Info-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU (Info-IBMPC Digest) (06/13/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Friday, 12 June 1987 Volume 6 : Issue 45
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
1.2 Meg drives on an XT?
SIMTEL access using BITNET/KERMIT not BITNET/YTERM
Problems with PS/2 50/60 and DOS 3.30
DEC <-> PC Data Transfers
NCR PC8 vs ZENITH Z248
32-bit integers in Turbo Pascal
Disk Cataloguing Program
Format on Low Density Read on High Density Disks
MIcrosoft Emulates 8087 QLIB.C Librarian Available on Compuserve
Unix Utilities for C Programmer
QK-KERMIT Version 2.7 Tek4010 Emulation
Function keys F11 and F12
386 Bug Tester
Today's Queries:
Mice and COM ports
DOS 3.3 German Version Patches
Scientific Word Processors
Contemporary Novels on Diskettes
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515
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Date: Tue, 9 Jun 87 16:17:22 pdt
From: tweten@ames-prandtl.ARPA (Dave Tweten)
To: zz1ml%sdcc3@sdcsvax.ucsd.edu
Subject: 1.2 Meg drives on an XT?
One can indeed put 1.2 meg drives on an XT. I have been told of floppy
disk controllers for XTs which can handle standard AT 1.2 meg drives
(sorry, I don't have names), and there is at least one 1.2 meg drive,
from Weltek Digital, (714) 250-1959, which works with the standard 360K
floppy controller.
I am currently in the throws of putting a Weltek 1.2 meg drive into my
Heath/Zenith-151 (XT clone). It uses the standard 360K floppy
controller board with its own driver software. It comes with its own
formatting utility, and reads and writes AT 1.2 meg disks quite nicely,
thanks. I can't wholeheartedly endorse it yet, since I'm still trying
to make it work with backup and restore. Weltek just promised to mail
me a copy of the new driver which fixes the backup/restore problem. It
is a bit slow compared with an AT drive. I got mine for $100.
Hope this helps.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 09 Jun 87 22:36:25 cet
From: CHADM1%UCONNVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: SIMTEL access using BITNET/KERMIT not BITNET/YTERM
Thanks to all the people who wrote to me offering help with SIMTEL20
archives. The download problem vanished once I used KERMIT rather
than YTERM to download files from an IBM mainframe to an XT.
Art Exner <EXNER@UREGINA1>.BITNET sent me a copy of UUDECODE written
for the VM environment, and it worked perfectly. This is useful for
obtaining CRC files, etc., which can be printed from the mainframe
once UUDECODEd.
Kurt Indermaur <KAINDERM"@PUCC>.BITNET sent me a copy of an excellent
MSKERMIT.INI file which sets PF-keys properly.
John S. Fisher <FISHER@RPICICGE>.BITNET sent me a copy of ARCUTIL, a VM
program which performs UUD, UUE, UNSQ, UNCR, UNARC, and UNLIB.
It also worked perfectly.
Others, many, wrote with suggestions. The upshot appears to be the
following. The various gateways append a character on the end of
each line so that terminating blanks will not be lost. This appended
character may be downloaded with impunity, as UUDECODE ignores it.
On older KERMITs, it appears necessary to execute the CMS-KERMIT
instruction SET ETOA 113 94 while on newer KERMITs, this appears
unnecessary.
UUDECODE expects at blank or a backward facing apostrophe as the
first character of the next to the last line of a file (in .UUE)
form. Other than that one time and/or place, a blank line is not
acceptable. Therefore, in concatenating UUDECODED files which have
been split up prior to transmission, great care must be taken to make
sure that no artificial blank lines are included in the ultimate
reconstructed .UUE file. I hope this synopsis of my encounter with
SIMTEL using BITNET helps other novices.
Again, thanks for all the help, and the genuine kindness of the
persons who gave my problems some thought.
Carl David <CHADM1@UCONNVM>.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 03:33:48 EDT
From: "James H. Coombs" <JAZBO%BROWNVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Problems with PS/2 50/60 and DOS 3.30
There are rumors of serious problems with the IBM PS/2 models 50 and 60
(motherboard failures). Also, IBM has supposedly contracted with
Microsoft to fix problems in DOS 3.30 (which IBM "wrote"). This is the
shaking out period for a new generation, so some caution is appropriate
in advising beginners especially. --Jim
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 07:48:45 edt
From: csmoko@NSWC-OAS.ARPA
To: Jeff_MacKie-Mason@um.cc.umich.edu
Subject: RE: DEC <-> PC Data Transfers
I've missed the earlier messages on DEC <> PC problem, but I've had
some experience on the subject, and I may also have a piece of useful
info. I know of a program that's available on SIMTEL20 that can read
and write DEC's RX50 disks. I don't know if that's the format that
the Rainbow uses but it sounds like it (SSQD). The program is a
device driver for the IBM AT and claims to be able to read and write
disks. I haven't tried it yet, because my need for it has since past.
Well, I thought it might be useful. The file is
"PD:<MSDOS.DISK-UTIL>RX50.ARC.1" .
Chuck Smoko
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Date: 10 Jun 87 08:44:00 EDT
From: <zn0chapman@nardacva.arpa>
Subject: NCR PC8 vs ZENITH Z248
To: "washburn" <washburn@stl-host1.arpa>
Well, well, well... the NCR PC8 vs. the Zenith Z-248. I have had the
fortune of using both extensively; the following are my
impressions. Note that the '248 I use is from the DOD contract and
has the slower (85 ms) disk drive. The PC8 I used had either
monochrome or Paradise monochrome adapters (w/Monochrome screens).
The NCR PC8 is a machine that NCR has never pushed much, although it
has been out for quite a while. I have no idea why NCR hasn't
marketed it better. Benchmarks I've seen are inconsistent, but I
swear that the PC8 "feels" fast (much faster than a Z-248) in terms of
disk access (faster hard disk) and screen update. The only bad thing
I have to say about it is that the keyboard is a little "soft" (but,
then, I've always liked the hard feel and click of the original IBM's
kbd). I really liked the PC8 I was using and wanted to take it with
me when I got a promotion a year ago; instead, I got a '248.
A while back, I was involved in the spec writing for the DOD '248
contract and did testing during the functional demonstration and
acceptance tests. The '248 is a decent machine, but, alas, Zenith
handicapped it by putting in the slow XT-type hard disk. Besides
that, the '248 machine is functionally equivalent to the IBM PC-AT.
Decent keyboard, good access to the inside of the machine, ROM setup
program. As with the Z-150, Zenith is constantly making it more
compatible with the AT. HOWEVER, this machine, while rated at 8 MHz,
does not seem to go that fast. Regardless of what Norton's SI program
(and whatever else), the '248 doesn't "feel" as fast as the NCR PC8;
it appears to be equivalent to a 6 MHz AT. Jack Frank at Zenith
discussed this with me over a year ago and he came up with a lot of
reasons (monochrome vs. EGA, etc.); no matter, the NCR impresses me,
the '248 does not.
Maintenance: the only problems we've had with the PC8s were some bad
power supplies. We've had a number (but not large) problems with the
'248s in my area (I won't speak for my organization as a whole); bad
power supplies, EGA cards, bad I/O boards (parallel port).
If you are buying a lot of systems and can use the DOD contract, I
would have to advise it (cost considerations). Generally, Zenith
supports their systems fairly well and are getting better at it and
their technical folks are pretty sharp (for the most part). The NCR
is more of a gamble; it's an excellent machine, but I'm unsure of
company support. So... if I(!) had to make a decision, I'd probably
go with the '248 (because of known support).
(all opinions are mine; the truth is always from someone else's
perspective anyway)
David Chapman
zn0chapman@nardacva.arpa
NARDAC Norfolk
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 10:23:28 EDT
From: Jeff_MacKie-Mason@um.cc.umich.edu
Subject: 32-bit integers in Turbo Pascal
In response to a request in v6 #44: I have heard of a program which
implements 32-bit integers for Turbo Pascal. It is called ZIPcalc,
from Dynamus, 1045-L Gravel Road, Webster, NY 14580, (716) 671-5866.
Ad claims that "35 routines put the full power of a 32-bit processor
at your fingertips in convenient Pascal callable form." The price
is $45.
I have no legal affiliation with or financial interest in Dynamus,
nor have I even used their routines...just reporting on an ad.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 10:29:10 EDT
From: Jeff_MacKie-Mason@um.cc.umich.edu
Subject: Disk Cataloguing Program
In response to query about disk cataloguer:
There is an excellent program I have tried called WSSINDEX. It is written
by Bob Babcock, 4 Reeves Rd, Bedford, MA 01730. He requests a $25
registration fee, but it is shareware and you can obtain a copy to try
out from many bulletin boards (in particular, try FIDO systems, or anything
in Mass.). It does everything that was requested in the previous digest,
reading the info from the disks, using MSDOS vol labels (writing new ones
for you, if you want), allowing comment fields, with a user-defined
table of pre-defined categories, sort-find-print, etc., etc.
------------------------------
From: aad#@andrew.cmu.edu (Anthony A. Datri)
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 13:28:16 edt
Subject: Format on Low Density Read on High Density Disks
On the subject of high vs. low density disks:
It has been my experience, with pc's and at's, and
especially rt's (bletch) that if you take a new *or*
bulked disk and format it on the high density drive, then
you have a lot fewer problems. I haven't dealt extensively
with rainbows, however.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 10:12:19 PDT
From: rss%ucscf.UCSC.EDU@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (95008000)
Subject: MIcrosoft Emulates 8087 QLIB.C Librarian Available on Compuserve
Replies to a couple of queries:
>> I cannot afford an 8087 at this time, and was hoping to at
>> least emulate the math chip with this update. Microsoft
>> advertises 8087 emulation but never says that the chip is
>> needed to provide the emulation. Does TURBO BASIC do the same
>> thing?
No, Turbo Basic does not have that problem. You can compile with
or without a math coprocessor. The generated code is the same,
and it will run with or without a math coprocessor, but much
faster with the coprocessor.
>> The only real show-stopper for me is that there is no
>> librarian included with TURBO-C. Does anyone know of a
>> public-domain, shareware or cheap librarian for Microsoft-
>> compatible object modules? I am really going to need one and
>> I don't want to buy a Microsoft language product just for the
>> librarian.
A primitive librarian, QLIB.C, is available in source form on the
Borland CompuServe SIG. It is free, and it is also on some
bulletin boards.
Roger Schlafly
Borland
...ucbvax!ucscc!ucscf!rss
------------------------------
Date: 10 Jun 87 18:22:11 EDT (Wednesday)
Subject: Unix Utilities for C Programmer
To: dar%telesoft.UUCP@seismo.css.gov
From: marty <Leisner.Henr@Xerox.COM>
I'm using Allen Holub's shell and /util all the time on a number of ATs.
They come from Dr. Dobb's (M&T publishing) and they come with source
code.
I did some hacking on them and recompiled everything from Microsoft to
Aztec -- seems the MSC function exec[vpl] had bugs which brought my
system to a crash after using it for a while -- now I have no problem (I
never have to reboot anymore).
They're $29 each -- the shell is pretty good (history, substitution,
scripts) and /util contains grep, rm, mv, mkdir, rmdir, cat, and a few
more.
marty
GV: leisner.henr
NS: martin leisner:henr801c:xerox
UUCP: martyl@rockvax.uucp
ARPA: leisner.henr@xerox.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 87 11:29 EDT
From: VIC%QUCDN.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: QK-KERMIT Version 2.7 Tek4010 Emulation
An updated version of QK-KERMIT v2.7 which provides tek4010 emulation
has been sent to Columbia U. This version does not require the use
of Turbo Graphic toolbox and it does not require overlays. Most of
the problems, questions and difficulty in using QK-kermit 2.6 were
related to the toolbox and overlays, so this should mean v2.7 should
be a much easier simpler version to implement and use. Only the CGA
version is ready. Hercules and EGA versions will be coming later.
Victor Lee
(613)-545-2033
bitnet : VIC@QUCDN
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 87 14:07 EDT
From: Hess@MIT-Multics.ARPA
Subject: Function keys F11 and F12
Well, we have been hassling with trying to get function keys F11
and F12 from our PS/2 and AT enhanced keyboards for a while. It
turns out that interrupt 16H has several possible numbers that
can go into AH, and there are three different ones for the
F11/F12-returning routines than for the usual keyboard character
routines. They can be considered "upwardly compatible" with the
original ones. Here is a terminate-and-stay-resident routine
which substitutes the new calls for the old ones, by replacing
the interrupt, seeing if an old call was done, and doing a new
one in its stead.
This should cause all programs that use MS-DOS and BIOS keyboard calls
to receive F11 and F12 as scan code 0, followed by codes 133 and 134
(through 140 for shift, ctrl, and alt). Warning: This one MUST be
loaded before any other TSR's that replace the keyboard BIOS call!
Enclosed below is a DEBUG script file
that creates this little program. To use the DEBUG script, just cut the
text into the file "F11F12.DBG", then give the command "DEBUG <F11F12.DBG".
Enclosed below that is the assembler source code to create it if you
have MASM, LINK, and EXE2BIN.
Brian
- - - - - - - - - Cut here for F11F12.DBG - - - - - - - - -
e 100 EB 21 00 00 0A E4 74 0C 80 FC 01 75 02 B4 11 2E
e 110 FF 2E 00 01 B4 10 9C 2E FF 1E 00 01 3C E0 75 02
e 120 32 C0 CF B8 FF 12 CD 16 3C FF 75 02 CD 20 33 C0
e 130 8E C0 26 A1 58 00 A3 00 01 26 A1 5A 00 A3 02 01
e 140 FA B8 04 01 26 A3 58 00 8C C8 26 A3 5A 00 FB BA
e 150 23 01 CD 27
r cx
54
nf11f12.com
w
q
- - - - - - - - - Cut here for F11F12.ASM - - - - - - - - -
; F11F12.ASM
;
; This tiny TSR fixes the BIOS call to get characters from the
; keyboard so that F11 and F12 are returned. It does this by mapping
; the "old" calls to the "new" calls, which are upwardly-compatible
; with the old ones (after mapping the arrow keys back to the normal
; zero-code).
;
; Warning: this one MUST be loaded before any other TSR's that replace
; the keyboard BIOS call!
;
code_seg segment
assume CS:code_seg
org 100H
old_int label dword
begin: jmp short init
dw 0
bint: or AH,AH
jz bint0
cmp AH,1
jne bint2
mov AH,11H ; new kb ready call
bint2: jmp [old_int] ; all other calls
bint0: mov AH,10H ; new get-key call
pushf
call [old_int]
cmp AL,0E0H ; put arrows/func keys back
jne bint3
xor AL,AL
bint3: iret
;--- end of TSR portion ---
assume CS:code_seg,DS:code_seg
init: mov AX,12FFH ; see if new shift-flag func works
int 16H
cmp AL,0FFH ; if unchanged, probably not...
jne init1
int 20H ; so exit w.o. doing anything
init1: xor AX,AX
mov ES,AX
mov AX,ES:[58H]; copy old int pointer
mov word ptr old_int,AX
mov AX,ES:[5AH]
mov word ptr old_int[2],AX
cli
mov AX,offset bint
mov ES:[58H],AX
mov AX,CS
mov ES:[5AH],AX
sti
mov DX,offset init
int 27H
code_seg ends
end begin
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12-Jun-87 14:40:09 edt
From: David Farber <farber@UDEL.EDU>
Subject: 386 Bug Tester
Some versions of the 386 are unable to do 32 bit multiplies due to an
error in the chip design. This program checks for this bug.
[386BUG.ASM and 386BUG.C have been added to the info-ibmpc lending
library -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 12 Jun 87 20:49 GMT
From: aprm @ Hawaii-EMH.arpa
Subject: Mice and COM ports
We want to purchase mice for our new Zenith 248 PCs (AT clones).
Our goal is to use a mouse with Microsoft Windows without interfering
with any of the COM ports. There is a Logitech mouse on the
Zenith contract. Does that plug into a DB25 RS232 port, or does
it come with a card that takes a slot? Does the non-RS232 Microsoft
Mouse 'take up' a COM port, or interfere with one in any way.
Gary Dunn
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Jun 87 09:16:04 CET
From: Eberhard W. Lisse <LISSE%DACTH51.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: DOS 3.3 German Version Patches
Hi,
We have recently installed DOS 3.3 (German version) and I have some
questions:
We want to have ECHO off as the default in BATch files and the
AUTOEXEC.BAT. This has been addressed in a recent issue of INFO-IBMPC,
with the appropriate patch locations for COMMAND.COM 3.1 and 3.2.
ECHO off in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
I have been able to find the location to patch. [In previous versions
3.1, 3.2 the location differed from the US-version, so one has to look
for the instructions]
Now one has to look for the following bytes:
C6 06 33 0D 03
which need to be patched to
C6 06 33 0D 02
ECHO off in BATch-files:
I could not find the location where to patch. [Speaking no assembler I
was doing it by try and error anyway, but I don't know what to look for
with the debugger.
I'd appreciate if someone who has already patched 3.3 can tell me the
byte sequence to look for.
ECHO plus two blanks --> New line on the screen instead of ECHO is
ON/OFF:
They didn't change anything there, just look for
C3 E8 20 00 74
and change to
C3 83 F9 02 72.
That KEYBoard stuff is nice but I do have found two bugs, I guess:
In CONFIG.SYS I put the following statement for the German layout
COUNTRY=049 850 COUNTRY.SYS
and in AUTOEXEC.BAT
KEYB GR 850
All works fine, BUT when I want the ASCII 39 ' apostrophe I get ASCII
239 which is a graphic character our CDC won't swallow.
One should be able to somehow reproduce it. The apostrophe gets put on
the right most key on the top row which has the + = on the US-keyboard.
I need to enter another character though [usually I take a blank], which
I had to enter when it was still working [under 2.1, 3.1, 3.2].
Also on the German keyboard there is the paragraph sign above the number
3 on the top row where on the US-keyboard the number sign # is located.
When I hit SHIFT-3 I get ASCII 245 which is the lower half of the
Integer sign.
Any idea what [and where] to patch ?
regards,
el
(Eberhard W. Lisse)
lisse@dacth51.BITNET
lisse%dacth51.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.EDU
..!psuvax1.UUCP!lisse@dacth51.BITNET
[DOS 3.3 Patches were discussed in issues 6.026 6.027 and 6.028, however,
this might not work for the german version. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 10 Jun 87 10:27:00 EDT
From: "V70NL::S_DANIELS" <s_daniels%v70nl.decnet@nusc.arpa>
Subject: Scientific Word Processors
We are looking for a wp that will handle equations and the like. One
example is CHI-WRITER. We have ver 1.3 from a PD BBS. The program is
crippled somehwat. It only works in cga mode, not herc or ega; spits
out an ad every 5000 keystrokes. Anybody know of any PD wp that fits
this bill? We'd like to try something (besides CHI) before we commit.
Thanks, SCOTT.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 87 17:15:13 GMT
From: A385%EMDUCM11.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Contemporary Novels on Diskettes
Greetings from Spain! Does anyone knows where I can find contemporary
novels on PC-diskettes? It doesn't matter public domain or commercial. I
could also dump files from mainframes to PC's. Are there any Arpanet
lists or another forums about literature and word processing?
People interested in these subjects please contact me. Many thanks
in advance.
Yours
Javier Lopez.
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
<A385@EMDUCM11.Bitnet>
[The list of net mailing lists is found at NIC.SRI.COM in the files
NETINFO:INTEREST-GROUPS-1.TXT (also -2.TXT). -wab]
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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