Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (02/20/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Tue, 20 Feb 90 Volume 90 : Issue 26
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
'Bug Lists' for MicroSoft et al (2 msgs)
arcx for Unix
Building a RESET switch
Rebooting the IBM PC
Paradise Video Modes (3 msgs)
Re: Selective Print Screen Program Wanted
SIMTEL Files via FTP
Today's Queries:
Problem with Microsoft QC 2.0
STech's POWERfile
Which BBS to use?
Kermit and Signature Trailers
New Uploads:
Recent MSDOS uploads to SIMTEL20
JCAL73.ARC - Jewish/Gregorian calendar utilities
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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:
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: J Sturgeon <csc352%central1.lancaster.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 90 17:39:29 GMT
Subject: 'Bug Lists' for MicroSoft et al
Can anyone tell me how to access/subscribe to the lists of bugs posted by
Microsoft et al. It's infuriating not knowing whether or not it's your
fault your program doesn't work.
Please note that I am in the UK, so the procedure will probably be more
complicated than from the US.
Many thanks,
Jon Sturgeon
------------------------------
Date: Wed Feb 14 10:34:25 1990
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Re: 'Bug Lists' for MicroSoft et al
I contacted Mr. Steve Albertson of MicroSoft Corporation regarding
accessing 'bug lists' and received the following answer:
Microsoft does not maintain a public list of bugs that have been found in
it's products. Microsoft DOES offer two services on CompuServe in which
you may be interested.
The first is KnowledgeBase. This is the same database that the Microsoft
Product Support Staff uses to find answers to technical questions asked by
our customers. It is an easy-to-use query system that has information on
all retail Microsoft products (it does not support DOS, for example).
The second is Software Libraries. These libraries include a variety of
information that Microsoft provides at no charge to it's customers.
Everything from additional printer drivers, macro files, application notes
and other "public" information is included in these Libraries.
KnowldgeBase can be access by typing "go mskb" in CompuServe. The
Software Libraries can be accessed by typing "go msl" in CompuServe.
At the present time, this is the only on-line help system that is offered
Internationally. In lieu of this, perhaps Jon Sturgeon (and other
customers) contact the nearest Microsoft subsidiary or distributor.
Hope this helps.
Gregory Hicks
Editor, Info-IBMPC Digest
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1990 11:19 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: arcx for Unix
A full implimentation of ARC 5.2x (with squashing support) for BSD Unix is
available from SIMTEL20 as:
pd3:<misc.unix>ARCSRC.TAR-Z
This is a compressed Unix tar file. Transfer with FTP in tenex mode and
rename to arcsrc.tar.Z before uncompressing, then extract with tar.
--Keith
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 00:10:37 EST
From: Rich Winkel <mathrich@mthvax.cs.miami.edu>
Subject: Building a RESET switch
If you have access to an IBM AT tech ref, look at the section for the
power supply. If it's at all like the PC/XT, it should have a 'power
good' line, which is held high as long as the line voltage meets minimum
specs. Bringing this line to ground level casues a system reset.
So what I did on my PC was to cut this line between the power supply and
montherboard and wire an SPDT momentary contact pushbutton so that its
common terminal is connected to the motherboard side of the power-good
line, the normal-on terminal goes to the power supply side, and the
normal-off goes through a 100 ohm resister to ground. Works like a charm.
If you want to avoid the memory test every time you do the reset, you need
to put the value 0x1234 into memory location 0x40:0x72 before the reset.
This can be accomplished with a small program invoked by your
autoexec.bat. (I'm assuming this memory location is the same on the AT.
I've found the two bioses are amazingly compatible)
Rich
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 18:08:27 BST
From: "S.M. Clarke" <smc7%eleceng.bradford.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Subject: Rebooting the IBM PC
I am writing in response to two earlier queries in your BB letter.
1) Rebooting the IBMPC
This is quite simple to do in machine code. Most IBMs will reboot when
the INT 0FFh machine instruction is issued. This will cause a cold reboot.
To do a warm reboot, issue the machine language instruction INT 019h (But
be warned .. if you have a ramdisk running in the first 640K of memory, it
may not be removed). The final method and the most unorthadox is a JMP
FFFF:0000. Which will jump directly into the system's ROM.
I recommend using the INT 0FFh instruction , which will compile to a 5
byte .COM file.
2) Moving Command.com into extended memory to gain extra space.
In short it is not possible to move any of the system files into
extended/expanded memory. The extended memory uses page switching and so
cannot contain programs which are executing. Command.com is a transient
program, that is only about 3K of it is fixed in memory, and the remainder
is put as near to the 640K barrier as possible. Therefore if a program
wishes to write over the top part of command.com, it is quite welcome to
do so. When a program has finished running, control is passed to this 3K
chunk of command.com and this checks to see if the top part is intact. If
it is, transfer is passed to it. If the top bit has been over written,
the system will reload command.com from disk before giving it control.
This is why on a floppy disk based system, the line
Insert disk with COMMAND.COM, and strike any key when ready.
often arises after running a large program, and loading in the command
interpreter several times does not take up 30K per shell.
Steve Clarke (smc7@uk.ac.bradford.marvin)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 08:51:15 EST
From: "Bert Tyler" <TUB@CU.NIH.GOV>
Subject: Paradise Video Modes
> Does anybody out there know where I can get hold of technical
> specifications for a Paradise VGA card...
From the second version of John Bridges' VGAKIT (a *gold mine* of
information on SuperVGA adapters, BTW), which he uploaded to Compuserve on
1/12/90, The Paradise chipsets are capable of the following video modes:
AX width height colors
--- ----- ------ ------
0x59 800 600 2
0x58 800 600 16
0x5e 640 400 256
0x5f 640 480 256
0x5d 1024 768 16
Throw your adapter into a particular video mode by loading AX with the
value in the first column, and then invoking INT 10H. Note that the
640x480x256 and 1024x768x16 video modes require a video adapter with 512K
of memory, and the high-res modes require a monitor capable of that
particular resolution. Also note that there is no 800x600x256 video mode
for the current batch of Paradise chip-sets.
The Paradise BIOS supports reading to and writing from pixels for all of
these video modes. If you prefer to write your own direct-access routines
to do this, you simply pretend you are using a vanilla VGA adapter, but
add a call to a bank-switching routine whenever you are about to cross
over a 64K boundary. The 640x400x256 video mode, for example, involves
four 64K banks of memory - the 640x480x256 mode uses five such banks. The
1024x768x16 mode involves *two* banks (of the dull-normal 640x480x16-style
VGA memory). Again from John's VGAKIT, a bank-switching routine for the
Paradise chipset, which assumes that 'currentbank' contains the value
(from 0 to nnn) of your current video bank, is:
$paradise proc ;Paradise
push ax
push dx
cli
mov dx,3ceh
mov ax,50fh ;turn off write protect on VGA registers
out dx,ax
mov ah,currentbank
shl ah,1
shl ah,1
shl ah,1
shl ah,1
mov al,9
out dx,ax
sti
pop dx
pop ax
ret
$paradise endp
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 09:21:55 EST
From: "Bert Tyler" <TUB@CU.NIH.GOV>
Subject: Paradise Video Modes
> Also, does anybody out there know how Cshow 7.21 does its 640x480x256
> emulation on the card??
Cshow performs its 640x480x256 emulation on video cards that can't
actually display that mode, but *can* display 640x400x256 images, by
throwing away every sixth scan line (400 = 480 * 5 / 6). For vanilla VGA
adapters, at least with the current version of Cshow (version 8.00), CSHOW
throws your adapter into a quite legal, but non-standard, 320x400x256 mode
and then throws away every other horizontal dot and every sixth scan line.
It may be a bit kloogy, but it's better than a blank screen!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 11:06:54 PST
From: dbarber@pnet01.cts.com (David C. Barber)
Subject: Re: Paradise VGA Card Specs
David Holland (IUGC500@INDYVAX.BITNET) writes in volume 90 issue 21:
>Does anybody out there know where I can get hold of technical
>specifications for a Paradise VGA card, I recently found out that my
>Hewlett Packard VGA card is for all intents and purposes a Paradise VGA
>card.
This might help to just contact Paradise directly (unfotunately, I don't
have their phone number, though I think it is in the 415 area code). I
have used the Paradise VGA utilties and Word Perfect drivers successfully
on my Vectra with the HP card. HP themselves have a bad reputation over
that card in the past at least in providing the least number of drivers of
comparable cards.
*David Barber*
UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd ucsd nosc}!crash!pnet01!dbarber
ARPA: crash!pnet01!dbarber@nosc.mil
INET: dbarber@pnet01.cts.com
"Without change, nothing can ever get better!"
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 11:08:33 PST
From: dbarber@pnet01.cts.com (David C. Barber)
Subject: Re: Selective Print Screen Program Wanted
Kalburgi Srinivas writes in part in volume 90 issure 21:
>From: KALBURGI SRINIVAS <SRINIVAS%UREGINA1.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
>
> The alternative I am using now is the Shift-PrintSreen Key. But it
>prints all junk at the top and bottom of the screen too.
Many people forget that most PC's can be toggled in and out of bottom
logging mode with CTRL-PrtSc. In this mode, complete lines are printed as
they are written to the screen. This might do much of what you want at no
expense to you, *and* a very simple solution.
*David Barber*
UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd ucsd nosc}!crash!pnet01!dbarber
ARPA: crash!pnet01!dbarber@nosc.mil
INET: dbarber@pnet01.cts.com
"Without change, nothing can ever get better!"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 06:52:00 EST
From: Tim Cartwright <ESTIMCAR@Orion.YorkU.CA>
Subject: SIMTEL Files via FTP
Well, when this Internet system works, it's just marvellous! Many, many
thanks to all those who took the time and trouble to reply to my query
about getting SIMTEL files via FTP on a VAX. It turns out to be quite
simple....
For a VAX, There seem to be two key points:
1. You have to alert your local FTP that incoming files will be binary by
entering BINARY. (The command gets passed on to SIMTEL, even though you
intend it only for your own system. Because "binary" means 36/72 bits to
SIMTEL instead of 8/16 bits as it does to us, SIMTEL warns you that that
is not how you have logged on. Just ignore all this.)
2. Next, you must alert SIMTEL to the format you want it to adopt by
entering TYPE L 8 preceded by the word QUOTE. (Apparently, the VAX FTP
won't pass on commands it doesn't understand, unless you precede them with
the word QUOTE.) [MOST of the user FTP processes are this way. gph]
To summarize, the following procedure works like a charm on our VAX system
here at York:
$ FTP ; load FTP program
ORION.YORKU.CA MultiNet FTP-32 user process 2.0(54)
FTP>WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ; [Tell local FTP to make
; network connection to
; SIMTEL]
Connection opened (Assuming 8-bit connections) ; [Usually TEXT mode]
<WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL FTP Server Process 5Z(66)-7 at
Mon 19-Feb-90 04:38-MST ; SIMTEL20 response
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>LOGIN ANONYMOUS ; login
Password: ; use GUEST or
; <user-name@host>
<User ANONYMOUS logged in at Mon 19-Feb-90 04:38-MST, job 13.
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>BINARY ; for benefit the VAX FTP
Type: Image, Non-Print, File, Mode: Stream ; SIMTEL response; ignore
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>QUOTE TYPE L 8 ; for benefit of SIMTEL
<Type L bytesize 8 ok. ; [This is how the command
; TENEX is implemented.]
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>CD PD:<MSDOS.GIF> ; select desired directory
<Default name accepted. Send password to connect to it.
; [Ignore request for
; password]
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>GET GIFENCOD.GIF ; GET desired file
(to local file) ; [My system defaults to
; remote file name if I
; don't supply one.]
<Retrieve of PD1:<MSDOS.GIF>GIFENCOD.GIF.1 (5 pages) started.
<Transfer completed. 8320 (8) bytes transferred.
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>BYE ; log off SIMTEL
FTP>EXIT ; exit FTP
$ ; DCL prompt
Special thanks to Hugh Preston at Hickham AFB and Frank Wancho at SIMTEL
(whose messages from last April were forwarded to me) and to Rich Wales at
UCLA, Walter Henry at Stanford, and Lester Hiraki at the University of
Toronto.
All of which leaves me with one big question: why does it seem so hard
for the amateur (like me) to find out about things like FTP? (It is even
kind of nice to think there are people out there willing to help someone
they do not know from Adam.) But this approach really doesn't make a
lot of sense. Hopefully this message will help a few others, but a year
from now there will be a dozen more people frustrated by the same problem
as I was.
[This message has been added to my growing file on 'How to Do FTP' from
various sites. You benefited from this file before. Hopefully, YOU'LL
help someone in the future. gph]
Why, in other words, aren't there some books or articles about Internet
and its services/features/capabilities? (Yes, I know about the September
1987 ACM article; but are there any other not-too-technical sources?)
[Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for the ACM Special Interest Group
called SIGDOC (Documentation). gph]
Why do our systems people seem so uninterested in these things? (They
told me I couldn't download binary files because there was a bug in our
version of FTP!) Should I ask them for a copy of the User's Manual for
FTP -- or is there any such thing? The sociology of computing is almost
as fascinating as its technology....!
Anyway, thanks to everybody who helped. All's well that ends well.
Tim
[There SHOULD be documentation for all the programs on your operating system.
However, my experience with this type of documentation leads me to believe
that it only covers program OPERATION. It would not tell you 'how to do
this type of transfer from site A to/from site B. There are simply TOO
many sites and TOO many operating systems. gph]
_________________________
/________________________/\ Tim Cartwright
\________________________\/ York University -- Environmental Studies
_________\ \ \_________ 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Canada M3J 1P3
/ ________\__\/________/\
/ /\____________________\/ Tel 416-736-5252 Tlx 065-24736
/ /_/___________________ Fax 416-736-5679 YORKU TOR
/________________________/\
\________________________\/ BitNet/NetNorth ESTIMCAR@ORION.YORKU.CA
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 22:51:47 EST
From: zielke@phy.duke.edu (David Zielke)
Subject: Problem with Microsoft QC 2.0
I am using Microsoft QC 2.0 and having horrible failures trying to use
the assert directive! I tried compiling the sample code provided in the
help utility and even that fails... Is this a known problem or am I doing
something stupid? I really need the assert as I am working on a large
piece of code in which I need to check the validity of numbers fed to
routines. Also, the code will eventually be moved up to a Unix machine
and needs to work in a normal way.
If anyone has gotten this to work, please let me know!
David Zielke
zielke@physics.phy.duke.edu
zielke@cs.duke.edu
zielke@ccf3.nrl.navy.mil
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 18:24:54 MET
From: "Vincenzo G. Capuano" <CAPUANO%ICNUCEVM.CNUCE.CNR.IT@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: STech's POWERfile
Hi,
I would like to know if S Tech's POWERfile hard disks for IBM PS/2 are
compatible with AIX, how they run and what are their features ?
Thanks,
Vincenzo G. Capuano
capuano@icnucevm.cnuce.cnr.it
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 90 09:03:03 EST
From: "Doug Sewell" <DOUG%YSUB.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Which BBS to use ?
I wish to set up a special-purpose, public information BBS system with
the following features:
(1) Customized "induction questionnaire" (probably in "C")
(2) public bulletin board
(3) private mail
(4) several customized functions (probably external "C" programs)
(5) Customizable menu - so customized "doors" can have main-menu letters,
rather than having to select a "doors" menu first.
(6) NO file upload or download (and not mentioned in the menu).
I presently have downloaded MiniHost, SearchLight, Wildcat, QBBS,
ABBS, BBSExpress, and Magpie, and have started extracting the documents
and reading through them. I will also consider others (Opus, Fido,
RBBS, Citadel, etc.)
Which do you recommend ? Should I write my own instead (I have the
tools to do so in C) ?
Doug Sewell
DOUG@YSUB
DOUG@YSUB.BITNET
DOUG%YSUB.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 09:52 IDT
From: Sol Eaglstein <WELFARE%ILNCRD.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Kermit and Signature Trailers
I would like to know if it is possible via Kermit to tack on a pre-
prepared signiture trailer to a message and if so how one would go about
doing this.
Thank you,
A. S. Eaglstein
Director of Research
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
Jerusalem
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1990 10:39 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Recent MSDOS uploads to SIMTEL20
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
Filename Type Length Date Description
==============================================
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.ARC-LBR>
AVIEW38.ARC B 81748 900218 BBS util: view/extract files from archives
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.GIF>
CSHOW81.ARC B 102138 900218 GIF/MAC/RLE view/print, Herc/CGA/EGA/VGA/SVGA
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.MENU>
AMAXX310.ARC B 121993 900218 DOS shell, file manager & nested menus, v3.10
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.PGMUTL>
CPE41.ARC B 78504 900218 Integrated editor/compiler/linker environment
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.PRINTER>
LM40.ARC B 232256 900218 LabelMaster v4.0, printer label maker w/dialer
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.QBASIC>
QBTREE42.ARC B 190090 900218 B-Tree indexed file access for QuickBASIC
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.ZIP>
ZIPTV20.ARC B 43578 900218 ZIP viewer/reader driver program for BBS doors
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.RBBS-PC>
PU173.ARC B 107071 900218 Cvt RBBS USERS log to ASCII & comma delimited
--Keith
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1990 00:41 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: JCAL73.ARC - Jewish/Gregorian calendar utilities
[--forwarded message--]
From: Marshall D. Abrams <abrams@mwunix.mitre.org>
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.deskaccess>
JCAL73.ARC Jewish/Gregorian calendar utilities
JCAL73.ARC includes a program that translates dates between the Jewish and
Gregorian calendars plus related utilities. Also includes description of
both calendar systems.
Sincerely,
- Marshall D. Abrams, phone: (703) 883-6938
The MITRE Corporation, 7525 Colshire Drive
Mail Stop Z269, Mc Lean, VA 22102
alternate e-mail address: abrams@mitre.org
[--end forwarded message--]
Thanks, Marshall!
--Keith
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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