news@mfci.UUCP (Usenet) (12/13/89)
Does anyone know the rules for writing and installing device drivers under SpartaDOS-X? Could anyone point me to a reference that might explain the rules? I have a very compact (fewer than 256 bytes) driver that replaces the P: HATABS entry with its own vector and translates XIOs to P: into the corresponding XIOs to one of the R: ports on the 850 interface. The dri- ver also handles the problem of page breaks and single- sheet feeding. I wrote this to interface a particular daisy-wheel printer (the Brother HR-15) that is equipped with a serial interface and has no end-of-page detection (un- less one buys the cut-sheet feeder, which I didn't). The driver works fine with AtariDOS and DOS-XL. Under these, I am able to print files from Riche's superb Textpro PD word processor. However, SpartaDOS-X's all- new I/O code renders my driver more than useless: it locks up my 130-XE altogether, regardless of where I load it. So I must leave my hard disk behind whenever I want to print a simple letter! Sure enough, SpartaDOS-X's I/O database differs from AtariDOS's. But how? Please reply: wilson@multiflow.com or wilson@mfi.uucp If there is sufficient interest, I'll post a synopsis of replies. Hurry, before I break down and buy an ST. :-) Thanks, Jeff