Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (01/04/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thu, 4 Jan 90 Volume 90 : Issue 1
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
Ascii to Postscript on DOS
CD-ROM audio program
720K disk to 1.44Mb
Recording system startups
Uses for LINT
Wild Mice
Today's Queries:
Worldport Fax+modem
BIOS Differences?
Small Editor with C Source Available?
IMAGE DISPLAY/VGA
Problems with PC-MIX and Expanded Memory
ITT-XTRA problem
Logix VGA1000 card and LOOP CT-1469 monitor
mouse compatibility problem
Problem with kermit
SIMM Compatibilty or Standards?
New Uploads:
ascii-to-postscript conversion
DIRTYD9C.ARC - The Dirty Dozen List #9C (Trojan/Virus/Pirate)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 19:28:16 EST
From: Curt Priest <BMSLIB@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Ascii to Postscript on DOS
A recent question was more detail about printing ascii files to
postscript. Let me prefix my reply by suggesting that (at least the U.S.
suscribers to this digest) also belong to at least one of the BBS's that
contain at least 2.5 gigabytes of files. In Boston we have two choices:
Channel 1 (617-354-8873) and Future Technology (617- 720-3600). The
minimum subscriber fee for Channel 1 is $20 a year or if you actively
upload files, you get to be on for "free".
Whenever I want a utility such as the one asked about, I find usually
not one but a few on a BBS of this size. I just so happened to look for
just what this question was about and found three: DISPPS.ZIP -- a TSR
which will do a print screen directly to the Postscript printer;
LPSCRIPT.ZIP -- a program that directs either STDIN or a file to a PS
printer; and PPRINT10 which file direct an ascii file to a PS printer.
Also, the ability to search these BBS's is easier than SIMTEL's both
because they are accessed directly (not through FTP) and because of the
keyword searching capabilities. (P.S. Digest users will be interested to
know that there is a "door" on Channel One here that allows full keyword
searching of this digest -- all of the issues are regularly uploaded and
maintained there.)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 89 16:22:28 EST
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.org) <jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org>
Subject: CD-ROM audio program
In INFO-IBMPC 89:122:
>We have just purchased a Sony CD-ROM player with MS-Extensions etc. With
>it there is a utility called CDPLAY which will play audio CDs. I wonder
>if there is a shareware package, preferably in the RED archives, which
>will control CDs better, perhaps allowing control from command line level
>in MSDOS?
If you've got a copy of the Microsoft Programmer's Library CD-ROM disk,
look in the /audio directory and you'll find a (non-PD) program which
provides what you're looking for. It might be overlooked because someone
gave it the rather unobvious name of 'jrnl.c'.
Also, Microsoft sent users of the Denon drive a program called "Microsoft
Music Box" which runs either as a text-mode screen display or as a
graphics app under Windows. Unfortunately, there's no source available
for Music Box.
Joe Morris
------------------------------
Date: 29 Dec 89 17:20:52 GMT
From: la063249@zach.fit.edu ( Bill Huttig)
Subject: 720K disk to 1.44Mb
In Info-IBMPC Digest Wed, 27 Dec 89 Volume 89 : Issue 124
>Date: 18 December 1989 13:00:06 CST
>From: "Bob Johnson (312) 245-3532" <U27745@UICVM.uic.edu>
>
>Although it is possible in many cases to format a 720K disk at 1.44Mb
>sometimes this disk will have a bad track 0 and the format will end. On
>the PS/2s I use this happens about 10% of the time.
>
>I consider these disks (with the bad track 0) doomed to be 720K.
>
> BJ
If the disk is formated at 720K, I can not reformat it to 1.44Mb most of
the time.
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 89 8:13:29 MET DST
From: palle@mop.luth.se
Subject: Recording system startups
In Info-IBMPC Digest Vol. 89, #121, Mike Bunnell <mjb8949@ritvax.bitnet>
asks
> I'd like to set up a command or two in my autoexec file that will add the
> current time/date to an existing file (say, boot.dat). The system
> date/time is automatically defined from a CPU based clock, and the need
> is for the autoexec to take the system straight into a given application,
> thus the "automatic" logging of the startup date time.
The following lines might be what you are asking for:
DATE < \dos\cr | FIND "Cur" >> boot.dat
TIME < \dos\cr | FIND "Cur" >> boot.dat
^ ^ ^ ^
| | | write append to file
| | string to look for with FIND
| pipe output into FIND
file only containing CR (carriage return)
Bertil Paulsson ! Internet : palle@mop.luth.se
Division of Mineral Processing ! UUCP: ..{uunet,mcsun}!sunic!mop.luth.se!palle
Lulea University of Technology ! BITNET : SEKTHGATE%"palle@mop.luth.SE"
S-951 87 LULEA ! Fax : +46-920-91199
Sweden ! Telex : 80447 LUH S
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 19:15:33 EST
From: Curt Priest <BMSLIB@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Uses for LINT
I recently got mail from Phil Karn asking what the use of LINT was if you
had ANSI error checking and prototypes in a compiler such as Turbo C (or
most others today). My reply was as follows:
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 19:01:04 EST
From: Curt Priest <BMSLIB@MITVMA>
Subject: Re: PC-LINT
There are many assumptions made by compilers that LINT does not and that
is why it is useful. For example, if I have an INT and I assign it to an
unsigned INT, no compiler will complain but LINT will catch a "loss of
precision" or, I can take the address of an structure and give it to a
function expecting a pointer to a character. Many compilers will accept
this and do the type conversion automatically, again a good LINT will
catch this.
Of course, you then get into the practice of casting many things that you
mean to do and that LINT would otherwise catch. Things that again any
compiler will let slide.
So about 4 out of 5 things that a LINT catches are things you meant to
do but were sloppy about and the other 1 out of 5 are those nasty problems
producing wild pointers or the like.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 89 16:14:15 EST
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.org) <jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org>
Subject: Wild Mice
From INFO-IBMPC 89:123:
>I have an MS mouse attached to my PS/2 70's mouse port - nothing unusual.
>The most works perfectly except for one small case. When I play Gauntlet
>II by Mindscape (cool game, by the way) with the mouse, after a while the
>mouse will go berzerk. It acts as if someone were constantly pressing the
>button and moving the mouse in rapid, random motion.
Numerous applications seem to have problems with the PS/2 mouse; Microsoft
Word is an example. Reports indicate that the problem somehow involves
the interaction between the keyboard and the built-in mouse interface.
Several vendors have updates to their programs to fix the problem.
I was a victim of the original "wild mouse" problem with Word, but I
recently got hit with it again, apparently related to the installation of
the 386^max extended-memory driver. Early last week I moved the call to
MOUSE.SYS in CONFIG.SYS so that the mouse driver is loaded before 386^max;
I haven't seen the problem since then but I haven't been using the system
that much around Christmas so I'm not sure how valid a test I've made.
Joe Morris
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 89 15:46:37 EST
From: "Doug Sewell" <DOUG%YSUB.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Worldport Fax+modem
Has anyone worked with the Worldport fax+modem ? How well does the
software work ? Has anyone compared it with the JTFAX portable (which
doesn't have a modem, I realize).
Now that Hayes bought the JTFAX line from Quadram, (how much) do you
expect the price to go up ?
Please reply direct (DOUG@YSUB.BITNET/DOUG%YSUB.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU).
I'll summarize the responses. BTW, this will be for use with a Compaq
SLT286.
For those that had recommendations about the mouse/slt286 problem, thanks.
it was a port configuration problem.
Also, regarding joystick-as-mouse, there was a program called PMM.ARC
(poor man's mouse) I've seen, and Tandy used to provide a driver with
Deskmate so that you could use a mouse in place of a joystick. If I can
re-find either (and it's legal) I'll upload them for posting to
pd:<msdos.mouse>.
Doug Sewell (DOUG@YSUB.BITNET), Tech Support, Computer Center,
Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 44555
>> A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
------------------------------
Date: Tue 2 Jan 90 16:39:06-PST
From: Laurence I. Press <LPRESS@ISI.EDU>
Subject: BIOS Differences?
I am about to add an Intel Inboard to an old PC, and will upgrade the
BIOS. I know of three BIOS companies -- Phoenix, Award, and AMI.
1. Are there others?
2. Are there speed, feature, or compatibility differences between BIOSs?
I'll summarize and post the results.
Lar
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Dec 89 16:27:43 EST
From: PT182286@ADMIN.CARLETON.CA
Subject: Small Editor with C Source Available?
Does anybody know of a small editor with C source code available that is
PD? I am looking for some code to do typical cursor movement, character
insert, file save and retrieve, and block commands to integrate into some
Turbo C programs I am writing. I shall have to change the code to do
screen output so that is not too critical.
I have already looked at MicroEmacs, but it is a bit too complex for
inclusion into another program. Does anybody have any tips/experiences,
or ideas where to look?
Please reply via email. I will summarize to the Net. (By PD at the top I
mean public domain)
Thanks,
Martin Pergler (PT182286@Carleton.CA or WCSMP@...)
------------------------------
Date: 2 Jan 90 15:22:00 EST
From: "NRL::SATYSHUR" <satyshur%nrl.decnet@nrl3.arpa>
Subject: IMAGE DISPLAY/VGA
HELP! I have only recently started programming an PC-AT clone (DELL 220)
with VGA+ graphics board. I have been doing gray scale image display on a
Gould/Deanza via a VAX, I would like to do a similar thing on the PC.
Problem is I (on my first attempts) cant find software to do simple "gray"
scale display. Hell I dont need 256 gray levels but that damn monitor is
high resolution, yet according to GWBASIC I have 2 (two!) intensities and
15 colors for display!?!?! Come on, I cant believe that. Some bright
genius must have written a driver to be more creative.....
(apossibleVAXtoPCconvert)
Michael P. Satyshur
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. (202) 767-3117
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 90 13:26:00 EST
From: DAVID KLEIN <DAVID@Orion.YorkU.CA>
Subject: Problems with PC-MIX and Expanded Memory
I recently found an interesting multi-tasker called PC-MIX. I like the
ideas the authors have used, and, if I could get it to work properly on my
machine, it would be ideal for my needs.
My problem is as follows:
- PC-MIX refuses to recognize my Expanded Memory and utilize it. My EMS
Board is from Everex and I'm using the EMS driver that came along with it.
My system configuration is as follows:
- IBM XT clone, 640K, 8087 co-processor, Everex EMS board with 900K, ATI
EGA Wonder card (unknown amount of memory on it).
If there is anyone who has experience with this program, could you
please contact me? I like the idea behind the program, but am not quite
ready to shell out the cash to register it if it won't work on my system.
Also, there was no documentation supplied with this program, as the
authors were evidently 'encouraging' people to register the program, but
it didn't help get the program up and running.
Cheers,
Dave Klein (DAVID@YUORION)
Computer Advisor, Glendon College,
York University, Toronto, Canada.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 11:19:28 EST
From: "Lawrence G. Zweibohmer" <lzweiboh@note.nsf.gov>
Subject: ITT-XTRA problem
I would appreciate any help/suggestions for a problem I am having with an
ITT_XTRA. When power is turned on for booting, almost immediately the
following message appears:
Invalid NMI Interrupt
Press the RETURN Key to Continue
The RETURN key does nothing at this point and the only action that does
anything is turning power off and on. The light for the hard disk blinks
once as soon as power is turned on, else no other activity but the message
on the screen.
This PC was used as a 3COM server until a few months ago and wasn't having
any problems. I wanted to use it to replace someone's PC that was
unreliable, so I formatted the hard disk with format c:/s. I copied the
Autoexec.Bat and Config.Sys files from another ITT-Xtra, and also our 3COM
Network Directory. I then wanted to reboot to restore the entire hard
disk from the network but the boot procedure never ran, just gave the
message above. We have tried both removing and switching the various
boards in the PC but nothing changes what happens when power is turned on.
Does anyone know the cause of this particular message??? I have talked to
the people at the IRC, RJO, hardware, and IDP but no one is familiar with
this message. Surely there must be an answer, and I hate to think this
system will be going from a working server to a bunch of spare parts for
other PC's. Any suggestions will be appreciated. You can call me (Larry
Zweibohmer) on x7833 or send NOTE messages to lzweiboh.
One other piece of info, it makes no difference if a system diskette is in
DRIVE A because it never gets as far as checking this.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 89 11:39:56 EST
From: Dj Merrill - work <DEEJ%MAINE.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Logix VGA1000 card and LOOP CT-1469 monitor
Has anybody had any experience with the Logix VGA1000 vga card?? Is it
any good??
It claims to be compatible w/ mono, Herc, CGA, EGA, and all VGA modes plus
800 x 600 (256 colors) and 1024 x 768 (16 colors).
It also claims to pass the PCTech Journal VGA test, and that the Paradise
Plus 16 card does not pass this test. What is this test??? What does it
really mean to pass the test??
Any information that anyone might provide will be greatly appreciated. I
am planning on spending six to seven hundred dollars on a VGA setup and I
would like to get as much info as I can (and not be sorry after I make a
purchase).
It is being advertised on page 361 of the Jan 1990 issue of Computer
Shopper (Vol 10, No. 1)
Can anybody recommend a good setup?
COMPAQ, USA sells a LOOP CT-1469 Super VGA 1024 monitor for $339. It
claims 1024 x 768 and 800 x 600 (35 KH) and 720 x 480 (31 KH) with a dot
pitch of 0.28.
Has anybody used this monitor?? I would like to pair the card above with
this monitor. Any suggestions or comments?? Computer Shopper (Vol 10,
No. 1) on page 141.
Thank you,
-Dj Merrill
DEEJ at MAINE.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 14:59:55 MEZ
From: Erich Neuwirth <A4422DAB%AWIUNI11.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: mouse compatibility problem
I have a question concerning mice. As far as I know the new PS/2 mouse
and the Microsoft mouse are rather incompatitble.
I have written a program using the documented MS mouse calls. Is there any
TSR utility which is able to translate thes calls into PS/2 mouse calls so
my program also can run on PS/2 machines without being rewritten. Since
this problem should not be to uncommon I hope that somebody already has
found a solution.
Erich Neuwirth
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Jan 90 18:15:26 IST
From: Ran Cheremsh <CHERMESH%BGUVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Problem with kermit
Could anyone help me solve a problem with my communication through kermit
to our IBM 4381 system. Any time I try to download a file, I get stuck
with a 'bad packet or wrong checksum' message. I've checked my parity,
tried various packet sizes, but nothing changed. I'm using a 2400 modem,
but switching to 1200 didn't any difference. I tried to inquire in
KERMSRV, but got an automated response.
So, if you have a suggestion, please send it directly to me (I'm not on
the list). If you know where I can inquire, I'll appreciate any reference.
Ran Chermesh
Behavioral Sciences Dept.
Ben-Gurion University
Beer-Sheva 84105
Israel
Bitnet: CHERMESH@BGUVM
Acknowledge-To: <CHERMESH@BGUVM>
------------------------------
Date: Tue 2 Jan 90 16:41:45-PST
From: Laurence I. Press <LPRESS@ISI.EDU>
Subject: SIMM Compatibilty or Standards?
Are there standards for SIMMs? Are they interchangeable, or are you stuck
with a single source once you buy a motherboard?
I'll summarize for the net.
Lar
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1989 10:00:26 EST
From: Nathan Liskov <nate@neutron.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: ascii-to-postscript conversion
I am attaching the latest version of my ASCII-to-postscript conversion
utility pps211.pas. This is a replacement for both post.pas in
pd1:<msdos.printer> and post12.pas in pd1:<msdos.turbopas>, and suggest
that you retain only the latest version in one location.
With respect to Wolfgang Wuertz's request for ASCII-postscript
conversions, there is also text2ps.arc in the printer subdirectory.
Nate Liskov nate@neutron.lcs.mit.edu
[PD1:<MSDOS.PRINTER>PPS211.ARC has been uploaded. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1989 15:04 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: DIRTYD9C.ARC - The Dirty Dozen List #9C (Trojan/Virus/Pirate)
I have uploaded the latest version of Eric Newhous' "Dirty Dozen List" to
SIMTEL20:
pd1:<msdos.trojan-pro>
DIRTYD9C.ARC The Dirty Dozen List #9C (Trojan/Virus/Pirate)
--Keith Petersen
Maintainer of SIMTEL20's CP/M, MSDOS, & MISC archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]
Internet: w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil, w8sdz@brl.arpa BITNET: w8sdz@NDSUVM1
Uucp: {ames,decwrl,harvard,rutgers,ucbvax,uunet}!wsmr-simtel20.army.mil!w8sdz
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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