[comp.sys.apple] DOS 3.3 from machine language

AWCTTYPA@UIAMVS.BITNET ("David A. Lyons") (02/12/89)

>Date:         Fri, 10 Feb 89 14:16:36 EST
>From:         John Moon <ST402281%BROWNVM.BITNET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
>Subject:      Passing commands to DOS 3.3
>
>Does anyone know how to pass commands to DOS 3.3 from machine
>language? I would like to be able to use the DOS 3.3 filesystem from
>machine language. Thanks in advance!

If you just need to do the same stuff you could do in Applesoft by
doing PRINT CHR$(4);"..." commands, then you can do the same thing
from machine language.  Use JSR $FDED to print the character in the A
register.

For sector-level access through the "RWTS" (Read/Write Track/Sector)
and for File Manager access, see _Beneath Apple DOS_ from Quality
Software (Don Worth and Pieter Lechner).  Quality Software, 6660
Reseda Blvd, Suite 105, REseda, CA 91335.  My copy was printed in
1981, so I have no idea if that address is still valid.  The old DOS
3.3 manuals from Apple document the RWTS interface but not the File
Manager.  If you can find a copy of _All About DOS_ from Call-APPLE
(now TechAlliance), that's also filled w/ good information (but it's
not as good a reference as _Beneath Apple DOS_).

(Now that I've answered the question...what I _really_ recommend is
that you switch to ProDOS.  It's _much_ more fun to program for, and
it supports zillions of kinds of devices withOUT needing special &
possibly-conflicting patches for each new device.)

>John Moon
>ST402281@BROWNVM (Bitnet)

--David A. Lyons              bitnet: awcttypa@uiamvs
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