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Topic 18 Sat Jun 22, 1991 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] (Forwarded) Sub: CS-DOS & REU C1750 & LHA & Autoexec One of the most often asked questions is how to set up the C128/C1750/ LHA/Autoexec file to make SFX archives. The autoexec file follows... 111 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 1 Sat Jun 22, 1991 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] (Forwarded) slow rem "Set Errorlevel to 1 if 1750 is present or 0 if not present. bank15:y=peek(57094):poke 57094,y+1:poke 7136,abs(peek(57094)-y) z:if not errorlevel 1 z:autoexec.no1750 z:setram 16,2 poke 7136,1 :rem set error level to 1 if errorlevel 1 goto ramdisk-already-there z:getram ramdisk poke 7120,2*16+8 :rem set capture/diskcopy/arc buffer limits :ramdisk-already-there if (peek(215) and 128) then fast poke dec("1bcf"),3*16+8 text new rdir/w I work with my ramdisk almost empty except for 8 commands (date, rdir, install, remove, etc). Just capture lines 1-15 in your buffer while online. rename "autoexec" to "autoexec.old" save lines 1-15 on your CS-DOS disk with a word processor. the name of the file should be "autoexec" and in Pet ascii form. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 2 Wed Jul 10, 1991 J.PEEPLES (Forwarded) I have a question about CS-DOS. I've read alot about the terminal program that is included in CS-DOS, as apparently it was one of the first to read true 9600 BAUD on an unmodified C128. I think the command is supposed to be "term"... BUT...I have recently downloaded and began working with CS-DOS 1.5, and there is no reference to the terminal, except for an oblique reference in one of the doc files about setting up your REU for CS-DOS. How do I get TERM? Is it available? Thanks! --James Peeples (J.PEEPLES) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 3 Wed Jul 10, 1991 C128-BILL [Bill] (Forwarded) The author did not support TERM in the last version of CSDOS. :( TERM was included in the previous version, and did quite well, including 'unarcing' on the fly. Chris is truly one of the 'greats' in CBM programming. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 4 Wed Jul 10, 1991 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] (Forwarded) I agree with that :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 5 Thu Jul 11, 1991 H.HERMAN1 (Forwarded) One of the nice things about TERM was its use of the batch files for scripting on-line sessions. Since batch files gave you the └if error' option, you could have it jump to get MAIL only when it was there, and things like that. I sort of remember the accompanying notes describing it as incomplete, however. It certainly does not compare to a Dialogue128 which is a very friendly, and full-featured terminal program, with extraordinary scripting capabilities, Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 6 Thu Jul 11, 1991 BRIDGE-BUM (Forwarded) If you have an old copy of CS-DOS with TERM, you can easily remove it from the old version and add it to the new version (1.5). First, put the old version in and run it. Then do RSAVE TERM DX UX (you might have to do those as 3 separate RSAVE commands. That will take TERM, DX, and UX from the RAM directory and put them on a floppy. Next, turn your machine off for a few seconds, then run version 1.5. Now type INSTALL TERM DX UX (might have to do those as 3 separate commands, also). Voila! You now have TERM with up/downloading capa- bilities in the RAM. You might want to resave the entire RAM to version 1.5 as well, so you don't have to install those programs every time you want to use them. Bob ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 7 Fri Jul 12, 1991 C128-BILL [Bill] (Forwarded) Thanx, Bob... I'll have to find my older version of CSDOS! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 8 Sat Aug 10, 1991 J.STAFF (Forwarded) I just received some public domain Unix stuff that is being put up locally for the 128 users. It is 128 capatible. Not sure if this is the area or not. My problem is that it is on IBM format. Once i get my disks back, would like for the Genie folks to get it. All of the IBM guys at work aren't there when it would be a good time to upload. Does anyone have access to an IBM to upload/ or have Sogwap's Blue Reader to copy for Genie? I'd be glad to send it to someone like C128.bill or someone who could be responsible enough to get my disks back to me(they are not mine). If interested please leave Email James(J.Staff) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 9 Sat Aug 10, 1991 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] (Forwarded) Well, I could do the disks as long as they are either 5.25 360k or 3.5 720k. I will leave you email. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 10 Sat Aug 10, 1991 J.STAFF (Forwarded) John, will try and get them back asap so I can send them to you. If you are out for that time period just hold on to them until you get thru. Thanks! James ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 11 Sat Aug 10 1991 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] (Forwarded) okay :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 12 Sat Jan 18, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 12:44 PST O.K. there is no activity on this topic... Let's see if I can get something going. I have just d/l ed C/S DOS, read the many pages of hype and instructions and have loaded all of the programs into my REU, per the instructions, and have played around... now comes the questions... In the first message(?) J.BEE was saying that he only uses a few of the commands, he then lists four (I think) and doesn't list the rest that he uses... What are the missing ones? If you want to use the LHA programs, The instructions are from the programs description that you must have CS/DOS up and running. O.K. now what do you do?? Do you use the program through CS/DOS by INSERTing LHA? I think CS/DOS is a great program, but the DOC's leave a little to be desired...too much hype about how so and so had a bug and what memory address what get loaded to on Tuesdays. Now I've said my peace... Let's see what others have to say! Thanks, Jim Pate ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 13 Sat Jan 18, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 22:48 EST Yes, you "install lha" and then use it from within CS-DOS. I archive all my email once a week and keep all my mail in sorted order by keeping them in alphabetical files (Example: a.lha, b.lha, c.lha) The big plus about CS-DOS and it being a shell is that I can use LHA to archive my files, arc128 to dissolve downloaded files, use LHA to create SFX files to upload, and much more at the same sitting without a reset of the computer or drive. LHA does run a bit slower than ARC128 but because it compresses files better especially text files, I use it all the time. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 14 Sat Jan 18, 1992 M.DULSKI1 [Mark] at 22:17 CST I remember first trying to install *anything* in CS-DOS. Found out the ramdisk wasn't big enough to hold everything. (Don't have an REU) So after much hair pulling, a few unprintable words, and many computer resets, I come up with this solution: Load & run the CS-DOS "shell". Once CS-DOS is running, you'll know by the ramdisk directory coming up on screen, type: rsave a:install remove<press return> The files INSTALL and REMOVE will be saved to disk. Now type rdoff<press return> and the original ramdisk is gone! Next type a:setram 1,$c000<press return> and you'll get a new blank ramdisk. To use arc128 you can type: a:install remove arc128<return> The files REMOVE and ARC128 will be written to the blank ramdisk. To get ARC128 up and running just type ARC128<return> Do whatever arcing you want and when you're done with it and say you now want to use LHX then type: remove arc128<return> and arc128 is outta the ramdisk. You'll now have room in there for LHX so install it by typing: a:install lhx<return> Get LHX up and running by just typing: lhx<return> Actually a autoexec file would probably be a better way to do this but at the time I came up with this solution to run arc128, lhx and cxarc I didn't quite understand how to write one and since the above worked I have yet to autoexec any of this. :) Someday. ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 15 Sun Jan 19, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 18:28 EST Adding my 2 cents worth... Once you've set up a CS/DOS RamDisk, you might find it faster entering into CS/DOS using REU2DISK instead of loading the REU thru DOS' autoexec. I recently put REU2DISK in the Library. :) Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 16 Sun Jan 19, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 22:20 EST rename the "ramdisk" to "old.ramdisk" and then once you only have install, remove, arc128 inside your new ramdisk type rsave a:ramdisk When CS-DOS first boots with the original autoexec it will look for the file "ramdisk". ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 17 Fri Jan 24, 1992 M.DULSKI1 [Mark] at 21:13 CST Thanks Howie & JBEE! Beginning to understand how CS-DOS is run. Did some more reading in docs too ;) Going to try to set up 3 ramdisks on disk - one for each, ARC, LHX, and CXARC. Then try and write an autoexec that will prompt me for which one I want. Also looks like I'll need some batch files for in the ramdisks to be able switch from one to the other. mmmmm, looks like this may take a while ;D --Mark-- ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 18 Sat Jan 25, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 00:10 EST Mark, ha! Sounds like you've been bitten by the CS/DOS bug (the good one)!! Its batch files are lots of fun to play around with, not to mention very flexible to do all sorts of chores. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 19 Sat Jan 25, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 12:04 PST Thanks everyone... Looks like I have quite a bit of information to read through! I'm only able to get on GEnie on about once a week. Since I work nights, this further limits me, anyway THANKS AGAIN! Jim Pate Oakland, Ca. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 20 Sun Jan 26, 1992 M.DULSKI1 [Mark] at 23:06 CST Yep, the batch files are almost as much fun as scripts ;) Amazing what you can come up with and make them do. : --Mark-- ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 21 Sat Mar 07, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 15:30 EST HHHHeeeelllllllllllooooo!!!! Anybody out here? How do we get our CS-DOS to work (commands needed to make the bloody thing work)..... How about some stuff so we can use REU's for sequential files for super fast accessing.... Using LHA and some AUTOEXEC files to get CS-DOS loaded, up, and working??? Let's go gang! Jim Pate Oakland, Ca. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 22 Sun Mar 08, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 11:38 EST Jim, One terrific suggestion!! :) We could have a batch of batch files all ready to go, each to do a specific task. Maybe even a └configuration' batch so users could set things up for their custom systems. Then loading and running would be a one-step process, the configuration writing a new autoexec. Wondering what sort of things might be helpful... Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 23 Sat Apr 04, 1992 R.YU at 16:05 EST Help I can't get my ac 128 to work check out the message in the LHarc section alex ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 24 Sun Apr 05, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 01:56 EST Alex, Not to confuse the issue, since you probably will find it more convenient to INSTALL ARC128 onto the ramdisk, as Paul suggests.... You might try the following until you do: dload "arc128" run:arc128/x a:filename.arc NOTE: You must use a colon after the └run', *AND* all the commands must be on the same line. This will unarc the file. However, having it installed onto your ramdisk is a lot more convenient. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 25 Sun Apr 05, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 17:38 EDT R.YU , do you have a REU ? What might be happening is there is not enough room in your ramdisk for ARC128 and it is not installing correctly. After installing arc128 type "rdir" and see if arc128 is listed. If not then use "remove filename" to make room for arc128. Once you have arc128 installed save the new ramdisk to a floppy for other sessions. Then you should be able to use the arc128/x command. I will try to upload some sample setups here in a few days that will be ready to go! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 26 Fri Apr 10, 1992 R.YU at 21:41 EDT Hello, It7s me again and no I don't have an reu. Thnax though Call me Alex ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 27 Sat Apr 11, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 10:27 EDT What is happening is that you do not have enough room for everything in the ramdisk and the arc128 module is not loading properly. I will be uploading and releasing a file this weekend for reu and non reu owners with a autoexec file and ramdisk all set to go. All you have to do is download and dissolve it to your CS-DOS disk and then boot the disk. Note that you have to have an REU to make LHA/SFX files. You do not need an REU to use arc128. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 28 Fri May 29, 1992 AMFORD at 19:54 EDT Okay, now tell me what I am doing wrong... With the original CS-dos15.sfx dissolved: I run "shell" and it loads all the files to my REU. Then I type arc128/ea i:st80.arc to which it will print the Ampere metal message and the second line of the message and then promptly goes to never-never- land. To get this far, I had to disable Jiffydos & my Ramlink. Before that it would take the / and attempt to load ea i:st80.arc. Configuration: c128, drive 8-1541, drive 12-cmd hd, drive 16-ramlink, reu as partition 1 of RL. Just in case of a bad disk, I dl'd it again, and receive same results. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 29 Fri May 29, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 22:45 EDT When using CS-DOS with a Ramlink & REU setup your Ramlink switch should be in DIRECT mode. To deARC from your HD (assumed to be device #12 and the device from which you booted CS-DOS) arc128/a i:st80.arc or if you have it as device #8 arc128/a a:st80.arc If you are using the Ramlink in Normal mode then you will have to use REMOVE (to remove files from the ramdisk) and then INSTALL ARC128. CS-DOS works alright with the version of JD in the Ramlink (didn't work well with v5.0) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 30 Fri May 29, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 22:58 EDT You gave a good description of the details, and hopefully enough to identify what's happening. From the command line, the file st80.arc is in RL, device 16. However, you are using an unmodified cs/dos, which hasn't yet defined device 16 as drive i:. If you run this one liner first, then you can enter the command line as you displayed it, and and st80.arc should disolve onto drive a:. assign i 16,0 This will make drive i: the current partition of RL. You can also have other assignments, like: assign j 16,5 assign k 16,6 etc. Drives j: and k: will go direct to partitions 5 and 6 without having to do a CP first. :) BTW, cs/dos runs perfectly fine with RL/DOS enabled, and direct from RL. That's how I run it, with the addition of running └disk2reu' first, since my cs/dos ramdisk is immense, and this loads it a lot faster than under program control. oh! One other hint! You mentioned your drive is a 1541. Even with JD enabled you will see things fly a lot faster if you let arc128 unarc the arc onto RL. The arc and its parts can be in the same partition of RL, or in different ones. It's your option. Either way, it should be a lot faster than to drive 8. :) Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 31 Sat May 30, 1992 AMFORD at 01:19 EDT Jbee: Isn't the command to dearc arc128/x or arc128/e, I thought the /a was for creating & appending to arcives. arc128/xa i:st80 (according to the docs??) breaks down as '/x' is de-arc, 'a' is drive 8, 'i:' is drive 12,0 , and 'st80' is the st80.arc file I am attempting to de-arc. And the reason I disabled JD & RL/DOS was that the '/' was getting picked up as the Jiffydos load command. (I never used the '/' before in JD and it took a bit to catch on.) Howie: i: is already assigned to unit 12,0 (my HD). And I am de-arcing to a future club library disk. Why bother de-arcing to RL or HD and then having to copy to disk later? (Unless I am going to be using the program a lot myself! :) Next! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 32 Sat May 30, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 05:49 EDT Sorry, I meant to type arc128/x instead of arc128/a . ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 33 Sat May 30, 1992 AMFORD at 13:35 EDT Got it! New debugging rule! When working with a Ramlink and REU, resetting or powering down is NOT good enough. You MUST run a program that will CLEAR the REU. When I first ran SHELL it executed AUTOEXEC and (with me NOT paying attention to the screen) it ran but had a some syntax errors. This caused arc128 not to be installed. And without arc128 installed, Jiffydos was getting passed the '/' and tried to load the following program! Then whenever I changed things and tried again, that AUTOEXEC would look out at the REU and see it already setup, so not try to re-install. I am now using the CSDOS.REU.SFX (9620) files in CSDOS and everything is loading up just fine. Thanks for the help and suggestions. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 34 Sat May 30, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 15:46 EDT Great :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 35 Sat Jun 06, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 15:54 EDT O.K.... I d/l the new CS/DOS file. Question: The old operating file was about 60 sectors and the new one is much longer... What has been added? /s/jim Pate ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 36 Sat Jun 06, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 18:20 EDT If you are talking about my CS-DOS help files I have added the ARC128 right into the ramdisk so people wouldn't have to fool around with REMOVE/INSTALL to get up and working on a non-REU system. I also REMOVEd some items so ARC128 would fit. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 37 Sat Jun 13, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 14:20 EDT Yeah I notice now that some of the stuff has been removed...too much anyway! Good job -- well done! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 38 Sat Jun 13, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 17:19 EDT Thank you and you're welcome :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 39 Sat Jul 18, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 07:04 EDT Does anyone know where CS/DOS stores its date information? The time gets stored at dc08-dc0b. Adding a routine to the autoexec now has it displaying the RL RTC time, following its wide ramdisk directory listing. I would sorta like to include the date too. :) Besides the date info *does* get picked up by LHA. Any quesses? Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 40 Sat Jul 18, 1992 J.PATE3 [Jim Pate] at 13:14 EDT Good question, Howie! I would also like to know how to change the date. Jim Pate >*s ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 41 Sat Jul 18, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 15:46 EDT To change the date in CS-DOS just type DATE<return> and it will give you the parameters to change the date (date 07,17,92). I uploaded to library #22 a "date" utility and ten someone else uploaded an even better one. I believe it is in Library #9 or Library #02. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 42 Sat Jul 18, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 16:40 EDT I could check the address for you Howie, but you may be just as fast to set the date then use the ML monitor to Hunt the memory for the date, th it may be in less bytes. Of course, what I have may not be *exactly* the same as the latest copy of CS-DOS, but I guess it would be close enough. Here is one other suggestion, too. Can't you grab just the 'Time' module, or 'Date' module,as the case may be, and see where it stores the bytes. I have to imagine it is a very small bit of code. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 43 Mon Jul 20, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 06:38 EDT Ed!!! REALLY!!! I suppose could go as far as writing out DATE and TIME to disk, but I seriously doubt that I could ever make any sense of what is certain to be a ML routine. <sigh> Now if it happened to have been written in Basic with an abundance of REMarks explaining things, then I'd have some chance of understanding it. I quess that's why I like the autoexecs. They speak English! :) Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 44 Mon Jul 20, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 07:40 EDT Guess I'm just used to dealing w/nuts like me Howie. >>grin<< There *are* some of us who will curl up with a disassembly and read for hours, and I mean that seriously. I'll dig thru my stuff, tho it may take awhile, and it may not do you any good in the end either, because I believe Chris.... hey, wait a minute... all I really have to do is find the 2 or 3 bytes Chris used for his date, because if you have noticed, there is a default value if you never set the date. I can give you just the values and *then* you could do a monitor search on them, or I could. Yeh, thats the ticket! Stay tuned. I'll get it as soon as I can get a couple of minutes back to back! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 45 Mon Jul 20, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 12:26 EDT JBEE, Your file, datev1.csdos.arc was just the ticket!! :) It had everything in there to set the CS/DOS date! Thanks JBEE!! :) I did enhance upon it a bit, and to include the time setting routines. Let me know what you think! Howie P.S. I *NEVER* knew that you could install a Basic program onto the ramdisk.... Will wonders never cease.... :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 46 Mon Jul 20, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 14:09 EDT Ed, JBEE's file grabs the date and feeds it to CS/DOS in a very interesting way. I never would have thought of this approach to it, and *ME* of all people didn't even think to search through our Library to see if someone might have already invented the wheel... So now we are all set as far as putting dating and time into CS/DOS. Well, that is so long as it doesn't get done between Midnight and 1 AM. Don't ask! Don't ask! The bewitching hour is explained in the file... As for ML, I have tried. I just cannot make any sense out of it. With Basic, on the other hand, common every day logic is all that's needed. As an example: IF (the light is green) GO, ELSE DON'T. And the vocabulary is easy to learn. Far less words than are in my Webster's. It seems that a few fortunate folk are able to look at ML and almost immediately understand what's happening. Since you do, it can be interesting reading. But for me its like a foreign language that uses an alphabet that I never learned... :( Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 47 Mon Jul 20, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 19:02 EDT I was coming back online now to tell you it would take more time than I have to spend looking for the needed bytes, and to suggest another way. I see you don't need it, but what I was going to suggest was to put the DATE command in your autoexec after a poke to change the VDC screen memory, from which you could read the translated date, even from BASIC. However, you have apparently found an elegant solution. As for ML, it is probably your understanding of BASIC and other hi-level languages that makes ML seem so cryptic. Still, there is probably more good stuff in BASIC than there is in ML in PD/Shareware cuz more people are comfortable with it. Glad your problem was so easily solved! ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 48 Mon Jul 20, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 21:45 EDT You are welcome :) Actually, one of the attractive things about CS-DOS is the ability to use Basic programs from the ramdisk. Date was just one of those 5 minute Basic programs I write and then get too lazy to improve :D I uploaded it because there wasn't one at the time. Still good for ideas... If someone wants to make the date come up automatically in CS-DOS I would recommend file #9260 "setdate.sfx" uploaded by L.WIILSON in Library #9. It is a much better date program for most people. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 49 Mon Jul 20, 1992 M.DULSKI1 [Mark @WIZARD] at 22:38 EDT Hey Thanks guys! I would never of imagined you could use a basic prg out of CS-DOS's ramdisk. Always just assumed it had to be ml or specially written so never tried it. I think it was arc128 that I noticed the load address was the start of basic but when I tried running arc128 without CS-DOS it didn't work so just forgot about it. ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 50 Tue Jul 21, 1992 HOWIE-CBM at 08:48 EDT Mark, Well, the fact that a Basic program can get installed and run from a CS/DOS ramdisk was until yesterday one very big *SECRET* at least for me. I really wish I had known about this!! Off hand I can think of maybe 20 different programs I would have put in there for easy access. <sigh> Now that I have a RL it is sorta moot, anyway. However, when I was with a drive-only sys and REU I could have put that to good use... And, that was for quite some time... I quess this points out just how important good documentation can be. CS/DOS, itself, is the best thing since sliced bread for the 128. However, ts documentation gets bogged down in technical explanations, at the expense of clearly explaining all of its features, for the user. I've always known its docs were lacking. but it is just such a super good application, I was willing to put up with it. I learned all its ins and outs, so I thought... I don't recall seeing anything about this in the printed manual, or disk docs. I suspect that there are probably lots of good applications, that unlike CS/DOS, never become popular, because of poor documentation. It might not be fun for a programmer to write documentation. He already knows his creation every which way. However, I really believe that a program's accompanying docs determine how poplular and broadly used it becomes among its users. Thinking about it.... When it comes to major undertakings it is usually best for someone other than the programmer to do the docs and manual. More likely to assure that it gets written *for* the user. The docs and manual that accompany Kermit are a superb example of clearly written and and easilly referenced supporting instructions for its use. I'll put away my soapbox now... Howie P.S. Gads! It just dawned on me, could we two be the only two who never knew about this capability? :/ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 51 Tue Jul 21, 1992 M.DULSKI1 [Mark @WIZARD] at 22:15 EDT No matter how good the documentation it's still up to the user to take the time to throughly read it! Something I'm occasionally quilty of not doing a very good job of ;) mmmmm, come to think of it, maybe I will go back and read the CS-DOS docs a little better. Could be it reall is in there about using a Basic prg in ramdisk ;> ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 52 Sun Sep 13, 1992 S.CRAIK [Steve] (Forwarded) Hi ALL, Not sure if this would be the proper area to ask this but, I'm having a problem with a portion of CS-DOS. I'm trying to use the CSARC1750 prg. I find that it ends up turning the FLUSHING to disk ..in trashing the directory. Originally, I'd set up the AUTOEXEC such that trying the process ended up FLUSHING the (what would seem) as the entire REU. Now I don't know if this was also happening during the creation portion ..but the end part of FLUSHING did seem to add WAY to much info. Anyway, I've changed the AUTOEXEC (I'm now using the AUTOEXEC from SETTIMEDAY.SFX) Result in doing this ended up FLUSHING a *.LZH that would have the same byte/block count as CSARC but when trying to read the directory with LHD. It would jump into a display that looked like it was trying to type to screen a program file. Could there be a different POKE than "poke dec("1bcf"), low*16+high ?? From what I've read in the DOCs that seems to be the correct poke for establishing a work area for CSARC1750 & LHA. NOTE: I made an error when I mentioned looking at the directory first it wasn't a *.LZH IT WAS a *.ARC (of the IBM type) second I was using the ARC128/L to list the directory. Anyway, has someone tried creating an IBM.ARC with CSARC1750? ..and had GOOD results? Steve Craik ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 53 Wed Sep 23, 1992 S.CRAIK [Steve] at 03:28 EDT HELLO... Would someone try CSARC750'ing a file or two? Let me know what happens when you read the directory. (I've been wondering.. would/could my using CSARC1750 via a DACC to the REU in RAMLink ..be causing some complications? It hasn't mattered with other things that make use of the REU in CS-DOS.) Hmm? Steve Craik :-( ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 54 Wed Sep 23, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 16:18 EDT Hi :) I will give it a shot soon. For what it is worth CSARC has worked for me before, I have never tried it with a Ramlink/REU. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 55 Sat Sep 26, 1992 S.CRAIK [Steve] at 02:22 EDT Hi JBEE, Just so not to be confused. Its the CSARC1750, the one for use with the REU. Not just plain o' CSARC <grin>. I can get that to work. Its just the CSARC1750 that's giving me some problems. Maybe its a poke here or there a little bit different. Hmm? Thanks for going to give it a try, when you can. Steve Craik ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 56 Fri Oct 02, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 21:56 EDT Hi :) My results: csarc1750/a a:filename a:* works fine, please note that filenames have to be 8 characters or shorter (you are creating an PC archive) and do not add the extension .arc because the program does it for you automatically. Now csxarc/l does not properly list an archive directory but csxarc/v does! So for now it looks like the only way to list an archive is to verify it. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 57 Sun Oct 11, 1992 S.CRAIK [Steve] at 02:42 EDT Hi JBEE, I'll have to check that CSARC/v (to list the directory). Cause, I'd tried other things ..but, hadn't worked. Oops! you said CSXARC/V works. Side note.. for Bruce Vierling (sp..oops?). I tried IDIR on a 3.5 and it worked but, had trouble with a 5.25 disk using IDIR. ...I thought I'd touble check ..and used BBR v4.0 and it read the 5.25 IBM disk. (note though, I only had one 5.25 IBM disk to test it on. ..also somewhere you ask about compatiblity with CS-DOS and RAMLink partitions using various utilities. I for get just which program it was that was in question. But, I find that I'm able to do most things ..haven't tried everything nor really documented what happens. But, If I make sure that I've assigned (RAMLink's device# 11) d,0 ..then also each partition with a ASSIGN. Oops! I see I didn't print the assign in the proper format (assign d 11,0) then partitions 6-9 with 11,6 11,7 11,8 11,9 respectively ..I can MOVE, COPY & pretty sure ARC128. I'll continue to watch this and let you know of any probs. Steve Craik ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 58 Sun Oct 11, 1992 B.VRIELING1 at 08:18 EDT (I'll reply to this in Category 5, Topic #25) ...Bruce GEnie: B.VRIELING1 Internet: bvrieling@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 59 Wed Nov 11, 1992 B.LUCIER1 [bill l] at 02:53 EST Hey there, does anyone know where csdos store it information on drives. Ie which drive a: is referencing to? I think the default info is at $213a,but I can't find where it is stored after an assign. Thanks, Bill ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 60 Wed Nov 11, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 23:08 EST I don't have the memory charts at my finger tips but ASSIGN is what determines which drive is matched to which drive parameter. We are going to be doing a newer version of CS-DOS soon so that information might change anyway. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 61 Sat Nov 14, 1992 B.LUCIER1 [bill l] at 07:08 EST Thanks, Jbee. Will the parse tables at $1700 remain the same? I found the tables for the assigns at $213a in bank 1. The reason I ask is because I'm writing some programs which I would like to use in the csdos environment, and I would like to make sure that the commands use the right disk and partitions... THanks Bill ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 62 Sat Nov 14, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 16:46 EST Probably, depends on the person who is rewriting the shell. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 63 Sat Nov 14, 1992 B.VRIELING1 at 17:06 EST Bill, The table at $1700 is the JUMP table. If the shell re-writer moved that, NONE of the existing CS-DOS commands would function properly. That would not be good. ...Bruce GEnie: B.VRIELING1 Internet: bvrieling@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu Fido: 1:229/15 ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 64 Sun Nov 15, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 01:28 EST Guess it won't be moved! Off topic but .... FIDO 1:229/15 What do the numbers mean??? ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 65 Sun Nov 15, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 01:31 EST They are the address of the orginator of the message, John. I don't remember the specifics cuz I don't know all of the ins of the FIDO net, but there are zones, hubs, and something else. The 3 parts of the number are akin to something like country, city, street address, for lack of a better comparison. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 66 Sun Nov 15, 1992 B.LUCIER1 [bill l] at 15:00 EST Thanks Bruce. Then It should be fairly safe to use... Bill ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 67 Mon Nov 16, 1992 B.VRIELING1 at 20:04 EST John, The tag at the end of my message (FIDO 1:229/15) indicates the Fido node at which I can be reached through EMAIL. Fido is a rather large network of over 6000 (mostly IBM) computers worldwide which trade mail during Zone Mail Hour (between 5 am and 6 am for my timezone). The name and telephone number of every single Fido node in existance (as well as some other "control info") is passed around in a file called the Node List (which is over a megabyte in size). In addition to direct email, the computers also pass around conference mail, or echoes, all related to a specific topic (and this is where the majority of the traffic is). And finally, you can "poll" other systems for download files through a process called File Requesting (or FREQing). The first number in my Fido address, 1:, indicates the ZONE of the node. If the "#:" is not present, zone 1 (or North America) is implied. Zone 2 is Europe, 3 is Australia and surrounding area, and I think 4 is the stuff around the old USSR. The number before the "/" indicates the network of the node. My area around Southern Ontario is net 229 within zone 1. Finally, the number after the "/" (15) is the number of the node within network 229. In my case, it is the number for Canada Remote Systems here in Mississauga, Ontario (200+ lines, 34 Gigabytes online, FIDO, USENET, and about 6 other major mail networks, $99/year). It was only 2 weeks ago that they got a Fido feed (and now carry hundreds of Fido conferences), so I decided to add the Fido stuff to my "tagline". Incidentaly, the CBM 8-bit Fido conference is VERY active (ie. upwards of 75 new messages per day!). I'm actually surprised that neither Parsec nor CMD has much of a (commercial) presense on it. Hmmmm... It might be worthwhile to call a local Fido node, and see if the CBM conf is available. It is on the Fido backbone (as well at the brand new 128 echo), so should be widely available. ...Bruce GEnie: B.VRIELING1 Internet: bvrieling@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu Fido: 1:229/15 P.S. I should also mention that the VortexNet BBS package is a fully Fido compatible BBS program for the C128. It's author, Stephen Kunc, runs node 1:163/227 at (613) 567-2128, and sells Vortex for $25. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 68 Mon Nov 16, 1992 CMD-DOUG at 22:07 EST Well, it isn't for lack of trying. None of the Fido boards in our area carry that echo. :( As for VortexNet BBS, we got a call a couple weeks back from someone who said he got it, but that it only seemed to support 1571 and 1581 disk drives. I'd be interested to hear if this is or isn't true from anyone who knows for certain. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 69 Mon Nov 16, 1992 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 22:21 EST VortexNet has been limited from the beginning as to what it supports in the way of disk drives. It does not support SwiftLink as yet, and the author is the one on whose behalf I requested the permission to release my notes Doug. As for commercial presence on the FIDO networks, at least in the 8 bit world, and I suspect the whole network, it is forbidden. The reason has something to do with different rates for commercial and private uses of the phone lines. VortexNet is presently the only 8 bit Commodore program that does support Fido networking at present, though a young guy in my area, Rob Murawski, claims to have the support working but not live in current release of his BBS, Intelligentsia. There are shareware copies here on GEnie. He also supports Avatar as I recall, FWIW. I do think CMD and Parsec would be well-served with a presence on FIDO, but not in the capacity of vendors... rather as technical support, and this applies especially to CMD with their hardware which usually has a LOT of message traffic every day. Parsec gets more than passing metion too for various reasons including TC128, the ZIP chip, and now CS-DOS, etc. The people would appreciate direct access, though I realize the limits of time and also that you need a feed... tho Doug... couldn't CMD try to get their own feed? Tho it is hard to imagine no one in your area carries it. And as for FIDO traffic, I can personally testify that the message traffic is closer to 200 message per day on the one echo and was closing in on 50-100 on the other network before I lost access to it. To be honest, it is now too voluminous for me to keep up with. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 70 Tue Nov 17, 1992 C128.JBEE [* Sysop *] at 09:17 EST Well, GEnie is my home now ;) and I couldn't really offer support on another network. I just don't have the time or money for it. Bruce, thanks for the post though. I like knowing the how and whys :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 71 Fri Jan 08, 1993 G.HOYLE at 01:01 EST Help! I've just downloaded CS-DOS and I don't know what to do! I've got a Commodore 128 (with a 40 column monitor only), a 1764 REU, a 1541 floppy drive, and a CMD HD-20 hard drive. All I want to do is to ARC (or LHA?) some text files for uploading so that IBM users can un-ARC (or LHA) them. Can this be done without a 1750 REU? How should I set up this program??? ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 72 Mon Jan 11, 1993 F.BUNTON at 19:26 EST Is the CS-DOS program "only" to be run from 128 native mode AND with a REU? Is it possible to run CS-DOS from cp/m? or without an REU? Just what "hardware" is needed to install and run CS-DOS. Where is the best place to obtain the needed items? What are good prices? Does CS-DOS use a mouse (or a mouse could be used)? What is a good mouse to use? Can anyone answer these questions? Thanks. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 73 Mon Jan 11, 1993 R.KNOP1 [Rob Knop] at 22:00 EST CS-DOS is a 128-only program. It runs under native mode of the 128, and as such will not run under CP/M. No REU at all is required for CS-DOS itself, though if it is there, CS-DOS will make effective use of the REU. (Note that an REU _is_ required to run LHA, which is a program that runs under CS-DOS.) Other than your 128, disk drive, and monitor, no special hardware is needed to run CS-DOS. You should be able to dissovle the CS-DOS archives to disk by just LOADing and RUNning the .sfx archives. To get ahold of lhx and lha, you need to get LHARC.ARC (I _think_ that's the filename), which will require arc128 (included in the CS-DOS .sfx's) to extract the files from the archive. CS-DOS itself doesn't use the mouse, and to the best of my meager knowledge no currently existing CS-DOS program uses the mouse. One could visualize this changing in the future, however. Why is a mouse useful? Well, I use mine with GEOS, Pocket Writer 2, and Dialogue128 primarily. -Rob ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 74 Tue Feb 23, 1993 M.MINNIG at 04:54 EST I need an "Utter Imbecile's Guide to CS-DOS"; I'm sure there's a textfile in the library that'll help me. Suggestions, anyone? Michael ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 75 Tue Feb 23, 1993 C128.JBEE at 09:24 EST Actually, this whole topic is the next best thing :) I did upload "helper" files a while ago to Lib #2 that had everything setup and ready to use. I will be uploading new CS-DOS and ARC packages in March that should be a bit easier to use. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 76 Tue Feb 23, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 13:09 EST Michael, My approach to complex software has been a quick once-over of its docs and/or manual, and then jumping right in and using it, referring to docs whenever I wanted to do something I didn't know how. I've taken this approach with PCiii, which I have just started using. As JBEE points out, if you run into a snag and something doesn't work, you can ask here. Lots of us have been down the CS/DOS learning curve and are happy to share what we know with everyone. An other idea is to do what I also did recently. Buy some Leroy Cheat Sheets. I got several, one especially for PCiii, but they have others, and also blanks. Since I am pretty sure none exist for CS/DOS, a blank one might do just fine for keeping often used commands easilly accessible. An other approach (also something that I did) was to re-organize, or more precisely organize the CS/DOS docs, so that all of them are in books in alphabetical order, ready for easy referrral. BTW, those Cheat Sheets can be bought direct from: Cheatsheet Products, Inc. P.O. Box 8369 Pittsburgh, PA 15218 Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 77 Tue Feb 23, 1993 CBM-MARK at 22:50 EST Howie, A quick once over of the CS-DOS docs? Refering to them when needed? Don't work with *those* docs! :D An indepth study is neede just to make heads or tails of what the docs are trying to say. They assume the user knows how to use CS-DOS in the first place in my opinion. Consider the problems with the ARC128 command line! It's *in* the docs that you have to use the whole word "ARC128", however anything but obvious :/ Also absolutely nothing about the fact you can rename ARC128 to just ARC and use the same command line as ARC on the C64. Just one example of MANY. Heck, I don't understand half of what the docs are saying. Of course then again I only use less than half of CS-DOS functions. Good to hear JBEE is releasing a easier to use CS-DOS soon! Great! I don't remember, is CS-DOS still going to be shareware in it's new release? ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 78 Wed Feb 24, 1993 C128.JBEE at 02:20 EST The moment I bought CS-DOS and ARC it was no longer shareware. Mainly due to how and what I feel shareware should be. The only people that have to pay for using CS-DOS and ARC are the people I approve for licensing of the routines that CHARGE for their own program. Otherwise it is copyrighted but free to use without guilt. If I approve of the use, people that use routines in programs they do not charge for do not have to pay anything. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 79 Wed Feb 24, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 07:29 EST Mark, Well, yes everything you say is so. However, once one realizes that the docs presume that you have been a part of the on going dialogue of cs/dos development, you can just jump in and start absorbing the stuff. The docs are excellent proof that a programmer should never be the one to write the docs describing the use of his/her program. Even so, cs/dos is so rich with user defineable options, it *IS* worth the effort. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 80 Wed Feb 24, 1993 CBM-MARK at 09:16 EST Thanks JBEE! And I'm sure I'm not the only one to thank you for releasing such a fine program to PD. (copyrighted PD that is ;) I do feel a little better now. I've been using CS-DOS for a couple years without being registered, though it did cost me $10 in bank fees trying to register. But that's another story. Howie, you're right, CS-DOS is worth the effort of learning. That I don't deny. Docs suck is all ;D ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 81 Wed Feb 24, 1993 C128.JBEE at 14:54 EST CS-DOS IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PUBLIC DOMAIN AND NEVER WAS. (just thought I would clarify that) ;D ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 82 Wed Feb 24, 1993 B.VRIELING1 at 18:58 EST Mark, "Copyrighted PD"? That's an oxi-moron. When a program is declared Public Domain, it no longer has ANY rights attached to it. For examples, if I released my CS-DOS Extra Utilities Pack as PD, and then placed restrictions on how it would be distributed (for example, may not be distributed for a fee), I would be screwed up; once it is PD, someone could take my code and SMOKE it or charge $100,000 for it, and there would be NOTHING I could do about it. As JBEE pointed out, CS-DOS is NOT PD, and many of his PR headaches with CS- DOS I'm sure are a result of the mis-assumption that CS-DOS at one time WAS PD. Be careful the words you use... (said with a wink and a smile, of course... :) ...Bruce GEnie: B.VRIELING1 Internet: bvrieling@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu Fido: Bruce Vrieling @ 1:229/15 ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 83 Wed Feb 24, 193 CBM-MARK at 21:41 EST Ok, bad choice of words ;D I knew it was NOT PD as in 'freely usable however the user feels like' and that includes use of the code in their own programs. And it's not Shareware. As I understand it, it CAN be freely used 'as is' but to use part of the CS-DOS package's code in your own programs a fee MUST be paid or at least some sort of bartering MUST be done with the individual (JBEE :) who now owns the rights to CS-DOS. Since I didn't quite know what to call CS-DOS, it's why I called it "copyrighted PD". Free to use in it's entirity but NOT free for plundering of it's code. So, somebody, what *is* this type of software called? :) ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 84 Wed Feb 24, 1993 CMD-DOUG at 22:01 EST Some call it 'freeware' or 'freely distributable'. This usually covers any software which is copyrighted, yet can be freely distributed under the limitations specified by the author or copyright holder. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 85 Thu Feb 25, 1993 C128.JBEE at 02:59 EST The csxtra41.lzh tool file is live. ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 86 Thu Feb 25, 1993 CBM-MARK at 08:06 EST Freeware! That's it! I knew it had to be 'coined' something :) Yes, I have heard of freeware now that you mention it but I see the term so little I couldn't think of it. Thanks Doug ;) ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 87 Fri Feb 26, 1993 M.MINNIG at 04:07 EST Thanks for the responses! Now I feel like a less-lonely imbecile! I followed the "docs", but only get a "file not found" error when giving the commmand: arc128/a a:arcname c:* For some reason, the computer tries to load "a a:arcname" !!! I'll keep trying............ Michael ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 88 Fri Feb 26, 1993 CBM-MARK at 07:49 EST Michael, You're not adding the '.arc' suffix to the "arcname" are you? If you are this will cause 'file not found' when dissolving. ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 89 Fri Feb 26, 1993 C128.JBEE at 14:29 EST arc128/a a:arcname.arc c:* ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 90 Fri Feb 26, 1993 CBM-MARK at 22:26 EST JBEE, what are you saying? You *can* include the '.arc' suffix in the command line when creating an archive? Every time I try that I end up with an archive that is called "arcname.arc.arc" :/ Like I mentioned before, using the .arc suffix in the command line to dissolve an archive (arc128/xa c:arcname.arc) gives an error of 'file not found' for me. As if ARC128 is always adding on the '.arc' suffix itself before accessing the disk drive. Michael, sorry, I misunderstood your last message. I thought you were asking about dissolving archives. After seing JBEE's message I went back and reread yours. Ooops :> Pay more attention to JBEE's help than mine. He uses CS- DOS and utilities like arc a heck of a lot more than I do :D ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 91 Sat Feb 27, 1993 C128.JBEE at 02:07 EST "Works for me" :) ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 92 Sat Feb 27, 1993 CBM-MARK at 08:13 EST Boy do I feel like a fool (again :) I went back and tried including the .arc suffix in the command line. Worked for me too :/ Got me thinking where I had the problem and when. *Now* I remember. My first copy of arc (2.20) has always been flakey with my 1571's and since I still have it I tried using the .arc suffix in the command line with it. First try just left a open channel to the drive. Resetting everything and tried again gave me the double .arc suffix when I created one. Drive was in 1541 mode both tries. Was just confused as to which version of arc I had the trouble with. See Michael, don't pay any attention to me ;) Looks like my copy of 2.20 could be corrupted so I might as well put it out of my misery :D Thanks for setting me straight JBEE! ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 93 Sat Feb 27, 1993 CBM-ED [e.g.bell] at 09:11 EST Mark: Nothing like squeezing an old copy... that is like 3 versions behind.... I remember reading about the problems with that version in Chris' ARCLOG file. >>hehehehe<< ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 94 Sat Feb 27, 1993 HOWIE-CBM at 13:46 EST That isn't the way I do things. Once I get an upgrade version, and am confident it is solid, all copies of prior versions get zapped. No point in having it hang around. Altho at this point my collection of disks has become so unmanageable that I am lucky to find anything since it can be anywhere, so old things may not get zapped as they should. And, I am pretty well organized too. Howie ------------ Category 3, Topic 18 Message 95 Sat Feb 27, 1993 CBM-MARK at 22:17 EST Before CS-DOS arc2.20 was the only thing I had. Came from a local BBS. I'm not very organized here ;) Most times I don't clean up the old useless stuff from my disks until I'm in danger of running out. More than once it has been a mad scramble to clean up a disk so I'ld have room to save my term buffer! LOL! ▐▐Mark▐▐ ------------