Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (02/19/89)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sun, 19 Feb 89 Volume 89 : Issue 25
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Chinhae Korea <COMFLEACT@Taegu-EMH1.army.mil>
Today's Topics:
*elongated PATH
F11 and F12
Request for Information on PSInet
AUTOCAD driver wanted for an Antique Plotter
VGA pallettes
Typing programs wanted
Re: X windows (server) for PC
Re: Plug-in processor boards for AT bus
Mac<--->IBM via 3.5 disk: MatchMaker
MKS correct phone nr
PKUNPAK problem
SCHEDULE.ARC
serial port for the Tandy 1000 sx
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Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 09:16:42 EST
From: todd pukanecz <CCCS@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: *elongated PATH
Dr. A.Bykat writes:
>I need to overcome the 130 char limit ... of the PATH string...
>Any suggestions?
May I suggest that you *don't want* a long path. As a general rule, you
should have, maybe, 6 subdirectories in your path. If you alot of sub-
directories in your path and misspell, say, COPY as CPOY, you search all
dozen or so subdirectories for this misspelled command. If you've got a
slow hard disk like mine, you must wait many seconds (which can seem like
years if in a hurry) till you correct the error and get on with business.
A good strategy is to have the stuff you need most often in your path (DOS
utilities, word processor, etc.) and stuff used less frequently (in my
case, spreadsheets, graphics programs, etc.) is accessed via batch files.
(My SC.BAT first changes to proper subdirectory, then starts SuperCalc).
All these batch files should be in one subdirectory which is on the PATH.
If you just have long subdirectory names, then using SUBST, along with the
LASTDRIVE command in your CONFIG.SYS if necessary, will allow you to use
fewer characters to specify the path. However, long subdirectory names in
your path indicate that you may want to re-organize your HD tree
structure. (A pain in the butt, I know, but can save grief later.)
This scheme allows quick access to stuff used most frequently, while still
giving reasonable access time for stuff used less frequently. It also
alleviates long waits caused by long paths and misspelled commands. I did
a presentation on hard disk management last year. The information above
was presented. This information was gleaned from articles in PC Magazine,
PC Week, and Byte magazines.
-------- /^^^\ ---- Todd Pukanecz ---- ---- CCCS@VTVM1 ----
----- / > --- Ag. Econ. DPL --- "How many Mondays can there
--- /\_/ @ \ -- Virginia Tech -- be in one man's life?"
- /________________> - Blacksburg VA - -RIED FLEMMING (W.T.M.M.)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1989 12:02:19 CET
From: A0045%DK0RRZK0.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: F11 and F12
The extended Keyboard keys are usually only returned by INT 16H functions
AH=10H and 11H, which are the extended versions of AH=00H and AH=01H
resp., so I think a possible solution of your problem is to write a INT16H
replacement routine which just maps function 0 and 1 to the functions 10
of 11 of the original (BIOS) INT16H routine. It is, however, possible
that this produces unexpected results with the rest of the extended keys.
The article, you were looking for, was titled 'Keying on an Standard'
appeared in the July 1987 edition of PC Tech Journal, and I just see it
contains such a program already.
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)
[There is a program in the Lending Library that allows one to use the F11
and F12 keys... Called appropriately F11F12.ASM. This can be found in
file PD1:<MSDOS.KEYBOARD>F11F12.ASM ... gph]
------------------------------
Date: Wed Feb 15, 1989 16:15:49 CST
From: Don Weihl <DPCW%SIUEMUS.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: psinet
What is PSInet? It is associated with AASCU (American Association of
State Colleges and Universities). I have been asked to find out as much
information about PSInet as possible. Any help would be greatly
appreciated. My BITNET address is DPCW@SIUEMUS. Thank you.
Don Weihl
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 89 22:07:29 CST
From: B a l a <MKBALAJI%UMSVM.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: AutoCad Driver for an Antique Plotter wanted
Hi there !
I have an antique plotter by name EPSON model HI-80 and AutoCad
Version 2.15 (Release date : 05/07/85). Neither the plotter manual nor the
autocad manual suggest how to make them communicate with each other. The
plotter is of a four pen kind and it's manual doesnot give even how to set
the communication parameters, how to toggle between parallel interface and
serial interface, what are the pin details for the purposes of making a
cable. Does somebody outthere know anything of any of these two antique
things and willing to share the info. Thanks in advance.
../Bala
Bitnet : mkbalaji@umsvm
Internet : mkbalaji@vm.cc.olemiss.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 10:15:51 PST
From: (Mark Adler) <madler%Hamlet.Bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
Subject: VGA Palettes
In reply to:
> Does any one know how to access the VGA pallete directly without using
>BIOS? I need to be able to use pallete animation and the BIOS routines
>take to long to change the pallete.
Which palette? If you mean the 256x18 color palette, then this is how:
1. Write a color lookup table address (8 bits) to port 03C8h.
2. Write three bytes to port 03C9h. The low six bits of those bytes are
red, green, and blue respectively. (I'm actually suprised that IBM did
those in the expected order.)
3. The address register you wrote to in step 1 has just been auto
incremented. So you can, if you want, go back to step 2 and write the
next color.
For example, to write the color addressed by AL with the value of
the three bytes at [SI]:
cld
mov dx,03C8h
cli
out dx,al
inc dx
mov cx,3 or for cpu < 186: lodsb
rep outsb out dx,al
sti lodsb
out dx,al
lodsb
out dx,al
sti
Or, to load the entire table with the 768 bytes at [SI]:
cld
mov dx,03C8h
mov al,0
cli
out dx,al
inc dx
mov cx,256*3
rep outsb
sti
This is extremely fast since "rep outsb" runs at the full bus bandwidth.
For cpu < 186, you could repeat the lodsb, out dx,al instructions 256
times making a routine over 768 bytes long, but that would be the fastest
way to do it in that case. (And who cares about 768 bytes anyway?)
If you mean the 16x6 palette, then set up a table of 35 bytes at [SI] as
follows:
db 0,col0,1,col1,...,15,col15,17,over,32
where "col0..15" are six bit values (high two bits must be zero) to be
loaded into the palette and "over" is the overscan color. The "32" at the
end turns the palette back on (it is disabled during writing). Then:
cld
mov dx,03D4h ;3B4h if in a monochrome mode.
cli
in al,dx ;clears attribute controller flip-flip.
mov dx,03C0h ;Attribute controller register.
mov cx,35
rep outsb ;for cpu >= 186
sti
Any palette changing (the 256x18 or the 16x6) should be done during
vertical retrace to avoid momentarily blanking the display in the middle
somewhere. To wait for the beginning of a vertical retrace:
mov dx,03D4h ;3B4h if in a monochrome mode.
cli ;Take out cli's in above routines if this
; precedes them.
lp1: ;Wait for vertical retrace to end.
in al,dx
and al,8
jnz lp1
lp2: ;Wait for vertical retrace to start.
in al,dx
and al,8
jz lp2
. ;Palette changing routine with sti at end.
.
.
Mark Adler
bitnet: madler@hamlet
arpa: madler@hamlet.caltech.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 14:58:59 CST
From: Manuel Valenzuela <MVALENZ3@UA1VM>
Subject: Typing programs
I am looking for a program that will help somebody to learn to type. I
remember seeing one some years ago were the user was asked to type typical
sequences of letters and the program would beep at every error; I think it
also would count the number of errors per lesson. The lessons had
increasing difficulty. I really don't need something very complicated,
only a program for a child to learn to type and have some fun at the same
time. I will appreciate any help in my search.
--Manuel Valenzuela
bitnet:mvalenz3@ua1vm
internet:mvalenz3@ua1vm.ua.edu
------------------------------
Date: 16 Feb 89 00:32:40 GMT
From: jbvb@ftp.com (James Van Bokkelen)
Subject: Re: X windows (server) for PC
In the Info-IBMPC Digest V89 #21:
>
> From: Raymond Koluvek <R02RDK%DHHDESY3.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
>
> I am looking for a distributor of PC Xsight (X windows for a pc) from
>Locus Computing Corp in Europe, or simular procduct...
HP sells a X server for DOS. I don't have extensive experience with it,
but I worked with the developers and I've seen it run. They should be
pretty easy to find.
James B. VanBokkelen
FTP Software Inc.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 08:46:46 EST
From: soley@juicy-juice.lcs.mit.edu (Richard Mark Soley)
Subject: Re: Plug-in processor boards for AT bus
From: Robert Carpenter <rc@cmr.icst.nbs.gov>
> A friend needs a coprocessor BOARD for a PC-AT which will plug into the
>bus and run ** simultaneously ** with the normal processor. The new board
>should allow a math processor as well as.
A good possibility is the 386 HummingBoard by A. I. Architects, Inc. in
Peabody, Massachusetts, telephone: (508) 535-7510. This is a 386-based
board with room for an 80387 coprocessor. It runs entirely simultaneously
with the original processor. It's an 8-bit (XT) bus card, but of course
can be used in an AT bus. They might even have newer versions now.
> He needs quite a bit of memory on the new board; some of it should be
>dual-ported to the AT bus to allow the new board to be handled like
>"smart" memory ... write some data ... read the answer.
Up to 24 Megabytes on board, no daughtercards. On-board cache. And the
card appears as a 64Kb memory card to the base system.
> Mature software support is a must (under DOS, please).
Supports a large list of languages by various manufacturers, including 16
and 32 bit versions. Last I heard included (at least) C, Pascal, Fortran,
a bunch of assemblers, Lisp, Prolog, etc. Includes Microsoft & Borland.
Also supports a 386 32-bit mode extension to DOS (AIA also makes the "DOS
extender" OS/386). Card has been shipping since 1985 (it was the first
commercially available 80386 product, besides perhaps Intel).
Richard Mark Soley
Soley@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU
Claimer: Although I now have nothing to do with A. I. Architects, I was
a founder of the company.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 21:09:21 EST
From: halp@tcgould.TN.CORNELL.EDU (Bruce P. Halpern)
Subject: Mac<--->IBM via 3.5 disk: MatchMaker
I recently installed a MatchMaker in a IBM AT 339. It is a card that
requires a half-size slot, and provides a connector to which a Mac disk
(either 400K or 800K) drive is connected. Software that comes with the
MatchMaker is easy to install. It can be resident on a hard disk or
installed after boot from a floppy.
MatchMaker allows DOS (at least DOS 3.2) files to be written onto the Mac
disk. Files can also be read from the Mac disk onto an IBM device. The
Mac directory can be read, and Mac disks formatted.
My Mac+ had no trouble reading the text files.
With IBM WordPerfect 5.0, if WP files are saved to the Mac disk as 4.2
files, WordPerfect for Mac can import them with bold face, underline, sub
and super scripts intact. I haven't tried this with any other word
processor.
MatchMaker is sold by: MicroSolutions, 132 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb IL
60115, telephone 815-756-3411. It lists for $149.00
My experience with MatchMaker has thusfar been completely positive.
****DISCLAMER: My comments, etc., are my own shakey opinions ********
| Bruce P. Halpern Psychology & Neurobiology & Behavior Cornell Ithaca |
| INTERNET:halp@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu BITNET:D57J@CORNELLA D57J@CRNLVAX5|
| UUCP:{vax135,rochester,decvax}!cornell!batcomputer!halp |
| PHONE: 607-255-6433 Uris Hall, Cornell U., Ithaca, NY 14853-7601 |
------------------------------
Date: 16 Feb 89 02:55:20 GMT
From: sdsu!vinge%sdsu@ucsd.edu (Vernor Vinge)
Subject: MKS correct phone nr
A week or two ago, someone posted a phone number for Mortice Kern Systems.
That number was incorrect. A correct number is (519)884-2251. (Apologies
if a correction has already been posted; the lady at the wrong number said
she was getting lots of calls.)
-- Vernor Vinge Dept Math Sci San Diego State University
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 89 15:28:02 CET
From: "Alberto Gianolio" <AGIANOLI%ESTEC.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: PKUNPAK problem
I had troubles yesterday in using PKUNPAK 3.6 with the LIST option; I had
several files to delete from an archive, so I tried to put all the names
into a file and pass the file name to pkunpak with the "@" sign.
The program worked for a while, without outputting anything to the screen
and in the end it left the archive untouched. The list file was smaller
than 32K (which is a limitation for PKPAK anyway) and contained about 25
files. Has anybody else ever experienced this and possibly know how to
overcome it ?
Thanks.
Alberto...
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 10:35 EST
From: Boebert@DOCKMASTER.ARPA
Subject: SCHEDULE.ARC
Has anyone out there gotten the program SCHEDULE.EXE from this archive to
work? The program is supposed to compute duty rosters for medical
personnel. I pulled an apparently corrupt copy from the Tucson FIDO bbs
and have not been able to get it to run. Any and all help gratefully
accepted.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 89 12:28:18 EST
From: Sarah_Gray@ub.cc.umich.edu
Subject: serial port for the Tandy 1000 sx
It was requested in v89 #20 that the information on the Tandy serial port
be sent directly to the person requesting the information. I would also
like to see the answers, if possible.
I also would be interested in anyone knows how to debug Word 4.0 TMP
files. In Peter Rinearson's Word Processing Power with MS Word, he gives
instructions on how to do this with Word 3.1.
Here are the instructions:
debug xxx.doc
e100
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
w
q
Any suggestions for Word 4.0?
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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