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- I downloaded the BIOS4.ARK when it first appeared and came up with the errors
- that have been documented in the message base of GEnie. I didn't feel
- competent enough to fix it so the file just sat unfixed. The fixed file
- appeared a week or so ago and worked great except for a minor thing of it not
- working with a serial connection printer such as the MPS 801. Well it was time
- to learn about MAC and RMAC to fix that since my printer is 801 compatible. So
- I dug through the files and the User's Guide that comes with the CP/M+ package
- offered by Digital Research. So after a week of experimenting with the
- FAST8502.ASM file and the CXPRINTE.ASM file finally got it to work with a
- serial printer. I could not find where the 4 or 5 was loaded into 0A or the
- secondary address was loaded into 0B, so I cheated on it and in the open
- printer channel subroutine. I only have one printer and it sits on channel 4
- all the time and can't think of any reasons to change it. With the CPM+.SYS
- file created with the original BIOS4.ARK, if you try to add a printer filter
- such as prt1=cbm, it comes back with an error of CAN NOT install printer
- filter, so you are pretty much stuck with the definition this way unless you
- can figure out the pokes necessary to change it. The only changes were that
- to the FAST8502.ASM file, the open printer channel and printer output
- subroutines, and the printer buffer was taken out (some day when I feel real
- ambitious I may play with putting the buffer back in). Along with substituting
- the modified FAST8502.ASM file into the original BIOS4.ARK, you need to take
- the original CXPRINTE.ASM from the CP/M Source disk 1. (That file has the
- PETSCII translation table for the Commodore and Commodore compatible printers.)
- Follow the instructions in the original BIOS4.ARK to assemble the file. Should
- work like a charm, but takes over 15 minutes to assemble it using a ram disk to
- hold all the files, time will increase if you go to a 1571 for reading and
- writing the files, and there isn't enough space on a 1541 for it to even be
- attempted. I used the original CXKYCODE.ASM file in mine since I didn't want
- to give up the last command on the cursor up. (Was easier just to copy the
- file than get the coding for it and move it to the new file, haven't tried the
- screen dump routine to see if it is dependant on that file, never had a need
- for a screen dump in CP/M, could always duplicate the problem or planned on
- printing in the first place.)
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Legal Stuff
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Original Copyright is maintained by DRI and Commodore.
-
- Changes in the FAST8502.ASM documented in the source code are still theirs,
- since I used the original file to make the changes.
-
- Changes made by James Waltrip and documented by James are copyrighted by James
- W. Waltrip.
-
- User assumes all liability and risks for the use of this modification, neither
- CBM, DRI, James Waltrip, or myself can be held responsible for any loss
- resulting from the use of this modified file.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- If you have any questions about this file leave mail for RICHARDL on GEnie, or
- I can be contacted at the Hack Shack BBS, (303) 688-8406, user #2.
-