kamath@reed.UUCP (Sean Kamath) (04/25/87)
In article <8704240913.aa08738@SPARK.BRL.ARPA> SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET writes: >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. ug! I tried that, and it workedm, but it sucks. >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. If you use FILER then you should never bother with CONVERT. I always just copy from one disk to another. Sounds wierd? Just put a dos 3.3 disk in drive one, a Prodos disk in 2, go into <COPY> select <SOME> and off it goes! I haven't had any problems with any files *yet*, but I don't do a lot of stuff in 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 don't have the PD programs, and would like them very much. However, see below >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. I pretty much am unenthused with prodos, but I finally broke down yesterday and bought the Prodos Technical Reference (ouch!). The reason is pretty simple. I am in the process of converting the EXECUTIONER to Dos 3.3. The really nice thing about this format is, as far as I have discovered, if you exec the file in dos 3.3 it still seems to unpack correctly. So, I have gotten to the point where I think I will save Binary II for direct apple-apple or at least hosts that can deal with it. I suppose if I have a buch of files to send, I might use B2 and then the EXECUTIONER, but I think that I might further modify the EXECUTIONER to handle multiple file. At this time, I have only gotten the EXECUTIONER downloaded and dissassembled, I haven't actually started converting. I think it will be easiest to create a fake "MLI" interface to RWTS or the file manager, so I won't really modify the program, just trick it into thinking it is dealing with Prodos. If I get rambuncious, I will create multiple file formats. Sean Kamath kamath@reed.UUCP {your favourite backbone or esoteric route to}!tektronix!reed!kamath P.S. About the clawing and stuff: I hope so. While I did not do any clawing, it is not for lack of enthusiasm. Rather, I had no idea when I came to Reed that there was such a thing as "the Net". Well. Now I know better. P.P.S. Finals are in three weeks, which means the last week of classes is next week. I might be a few days before I can do all this :-)