No Fragments Archive 10: Diskmags/nf_archive_10.iso/MAGS/INFO/IINFO56.MSA/TEXT_TOS206.TXT

Text File | 1991-12-17 | 10.1 KB | 197 lines

        ARTIFEX' TOS EXTENSION CARD AND ATARI'S TOS 2.06

                        by Michael Schuetz

                   From November 22 Z*Net Magazine.





 When the Atari TT was launched in Germany at last years' Atari fair in
 Duesseldorf in August, the new TOS was one of the biggest surprises.  A
 few weeks later the Mega STE was introduced at COMDEX in Las Vegas and
 everyone was pleased to see that the new machine also included a new TOS
 with a highly improved Desktop.

 At this point many users of the "old" ST models jealously looked at the
 new TOS 2.05 and it's additional features hoping that a solution would
 be found to make the new TOS also work on old ST models soon.

 The problems to solve were that TOS 2.05 had the size of about 256 KB
 (TOS 1.0x: 192 KB) and that it was meant to run at different memory
 location than the older TOS versions.  Also, TOS 2.05 of course made use
 of the special STE hardware (DMA-sound, enhanced color palette, hardware
 scrolling etc.).  The old models lacked these features and calls of
 these routines would result in bus errors.

 Shortly before the Atari Messe in Duesseldorf this August two German
 developers of Artifex Computer succeeded in creating a slightly modified
 TOS 2.05 that - in conjunction with a small hardware device, called the
 TOS Extension card - would make the new operating system run on ALL
 known ST models, no matter what their year and make.  Talks between
 Atari officials (among them Bill Rehbock and Leonard Tramiel) and
 Artifex during and after the show in Duesseldorf revealed that Atari
 itself had been working on a new TOS version called TOS 2.06 that should
 substitute 2.05 (which is - as all TOS versions with odd numbers as the
 last digit - a preliminary non-ROM version).

 After a while Artifex succeeded in convincing Atari to include the
 modifications required for running on "old" STs in their new 2.06
 version.  Artifex provided Atari with the routines and patches that they
 had used to make TOS 2.05 work on the old STs.  Atari included those -
 and some other - modifications in 2.06.  From that point on Artifex
 tested over the last couple of weeks preliminary versions of TOS 2.06 in
 conjunction with their TOS Extension Card in old ST models.

 About one week ago Atari US declared TOS 2.06 to be finally ready for
 release.  As soon as the first series production batch of TOS 2.06 sets
 has been flown in via air courier to Frankfurt and has passed customs,
 shipping of the TOS Extension Card WITH TOS 2.06 on board will start in
 Germany.  We expect this to happen within the month of November or the
 first days of December.

 At first TOS 2.06 will be available in Germany only in conjunction with
 the TOS Extension Card from Artifex.  Atari Germany so far has not
 announced when TOS 2.06 upgrade kits only consisting of the ROMs - for
 use in 1040STEs and Mega STEs - will be made available.

                           TOS 2.06 features

 Before I start describing the TOS Extension Card hardware let me just
 summarize the basic features of TOS 2.06:

 TOSS 2.06 differs from earlier TOS versions in various points.  The most
 important feature without doubt is the new desktop known from the Mega
 STE and the TT.  Integrated into ROM it bears the advantage opposed to
 alternative desktops that it doesn't use up any RAM and is already
 loaded and at your fingertips as soon as you turn on your computer.

 Programs, files and even folders can be put directly on the desktop and
 can be started directly from there just with a double-click.
 Furthermore 20 programs can be started with the help of the function
 keys.  Data files can be dragged over a program with the mouse, so that
 after the program itself has been loaded, automatically the data file is
 loaded in, too.

 Icons for files, folders and drives can be freely chosen.  New icons can
 be created and all those that are placed on the desktop can be given
 unique names, to describe the program, folder or drive that they stand
 for.  Each file type can receive its own icon.  For example you can mark
 all picture files with a brush Icon, all fax documents with a fax
 machine icon, all text documents with a typewriter icon and so on.

 Almost all new functions of the desktop can alternatively to the drop
 down menus be called up by keyboard commands.  You can even assign your
 own keys for the functions.  The new desktop also includes a powerful
 search function that lets you search and mark files that match certain
 criterias, given by you.

 Also scrolling through windows in the desktop has been improved and it
 is now possible to view directories in an "unsorted" way (a very helpful
 feature when rearranging the AUTO folder).

 In the former TOS versions selected files were de-selected as soon as
 you would scroll through the window.  With the new TOS the selected
 files remain selected even when you scroll through.

 Already during boot-up of TOS 2.06 - and this is even new compared to
 2.05 - you will notice a difference: The Atari Fuji will appear in the
 upper left corner of your screen.  Then a memory check is done that is
 shown graphically on screen through a 'growing' bar.  Then a boot-delay
 kicks in to allow hard drives to get powered up.  The delay time is also
 been made 'visible' through a bar.  A keypress of course lets the boot
 process continue.  Furthermore pressing the Control key after a reset
 prevents that programs of the AUTO folder are run, accessories are
 installed and the NEWDESK.INF is being loaded.

 TOS 2.06 also allows you to open up to seven windows and a consequent
 jumping from window to window.  Another new feature - well-known in the
 MS-DOS world - has been added now, too: In conjunction with the
 Alternate key and the numeric keypad, any character of the special
 character set can now be 'typed in' by typing in its the ASCII-code.

                        Goodies for programmers:

 The cookie-jar is automatically initialised and the correct system
 values are being set.  When the appl_exit() function is being called up
 the operating system now waits until all accessories have received the
 according message before the main program terminates.  This allows the
 secure saving of data, when accessories are loaded in anew after
 changing screen resolution.  Also the new BIOS function Bconmap() that
 allows integration and controlling of custom-made driver-software opens
 new perspectives to programmers.  GEMDOS has also been severely revised,
 so that many functions and the I/O-redirection run more reliable.

                        TOS-Extension-Card data

 So far for the features of TOS 2.06. Now here are some details about the
 TOS Extension Card:

 TOS 2.06 with its new functions requires more space in the ROMs, namely
 256 KB opposed to the 192 KB of the older TOS versions up to TOS 1.04.
 And since the new TOS also has been located at a new place in memory,
 the new ROMs can not be put directly into the old ST models.  This
 problem is solved by the TOS Extension Card, a small hardware board for
 all ST models from 260ST/520ST to the 1040STF/M up to the Mega STs.
 Although the board-layouts of the different ST-models vary a lot in some
 cases, the TOS Extension Card was designed in a way that it would fit in
 all STs.  Even MS-DOS emulators, most hardware accelerators and graphic
 expansion cards work fine with it.  The installation usually requires a
 bit of soldering work, but the task can easily be taken care of by
 electronic-hobbyists or by qualified dealers within several minutes.  A
 100% plug in option is available, too (see below).

 The TOS Extension Card is a small board that has the size of 2.5 by 2.5
 inches and contains - of course - the two TOS-(EP)ROMs, one GAL and two
 capacitors.  Since space is valuable especially in the 'small' STs
 (260/520ST and 1040ST) it was important for the developers of the board
 to find a solution, so that the board could be placed at any place in
 the computer.  And this indeed has been accomplished through the fact
 that the necessary signals are brought to the board via flat-tape-wires.
 One of the flat-tape-wires leads to a DIL-plug that plugs into one of
 the ROM-sockets where the old TOS used to reside.  The other flat-tape-
 wire is split up into 22 single wires that have to be soldered onto the
 CPU.  This allows a variable placing within any ST model, no matter if
 memory expansion, MS-DOS emulators or graphic cards reside in the same
 case.

 Especially for owners of Mega STs who want to save themselves the
 soldering and whose Mega ST bus is still unoccupied, Artifex offers the
 TECbridge BUS option. Instead of the soldering-to-the-CPU-solution the
 second flat-tape-wire ends into a bus-plug that fits nicely onto the
 Mega bus.

 Another alternative available is the TECbridge CPU.  It just plugs onto
 the CPU and is recommended for models where the CPU is already socketed
 or where a socket has been soldered on the CPU.   This of course
 recquires that there still is enough room above the CPU within the case.

                          The Price is right

 The TOS-Extension-Card retails in Germany for DM 198,- (approx.  US$
 120).  This price includes the board, Atari's official TOS 2.06, the new
 control panel XControl on disk together with some utilitites and a
 manual that describes both the installation of the card and the new
 functions of TOS 2.06.  This price is extremely cheap, if one considers
 that the TOS 1.04 upgrade in Germany did cost the exact SAME amount of
 money ... and with TOS 1.04 you just got the ROMs, no board, no manual
 etc.

 The TECbridge BUS and the TECbridge CPU options both are available for
 the (small) additional fee of DM 25,- ($15).

 Artifex is engaged in negotiations with a lot of distributors all over
 the world right now.  It is very likely that TOS 2.06 and the TOS
 Extension Card will be available in the US, Canada and most European
 countries within a few weeks.

 Artifex Computer GmbH
 Holbeinstr. 60
 D-6000 Frankfurt/Main 70
 FRG

 Tel.: [phone]
 Fax:  [phone]