Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (12/09/89)
Info-IBMPC Digest Fri, 8 Dec 89 Volume 89 : Issue 111
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.army.mil>
Today's Topics:
Desqview recognizing EMS problems
DOS 4.01 Questions
Outputting ^Z with TurboPascal 5.0
TeX archives on Internet
Today's Queries:
Controlling Office PC from Home
50-Line menu program
COM3 and COM4
Epson Drivers for TeX
LaTeX for the PC
LOADALL mode emulation in 80286 protected mode by LOADALL
LPT1/LPT2 configuration problem
IBM PC PS/2 Model 25 info requested
New Uploads:
MSDOS statistics-related files uploaded to SIMTEL20
MsKermit file transfer made easy, update
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 from
WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL in directory PD2:<ARCHIVES.IBMPC>.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 89 09:06:31 +0100
From: Andr'e PIRARD <A-PIRARD%BLIULG11.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Desqview recognizing EMS problems
>I am having a problem getting Desqview to properly recognize my EMS. The
>program will list it as expanded "total available" but reports 0k under
>expanded "largest available".
Your problem is not exactly what is called backfill. LIM 4.0 is able to
map expanded memory to below the 640Kb boundary only if the hardware is
able to. That is if the memory board hardware has EEMS capabilities (not
plain EMS). Backfill is a capability to complete the part of the 640K
where the mother board is not *intended* to provide memory, with memory
that does *not* participate to the EEMS banking. Typically the 512-640
area of an AT. Only with EEMS is DESQview able to multitask banked
programs below 640K (largest available), else it only supervises the usage
of the 64K frame (total available) so that multitasked programs get only a
fair share of the memory pool.
On a 286, implementing EEMS requires to disable as much as possible of the
motherboard memory to make room for the mapping, but still allow the
computer to boot which restricts the "largest available" to what's
disabled. On a 386 however, EEMS LIM can be simulated, using the virtual
8086 mode, by an appropriate device driver (Quarterdeck QEMM386 or who's
386MAX). No special need to tinker with the hardware. The lower boundary
of the bankable area is automatically installed as low as possible.
Typically, only DOS, QEMM and a very small part of DESQview stay below.
That's because QEMM386 is able to fill unused areas *above* 640K and load
TSRs and device drivers in those areas (one must use LOADHI in CONFIG and
AUTOEXEC) and because DESQview (XDV) splits its code (of DV) to execute
there too. Furthemore, a 386 allows to virtualize video RAM and do
without the problem of multitasking programs that write directly to it
(text and CGA/hercules graphics).
Given the compared prices of 386SX boards and EEMS boards, and the added
convenience of the 386, EEMS boards no longer look like a good solution.
With a 386SX AT, DOS 3.3 and Hercules video (allowing filling an extra
64K), I was able to set up a system with a flat 640K of memory *available*
to each of as many programs as plain extended memory would provide for
(This means DOS+QEMM+DVleftover was 64K).
And these programs can use the EMS simulated page frame as well. Without,
an extra 64K is available to more TSR or drivers.
It looks like the best B/W non-OS/2 non-All-Charge-Card environment for
memory-tight requirements and/or multitasking.
Andr).
------------------------------
Date: Sun Nov 26 13:02:07 1989
From: microsoft!larryo@beaver.cs.washington.edu
Subject: DOS 4.01 Questions
| Date: Sat, 04 Nov 89 15:55:26 EDT
| From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
| I have some questions concerning IBM DOS 4.01, which I recently acquired.
| 1) Why do I have to load file sharing (SHARE.EXE) if I have a primary
| partitiion >32MB? My disk has 1 120MB drive C:, and it gives me a warning
| message. I want to cut down on the # of TSR's I have installed, so what
| would be the minimum memory configuration I could use. Also, what do the
| options mean?
| [The book says "provides support for file sharing and diskette change
| protection. ...Must be loaded if fixed disk partition size greater than
| 32MB is used. Thought the primary purpose was to provide support for LANs
| and file sharing. gph]
Actually the purpose of the SHARE program is to provide local record
locking. Primarily this is of interest for machines that are run as
servers (using any of the numerous MS-NET servers). With the large disk
support present in DOS 4.01, there are several changes in the internal
structure of FCB's, as a result of these changes, an ill behaved DOS
application (ie one that uses the reserved fields in the FCB) could trash
a hard disk. To prevent this from happening, we recomend SHARE be loaded
on machines with large media.
This is not to say that FCB applications won't work on DOS 4.01 with
share loaded, it's just that the degenerate cases can be caught with this
change. Some of the known applications that will NOT work are old
versions of Turbo Lightning, since they write and read from closes FCBs.
If you run one of these ill behaved T&SR's on 4.01 with a large disk you
are virtually guaranteed to trash either your disk or your ill behaved
applications data.
Caveat user - If you don't listen to the warning messages from the DOS,
it's your problem.
| 3) I have a 25Mhz machine, but the DOS SHELL runs so slowly under graphics
| mode. Is there any way to speed it up?
Get a fast graphics card - A VGA helps a LOT.
| 6) What is the performance difference between BUFFERS=, IBMCACHE.SYS, and
| Microsoft's SMARTDRV.SYS, which comes with Excel? I have a 25 MHz 386,
| emulating expanded memory via XMAEM.SYS (about 1.2M). What is the best
| disk caching I can use, and how memory should I apply, e.g. how many
| buffers or how many KB for the disk cache?
IBMCACHE.SYS and SMARTDRV.SYS are essentially the same thing - ie a read
only disk cache. I personally feel that SMARTDRV is faster due to the way
it's written internally. The DOS BUFFERS= switch is used to specify the
number of buffers used for small I/O operations - You can get a
significant improvement if you set this from between 10 and 20 - With the
new extended buffer scheme in DOS 4.0, multiples of 16 are the best, the
algorithms fall over when just slightly over multiples of 16 - ie
BUFFERS=33 can really hurt your performance.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 89 15:13:02 EST
From: Duncan Murdoch <dmurdoch@watstat.waterloo.edu>
Subject: Outputting ^Z with TurboPascal 5.0
>Robert Bloom <rbloom@apg-emh1.apg.army.mil> writes:
>>How do you output a CHR(26) in TurboPascal v5.0? I'm writing a program
>>that outputs graphical data and thus must be able to send all 256
>>characters [CHR(0) through CHR(255)] to the printer...
The problem is that the device is being opened in "cooked" mode, and you
want it in "raw" mode. To change it, get the file handle (from
textrec(f).handle or filerec(f).handle, after you've used the Dos unit),
and use the DOS service $44 IOCTL call with
AH = 44h
BX = file handle
AL = 0
to get device information in DX, then set bit 5 of DX to 1, and do another
call with same AH and BX, but AL = 1 to set the device information.
Duncan Murdoch
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 89 23:42
From: Wujastyk (on GEC 4190 Rim-D at UCL) <UCGADKW%euclid.ucl.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
Subject: TeX archives on Internet
Brian Collins mentioned some FTP sites for TeX related software in this
digest recently. Unfortunately his sources were not completely accurate;
but thanks anyway, Brian.
The *home* of TeX, i.e., where Don Knuth puts the first releases of new
stuff, is LABREA.STANFORD.EDU. It *used* to be SCORE, but that went off
line at the end of August this year.
SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU (that's SOE, not SDE) maintains the main repository
of LaTeX style files. There is also lots else at SUN.SOE.
JUNE.CS.WASHINGTON.EDU maintains the Unix distribution of TeX, and again,
there is quite a lot else there.
Nelson Beebe's justly famous portable family of device drivers (i.e.,
programs to convert DVI to many printer languages including HP LaserJet
and Apple LaserWriter) is available from SCIENCE.UTAH.EDU, and the litany
is as before: Nelson has lots of useful stuff there.
For those lucky enough to have coloured-book FTP access to the British
JANET network, there is the vast TeX archive maintained at Aston by Peter
Abbott. Of all the TeX archives, this is the most comprehensive. It also
runs an email server, so anyone with email can order and receive stuff.
Details of all these services are published in TUGboat, the communications
of the TeX users Group. Ask your librarian.
The above list is far from comprehensive. It's a good start though. A
recent issue of TeXhax carried a very useful and full survery of all the
main TeX program repositories. It was written by Peter Flynn of Cork,
Ireland, and you can contact him by email at CBTS8001@IRUCCVAX.UCC.IE.
The resources available are quite extraordinary, and a testament to the
generosity of programmers, writers and designers everywhere.
Enjoy.
Dominik Wujastyk
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 89 10:57 EST
From: <LIANG%IPFWCVAX.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Controlling Office PC from Home
What software will I need if I want to run a program in the PC in my
office while I am on my home PC.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 89 20:27:37 EDT
From: The Time Traveler <HE891C%GWUVM.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: 50-Line menu program
I'm looking for a DOS Menu program (not quite a DOS Shell) like Pop's
Menu! or Direct Access, but works in 50-line mode on a VGA. If someone
gas Turbo Pascal source code, that would be even better. Thanx in
advance.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 89 11:47:52 CST
From: Jan Wilms <JWILMS%MSSTATE.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: COM3 and COM4
I have a 386 machine with an internal modem (set-up as COM2). I also have
an IO card, with 2 serial ports, a parallel port, and a game port.
According to the documentation, it should be possible to configure the
serial ports as COM1 and COM3 (or COM4, for that matter), simply by
setting the correct jumpers.
I am running DOS 3.3 on my machine, but it will only recognize COM1 and
COM2 (as reported by PF (portfinder), a utility by James McDaniel
available on Simtel20). When I remove my modem, the system does recognize
the 2 serial ports on the IO card, suggesting that the problem is not in
the hardware.
What should I do to remedy this situation? I always believed that DOS 3.3
and above would support up to 4 serial ports (given the right software to
use them, of course). Does the order in which the cards are installed
matter?
Thanx,
JWILMS@MSSTATE
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 89 00:47:17 EST
From: zielke@phy.duke.edu (David Zielke)
Subject: Epson Drivers for TeX
I have been trying to get the Epson drivers for TeX to correctly run on my
IBMPC-AT which has an inboard 386 installed.
I downloaded the TeX system from the archives and have the following
problem. I create a DVI file from my input using TeX or LaTeX. I have
verified that this file is correct by sending it up to the local
department computer and then printing it on their postscript printer using
their DVI-PS drivers. However, if I attempt to print on my epson LX-800
printer using the dvieps driver provided in the package I run into trouble
if the printed file is more than about half a page of full text. The
program produces an output file without a problem but when it is copied to
the printer it will work fine for about a third of a page and then start
printing garbage. Often stray dots which appear to be an image somewhat
offset (like by an inch horizontally and half an inch vertically). Then
it just hangs up the printer. I have to power down the printer to restart
it as the front panel controls are completely hung. If anyone has used
this system to produce output on an epson printer I would really like to
hear about it. I don't know if I have a printer problem or a CPU
incompatibility or if the software just does not work!
Thanks in advance...
David M. Zielke
Zielke@phy.duke.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 89 12:47:35 CST
From: Don Meredith <DMEREDI3@UA1VM.ua.edu>
Subject: LaTeX for the PC
Is there any one out there that knows where I can get my hands on
a (preferrably) PD version of LaTeX for the PC??? Drivers for various
printers should also be included.
Dandy Don.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 89 12:15:36 MEZ
From: Hans-Georg Reusch <PT151%DMSWWU1A.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: LOADALL mode emulation in 80286 protected mode by LOADALL
Dear networkers!
Yesterday I've got the file LOADALL.TXT which was send to me by email by
an unknown sender.
This file contains a description of the LOADALL instruction, an undocu-
mented instruction of the INTEL 80286 processor.
In the LOADALL.TXT file it is stated that, by means of this undocumented
instruction, it is possible to execute real mode programs within the
protected mode of the 80286, even concurrently to other protected mode
programs.
The file contains a (that's my impression!) rather detailed description of
the services a real mode emulator program (a kind of operating system for
the execution of real mode software within protected mode I think) has to
provide and what kind of rules it has to obey.
Because I'm not an expert in assembly language programming I think that it
is not easy for me to build such an emulator program within a reasonable
time although I'm strongly interested in it.
Has anyone heard of the existence of such a program? If yes, please let me
know, where I can get it (commercial vendors too).
Also I'm interested in your opinion about the information in the
LOADALL.TXT file (I think many of you have got it too!). Would it also be
possible to execute concurrently SEVERAL real mode programs by such an
emulator? I think in this case such an emulator program could be a great
concurrent to the 386-multitasking programs like VM386 or DESQVIEW 386
because it could run already on the millions of cheap 80286 AT clones.
Many thanks in advance. I'm looking forward to your answers.
Hans-Georg Reusch
Institut f. Theoretische Physik 1
University of Muenster
Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 9
D-4400 Muenster
West-Germany
My email-adress: PT151@DMSWWU1A.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 26 Nov 89 10:15:16 GMT
From: rcleon@urc.tue.nl (Leon Oninckx)
Subject: LPT1/LPT2 configuration problem
I have a question concerning the configuration of the printer ports on my
AT-clone. Is it possible to configure the 'IBM AT SERIAL/PARALLEL ADAPTER'
so that the com-port is configured as 'COM2' and the printerport as
'LPT2'?
It's because I have a CGA/HERC card with parallel port, game port and (I
think) bus-mouse outlet. It's a Juko G7-A with an IC marked with a label
'2201870001 01560'. I tried already setting the printer-jumper on this
card to disable, so that I normally could use the 'COM2/LPT1'
configuration on the serial/parallel card, but I found that the graphics
video mode was ALSO disabled when i disabled the printer on the Juko card.
I don't think that it's a good idea to have two LPT1's eh.
I don't have any documentation on both cards, so I don't know what to do
now. I hope someone can help me out here...
Thanks,
-Leon
| Leon Oninckx, Pennendijk 7, NL-4851 VB Ulvenhout, The Netherlands
| email : rcleon@urc.tue.nl, rcleon@heitue5.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 23 November 89, 20:08:14 MEX
From: LG273608.at.VMTECMEX@garcon.cso.uiuc.edu
Subject: IBM PC PS/2 Model 25 info requested
We would like to have some information regarding computers IBM model
ps/25. Also technical problems and solves that user has when ha has this
equipment.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 1989 10:24 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: MSDOS statistics-related files uploaded to SIMTEL20
[--forwarded message--]
From: Jim Groeneveld <GROENEVELD%HDETNO51.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
I have uploaded the following files to SIMTEL20:
<msdos.statistics>
SEPARATE.ARC Split a multiple record data file into singles
COPYFIX.ARC Rearrange data records, change record lengths
CODEBOOK.ARC Convert fixed formatted data into other format
PDSWSTAT.ARC Review of main PD/SW statistical software
Regards,
Jim Groeneveld.
NIPG TNO - - - - - <work> - - - - -|- <home> - - - - -| GROENEVELD@HDETNO51
Postbus 124 | Wassenaarseweg 56 | Schoolweg 14 | GROENEVELD@TNO.NL
2300 AC Leiden | 2333 AL Leiden | 8071 BC Nunspeet | TNOSUR::GROENEVELD
Nederland (NL) 071-178810 | 03412-60413 | RULTNO::JIM
[--end forwarded message--]
Thanks, Jim!
--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
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 1989 09:43 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: MsKermit file transfer made easy, update
[--forwarded message--]
From: Timo Salmi LASK <ts@uwasa.fi>
Sun 26-Nov-89: I have updated my MsKermit utilities collection to be
version tskerm22.arc. I have included some interesting postings and email
about MsKermit related file transfer problems and principles with the kind
permission of the authors. I have prepared a set of command synonyms to
further automate Kermit and Z-modem file transfers. Furthermore, I
included separate scripts for downloading and uploading text files with a
VAX/VMS host.
Prof. Timo Salmi (Site 128.214.12.3)
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: vakk::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun
TSKERM22.ARC MsKermit utilities by Timo Salmi
Filename Comment Date Time CRC
-------- -------------------------------- ---- ---- ---
GETBIN.CMD Automatic file transfer to PC 11-26-89 15:17:16 6343
GETTEXT.CMD Automatic file transfer to PC 11-26-89 15:21:20 D4BB
KERM.BAT A simple batch for MsKermit 2.32 02-11-89 12:10:04 3862
MSE.BAT Alternative boot, colors, harddk 04-08-89 07:48:46 E8D4
MSK.BAT Selective boot for MsKermit 2.32 04-08-89 07:53:48 8C97
MSK230AT.INI Standard VT102 keyboard driver 08-12-88 05:09:20 CA73
MSK230KP.INI VT102 keypad simulating Facit 08-12-88 05:09:40 EF58
MSK230QL.INI VT102 keypad simulating QL QCODE 08-12-88 05:10:56 E8A0
MSK231AT.INI Procomm-like VT102 AT keyboard 11-09-88 12:25:32 BE73
MSK231ZN.INI VT102 for Zenith Z-181 and XTs 04-28-89 15:58:28 E470
MSK232AT.INI VT102 keyboard for MsKermit 2.32 04-08-89 08:00:42 B507
MSK232ZN.INI VT102 for Zenith + MsKermit 2.32 05-02-89 23:59:58 93F0
MSZ.BAT This I use on my laptop 04-08-89 08:24:30 0C1C
PUTBIN.CMD Automatic file transfer from PC 11-26-89 15:21:38 755F
PUTTEXT.CMD Automatic file transfer from PC 11-26-89 15:20:30 5D8E
SAMPLE.CLL Autodialing! with MsKermit 08-12-88 22:23:28 9388
TIMELOG.EXE For logging program usage 08-14-88 16:48:22 8A51
TSKERM.INF Document 11-26-89 16:45:28 9E22
TSKERM.NWS News announcements about tskerm 11-26-89 16:39:56 0C81
TSKERM.POS Interesting postings and email 11-26-89 16:24:30 B236
TSPROG.INF List of PD programs from T.Salmi 10-28-89 16:59:34 D436
VAASA.INF Info: Finland, Vaasa, U of Vaasa 06-23-89 08:30:20 88AB
ZSET.CMD Set command synonyms, zmodem etc 11-26-89 15:51:26 D222
---- ------ ------ -----
0023 98560 53235 46%
[--end forwarded message--]
Thanks, Timo. TSKERM22.ARC is now available in SIMTEL20's
PD1:<MSDOS.KERMIT> directory.
--Keith
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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