Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Info-IBMPC Digest) (03/06/86)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thursday, 6 March 1986 Volume 5 : Issue 30
This Week's Editor: Richard Nelson
Today's Topics:
Toshiba Lap-Top T1100
DESQview Version 1.2
TECO Editor Project
Fixup Disks for IBM Products
Zenith Gets New Government PC Contract
Prolog
Menuing and Full-Screen Prompting
Writer's Workbench Clones
Chiwriter
TRS Model 100 to XT Interface
Mega Board
Parallel I/O
Dot Matrix Printhead Maintenance
Serial Ports (2 msgs)
Microsoft C V3.0 Options Benchmark (2 msgs)
AT Xenix Device Driver Problem
SORT Program Problem: German DOS 3.0
MS Windows w/ Smartmodem 2400 Problem
Microsoft C read() Problem
DOS Task Termination Return Code in C Problem
WYSIWYG Page Setup Query
EMACS like editor query
Postscript Applications Query
Analog Circuit Analysis Programs Query
PCUnix by Wendin Query
Microport System V Unix(tm) for PC/AT Query
Priam Drives on AT, Wait State on AT Queries
Leading Edge Mod M Clock Query
MS-DOS 2.xx Terminal-Driver Sources Query
Capturing Print Output from dBase III Query
FFT Boards, Frame-Grabber Hardware Queries
Accelerator Boards and Compaq Portable Query
AT&T PC6300 Format Command and Color Display Problem
SAVVY PC Query
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 86 10:20:17 EST
From: Ih@louie.udel.EDU
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
cc: ih@louie.udel.EDU
Subject: Toshiba Lap-Top T1100
I have been looking, for some time, for a PC compatible Lap-Top which is
functionally adequate (512+ K, modem, one disk drive), convenient (small,
light, reasonable battery life, readable screen) and reasonably priced (less
than $2,000). I believe many of us are also waiting for such a machine. When
I heard about the Toshiba T1100, I called them immediately. It took more than
two weeks to get a single sheet of specifications. They don't take orders and
you must order it from a local dealer. I called many places. Most of them
didn't know about the machine and did not want to be bothered with it.
Finally The Data Place, Inc. (Newark, De. 302-366-0801) agreed to order one
for me (not enthusiastically initially). Surprisingly we got the machine and
an external 5 in. drive in three weeks. After having seen it, we are pretty
excited. Now The Date Place has a couple in stock. I have been playing
around with it for a week. It is in a very nice package, about 12x12x2.75 in.
and 9 lb. It comes with 512 k, one built-in 3.5 in. drive, a parallel port, a
RGB and an external disk drive port, and Toshiba/MS DOS 2.11 operation system.
Optional accessories are an internal multi-function card with clock and 300
baud modem which can be turned off when not in use to save battery, an
external 5.5, an external 3.5 in. drive, and a short board to be plugged in a
PC so that the T1100 can directly access the PC's 5 in. drive. The 3.5 in.
disk can be formated for 720k or 360k. The latter is electronically equivalent
to an IBM 5.5 in. disk. If you are looking for a truly compatible and
portable Lap-Top, this could be it. When I connected the external 5.5 in.
drive to it, so far all the popular programs I have tried worked except some
minor problems with Sidekick. You can even transfer Flight Simulator, Lode
Runner, etc. from the 5 in. to the 3 in. disk and run them. The LCD screen is
the best I have seen. It is more readable than the TAVA Triumph, Tandy 200 and
DG One. It is much less sensitive to light conditions. You can also connect a
color monitor directly to it and switch between the LCD and the color monitor
by flipping a switch at the back. The built-in 3 in. drive is drive A and the
external drive B. They can be interchanged by flipping a switch so that many
protected program can run directly from A. The built-in rechargeable battery
lasts for seven hours for normal use. The AC adapter is only 1.75x2x3 (less
than 1 lb) with a single output of +18 v. If the battery is completely run
down, it is recommended that you charge the battery for five minutes by
plugging in the AC adapter with computer off. Apparently the computer is
still running on the battery even the AC adapter is plugged in. The battery
charging reduces to a trickle when the computer is on. Therefore the AC
adapter can be connected and disconnected at well without interrupting the
computer. I have not tried the multi-function card and the short board.
Apparently they are not yet available (at least not in quantity). The modem
software compatibility and direct PC disk operations remain to be tested. The
Toshiba' 5 in. external drive can also be used as an extra drive for the PC.
Overall I am pleased with this little machine. I have shown it to many of my
colleagues and they all seemed im- pressed with it.
Charles Ih, Univ. of Delaware. 302-451-8173.
------------------------------
Date: 4 Mar 86 07:44:42 PST (Tuesday)
From: Eldridge.ES@Xerox.COM
Subject: DESQview Version 1.2
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Message-ID: <860304-074455-2166@Xerox>
For the past few months Quarterdeck Office Systems in Santa Monica, CA
has been shipping version 1.2 of their DESQview multitasking software.
The additional features of DESQview V1.2 are:
1. Support for expanded memory boards. V1.2 is compatible with
Lotus/Intel/Microsoft EMS boards (i.e., AboveBoard) and with
AST/Quadram/Ashton-Tate Enhanced EMS board (i.e., RAMpage!, in fact
DESQview comes free with the RAMpage! board). Using AboveBoard,
DESQview allows you to run concurrently several programs that use the
expanded memory. With the RAMpage! you can also run up to nine 545K
programs concurrently.
2. Support for Hercules graphics card.
3. New installation files for programs such as Lotus 1-2-3 Rel 2,
Sidekick, GEM Desktop, etc.
4. Bug fixes and minor improvements. One area of improvement is the
handling of 40 char-mode screens.
One of the nice features is the ability to run Lotus 123 in a small
window. This makes it possible to view two separate spreadsheets
simultaneously. A handy feature when you need to compare or transfer
data between spreadsheets.
A memory status program is included so that you can see how much memory
you have free at any time and also what the largest chunk of contiguous
memory is.
If you are a DESQview V1.0 owner, then the update is $19.95 (plus tax
where applicable). If you purchased DESQview V1.0 after November 15,
1985, then the update is free. DESQview V1.2 can be purchased at
discount software houses for about $65.
If you need multitasking, then DESQview V1.2 is the program to have.
George (Eldridge.es@Xerox.com)
Disclaimer: My only affiliation with Quarterdeck Office Systems is that
I am a satisfied customer. Many of the names used in this note are
trademarked by someone.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 86 09:41:10 PST
From: Ya'akov_Miles%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: TECO Editor Project
I have used the context editor TECO since my youth, and am in the process
of writing a (stripped-down) version in Microsoft "C" to run on the IBM-PC
This would be public domain software. Anyone interested in this project?
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@isib
Subject: Fixup Disks for IBM Products
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 86 19:37:14 -0500
From: jcmorris@mitre.ARPA
With a singular lack of fanfare, IBM is from time to time releasing
machine-readable fixup diskettes for some of its logo products. Although
some of the recently-released products have included registration cards
which could be filled in (or out; why do "fill in" and "fill out" both fit
in this sentence?) and sent to Big Blue, nobody seems to have been
notified about the existence of these repair kits unless they squawk loudly.
After making very loud noises to the local C'land I was told that there
were no such disks available and that the Dealer Hotline had never heard of
such things except from the PC WEEK report. After quoting an entry from
PCSHARE the C'land rep again asked the DSC people who finally admitted that
there were such beasties. Any owner of the related IBM-logo product should
be able to get a copy from an authorized IBM sales site.
No printed documentation came with any of these diskettes.
One floppy is supposed to fix problems with the COBOL compiler. Since I
use COBOL only as a bad example, I didn't get it and have no idea what it
does.
The second floppy contains a replacement for BACKUP.COM for DOS 3.0 and 3.1;
this probably fixes the problems which cause unusable backup files to be
created. The file is BACKUP.COM, dated 11-1-85, with 6212 bytes.
The third fix floppy is for the BASIC compiler version 2. Unlike the one
reported in PC WEEK, this floppy does not include a README.TXT file so I
haven't any direct method of finding out what it supposedly does. The files
on it are all dated 27 January, which is more recent than the ones reported in
the PC WEEK article. Some of the programs on the floppy produce release
flags: BASRUN20 (IBM level 2.02; usoft level 5.62); BASCOM (IBM 2.00); LINK
(2.30).
Does anyone in Netland know of any other IBM-provided fix disks?
Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre)
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 1986 12:29:09 CST
Subject: Zenith Gets New Government PC Contract
From: HUNEYCUTT@GUNTER-ADAM.ARPA
To: Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Announcement:
On Friday, 28 February 1986, a contract was signed between the government
and Zenith Data Systems to provide an estimated 90,000 microcomputers over
three years to the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Defense Logistics Agency. This
contract replaces the original Z-120 contract, which expired for systems
on 2 Feb and dies completely in October. GSA mandated the recompetition
when we totally underestimated the quantities for the Z-120.
Our specifications called for three classes of machine...a pc-type, a
pc-xt type, and a pc-at type. What we have on contract are three varieties
of AT-type machine, the Z-248, running at 8MHz with no wait states. Included
in this message is a list of most of the contract line items (CLINs) along
with a brief description and prices. This is a heads-up for those of you
who can order from this contract....for the others, an indication of what
you can get with enough buying power and a good set of specs. To those who
say that this contract was wired for ZDS, I cheerfully respond that it's
difficult NOT to award to excellent equipment, particularly when it is also
'reasonably' priced.
Doug Huneycutt
Air Force Small Computer Program Management Office
CLIN 1 Z-248 w/512K RAM, 2 360K floppies, 8MHZ, no wait $1103.00
CLIN 2, Z-248 w/512K RAM, 1 360K floppy, 20M winchester $1534.00
CLIN 3, Z-248 w/1.1M RAM, 1 360K floppy, 20M winchester $1658.00
Each system above includes: 1 serial/parallel card (Asynch), 1 serial/
parallel card (Synch), 1 enhanced graphics adapter, DOS 3.1, Microsoft
Windows, and assorted other goodies.
CLIN 4AA, 640K RAM expansion $ 120.00
CLIN 4AB, 2 Meg RAM expansion $ 240.00
CLIN 6AA, 20 Meg winchester upgrade $ 302.00
CLIN 7, MPI AFP-45 dual mode printer $ 528.00
CLIN 8AA, cut sheet feeder for MPI $ 207.00
CLIN 9, Diablo C-150 color ink jet $ 802.00
CLIN 10, Plotter (8 pen, self-capping Western Graphtec) $ 929.00
CLIN 11, 640x350 color monitor $ 302.00
CLIN 12, High res monochrome monitor $ 116.00
CLIN 13, Digitazer pad $ 293.00
CLIN 14AA, Power Converter (220-240-->120) $ 55.00
CLIN 14AB, Surge supressor $ 30.00
CLIN 15, 300/1200/2400 baud modem $ 158.00
CLIN 16, Tape backup unit $ 478.00
CLIN 17, 80287 8MHz math coprocessor $ 143.00
CLIN 18, Microsoft BASIC compiler $ 46.00
CLIN 19, Microsoft COBOL compiler $ 15.00
CLIN 20, Microsoft Assembler $ 9.00
CLIN 21, Microsoft FORTRAN compiler $ 13.00
CLIN 22, Microsoft PASCAL compiler $ 16.00
CLIN 23, Computer Innovations C compiler $ 100.00
CLIN 24AA, Wordstar Professional $ 130.00
CLIN 24AB, Multimate $ 148.00
CLIN 25AA, dBase III $ 355.00
CLIN 25AB, Condor III $ 72.00
CLIN 25AC, dBase II $ 239.00
CLIN 26, Microstat $ 75.00
CLIN 27, Supercalc III $ 76.00
CLIN 28, Graftalk (updated for presentation) $ 81.00
CLIN 29, CadKey, mechanical engineering CAD $ 239.00
CLIN 30, TimeLine (project management) $ 53.00
CLIN 31, Enable integrated software package $ 87.00
CLIN 32AA, CXI Connectware 3278/9 Coax system $ 422.00
CLIN 32AB, 3780+ IBM Terminal emulation (RS-232) $ 96.00
CLIN 32AC, VT100 emulator (DEC-20 connection) $ 33.00
CLIN 32AD, Honeywell VIP emulator $ 156.00
CLIN 32AF, Sperry systems terminal emulator $ 121.00
CLIN 32AG, Burroughs TD832 emulator $ 136.00
CLIN 32AH, Z-319 card (Z-120 emulator) $ 175.00
CLIN 35AA, CAI (Intro to microcomputers) $ 11.00
CLIN 35AB, CAI (Supercalc III) $ 23.00
CLIN 35AC, CAI (Condor III) $ 42.00
CLIN 35AD, CAI (Microstat) $ 5.00
CLIN 35AE, CAI (TimeLine) $ 14.00
CLIN 35AF, CAI (dBase II) $ 36.00
CLIN 35AG, CAI (dBase III) $ 23.00
CLIN 35AH, CAI (Multimate) $ 23.00
CLIN 35AJ, CAI (Graftalk) $ 6.00
CLIN 35AK, CAI (CadKey) $ 73.00
CLIN 35AL, CAI (Enable) $ 7.00
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 86 09:09:34 pst
From: jhass%ucbiris@BERKELEY.EDU
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: Prolog
Reply to inquiry about PC Prologs:
There are two major Prologs on the PC. Lotus/Arity Prolog sells for $800 and
is copy-protected. Borland has just announced Turbo Prolog. It will sell for
about $99 and ship in about two months. Borland claims it is about ten times
faster than Arity's.
All of the Prologs except Borland's are surveyed in the Feb. 86 issue of ACM
Sigplan Notices.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 86 14:48:22 EST
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Menuing and Full-Screen Prompting
> I would like to find a general purpose menu package. This would be a
> set of routines to which I hand a title string and a group of selection
> strings and which hands me back the index of the selection. It would
> operate by reading the arrow keys and/or a number typed by the user to
> select the item. It should probably highlight the selections as the
> cursor is moved around among them.
>
> Also, a routine to collect a text string from the user, in the context
> of the above menus. Other functions like help strings for each
> selection, and screen attribute/color control would be nice, too.
Roundhill's Panel provides the sort of menuing and full-screen prompting that
you want. The ads give a pretty good sense of the features available.
Mailorder houses are selling it for around $240 right now, but you might want
to check around for someone who has it in stock; it took me three months to
get my copy.
I have had the program for several weeks and have very mixed feelings about
it. If you are not too fussy, you can follow the demo programs and have
something pretty powerful running in just a few hours. My first response was:
"You can do all of THAT with just a hundred lines [of C]?" I am fussy,
however, and am now beginning to wonder when I will stop writing routines to
replace the ones that came with the package. Although they provide the source
for validation of characters, lines, and fields, they do not provide the
source for the standard driver functions and some of the low-level interface.
I was not satisfied, for example, by the fact that the insert key simply
inserts a single blank character instead of inititiating an insert mode.
Similarly, the destructive backspace replaces the destroyed character with a
blank instead of shifting the remainder of the line one position left. The
other major problem for me was that a carriage return does not normally
terminate a read. Since my program runs on a 3081 as well (using DMS/CMS), I
need the carriage return to interrupt the read and return control to the
application so that I can display a new panel, give messages, or terminate
prompting and go to work (i.e., I need a common interface).
On top of this, Panel does not enable one to define more than 14 function keys
without doing a special dance. My next step is to start doing my own
keystroke processing. For a simple application, 14 might be fine, but those
keys go quickly when you start providing lots of functions and binding them to
Alt-A, Alt-D, etc.
Two more problems:
1) In my experience, the executable is at least 40K, even for simple programs
(although I have a program with two panels and lots of error checking that
drives six other programs and takes only 50K.)
2) The documentation is incomplete and poorly organized. Hackers can deal
with it, but others will be lost if they can't just take the program as is.
The authors rely much too much on the sample programs and the library source.
For the most part, their code is well documented (internally), but we still
need good external documentation. Without realizing the seriousness of it,
they confess that they decided not to provide an index to the documentation
because that would slow things up.
On the plus side:
1) One can rely on most of the low-level screen handling, such as the
definition and writing of attribute bytes.
2) They provide a program that enables the purchaser to "tailor" the
environment fairly reasonably--remapping keys, defining cursor size, etc.
3) They have been very thoughtful about portability, even to the extent of
worrying over the HP150 and touch screens.
4) They provide some direct-write routines if you want super fast screen
updating. (But watch out for conflicts with YTERM.)
5) The sort of menuing that was asked about comes with the program and
operates satisfactorily.
6) Finally, if worse comes to worse, one can use their system as a model for
developing one's own screen handler. The system is basically intelligent.
There is not as much isolation between the application and the screen handler
as something like DMS/CMS provides, and this can cause some confusion; but the
design is basically sound.
In sum, Panel is good for novices who have simple applications and hackers who
have simple to intermediate applications. For complicated applications, be
prepared to do a lot of customizing and to toss all but the panel generation
editor and low-level routines.
One way to go for full-screen prompting is windowing. If you are interested in
windows, I would take a close look at Windows for C and Windows for Data.
Below is a more comprehensive list. Perhaps others can provide info.
Screen Genie, 70, Nostradamus.
SunScreen, 99, TecWare. Library source included, $199?
ZVIEW, 245, Data Management.
View Manager, 275, Blaise Computing. Library source for $150.
Panel, 295, Roundhill. Library source included free.
Windows for Data, 295, Vermont Creative.
There may be some reasonable utility libraries as well. If people will
send me info about these packages and others, I will summarize and
submit.
Please note that the quoted prices were taken from ads and SHOULD be full
retail. One company, however, lists SunScreen with source at 299 instead
of 199, so who knows?
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 86 15:08:36 EST
From: James H. Coombs <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Writer's Workbench Clones
In my previous notice on Writer's Workbench clones, I mentioned Grammatik and
Punctuation & Style. Here are two more programs that appear to be in the same
genre:
PC-Style, by ButtonWare
RightWriter, by Decisionware
I hope to see these programs in the near future and will provide a summary
when I do. Or perhaps someone has experience with them?
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 86 20:46:22 EST
From: Eric_B._Arnold%UMich-MTS.Mailnet@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: Dave%SCU%Panda@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA,
Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Chiwriter
In response to your query about the relative merits of Chiwriter and T3, I
can offer an opinion about Chiwriter as a very satisfied user, but I know
nothing about T3. The price of Chiwriter may be deceptive; its author is a
graduate student in mathematics at the University of Michigan who under-
stands the need for good, affordable software, and who wrote Chiwriter to
fill a need that wasn't met by the technical-wordprocessing packages available
at the time (late1984-1985). I don't know exactly what he had available, but
everything that I have heard of he knew and found lacking. His primary
interest, as I understand it, was to be able to have on-screen editing of
mathematical and technical symbols imbedded in text, to be output on dot-
matrix printers, and designed such that department secretaries as well as
mathematicians could learn to use it easily. I think it meets these goals
admirably. It is on the primitive side as word processors go, and has room
for polishing in a number of areas, but it works well and is superb for its
intended purpose. The user has available up to ten fonts which can be selected
with two keystrokes; single characters from non-current fonts can be included
with one extra keystroke, and one can have unlimited superscript and subscript
lines, with half-line spacing between them so that actual overlap of symbols
is possible. A font designer is included, and makes it relatively easy to
obtain any desired symbol or combination of symbols. The fonts that come with
it are Roman, Italic, Bold, Small, Script, Gothic, Greek, Symbol, and two math
symbol fonts. It can handle around 70 pages of text in a PC with 640K of RAM.
It prints best with printers such as the Toshiba 1340 family with 24-pin
printheads, but I am quite pleased with the performance that I get with my
Gemini-10X. I use it extensively in my own work (physics) for preparing
lecture notes and material for publication. I understand that the author is
working on a version which will work with a laser printer. I have successfully
created a font for drawing electronic circuits, and it is spectacular when
combined with the various text fonts for labelling the various components!
A trial version is available for a nominal fee from the author or free from
some public sources. A copy and/or more information should be available from:
Horstmann Software Design
P.O. Box 4544
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
I have no financial interest in the sale of this product.
--Eric B. Arnold
Dept. of Natural Sciences
University of Michigan--Dearborn
48128
EBA%UMich-MTS.Mailnet@MIT-Multics.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 86 18:20 GMT
From: meaders @ korea-emh
Subject: TRS Model 100 to XT Interface
To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib.arpa
CC: pz @ mit-vax
Ref your inquiry about Model 100:
Although I am not familiar with the the 100, I have used a software package
which will allow you to use your XT as a "multi-user" system. I have used
an Apple, Commodore, Zenith 100 and several other machines to remotely
access my base system from as far as 100 miles at speeds from 300 baud to
19.2 KBPS. The package is called MultiLink. It is advertised
in many of the PC magazines along {_with a program called LAN Link.
Mark Meaders from "The Land of the Morning Calm"
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 86 18:20 GMT
From: meaders @ korea-emh
Subject: Mega Board
To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib.arpa
Information on the Mega Board can be gotten from
"The Big Blue Seed" an assembly guide and parts list by Raymond
Kosmic, NuScope Associates, PO Box 742, Stn B Willowdale, Ontario, M2K 2R1,
Canada.
Mark Meaders from "The Land of the Morning Calm"
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 86 11:11:50 pst
From: ttidca!ttihwe!cole@rand-unix.ARPA
To: ttidca!randvax!dowens@a.bbn.com, ttidca!randvax!info-ibmpc@isib
Subject: Parallel I/O
Cc: cole@rand-unix.ARPA
You can certainly use a IBM-type parallel printer port for general purpose
I/O, but you have to be careful. IBM-type parallel printer ports use an LS374
tri-state octal latch to drive the 8 data lines, but it is always enabled for
output (i.e., the -OE signal on Pin 1 is tied permanently to ground). So the
external device cannot drive the the 8 data lines itself, and there is a
specific warning in the Tech Ref manual that says "It is essential that the
external device not try to pull these pins to ground".
Why IBM did it this way heaven only knows. There is a simple solution,
however. You can cut the trace that ties Pin 1 on the LS374 to ground and tie
Pin 1 on the LS374 to Pin 15 on the LS174, which is an unused output which is
controlled by Bit 5 in the command register (3BE, 37A, or 27A, depending
whether the parallel port is LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3). Then you can use Bit 5 to
enable the LS374 or put it in the high impedance state so you can read your
external device.
I'm not sure offhand whether this affects normal printer operation. It
depends on what DOS does when it finds this printer port on bootup and how the
printer code works. The fact that DOS mucks with the port on startup may
cause some problems with your external logic. What I did to get around this
(and avoid messing with my IBM or AST cards) was to buy a cheap ($30) printer
board, which has the advantage that you can jumper the starting address to
locations where DOS won't find it (and which hopefully don't conflict with
anything else, of course).
Randy Cole
Citicorp-TTI
ttidca!ttihwe!cole@rand-unix
------------------------------
Date: 5 Mar 86 12:29 PST
From: Ghenis.pasa@Xerox.COM
Subject: Dot Matrix Printhead Maintenance
To: LIN@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU
cc: info-cpm@AMSAA.ARPA, info-micro@brl-vgr.ARPA,
INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
>Anyone know how to tell if a dot-matrix print head needs replacement?
>I've has an Epson FX-80 head for about 6 M characters, and the print
>quality is going down (tops of letters like "h" and "l" are not coming
>out). Am I due for a change? What's a good price on print heads?
Before you throw away your print head, try wiping the pins with alcohol.
This will remove any ink residue (picked up from the ribbon) that might
be jamming some of the pins. This has worked very well for me in the
past on my NEC 8023. Another thing to check is the little tin ribbon
guide, which is also a "mask"; if it is slightly out of line it will
block either the upper or lower pins, producing incomplete characters.
Good luck!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 02 Mar 86 08:58:39 EST
From: IJDG400%INDYCMS.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Serial Ports Query
I need information on connecting three serial ports to an MS-DOS PC.
As far as I can tell two serial ports are the limit.
Has anyone tried connecting three or more serial ports to a PC?
Thanks
Jim Griffin
IJDG400@INDYCMS.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 1986 11:13:07 PST
Subject: Serial Ports
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: IJDG400%INDYCMS.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
You might try calling Mike Kolsy at American Micronics in Irvine CA.
(714)261-2428 They make a board with 8 serial ports. I know they
have Xenix drivers and I helped them get started writing a DOS driver.
I don't know if they have made any progress.
Their board includes an extra status register which tells which of the 8
UARTS caused the interrupt. All the UART status registers are contiguous
in I/O space. Switches select the base address.
Any of the several async packages in the INFO-IBMPC library could be adapted
to use with this board.
------------------------------
From: Paul Fishwick <Fishwick%upenn.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Microsoft C V3.0 Options Benchmark Query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 86 13:31 EST
Has anyone done any benchmarks on the code generated from using the
options /G0, /G1, or /G2 under Microsoft's C V3.0 ?
/G0 -> generates 8086/88 instructions
/G1 -> generates 80186/88 instructions
/G2 -> generates 80286 instructions
Thanks..
-paul
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 1986 11:16:14 PST
Subject: Microsoft C V3.0 Options Benchmark
From: Billy <BRACKENRIDGE@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
To: Paul Fishwick <Fishwick%upenn.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
cc: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
I haven't done benchmarks, but I have noticed they don't use the push
immediate instruction. When pushing a constant they move it to AX then push
AX. I would assume the newer push immediate instruction would result in faster
smaller code.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 1986 13:18 O
From: Guy Sirton <MLSIRTON%WEIZMANN.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: AT Xenix Device Driver Problem
To: info-ibmpc <info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa>
I am having problems writing a device driver in XENIX (V1.0 running on
a regular PC-AT) and I'm wondering if any of you can help me...
The problems are:
1) Accessing storage (for memory-mapped devices). I overcame this problem
by defining a 'far' pointer but I am wondering if there is any built-in
kernel routine to do it.
2) Creating the new kernel. When I type 'make' in /usr/sys/conf I get
the following result:
ld: Unresolved extrenals:
__stkgro in file(s):
/lib/Mlibc.a(~_chkstk.o)
__Syspc in file(s):
/lib/Mlibc.a(exit.o)
__syscal in file(s):
/lib/Mlibc.a(exit.o)
*** Error code 1
Stop.
3) Poor documentation. The documentation at the lowest level is really poor
some routines (such as seterror() ) are mentioned but not explained and I'm
pretty sure (by 'string'ing lib_io and the kernel) that there are routines
that aren't even mentioned. The index is also in a very poor state...
Anyone who can help me in these problems and/or has a list of un-documented
routines please mail me back.
Guy
------------------------------
Date: 03-MAR-86 15:15 MEZ
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
From: M70B%CBEBDA3T.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (F.Buetikofer, Help desk
UNI Bern)
Subject: SORT Program Problem: German DOS 3.0
We tried to sort an ASCII file, containing a list of german names
(the name contains german umlauts).
The result of sorting did not correspond to our expectations.
According to the DOS manual, the european characters 80H-AFH
are collated with the ASCII characters A-Z. And this is wrong.
I try to explain it with an example:
+-----------+ +-----------+
|P@ar | SORT |Baar | * First two items correct, because
|Paar | ---> |B@ar | order was correct in the source!
|Baar | |P@ar | * Second two items wrong, because
|B@ar | |Paar | @ is collated with a, but should
+-----------+ +-----------+ be after a.
Where @ stands for a german a umlaut (84H)
Is anybody out there, who has a solution to our problem ??
Thanks,
Fritz Buetikofer
Help desk of the Uni Bern (Switzerland)
BITNET or ARPA: M70B@CBEBDA3T.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 86 19:00 GMT
From: ch-mkmc @ KOREA-EMH
Subject: MS Windows w/ Smartmodem 2400 Problem
To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib.arpa
i am having trouble getting the terminal program in windows to recognize
my hayes smartmodem 2400. the led's on the front of the modem flicker
on and off as though the modem is trying to initialize itself but then
the following message appears "cannot communicate with the modem".
at the same time that the modem is trying to initialize itself a small
window on the screen displays the message "waiting for answer" and
is counting down the seconds(in my case it starts at 30 sec and then the
cannot communicate message appears at 28 sec). i have tried using both 300
and 1200 baud and have tried varying the various settings in the program but
to no avail. when i use the autodial feature of the cardfile program the
modem works fine. any help would be greatly appreciated since i am across
the water and can't just pick up the phone and call microsoft.
thanks
tom robertson
ch-mkmc@korea-emh
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 86 22:24:13 est
From: romkey@BORAX.LCS.MIT.EDU (John Romkey)
To: info-ibmpc@isib.arpa
Subject: Microsoft C read() Problem
I've just experienced some marginal behavior with the read() call in the
Microsoft C library. The read() call seems to read the number of bytes you
request, and then return the number that were actually stored after doing CR
LF to LF compression in O_TEXT mode. This leads it to return a smaller value
than the number of bytes you asked for.
I suspect there is a fair amount of code out there that this might break. Many
programs seem to interpret this as an end of file indication.
Be forewarned...
- john romkey
ftp software
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 14:08:17 PST
From: Jim Carter <jimc@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
Subject: DOS Task Termination Return Code in C Problem
PC-DOS task termination is driving me up the wall. I merely want to
give a return code on exit from a program. The library's "exit" subroutine,
when tested, fails to return its argument. I load subcode 4Ch in AH, the
return code in AL, and do int 21h. The resulting code is zero or negative.
In fact, I tried loading every register in the machine. Here is the code
(IBM "C", (c) Microsoft):
/* ZILCH.C -- Test exit codes*/
#include <stdio.h>
#include <dos.h>
void regd(msg, regs) { /*Register dump routine*/ }
main(an, av) /*Obvious declarations omitted for brevity*/ {
union REGS regs;
sscanf(av[1], "%x", &res);
regs.h.ah = 0x4c; /*Program termination code*/
regs.h.al = res;
regs.x.bx = 0x101 * res; /*And the same for cx,dx,si,di*/
regd("Initial values:", regs); /*Values were as expected*/
intdos(®s, ®s); /*Does int 21h */
regd("Damn, it returned.", regs); /*No, it didn't return*/
}
zilch %1 Batch file to run the above
if errorlevel 2 echo >=2 This wasn't echoed
if errorlevel 4 echo >=4 Neither was this -- ever.
I disassembled _exit (called by exit) and found that it merely puts the
argument into al and does int 21h/4c, as above. What's going on? Has anyone
been able to make this work?
James F. Carter (213) 206-1306
UCLA-SEASnet; 2567 Boelter Hall; 405 Hilgard Ave.; Los Angeles, CA 90024
UUCP:...!{ihnp4,ucbvax,{hao!cepu}}!ucla-cs!jimc ARPA:jimc@locus.UCLA.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 86 1:37 EST
From: irfan ahmad <ECO10125%BOSTONU.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Subject: WYSIWYG Page Setup Query
To: info-ibmpc <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
I would like to get some info on programs that can be used for creating
newsletters or other in-house magazines. Something which uses the Hercules
Graphics Card and displays the exact stuff that will be printed (What You See
Is What You Get). Ideally I should be able to get a draft printout on an Epson
FX printer and the final version on the Apple Laser Printer.
Any information on this will be appreciated.
Irfan Ahmad
ECO10125
BOSTONU
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 1986 0913-PST (Monday)
From: Danny Abramovitch <danny@su-isl.arpa>
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.ARPA
Cc:
Subject: EMACS like editor query
I am in the market for an EMACS like editor. I have seen a lot of discussion
about Epsilon, I know that there is a version of PC-EMACS, and I have used
Mince. I have also seen something about freeware (MAX, SCAMI, mini-EMACS).
Does anyone have a decent cost/performance comparison of any or all of these
packages. Any ordering information would also be helpful.
Thanks in advance,
Danny
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 86 10:37 pst
From: "pugh jon%e.mfenet"@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: Postscript Applications Query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
I am looking for information from anyone who is using an Apple Laserwriter
or other Postscript printer with a PC. I need some software to drive it.
Are there any packages that will take text files and twist them into shape
or only special purpose applications? Any information would be helpful.
Please respond to me, as I am not on the digest.
Jon Pugh
pugh%mfe@lll-mfe.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Mon 03 Mar 1986 13:50:38 EST
From: <DIGITS@LL.ARPA>
Subject: Analog Circuit Analysis Programs Query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
I am looking for information on analog circuit emulators for the IBM-PC. are
there any circuit analysis programs out there that work similar to SPICE and
that will do transient circuit analysis? ANY information I can get would be
very helpful. So far the only program I have seen that even comes close is one
call MICRO-CAP II.
Thanks in advance
Lou DiPalma
MIT/LINCOLN LABS
Wood St. , Lexington, Ma.
------------------------------
Date: 3 Mar 86 07:21 GMT
From: ch-mkmc @ KOREA-EMH
Subject: PCUnix by Wendin Query
To: info-ibmpc @ usc-isib.arpa
I was wondering if anyone has received a copy of PCUnix by Wendin?
The last word I had was that it was supposed to be released the week
of 17 Feb. 86. Does anyone know if it was in fact released or if not
what the new projected release date is? Several of us fellows across
the water are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our copies. It would
help to know if we should make a mad dash to the mailbox everyday or
just sit back and wait (heaven forbid).
thanks
tom robertson
ch-mkmc@korea-emh
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 86 17:45:20 PST
From: maddox@renoir.berkeley.edu (William Maddox)
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: Microport System V Unix(tm) for PC/AT Query
Has anyone used this product? I am planning to upgrade my IBM Xenix 3.0 to
System V, and would like to know how the Microport SysV compares to SCO Xenix
V. In particular, how robust is it? How does the performance compare?
Please reply via mail, and if I get any interesting replies, I will summarize
to the net.
William Maddox
maddox@renoir.berkeley.edu
ucbvax!renoir!maddox
(415) 642-4611
------------------------------
Date: 1 Mar 86 16:37 EDT
From: (Gary Chapman) <CHAPMAN@NYU-ACF7.ARPA>
To: <info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Subject: Priam Drives on AT, Wait State on AT Queries
I am thinking of acquiring an IBM PC/AT with a Priam 60 megabyte drive,
and plan to run DRI's Concurrent operating system. Does anyone have
experience with the Priam drives on ATs and/or comments about Concurrent?
Also, I have read in Byte (special IBM issue) that "IBM has provided a
special line called the zero wait state (OWS) signal on the bus to
suppress the wait states. This is useful if you have high-speed memory and
an expansion card that supports this signal". Does anyone have experience
with such hardware?
-- Gary Chapman (NYU ACF Microcomputer Laboratory)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 86 01:17:48 EST
From: "Robert L. Plouffe" <PLOUFF@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Leading Edge Mod M Clock Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Has anyone hacked a clock setting utility for the Model M so that the battery
backed-up clock updates the DOS date/time when using PCDOS 3.1? If so, would
appreciate a pointer to public domain access of same. Please respond directly
to me. as PLOUFF at MIT-MC. Else I guess I will habe to do it myself.
------------------------------
Date: March 04, 1986, 10:40 CET
To: <info-kermit@CU20B>
FROM: <#D15%DDATHD21.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Cc: <INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB>
Subject: MS-DOS 2.xx Terminal-Driver Sources Query
Hi,
Is there anybody out there in the PC-world who can send me
the assembler sources for a MS-DOS 2.xx foreign-terminal-driver.
I'm specially interested in the source of KEYBGR.COM
(German Keyboard), but any other version will do quite well.
Please respond directly to me, because I'm not a member
of this list. My network address is as follows:
BITNET: <XBR2D96D@DDATHD21.BITNET>
Thanks a lot in advance
Martin Knoblauch
TH-Darmstadt, D-6100 Darmstadt, West Germany
EARN/BITNET: #D15 at DDATHD21 (the number sign is really
part of my UID)
<D96D@DDATHD21.BITNET>
<XBR2D96D@DDATHD21.BITNET>
------------------------------
Date: 4 Mar 86 07:27 EST
From: Stephen Mahan <steve@ncsc>
Subject: Capturing Print Output from dBase III Query
To: info-ibmpc@usc-isib
A friend of mine is working on a Dbase III applications package and in
order to make the software more robust he wants to save all output to the
printer to a disk file and them dump it using the DOS print command.
Is there a way to redefine the printer port (COM 1) as a disk file?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Stephen Mahan
steve@ncsc
------------------------------
Date: 4 Mar 86 16:31:05 PST (Tuesday)
From: Ready.pa@Xerox.COM
Subject: FFT Boards, Frame-Grabber Hardware Queries
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
cc: Ready.pa@Xerox.COM
I need to run lots of FFTs really fast on a PC-AT. Is there any form
of hardware FFT hardware available other than Systolic Systems, or
alternatively a single board array processor that sits on the AT bus?
My application would require a 512 X 512 X 16 bit word FFT.
Also, does anyone have experience with framegrabber hardware on the AT.
Steve Ready
Xerox PARC
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 13:09 MST
From: Steve Herbst <Herbst@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA>
Subject: Accelerator Boards and Compaq Portable Query
To: info-ibmpc@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Classic Technology says its 286 Speedpak doesn't work on the Compaq portable
because the latter uses the 8086 processor instead of the 8088.
Victor says its SpeedPac 286 doesn't work on the Compaq portable because the
cord is incompatible somehow with the main board (they didn't mention the
processor). One of their customers is currently evaluating how to change the
product to make it Compaq compatible.
Anybody know of an accelerator board known to work on Compaq's?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 15:51:49 pst
From: Alan S. Nobunaga <nobunaga%marlin@nosc.ARPA>
To: INFO-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: AT&T PC6300 Format Command and Color Display Problem
We have two AT&T PC6300's with AT&T color displays. Whenever we run
the AT&T MS-DOS format command from either the hard disk or floppy, after it
responds that the format is complete, the display gets snowy, the characters
change to a larger print, and the left margin is now in the center of the
screen. What we usually do is reboot or use the cls command and the screen
returns to normal.
Does anyone know what is causing this and how to fix this? Any suggestions
would be appreciated. Thanks.
Alan Nobunaga
Naval Ocean Systems Center
Milnet: nobunaga@NOSC.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 05 Mar 86 15:45 PST
From: Louise Callejo <Louise-Callejo%LADC@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>
To: Info-IBMPC <Info-IBMPC@USC-ISIB.ARPA>
Subject: SAVVY PC Query
I just received some mailorder literature regarding a Database Manager, a
Language Tutorial, a Retriever and a Spreadsheet--all for about $100. The
Retriever uses pattern recognition to make a stab at interpreting a request
that is only partially defined.
The SAVVY people start off their letter by wondering why people are buying
DBase and Lotus for so much more money when they could buy all their products
for a fraction of the price. I'm kind of wondering about that too, so if
anyone has experience with these products, let's hear about it.
Louise
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
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