Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (02/15/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thu, 15 Feb 90 Volume 90 : Issue 19
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Anonymous FTP from SIMTEL20
BCOPY Query
CHOP30.ARC - Flexible ascii/binary file splitter
dBase Discussion List
DOS 4.01 and partitions
EBC2ASC.ARC - EBCDIC to ASCII text conversion program
Educational Programs and discussions about Down babies
Problems with Large/Compact model Windows programs
Leading Edge Motherboard Model M
TAB Expansion Utility Uploaded
Printing PCX files from command line
Problems with PS/2 model 70 and Windows/386 v2.11?
russian wordprocessor
switching into 43/50 lines using TurboC
Third-party IBM PS/2 Model 50 Hard Disks
uudecoding on a vax, before d/load to pc
Relocating MS-DOS
Re: Turbo C 3.0 -- AT&T C++ 2.0
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1990 09:14:31 EDT
From: FAC0395%UOFT01.BITNET@jade.berkeley.edu (J. Feustle)
Subject: Anonymous FTP from SIMTEL20
Hi. I wonder if anyone else experiences this problem. Whenever I attempt
to log into SIMTEL20 to access files via FTP, I always get the message
"TOO MANY ANONYMOUS USERS AT THE MOMENT. TRY AGAIN LATER." And, I've tried
again later with the same results.
I know that this machine is very busy. Is there a preferred time for FTP,
a good time, a better one?
Thanks,
J. Feustle
FAC0395@UOFT01.BITNET
[There is no 'good' time ... All you can do is keep trying. You might
try during the Simtel20 'slack' time - 6pm-6am Mountain Standard Time.]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 90 14:08:58 EST
From: Richard Layton <RICH%TIFTON.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: BCOPY Query
Note that PCMAG was moved to PD2 and the indicated issue should be
available as:
pd2:<msdos2.pcmag>vol8n01.arc
Acknowledge-To: <RICH@TIFTON>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1990 15:39 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: CHOP30.ARC - Flexible ascii/binary file splitter
[--forwarded message--]
From: harper@convex.com (David Harper)
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.filutl>
CHOP30.ARC Flexible ascii/binary file splitter
It splits large files into smaller pieces.
Dave Harper - Convex Computer Corp. E-mail address:
3000 Waterview Pky. Richardson, TX 75081 harper@convex.COM
(214) 497-4525 (W) (214) 727-4206 (H)
Thanks, Dave!
--Keith
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 90 00:11:42 EST
From: Thomas Hunt <34C2RM5%CMUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: dBase Discussion List
Is there a list devoted to dBase III/dBase IV (and compatibles)
programming and applications?
If not, is there sufficient interest in getting one started?
Acknowledge-To: <34C2RM5@CMUVM>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 90 11:51:18 -0500
From: ae219dp@prism.gatech.edu (Devon Prichard)
Subject: DOS 4.01 and partitions
in PC-Digest # 12, a fellow states problems with multiple partitions under
DOS 4.01;
I have DOS 4.01 (with patches), and a Miniscribe 40MB/40ms hard disk with
WD controller on a 10 MHz XT clone. when setting up the disk, I
partitioned it
C: 10MB
D: 20MB
E: 12MB
and haven't had any problems in 4 months. I used Disk Manager^tm and
SpinRite during setup ...
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1990 15:05 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: EBC2ASC.ARC - EBCDIC to ASCII text conversion program
[--forwarded message--]
From: Rob Fugina <S096128@UMRVMA.UMR.EDU>
I have uploaded to SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.txtutl>
EBC2ASC.ARC EBCDIC to ASCII text conversion program
This program will convert EBCDIC text files to ASCII text files
on a PC. Shareware.
Rob Fugina
Bitnet: S096128@UMRVMA
Internet: S096128@UMRVMA.UMR.EDU
or robf@cs.umr.edu
Thanks, Rob!
--Keith
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 90 14:50:06 ITA
From: Massimo Carnevali <AIBM003@icineca.bitnet>
Subject: Educational Programs and discussions about Down babies
Does anybody know something about free software for education and teaching
expecially oriented for Down babies. Of course MS-DOS or OS/2.
I've not found anything on <MSDOS.EDUCATION>. Any Help or indication will
be welcome.
Thanks.
Massimo Carnevali - Bologna - Italy
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 90 03:55:38 GVA
From: J Sturgeon <csc352@CENTRAL1.LANCASTER.AC.UK>
Subject: Problems with Large/Compact model Windows programs
I'm having problems compiling/executing my Windows application under the
large or compact memory models. When I compile with the medium model
there is no problem, but as soon as I try compact or large odd things
happen.
The problems seem to centre on the Windows.h and stdio.h files. Windows.h
defines NULL thus:
#define NULL 0
...this is also defined in stdio.h thus:
#define NULL 0L
...when the large, compact or huge models are used. This causes a
redefinition error, as you might expect. Commenting out either #define
stops the redefinition error, but causes far/near mismatch warning. The
compiler trundles along after this and produces an EXE file. This
*almost* works, but strange things happen in the program's execution, such
as whole chunks of code are apparently skipped, and strings appear
corrupted.
Does anybody have any experience of compiling applications under the large
or compact models, since I need a 64K array in my program, amongst other
things.
My equipment is:
16MHz 286-based AT compatible. (*very* compatible - this problem also occurs
MS Windows/286 v2.11 on a true-blue PS/2 model 30/286)
MS C v5.1
MS Windows SDK v2.11
...and the relevant make file parts are:
applic.obj: applic.c protos.h
cl -c -AC -Gsw -Os -Zpe -W2 applic.c
applic.exe: applic.obj applic.def applic.res
link4 applic, applic/align:16, nul, clibw, applic.def
...for the compact model.
Please reply direct to me; I will summarise if I ever solve the problem.
Many thanks,
Jon Sturgeon.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 90 15:07 CST
From: Jerry Katz <KATZJA%SLUVCA.SLU.EDU@ricevm1.rice.edu>
Subject: Leading Edge Motherboard Model M
Regarding Macpherson's questions about the Leading Edge Model M
motherboard...
If I recall, the Model M made by mitsubishi is identical to the old
Sperry IT. (Of course, you can bet that some ROM chips will differ,
anyway...). There are still a lot of folks who carry Sperry parts,
including UNISYS dealers, who are the current form of Sperry. My
experience is that while UNISYS dealers are a retail+10% type of
operation,, most big cities have some dealer who handles the brand at a
discount..
The usual disclaimer applies (which is Info IBM-PC's equivalent of "this
tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds"), but like they say on those other
impossible missions, "Good luck."
Regards,
Jerry Katz
KATZJA@sluvca
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 90 13:50:36 IST
From: Baruch Nissenbaum <BARUCH%TAUNIVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: TAB Expansion Utility Uploaded
Hello All !
IN REPLY TO TAB EXPANSION (V90 #13) HERE IS A SMALL UTILITY to expand
tabs to spaces. The program works as a filter and therefor it should be
able to handle files of unlimited size.
comments, suggestions and requests are welcomed.
BARUCH
/* TABX.C - tab expansion util */
/* Written by Baruch Nissenbaum - Tel-Aviv Iarael 2/1990 */
/* E-MAIL: BARUCH@TAUNIVM.BITNET (BARUCH@TAUNIVM.TAU.AC.IL) */
/* This little program should work for a file of any size */
/* compiled and tested with TURBO-C, should work with any other compiler */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <ctype.h>
main(int arc, char **argv)
{
int c,col=0,tab=8;
if(arc>1)
tab=atoi(argv[1]);
if(tab<1) {
usage();
exit(0);
}
while((c=getchar()) != EOF)
if(c=='\t') { /* expand tabs */
putchar(' '); col++; /* tab will give at least one space */
for(; col%tab; col++)
putchar(' '); /* expansion of tabs */
}
else if(c=='\n' || c=='\r') {
putchar(c);
col=0;
}
else { /* any other character */
putchar(c);
col++;
}
}
usage()
{
fprintf(stderr," TABX - tab expansion utility\n");
fprintf(stderr,"usage: TABX [tab-size] < source_file > dest_file\n");
fprintf(stderr," tab-size sets tab size (default is 8)\n");
fprintf(stderr," Written by Baruch Nissenbaum, Israel, 6 Feb 90 (c)\n\n");
}
------------------------------
Date: Wed Feb 7 11:37:52 1990
From: aprm!gd@shafter-emh2.army.mil
Subject: Printing PCX files from command line
Anyone know of a way to print a PCX file from the DOS command line?
Ideally such a program would work with an HP LaserJet addressed as LPT3
and accessed via a network (in our case, Intel's OpenNET), and would
accept a list of files. Wildcards would be supported.
Gary Dunn, WESTCOM DCSRM IMO |
Ft. Shafter LAN: aprm!gd _ _ |
DDN: aprm%gd@shafter-emh2.army.mil /.\ /.\|
Work phone: (808) 438-2716 \_/|\_/
|
/
------------------------------
Date: 6 Feb 90 17:18:12 GMT
From: gmdzi!strobl@uunet.UU.NET (Wolfgang Strobl)
Subject: Problems with PS/2 model 70 and Windows/386 v2.11?
Joe Morris <jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org> writes:
>An article reporting that the PS/2 Model 70 Bug Damages Diskette Data recently
>appeared in PC WEEK. This article reported that a bug in IBM machines could damage
>data stored while running Windows/386 v2.11. Does anyone have any more info
>on this? If true, what triggers the damage?
> Or is the magazine blowing smoke (among other things)?
I have not seen this article. We had such problemes with two new PS/2
Model 70 last year and reported them to both Microsoft and IBM. IBM is
still working on a fix.
The following error report was sent to IBM last year (november):
ABSTRACT
We have severe compatibility problems - destroyed floppy disc's - on two
new PS/2 8570's and Microsoft Windows/386. These problems occur with all
Windows /386-versions we have access to (2.10 and 2.11, German), but
aren't reproducable on my own (somewhat older) PS/2 8570 wich has
essentially the same software environment.
ERROR DESCRIPTION
1. Formatting
It is not possible to format a floppy disc when running under Windows/386.
The built in formatting command simply says (translated into English):
"unable to format". The PCDOS command FORMAT says:
Kopf: 0 Zylinder: 0
Ungueltiges Medium oder Spur 0 fehlerhaft
-> Diskette unbrauchbar
Fehler beim Formatieren
in English:
head: 0 cylinder 0
invalid medium or track 0 bad
--> diskette unusable
formatting error
An inspection of the floppy shows one formatted track containing only
sectors filled with F6 (hex).
The error is reproducable with formatted and unformatted discs. It is
reproducable after booting from an unmodified PCDOS 3.3 distribution disc
and using a freshly installed version of Windows which I have installed
myself from unmodified distribution discs.
The error occurs only from within Windows/386. It doesen't occur from
within Windows/286.
The error i s n ' t reproducable on my own PS/2 8570-A21. This machine's
BIOS is dated 06/22/88. I use it with PCDOS 3.3 and Windows/386 2.10
without any problems.
2. Writing to floppy disc's
After writing to a formatted floppy disc (i.e. COPY A.DAT A:) the root
directory of this floppy may be destroyed. So the problem is not
restricted to formatting, and formating from outside Windows is not a
usable workaround.
The two Model 70 which don't work with Windows are PS/2 8570-121, with a
BIOS date of 03/17/89.
(Configuration summary and contents of reference disk skipped)
-------------------------------------End of Error Report---
Summary
There are different Model 70's; some have this problem, some don't. Look
at the date of your BIOS.
Be carefull: writing to a floppy from within Windows/386 may destroy your
floppy directory. (Inspecting the directory with an disc debugger shows
some directory entries shifted by 8 bytes).
Wolfgang Strobl, GMD GRZ010@DBNGMD21.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 90 11:11:57 EST
From: Claude Daoust <CDAOUST%UOTTAWA.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Subject: russian wordprocessor
A russian friend purchased a package called multi-lingual scholar. This
package allows for word processing in several languages. Keyboard mapping
may be changed from one character set to another at the touch of a key.
Sounds good? Well it is except for the fact that the company's advertising
is very misleading.
The first page of a hand-out refers to a long list of hardware under the
heading REQUIREMENTS. On this list is an HPLaserjetii. My friend purchased
the package under the assumption that he had all needed to print laser
text! However he has since discovered he will need a $150 add-on. I
recently downloaded the cyrilic2.arc which contains a dos code page for
russian text, but unfortunately it does not have any laser drivers. Can
anybody suggest a good solution for obtaining laser printed cyrilic (any
suggestions welcome...new software, where I could perhaps get drivers for
russian standard code page, ANYTHING). I would prefer a solution which
would involve more stand ard software such as wp or ms-word.
thank you,
cdaoust@acadvm1.uottawa.ca.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: 06 FEB 90 16:07:48
From: P7MAI009@frcirp81.bitnet
Subject: switching into 43/50 lines using TurboC
To switch into 43/50 lines using TurboC with a EGA/VGA card, just type
this function:
extern _crtinit(unsigned mode);
void setmode(int lines)
{
struct REGPACK reg;
reg.r_ax = lines == 25 ? 0x1114 : 0x1112; /* -> VGA */
/* reg.r_ax = lines == 25 ? 0x1111 : 0x1112; -> EGA */
reg.r_bx = 0;
intr(0x10,®); /* Select 8x8 or 8x14/16 fonts */
pokeb(_CS,(char *)_crtinit+(__TURBOC__ == 0x0200 ? 78 : 80),lines);
/* ^ ^ */
/* TurboC v2.0 ---+ | */
/* TurboC v1.5 --------+ */
_crtinit(3); /* 80x25 color mode */
window(1,1,80,lines);
clrscr();
}
Have fun.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 08:16:45 est
From: bvan@mvax.dcem.dnd.ca (Bryan E. Van Blaricom)
Subject: Third-party IBM PS/2 Model 50 Hard Disks
In PC Digest Vol 90 #13, Darius Vaskelis ask about replacement hard
disks for the PS/2 Model 50. About a year ago I replaced the 20M drive in
my PS/2 Model 50 with a 50M drive from CMS Enhancements, Inc. The model
number of the drive is H50M50-R, and the specs that came with it are:
Drive Capacity: 52 MB formatted
Number of heads: 7
Number of cylinders: 855
Average Access time: 31.5ms (though Coretest gave a time of 23 ms)
Average Power: 10 watts
Weight: .80 kg
Mean time between failurs: 20,000 hours
I am very happy with this drive, as it is totally silent, extremely
fast, has no bad blocks, and has yet to have a disk error of any sort. It
was also fairly expensive at the time of purchase, about $1200.00, but you
get what you pay for, I guess.
The address of the company listed on the spec sheet is:
CMS Enhancements, Inc.
1372 Valencia Ave.
Tustin, CA 92680
B. E. Van Blaricom
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 11:39 GMT
From: KPJEACLE%vax1.tcd.ie@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: uudecoding on a vax, before d/load to pc
Sorry, I've lost the original message, but someone was enquiring about
uudecoding files he got from simtel on his vax.
I've got the source for a UUDECODE for VMS. It's implemented in C. I'll
mail it to you if you like.
What you should be doing though is downloading it from the VAX to your PC
in its encoded format and then doing the uudecoding on your pc.
The main advantage to this is that ascii transfers are faster than binary
ones, and since a uuencoded file is in ascii.......
UUDECODE for the PC is also available from SIMTEL. You can get C, Pascal
or Basic source for it. Check out :
PD1:<MSDOS.STARTER>UUDECODE.C
PD1:<MSDOS.STARTER>UUDECODE.PAS
PD1:<MSDOS.STARTER>UUDECODE.BAS
to get a simple decoder working, and then get Richard Marks version. I
have 3.17 of it, my most recent simtel index has 3.16 listed as :
PD1:<MSDOS.FILUTL>UUREM316.ARC
so get a directory listing to see what their latest is. Anyway, if you've
any problems with the above, let me know.
Karl Jeacle Undergraduate Programmer, Trinity College, Dublin
kpjeacle@vax1 .tcd.ie SnailMail: 6 Chatham Street, Dublin 2
kpjeacle@unix1.tcd.ie kpjeacle@tcdmath.uucp
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 90 17:43 N
From: MARCO%ITSICTP.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Relocating MS-DOS
Anyone out there know how to kick MS-DOS around in a PC?
In order to free up more of the basic 640K of RAM, it sure would be nice
if the operating system (Command.Com) could be moved up into the extended
memory, so that all those all programs could have more room to knock
around in. Can it be done! What is a guy to do?
Fernando
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 11:57 EST
From: psrc@pegasus.att.com
Subject: Re: Turbo C 3.0 -- AT&T C++ 2.0
< Krasny Oktyabr: the hunt is on, March 2, 1990 >
In article <1377@crash.cts.com>, elund@pro-graphics.cts.com (Eric Lund) writes:
> I've heard from "gamma" testers that Turbo C 3.0 will be released and will
> have AT&T C++ 2.0 compatibility. The question is WHEN? I can't seem to get
> an answer out of them. Anybody know any release dates? Anybody care?
Look, when products are under development, even when they're sent out to
beta testers, there are two reasons the companies involved want to keep
things quiet.
First, the software is (by definition) not ready for prime time. There
will probably be known bugs, or missing features. There's still enough
for beta testers to try to do real work, and find additional problems that
testers in a lab might miss. Would you be panicked if you heard that
Foobar C++ beta version 1.99 had a bug in pure virtual destructors?* You
shouldn't; there's no reason to believe the fault won't be fixed when the
vendor ships the final product.
Second, if two companies are competing, it's to each company's advantage
not to know what the other is up to for as long as possible. That way,
the competitor won't be able to react as quickly, and the window of
opportunity stays open longer for the first company.
(*As discussed in comp.lang.c++, pure virtual destructors don't work, and
shouldn't. They're functions that subclasses will call, but by definition
can't be called. As Ohio University's President Ping once said, "This
must and cannot be." See comp.lang.c++ for details.)
As a result, every beta test I've heard of has required the beta testers
to sign a non-disclosure agreement. This is a legal document; someone who
leaks information could find themselves dragged into court.
Also, all the times I've been a beta tester, I've never been told the
release date any earlier than anyone else. I was sometimes given
deadlines to report problems by, but I never even knew which beta release
was the final one.
If you really want to know about the next release of Turbo C or the first
release of Turbo C++, ask Borland. They probably won't tell you. That's
their privilege, right?
> Eric, elund@pro-graphics, ...crash!pro-graphics!elund,
> pro-graphics!elund@nosc.mil, elund@pro-graphics.cts.com
Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories
att!pegasus!psrc, psrc@pegasus.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm
I've beta-tested products, both from AT&T and other vendors; but I'm not
speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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