[comp.sys.apple] Apple II Binary DOS 3.3 conversion

SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (04/24/87)

I've found it is possible to transfer files from DOS 3.3 to ProDOS,
convert them to an Apple II binary file, transfer that file back
to DOS 3.3, upload it, download it with a DOS 3.3 comm program,
transfer it back to ProDOS, extract the files, copy them back to
DOS 3.3 and have them work.  Obviously that is NOT an elegant solution.

Actually, I usually do the up/down loads from ProDOS format.  I've
also found that if the file downloaded to DOS 3.3 is stored as "T,"
then it may not copy correctly to ProDOS.

Clearly it would be MUCH easier to have the TO and FROM A2B programs
in DOS 3.3.  I note that there is an "operating system" byte in the
header, but I don't know that Gary's program does anything with it
at the moment.

If you do write DOS 3.3 programs, there is a potential problem
differentiating between DOS & ProDOS A2B files.  Hence, it seems to
me that it would make sense for a DOS 3.3 program to write a ProDOS
header (what would be written by CONVERT for a DOS 3.3 file transferred
to ProDOS) and read ProDOS A2B format.  In short, insofar as the header
is concerned, it probably would make sense for a DOS version to mimic
the way the ProDOS version plus CONVERT would handle the files.

I assume you have Little's public domain ProDOS Applesoft programs.
If not, let me know and I'll send them to you - the easy way to write
a DOS version is to cannabalize the ProDOS right?

On a similar subject.  Any chance of making a DOS version of that nice
EXECUTIONER program that makes packed EXEC files?  It seems to me that
A2B is not going to be entirely effective as a way of moving software on
the nets, but text files that are only about 45% larger than the original
files aren't bad at all, especially since you don't need the EXECUTIONER
program itself to successfully unpack.

knowles@inmet.UUCP (04/30/87)

>I assume you have Little's public domain ProDOS Applesoft programs.
>If not, let me know and I'll send them to you - the easy way to write
>a DOS version is to cannabalize the ProDOS right?

Can you describe these and where they're available?  Thanks.
 
		Dick Knowles	
		Intermetrics, Inc.
		Cambridge, MA
		knowles@inmet