[comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest] Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #114

Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (07/24/90)

Info-IBMPC Digest           Tue, 24 Jul 90       Volume 90 : Issue 114 

Today's Editor:
         Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>

Today's Topics:
                          80386/80486 compiler
                   AT Disk Controllers are going Bad
                            BOLAND TURBO C++
                Sending mail to COMPUSERVE Users (2 msgs)
        Conflicting 'prompt' and 'echo off' commands in BAT-file
          Converting from Release 1A to Release 3 of Lotus 123
                  Converting TAR-Z files to DOS format
                              GRAPH update
                      Hardware Signature (2 msgs)
                   HP DeskJet freezes with Zenith XT
                       Reading the Parallel Port
               Two Hard disk controlers in one machine...
                    Upgrading an IBM PS/2-60 to 386

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 90 18:57:57 BST
From: Nino Margetic <nino@mph.sm.ucl.ac.uk>
Subject: 80386/80486 compiler

Is anyone aware of a 80386/80486 specific compiler for MSDOS? What
puzzles me is that even the new TurboC++ doesn't have a 80386/486
switch built in!

--Nino

Janet: nino@uk.ac.ucl.sm.mph                     \    Nino Margetic
Earn/Bitnet: nino%mph.sm.ucl.ac.uk@ukacrl.bitnet  \   Dept. of Medical Physics
Internet: nino%mph.sm.ucl.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk \  University College London
Uucp: ....!mcvax!ukc!ucl-mph!nino                   \ Tel: (+44)(071) 380-9846

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 20 Jul 90 6:01:57 CDT
From: david@wubios.wustl.edu (David J. Camp)
Subject: AT Disk Controllers are going Bad

In Reply to this Note From: <levitz%sunrise.biu.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>

>I am having a similar problem.
>I have  a blue AT 8Mhz, and the 360 drive does not write.
>Do you know what is the faulty component in the controller?

That is the most common failure mode.  You will also find that the
1.2MB drive does not work in 360K mode.

No, sorry, I have done no board-level diagnosis.  On some systems, it
seems to be related to the use of the first slot.  It is not enough to
use a different slot - you must get a new controller.  You should
probably insert the new controller in a different slot, since the first
slot could damage the new controller.  -David-

Internet: david%wubios@wugate.wustl.edu     ^      Mr. David J. Camp
uucp: ...!uunet!wugate!wubios!david       < * >    Box 8067, Biostatistics
Washington University (314) 36-23635        v      660 South Euclid Avenue
                                                   Saint Louis, MO 63110

------------------------------

Date: 18 Jul 90 08:46:00 CDT
From: "Rogers, Anthony" <rogersa@tawc1.eglin.af.mil>
Subject: BOLAND TURBO C++

Would like to know if there are any problems installing TURBO C++.  I
included  D:\TC\BIN; in my path and even went to that directory to
execute TC and received an error ("Bad command or file name").  The
TC.EXE file exists but for some reason isn't executed.  Help !!!

Lt. Tony Rogers                    USAF Tatical Air Warfare Center
           INTERNET: ROGERSA@TAWC1.EGLIN.AF.MIL  (129.61.5.1)
PHONE  (904) 882-4100     AUTOVON   872-4100
       (904) 882-4600               872-4600

------------------------------

Date: 20 Jul 90 01:13:00 CDT
From: "840CSGSSS" <840csgsss@sacemnet.af.mil>
Subject: Sending mail to COMPUSERVE Users

Greetings.  Is it possible to send mail to CompuServe addresses?  While
we're at it; how about other services like GEnie, etc.?  If yes, the
particulars would be appreciated.

jmdrew
840CSGSSS@sacemnet.af.mil

------------------------------

Date: 23 July 90 01:13:01 GMT
From:  Gregory Hicks <ghicks@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil>
Subject: Sending mail to COMPUSERVE Users

Regarding the note from J M Drew <840csgsss@sacemnet.af.mil>:

It is possible to send messages to COMPUSERVE users.  Here's some info:

The way you get to Compuserve is via X-25 (your PTT's packet switching
network).  here it's called TELEPAC, probably something similar there.
You CAN send Internet messages to individual users, using:
	USERID.PPN@compuserve.com
(note the '.' seperating the two parts of the userid(ppn), on Compuserve,
 they use a ',' comma there).

Addresses in the form of FOO@BAR.CompuServe.COM are being seen more and more
on the Internet, and almost all sites recognise them.  They indicate a person
named FOO who works for a company who has been given a code of BAR and that
uses CompuServe's InfoPlex (now CompuServe Mail) business email service.

Addresses in the form of 11111.2222@CompuServe.COM indicate a subscriber to
the CompuServe Information Service who's account number is 11111,2222 and is
a user of CIS's EasyPlex (also now named CompuServe Mail).

    [canned response #3267: "How to reach
     people inside CompuServe via email"...]

    CompuServe subscriber accounts, being numeric of the form "7xxxx,yyy,"
    can be reached via email by addressing the mail to
	7xxxx.yyy@compuserve.com
    Note the trading of `.' where `,' would have been.  This keeps the
    syntax conformant with the relevant Internet RFCs.

    CompuServe employees are (in general) reachable under the
    csi.compuserve.com subdomain; thus, address such mail to

	username@csi.compuserve.com

>>>>If your host doesn't believe in the existence of "compuserve.com"
>>>>(BITNET VM and MILNet UNIX users, take note), then you can either [a]
>>>>upgrade your system's mail software to use nameserver MX records or
>>>>[b] route your mail "manually," thus:
>>>>	7xxxx.yyy%compuserve.com@saqqara.cis.ohio-state.edu
>>>>You may even have to resort to using "tut" instead of "saqqara."
>>>>Option [a] is far preferable, and will be REQUIRED in the VERY NEAR
>>>>FUTURE.  Please read RFC1031, section titled "MIGRATION TIMETABLE".

    CompuServe's mailers accept items up to about 50Kbytes each.  Note
    that this is somewhat smaller than people tend to be used to on the
    Internet.

    As of March 8th, 1990, there was no charge to anyone for use of this gateway.  CompuServe
    subscribers are still billed their usual hourly rate for connect time,
    but there is no gateway-specific surcharge.

It is possible to reach MCI mail people.  Just do:

As of late last year, there was no charge for sending mail from the 
Internet to MCI Mail.  In order to send mail to users on MCI Mail, use 
one of the following addresses:

    accountname@mcimail.com
         -or-
    mci_id@mcimail.com
         -or-
    full_user_name@mcimail.com

Don't know much about GEnie or the other services you mention.  If 
someone DOES know, please drop me a line and I'll add it to my FAQ 
(Frequently Asked Questions) File.

Regards,
Gregory Hicks

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 20 Jul 90 11:47 MET
From: "Jim Groeneveld, NIPG TNO." <GROENEVELD%TNO.NL@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Conflicting 'prompt' and 'echo off' commands in BAT-file

Dear Ben <U070011@HNYKUN11>,

{ I write this reply to you in English instead of Dutch, because I also
will send it to the IBMPC-L digest for general interest. }

With regard to your problem concerning "conflicting 'prompt' and 'echo
off' commands in BAT-file" I have the following remarks:

1. Gregory Hicks is right stating within your message that ECHO should
be ON to activate the temporary prompts by displaying them on the
screen.  (Nothing will appear on the screen, however, because the
definitions do not show; they only are 'remembered' when sent to the
screen.)

2. Within your Bat-file you could have ECHO ON just before the PROMPTs
and ECHO OFF right after them.

3. At the end you empty the environment string PROMPT giving it its
minimal default form (C>). You might SET PROMPT $P$G for a better one
(C:\>).  (If you really want a nice prompt try this one (by me):

   prompt $e[s$e[0;30;47m$e[;49H$e[K     $d $t$h$h$h$e[H$p $e[u$e[0;37;40m$n$g
   (including embedded spaces)
   and accomodate it eventually to your preferred colours.)

4. Instead of redefining keys via (temporary) PROMPT commands, which is
rather cumbersome, you might send the desired redefinitions to the
screen by e.g.:

   ECHO OFF
   ECHO @[0;73;"PgUp";13p@[0;81;"PgDn";13p

   which is sent to the screen even if ECHO is OFF (with ECHO ON it is
being sent twice, which should be avoided because it takes also twice
the space; definitions are not overwritten and there is only room for
192 bytes of definitions. I already sent a message concerning this
matter to IBMPC-L.) In these commands the @-characters indicates the
ESCAPE character itself!  Such characters may be entered using any
editor allowing for entering control characters themselves, such as
PC-Write, by holding down the Alt key and pressing 2 and 7 successively
on the numeric keyboard (Alt-27).  From EDLIN the ESC may be entered by
pressing Ctrl-V and [, initially displayed as ^V[ and, when
redisplayed, as ^[.  Your line may then look like:

   ECHO ^[[0;73;"PgUp";13p^[[0;81;"PgDn";13p

   Gregory Hicks is right in stating that it is next to impossible, if
not impossible to send the <esc> character (chr$(27)) from the command
line to ANSI.SYS. But it is possible though from within BATch files
using the method just described. Other alternatives to do so, even from
the command line, are using programs called SAY, DISPLAY, XECHO or
something like that, which allow for a syntax similar to for example:

   DISPLAY 27,91,48,59,........... etc. or:
   DISPLAY 27,"[0;73;",34,"PgUp",34,";13p",27,"[0;81;",34,"PgDn",34,";13p"

   Characters may be entered literally by enclosing them in (double)
quotes or by entering their byte value. If the quote itself cannot be
entered literally it must be entered by its value (34 for a double
quote).

5. Another alternative is to send those definitions by TYPE
FILENAME.EXT, in which the file FILENAME.EXT contains the definitions
in the form as presented above but without the ECHO itself. Such a file
should only be TYPEd once; it shows nothing on the screen except for
empty lines due to CRLF's within the file if the definitions are
contained on different lines.  I have a BASIC program to quickly
develop such definition files without having to know the coding to use.
I also have sent it to you (.ZIP/.UUE).

I hope to have helped you this way improving your method redefining
keys via ANSI.SYS. Succes ermee en hoor ik nog iets van de bevindingen?

Regards - Jim Groeneveld.

| NIPG TNO <work>: Y. Groeneveld (call name: Jim) <home>| GROENEVELD@TNO.NL   |
| Postbus 124    | Wassenaarseweg 56 | Schoolweg 14     | GROENEVELD@HDETNO51 |
| 2300 AC Leiden | 2333 AL Leiden    | 8071 BC Nunspeet | TNOSUR::GROENEVELD  |
| Nederland (NL) : (+31|0)71-178810  | (+31|0)3412-60413| RULTNO::JIM         |

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 18 Jul 90 13:52 EST
From: <TLEWIS%UTKVX2.BITNET@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Converting from Release 1A to Release 3 of Lotus 123

I have a couple of people on campus who are upgrading from a DEC
Rainbow to an IBM PS-2.  They are currently running MS-DOS on the
rainbows and are running release 1A of Lotus 123.  When the PS-2 is
purchased, they are looking at buying release 3 of Lotus.  Now for the
question.... Can I simply transfer the worksheets from the rainbow to
the PS-2 and everything will be okay?  Basically, will Release 3 read
Release 1A without any problems?

Terry Lewis
University of Tennessee
Martin, Tennessee  38238
TLEWIS@UTKVX

------------------------------

Date: 19 Jul 90 08:48:00 EDT
From: "WOODRUFF, ROBERT" <rwoodruff@paxrv-nes.navy.mil>
Subject: Converting TAR-Z files to DOS format

Hi! Thanks for keeping all of the files you keep on the network for us
out here in network land. 

I teach a compiler course and use a commercial version of LEX and YACC 
for the PC. I would very much like to examine the source code with the 
students and have downloaded both BERK-YACC.TAR-Z and BISON.TAR-Z. 
Unfortunately, I can't read the compressed TAR format and neither can our 
local SUN UNIX workstation. 

Is there a DOS program you know of that will do this?  

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

	Bob Woodruff

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 16 Jul 90 08:07:16 EDT
From: Jim Van Zandt <jrv@MBUNIX.MITRE.ORG>
Subject: GRAPH update

I have uploaded revised versions of my GRAPH program to SIMTEL20:

pd1:<msdos.graph>
GRAPH321.ZIP    Scientific graphics - executables and docs
GRAPHSRC.ZIP    GRAPH v3.21 scientific graphics, Turbo C src

They replace all previous files in pd1:<msdos.graph>.

Switches may be placed in an environment variable as well as a script
file.  A script file can now be referenced as "@foo" as well as "-f
foo".  Script files may include comments.

The hard copy versions (for Houstin Instruments and Hewlett Packard
plotters, and LIPS-10 and PostScript printers) can now accept their
parameters from a file.  NOTE: I no longer have convenient access to
either plotter, or the LIPS-10 printer, so those versions are untested.
Please check them out before discarding your existing versions, and let
me know of any problems.

All the executable files have been compressed with LZEXE.

                       - Jim Van Zandt

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 16 Jul 90 0:53:40 EST
From: "Mark Bramwell" <Mark@ARDSLEY.Business.UWO.CA>
Subject: Hardware Signature

> From: Lee Teng Kiat <kiat@hpsgk1.hp.com>

>         I am working on something that requires me to uniquely identify
> each PC in an office. Is there any kind of hardware signature much like
> our finger prints that distinguish machines of the same make and
> configuration? I would really appreciate any kind of help Thanks.
 
Are you using a network?  I have a small novell program in Turbo Pascal
that reads the rom address in network cards.
 
Mark Bramwell, VE3PZR                Located in sunny London, Ontario

Internet: Mark@ARDSLEY.business.uwo.ca  IP Address: 129.100.29.33
  Packet:  VE3PZR @ VE3GYQ               UWO Phone: (519) 661-3714

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 90 17:14:02 EDT
From: Leonard Abbey <LABBEY@GTRI01.gatech.edu>
Subject: Hardware Signature

Kiat, the usual way to identify a particular computer is to set an
environment variable via the autoexec.bat file.  Any program can then
read the id.

Syntax is:

            SET ID=###

where ### is the computer's id number.

Leonard Abbey
Georgia Tech
Research Institute
labbey@gtri01.gatech.edu

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 18 Jul 90 16:36 PST
From: <CHUCKM%UCRVMS.BITNET@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: HP DeskJet freezes with Zenith XT

Hello:

In the main campus library here at UCR, there are several Zenith XT's
(as well as other assorted IBM clones) each of which has a HP DeskJet
printer.  Each also has a CD-ROM, containing a database of reference
information.

The problem (only seen so far on the Zeniths) is as follows:  On
occasion, (about once per month per machine), the Zenith will no longer
be able to print to its printer.  The cursor scans the screen during a
PrtScn, but nothing goes out to the printer.  The only way found to fix
this is to physically remove the printer, plug it into one of the other
clones, print something to it, and then plug it back into its original
machine.

This has apparently been happening for about four months, and the
workaround clears it up, but I wonder why it happens!  Could this be a
virus?

Oh, by the way, after the machine won't print anymore, switching
another working printer to the non-printing machine doesn't work.  What
it DOES do is make it so that the second printer won't print either!

The Zeniths have MS-DOS version 3.21; I couldn't check the DOS version
for the other clones, as they have no access to a DOS prompt from those
machines.  I used the SCAN program to look on the Zeniths for a virus
and found none.

Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated.  If you respond to
me please also info the List and I'll summarize whatever I hear to the
list in a short while.  Thanks again!

Chuck

++++ Chuck McDaniels, Systems Consultant,      Phone:  (714) 787-4711    ++++
++++ Univ. of California, Riverside            BITNET:  ChuckM@UCRVMS    ++++

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 17 Jul 90 18:24:12 EDT
From: srchtec!johnb@salestech.com (John Baldwin)
Subject: Reading the Parallel Port

(In reference to the messages from Gerhardt Vogt <vogt@embl.bitnet> and
Rick Beebe <beebe@yalemed.bitnet> contained in Info-IBMPC Digest V90
#104 I submit the following:

Actually, the centronics parallel port 'spec makes it clear that the
port IS supposed to be bidirectional (signalling such things as "paper
out" and the like.)   The problem is, NOT ALL MANUFACTURERS FOLLOWED
ALL PARTS OF THE SPECIFICATION.  (re-read that.)

While working for a previous employer, I ran into a problem
interrogating a security device (aka "dongle") on some machines.  I did
quite a bit of legwork, but finally one of the engineers who designed
the security device was able to tell me what the problem was, and
recommend a field mod to get some of our client sites up and running.

If you know what hardware your code will run on (as in
personal-use-only) you should be fine.  "What works, works."  But if
your code will be used on a lot of different machines, you're probably
in for a hairy ride --- a lot of those parallel ports will be the
"broken" variety, output only.

John T. Baldwin
search technology, inc.
johnb@srchtec.uucp

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 90 13:08:07 EDT
From: "John A. Potelle" <potelle@maine.maine.edu>
Subject: Two Hard disk controlers in one machine...

I recently tried this using a Zenith 159 (IBM PC/XT clone) that had a
half-hight Segate ST-255 20meg hard disk.  I was attempting to add a
'hard card' type 20meg hard disk.  This is a hard disk and controler
board that is inserted into a bus slot.  The hard card was a CMS 21
Hard disk and I didn't have any documetation.

After calling several HD and controler manufacturers, I finally found
out that STRICTLY IBM compatible controlers will NOT co-exist with
other controler.

I had another 'hard card' (a 20meg FLASHCARD using a Mini-scribe drive
and a Winchester controler (if I remember correctly).  I attempted to
install *this* instead of the CMS 21 hard card.  Again, the same
problem. (Though I *was* able to install the FLASHCARD and the CMS 21
card in a different ZENITH that had no hard disk to start with, only
two floppy drives; thus *some* controlers *will* co-exist).

Looking though the documetation for the FLASHCARD (which I found by
accident; never received the documentation for the CMS 21), I found
that was the FLASHCARD controler was able to control *two* hard disks.
So I removed the original hard disk controler card and piped both hard
disks through the FLASHCARD controler. This is working very well.

I hope this helps some...

John A. Potelle         /    BITNET:  POTELLE@MAINE
Computer Programmer    /__ Internet:  potelle@maine.maine.edu
Office of Institutional Studies - University of Maine

------------------------------

Date: 19 Jul 90 12:24:09 GMT
From: crosson@LOCAL.cam.nist.gov (Bob Crosson)
Subject: Upgrading an IBM PS/2-60 to 386

I am trying to upgrade my IBM PS/2 model 60 to a 386 machine.  I
ordered a plug-in processor board called the MicroMaster 386 from a AOX
Incorporated, 486 Totten Pond Rd., Walthan, MA 02514, (617) 890-4402.
The boards come in various flavors depending on the amount of on board
memory and the CPU clock speeds.  I ordered a 33MHz board in the
spring, but they're having trouble delivering.  What the trouble is I
don't know.  The delivery date keeps slipping.  I'm supposed to get a
25MHz loaner soon so when it arrives I'll let you know how it goes.
Eventually I hope to run Unix on it, but for now it'll be DOS 3.3.

Bob Crosson
crosson@cam.nist.gov

------------------------------

End of Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #114
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