The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-387-Vol-3of3.iso/v/v93n02z.zip/V93N029.IBM

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Info-IBMPC Digest           Wed, 24 Feb 93       Volume 93 : Issue  29

Today's Editor:
         Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <[e-mail]>

Today's Topics:
                     3-button mouse driver wanted
                 3M Black Watch 1/2" tape cartridges
                             Batch files
                           Com 3 and IRQ 5
                        DMA on IBM-AT and 386
                    drive-problem traced but ....
                          Fixing print heads
                            HD slave mode
                      Help getting 2 HD working
                     how to inspect a fax modem?
             How to redirect output to screen AND file ?
                           IBM's E3 editor
                   Leave monitor on or turn it off?
                             MNP5 Modems
                     quadram quadboard settings?
                       Sound from the LPT port
                  Telix 3.20 totally locks up my PC
             This Pascal Archive was uploaded: WILLY.ZIP
                        Turning off the cursor

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 09:02:42 CET
From: Willem Vermin <[e-mail]>
Subject: 3-button mouse driver wanted

I'm looking for a 3-button mouse driver for my ARTEC mouse.  I cannot
use amouse.com, which comes with the artec mouse because Windows
crashes when amouse.com is activated, even if windows does not use
amouse.com. The mouse driver from microsoft (mouse.com or mouse.sys,
which comes with windows) is usable, but it seems only to support the
two-button mode of the artec mouse.

Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Willem Vermin
[e-mail]


------------------------------

Date: 11 Feb 1993 23:09:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: relic <[e-mail]>
Subject: 3M Black Watch 1/2" tape cartridges

The radio station I work at has an NED sound-editing tower, and has
recently converted the data back-up format to data-dats from tape
cartridges.  As a result, we have a number of apparently good tapes
kicking around, and we are trying to figure out what can be done with
them.  So, my questions are as follows:

First, is it possible to use these tapes for tape archiving in a
desktop computer environment?  These are 3M Black Watch 1/2" tape
cartridges, with some reference on the label to being "3480
compatible".  If they can be used with micro-computers, what hardware
and software might be required to make them work?  What sort of storage
capacity are we talking about here?

Alternately, what sort of environments are tapes such as these
typically used in?  If told that they are not readily usable in our
set-up (a lan with largely arcane computers), where else might they be
used?  Is there a market for such things, or for that matter, would the
local university be likely to welcome receipt of some freebies?

Finally, failing all else, could anyone recommend some place where i
might be able to obtain some information concerning the above questions
(no luck at 3M so far)?  Thanks to anyone in advance for considering
this message, and for provision of the bandwidth for this plea.  Take
care,

Joe

------------------------------

Date: 8 Feb 93 01:50:32
From: "Gisbert W.Selke" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Batch files

On 24 Jan 93 13:51:15 GMT, Shahab Raza Khan <[e-mail]>
writes:
...
> I have an interesting question.  I want to write a batch file which
> would do the following:
>
> 1. Down load our backup software from one of our LANs.  The software is
> not in compressed form but regular files.
>
> 2. Edit the autoexec.bat file to login to separate accounts on the LAN
> (e.g. user1, user2 etc)
>
> 3. edit the config.tel file (for use with telnet) and change the IP
> number in it (e.g. 129.174.1.1 129.174.1.2 etc)

We do pretty much the same on our Novell LAN to update software located
on local PCs. This is the general outline of the procedure:

(1) Whenever a user logs into the net, automatically check if there's
something to update/backup/...whatever for the machine. In Novell
parlance, put a line like the following into the system login script:
#command /c If Exist F:\UPDATE\DOTASK.BAT F:\UPDATE\DOTASK As an
aditional parameter, you might pass something to identify the machine's
name to the batch file, if you cannot identify it otherwise. Since you
are doing the task once for each *machine* (not each *user*, supposing
that there is no one-one correspondence between machines and users), it
is vital to identify the machine. For Novell LANs, you have, in the
system login script, access to the machine's Ethernet address (the one
hard-coded in to the LAN adapter board). You might use this. --
Additionally, you might pass the user's login name.

(2) Build DOTASK.BAT in such a way that it first checks if the
update/... for this user has already been run, by checking for the
existence of a semphore file in (say) F:\UPDATE. The semaphore's name
might be something like <machine>.SEM. If it exists, terminate DOTASK
quickly -- this way, users that have already been processed won't be
penalized.

(3) Have DOTASK do whatever you like. You might copy files from
directory DOTASK to a predefined local directory, etc. In particular,
if we want to modify users' files, we use an AWK script. E.g., for
adding a line to to the autoexec.bat, we use an AWK script like this: {
print } END { print "login " USER } This script is called from
DOTASK.BAT with the lines awk -v USER=%2 -f F:\UPDATE\DOTASK.AWK
C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT > C:\$A.$$$ If Exist C:\AUTOEXEC.BAK Del
C:\AUTOEXEC.BAK ren C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOEXEC.BAK ren C:\$A.$$$
AUTOEXEC.BAT (Proper handling of read-only files will require obvious
modifications.) This assumes that indeed the user's login name has been
passed to DOTASK.BAT as the second parameter.

(4) Last, we create the semaphore to tell us that all went well; so we
have a line like this last in DOTASK.BAT: echo Task xxx done > %1.SEM
(Note that we refer to %1, which is to be the *machine* id.) In
addition to the task mentioned in (2), this allows the administrator to
check for which machines the job has been run.

That's it. If you feel this will help you but have more questions, e-
mail me directly to save bandwidth.

Sorry for a long posting.

\Gisbert  <[e-mail]>, <sel@widolan>,
          <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 17:10 EDT
From: "Nicholas Egloff, 2nd" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Com 3 and IRQ 5

The standard address for COM 3 is 03E8. COM4 is 02E8.  Try that first
and see if that might be the problem.

Good luck...
...Nick Egloff, 2nd

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 21:07 BRT
From: "Walter Soto E. Jr." <[e-mail]>
Subject: DMA on IBM-AT and 386

Hi, there

        I am looking for tecnical material about DMA on IBM-AT, 386 and
486. I need information (adresses, interrupts and a short explanation
of DMA method) to build a fast A/D interface. I made it successfull for
IBM-XT, using data from Tecnical Reference Manual of IBM-XT, but things
changed on hardware structure of AT's and up ...

        Thanks in advance, and excuse my poor english.

Eng. Eletr. Walter Soto E. Jr.
Instituto de Fisica e Quimica de Sao Carlos - USP
Sao Carlos
Brasil

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 09:00:10 +0200
From: "K. Jorritsma" <jorritsm@admserv>
Subject: drive-problem traced but ....

Drive problem 'solved'

Recently I posted a question on the strange behaviour of my newly
bought 80486. Some answers got through the cripled mail- system we are
facing here at the moment.

Let me state the question once more:

I've got a 33 MHz 80486 with an American Megatronics BIOS dated 1990, 4
Mb memory , Trident TVGA 512 Kb video, a 105 Mb harddisk and 1.44 ; 1.2
Mb floppy drives.  Problem: Drive A en B could not be used in DOS, but
were fully operational while working in Windows 3.1

All answers came down on the same question: Did I use any TSR's that
might result in a conflict between interrupts?

So I deleted my config.sys and autoexec.bat, Did a ROM-SETUP, changing
no parameters, but rewriting old values into the setup again. And
behold: A and B were restored to full duty, both in DOS and in Windows!

I then started to reinstall all drivers to check where the cause of the
problem could be found: It proved that QEMM was causing all the
problems.

I am using QEMM 6.0 ( QEMM386.SYS; 88839 bytes; 23-08-91). with the
following line in my config.sys

     DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS RAM X=B000-B7FF

the exclude region is needed to make it possible to use high re-
solution drivers for Windows.

I deleted all QEMM files and did a new install, including the full
optimize procedure. It resulted in the former situation: Drive A and B
only functioning in Windows, not under DOS.  So, now I'm back with good
old HIMEM.SYS from DOS and 42 Kb less of conventional DOS memory.

Now I am wondering: does someone else have any experience with the same
problem? If yes: how did you solve this?

Looking forward to hear from you
Koos Jorritsma
[e-mail]
*  Noord. Hogeschool Leeuwarden     Northern Polytech
*  studier. Biotechnologie          Dept. Biotechnology
*                       Vondelstraat 9
*              8913 HP  Leeuwarden, Holland
*              tel [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 93 13:53:24 EST
From: "Madore, Michael A" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fixing print heads

     I am looking for information on companies which repair print heads
for dot matrix printers.  In particular, I have 2 print heads from
Epson LQ2550 printers which have broken pins.  I have had print heads
repaired in the past, but I have since forgotten where I had it done.
Telephone numbers would be especially useful.

Thanks for any help.

Michael Madore  -  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 13 Feb 1993 14:50 +0000 (GMT)
From: Rob Manders <[e-mail]>
Subject: HD slave mode

I have a problem with an IDE-harddisk. It is a miniscribe (40 MB) type
8051A. I don't know the jumper setting to get it in slave mode.  There
is a ten pin jumper array:

                10 8 6 4 2
                 9 7 5 3 1

One jumper is now covering pins 1 and 3 Any help would be very much
apreciated.

Rob Manders
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 19:32:43 EST
From: "J. Pilant" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Help getting 2 HD working

Steve Sherwood <[e-mail]> writes:
>I am having a lot of trouble getting 2 Hard drives working on my 386sx.
>I have a 65Mb RLL, and a 32Mb RLL.  One drive can be connected easily,
>and works fine, but as soon as I try and connect the second drive, it
>stops recognizing the first one.  Can anyone help ?

Sounds to me like they are both responding at the same address.  That
is: same i/o address or both set up as drive #1, or some such.

/jeff

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 14:18:27 -0500 (EST)
From: ALICE LOO <[e-mail]>
Subject: how to inspect a fax modem?

I bought a Zoom 2400/9600 internal fax modem from a NYC electronics
store some time ago. It came with COMIT (a communications software) and
BITFAX (a fax software). The data part of the modem works fine, but I
couldn't get the fax part to work. Can anybody give me some pointers
regarding configuration of the modem? Or whatever else I'm supposed to
do? I don't think it's problem with the software because I've tried a
friend's copy and it didn't work either. How do I tell if I actually
have a fax modem (as opposed to just a modem)? Is there anyway to tell
just by inspecting it visually?

Thanks for any advice.

Alice Loo
SUNY HSC @ Syracuse

------------------------------

Date: 8 Feb 93 01:53:46
From: "Gisbert W.Selke" <[e-mail]>
Subject: How to redirect output to screen AND file ?

> I'm using a DOS program that does some calculating and shows the
> temporary results on screen.  The end results are also shown on screen.
> How can I redirect the output to a file (I know using '>file') but also
> see the temporary results on screen, so that I can follow the
> calculations ?
There are quite a few programmes that do so. You might try LOGGER.ZIP
which is available from Simtel&friends in subdirectory ...msdos/screen.
There are other ones whose names I don't remember; have a look at the
Simtel inventory, same subdirectory. Also, in some of the
Unix-look-alike packages, you'll find a programme named 'tee', which
mimicks a T junction.

\Gisbert  <[e-mail]>, <sel@widolan>,
          <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 21:36:45 CST
From: Glauber <tellab5!wheaton!david.wheaton.edu![e-mail]>
Subject: IBM's E3 editor

Hello,

        Does anyone know what's the current status of the "E3" IBM
editor? It's a small editor, with a built-in compiled language,
interesting. The executable is called simply E.EXE. I read somewhere
that it was written for internal use by IBM and never released to the
public. Is it true? Are there any plans to release it?

        I recently obtained a copy of this editor, with the help file
and most of the messages translated to German.  I'd like to know if it
would be legit to use it, or would i be violating some copyright? I
also would like to hear if anybody has the help file and other files in
English, or any kind of documentation on the programming language.

        Thank you for any help or pointer.

                                                Glauber

Glauber Ribeiro
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
constantly risking absurdity

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 21:28:42 CST
From: Glauber <tellab5!wheaton!david.wheaton.edu![e-mail]>
Subject: Leave monitor on or turn it off?

Hi,

        There has been some discussion recently about leaving computers
on all the time instead of turning them off. Many believe that the
effects of turning a computer on and off are worse on the machine than
the stress of running continuosly.

        What about monitors? If i leave my computer on overnight,
should i turn off the monitor or leave it on also and just use a screen
saver to blank it off?

                                                Glauber

Glauber Ribeiro
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
constantly risking absurdity

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 04:12 GMT
From: Scott Begin <[e-mail]>
Subject: MNP5 Modems

I haven't used a 2400bps MNP 5 modem, but I have worked with some other
MNP modems.

As part of my job, I upload files to 3 company owned TBBS Bullitin
Boards using a Supra v.32bis FAXmodem (14,400bps).  The one BBS has 8
UDS 9600bps modems which support MNP 5.  When uploading files, I get
throughput of about 1200 - 1500 characters per second (compared to
about 900cps without the MNP).  This is about the same throughput I get
uploading at 14,400bps to an identical modem using the v.32bis
compression (LAPM compression).  The files I am uploading are ZIP files
with a self extraction header (junior header of about 3k compared to
5-15k of ZIP file).  On the text files I upload, I have seen 1800 cps
throughput.

The MNP does help with throughput.  However, I currently believe that
my throughput would show even more improvement if I had my serial port
set to more than 19,200bps (which to practically do, you need a 16550
UART based serial port).  On a 2400bps modem, I would expect better
throughput improvement over the connection rate (since you probably
would be able to set the port at 19200bps for most MNP5 applications).

The key is that you need to set your communication software to a higher
speed than you are connected at and have it set not to autoadjust to
the connection rate. You can only get higher throughput if you are
sending more characters to the modem so it can compress them.

As for finding MNP5 supporting BBSs, they are more common than you
might think.  I don't use that many BBSs, but I think only 1 out of the
10 I use regularly didn't have a higher speed modem (9600bps+).  Most
9600bps modems I have worked with include MNP5 with some of the better
ones supporting the LAPM compression of v.32bis.  The way that high
speed modem prices have dropped recently (I'll be ordering a Supra
14,400bps FAXmodem tomorrow, $315 delivered with software & a cable),
they are becomming more and more common on BBS systems.

Scott A. Begin      Oak Forest, IL
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun Feb 14 09:07:20 1993
From: Andy Meijers <[e-mail]>
Subject: quadram quadboard settings?

Subject says it all, almost. I have an antique Quadram Quadbaord,
(1s,1p,clock,256k mem) that I pulled out of my junkpile to put in a
frankenstein original PC. Anybody have the DIP switch settings?  Trial
and error produced only errors......:^(

Thanks in advance, etc. Please e-mail me a copy of your follow-ups,
since the digest only shows up here at random.


Andy Meijers DRMS-ZS       | PHONE:{FTS 552, AV 932, COMM (616) 961} -7253
Defense Reutilization &    | UUCP:{uunet!gould!}dsac!dlscg1!s9d3002
Marketing Service          | INTERNET: [e-mail]
Battle Creek,MI 49017-3092 |   <<<< STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY !!! >>>>

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 14:36:19 EST
From: BRIAN HOBBS <[e-mail]>
Subject: Sound from the LPT port

I have a question about playing sound files on a PC.

I do not have a sound board currently. I am however, using a JDAC
device (that I built) in my printer port. The JDAC is a Digital to
Analog converter made simply from a ladder of resistors that converts
the 8 bit output of the parallel port to an analog signal. It works
similar to the 'Disney Sound Source' or the 'Covox speech thing'.
Player programs for .MOD .STM .VOC and .SND files exist that are
capable of some pretty decent sound. (I got the schematic from one of
the player programs). Unfortunately, none of the player programs that I
have can use EXTENDED memory, so I'm limited to playing .SND or .VOC
files within the 640K barrier.

Question number one. "Does anyone know of a DOS player program for
.VOC or .SND files that can use EXTENDED memory and output to a JDAC?"

 Just for fun, I tried to write a simple program to see if I understood
how the JDAC sound worked. I wrote it in assembly, it does the
following:

- Read in a raw 8 bit digitized sound file ie a .SND or .VOC.
(Conventional memory only for now)

- Send a byte to the LPT port via an OUT instruction to the port

- Delay using a do-nothing loop (I realize that this is poor style, but
this just a simple demo)

- loop until entire file is done.

Well, I tried it, and I only got a buzzing sound on my JDAC output.  I
traced through with DEBUG, It seems to be doing what I've instructed it
to, I've tweaked the DELAY value up and down, which changes the pitch
and duration of the buzz, but no integible sound.

The shareware player programs that I have work fine, so this proves
that the hardware and sample .SND file are ok, What gives? is there
something I'm doing wrong with the I/O port?

I assume that the  data on the output port is latched, but I'm not
sure.

I am running the code on a 386DX 25 MHZ. I know that it is capable of
playing the data fast enough (other sound programs run fine) The delay
value was determined by trial and error for my particular "test" .SND
file.  The speaker output (the "buzzing") lasts for a few seconds, so
my delay must be nearly correct. If I removed the delay, the program
runs through the data in less than a second, WAY too fast!

I realize that I need to make the code "processor speed independent"
and able to change playback rate for different files, but as I said,
its just a start! I would like to avoid using a delay loop at all,
perhaps by reprogramming the interrupt timer.

Here is the subroutine that I'm working on to do the playing of a 64k
byte block of memory. I DIDN'T UPLOAD THE ENTIRE SOURCE FILE since the
rest of it works fine. The program is still in it's beginning stages.

===============
;SND8.ASM loads an 8 bit raw sound file and plays it through LPT1
;  REV 2/2/93

Code   SEGMENT
       ASSUME DS:Code, SS:Code ,CS:Code ,ES:Code
ORG 100h

SND:    call Parse              ;parse filename
        call OpenFile
        call read64K            ;read 64k of file
        call play64k            ;play file
        jmp exit                ;exit
;-----------------------------------
Play64k:
        mov  si,offset Buffer     ;Point to file data buffer
L1:     lodsb                     ;Get byte and inc SI
        mov  dx,0378h
        out  dx,al                ;Output to LPT1 port

        mov  cx,650h              ;delay
Delay:  nop
        nop
        loop Delay

        cmp  si,0FFFh
        jne  L1
        ret

etc...

     Thanks for any help!

                                -Brian   .__+__.

                                 [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 11 Feb 1993 19:51:22 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Andreas Zisowsky)
Subject: Telix 3.20 totally locks up my PC

[e-mail] writes:

>However, it seems like some commands, ie. Alt-U, totally hangs the PC.
>It will not even catch the 'three-finger salute', the only way to get
>out of it is the reset button. This also happens when exiting Telix
>with the Alt-X command. If this is a way to get people to register

I have no problems doing the things you mention. I don't know what the
reason of the problem is. But as far as I know, there are two versions
of Telix 3.20. The first one had some bugs and was rereleased few days
after it.  So maybe you have the first version

Ciao.
Andreas

Andreas Zisowsky      -----       Internet: [e-mail]
                                            [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1993 19:25:15 -0500 (EST)
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: This Pascal Archive was uploaded: WILLY.ZIP

I have uploaded to CCU.UMANITOBA.CA:

Willy.zip:  A game similar to the Donkey Kong series, where a user must
dodge cannon balls thrown at them.  The objective is to ring a bell at
the top of the screen.  Prizes are grabbed and bonuses are obtained for
getting to the bell before time runs out.

This game is written in Turbo Pascal.  It dates from 1987, but provides
for extremely fast input, fast enough to be a usable game (compare the
performance of the Breakout game supplied by Borland.)

The game comes with full sources in Turbo Pascal 3.  It also does
reprogramming of the character set in 40 character CGA mode, so if you
run on a CGA, EGA or VGA it will use its own graphic characters; if you
run on an MDA or Hercules, you will see the game in 1/2 screen IBM
characters, so it works whether or not you have graphic capability.

I wish I had written it, but I didn't.  Comments on the program may be
sent to me at the E-Mail address in the archive, or to the author at
his address in the program (if he's still there.)

Just because something isn't recent doesn't mean it's worthless.  It
does a number of things and quite well.

Paul Robinson -- [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 16:54 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Turning off the cursor

Could anyone please tell me how to turn on and off the cursor from
Turbo Pascal v6?  I am writing a small text-screen game, which would
look much better without the cursor constantly blinking at the user
from some corner of the screen.

Many thanks,

Raymond O'Donnell
St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of Info-IBMPC Digest V93 #29
********************************
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