: 7 Mar 86 13:27:48 PST (Friday)
Subject: Incremental File Backup Utilities
From: Burton.osbunorth@Xerox.COM
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.Arpa
A recent Digest article referred to IBU, an incremental backup utility,
available for ftp from SIMTEL20.
According to IBU's documentation, it determines files qualifying for
backup by examining file dates and times on source and destination. If
the source has a later date and time, then the file is marked for
backup. (IBU also has options for overriding these selections.)
Why not take the more straightforward of using the ARC bit? Consider
the following: I have a system with a hard disk, and I organize my work
by application area, each in a separate subdirectory. I also back up my
work to floppy including full directory path.
For some applications, I have only a few files, and I can back up on
one floppy, or even share a floppy with another application. However,
some applications have megabytes of files, and the backup spans multiple
floppies. A date comparison method won't work automatically.
Any pointers to backup utilities that use the ARC bit? Ideally, the
utility is written in C and scans all subdirectories, not just the
working directory.
Phil Burton,
Xerox Corp.
------------------------------
From: Tim Finin <Tim%upenn.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: turbo prolog
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 08:42 EST
Someone gave me a copy of a news item from Electronic Engineering
Times of March 3rd which describes a Prolog compiler for PCs that
Borland International (of Turbo Pascal fame) is releasing on April
15th. According to the note, the price will be $99. Borland claims
that it was clocked at 100K lips on an IBM-PC and 300K lips on an AT!
(The benchmark used was described as "a single rule benchmark"). The
dialect is described as "a superset of Clocksin and Mellish".
The system appears to include an incremental compiler, screen editor,
support for windowing, a module capability, sound primitives and color
graphics primitives.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 86 11:39:11 est
From: ucdavis!lll-crg!seismo!cmcl2!phri!greenber@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Ross Greenberg)
To: ucdavis!info-ibmpc
Subject: Re: DOS Termination
Regarding the DOS Termination problem from a program in C.
The program as listed should correctly set the termination code....
and then, when you fall off the end of main, a new termination code
is generated by main (_main?).
Try simply putting:
exit(code);
at the end of the routine, or try this after setting your exit code:
regset.x.ax = 0;
intdos(®set, ®set);
which will cause your code to exit immediately, without any of the stuff
a the end of main being called.
ross
ross m. greenberg
ihnp4!allegra!phri!sysdes!greenber
[phri rarely makes a guest-account user a spokesperson. Especially not me.]
------------------------------
To: Gary Chapman <CHAPMAN@nyu-acf7.ARPA>
cc: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: Re: Priam Drives on AT, Wait State on AT
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 86 08:56:11 -0500
From: Dan Grim <grim@huey.udel.EDU>
I have had the Priam 60MB drive installed in my AT for about two weeks.
It works quite well with one reservation. The software supplied with
the drive uses a non-standard partitioning scheme to take full advantage
of the size of the drive. Although they configure the AT for a type 12
drive (which has 855 cylinders), the Priam drive actually has 981 cylinders.
They use an installable disk driver under DOS to access the extra area.
Since I am running both DOS and Xenix on my AT I am currently using the
60MB drive as a standard type 12 (50MB) drive. If you only use DOS this
will cause you no problem.
Dan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 86 18:45:20 EST
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Limits on files open: concurrent and lifetime.
A number of people have asked recently about the maximum number of files
that a program may open. Since no one else has picked up the ball, I
will offer what little I know about this.
1) The DOS manual states that no program can have more than 20 files
open concurrently. This includes such files as stdio and stderr. Using
the C fopen() function, I bomb out on the 16th file.
2) Some people have said that the limit is not 20 files CONCURRENTLY but
20 files during the execution of a program. Using standard C routines,
I was able to open, write to, and close 40 files sequentially.
3) I tried a couple of editors. One could open only 15 files; the other
opened 23 and appeared to be ready for many more. There were no
indications that the second editor was paging files to disk.
Clearly, there is some limit on the number of files that may be open
concurrently, and no apparent (or documented) limit on the number that
may be open during a complete run. Furthermore, there are techniques to
get by the limit on the number of files open concurrently.
Apparently, the 20 file limit came with DOS 2.0 and the use of file
handles instead of control blocks. I tried using interrupt 21 function
0x0f to open files with fcbs but had no luck. I imagine that I was
making some simple error, however, because this is the way fileio was
handled before DOS 2.0.
Conclusions:
1) An inability to open more than 20 files during the run of a program
must have to do with some quirk/bug in either the compiler/interpreter
that one is using or in DOS 3.xx. (I was using 2.0.) Will someone with
DOS 3.xx check this out?
2) Programmers have been able to get around the 20 concurrent files
limit, probably by using fcbs. This may be as simple as using the
"archaic" libraries of compilers that support DOS 1.xx. If one does not
have such a compiler, try using the DOS macros for fcbs. In the worst
case, one could use direct reads and writes, but it is probably not
necessary to give up that much of OS services.
For more info, see the DOS manual, the Technical Reference, and the
Programmer's Guide to MS-DOS.
------------------------------
Date: 21 Feb 86 20:58:00 PST
From: Eliot Moore <Swg.Elmo@USC-ISIB.Arpa>
To: info-ibmpc
Subject: LSPELL added to Library
LSPELL 0.93
LSPELL.PAS LSPELL is a TEST version of a simple but useful document
LSPELL.DOC speller based on Borland International's Turbo Lightning.
Christopher J. Dunford
The Cove Software Group
10057-2 Windstream Drive
Columbia, MD 21044
(301) 992-9371
CompuServe 76703,2002
12/10/85
------------------------------
Date: 8 Mar 1986 23:40:31 PST
Subject: Dirlib Package added to Library
From: Eliot Moore <SWG.ELMO@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
dirlib.intro Dirlib is the "dirlib" package implemented for
dirlib.c Microsoft-C. Matt@Ucla-Locus, 25-Feb-86.
dirlib.h
testdir.c
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 86 06:58:33 EST
From: Davidann <DZimmerman@BLUE.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Kermit 2.28 jrd/5b + Turbo Lightning
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I've noticed problems also with the combination of Kermit and
Lightning. Normally, Lightning is pretty well behaved, and even with
the smallest dictionary in memory (RAM1), it doesn't beep unless a
word looks adequately strange. Since I started running it with
jrd/5b, though, it has been beeping on little words like "the" and
"my", which is totally out of character. If I then do a word check,
Lightning tells me the word is correct without accessing the disk,
which means #1: the word was already in memory, and #2: if it was in
memory, Lightning shouldn't have beeped. I should mention that
Lightning was running fine with my previous version of Kermit (2.28
jrd/2).
David P. Zimmerman, Rutgers University
Arpa: DZimmerman@Blue
Uucp: {seismo, allegra, ihnp4}!topaz!dpz
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7-Mar-86 10:37:28 PST
From: ihnp4!pelican!pete@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Pete Carah)
Subject: /G0 and /G1 benchmarks
To: Fishwick%upenn.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Cc: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
>Has anyone done any benchmarks on the code generated from using the
>options /G0, /G1, or /G2 under Microsoft's C V3.0 ?
I have run (on a NEC V20, not a 186) the Dhrystone benchmark using
both the G0 and G1 options, with and without /Oxxx, and with and
without the REGISTER as given in the dhrystone header. G1 does speed
things up. Note that this benchmark is very call-intensive,
simulating an ADA environment with highly-structured, small routines.
Here is my letter to the dhrystone keeper giving the results. I also
ran it on the definicon board (rather impressive). Note that the
times differring by 1 second are not particularly significant due to
the time() granularity of 1 second. The number listed alone or before
seconds is "dhrystones/sec" (= 50000/seconds). I include some of the
other times that came with the benchmark for reference:
no reg reg
* IBM PC/XT 8088-4.77Mhz VENIX/86 2.0 cc 297 324
* VAX 11/750 - VMS VAX-11 C 2.0 958 1091
* Sun2/120 68010-10Mhz Sun 4.2BSD cc 1136 1219
* PDP 11/70 - UNIX 5.2 cc 1162 1250
* IBM PC/AT 80286-7.5Mhz VENIX/86 2.1 cc 1190 1315 *
* VAX 11/780 - UNIX 5.2 cc 1515 1562
I ran dhrystone on my PC in various combinations of compile options,
and got the following results:
PC (not XT) 4.77 MHz NEC V20 (not 8088), MSDOS 3.1, Microsoft C v.3.00
This compiler does support enums and structure assigns.
I used small model for all of these (2-byte pointers).
no regs, no optimize, no 186 instructions: 387 129 secs
no regs, no optimize, 186 instructions: 393 127 secs
no regs, -Ot, no 186 instructions: 387
no regs, -Ot, 186 instructions: 393
regs, no optimize, no 186 instructions: 420 119 secs
regs, no optimize, 186 instructions: 427 117 secs
regs, -Ot, no 186 instructions: 416 120 secs
regs, -Ot, 186 instructions: 427 117 secs
Apparently the -Ot option did nothing and enabling the 80186
instruction set improved things by a couple of percent.
Same PC, DSI-32 board, 10 Mhz 32032, using the Definicon (Green Hills) C:
This compiler supports enums and structure assigns.
The base system was MSDOS 3.1
The runtime version was loader: 2.14v; 32io: 2.1
No wait states:
Definicon 32032, no regs, no optimize: 1282 39 secs
Definicon 32032, no regs, optimize 1: 1250 40 secs
Definicon 32032, regs, no optimize: 1315 38 secs
Definicon 32032, regs, optimize 1: 1282 39 secs
1 wait state: (my 2MB upgrade was slightly flaky with none)
Definicon 32032, no regs, no optimize 1190 42 secs
Definicon 32032, no regs, optimize 1190 42 secs
Definicon 32032, regs, no optimize 1250 40 secs
Definicon 32032, regs, optimize 1190 42 secs (!)
A different PC, 8088, 4.77 MHz PC-IX, cc:
(cron and update were left running, with no crontab activity)
no regs 271
regs 294
-- Pete
...{ihnp4, scgvaxd, vortex}!pelican!pete
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 86 13:43 EST
From: Jim Moore <moore@ncsc>
Subject: NANSI Query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Is NANSI available anywhere as executable rather than source? I don't have
Microsoft's MASM 3.0, and apparently that's what I need for the current stuff
available in ISIB (NANSI.LBR). Thanks for any information
jim
[NANSI is the new ANSI.SYS replacement from Daniel Kegel of Cal Tech -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 5 Mar 1986 13:52:33 PST
Subject: NANSI
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: Jim Moore <moore@NCSC.ARPA>
cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
There were some modifications to the code receintly that allow it to
assemble under MASM 1.00. We won't support binary, but somebody else
on the net might.
------------------------------
Date: Tue 4 Mar 86 14:06:21-PST
From: Marvin Zauderer <ZAUDERER@SU-SUSHI.ARPA>
Subject: Turbo's 64K Limitation Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I'm interested in getting around Turbo Pascal's 64K code/64K data limitations.
I know about the "chain" and "execute" calls; does anyone have any experience
with other methods, e.g. commercial products which extend Turbo?
Thanks for your help.
-- Marvin Zauderer
E-Mail: Zauderer@SU-SUSHI.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 23:29:31 pst
From: Marc Caminetsky <marc%uofm-uts.cdn%ubc.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: Compaq Deskpro and NEC V30 Query
I have just purchased a COMPAQ deskpro and was thinking about poping in
the NEC V30 chip to replace my 8086. I have many friends who have replace
there 8088 with a V20 in their IBMPC and have met with a vast improvment
in speed.
Firstly, can you put the V30 in the DESKPRO and secondly has anyone
done it? If so what kind of speed improvments is it giving?
Thanks in advance,
Marc Caminetsky.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 23:29:42 pst
From: Marc Caminetsky <marc%uofm-uts.cdn%ubc.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: Qubie Modem Problem
I have a Qubie 1200 baud internal for my Compaq Deskpro, It works fine
Usually, in fact I am using it now. BUT..... I have tried to logon to a
certain BBS that uses a multitek 2400 baud modem. When I dial, I connect,
hear the host modem at 2400 baud, it then switches to 1200 baud and then
nothing happens. The QUBIE just sits there and does nothing. It will not
respond to the Multitek carrier. Has anyone else had this problem with
there qubie's? Is there some way via the AT commands that I can rectify
this problem? Other than this particular BBS the modem works fine....I should
also mention that a friend uses a HAYES 1200 and has NO prob.
Thanks in advance
Marc Caminetsky.
------------------------------
Date: 6 Mar 86 09:10 GMT
From: oli2146 @ KOREA-EMH
Subject: Lotus 1-2-3 Ver 1 vs. Ver 2 Query
To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib.arpa
Can anyone send me or direct me to a comparison of Lotus 1-2-3
Version 1 and version 2?
Thanks in advance....
Mark Meaders "Fm the Land of the Morning Calm...."
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 86 12:23 EST
From: Mandell@DOCKMASTER.ARPA
Subject: GEM Draw Problem
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISI.ARPA
I saw a demo of GEM draw last week. The use of the shift home
combination to select the movement of objects(open hand) seemed to be
very unreliable. It requires a simultaneous momentary push othe two
keys and only works a small portion of the time. Has anyone seen this
problem? is there a fix? Does a similar problem occur with a mouse?
Dick Mandell
------------------------------
Date: Thursday, 6 Mar 1986 09:04:00 PST
From: (Dave Gomberg) <GOMBERG@UCSFVM.BITNET>
To: info-ibmpc at USC-ISIB
Subject: ICOM R71A Radio Receiver to PC Query
Has anyone succeeded in connecting an IBM PC to the "computer" interface
of this beast?
[This is a ham radio receiver with a serial interface that allows selection
of frequency etc. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 86 15:41 EST
From: TRK%OAK.SAINET.MFENET@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: CMS Hard Disk, IBM Proprinter, Write & Spell Query
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.Arpa
My father is in the market for an XT system for his club for keeping
track of names & addresses, sending out letters etc. He is not a
computer person and neither are the people who will be using it.
What he is looking at is an XT with a 20 meg CMS hard disk, an IBM
proprinter, and a Write & Spell word processor. I have never used
anything by CMS and I am not familliar with the printer or the word
processor either. I was hoping that some of you out there might be
able to tell me if you have had any good/bad experiences with these
things so I can tell my father whether to go ahead and get it or
keep looking for something better.
I would certainly appreciate any help anyone could offer.
You can send replies to Info-IBMPC or:
TRK%OAK.SAInet.MFEnet@LLL-MFE.Arpa
Thanks in advance,
--Tracy
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 86 16:15:25 CST
From: frank@db.wisc.edu (Dan Frank)
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Subject: Ctags for MS-DOS wanted
Does anyone know of a public domain ctags program for MS-DOS?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 01:32:07 EST
From: Jacob Moskowitz <JMSK@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Character ROMS Query
To: Info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I am very urgently looking for alternate ROM's to plug in place of the
one on a PC to give me more greek characters and more math symbols.
A companion ROM for the printer would be nice, but I can download
those.
I've been told that there is an EPROM equivalent for the PC
character ROM, but I have been unable to find a vendor that
sells anything like what I want. The reason I can't use any
of the numerous "scientific/math" WP pgm's is that I need to use
these fonts in my existing sfw, ThinkTank in particular, and I
sure don't need those foreign characters nor the smiling faces, etc.
Any help any of you can give me on this would be greatly appreciated.
Jake Moskowitz
CBS, NYU Physics
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 12:42:38 pst
From: calma!thompson@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Sheldon Thompson)
To: ucbvax!info-ibmpc
Subject: Serial printer on PCjr Query
I desparately need help! I am attempting to access the serial port
on the IBM PCjr to use a serial printer. The tech manual seems to be
unavailable in this area. Any help appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Sheldon Thompson
Calma Company
UUCP: ...{ucbvax,sun,csd-gould}!calma!thompson
ARPA: calma!thompson!ucbvax.ARPA
Disclaimer: I'm sure much of the above is trademarked.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 86 13:51:46 PST
From: atm%DEImos.Caltech.Edu@Hamlet.Caltech.Edu
Subject: Real-time PC operating systems query
Has anyone any experience with the various real-time operating systems
for the PC, either full-featured ones such as RTOS (derived from iRMX86)
or bare kernels such as VRTX? In particular, has anyone spliced an Ethernet
protocol server (e.g. TCP/IP) into one of these?
Alan Moffet
Caltech Astronomy
ATM%deimos@cit-hamlet.arpa
ATM%deimos@caltech.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Fri 7 Mar 86 14:53:07-PST
From: STEINBERGER@SRI-KL.ARPA
Subject: serial ports query
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I am using IBM professional fortran and need to control 2 serial ports.
I have ordered a product called "No Limit" from MEF ENVIRONMENTAL in
Austin, TX (800) 562- 9700. They claim that their software will allow
access to both ports, including using interrupt driven communication.
Has anyone used this or a similar product? Any advice or comments
would be welcome. Thanks.
Ric Steinberger
STEINBERGER@SRI-KL
(415) 859-4300
[There are a couple of programs in the INFO-IBMPC library that do
this. -ed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat 8 Mar 86 13:36:10-PST
From: Carl Fussell <CARL%SCU%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Subject: graphics query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Does anyone have an assembler routine that can be interfaced
with the Professional FORTRAN to run the EGA board on the
IBM AT using a monochrome monitor???
I've written some code that allows me to turn pixons on and
off, but I was also looking for some assembler routines that
will allow me to display characters and graphics (Mode F)
simultaneously.
I've also been hacking at some code to allow the user to
define an alternate character set, but have had some trouble
interpretting the limited documentation.
If anyone has any assembler routines that do this and can be
interfaced with the Professional FORTRAN package, I'd like to
hear from you.
Thanks,
Stephen J. Hager
(hager%SCU%Panda@Sumex-Aim.Arpa)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 86 18:53:59 EST
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Clearing the screen query
What is the best way to clear the screen when running the color monitor?
The call in my C library wipes out the attribute bytes. I believe that
this is a call to the BIOS video services. As I understand it, one can
print an ANSI.SYS command string to clear the screen, but this requires
the installation of ANSI.SYS. If possible, I would like to make no
assumptions about the environment. There must be some generic way to
clear the screen (better than printing 25 blank lines).
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 86 19:50:13 EST
From: Jacob Moskowitz <JMSK@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Alternate Character Sets Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISI.ARPA
I just posted a message requesting help on replacing the
standard character ROM, in particular with one adding to the
limited number of greek/math symbols.
Since then, a friend told me that STSC sells an APL compiler
that changes some of the characters to APL characters, WITHOUT
replacing the ROM, suggesting that there's a way to do this by
software. Does anyone know whether this is true ? Does the
IBM-PC download the character ROM into RAM, or does DOS have
to be patched to allow intercepting of interrupts, or something ?
I'm obviously ignorant of this stuff and will be very grateful
for any assistance anyone out there can offer. Thanks.
Jake Moskowitz
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 86 21:10:52 +0100
From: XBR1YD14%DDATHD21.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (YD14@BR1.THDNET)
Subject: Program chaining query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
I have some FORTRAN programs that should invoke each other, so that only
one program is resident in memory at any time. There is a DOS-call in
version 3.x of DOS, but I don't like it because it seems to create some
kind of subprocess and the "calling" program stays in memory.
(In the CP/M-80 version of my program I'm using the FCHAIN subroutine in the
F80's library.)
I'd appreciate any hints. If ever possible, I'd like to use DOS Version 2.11.
Thank you
Reinhard Goeth (Techn. Univ. of Darmstadt)
BITNET: XBR1YD14@DDATHD21
ARPA: XBR1YD14%DDATHD21.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 1986 15:59-EST
Subject: Wang PC "Open Architecture" package query
From: ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Has anyone seen or worked with the "Open Architecture" package (or some
such name) obtainable (for much bucks) from Wang for their PC?
It supposedly has technical information about the buss, BIOS, interrupts,
and all the secret ways it is NOT compatible with most anything.
They blindsided us when we bought the boxes .. I'd rather not have any more
unpleasant surprises if I buy this supposed equivalent to "Norton's
Programmers Guide" for the Wang PCs.
Thanks in advance,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
ABN.ISCAMS@USC-ISID.ARPA
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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