Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (02/22/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thu, 22 Feb 90 Volume 90 : Issue 28
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Problems Unarcing files from SIMTEL
MS Word 5.0 file format
Novell 2.0a and Western Digital Starlan don't mix.
WordPerfect Header Format
Today's Queries:
Clock batteries on AT clone
IIT 2C87 math chip
Needed - Network Information
Programming the 8250
Selected Screen Capture TSR Wanted
Send Replies or notes for publication to: <INFO-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Send requests of an administrative nature (addition to, deletion from the
distribution list, et al) to: <INFO-IBMPC-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
The Lending Library is available from: WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (see file
PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>AAAREAD.ME details on file directories and
descriptions.)
Archives of past issues of the Info-IBMPC Digest are available by FTP only
from WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL in directory PD2:<ARCHIVES.IBMPC>.
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL can be accessed using LISTSERV commands from BITNET
via LISTSERV@NDSUVM1, LISTSERV@RPIECS, LISTSERV@FINTUVM and in Europe from
EARN TRICKLE servers. Send commands to TRICKLE@<host-name> (example:
TRICKLE@TREARN). The following TRICKLE servers are presently available:
AWIWUW11 (Austria), BANUFS11 (Belgium), DKTC11 (Denmark), DB0FUB11
(Germany), IMIPOLI (Italy), EB0UB011 (Spain) TAUNIVM (Israel) and TREARN
(Turkey).
If you are unable to access SIMTEL20 via Internet FTP or through one of
the BITNET/EARN file servers, most MSDOS SIMTEL20 files, including the
PC-Blue collection, are available for downloading on the Detroit Download
Central network at 313-885-3956. DDC is a networked system with multiple
lines that support 300, 1200, 2400, and 9600 bps (HST) at a cost of 17
cents per hour. It is also accessable on Telenet via PC Pursuit and on
Tymnet via StarLink outdial.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue Feb 20 08:18:11 1990
From: taclgqp@lognet2.af.mil (Cpt Glen Marumoto)
Subject: Problems Unarcing files from SIMTEL
>From: manleyOscar Manley [ams doe])
>I too have problems unarcing files downloaded from Simtel. First I
>ftp a file to a vax/unix. I test it there with arc t and everything
>is OK. Then I use kermit to transfer the arced file to my pc. Here
>I try to apply pkxarc and I get a message that the crc check fails.
>Am I missing something?
>Oscar M.
I am going to guess on this one. I had a similar problem when I started
using kermit to download from a big machine to my Itty Bitty Machine
compatible. I found I needed to tell kermit I was transfering a binary
file. Do this (if you use the interactive mode) by "set file type
binary." You can also set up a configuration file to do this for you as
you enter kermit (in 4.2 BSD UNIX it is called a .kermrc file). If you
are already doing this, then I can't be of any help.
Glen S. Marumoto, Captain-type, 1 ea
HQ TAC/LGQP
{_taclgqp@lognet2.ARPA
** Opinions are my own - disclaimer **
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 90 10:40
From: Wujastyk <UCGADKW%euclid.ucl.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Subject: MS Word 5.0 file format
Although MS Word 4.0 had a word-count feature, it disappeared in version
5.0. The manual says it's there, but it isn't (unless you print out your
whole document).
So I wrote a little program in C, for my wife who uses MS Word, and it
works more or less okay.
But it is very hacky. What I would *really* like to know is the
definition of the MS Word 5.0 document file format. All I know so far is
by inspection of hex dumps. The first 8 bytes (at least) are an id byte
for the file type; the next 120 bytes are system information, including
the filename of the style sheet used. I guess that somewhere in this 128
byte header there is the byte count of the text characters in the
document, and I'd love to get hold of that. Anyone know where it is, and
how it works?
Finally, shortly after the last character of the text, there is a string
of NULLs (ver. 4.0) or ASCII 220 characters (ver. 5.0), followed by an
ASCII 128. Then there is garbage which fills the file up to a round
number of bytes (a multiple of 64 or 128, or something).
Does anyone have the proper specs?
Dominik
Dominik Wujastyk, | Janet: wujastyk@uk.ac.ucl.euclid
Wellcome Institute for | Bitnet/Earn/Ean/Uucp: wujastyk@euclid.ucl.ac.uk
the History of Medicine, | Internet/Arpa/Csnet: dow@wjh12.harvard.edu
183 Euston Road, | or: wujastyk%ucl.euclid@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
London NW1 2BP, England. | NEW PHONE NO.: London 383-3132 ext.3013
------------------------------
Date: 20 Feb 90 06:45:26 GMT
From: pascal%altitude@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Pascal Gosselin)
Subject: Novell 2.0a and Western Digital Starlan don't mix.
I have been experiencing absolute hell in the past two years making a
so-called "Novell Approved" network adaptor work properly.
Configuration:
Server: - 12Mhz 0 wait state AT clone, WD1003 MFM HD Controller, 1meg RAM
(640/384), 1.2meg floppy, CGA card (full length), AT I/O (ser/par),
Western Digital WD8003 StarCard PLUS, Miniscribe 71meg model 6085. SFT
Netware v2.0a level I, Western Digital Novell driver version 2.05.
Worstations: - 12Mhz AT (same as above), no HD, Paradise Autoswitch EGA,
Western Digital WD8000 Starlink network adaptor, v2.02 driver.
- Compaq Deskpro (The original XT type), WD8000 Starlink, compaq
mono adaptor, ser/par/clock, no HD.
The PROBLEMS:
- Occasionally, the server will give the following error message:
Invalid OP code: Power off and back to restart ...
While it is booting from the HD, right before OR during the mounting
of the SYS: volume (the only volume present).
- When the SAME net$os.exe kernel is booted from a floppy, there are
NEVER any error messages !!!!!!
More PROBLEMS:
- When the Netware OS "crashes" like this upon bootup, a simple
reinstallation will often not work. The system must be brought up by
floppy and I must log in a supervisor and MANUALLY re-flag, delete and
PURGE all of the \SYSTEM files before the reinstallation may be
successfully redone!!!!
- Netware OS crashes even when server is properly brought down.
- The system has a UPS system, this is no wierd power problem.
- I have installed the same machines with ARCNET cards and it works
like a charm!
- I fully re-compsurfed the drive, re-installed from original disks,
changed DOS versions from 3.1 to 3.3, back to 3.1 (didn't like DOS 3.3's
copy command for some strange reason...) restored data files, etc....
- At one point, I was getting Network Error: Retry, Abort ? Even
though the machines were 2 feet apart with a NEW cables !!!!
- I SWAPPED the machines (the identical ATs), SWAPPED BIOSes.... (one
machine (server) now has Phoenix 3.10.00 , the other has Phoenix 3.07 .
TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT
- Western Digital seems ENTIRELY responsible for the problems. Their
tech support here in Canada is a joke....
- They never sent me any driver updates despite the bug reports I gave
them....
- I want to get Western Digital to REPLACE either the CARDS or the
drivers, whatever!!!
- Western Digital even had the NERVE of refusing to supply drivers for
Novell 2.1x for the older WD8000 Starlan cards, etc...
I am really fed up with having Novell blame WD and Vice-Versa, Any
hints????
[Western Digital: Any Comments?]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 90 10:53:47 GMT
From: Martyn Legge <mlegge@datlog.co.uk>
Subject: wordperfect header format
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest
References: <9002180735.AA09468@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>>
Jonathan Block <JBLOCK%WSUVM1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>> writes:
>>Can anyone provide the data table for Worperfect 5.0 file headers.
Bytes 0 through 15 of a wp 5.0 file are as follows:-
struct FilePrefix {
long FileID; // -1"WPC"
long StartofDoc; // offset to start of document in file
char ProductType; // 1 for wp50
char FileType; // 10 for wp50 document
char VerMajor; // 0
char VerMinor; // 0
int EncrptKey; // 0 = not encrypted
int Reserved; // 0
};
Following this comes loads of goodies which you probably have corrupt.
You will see that bytes 4 through 7 tell you where the document iteself
starts. Chop file at this point discard the complete prefix and append
the document part of the file to a new prefix which looks like this...
ff 57 50 43 4c 00 00 00 01 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00
fb ff 05 00 32 00 00 00 00 00 06 00 08 00 00 00
42 00 00 00 08 00 02 00 00 00 4a 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 08 00 7c 00 78 00 00 00 00 00 <-- document here
that should then enable you to recover the document quite nicely. Of
course it will end up formatted for the default printer and get the
default style lib and everything but that will be the least of your
problems I expect.
Good hunting.
Martyn Legge
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 18:50 CST
From: Don Rylander <MBA0864@umnacvx.bitnet>
Subject: Clock batteries on AT clone
I've been having problems with the lithium batteries that power my PC's
internal clock. They haven't lasted nearly as long as they should; the
last two pairs have lasted about 18 mo. and 10 mo. Does anyone know about
any affordable alternatives?
Thanks,
Don R.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 90 10:14 N
From: <STEFFENS%DMSWWU5P.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: IIT 2C87 math chip
two weeks ago I purchased one of those fast 80287 clones, the IIT 2C87. It
works fine in my 12MHz AT, but I'm lacking any documentation for the
additional features of this chip. I.e., if someone out there in netland
knows how to address the additional 80bit-registers, how to make use of
the 4x4-matrix transformation built in etc., please let me know. If you
already have macros for use with MASM 5.1, it would very kind to send them
to me.
Thanks a lot
K.C.Steffens STEFFENS@DMSWWU5P.BITNET
Institut f"ur Kernphysik
D-4400 M"unster
West Germany
------------------------------
Date: Tue Feb 20 08:22:43 1990
From: taclgqp@lognet2.af.mil (Cpt Glen Marumoto)
Subject: Needed - Network Information
Can anyone out there point me in the right direction for finding info
about the different "nets" out there. I have been reading this
publication for a year now and have seen INTERNET, FIDONET, BITNET, and
whateverNET. What are these? How do you get stuff to them? Help!!!
Glen S. Marumoto, Captain-type, 1 EA
HQ TAC/LGQP
Langley AFB, VA
taclgqp@lognet2.ARPA
[Take a look in the Sept/Oct 88 Issue of "Communications of the ACM".
They have a VERY good discussion of "Notable Networks". gph]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 18:48:22 EXP
From: antonio alexandre <CON03001%UFRJ.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: programmer the 8250 chip
i need construction a program to link with vax system but
characteristics the transmition line maybe chaanged for the user (baund
rate, parity, stop bits , etc.... )
the question is how programmer the 8250 chip in assembly language
for lin k with c programs.
antonio alexandre
nuclear program engineering
con03001@ufrj.bitnet
con09001@ufrj.bitnet
con09002@ufrj.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Tue Feb 20 08:21:12 1990
From: taclgqp@lognet2.af.mil (Cpt Glen Marumoto)
Subject: Selected Screen Capture TSR Wanted
I am in need of a TSR program that can run in conjunction with an
emulator. What I need the TSR to do is be able to block out an area of
the screen and save that information to a file. Ideally, what I need it
to do is take that information and print a 3 of 9 bar code. I saw Greg
Hicks answer on PIZZAZ. I would like to know more about it. I also would
like to know if anyone can point me in a direction as far as books, a
programming language, etc.
Glen S. Marumoto, Captain-type, 1 EA
HQ TAC/LGQP
Langley AFB, VA
taclgqp@lognet2.ARPA
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------