Info-IBMPC Digest V5 #89
Info-IBMPC Digest
This Week's Editor: Phyllis O'Neil
Today's Topics:
Setenv Resubmission
BUF 160 Interferes With New Keyboard
768K RAM on Zenith 158
Troff for DOS/HP LaserJet+EGA
Hardcopy and PrtSC Re: Z-158 and 768K
Re: IBM PC and 8" CP/M
Large Sector Sizes
Re: Microsoft C V4.0 Upgrade (3 messages)
Today's Queries:
Telex Query
Kaypro PC-20 Query
Reset Switch
Mouse Systems Mouse Problem
Hardware Debugger Query
Hard Disk Formatting Query
PC's Limited 20MB Tandon HD
C Tutorials
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 86 17:03:16 PDT
From: Jim Carter <ji...@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
To: info-...@b.isi.edu
Subject: Setenv resubmission
Thanks to S. H. Mueller of Turlock, CA for an answer to my question
about a better way to find the size of the DOS environment master
copy. Here is a resubmission of "setenv.c" using that method.
[The library copy has been updated. -rag]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 86 07:37:10 cdt
From: st...@ncsc.ARPA (Mahan)
To: info-...@usc-isib.ARPA
Subject: Command Line Editing
I have been using Borland's Superkey program for the last three
months on an ATT 6300 with DOS 3.1. The program uses a hotkey (ALT -
\) to pop up a command stack. The last 40 DOS commands are available
and can be edited. The editing uses arrow keys to move within a
selected line, and insert, delete and overwrite capabilities are
available. The utility can also paste command lines into a file being
edited (I've only tried it in Sidekick, Volkswriter, and dbase III+ )
Standard disclaimer applies
Steve Mahan (steve@ncsc)
904 234-4224
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1986 17:26 EDT
From: LEN...@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU
To: Jim Anderson <bilb...@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
Cc: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Re: MS-DOS Tech Ref Encyclopedia
I spoke with Microsoft's retail sales rep (800 426-9400) and they
confirmed that the encyclopedia has been recalled, to be reissued
sometime next year.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1986 17:50:50 EDT
From: Raymond Chen <6101778%PUCC....@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: info-...@usc-isib.arpa
Subject: Increasing environment space, options to COMMAND
There are "undocumented" options to the COMMAND command:
COMMAND [/E:nn] [/P]
/E:nn set the enviroment space to nn paragraphs.
/P makes the options selected on this invokation of COMMAND [P]ermanent.
(otherwise, they vanish when you type EXIT. Also if you don't make them
permanent, you end up gobbling 17K of memory because DOS keeps a copy of
the "old" COMMAND.COM around just in case you do type EXIT.)
The /P option is very handy if you are running off floppies and have a
virtual [RAM] drive installed. You can then copy COMMAND.COM to the
RAMdrive and type "C:COMMAND C:\ /P" which tells DOS to look on the C
drive from now on whenever it needs to reload COMMAND.COM.
[Note that these features vary depending on the DOS version. Mr. Chen
seems to be descibing DOS 3.1. -rag]
------------------------------
Date: Tue 30 Sep 86 16:24:01-PDT
From: Ted Shapin <BEC.S...@USC-ECL.ARPA>
Subject: BUF160 Interferes with New Keyboard
To: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
I found out that BUF160.COM interferes with the sensing of the
separate cursor keys on the new IBM keyboard (IBM # 1390120). This
may be because of the different BIOS (I don't have a listing yet).
------------------------------
To: lu...@hehicdc1.bitnet
Cc: info-...@b.isi.edu
Subject: 768K RAM on Zenith 158
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 86 11:38:07 -0500
From: rei...@ROCKEFELLER.ARPA
According to the technician I spoke with at Heath/Zenith, when you
have 768K worth of RAM on the CPU board, the machine will only
recognize 640K of it. I gather that this is the machine's deficiency
of the machine, not DOS, since VDISK won't read those top 128K.
Looks like the only way to use memory above 640K is to add a board
that uses extended or expanded memory or both.
Tom Reingold
Rockefeller University
New York City
UUCP: {seismo|philabs|phri|harvard|ihnp4}!cmcl2!rna!rocky2!reintom
BITNET: REINTOM@ROCKVAX
ARPANET: rei...@rockefeller.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 86 22:31:37 pdt
From: Ken Greer <hplabs!elan!k...@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
To: hplabs!B.ISI.EDU!Info-...@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Troff for DOS/HP LaserJet+
From: Clif Sothoron <cbsoth@BRL>
> Does anyone know of a port of TROFF to the IBM PC-AT with support
>for the Hewlett-Packard Laserjet+ running PC-DOS? I know that Addison
>Wesley supports TEX for the AT but we already have lots of UNIX TROFF
>formatted files. Interesting thought, does anyone know of a program
>that converts TROFF formatted files to TEX formatted files? This would
>be an acceptable alternative as well.
ELAN Computer Groups has TROFF and the complete AT&T DWB package
under PC-DOS and support for the HP LaserJet and LaserJet+.
Contact: ELAN Computer Group, 260 Alta Vista Ave, Los Altos CA 94022
Phone: 415-948-8193
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 86 18:05:03 MEZ
To: info-...@b.isi.EDU
From: RZ39%DKAUNI1...@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: EGA Hardcopy and PrtSC
A useful EGA-PrtSc driver for IBM-PC controlled via INT10, similar
to the original GRAPHICS.COM, which is supporting all of the different
EGA modes is available now from Internatioanl Software Distribution,
Hauptstrasse 23, D-6749 Vollmersweiler, West-Germany for about $40.
The EGA-Screen will be printed via <Shift> PrtSc together with any
IBM-Graphics Printer compatible Matrixprinter. The driver is able
to print in normal direction and sideways for better resolution.
The wanted driver mode could be selected while the drivers instal-
lation phase.
We are using this driver and find it's running well.
regards Dieter
From: Dieter Oberle
Computercenter Micro-BIT
University of Karlsruhe
D-7500 KARLSRUHE
West-Germany
Phone: 0721/6082067
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 86 21:35:24 est
From: Robert Montante <bobmon%iuvax.cs.i...@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
To: INFO-...@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Re: Z-158 and 768K
Regarding the Z-158 question about accessing 768K of memory:
The Heath Users' Group magazine REMark carried an article in the
August '86 issue, that reviewed a modified PAL chip that is configured
to recognize the additional memory at some specified positions in the
address space. The maker, KEA Systems, also advertises the chip in
the magazine, for $36. There may be other brands available also. I
haven't gotten around to trying one, but I intend to as soon as I can.
The company's address is:
KEA Systems, Ltd
2150 West Broadway, Suite 412
Vancouver, BC Canada V6K 4L9
RAMontante
Computer Science
Indiana University
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 86 11:37:53 pdt
From: wcwells%opal.Ber...@BERKELEY.EDU (William C. Wells)
To: info...@amsaa.arpa, info-...@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Re: IBM PC and 8" CP/M
Cc: clem...@ccq.bbn.com
From: Bob Clements <clem...@CCQ.BBN.COM>
>I'm trying to get my IBM PC to read and write 8" CP/M format
>disks. Hence this posting to both cpm and ibmpc lists.
The most versitile program I have seen is "Xenocopy PC" from
Fred Cisim at Xenosoft, 1454 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710,
Phone (415) 525-3113. This product supports 5 1/4 (40 & 80 track),
8in, and 3 1/2in drives if you have the appropriate hardware.
I do not know if can handle your controller or not. But it
might be worth a phone call to find out. Program price is
under a hundred dollars.
Bill Wells
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 86 16:37:08 EDT
From: Clarence_Wilkerson%Wayne-MTS%UMich-MT...@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: info-...@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Subject: Large Sector Sizes
Problem: Getting MSDOS to accept large sector sizes from device drivers
Theory:
The problem of MSDOS not accepting a larger than 512 byte
sector size in a bpb submitted by a block device driver is
documented in "Interfacing Using the SCSI Bus " by Hul Tytus
in the Sept./Oct. 1986 issue of Micros/Systems Journal.
Apparently IBMDOS.COM(or SYS) has a default sector size stored
away. On bootup, the sector size of the bootup disk is checked
against the default value. If the bootup value is larger, then it
replaces the default value. The default value for my PCDOS 3.1
was only 128 bytes. Hence, for the usual boot disk, the value
will become 512 bytes. If you patch the default value to a larger
value, then it will remain at that value. I don't know what
effect this will have on the space allocated by BUFFERS=XXX in
a CONFIG.SYS file. It could increase that space.
Practice:
You have to find the word in IBMDOS.COM where the default value
is stored. According to Tytus, for MSDOS.SYS (version 2.11)
it is at offset 101H. For my PCDOS.COM ver 3.1, it was at location
036H and had value 80 00 hex. I found this using listing 4 of the
above article. I'll reproduce part of this listing below. The
relative values will vary, but the first 4 bytes were sufficient
to find this section of code using DEBUG on IBMDOS.COM. You must
patch the file to change the default. If you use DEBUG to patch,
remember that the file is read in so as to begin at offset 100h.
Hence the location to patched must be 100h + the location pointed
to in the code below.
If you have Norton's Utilities, I would reccomend finding the location
using DEBUG, and patching using NORTON. In this case the patch location
is just the offset from the beginning of IBMDOS.COM
You may have to change the attributes of IBMDOS.COM to allow
DEBUG to find it.
Listing of MSDOS code that points to MAXIMUM SECTOR SIZE WORD
XXXX:406d 53 push bx
XXXX:406e 51 push cx
XXXX:406f 52 push dx ; next call gets boot sector size
XXXX:4070 e87cc call 0cef ; <---different for other versions
XXXX:4073 26 ES: ;
XXXX:4074 8b4602 mov ax,[bp+2]
XXXX:4077 36 SS:
XXXX:4078 3b060101 CMP ax,[101] ; <-- this is offset needed
; MSSW stored at offset 1
XXXX:407c JBE 4082
XXXX: SS:
XXXX: Mov [101],ax
pop dx
pop cx
pop bx
mov ax,ds
pop si
XXXX:4088 1f pop ds
( above taken from Listing 4, page 59 of M/S Journal, Sept./Oct. 1986 );
Disclaimer:
I have not verified that this fixes the problem, because I do not
have device drivers that try to use larger sectors. I do have plans to
implement a 800k 96tpi format that uses 1k sector sizes. Some cautions
should be used in the patching process- don't try it with you only boot
disk, etc. If you're at the stage of writing device drivers, this is
probably unneeded advice
I have seen warnings about using DEBUG to patch IBMDOS.COM on a hard disk.
The claim is that it's not put back in the right place. You could patch
a floppy and then run SYS. Do this at your own risk.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1986 17:36 EDT
From: LEN...@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU
To: jcmo...@MITRE.ARPA
Cc: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
Subject: Re: Microsoft C V4.0 Upgrade
I called Microsoft (800 426-9400) and they sent me an upgrade form,
which took several days to arrive. 4.0 has changed so much that they
send you an entire new set of manuals, rather than a supplement. The
upgrade costs $150, as opposed to the normal price of $450. The form
states that the offer ends on October 1, but a friend said that he
called and Microsoft said that the deadline will be extended, so you
might be in luck.
Robert Lenoil
Apple Computer
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 86 15:28:49 PDT
From: Brent Chapman <chapman%cory.Ber...@BERKELEY.EDU>
To: jcmo...@mitre.arpa
Cc: info-...@b.isi.edu
Subject: Re: Microsoft C Ver. 4 upgrades
I got my upgrade notice in the mail from Microsoft. If I remember
correctly, the upgrade form already had the serial number of my
compiler printed on it, and the new disks have the same serial number
as the old. I would therefore presume they are working from their
list of registered users. (I say "If I remember correctly" because
several of the packages and products I regularly use have been
upgraded in the last few months, and I could be confusing MSC with
some other product. I don't think I am, however.)
I think the upgrade was $135, but I can't be certain because I can't
figure out where my boss filed the order and invoice.
Hopefully (somewhat) helpfully,
Brent Chapman
cha...@cory.berkeley.edu or ucbvax!cory!chapman
------------------------------
To: info-ibmpc@isib
Subject: Microsoft C V4.0 Upgrade
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 86 20:00:08 -0500
From: jcmo...@mitre.ARPA
Robert Lenoil at Apple came up with the right info. As he stated,
Microsoft is offering the upgrade to existing V3 customers at $150 per
copy. They did send out notices to the registered V3 users, but
"something happened to the mailing" and a lot of users didn't receive
them. Any V3 owners interested who didn't receive the upgrade order
form should call Microsoft's retail desk at (800) 426-9400 and they'll
ship you one.
The original offer expired 1 October 86, but the retail desk explained
that it is their policy to always extend the offer expiration, so it's
still available. Purchasers of V3 who can produce an invoice dated
after 1 June 86 can get the upgrade free.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my inquiry on this.
Joe Morris (jcmorris@mitre)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 86 12:46:29 edt
From: Ted Cooley <tedc%dartmo...@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Telex Query
To: info-ibmpc%usc-is...@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA
With the introduction of voice/mail cards and software, the question
has arisen regarding TELEX support for the IBM PC. Is there a card
and/or software available which performs such support?
Thanks.
Ted Cooley
Thayer School of Engineering
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
te...@dartmouth.edu
...seismo!harvard!dartvax!tedc
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 86 16:22:36 EDT
From: Dave_Katz%UMich-MT...@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
To: info-...@b.isi.edu
Subject: Kaypro PC-20 Query
A friend of mine has been considering the purchase of a Kaypro PC-20.
Any information regarding compatibility, reliability, general
impressions, etc., would be most appreciated.
--Dave Katz (Dave_Katz%UMich-MT...@MIT-Multics.ARPA)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 86 12:57:50 PDT
From: d...@DEImos.Caltech.Edu (Daniel S. Briggs)
Subject: Reset Switch
To: INFO-...@USC-ISIB.ARPA
Has anyone had much experience out there with installing their own
RESET switches? Most of the homebrew directions that I have seen
involve a switch to short pins 9 & 11 of the 8284A clock generator
together. From the logic diagrams, this seems like a logical thing to
do, but is there anything that I should know before I try it? Any
horror stories from homebrew modifications gone bad? While I'm at it,
should I install a NMI switch as well? Does anyone have any good
references to point at that are better than the rest?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 86 17:57:02 EDT
From: Dean Carpenter
<ST701979%BROWNVM...@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
To: Info IBMPC <INFO-...@B.ISI.EDU>
Subject: Mouse Systems Mouse Problem
I have an IBM AT that I am currently trying to attach a Mouse Systems
PC Mouse to with mediocre success. COM1 of the dual serial/parallel
adapter is taken, so we installed a regular IBM Asynch card in the
AT configured as COM2 and hooked the mouse to this.
No luck. The supplied test program finds the mouse but claims it is
sending bad data. Diagnostics finds and checks out the COM2 port just
fine. To top it all, the mouse works fine on a regular XT and on an
accelerated XT (PC Technologies 286 card) with the same asynch card.
Any ideas ? Thanks - Dean Carpenter.
------------------------------
Date: Thu 2 Oct 86 20:58:09-EDT
From: Robert S. Lenoil <LEN...@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Hardware Debugger Query
To: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
Can anyone comment on the merits of obtaining a hardware debug aid,
such as IBM's Professional Debug Facility? (Note: I'm talking about
hardware used to make software debugging easier, not tools for
debugging hardware.) A description of the product's features, as well
as those of other hardware debuggers would be very useful, as would
price and ordering information. I'm more interested in systems
costing $1500 or less, but feel free to tell me about $5000 In-Circuit
Emulators and the like; I wouldn't mind having that info on file.
Robert Lenoil
len...@xx.lcs.mit.edu
ihnp4!mit-eddie!lenoil
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 86 22:27 EDT
From: He...@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: Hard Disk Formatting Query
To: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
I've got a new 20Mb ST225 as replacement for an old 10Mb Seagate shipped
with our XT. But I have no "low-level" formatting software! The sheet
with the drive says that it can be done either with the IBM Advanced
Diagnostics, or (!) with DOS DEBUG. (The ST225 has the same drive
characteristics as an IBM 20Mb "type 2".)
If anybody knows of a canned procedure to do the hard formatting with
DEBUG, or if someone in the Boston are would be willing to lend me a
diagnostic disk for the XT for a day, I'd be really grateful. The DEBUG
route isn't out of the question, partly because I know that there are no
bad tracks to find, so no complicated error-checking work to do.
Thanks,
Brian
------------------------------
From: Ron Katriel <Kat...@cis.upenn.edu>
Subject: PC's Limited 20MB Tandon HD
To: info-...@b.isi.edu
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 86 15:55 EDT
PC's Limited is offering a 20MB Tandon half height hard disk
(access time < 70ms) for the IBMPC/XT in conjunction with a
Western Digital controller for $409 (this includes cables,
software, manual and free shipping. See add in recent Byte.)
I'd appreciate hearing comments (positive or negative) from
anyone who has experience with this drive.
Ron Katriel
Computer & Info. Science Dept.
University of Pennsylvania
ARPANet: kat...@cis.upenn.edu
CSNet: katriel%up...@upenn.csnet
Phone: (215) 898-5869
------------------------------
Date: Sun 5 Oct 86 10:17:48-PDT
From: Brad A. Silverberg <SILVE...@CSL.SRI.COM>
Subject: C Tutorials
To: info-...@B.ISI.EDU
Can anyone recommend a good book for novice programmers learning C?
When I learned C, the only thing available was K&R -- hardly
the best tutorial for novices. Now that C is in vogue, there
have been lots of books published. Can you recommend one?
Thanks,
Brad.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 86 12:56:03 PDT
From: d...@DEImos.Caltech.Edu (Daniel S. Briggs)
Subject: environment strings (again)
To: INFO-...@USC-ISIB.ARPA
The subject of setting environment variables from within programs has
come up a lot lately. I've also had my shot at writing such things,
but with a little less luck it seems than some of the other folks
around here. My test program was one that did the equivalent to the
command "set dir=<whatever the current default is>". This meant that I
could run the program from within a batch file, and then refer to the
variable as %DIR%. The version I first wrote, (and the one I still
use, by the way) simply has the address of the master table set as an
equate in the beginning of the source. (Ick!) It deals with the
problem of expanding the table simply by requesting a Allocate memory
function (DOS function 48h) with a very large number as input. This
causes DOS to expand the table to its full value, and when it fails to
give you all it asked for, BX will return the actual size of the table.
I think that DOS must use some of the memory towards the end of the env
table as temporary storage during the boot or something, since it
appears to be an uallocated memory block that is eventually absorbed
into the environment if the need arises. Once it knows the true size
of the table, it manipulates it directly.
Since then, I've tried a number of more sophisticated approaches, none
of which have proved completely workable. The one that "should" have
worked is still a mystery to me. I used the hook into the current
copy of DOS (interrupt 2eh) to get DOS to do the set itself. A couple
of "SETENV" programs out in the public domain use this technique.
Works like a charm, except.... that it won't work in batch files
properly. The program executes properly, the variable gets set, but
the batch file can't access the variable that has been so set until
the batch file exits. Subsequent batch files can then access the
variable. It looks a little like the batch file is getting its own
copy of the environment when it first executes, all sets within the
batch modify this copy, and it gets copied back to the master table
when it exits? But how come the variable I sent in the master table
doesn't get overwritten? Does anyone know more about this? I am
CONFUSED! Thanks for any help!
Daniel Briggs
d...@deimos.caltech.edu
-------