Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (07/12/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wed, 11 Jul 90 Volume 90 : Issue 105
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
AT&T PC 6300 REAL TIME CLOCK PROBLEM
Digest readers
Digital audio player
Hercules Graphics
Info-IBMPC Digest
Automating a Medical Office info Wanted
PC Keypad query
PS2 Network Card
Re Point and Shoot Security
RPG compiler for AT
Two Winchester Controllers
Zenith Z-248 com3 & Procom+
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 21:40:48 EDT
From: Michael Huynh <HUYNHT@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: AT&T PC 6300 REAL TIME CLOCK PROBLEM
>The laboratory that I work in has an AT&T PC 6300 which states in the
>power up diagnostics that a real time clock is present. However, I
>have not been able to have the PC remember the last time and date (DOS
>Commands) entered when the next reboot occures. ie it always defaults
>to time 00:00 and date Jan 1, 1980. Battery is OK.
I believe you need to find the diagnostics diskette that came with the
PC-- run it-- change the date and time and reboot the system and
voila` your problem should be solved.
*Hope this help...
(NCC-1701) --<__>-- |Michael Huynh
_||____//_ |Virginia PolyTechnic Institute & State University
(__________ |P.O. Box 11123
__________ |Blacksburg, VA 24062
"Live Long & Prosper" |703 / 552 - 8277 -|- Please leave msgs on machine
_- _-_______-_-___ |Relay Nickname: Bruce_Lee
/\_______________\_\ |Bitnet Address: 1. HUYNHT@VTVM1.BITNET
\/_______________/ / | 2. VWHUYNM@VCCSCENT.BITNET
\____ /\___\/ |
\____/_/ |E-Mail Address: 1. HUYNHT@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 15:12:52 -0400
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@usasoc.soc.mil>
Subject: Digest readers
> Are there any MSDOS programs that will read files in digest format
> and extract the relevant headers for the digest AND each message
1. When you talk about "relevant headers", I don't know what you mean.
2. Are you trying to read in a full digest file (like Info-IBMPC) and
output each separate message/entry?
3. Well, I have something that'll do that. I did a hack on undigest.c
(or some such) I found lying about my host. This utility reads in a
digest file (like "info-ibm.101") and breaks it down into separate
files, named by the newsletter issue and message/entry number or some
such.
a. My hack ripped out the separate file output for each message,
and instead produces a specially formatted MaxEMail mail file.
b. The only "special" thing about this file is that each "block"
is headed and terminated by four (4) ^A characters and a CR/LF. (Sound
familiar? Yep, my local host's bbc mail digest utility has files
formatted like that.)
c. The first block is the digest's header. All succeeding blocks
are the digest's separate messages.
4. If you only want the headers .. well, who'd want that?
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
[David: If he were trying to build an Index file of topics covered in
each Digest, he might want only the headers...]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 90 09:14:02 +0200
From: henk%spex.nl@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Digital audio player
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest you write:
>I recently got a program from SIMTEL called REPLAY.EXE. It came with 3
>digital audio files as samples. One was Robin Williams saying "good
>morning Vietnam" and another was HAL 9000 saying "I'm sorry Dave, I'm
>afraid I can't do that". Does anyone know where I can get more files to
>play with this program. I've FTP'd some but can't find any.
Would you please be so kind to send me the program+files. Maybe I can
then find also compatible soundfiles. You could also try soundfiles
for the Macintosh or the NeXT.
Henk van der Griendt - Speech Processing EXpertise centre SPEX
- Email : henk@spex.nl [INTERNET]
Henk van der Griendt E-mail: henk@spex.nl (internet)|
Speech Processing EXpertise centre spex@hlsdnl5.BITNET |
p/a PTT Research Neher Laboratorium |
kamer LE 107 tel: 31-(0)40-3322693 |
Postbus 421 |
2260 AK Leidschendam the Netherlands |
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 23:54 EST
From: Mark James Burge <MJBURGE@owucomcn.bitnet>
Subject: Hercules Graphics
My hercules card no longer identifies itself to my system (AT),
the system thinks it only has MDA graphics. I know the card works,
because I can run programs like FRACTINT and others which do not test
for the card, but just attempt to use it. Is there some way that I can
fool the system into thinking that my hercules card is really there?!
I have seen the cga simulators, and this should be much easier since
all I have to do is turn the card on, and not actually manipulate the
data. So does anyone know how to tell an AT that it has a Hercules
card in it?
And, thank you for any help you can give me, and for you time.
mjburge@owucomcn.bitnet
[513] 382-2785 (collect)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 10:42:03 EDT
From: Colin Smith <COLIN%UOTTAWA.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Subject: Automating a Medical Office
I'm looking for information on software packages (it doesn't matter if
they are commercial or PD) to automate a doctor's office or a
dentist's office. I'm also interested in retail store automation
programs (i.e. cash drawer programs).
Please let me know which products to avoid and which products are
worthwhile.
Any help would be appreciated. Could you please reply directly to me
and I will summarize for the list.
Thanks in advance,
Colin Smith
Colin@ACADVM1.UOTTAWA.CA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 10:51 EST
From: RMOREY%UTRC@utrcgw.utc.com
Subject: PC Keypad query
I am looking for a PC keypad (keyboard replacement or RS232) for
operator data entry for an industrial workstation. Ideally, this keypad
will have the following:
1) 0-9, ENTER, BKSP, arrows, and a few function keys (~20 keys)
2) Hand-held (beltclip nice extra)
3) Operation up to 30 feet from PC
4) Off the shelf
I am aware of an encoder board from Vetra Systems Corp, (Melville,NY)
that responds to bootup self-test and uses discrete switch inputs.
However, I would prefer not to have to do any assembling (for cosmetic
reasons).
If anyone out there in this great expanse of PC expertise can help out
a newcomer, please do. I'll watch for postings, or you can respond
directly to:
RMOREY%UTRC@utrcgw.utc.com
or
RMOREY@UTRC.UTC.COM
Thanks in advance!
Randy Morey
United Technologies Research Center
East Hartford, CT 06108
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 90 09:03:59 -0400
From: David Kirschbaum <kirsch@usasoc.soc.mil>
Subject: Re Point and Shoot Security
In issue 103, Jom Groenevelt, in discussing system security, discussed
the problem of preventing students from shelling to DOS from an
application program. He entertained the idea of fiddling the COMSPEC
environment variable to inhibit this, and discussed some drawbacks.
That got me to thinking: the COMSPEC variable is FAR FAR removed from
the beginning of the entire shell process. I like to inhibit incorrect
behaviors before they get too well formed (a true Skinnerian).
I figured, why not crush their little fingers (forgive the Special
Forces trade lingo) right at the start? How about a wee little TSR
daemon that just sits on the Int 21H vector (good old DOS general
services) and monitors for any EXEC calls! Your menu program could
give the daemon some "special" signal to let the daemon know it's ok to
EXEC a menu program, but the user applications (that menu program,
etc.) wouldn't be that smart!
I haven't thought it through .. but I did once hack an Int 21H daemon
(part of a user activity log utility) and it worked just fine! NOTHING
got by that sucker!
(And if I hear one more complaint about frost .. when forecast is in
the mid to high 90's today .. I'm gonna SCREAM!)
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 90 11:06:03 SET
From: Roger Thijs <RTHIJS%BANUFS11.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: RPG compiler for AT
I'm teaching RPG in an environment with only AT's and I'm looking for a
RPG compiler for at. In my doc's I have some publicity from:
1.Lattice: - RPG II Compiler - SEU Source Entry Utility
2. Software West Inc, Orange, CA - RPG II for PC/XT/AT - Disk
Sort/Merge Utility Program
But none of these can still be obtained in Belgium. IBM has its IBM
PS/2 RPG II Application platform: but: - it's for the PS2/50 and higher
- it's very expensive - virtually nobody at the big IBM Brussels tower
can explain whatsoever or give any more help than handing over a 4pg
leaflet.
Can anybody please give me a good suggestion for something available
and affordable? Since the course is elementary and mainly ltd to I/C/O
spec's the level may even be RPG 1. If somebody has something from the
public domain, he might eventually send it to me at adress:
RTHIJS AT BANUFS11.BITNET
Thanks for all help,
Roger Thijs, Antwerp UFSIA University
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 90 00:04:38 MDT
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS%WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL@VM1.NoDak.EDU>
Subject: Two Winchester Controllers
Is it possible to put TWO hard disk controllers in the same machine?
------------------------------
Date: 21 Jun 90 16:33:00 GMT-9:00
From: "603APSSS" <603apsss@kadena-emh.af.mil>
Subject: Zenith Z-248 com3 & Procom+
Has anyone ever gotten the non-standard com3 port on the Zenith Z-248
to work with Procom Plus? Would it be possible to write a patch (TSR,
device driver, etc..) that would utilize it?
Thank you
James Linscheid
<603APSSS@Kadena-EMH.AF.MIL>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 22:57:25 TUR
From: CETEK63%TECHNION.BITNET@VM1.NoDak.EDU
Shalom Everyone - (Gerhard Vogt in special)
How to read input from a paralel port ? Paralel Ports are NOT write
only. It is possible to reverse the direction of data transfer by
hardware or software means. How ever, this action is not supported by
DOS or the BIOS interrupts, which means the programer has to access the
port directly, and "manualy" change the values of the various bits.
Some information is available in the title : Sargent,M. and
Shomaker,R.L., "The IBM Personal Computer From the Inside out",
Addison-Wesley 1986. (There might be newer edditions). One may also
find some usefull information in the "Technical-Reference" book
provided by IBM with each real BLUE PC. There is a communication
program called "LAP-LINK" which provides a Pralel to Paralel connection
between two PCs. Used mostly to LINK two LAPtops for fast data
transfer.
Now, To the big question, or rather, the main tip... Why use an
un-documented PARALEL method of communication when there is a
convinient, documented and well supported SERIAL link ? Is it speed ?
The PARALEL realy is faster then any SERIAL port (Naturally it is AT
LEAST 9 times faster), BUT !!! With high transfer rates such as 19600
baud, (even twice this figure when two 80286 machines communicate) I
don't think that speed should be the problem. Any other reason ?
Hope I've been of some help... Good luck with your program
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #105
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