hicks@WALKER-EMH.ARPA (Gregory Hicks COMFLEACTS) (05/18/88)
Info-IBMPC Digest Tue, 10 May 88 Volume 7 : Issue 25
This Week's Editor: Gregory Hicks -- Chinhae Korea <hicks@walker-emh.arpa>
Today's Topics:
Answer to problem with 3270 Emulation on Token-Ring
Barneyscan
Calendar
DOS 3.2 Patches Repost
Wendin PC Unix
Flu Shot 3 bombed ITT CMOS
ZSPOOL and WordPerfect
MSC Danger (was Re: Turbo C vs Quick C)
NROFF-like DOS formatter
PibTerm v4.1.1 files available via anonymous FTP
Quick reference list of SIMTEL20 MSDOS directories
Setting DOS errorlevel in C (How) (2 msgs)
TurboC: Stupid Linker
Tandy 1000 TX and OS/2
Telenet security problem
TSR (mem. res.) programs in MSC 5.0/QuickC (2 msgs)
TSR Communications Program
Today's Queries:
Bug in Reminder program
Documentation revision control system
Dos/TSR/Multitasking interaction
H/Z-158 disk drives
Tandy/IBM-PC Translation Program Needed
Character Font Location, PS/2 Mouse, Line Drawing in QuickC
Epsilon Mouse Support Requested
Installing 3.5" NEC Disk Drives on a Z-248
Laserwriter woes
MSC Stack Overflow
PS/2 Model 60 Problems
Quad-Ram Ink Jet Printer
Upgrading a PC-I past 128K memory
Info-IBMPC Lending Library is available from:
Bitnet via server at CCUC; and from SIMTEL20.ARPA (see file
PD1:<msdos>files.idx for listing of source files)
SIMTEL20.ARPA can now be accessed access from BITNET is via
LISTSERV@RPICICGE.BITNET using LISTSERV Commands
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213) 827-2635 and (213) 827-2515
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 09 Mar 88 10:03:39 CST
From: Dan DeNise <C0016%UMRVMB.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Answer to problem with 3270 Emulation on Token-Ring
I ask for help a couple of weeks ago getting the PC-LAN program and 3270
Emulation program to work side by side on a Token Ring. I also put the
question on ASKINFO. They found the problem and made an interesting point
about NETBIOS. Here's part of their reply:
It looks like your problem is your failure to code a ST parameter
on your DXMT0MOD.SYS driver. That parameter defaults to 6, but
it should be set to the number of other computers that will "talk
NETBIOS" to your server. In your case, the parameter should be
ST=13. Even if a computer has 2 NETBIOS conversations going on
(one for PC LAN Program and one for 3270 Emulation) it only needs
one link station.
The last statement is what got my attention. You only need a link station
for each computer you're going use NETBIOS to talk with, not for every
NETBIOS session you're going to use. This wasn't clear in DXMINFO.DOC,
the PC-LAN User's Guide, or the Extensions Planning and Installation
Guide. Hope this helps somebody...
Dan DeNise
U Missouri-Rolla
C0016@UMRVMB.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed 9 Mar 88 13:45:45-PST
From: Dale Chase <CHASE@venera.isi.edu>
Subject: Barneyscan
For the gent asking for the reference to the Barneyscan 35mm color slide
scanner:
Barneyscan Corp.
1198 10th St.
Berkeley, Ca. 94710
(415) 524-6648
(I'm not organized, just behind;)
<>Dale
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 88 23:34:48 EST
From: "Walter Nissen" <ZZI%NIHCU.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: CALENDAR
A most useful and authoritative source for matters calendrical is The
Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Ephemeris and the American
Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac prepared by the Nautical Almanac Offices of
the United Kingdom and the USA. It was published in 1961 by Her Majesty's
Stationery Office, 49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6HB, the fourth
impression (with amendments) in 1977. This impression was distributed in
the USA by Pendragon House, Inc., 2595 East Bayshore RD, Palo Alto, CA
94303. Whether there has been a later impression or not, I don't know;
nor do I know if it is in print (mythology holds that it is out of print
and might run $50-$100 in a used/rare book shop), but it will be available
in some libraries. You will find here not only a history of the Gregorian
Calendar, but also a bibliography and much, much more.
The easiest and best way to compute the day of the week is to use the
independently useful julian day number which is computed for the Gregorian
calendar A.D. by the simple formula:
jdn = (long)year*367 + month*275/9 - (year+(month>2))*7/4
- ((year-(month<3))/100+1)*3/4 + day + 1721029
The (long) cast may seem superfluous if an int is 32 bits. The longest
term might be omitted if you wanted your code to break on March 1, 2100.
FORTRAN for (month>2) is ((month+9)/12) and for -(month<3) is
+(month-9)/7. The operations are all integer operations, never floating
point; use INT() liberally in BASIC. As an example, the jdn for December
31, 1987, is 2447161. This gives the number of days since January 1, 4712
B.C. This integer has many desirable properties and, as a result, is
widely used (together with its extensions) to simplify many different
calculations involving days. E.g., the day of the week is simply: jdn %
7 (i.e., jdn mod 7). E.g., the difference between two days is simply:
jdnlater - jdnearlier.
Walter Nissen, DCRT, NIH, Bethesda.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 88 17:00:46 EST
From: Bruce_Kahn@MAYTAG.CEO.DG.COM
Subject: DOS 3.2 Patches Repost
Here is a repost of the DOS 3.2 patches that I was requesting earlier.
Thanks again to Jerry.Lotto@LHASA.HARVARD.EDU
>DOS 3.2 Echo off in batch files:
>
>The location used to set the echo default is 1b2c. This location has
>01 in it, but if this value is changed to 00, batch files will run
>with echo off.
>
This has not worked for me. I had "legit" code at 1b2c, and there were
no 00 values to be found nearby.
>DOS 3.2 Control-U and Control-W line editing:
>
>1e98, 1e99, 1e9c and 1e9d in ibmdos.com have nop's stored. Locations
>1e98 and 1e99 should have jz 1ef8, and 1e9c and 1e9d jz 1eef. This
>can be achieved by setting these locations to the following values:
>
> 1e98 74
> 1e99 5e
> 1e9c 74
> 1e9d 51
>
These seem to work on PC-DOS. If anyone has them for MS-DOS (they are
slightly different) then please drop me a note.
Bruce
(Bruce_Kahn%maytag.ceo.dg.com@adam.dg.com OR
Bruce_Kahn%maytag.ceo.dg.com@relay.cs.net )
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 1988 18:49 IST
From: Turgut Kalfaoglu <BILTUR@TREARN>
Subject: Wendin PC Unix
PC-Unix 1.04: A review
Test machine: IBM PC w/512K,CGA.
I recently got Wendin's PcUnix. It's a UNIX OS, and a real one too. It
supports up to 3 terminals, including the console. I haven't had much
previous exprience with Unix before, but the manual shows all the
available commands (over 60)..
The nice thing about this system is that you get the source for the
system as well..
The manual states that 'well behaved' MS-DOS applications can run
happily under PC-Unix. I was able to notice that Norton's Editor, QB 4.0,
command.com and CHKDSK were not 'well behaved', according to PCUnix. You
may notice that some of my bombing- attempts were on purpose. I admit..
Among the above, only QuickBASIC gave a 'Program too large' error, the
rest crashed the system.
I am told that the VM version of PC Unix solves the compatibility
problems. I don't have the VM/PCunix, so I couldn't test that..
I particularly liked the ability to put an MS-DOS program into
background, by simply putting an & symbol to the end of its parameter
list.
For learning Unix, it's excellent. And If you are really good at
system's programming, you can write your own operating system using its
toolbox.. As I said, I am new to Unix, and PC Unix made me fall in love
with it!
-turgut
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 88 12:26:23 -0500
From: Glenn Larsen <glarsen@note.nsf.gov>
Subject: Flu Shot 3 bombed ITT CMOS
I had only one problem with Flu Shot 3 which was downloaded from SIMTEL in
Nevada. The problem was when using the option to protect the CMOS were
configuration information is stored with battery backup.
One of the parameters allow you to protect the configuration from being
exploded on AT type computers. The way its supposed to work is that it
detects when a change is being made to the configuration and lets you know
whether it's OK.
For some unknown reason, HDM (Hard Disk Menu) always triggers the warning
message of Flu Shot. However, when I ignore it and supposedly let HDM
change my CMOS, everything works. The miniute I let Flu Shot restore the
CMOS to the original setting, everything blows apart and out comes the
SETUP program to get it straighten out. Has any one else experienced this
or is it peculiar to the ITT Xtra/286 ATW computer?
Yes I read the previous bulletin and I do have the correct version of Flu
Shot 3.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 08 Mar 88 23:04:17 GMT
From: "Dr. Andreas Horst, University of Zurich"
<K399610%CZHRZU1A.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: ZSPOOL and WordPerfect
Concerning ZSPOOL under WORDPERFECT
You may CANCEL a print in progress by calling again the spooler by:
ZSPOOL /C
although, I think, there is now possibility to call external programs from
within WORDPERFECT.
You CANNOT DISABLE the spooler without rebooting the system.
Regards, Andreas Horst, K399610@CZHRZU1A.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: 12 Mar 88 08:50:17 GMT
From: terry <terry@wsccs.uucp>
Subject: MSC Danger (was Re: Turbo C vs Quick C)
knop@dutesta.UUCP (Peter Knoppers) writes:
>
> Why, oh why don't the .obj files in MSDOS contain some bits telling
> the linker whether a function in the .obj file expects to be called
> with a FAR or a NEAR call. This can prevent accidentally linking
> modules compiled for different models.
Because there is no way to set up a function such that if you call
it 'NEAR' at such-and-such an address, you can still call it 'FAR' at a
prior address. The push's end up in the wrong order for near and far
calls. There was a very good column on this in 'The Devil's advocate', a
column carried by several magazines, I think, and written by Stan Kelly
Bootle (sp?). I think that fact that his Porshe liscence plate is
'MC68000' has nothing to do with this dim view.
Of course, the linker COULD do this, IF it were to generate code,
but linkers are not supposed to have to do that (if you can call what MSC
uses a linker :-( ). Barring generation of appropriate code by the
linker, which would have to include translation of some previous code
generated by the compiler, such as _calls_ ;-), external refs, and so
forth, as well as segment crossing code requiring different instructions
in large model, you can't do it. Even if you did, you 'small model' code
would be using JMP's and so forth with 16 bit addressing, rather than the
8 normally needed in small model.
You should get a 'error: mixed code models' anyway, if you are
using a *real* compiler and linker...
terry@wsccs
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 88 22:22:39 GMT
From: "j.r.lupien" <jrl@anuck.uucp>
Subject: NROFF-like DOS formatter
Future Concepts has a good nroff/troff like formatter for DOS. You could
call them up at (617)-482-3696.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 88 04:11 CST
From: PIB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.Edu
Subject: PibTerm v4.1.1 files available via anonymous FTP
The source, machine-readable documentation, configuration files, and
executables for PibTerm v4.1.1 are now available for transfer via
anonymous FTP from node ACCUVAX.NWU.EDU. PibTerm is a comprehensive
terminal emulation and file transfer program written in Turbo Pascal v4.0.
Currently PibTerm consists of some 72,000+ lines of Turbo Pascal code.
To retrieve the files, connect with FTP to ACCUVAX.NWU.EDU using user name
ANONYMOUS and enter GUEST as the password. (The node number is 10.4.0.94
in case your local name list isn't up-to-date.) The files reside in
subdirectory /pub/pibterm.
The files for PibTerm v4.1.1 are named as follows:
PIBT41E1.ARC \
PIBT41E2.ARC >---- Executables/support files for PibTerm v4.1.1
PIBT41E3.ARC /
PIBT41D1.ARC \
PIBT41D2.ARC >---- Documents for PibTerm v4.1.1
PIBT41D3.ARC /
PIBT41S1.ARC \
PIBT41S2.ARC \ ____ Source for PibTerm v4.1.1
PIBT41S3.ARC /
PIBT41S4.ARC /
All of the above files EXCEPT for PIBT41D3.ARC are now available. The
remaining documentation file, PIBT41D3.ARC, should be available in a
couple of weeks.
Again, these files are available via FTP only. We have no file server
facilities for BitNet, and ACCUVAX isn't hooked up to BitNet anyway.
-- Phil "Pib" Burns
PIB@NUACC.BITNET
PIB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1988 23:14 MST
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: Quick reference list of SIMTEL20 MSDOS directories
Quick reference list of SIMTEL20's PD1:<MSDOS.x> directories as of March
10, 1988 (where 'x' is one of the names below):
ARC-LBR DESKACCESS GRAPH MOUSE SNOBOL4
ARCNET-PCIP DESKPUB GRAPHICS MUSIC SPREADSHEET
ASMUTL DIRUTL HAMRADIO NETWORK SQ-USQ
AT DISASM KA9Q-TCPIP PACKET STARTER
AUTOCAD DSKUTL KEYBOARD PC-JR SURFMODL
BASIC EDITOR LAN PCIP SYSUTL
BBS EDUCATION LAPTOP PCMAG TELNET
C EGA LISP PCMAIL TURBO-C
CALCULATOR EMULATORS LOTUS123 PLOT TURBOBAS
CATALOG FILEDOCS MAC PREPROCESS TURBOPAS
CIS FILUTL MAPPING PRINTER TXTUTL
COMPATIBLES FLOWCHART MATH PROCOMM UUCP
COMPUTE-PC FORMGEN MEMACS PROLOG VOICE
CROSSASM FORTH MENU QBASIC XLISP
CROSSREF GAMES MODEM QMODEM ZMODEM
DATABASE GENIE MODULA2 SCREEN
--Keith Petersen
Arpa: W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA
Uucp: {decwrl,harvard,lll-crg,ucbvax,uunet,uw-beaver}!simtel20.arpa!w8sdz
------------------------------
Date: 15 Mar 88 13:44:19 PST (Tuesday)
From: PLei.ES@Xerox.COM
Subject: Answer to problem with 3270 Emulation on Token-Ring
Barneyscan
CALENDAR
DOS 3.2 Patches Repost
Wendin PC Unix
Flu Shot 3 bombed ITT CMOS
ZSPOOL and WordPerfect
MSC Danger (was Re: Turbo C vs Quick C)
NROFF-like DOS formatter
PibTerm v4.1.1 files available via anonymous FTP
Quick reference list of SIMTEL20 MSDOS directories
Setting DOS errorlevel in C (How?)
Some C compilers allow you to set the errorlevel with the exit statement
as you terminate your program. e.g.: exit(0); for normal exit; exit(x);
where x != 0 otherwise. Microsoft C let's you do this.
Hoped that helped.
/Paul
------------------------------
Date: 14 Mar 88 15:46:08 GMT
From: Rodrigo Murillo <murillo@sigi.Colorado.EDU>
Subject: Setting DOS errorlevel in C (How?)
Does someone out there know how to set the DOS errorlevel number in C? I
want to write a batch file that can branch according to the value of this
number:
if errorlevel 1 echo Big...
if errorlevel 2 echo Bigger...
if errorlevel 3 echo Biggest.
Please send code fragments if possible.
--
_____________________________________________________________________________-
__
Rodrigo Murillo, University of Colorado - Boulder (303) 761-0410
murillo@boulder.colorado.edu | ..{hao|nbires}!boulder!murillo
( Machines have less problems. I'd like to be a machine. -- Andy Worhol )
------------------------------
Date: 9 Mar 88 23:33:17 GMT
From: rutgers!think!campbell@maynard.BSW.COM
Subject: TurboC: Stupid Linker
<>From: Urs Zurbuchen <zu@ethz.uucp>
<>
<>I read in the manual to Data&Windows that the Turbo-C linker tlink does
<>NOT report unresolved externals. Can anybody confirm? Or proof the
<>contrary (which would be much better for Borland).
I have been using Turbo C (V1.0) for a few months now and can report that
it does indeed report unresolved externals.
However, it does not complain if your small model code segment exceeds
64K. Instead, your machine winks out when your run the program. I
suppose some Intelloid might be able to put forth an argument that this is
a feature, or at least that it's Intel's fault and not Borland's. Yet
another reason to loathe and despise the Intel "architecture".
--
Larry Campbell The Boston Software Works, Inc.
Internet: campbell@maynard.bsw.com 120 Fulton Street, Boston MA 02109
uucp: {husc6,mirror,think}!maynard!campbell +1 617 367 6846
------------------------------
Date: 10 Mar 88 11:31 -0330
From: NOEL ROY_ ECONOMICS DEPT._ MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
<noelroy%MUN.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Tandy 1000 TX and OS/2
While the Tandy 1000TX has an 80286 chip, it only has an 8-bit
(PC-compatible) bus. OS/2 requires a 16-bit (AT-type) bus. The TX cannot
run OS/2. The only advantage of the 80286 chip in the machine is the
greater speed. As well, the power supply is a minimal 67-watts.
If it were my decision, I would consider an AT clone, if I needed OS/2.
If Radio Shack support is a consideration, the 1000SX is only a little
slower than the TX, and a lot cheaper, comparably equipped. If runs on a
7MHz 8088 chip, as opposed to the 8 MHz 80286 on the TX.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1988 23:24 MST
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: Telenet security problem
The following message is relayed from my BBS. I am not the author. The
file is supplied "as-is" for informational purposes.
--Keith Petersen
--cut-here--
The following comes courtesy of P-Link:
-----> Telenet Security Problem <-----
There is a potentially serious problem if you use Telenet to connect to
any online service. Telenet is working on correcting the problem, but, in
the interim you should be very careful when using the Telenet network.
Some individuals have discovered it is possible to call Telenet and
connect to other people who are attempting to log on. They will begin to
type typical Telenet prompts such as "Terminal =" and the "@" sign. By
observing your response, they can figure out which service you are
attempting to connect with (e.g. C PLINK..C DELPHI, C 202202) and then
they will type the appropriate prompts in order to get you to type in your
user I.D. and password.
Once they have your I.D. and password they will either disconnect or give
you some error message and ask you to try again. In either, case they
CANNOT give you access to the system you are trying to access.
To safeguard against this type of theft you should be very wary of any
failed attempt you have in connecting to any online system through
Telenet. If you have a failed connect attempt, we suggest you call back
IMMEDIATELY and change your password, if possible.
We recommend against automatic log-on procedures, if you use such.
Preferably, if you can do your online accessing through networks other
than Telenet, you should do so at this time.
Please note that those people participating in the above are engaging in
criminal activities. Telenet is working with law enforcement agencies and
the telephone companies in order to locate and prosecute the offending
parties.
Please share this information with others you come in contact with on the
other commercial networks.
People/Link Management
------------------------------
Date: 8 Mar 88 21:47:46 GMT
From: Devin_E_Ben-Hur@cup.portal.COM
Subject: TSR (mem. res.) programs in MSC 5.0/QuickC??
The Feb. & Mar. issues of Computer Language magazine contain two articles
on writing TSR's in Turbo C and MSC/QuickC respectively.
------------------------------
Date: 1 Mar 88 22:33:16 GMT
From: PNU@psuvm.bitnet
Subject: TSR (mem. res.) programs in MSC 5.0/QuickC??
Does anyone have any experience in writing TSR (Terminate & Stay Ready)
programs in either Microsoft C 5.0 or MS QuickC? Specifically, has anyone
made use of the _chain_intr, _dos_getvect, _dos_setvect and/or _dos_keep
functions?
The runtime library reference, which provides reasonably good examples for
most functions, has very little info. on these.
I'd appreciate any information about how to apply any or all of these
functions. Also, if someone has a short example handy, I'd sure like to
see the source code!
Thanks,
Jon
P.S: Please don't respond that I should use assembly language. If
I wanted to use MASM, I would, and a reader full of flames
from assembler wonks won't help me learn C, which is the
whole purpose of this exercise.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 88 12:44:37 PST
From: Don Reynolds <reynolds@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov>
Subject: TSR Communications Program
>
> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 88 01:57 AST
> From: <JNDPH%ALASKA.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
> Subject: Memory Resident Terminal Emulator (TSR Modem Program)
>
> Does anyone out there know of a memory-resident modem program? ...
A program called "The Invisible Link" recently arrived on several BBSs.
It is being distributed as shareware. The following is excerpted from
IL.TXT, the manual that comes with the BBS distributed version.
Best,
Don
--------------
IMPORTANT NOTE: The BULLETIN BOARD release version of THE INVISIBLE LINK
does NOT provide support for download transfers. To obtain a fully
supported version of THE INVISIBLE LINK that includes full background
XMODEM download transfer capability, send check or money order payable to
ROBERT BEST in the amount of $35.00 (Calif. residents $37.10) to:
Robert Best
13681 Dall Lane
Santa Ana, CA 92705
The fully supported version of THE INVISIBLE LINK that includes background
download transfer capability is available solely by direct purchase from
Robert Best.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 88 16:25:57 est
From: Mike Watson <mwatson@NSWC-OAS.ARPA>
Subject: Bug in Reminder program
I use the REMINDER.ARC program from Simtel 20's PD1:[MSDOS.DESKACCESS].
It worked fine until March 1 this year. From playing around with the date
it seems that Leap Day threw it off one day in its calulations. Does
anyone have any suggestions or fixes ? TIA.
Arpa: mwatson@nswc-oas.arpa
Usenet: uunet!nswc-oas.arpa!mwatson
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 88 13:15:49 CST
From: mlw@ncsc.ARPA (Williams)
Subject: Documentation revision control system
Netlandians:
I am looking for the equivalent of a version control system for
documentation. Functionally, the product, which can be targeted for a PC,
a UNIX installation, or a VMS installation, must be able to provide text
editing and formatting capabilities and combine those features with a
"successive versions" control system. Two kinds of output must be
available:
(1) current revision and
(2) changes only.
The idea is
(1) enter the original document
(2) print the initial version (user's manual, specification document,
etc.)
(3) as changes are required, enter the updates to the document
(4) print change pages, which should be marked-text (change bars,
possibly underlined/struck-through text that has been changed) and
page-controlled (all changes for a given page are printed on the specified
page...if changes cause page overflow, subsequent pages are numbered at a
lower level of indenture (e.g., page 3 fills up, print pages 3.1 and 3.2
as required) (5) when a new documentation release is scheduled, print the
current version with full repagination.
If anyone has any clues about systems (public domain or otherwise) that
support a scheme similar to the above scenario, please forward your
response as soon as you possibly can to mlw@ncsc.arpa. I am putting this
request on several interest groups, so I apologize to those of you who see
this in different areas. Also, I do not subscribe to all the interest
groups I'm targeting with this request, so please mail your responses
directly to me. Finally, if one of my destination user groups perceives
this as an indication that I am not familiar with that group and believes
that my answer may lie in their group's archives, please let me know that.
Knowing where to look is always important in a search!
Thanks in advance...
Mark L. Williams
Naval Coastal Systems Center
Panama City, FL 32407
(904)235-5153
mlw@ncsc.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 88 10:45:09 EST
From: Philip Shafer <phil@umd5.UMD.EDU>
Subject: Dos/TSR/Multitasking interaction
I have a problem with DOS. Who doesn't?
I have just written a background tasker for the IBM-PC. It is part of
work done at the University of Maryland under contract to IBM. I have a
few questions which I'm hoping that someone can help me with. Let me
describe my program.
The tasker maintains tasks in a ring, scheduled round-robin. Tasks
are forked and killed from this ring. Tasks make explicit calls to the
tasker to yield the CPU to the next task, but the tasker realizes that the
foreground DOS application will not be kind enough to yield. Therefore it
must preempt the foreground task and steal the CPU away from it.
Initially the only task is the foreground DOS shell. The tasker grabs
some interrupts, TSRs itself, and begins stealing cycles from the
foreground task. Driven by the timer IRQ, the tasker jumps in and checks
to see if it is 'safe' to force a yield of the CPU. 'Safe' is defined as
follows: we are safe if we are not inside a dangerous interrupt, or if we
are inside an explicitly safe one. My list of dangerous interrupts are:
Disk/diskette (13h), System services (15h), Printer (17h), Critical error
(24h), PCLan hook (2Ah), and PC ASI/Netbios (5Ch). My list of explicitly
safe interrupts are: Keyboard (16h) and Video (10h). So, if a timer
interrupt happens are the PC is in INT 13h, the tasker will leave things
alone. If, however, the PC is in INT 10h, even if it got there through
INT 24h, the tasker will yield the CPU to the next task. Note that there
is a user configurable quantum which represents the minimum number of
ticks which the foreground task will get before background intervention.
My questions deal with the DOS interface. I was listing Dos services
(21h) as one of my dangerous interrupts, but found a great deal of trouble
dealing with DOS as a simple interrupt. A user program can do a gets()
(INT 21h func 0Ah), have the user type '^C', have DOS do a CtrlBreak (INT
23h), and go on performing everyday life-type activities (ie. longjmp()
to the top of a loop). This example is annoying but solvable. The one
the I'm having trouble with is user programs that exec other programs, as
I have no way (that I know of) to determine when DOS stops being DOS and
starts being the exec'ed program. I sure there are dozens of other
twisted, tainted, horrid beyond belief cases that I have not yet begun to
think of (please let me know of any).
Which brings me (finally) to my real question: What kinds of problems
am I in for if I don't trap INT 21h?? Since my tasks are TSR-based, and
realize that they cannot use DOS, BIOS, or any common other resource, the
only type of problems that I really need to avoid are timing-dependant
ones. Are there any others??
I'd appreciate any help I can get. Thanks,
Philip Shafer
# phil@umd5.umd.edu # University of Maryland, College Park
# shafer@umdd.bitnet # IBM@UOM, Pc/Ip project
# I tried to make a signature, but the disk was spinning
# so fast I could hardly write.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 88 08:28:16 EST
From: Harold E. Russell <russell@mitre.arpa>
Subject: H/Z-158 disk drives
Some time ago, I noted that there appears to be provision for an AT-style
hard disk in the disk drive cage below the two floppies.
Has anyone attempted to install a third disk drive in the H-158 or H/Z-15x
Series computers?
What, other than the face plate and select light, is the difference
between an AT-style hard drive and an XT-style hard drive?
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 88 13:51:13 +0100
From: Jan Engelen <FHEDA02%BLEKUL11.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Tandy/IBM-PC Translation Program Needed
The Braille-project group of the Kath. Univ. Leuven
<FHEDA02@BLEKUL11.BITNET> is searching an IBMPC program that permits
direct reading of Tandy-Radio Shack diskettes formatted on models I and
III. Large quantities of books have been stored in these formats; as these
computers are obsolete we risk to loose this information.
Jan Engelen (32)16 22 09 31 ext. 1123 (Leuven-Belgium)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 88 09:57:28 EST
From: sam@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Sam "SammyBake" Moore)
Subject: Character Font Location, PS/2 Mouse, Line Drawing in QuickC
A few questions:
(1) Is there a default font table for the top 128 characters on the
standard CGA adapter? If so where is it located? What is the most portable
way to set the vector that needs to point to it? I would like to
load/establish the table programatically, and not have to rely on an MSDOS
utility program.
(2) I am using the PS/2 mouse in an application I am writing using QuickC.
And, everything works okay, except that when I move the mouse while
painting part of the screen I get garbage wher I am painting. The mouse is
not in the painting area. How can this be fixed?
(3) With QuickC is there a way to draw a line XORing pixels? I want a
snap-line and it seems the easiest way to do it is by XORing the line.
Thanks,
Sam
--
Sam Moore ||\\ || //==\\ //==\\ || ||
NCSU Computing Center || \\ || || ||==\\ || ||
Raleigh, NC || \\|| || || || ||
sam@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu || \\ \\==// \\==|| \\==//
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 88 15:29:18 PST
From: voder!kontron!optilink!cramer@Sun.COM (Clayton Cramer)
Subject: Epsilon Mouse Support Requested
If by chance you get the mouse support for Epsilon, I sure would like to
see it.
Clayton E. Cramer
..decwrl!pyramid!kontron!optilin!cramer
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 88 17:20:19 EST
From: US Army Signal Center <sigcen@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: Installing 3.5" NEC Disk Drives on a Z-248
Zenith Users-
We have a Z-248 and we would like to add on a 3.5" NEC floppy disk drive
(Drive B:). We have read the upgrade instructions in the NAVY's "CHIPS
AHOY" which tells us to use either DOS 3.2 or buy a "monitor PROM
upgrade."
We tried DOS 3.2, making the suggested modifications to the CONFIG.SYS
with "DRIVPARM=/D:1/F:2" . With that change we also modified the
"p-monitor" set up for drive B: to "360K" (since we have decided that we
would forego the prom upgrade option if possible).
Even with all these changes we still cannot not get our 720K drive B: to
work Can any one please help.
Please send your answer to
sigcen@brl.arpa
Thank You
CPT D Colvard
US Army Signal Center (AV 780-3782 or 404-791-3782)
------------------------------
Date: Thu 10 Mar 88 20:36:30-EST
From: Paul G. Weiss <PGW@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Laserwriter woes
This is a plea for help in using the Apple Laserwriter from a Compaq-Plus.
The really weird thing is that it's worked before. We had a machine setup
near the laserwriter that could PRINT (DOS PRINT, that is) files of
Postscript commands generated by a conversion program. We did the usual:
MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P
MODE LPT1:=COM1:
and it worked like a charm.
Then this machine died. We replaced it with another, although the version
of DOS may be different. Now it no longer works. DOS Print, the COPY
command (with destination COM1:) and any attempt to write to file handle 4
all hang.
I can't for the life of me figure out what is going on. Also, FinalWord
seems to have no trouble printing on the Laserwriter and I can use Kermit
(v2.30) to access the executive on the Laserwriter.
Will anyone who has the foggiest idea what is going on here please let me
know.
Thanks,
Paul
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 88 13:31 CST
From: SWANGER%AUDUCVAX.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: MSC STACK OVERFLOW
I am using MSC 5.0 to write a software package for my IBM PC clone. I am
having problems with stack overflow. I've tried enlarging the stack with
the /ST flag, but I'm approaching the 64k stack limit. My code is only
about 500 lines or so, but when I get about three functions deep, the
program dies with a stack overflow message. I'm using the large memory
model, all of my arrays are dynamically allocated with calloc, I'm using a
lot of integer variables (but not that many), and I'm using a lot of
functions from the screen formatting package Vitamin C. Does anyone have
any suggestions how I can get around this problem? Is there a way to
increase the stack size past 64k, or is this an Intel curse? Is any data
being put on the stack that could be put on the heap?
I would appreciate any help anyone could give me.
----------------------- JCL - The Big Lie ----------------------------------
David Swanger
Academic Computing Services
200 L Building
Auburn University, AL 36849
Telephone: 205-826-4813 |-----------------------------------------|
| |
SWANGER@AUDUCVAX (BITNET address)| My opinions are my own ... etc. |
| |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wednesday, 1988-03-09 16:40:29 EST
From: S008%HECMTL01.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: PS/2 Model 60 Problems
We have been experiencing some problems on our IBM PS/2 Model 60, like the
one already listed in previous digests (Error codes 161 and 163 about the
configuration of date and time). I also have a problem on my model 60
with the hard disk hissing a lot without any apparent damage. Some others
have been experiencing the same problem with the hard disk.
I also heard about IBM's intention to change the following on some Model
60s and 50s with certain serial numbers :
. The battery and speaker module
. The 1.44 MB disk drive
. The hard disk controller
Does anybody have more precise informations?
Hakim BELMAACHI (S008@HECMTL01)
Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (Montreal)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 88 12:56:52 EST
From: OUELLETTE_D@PORT40.CEO.DG.COM
Subject: QUAD-RAM INK JET PRINTER
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS SEEN A PRINTER DRIVER FOR THE QUAD-RAM
INK JE PRINTER. I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS PRINTER FOR SOME OF THE PC-PAINT
PROGRAMS THAT I RUN. ALSO HOW CAN I GET A LISTING OF THE PROGRAMS
AVAILABLE IN THE LENDING LIBRARY. I AM NEW TO THE NETWORK AND I AM STILL
GETTING USED TO ALL ITS CAPABILITIES. PLEASE ANSWER AT ADDRESS:
OUELLETTE_D@PORT40.CEO.DG.COM THANKS
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 09 Mar 88 11:34:12 CST
From: Derek Morgan <C03601DM%WUVMD.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Upgrading a PC-I past 128K memory
We are finally getting around to upgrading our PC-I to get more memory. I
would like any information on the products which have 80286 (or 80386)
processors that fit in a slot and replace (?) the motherboard.
Has anybody had any experience with these products? I need to know how
reliable, and how easy to install and use they are.
Thanks in advance,
Derek Morgan
Washington University Medical Computing Services
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
******************************