Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (12/03/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sun, 2 Dec 90 Volume 90 : Issue 196
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Frame Grabber
UUCP for IBM & Sun (V90 #188)
More... DOS batch files
Neon bulbs as MOVs?
Re: Underground Cabling
PC tar & compress
phantom 3rd floppy drive as C:
Today's Queries:
Info on FCC Approval requested
80x87 Context Save
IBM PS/2 Monochrome Monitors
Restricting hard disk access
TesSeRac tsr routines?
Vuimage and .gif files problems
WordPerfect PE.EXE?
New Uploads:
TSFAQ14.ZIP - Frequently asked questions & answers
Accessing the WSMR-SIMTEL20 Archives
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Date: Sat, 24 Nov 90 08:49:57 -0500
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@usasoc.soc.mil>
Subject: Frame Grabber
In Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #188, MARK DE ROOI ITI-TNO asks:
>We are looking for a way to grab frames from all kinds of applications,
>to store them and to display them later on the PC's screen as a kind of
>slide- show. An old program named ShowPartner used to do this for CGA,
>but we need something more sophisticated. Any pointers will be
>appreciated.
Just recently I spotted this new SIMTEL20 upload:
GIF,SCR2GIF2.ZIP,27520,900927,Capture EGA/VGA screens, then convert to GIF
That's ONE way to store a screen! Of course, I donno what's gonna put
them all back on the screen for you in an orderly, organized fashion ..
"...but that's left as an exercise for the student...."
I DID see a neat little BASIC package (BLOOM.ZIP) that had a number of
BLOAD files (of Bloom County characters). Using BASIC's BLOAD
function, the program simply stuffed them (one at a time) onto the
screen (with pauses in between). Simple, once I looked at it! Of
course, converting your VGA screen (or the GIF file produced above)
into a BLOAD format .. afraid I'm not any help to you there.
But I hope this points you in a right (or at least new) direction.
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Nov 1990 14:15:00 EST
From: "Drew Derbyshire" <ahd@kendra.kew.com>
Subject: UUCP for IBM & Sun (V90 #188)
> From: "Michael J. Saletnik" <icarus@End.Tufts.EDU>
> Hi folks. Question for you all: I have UUPC / Extended 1.07H source,
> and the Turbo C++ Professional Environment.
> [Lots of text deleted here]
> So... Is there a newer source version out and/or where can I get it?
New versions are routinely loaded to both simtel20.army.mil and
clutx.clarkson.edu for FTP; the current version is 1.09c, and your copy
about five releases back. If you do not have access to FTP, send mail
to help@kendra.kew.com for a full list of available sources.
> I must have the source because I have to make a slight modification to
> the login scripting routines to get through a data switch and a
> terminal server with an excess of non-static "expect" lines.
Send the fix to help@kendra.kew.com and I will try to get it into the
next official release.
> Has anyone done this successfully?
I don't know.
> Are there quirks about TC++ (in non-c++ mode, BTW) ?
As related to UUPC/extended, no. UUPC/extended 1.09c requires TC++ 1.0
(in ANSI C mode) because of calls made to library functions not
included in TC 2.0.
Drew Derbyshire
Internet: ahd@kendra.kew.com U.S. Mail: 108 Decatur St, Apt 9
Voice: 617-641-3739 Arlington, MA 02174
Maybe Computer Science should be in the College of Theology.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 16:47:44 EST
From: Tony Cichan <TONY%YORKVM2.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Subject: More... DOS batch files
In Vol 90, Issue 188, 18-Nov-90, Naoto Kimura made some interesting
observation about batch files, and I have yet to try out his test file.
However there is a easier (and better?) way to have the batch file ECHO
a blank line. Just put a control H (^H) after the echo command. To do
this, while you're in your favourite ASCII editor, after you have typed
the ECHO command and spaced over hold down the Alt key and press the 8
on the number keypad. When you let go the keys you will have a ^H.
This is the ASCII Backspace character and it will give you a blank line
without having to use the period.
Also, you can have your batch files sound a bell to get attention by
doing the same above but pressing the 7 (note: on the number keypad
only). The Alt + 7 combination gives you a ^G (control G) which is the
ASCII bell.
To test this, at the DOS prompt type ECHO, then one space, then hold
down the Alt key and press 7 on the number keypad. After you release
the keys you will see: ECHO ^G. Now press the Return (Enter) key.
You can string several ^G's together for multiple bells.
Other combinations of the Alt key and numbers on the keypad (upto 254)
will give you all the ASCII character set. Some, such as ^H will not
show when done from the DOS prompt. And be forwarned that Alt + 3 is
^C which is also Ctrl/Break. This may cause some grief, depending on
your software.
A. M. (Tony) Cichan TONY@YORKVM2.BITNET (416)736-5147
Department of Facilities Planning and Management
York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Domain address: TONY@VM2.YORKU.CA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 90 13:01:22 -0500
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@usasoc.soc.mil>
Subject: Neon bulbs as MOVs?
NetLandians,
There was some discussion on the Fido Echos about protecting LAN
cabling from lightning. Additionally, The Nov 90 Byte magazine had
Pournelle talking about MOVs, modem and system protection, etc.
Now this suggestion comes in. Any comments? Seems likely enough to
me, and using NE2's has one real advantage over MOVs: it's easy to
tell when they've failed!
Now this wouldn't work for 110V power lines (since the NE2 would be
triggered by that high a voltage) .. but for lower voltages (modems,
telephone lines, serial cables, etc.) it should be great, ne?
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
kirsch@usasoc.soc.mil
--------------------------- From the Fido LAN Echo ---------------------
FROM: Jerry Pults Area # 18 ( LAN's )
TO: Tim Radbourne 22 Nov 90
SUBJECT: Re: Underground Cabling
> I just did this with both thin coax ethernet and coax arcnet running
>between two buildings approximately 40 ft apart. Each is running
>through its own 2" pvc conduit buried approx 18" deep completely
>weather proofed. I thought this would be fine????? No problems so
>far......
> Do you think we're headed for problems. Note that it doesn't rain
>here very often.
Several years ago, a client ran similar cables 6 foot underground
enclosed in a steel pipe. It worked pretty well, but was still subject
to lightning damage. Not from direct strikes, but from induced
voltages resulting from cloud to cloud activity. Electromagnetic waves
generated by the cloud to cloud activity induce voltages in cables.
They finally installed lightning arresters on both ends of each cable
and reduced their failure rate. At least one network card manufacturer
includes a simple arrester on the card. Basically it is a NE2 neon bulb
connected between the shield and center conductor. You could add this
to your network cards very easily. During normal operation, the neon
bulb remains open and a good insulator to the normal electrical
impulses on the cable. When a voltage spike occurs the neon fires and
becomes a near short ... as long as the voltage is present. I am not
sure of the firing voltage, probably in the neighborhood of 90 volts.
If you get a really nasty strike the neons will explode, so you might
check them after a heavy electrical storm. The NE2's aren't the
perfect solution, but are very available and inexpensive.
--- D'Bridge 1.30/001045
* Origin: The Southern Clipper (405)789-2078 (1:147/17)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 90 10:19:15 GMT
From: Jochen Roderburg <a0045%RRZ.UNI-KOELN.DE@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: PC tar & compress
Hello Peter,
A quick search im my SIMTEL file listing showed the following list of
programs which can be used for unarchiving tar.Z files on a PC. There
should be one for you among them :-)
<MSDOS.FILUTL>PAX2EXE.ZIP PAX v2.0 - Unix-like tar and cpio for MS-DOS
<MSDOS.FILUTL>PDTAR.ARC Read/write TAR files on PC
<MSDOS.FILUTL>TAR.ZIP Unix-compatible TAR archive maker/extractor
<MSDOS.C>U16PC.ARC 'C' language source for 'uncompress' for PC
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>COMP430D.ZIP Unix-compatible 16bit compress/uncompress/zcat
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>COMPRESS.C Unix-compatible compress/uncompress
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>COMPRS12.ARC Unix-compatible compress/uncompress - 12 bit
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>COMPRS16.ARC Unix-compatible compress/uncompress - 16 bit
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>DECOMP2.ZIP Unix-compatible 16 bit uncompress, w/C source
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>LZ13.ARC Limpel-Ziv file compress/decompress w/ASM src
<MSDOS.SQ-USQ>U16-V12.ARC Decompress pgm for 16-bit LZW from 'COMPRESS'
<MSDOS.TURBO-C>COMPRS12.ARC Unix-compatible compress/uncompress - 12 bit
I personally recommend and use regularly PAX for untarring and COMP430D
for uncompressing. Both are direct ports of corresponding UNIX freeware
programs and I did not have any problems with them. Good luck,
Jochen Roderburg
Regional Computing Center
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10 Tel.: +49-221/470-4564
D-5000 Koeln 41 Internet: Ro @ RRZ.Uni-Koeln.DE
(Reunited) Germany BITNET: A0045 @ DK0RRZK1
[I have used comprs16 without problems as well on some of the Mail
files in the UNIX-C collection. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 90 09:34 PST
From: Joseph Faracchio <SPGJAF%cmsa.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: phantom 3rd floppy drive as C:
The fact that you're getting a phantom 3rd drive showing up as C: can
be explained by the Tecmar board you have. I know, I have a Tecmar
memory board.
The Tecmar memory board comes with a utility called MEMDISK which sets
up a RAM disk in memory for you. What makes this RAMDISK different is
the fact that it requires you to have the switches on your system set
to show one more floppy disk drive than you really have and -here's
the neat part- it enables you to have a RAMDISK that completely fools
DOS into thinking its real. What this means is that you can FORMAT the
ram disk and even better, you can DISKCOPY to and from it. That's
something DOS won't allow with a device driver.
Hope this helps. Cheers! .. joe.f.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 90 18:27:03 CST
From: <ZHIYONG@UIUCVMD.bitnet>
Subject: Info on FCC Approval requested
I am planning to buy a 33 MHZ/64 cache clone, and got a really good
price on it ($2400 for 4 meg, 100 meg harddrive, super vga with
1024x768, two floppies and tower case with 230 watts). The only problem
is that it is not FCC approved. (not even A, that is).
It is legal for a company to sell a machine without FCC approval?
Would I be in trouble to use such a machine at home?
The manager of the company said by have a FCC approval, he's got to
pay 10k, and he loses flexibility, not being able to put any random
combination of motherboards and ps, etc together. Anyway, I am still
skeptical.
Any anwser from you FCC experts are appreciated ! Zhiyong
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 12:02:57 BRA
From: Carlos Goulart <COS99297%UFRJ.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: 80x87 Context Save
I'm having problems with my multtasking project with respect to the
80x87 context saving. Does anyone know how to do it, or how to use the
instructions FSAVE, FRSTOR, FSTCW e FLCW? Do I have to save the state
AND the control word or only the state (I think both)? In the 94 bytes
used to save the state with FSAVE are included the control word?
If someone knows something about that, PLEASE e-mail me soon. The
bibliography is very poor, and what I'm doing is trying for myself...
Thanks all,
Carlos.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 10:52:03 EST
From: Peter Kibbee <NZPAM001%SIVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: IBM PS/2 Monochrome Monitors
Does anyone have experience with fixing the following:
Equipment -- IBM PS/2 Monochrome monitor, type 8503
Symptom: Image develops the shakes, barely noticeable at first but
soon becoming VERY distracting. No failures, yet, but rarely do such
things fix themselves.
Phone: (202) 673-4725
NZPAM001 @ SIVM.BITNET
No pressure, No diamonds
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 90 14:53:53 CST
From: Jhinuk Chowdhury <FF76%UNTVM1.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: Restricting hard disk access
DOS batch programmers and 4DOS experts:
Could you suggest a (batch programming) approach that one may use in
order to control access to the hard disk (or, for that matter, any
prog- ram from a menu) to ONLY those users whose ID tags (passwords or
SS numbers) are maintained on the hard disk in, say, a hidden file.
I can think of creating *separate* hidden (DOS attrib) files with names
corresponding to passwords assigned to the qualified users. The batch
program could do a quick "if not exist c:username (then) goto
noaccess" sort of thing. I would ideally like to maitain the list of
users' IDs in one file. I cannot think of a way of getting DOS or 4DOS
do a line-by-line scan of that file to check with the environment
variable in which the user's password will be stored.
Can you think of a way? Also, if there are shareware programs that
will specifically let you assign *authorized* users lists, could you
please let me know. Our problem is that we need at least two levels of
access: one for faculty, in general, and the other for TAs and other
student assistants.
Thank you in advance.
Jhinuk Chowdhury Bitnet/CREN: FF76@UNTVM1
College of Business Administration
University of North Texas
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 11:35:03 EST
From: "Mark Bramwell" <Mark@Hamster.Business.UWO.CA>
Subject: TesSeRac tsr routines?
I have pulled off the tesserac tsr library from clarkson. It has a
Turbo Pascal 5.0 unit included. There is no source, and I am using
TP5.5 soon to be TP6.0. Does anyone know where I could a newer
version, hopefully with source?
Mark Bramwell, VE3PZR Located in sunny London, Ontario
Internet: mark@hamster.business.uwo.ca IP Address: 129.100.22.100
Packet: VE3PZR @ VE3GYQ UWO Phone: (519) 661-3714
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 90 09:09:00 MET
From: "Onno Knol" <SAL%RCL.WAU.NL@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: Vuimage and .gif files problems
Hello,
A week ago I put in a problem on VUIMG and .GIF files. I was wondering
if the .GIF needed extra preacautions when transferring from mainframe
To PC. It was the only thing I could think of, because of the special
format (not ARC or ZIP) they have. Well, it appears this is not the
case. Thanks to everyone who helped me so far !
The problem is in the new GIF standard format. I have learned that in
1989 a new standard has been adopted for this format. My VUIMG version
2.62 dit not accept this. It does process files with the older standard
- I downloaded blastoff.gif - correctly! The 2.70 version I downloaded
yesterday, DOES accept the new format.
However still strange behaviour occcurs. There are two test pictures I
used : Texttst and CG89a. On My office Olivetti M24 (ATT) the VUIMG
2.70 seems to accept the pictures, but does not display them correctly:
the image is distorted and the machine hooks up, control break is
obliged to continue. I took the stuff home to my VGA equipped AT. Here
Texttst works fine, but cg89a still fails.
So I have these questions.
- who else has experiences with vuimg and the new gif format?
- who has been able to display cg89a.gif?
- in what is the new gif standard different ?
- is there another gif viewer available that works errorfree ?
Onno Knol
Agricultural University, Phone (031)8370 84470
Department of General and Regional E-MAIL: SAL@RCL.WAU.NL (BITNET)
Agricultural Science, EARN: SAL@HWALHW50 (Send/file)
Hollandseweg 1 TELEFAX: (031) 8370 84763
6706 KN WAGENINGEN
THE NETHERLANDS
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 16:22:23 EST
From: "Mark Bramwell" <Mark@Hamster.Business.UWO.CA>
Subject: WordPerfect PE.EXE?
About two years ago I was visiting a friend who was using PE. (Program
Editor from Word Perfect.) It looked like WP 4.2 but edited ASCII
files. Is this still available? Has anyone any comments regarding
this package? Our school needs an ASCII editor, and all of the
secretaries use WP.
Mark Bramwell, VE3PZR Located in sunny London, Ontario
Internet: mark@hamster.business.uwo.ca IP Address: 129.100.22.100
Packet: VE3PZR @ VE3GYQ UWO Phone: (519) 661-3714
[This program is included in the Word Perfect Office release. I
believe is is included as a 'macro' editor. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Nov 90 11:19:01 EET DST
From: Timo Salmi <ts@uwasa.fi>
Subject: TSFAQ14.ZIP - Frequently asked questions & answers
Now available from SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.info>
TSFAQ14.ZIP T.Salmi: Frequently asked questions & answers
This is an update of my frequently asked questions with answers on
general matters of interest to PC users, UseNet users, and Turbo Pascal
programmers. Since there are quite a number of questions & answers, I
have reorganized the files within the package into more categories than
in the previous version.
TSFAQ14.ZIP Frequently asked questions & ans
Filename Comment Date Time
-------- -------------------------------- ---- ----
FAQ.INF Document (a readme) 11-25-90 10:49:24
FAQ.NWS News announcement about tsfaq 11-25-90 09:33:34
FAQNEWS.TXT Q&As relating to UseNet news 11-25-90 10:42:12
FAQPAS.TXT Turbo Pascal questions & answers 11-25-90 10:25:44
FAQPROGS.TXT Questions answers about programs 11-25-90 09:51:06
FAQUOTE.TXT Postings and email of interest 11-25-90 09:51:18
PD2ANS.TXT Q&As on uwasa.fi archives & more 11-18-90 13:21:56
TSPROG.INF List of PD programs from T.Salmi 11-11-90 10:50:34
VAASA.INF Info: Finland, Vaasa, U of Vaasa 02-02-90 11:52:54
Prof. Timo Salmi (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3)
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun
[This same type of information is available from the mail server at
<rjc@math.princeton.edu>. The mail server may be easier to access. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90
From: Gregory Hicks <ghicks@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Accessing the WSMR-SIMTEL20 Archives
The Simtel20 Archives discussed are available from:
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (see file PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>AAAREAD.ME details
on file directories and descriptions.) Problems with files obtained
from the Archives should be addressed to:
<ACTION@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Archives of past issues of the Info-IBMPC Digest are available by FTP
only from WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL in directory PD2:<ARCHIVES.IBMPC>.
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If you are unable to access SIMTEL20 via Internet FTP or through one of
the BITNET/EARN file servers, most SIMTEL20 MSDOS files, including the
PC-Blue collection, are available for downloading on the Detroit
Download Central network at 313-885-3956. DDC has multiple lines which
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This is a subscription system with an average hourly cost of 17 cents.
It is also accessable on Telenet via PC Pursuit and on Tymnet via
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<rjc@math.princeton.edu> operates a mail server that sends, by
return mail, a series of files that answer quite a few of the most
frequently asked questions on the net. This server will also look up
programs in the SIMTEL20 index, the grape index, and the chyde index.
If you send email to <rjc@math.princeton.edu> with no subject and
containing the single line "help", you will receive instructions;
sending the message "directory" gives you an index of all the files
available on the server.
A set of files you might be interested in is obtaining are faq.csip
old.questions and faq.more. These files contain answers to more
frequently asked questions. To obtain these files, just send the
two-line message:
path your-return-path-goes-here
send desired-file
(ie: "send faq.csip", "send old.questions", or "send faq.more") to
rjc@math.princeton.edu. Of course, replace "your-return-address" with
your actual return address. UK users please remember to reverse the
JANET path. DO NOT INCLUDE A SUBJECT LINE FOR THESE REQUESTS.
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #196
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