[comp.sys.apple] NO BUFFERS AVAILABLE on Xmodem-ed files

Mandel@bco-multics.hbi.honeywell.COM (Mark Mandel) (09/07/88)

I'm entering this message on behalf of an acquaintance.  Can anyone
help him?
     ------------------------------------------------------------
    Hello.  I'm a pretty new modem-user, and I've been having trouble
with downloads (pretty common eh!).  Through the help of some nice (not
to mention smart) people on various BBS's, I've gotten some useful
info, but not all my problems are solved.  SO- anyway, whenever I
transfer a Binary or Basic or anything program to my disk, it comes out
as a TXT (text) file.  I use Xmodem because most boards use that.  If
the program is Binary II packed the problem is solvable.  But if it
isn't, here's where the trouble comes.  I can use a file type changer,
and this works O.K.  on basic , but if I change the text file to Binary
(if it was meant to be so), I get this error message when I Brun the
program : NO BUFFERS AVAILABLE.  What the heck does that mean?  I'm not
to good with ProDOS.  Oh by the way I have an unenhanced (ugh, but I'm
getting the kit) IIe with a spanking new Datalink 2400.  Now, could
this file type problem just be due to the ProDOS file information being
lost when the file was uploaded, as some tell me?  I can just use
ProDOS file transfer instead of Xmodem, etc., but not many BBS's have
it.  Is this a normal problem that Apple telecommunicators have?
Please help me in any way possible.  I would really love to get my
hands on some of the fantastic software available.  Thank you VERY
much.
                                  -Brian Bettencourt
     ------------------------------------------------------------
From Mark Mandel, Mandel@BCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM, or
          Honeywell Bull, Inc., m/s 826A
          Billerica, Mass. 01821
          USA

 * My employer is not responsible for anything I say, think, do, or eat. *

matthew@sunpix.UUCP ( Sun NCAA) (09/08/88)

In article <880906212025.760759@BCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM>, Mandel@bco-multics.hbi.honeywell.COM (Mark Mandel) writes:
> I get this error message when I Brun the
> program : NO BUFFERS AVAILABLE.  What the heck does that mean? 

Okay, here's the answer to your problem, and the solution.

I'm willing to bet if your acquaintance did a 'CATALOG' on the directory
containing the file causing the problem, he'll find that the file has a 
loading address of '0000'. This is because the 'TXT' files have no starting
address and ProDOS puts in a default of $0000 in this place.     

With a default loading address of $0000, ProDOS notices that you are trying to
load a file in a protected area ($0000 thru $01FF is protected) and returns to 
BASIC.SYTEM an error code for 'Bad Buffer Address'.  This gets translated into 
'NO BUFFERS AVAILABLE' by BASIC.SYSTEM.

To fix this, just figure out the correct load address for the file,

BLOAD file, A$correct_address
DELETE file
BSAVE file, A$correct_address,E$correct_length


-- 
Matthew Lee Stier     (919) 469-8300|
Sun Microsystems ---  RTP, NC  27560|          "Wisconsin   Escapee"
uucp: {sun, rti}!sunpix!matthew     |

SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (09/08/88)

>transfer a Binary or Basic or anything program to my disk, it comes out
>as a TXT (text) file.  I use Xmodem because most boards use that.  If
>the program is Binary II packed the problem is solvable.  But if it
>isn't, here's where the trouble comes.  I can use a file type changer,
>and this works O.K.  on basic , but if I change the text file to Binary
>(if it was meant to be so), I get this error message when I Brun the
>program : NO BUFFERS AVAILABLE.  What the heck does that mean?  I'm not

You need to do more with a BIN file than simply change it's file type,
you need to know its start address in memory.  If you simply change a
TXT file to a BIN it will appear to have a start address of $0000 (a
reserved area which is protected from overwriting by the operating system).

>to good with ProDOS.  Oh by the way I have an unenhanced (ugh, but I'm
>getting the kit) IIe with a spanking new Datalink 2400.  Now, could
>this file type problem just be due to the ProDOS file information being
>lost when the file was uploaded, as some tell me?  I can just use
>ProDOS file transfer instead of Xmodem, etc., but not many BBS's have

BBS's which are not run on Apple's are unlikely to support the "ProDOS"
transfer.  Most other systems store file directory information (file type,
start address, date, etc.) as the first block of a file; Apple saves a
few bytes of disk space (once in shorter supply, hence more valuable than
today) by keeping all that information in a separate directory.

Apple users who want to tranfer anything other than ASCII (TXT) files
through BBS systems should rely exclusively on Binary II (that IS after
all what Binary II was invented for).  As you point out BINARY II solves
the problem.


Murph Sewall     Sewall@UCONNVM.BITNET
Business School  sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu          [INTERNET]
U of Connecticut {rutgers psuvax1 ucbvax & in Europe - mcvax}
                 !UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL                        [UUCP]

-+- My employer isn't responsible for my mistakes AND vice-versa!
            (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)

bfox%vision@HUB.UCSB.EDU (Brian Fox) (09/08/88)

This person made a slight mistake....

   BLOAD file, A$correct_address
   DELETE file

   BSAVE file, A$correct_address,E$correct_length
				 ^
should be
   BSAVE file, A$correct_address,L$correct_length

or
   BSAVE file, A$correct_address,$Eend_of_file_address




   -- 
   Matthew Lee Stier     (919) 469-8300|
   Sun Microsystems ---  RTP, NC  27560|          "Wisconsin   Escapee"
   uucp: {sun, rti}!sunpix!matthew     |