Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (08/15/89)
Info-IBMPC Digest Tue, 15 Aug 89 Volume 89 : Issue 77
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.army.mil>
Today's Topics:
AT HD setup problem
Books on EGA/VGA
Commodore Colt and Harvard Business Graphics
corrupt file in Simtel archive?
File format (Paradox)
Fortran to Pascal Conversion Software
Giffer Files and Binary Editors (Digest #69)
Info-IBMPC Digest V89 #69
INFO-IBMPC Digest V89 #72
ly to: INFO-IBMPC Digest V89 #73
MS QuickBasic and LINK.
Printers: Cabling and Switching amongst Machines
Procomm Plus / Where's the upgrade?
Search for a Multifunction card with 384K & Hard Drive Controller
Software exchange with Amstrad 9512 (Digest #66)
The old joke...
TIFF and/or PCX code (Digest #70)
Turbo Pascal "misimplementations" Also, RX-80 questions.
Turbo Pascal 5.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 89 17:02:41 EST
From: Steve Morytko <STEVE%UCONNVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: AT HD setup problem
We have several IBM PC AT's that were purchased shortly after they first
became available. I am attempting to install a 42MB (CMS K-4 with
5 heads, 1024 cyl, 25ms) drive in one of them. When I run setup and
attempt to specify the drive type (I think it should be 19, but it does
not indicate this on the drive) I am told that number is out of the
range of legal drive types. I am using SETUP from the AT Advanced Diag
version 2.07. The only types it will accept are numbers between 1 and 15.
The disk controller is a WD1003-WA2.
Other sources suggest that this may be a function of the BIOS. Does anyone
know a way to get this to work? Can a new BIOS be installed and where do
you get it from?
Steve Morytko, UConn Computer Center
U-138,; Storrs, CT 06269-3138
Ph:203-486-4022 / Fax:203-486-5744
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 10:47:52 EDT
From: roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos)
Subject: Books on EGA/VGA
> Someone wanted to know a good reference on programming video cards. The
> one I bought and use is "Programmer's Guide to PC & PS/2 VIDEO SYSTEMS" by
> Richard Wilton (Microsoft Press).
Another one, which I have found to be much better, is Richard F.
Ferraro's "Programmer's Guide to the EGA and VGA Cards." It includes
diagrams of registers, bus architecture, and similar information, which
is very helpful when you want to use some of the more advanced hardware
features directly, particularly in Write Mode 0 where so much is going
on in the data path. The diagrams make it much clearer than text alone.
The Wilton book is much more BIOS oriented, and doesn't have as much
technical detail. I've used the Ferraro book to write TV-quality
weather satellite imaging software, with good success. It is published
by Addison-Wesley for $29.95 list. It apparently was written with help
from one of the enhanced VGA clone chip manufacturers, since it includes
(accurate) information on some of the extended VGA features that are in
the chip set in the card I've been using.
I have found one error in the Ferraro text, though. The register
diagram for the data rotate register (field) shows this field to be 4
bits wide. Actually it is only 3 bits wide. I discovered this when I
tried to set my VGA into XOR mode and it wouldn't do it... after some
trial and error, I found that the "function select" field which is also
in that register is 1 bit to the right of where it says in the diagram
that it is located, because the data rotate field which is adjacent to it
is shorter than it is in the drawing.
Other than that, the descriptions have all been correct. The section
describing the BIOS is very good too, and Ferraro tends to be good about
recommending when to use the BIOS vs. when to directly access the
hardware in order to get better performance. His wording tends to be
oblique at times (he sometimes over-explains things), but the technical
data itself is very good.
Eric Roskos (roskos@CS.IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL)
------------------------------
Date: Tue Aug 1 03:10:01 1989
From: gautier@lognet2.af.mil (SrA Richard A. Gautier)
Subject: Commodore Colt and Harvard Business Graphics
IBMPC/Compatible Software Users:
Has anyone here ever tried to run Harvard Business Graphics
on a Commodore Colt PC? Have you had any luck? I have tried
running it in both Turbo and Non-Turbo mode, and have not had
any luck on a Colt II
If anyone knows anything about this, and can help me out,
please let me know...
gautier@lognet2.af.mil (or lognet2.arpa)
whichever one works
Rich
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 89 17:23 EDT
From: "a.k.a. Harry Lime" <V134KKUT@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu>
Subject: corrupt file in Simtel archive?
I have tried to retreive (a number of times) the files in the modula2
directory at the Simtel archives. Every time I try my arc program
(both VMS and DOS) say the file has a currupt header and can not be extracted.
This happens with al the files execept the text tutorial (which IS also
archived), which unarcs fine. is it possible the files actually are currupt?
or is something special needed that I didn't need with the ARCed text file?
-Dave-
U of Buffalo
v134kkut@ubvmsc (bitnet)
------------------------------
qdp
Date: 1 Aug 89 07:58:00 EDT
From: zn0chapman@nardacva.arpa
Subject: File format (Paradox)
There have been a few msgs recently concerning dBASE file format. Does
anyone out there in Netland have the format for a Paradox database?
David Chapman
NARDAC Norfolk
zn0chapman @ nardacva.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 89 13:45:21 EDT
From: "Jack E. McCoy" <ACMCCOY%ECUVM1.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Fortran to Pascal Conversion Software
Does anyone know of a translation program which will convert a Fortran
source file to Pascal? I have checked all my resources (except this one)
and have come up with nil. Any information that you can provide will be
helpful. Commercial, shareware, or public domain, which runs under IBM
CMS, MS-DOS, or a Macintosh environment will do.
========================================================================
Jack E. McCoy ACMCCOY@ECUVM1.BITNET
Microcomputer Consultant (919) 757 - 6812
East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858
========================================================================
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1989 19:13:36 CET
From: A0045%DK0RRZK0.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Giffer Files and Binary Editors (Digest #69)
These 128-byte headers, which you found at the beginning of MAC-files
form the SIMTEL20 archive, are known as *Mac Binary Headers* in the
Macintosh world and are a commonly used mechanism to preserve Macintosh
file attributes on file transfers through other systems.
With pure binary files like the GIF files you have indeed not more to do
than to strip the header off to use them on a PC.
There is also a PC program in the SIMTEL20 archive which can add and
delete as many Mac Binary headers in a file as you like.
Look at <MSDOS.MAC>MACB10.ARC.
Btw, you mentioned you used Logitech's Point Editor as *binary* editor.
How did you do that? I cannot find any hint in the program or the
documentation how to accomplish such a task.
I ask this because I'm also looking for a *binary editor* for some time
without success. I don't mean a disk patch program like the ones in
Norton Utilities, PC-Tools and similar collections. These program can
only change bytes in a fixed file structure. What I mean is a program
with which I can do all the editing tasks in some representation of a
binary file (e.g. Hex), which are normally found in text editors like
deleting and inserting, search and replace and so on.
Does anybody know such a beast?
Jochen Roderburg
Regional Computing Center
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10 Tel. : +49-221/470-4564
D-5000 Koeln 41 Email: A0045 @ DK0RRZK0.BITNET (CDC)
West Germany or A0045 @ DK0RRZK1.BITNET (IBM)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 16:28:08 IST
From: "Prof. Ze'ev Herzog / Ken Herzog" <SINGER%TAUNIVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Info-IBMPC Digest V89 #69
SEND PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>SIMIBM.IDX
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 89 13:46:38 EDT
From: "Paul F. Schulze" <PFS%NIHCU.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: INFO-IBMPC Digest V89 #72
>
> Date: Tue, 18 Jul 89 14:37:06 EDT
> From: Jeffrey Marans <JEFF@NRCVM01.bitnet>
> Subject: Flow Chart Generators
>
> Does anyone know of any programs that read source code and produce
> flow chart pictures? I've got to maintain large sections of other
> people's FORTRAN, and pictoral flow charts might help cut through
> the spagetti.
>
jeff-there was a program out many years ago in the mainframe area
called autoflow-i think the company had the same name.
but-the few times i tried to use the flowcharts generated, they
really weren't of much help. The reason: they just chart out all
of the statements, they didn't show you the conceptual logic that
was used to develop the program, they showed you the program logic
with all of the names, etc involved in it, and as they work line by
line, you will find that the flow is almost as hard to follow as
reading the code.
ie they didn't abstract it enough to make it worth while.
Paul Schulze: pfs@nihcu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 89 10:35:16 EDT
From: <Todd_Krein%ILL.CEO.DG.COM@adam.DG.COM>
Subject: ly to: INFO-IBMPC Digest V89 #73
From: Todd Krein:ILL
Date: ## 08/01/89 10:35 ##
Please remove me from this mailing list.
Thanx!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 17:24:43 EDT
From: "John P. McNeely " <JMCNEELY%UTCVM.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: MS QuickBasic and LINK.
I am currently working on a software package written in Microsoft
QB version 4.0 and am puzzled as to how I can successfully run a program
from the editor enviroment and not come up with an .EXE file. The program
has 5 modules and references a "C" library. When I try to link the modules
and library together from within the compiler environment, I get a LINK error
message saying: <object file name>: "SEGMENT SIZE EXCEEDS 64K: BC_DATA".
Since BC_DATA is part of the DGROUP I began making my large arrays dynamic
by using '$DYNAMIC' and using as few variables as possible to try an leave
more space in DGROUP for static data. This has all been to no avail. I still
get the error message. What I don't understand is how the QuickBasic compiler
can run this program without problems but the QuickBasic LINK program won't
produce an .EXE file. Has anyone out there experienced these problems before?
If so, I would appreciate your input as to how you handled it. Thanks.
John P. McNeely
BITNET Address: JMCNEELY@UTCVM.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 31 Jul 89 14:39:03 GMT
From: jvandegrift@BBN.COM (Jeffrey Vandegrift)
Subject: Printers: Cabling and Switching amongst Machines
A few questions about printers in IBM/PC compatible configurations:
From: jvandegr@bbn.com (Jeffrey Vandegrift)
Path: bbn.com!jvandegr
1) How long can a parallel printer cable be before causing problems?
If the answer is less than 25 ft., then what are my options for
extending the maximum length (boosters, matched transceivers...)
2) I'd like to hook two machines (Lead.Edge-D / IBM PC/XT) up to one
printer (HP DeskJet):
a) What are the best sources for manual operated parallel switches?
b) Do automatic parallel switches work reasonably well?
Where can I get one for cheap ($200 from Lyben is too much).
3) Is there an inexpensive way to network two IBM compatibles? Can
peripherals, such as printers, be shared in such a scheme?
- jeff
- Jeffrey Vandegrift (jvandegrift@bbn.com)
------------------------------
Date: Tue Aug 1 03:22:25 1989
From: gautier@lognet2.af.mil (SrA Richard A. Gautier)
Subject: Procomm Plus / Where's the upgrade?
DDN.SIG:
How many of you folks out there use Procomm? What version are
you using? Have you written any .ASP files for it? Do you have
any documentation for the .ASP programming language?
I am currently using Procomm Plus Test Drive, and I am still
using the documentation for the .ASP files that I received when
I purchased version 2.4.2 of Procomm itself. Some of the commands
have changed, and I have had to find out the hard way what the
changes were.
Anyways, if anyone out there in NETland knows anything about
a changes list for commands from PCPLUS to Procomm itself...
Please let me know. I may be interested in purchasing the
upgrade, if I just knew what some of the changes were, besides
just the look of the windows and stuff..
Rich
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 14:26 MST
From: "C. R. Oldham" <OLDHAM@rvax.ccit.arizona.edu>
Subject: Search for a Multifunction card with 384K & Hard Drive Controller
I have an old TeleVideo PC Compatible / 256K / CGA / 2 Floppy Drives. I would
like to upgrade it to 640K and add a hard drive but there is only one expansion
slot in the computer.
The memory comes in 16K chips. This precludes replacing them with
higher density chips (doesn't it?)
Can somebody recommend a course of action here? I need either a
multifunction card with 384K and a hard-drive controller, or some way to
replace 16K chips with 64 or 256K ones.
Reply to me please, and I will summarize (if anyone is interested).
Thanks in advance.
Charles R. Oldham
Department of Instructional Computing
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
oldham@rvax.ccit.arizona.edu (Internet)
OLDHAM@ARIZRVAX (Bitnet)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1989 19:11:25 CET
From: A0045%DK0RRZK0.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Software exchange with Amstrad 9512 (Digest #66)
You won't be very succesfull with PC-compatible programs on an Amstrad
9512 system, this is a Z80-based system with CP/M operation system,
so program codes are not interchangeable between those.
Jochen Roderburg
Regional Computing Center
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10 Tel. : +49-221/470-4564
D-5000 Koeln 41 Email: A0045 @ DK0RRZK0.BITNET (CDC)
West Germany or A0045 @ DK0RRZK1.BITNET (IBM)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 89 16:55:47 EDT
From: Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre.arpa) <jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org>
Subject: The old joke...
In a lighter vein, the following appeared in the 31 July issue of
_Federal_Computer_Week_, p. 46:
How many UNIX programmers does it take to fix an overhead projector?
Only one, apparently, but it takes a roomful of others to help by
hooting "Hardware! Hardware!" and laughing.
The proof came at a recent meeting of the Washington Area Unix Users
Group, when the fan of a projector being used stopped buzzing only
with a well-placed whack of a fist.
The fist belonged to William Leighton III, director of Security Systems
Engineering at AT&T Co.'s Bell Labs, who predicted AT&T's System V/MLS
secure UNIX will receive the first B1 rating for UNIX from [NCSC...]
[Nothing to do directly with PC's, but it's too good not to share. jcm]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1989 19:12:29 CET
From: A0045%DK0RRZK0.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: TIFF and/or PCX code (Digest #70)
Some information and programs for PCX files just appeared in the August
issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal, and the accompaniing sources are already
in the SIMTEL20 archive under <MSDOS.DDJMAG>DDJ0889.ARC.
A program which reads TIFF files (and produces Sun raster files, but can
certainly used to produce other output, too) is in the UNIX department of
SIMTEL20 under <UNIX-C.GRAPHICS>TIFF2RAST.TAR-Z.
Jochen Roderburg
Regional Computing Center
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10 Tel. : +49-221/470-4564
D-5000 Koeln 41 Email: A0045 @ DK0RRZK0.BITNET (CDC)
West Germany or A0045 @ DK0RRZK1.BITNET (IBM)
------------------------------
Date: 1 Aug 89 10:44:12 GMT
From: leif@ambra.dk (Leif Andrew Rump)
Subject: Turbo Pascal "misimplementations" Also, RX-80 questions.
> 1) EOF(input) is a boolean function, and therefore should return a
>"false" value rather than waiting until something comes into the buffer
>and turns out to be ^Z or something. If this IS the way the standard is
>ofrmulated, I'd call it "illogical."
This would call for a trilian function (TRUE, FALSE, UNKNOWN) because
the next character entered _MAY_ be an EOF-character or not!
> 2) Of course, it would slow down the process too much if there is a
>conditional jump after EACH and every arithmetic operation, esp. because
>the 8086 family is NOT exactly optimized for branching (my bias). But,
>I think it should at least be an option, especially for multiplying,
>in which case it would add very little to the processing time (5%, maybe?).
You got a _YES_ vote for this
Leif Andrew Rump, AmbraSoft A/S, Roejelskaer 15, DK-2840 Holte, Denmark
UUCP: leif@ambra.dk, phone: +45 42424 111, touch phone: +45 42422 817+313
> > > Why are tall Irish girls with red hair so wonderful ? ? ? < < <
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 89 14:19 CDT
From: TONY SCHAEFFER <CFAJS%ECNCDC.BITNET@UICVM.uic.edu>
Subject: Turbo Pascal 5.5
I am planning to use Turbo Pascal 5.5 in class this fall, but
have just discovered that it will not fit on a single old 5 1/4
floppy. The Borland help people were no help; they bariley
understood the problem. I think I can set up so that the students
can boot from one disk in the A: drive and then swap in a second
disk. I want B: free for their programs.
Has anyone solved this problem/question yet? I'll accept any
help I get, and if answers get sent to me directly, I'll forward
then.
Thanks in advance, Tony Schaeffer CFAJS@ECNCDC.BITNET
I'm not allowed to have opinions.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 19:08:57 BST
From: PHY222%SYSH.SURREY.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
I have been enjoying getting the Digest and I keep the files available for
other users on this Campus (University of Surrey). Unfortunately our
mail system is cumbersome and the duplication of copies of the digest makes
lifeharder. It has been some time since such duplication occurred here, but I
have
just received 89-71 and 89-72 twice. I am sending this message to the
two addresses which they seems to have come from, namely:
INFO-IBMPC@MIL.ARMY.WSMR-SIMTEL20 and
INFO-IBMPC-IREQUEST@MIL.ARMY.WSMR-SIMTEL20
Is it possible to stop the files from one of these?
At the same time I would like you to stop sending the digest to
PHY062@SYSD.SURREY.AC.UK (which = PHY222@SYSH.SURREY.AC.UK)
and send it instead to:
ROGER@PH.SURREY.AC.UK
Many thanks, Roger Barrett.
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
************************
-------