textfiles/messages/ALANWESTON/1990/CIS06_10.txt

#: 4172 S15/Hot Topics
    09-Jun-90  00:22:07
Sb: #4170-oh THAT Darn Computer
Fm: Kevin Darling (UG Pres) 76703,4227
To: Mike Knudsen 72467,1111

Mike - the flickerFixer for the Amiga (about $500?) contains a lot of RAM. What
it does is to combine the two interlaced fields, and then squirt them out at
multisync monitor speed (double normal horizontal scan rate).

The A3000 has such a gizmo built in, and word is that CBM plans one for their
other machines now. So the fF people had a good time for quite a while, but
looks like CBM wants the dough now. Can't blame them.

Obviously the same method could be rigged up on the VSC output, if someone
wants to do so.

#: 4174 S15/Hot Topics
    09-Jun-90  00:26:37
Sb: #4171-oh THAT Darn Computer
Fm: Kevin Darling (UG Pres) 76703,4227
To: Mike Knudsen 72467,1111

Mike - I'm almost postive that the A2000 is still at 7.5Mhz. It's just a
fancier case with the Bridgeboard option slots, is all.

#: 4191 S15/Hot Topics
    09-Jun-90  14:43:22
Sb: #4061-oh THAT Darn Computer
Fm: Jim Peasley 72726,1153
To: Paul K. Ward 73477,2004

~ Paul;

  Would you have any problems with my posting the MM/1 and MM/1-OSK news
releases on an IBM Newsclip forum?  Might be kinda nice to show them that you
don't need 8MB to do something useful!

  ...Jim

#: 4192 S15/Hot Topics
    09-Jun-90  14:43:24
Sb: #4100-#oh THAT Darn Computer
Fm: Jim Peasley 72726,1153
To: Paul K. Ward 73477,2004

~ Paul;

  Do you have a (semi-)firm ship date for the MM/1 yet?  Just curious, as we'll
be getting out your way towards the end of July.

 ...Jim

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4211 S15/Hot Topics
    10-Jun-90  01:28:34
Sb: #4192-oh THAT Darn Computer
Fm: Dan Robins 73007,2473
To: Jim Peasley 72726,1153 (X)

Jim,
  Having seen Paul this past week here in Raleigh (where the MM/1 video was
videotaped!) I know that he is off the forum until he returns from a belated
honeymoon with his wife.....It may be a day or two before you (or anyone who
has written him a message) receive a response from Paul.
   Dan

#: 4173 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  00:23:29
Sb: #Am I crazy?
Fm: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605
To: Kevin Darling 76703,4227 (X)

Kevin,

Thanks for the note.

My computer, however, is NOT a Coco 3.

It's a Creative Micro System Level Two (version 1.2) box with 192K ram, two
RS232 ports, Wyse 50 terminal, an 80 track floppy and 10 meg hard drive. It
reads and writes standard OS9 disks with single density track 0. Coco disks
(and the Virtual Terminal program disk from SE Media) make it choke.

As you suggested, I looked at the first sector of the disk with a disk editor
and it looks Ok - however, the TKS and SPT settings are both $0A; the FMT is
$00; the TOT is only $015E; and the DAT ($49,$20,$40,$00,$03) doesn't make any
sense at all unless you're Rod Serling :-).  I've tried changing the TKS and
SPT (using Dmode at startup) from $10 to $0A and the FMT from $07 to $00. But,
no go. I even tried setting up an identical Ram disk to backup from drive d1 to
r0. It worked until track $0A. Then error 247.

(Sectors 1 to 9 look Ok.)

Does the $0A value for the TKS and SPT sound reasonable? Could sector 0 be
corrupted?

Wendell



There are 2 Replies.

#: 4176 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  02:15:14
Sb: #4173-#Am I crazy?
Fm: Pete Lyall 76703,4230
To: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605 (X)

Wendell -

On standard OS9 diskettes, t0s (track 0's sector count) always = 10 ($0a), and
they are single density. Most of the other tracks are double density, and will
have 16 sectors per track (sct = $10).

If the disk is single density, then the other tracks will likely also be 10
sectors long (sct = $0a), like track 0.

Pete

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4177 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  03:59:46
Sb: #4176-#Am I crazy?
Fm: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605
To: Pete Lyall 76703,4230 (X)

Pete,

I've been playing with the D1 descriptor all day. And no matter what values I
give it, I can't read past sector 9. I even changed the bootfile D1 descriptor
to expect single density throughout the disk. And just about every other
combination. I still can't read past sector 9. I'm beginning to think this disk
has taken a hit.

Is there any other reason why I can't read it?

Wendell



There is 1 Reply.

#: 4184 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  12:49:16
Sb: #4177-Am I crazy?
Fm: Pete Lyall 76703,4230
To: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605 (X)

Wendell -

Either that, or your disk drivers are 'hardwired', as your terminal drivers
were.

If you REALLY are desparate to read that thing, bring it up later this week and
we'll have a go at it here. The GIMIX will be going down for good shortly after
that.

Pete

#: 4200 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  18:25:29
Sb: #4173-#Am I crazy?
Fm: Bruce Isted (UG VP) 76625,2273
To: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605 (X)

~ Wendell,
  Since both T0S and TKS are $0A, it probably means a single density disk
throughout.  Try setting your T0S to $0A, and if that doesn't work then try
setting DNS (density) to $00.  Just a shot in the dark, but any drivers I've
written depend on having the number of sectors on track 0 and the basic disk
type ($00 for standard vs. $20 for CoCo) correct.  They can figure out the rest
of the disk from there if the LSN0 info is good.  Oh, if you're trying to read
the disk in a 96 tpi drive, you might have to set the DNS to $02, which should
tell the driver that the drive is 96 tpi and then it'll be able to figure out
whether or not double stepping is required for a 48 tpi disk (maybe!  <grin>).
  Bruce

PS:  Since I saw some more message traffic between yourself & Pete Lyall after
composing this reply I think it sounds more like the tpi might be the problem.

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4203 S11/Non-CoCo OS-9
    09-Jun-90  19:13:31
Sb: #4200-Am I crazy?
Fm: Wendell Benedetti 72766,2605
To: Bruce Isted (UG VP) 76625,2273

Thanks Bruce. I'll give it a try.

Wendell

#: 4175 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  01:15:49
Sb: New uploads
Fm: Bob van der Poel 76510,2203
To: all

I have just uploaded two new files:

In library 3, edit.ar: an input function for C which permits editing an
existing string and returns the key-pressed to exit the routine. Also some docs
and support functions.

In library 14, bvnews.txt: product announcments of our latest program (A
graphic/mouse CRIBBAGE program which has beaten me too many times!) and some
information on the latest versions of VED (version 2.5) and VPT (2.0.1).



#: 4179 S3/Languages
    09-Jun-90  05:35:33
Sb: #4156-#BASIC09 Help
Fm: Floyd Resler 72500,2572
To: MOTD Editor..Bill Brady 70126,267 (X)

Bill,
  Your help with my problem and your clarification of the PMap utility has made
programming this BBS fun as opposed to agrevating!  I mean, as long as I keep
enough free space in 64k process area, my BBS can be as big as my hard drive! I
do have a question about pre-loading.  I tried merging several files together
and then attempted to pre-load them.  Well, the system gave me a module not
found error as soon as I tried to use one.  Do I need to pre-load each module
seperately?

Floyd

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4208 S3/Languages
    09-Jun-90  21:40:19
Sb: #4179-#BASIC09 Help
Fm: MOTD Editor..Bill Brady 70126,267
To: Floyd Resler 72500,2572 (X)

No, you can merge, but remember that when you RUN any one of the merged files,
all come into your space.... & if all don't fit, you get none. OK?

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4214 S3/Languages
    10-Jun-90  05:28:45
Sb: #4208-BASIC09 Help
Fm: Floyd Resler 72500,2572
To: MOTD Editor..Bill Brady 70126,267

Ah! I see!  Thank you!  That explains why when I tried it I got error 43 as
opposed to bringing them seperately from disk.  So I can merge them together
making sure that the files are less than 8k or whateve space I have left over
in the workspace.

Floyd

#: 4182 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  12:26:40
Sb: #4144-BREAK KEY
Fm: PHIL SCHERER 71211,2545
To: Pete Lyall 76703,4230 (X)

Thanks Pete--I'll try em both!

#: 4183 S7/Telecommunications
    09-Jun-90  12:43:27
Sb: #4122-UUCP
Fm: Dwight D. McKay 75776,1521
To: Mark Griffith 76070,41 (X)

Greetings Mark.  I've run a UNIX machine at home for sometime and am
interesting in your UUCP port for OS9.  I have an Atari ST running OS9 which
I'd be happy to test your port on.

When you are ready for beta testers, let me know.

--Dwight D. McKay
--...rutgers!pur-ee!mckay -or- mckay@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu -or- 75776,1521

#: 4187 S1/General Interest
    09-Jun-90  13:12:48
Sb: #C & Patch
Fm: LUTE MULLENIX 70721,2230
To:  76703,4230 (X)

Pete:

I have a couple of questions for you. Now under OS-9 C is C right? If this is
so, would you be kind enough to look at some source code that I typed out of
The Rainbow. When I try to compile it, there are three errors that come up, and
I can't see why. True I don't know all that much about C, but have went over
the listings in the mag several times and can't seehwhere there are any
mistakes.

Also what is the difference between Ipatch and Modpatch? I know they are quite
different, but what is the difference? The reason I ask is I downloaded an
aicapak patch from a BBS, (it was Wayne Days) and it had versions for both
Ipatch and Modpatch in there. Is there an advantage to using one over the
other?

    >Lute<

There are 2 Replies.

#: 4197 S1/General Interest
    09-Jun-90  15:00:20
Sb: #4187-C & Patch
Fm: Kevin Darling (UG Pres) 76703,4227
To: LUTE MULLENIX 70721,2230

Lute - you'd better tell Pete what the 3 errors you got where, first! <grin>

Ipatch can expand/contract a module in size. Modpatch only patches in place.

#: 4205 S1/General Interest
    09-Jun-90  21:29:54
Sb: #4187-C & Patch
Fm: Pete Lyall 76703,4230
To: LUTE MULLENIX 70721,2230

Lute -

"under os9 is C"? Hmm.. not sure if I'm grasping what you're asking..

There is a C Compiler for OS9, though. Upload your source, or mail it to me,
and we'll se what can be found. In the meantime, if you want to buff up your C
a bit, the C Primer Plus by the Waite Group is an excellent book.

Re: modpatch and Ipatch -

modpatch (supplied with OS9/LII) will patch a module in memory. This is only
good for overlaying existing bytes.

Ipatch/mkpatch is a pair of tools written by Bob Santy that take two different
versions of a binary file, and generate a patch 'differences' file. Then, you
can use Ipatch to apply this patch to other binaries. This is especially useful
when distributing things like OS9 driver patches, as we can't pass out the
source code, and the resultant driver might not be the same size anyway.

Pete

#: 4188 S7/Telecommunications
    09-Jun-90  13:20:04
Sb: #3738-VT-100
Fm: LUTE MULLENIX 70721,2230
To: Fenton Hunt 75340,3527

Fenton:

I know that OSterm has VT100, as well as ANSI TTY and OS9. I use it every where
but here. I boot up with two windows, and a RAM disk and have no problems with
it at all.

     >Lute<

#: 4193 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  14:43:31
Sb: #4104-#VIEW feedback
Fm: Jim Peasley 72726,1153
To: Bruce Isted (UG VP) 76625,2273 (X)

~ Bruce;

  Is this something like you had in mind?

 >>   I can't think of any other goodies to add to View, except maybe a
 >> quoting feature if thats possible.  If you've ever used some of the
 >> newer BBSes, particularly OPUS types, and RiBBS, they have a feature
 >> that allows you to quote lines from the original message in your
 >> reply.  Wheh used sparingly the quotes can make a reply much more
 >> informative.   Bruce

  Took some doing, as I had to re-format the original lines to make room for
some sort of identifier showing that these were/are /uoted lines.

 ...Jim
 /rc

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4201 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  18:25:37
Sb: #4193-#VIEW feedback
Fm: Bruce Isted (UG VP) 76625,2273
To: Jim Peasley 72726,1153 (X)

~ Jim,
  Yep, thats just about exactly what I had in mind for the quoting feature.
Now, can you make it smart enough to put the quote source's initials in the
quote indicator?  <grin>  Just kidding!
  On the other hand, some BBSes I've seen have editors that automatically look
up the quote source's name (from the "FROM: " line?) and extract initials. I'm
not sure how that works in the case of a name that has more or less than two
parts, maybe it just grabs the first character then after that each character
following a space until the end of the name line?  That might not work too well
here because the PIN is always appended after the name.  I'll let you decide
whether or not you want to worry about it!  <grin>
  When do we get to see the new View?  I'll be waiting for your upload
announcement!
  Bruce



There is 1 Reply.

#: 4207 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  21:36:41
Sb: #4201-VIEW feedback
Fm: Pete Lyall 76703,4230
To: Bruce Isted (UG VP) 76625,2273

Bruce - 

The newsreader programs on USENET's 'rn' package do that. They look 
at the source for the article, and use a line like:

> In article 4096@wlbr.imsd.contel.com, Pete Lyall writes:
>
> Bruce - what? You want more features? Sheesh, you guys are never
> happy.....

Also, as more people add to the chain, each quoted segment gets
another layer of '>'s:

 > current replier
 >> his predecessor
 >>> and his predecessor

Pete

#: 4194 S12/OS9/68000 (OSK)
    09-Jun-90  14:43:35
Sb: #4143-#OSk BASIC
Fm: Jim Peasley 72726,1153
To: James Jones 76257,562 (X)

~ James;

  re: your reply to Zack

 >> It does in fact generate I-code like BASIC09.

  Do any other flavors of OS-9 Basic have the GFX2 commands?  I guess what
I'motrying to find out is what stuff in CoCo Level II BASIC09 is CoCo.

  Thanks,
    ...Jim

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4198 S12/OS9/68000 (OSK)
    09-Jun-90  17:26:53
Sb: #4194-OSk BASIC
Fm: James Jones 76257,562
To: Jim Peasley 72726,1153 (X)

gfx2 is a procedure, not part of BASIC09 as such.  I'd be heavily surprised if
someone who did a windowing package for an OS-9 system didn't provide or at
least describe some way to get to it from BASIC09 (or, as Microware likes to
call the OSK version, Microware BASIC).  (Nudge nudge to folks making certain
new computers :-)

#: 4195 S6/Applications
    09-Jun-90  14:43:41
Sb: #4155-View.ar
Fm: Jim Peasley 72726,1153
To: TONY CAPPELLINI 76370,2104

~ Tony;

  Hmmm... are you running with only 128K??  If so, I'm not sure that you
will?be able to use View.  The program itself takes up 11,020 bytes in memory,
with some additional memory eaten by RUNB, SYSCALL, GFX2, and INKEY, for a
total of 25,648 bytes.  Even with the use of merged runb, sy,call and inkey
modules, this will still take up 4 8K blocks.

  Immediately after booting, what does MFREE show?  And did you use the
make_alias_cmds script file that was included in the archive?  This will cut
down on the amount of memory used.

 C'mon back...
   ...Jim

#: 4204 S10/Tandy CoCo
    09-Jun-90  20:36:38
Sb: #database
Fm: PHIL SCHERER 71211,2545
To: ALL

Does anyone know of a commercial database for the coco-OS9 system or a good
configurable one in PD??

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4218 S10/Tandy CoCo
    10-Jun-90  12:07:32
Sb: #4204-database
Fm: CRAIG WYNN 72125,466
To: PHIL SCHERER 71211,2545

Ah...have you heard of Sculptor by MPD?  It is characterized more
as a language than a database.  What it is, is a language with a
database engine and screen paint feature combo.  It compiles to a
intermediate code like Basic09 does.  The end user must purchase the
runtime package which are prices according to the environment with
which it being run under.  The same source code written you write
say using the developers package for OS9 will compile and run on
MSDOS machines, SUN, NEXT and VAX machines and under Unix and Novel
systems.  That's the jist of it


#: 4215 S10/Tandy CoCo
    10-Jun-90  05:29:49
Sb: #Carrier Detection
Fm: Floyd Resler 72500,2572
To: All

Is there a way to detect carrier in BASIC09 without using a PEEK?

There is 1 Reply.

#: 4221 S10/Tandy CoCo
    10-Jun-90  12:21:37
Sb: #4215-Carrier Detection
Fm: Pete Lyall 76703,4230
To: Floyd Resler 72500,2572

Floyd -

Sorry, nut no... there isn't. You might me able to do some fancy mucking w/
Syscall, but the bottom line is you need a better ACIA driver.

Pete

#: 4216 S1/General Interest
    10-Jun-90  09:57:44
Sb: Picture and Sound files
Fm: Paul Rinear 73757,1413
To: all

         Poll-
              Do you think a separate Library for picture and sound
     file uploads would be a good idea?

#: 4217 S1/General Interest
    10-Jun-90  10:53:22
Sb: What's New?
Fm: David L. Kaleita 72657,2775
To: George Dorner 70536,106

Anything new on the Prometheus modem front? I may have a buyer at 100 bucks if
you don't want/need it anymore.

<Dave Kaleita>

#: 4220 S13/Atari ST
    10-Jun-90  12:18:13
Sb: Atari Comm Programs
Fm: David George 72240,134
To: ALL

For all of you OSK users on the Atari ST:

I am having difficulties with communications programs on the ST.
Aterm locks up after xmodem downloads.  I have to kill aterm and
the shell that it runs under and restart a shell.  (This is with
the new stcio, with the stock stcio (no windows) aterm locks up and
I have to reboot.
Also Sterm v1.3 gives an error #000:102 when I try to xmodem download.

Right now I have to download from CIS to my Coco3 and login to the
Coco with the ST and restart the comm program everytime I download
something.  (I use the coco because I don't want to waste the time
of restarting aterm every time I download a file from CIS)

What do you folks use?  Any idea of what my problem might be?

David George
72240,134

Press <CR> !>