¢¢¢¢ DiskFormer 0.90 12/94¢ ¢ Notes:¢ DiskFormer is used to convert and tranfer disks and files for use¢ with PC XFormer Atari 8bit emulator programs. This is not a manual,¢ it hopefully will give you enough information to use this version of¢ the program. Do not select "Not Available" as a source - It is to use¢ diskcomm files as the source, and doesn't work completely yet. Do not¢ choose "Custom" for baud rate - it is unimplemented. If you find any¢ bugs not covered here please let me know. Mail feedback (Positive or¢ negative) to cp576@cleveland.freenet.edu. This program is freeware. ¢ PC XFormer 2.0 and 2.5 are freeware programs and PC XFormer 3.0 is a¢ commercial program available from Brach Always Software, 14150 N.E.¢ 20th St., Suite 302, Bellevue, WA 98007 (206) 369-5513.¢ ¢ Capabilities:¢ Welcome to Diskformer - The Atari disk conversion and transfer¢ utility.¢ ¢ DiskFormer is able to read from these formats:¢ (1) A Physical Disk in Single, Enhanced, or Double Density¢ (2) A .XFD XFormer Disk Image (3 densities)¢ (3) A .ATR SIO2PC/XFormer Disk Image (3 Densities)¢ ¢ Input can be from disk or file or for .XFD and .ATR files input can be¢ from R1: using standard XMODEM protocol¢ ¢ ¢ DiskFormer is able to write to these formats:¢ (1) A Physcical Disk¢ (2) A .XFD XFormer Disk Image¢ ¢ In the case of .XFD, DiskFormer can transmit it via standard XMODEM¢ through an R: device.¢ ¢ ¢ Requirements:¢ (1) Atari 8 bit with 48K and Disk Drive.¢ For transfer capabilities you also need:¢ (1) RS232 interface and R: handler for the Atari.¢ (2) Another computer (IBM compat. if you are transfering files for use¢ with PC Xformer) with a serial port and communications software¢ capable of doing standard XMODEM file transfers.¢ (3) Null Modem cable or adapter and any other necessary adapters or¢ cables to hook the two together.¢ ¢ ¢ Installation:¢ Copy the R: handler to a filename of your choice (DISKFORM.COM¢ for example) and append DISKFORM.EXE to it.¢ ¢ ¢ Loading:¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢ Load the file (DISKFORM.COM) and the R: handler should load¢ followed by DISKFORMER. BOBVERTER with a home built type R-Verter¢ type interface was used in the development of this program.¢ ¢ Use:¢ Select the Input Type and Output Type using "I" and "O". Set the¢ Input (Source) and Output (Destination) drives with "S" and "D". If¢ an input or output type is an XMODEM type transfer, the corresponding¢ drive doesn't matter. The Input and Output Types both cannot be an¢ XMODEM type. Doing so, will cause the menu to be redisplayed when¢ initiating the transfer. You can change the R: device by pressing R:.¢ This will usually always be R1:.¢ When the output is an .ATR or .XFD file you must have the file¢ written to a disk that is larger than you are converting from. You¢ could convert a disk to an .XFD file on a large ramdisk and then use a¢ terminal program to transfer the file (Using other protocols if need¢ be). Be warned, The version of BOBTERM I have will add an extra block¢ to the end of the file even though an .XFD file is an exact multiple¢ of 128 bytes. .ATR files will probably have padding on the end to. ¢ PC XFormer will not recognize this file as a disk image unless you are¢ able to remove the extra bytes after the transfer. Diskformer will¢ not add extra bytes at the end of the .XFD files. Since Diskformer¢ cannot write to .ATR files, you don't have to worry about them. ¢ Hopefully PC XFormer 3.0 or future versions will be smart enough to¢ look at the filename to see if its a disk image instead of looking at¢ the filesize. Most conversions will prompt you for the density of the¢ disk image since it is impractical in some cases for the program to be¢ able to determine it. Using the wrong conversion or wrong density¢ will result in a defective transfer or generate an erro - Note: A¢ table of file sizes follows this paragraph. When the output is a¢ Diskette you may elect to format or not format the disk. Don not¢ choose format unless the format is the correct density of the file¢ being transferred. Pressing Shift-Y will format in Ultra Speed¢ (Diskformer cannot do Hi-Speed transfers though). This is intended if¢ you have an O.S. that supports ultra speed or a driver you may load.¢ ¢ Image Type File Size secs used secs used ¢ on ED disk on DD disk¢ ---------- --------- ---------- ----------¢ SD XFD File 92160 720-738 360-364¢ SD ATR File 92176 720-738 360-364¢ ED XFD File 133120 won't fit 520-526¢ ED ATR File 133136 won't fit 520-526¢ DD XFD File 184320 won't fit won't fit¢ DD ATR File 184336 won't fit won't fit¢ ¢ ¢ Transfers¢ It is recommended you start the transmitter first. If DiskFormer¢ is sending, wait until it says "Waiting for Receiver" before starting¢ the receiver. DiskFormer will wait forever and will never time out. ¢ Hopefully the terminal program on the other end is forgiving enough to¢ wait for the Atari to access its slow drives. If the other computer¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢ times out, see if you can increase the number of errors or timeout¢ values. Future versions of DiskFormer will allow you to decrease the¢ buffer size, reducing the load/save times. You can do this to some¢ extent, by leaving BASIC on, or storing other values in location 106.¢ ¢ Simplified Instructions:¢ The primary purpose of this program is to send a disk to a PC¢ XFormer equipped PC or receiving a disk back so we cover that here. ¢ You must have a handler loaded prior to loading DISKFORM.EXE or have¢ the DiskFormer program appended to one. Obviously you must have the¢ two computers connected by a null modem cable and a terminal program¢ capable of Standard-XModem send and receive.¢ ¢ Sending a Disk:¢ (1)Set the Input type to Diskette with "I".¢ (2)Set the Output type to .XFD-XMODEM(R:) with "O"¢ (3)Set the Baud rate if other that 19200 baud. It must be set the¢ same as that of the reciever.¢ (4)Set the Source Drive with "S".¢ (5)Press Start¢ (6)Insert Source disk in the drive you choose, press a key¢ (7)When "Waiting for Receiver" appears, start XMODEM recieve on the¢ other computer.¢ (8)When the transfer is complete, press any key.¢ ¢ See TroubleShooting below if you have any problems.¢ ¢ Receiving a Disk:¢ (1)Set the source to .XFD-XModem(Rn:) or .ATR-XModem(Rn:) depending on¢ the extender of the file using "S".¢ (2)Note the file size on the other computer and use the table¢ presented earlier to determine the density type. Write it down or¢ remember it.¢ (3)Set the destination ("D") to Diskette.¢ (4)Set the Baud Rate ("B"). It must match the sender.¢ (5)Press Start¢ (6)Start the sender.¢ (7)Insert Destination and press a key¢ (8)Wait for the Format Disk Prompt. Unless the disk is already¢ formatted to the correct density, press "Y". If the sender times out¢ because of the time required to format the disk, format the disk in¢ advance. You will also be prompted for the density, press "S" for¢ single, "E" for 1050 double (enhanced), or "D" for double.¢ (9)When the transfer is complete, press any key.¢ ¢ Read the next section if you have any problems.¢ ¢ Trouble Shooting:¢ If no blocks are transferred, check connections and baud rates.¢ ¢ If you get any errors and no blocks are transferred, verify the¢ reciever is set to standard XModem and not XMODEM-CRC.¢ ¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢ If the receiver times out while your atari is reading from the¢ disk, see if the timing or max errors can be changed on the receiver. ¢ Or, try booting with BASIC and loading the program from DOS. If you¢ have a large ramdisk, set the output to .XFD File (Dn:) and set the¢ destination to the RAMDISK. Use a terminal program (Or DiskFormer if¢ you set the source appropriately) to transfer the file.¢ ¢ Permissions:¢ This program may be freely distributed, but not sold alone or¢ conjunction with any other product without permission. Program and¢ documentation Copyright 1994 Kenneth Siders.¢ ¢ ¢
