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READ.ME
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1992-07-30
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SKID ROW
presents
Cross DOS Plus
Version 5.00
July 25 1992
This file describes any changes and highlights special features for
this version and revision of CrossDOS Plus. PLEASE READ THIS FILE FOR
IMPORTANT NEWS!
*******************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Running CrossDOS or CrossPC from the Product Disk
Installing CrossDOS or CrossPC
Undocumented CrossPC Features
New ToolTypes
Obsolete ToolTypes
Mouse Software
Configuring a Hard Drive
Changes From Previous Versions of CrossDOS
New File System Name
We've Renamed the Default Floppy Devices
New CrossDOS Utilities
MountMF is Gone!
MFormat, MDiskCopy and Kill are History!
TxFilter and IntlTrans have been Combined!
Floptical Users
Electronic Registration
Technical Support
Electronic Bulletin Board Service
*******************************************
Running CrossDOS or CrossPC from the Product Disk
Both CrossDOS and CrossPC can be executed from this product disk
(particularly if you are running on a floppy based system). Just
double-click on the appropriate icon.
To start: double-click on the "PC0" icon. Your internal floppy drive
will now be configured as an MS-DOS drive with the name "PC0:". You
can now read and write preformatted MS-DOS disks.
If you need to format an MS-DOS disk, double-click on the "Format"
icon in the "system" drawer. Choose the device to format from the
device list and answer any the questions and options given.
Double-clicking on the "CrossPC" icon begins the PC-XT emulation.
Place an MS-DOS 720K boot disk in your internal drive and it should
boot up. (Please note that 68000 users are only configured with 256K
of PC memory in the emulation.)
It's that simple.
*******************************************
Installing CrossDOS or CrossPC
You may choose to install both products using the "Install" program on
the disk. This is particularly efficient if you have a hard drive.
If you do wish to install, DO NOT move the files over manually! The
"Install" program makes many intelligent choices depending on your
system configuration.
Once installed, you can use most features immediately. A few features
such as MS-DOS hard disk access may require a re-boot of your system.
*******************************************
Undocumented CrossPC Features
The following features are not in the manual because they occurred
after its printing.
New ToolTypes
-------------
DISKSHARE
Although CrossPC and CrossDOS can share data from the same MS-DOS
disk, there can be problems if it is accessed at the same time. To
reduce this risk significantly, we implemented a 'lockout' feature as
the default when using CrossPC. When CrossPC is running with a
CrossDOS device (such as PC0: or PCC:) we disable access to it from
the Amiga side. When CrossPC is rebooted (CTRL-ALT-DEL), it will free
the CrossDOS devices to be used by the Amiga.
If you wish to share the disks simultaneously between CrossPC and
CrossDOS you can set the DISKSHARE ToolType in the CrossPC icon.
CAUTION: If the proper precautions are not followed YOU WILL CORRUPT
THE DISK. See Appendix C in the manual called "Hard Drive
Considerations" for an in-depth discussion about this problem.
It is recommended that you do not use DISKSHARE unless you are
confident you know what you are doing. Since AmigaDOS and CrossPC
both don't know when the other is writing to the drive, it is possible
to corrupt your floppy or hard drive partition, losing some or all of
your data. If you do need to use the partition from both AmigaDOS and
CrossPC simultaneously, remember that whenever you write to the disk,
you must make the other operating system aware that you have changed
the disk. Under AmigaDOS a Diskchange command will work, under MS-DOS
a CTRL-C or executing CHKDSK has a similar effect.
STARTPRI=xx
The default priority of CrossPC is -10. By specifying STARTPRI=xx in
the ToolTypes of the CrossPC icon, the priority of CrossPC is set to
xx. The limits for this are -100 to 0. CrossPC will ensure that the
priority is between these two limits. Increasing the priority may not
provide you any more speed unless you are running other tasks. You
will probably never need to use this ToolType.
Obsolete ToolTypes
------------------
CPU1
This is no longer used. If it is present, it is ignored. The only
use for the CPU1 ToolType was if you had an early GVP accelerator
card. Now CrossPC automatically detects this, and executes the
appropriate code. If you do have one of these GVP cards, CrossPC will
state that it is using CPU type 68010 instead of 68030.
Mouse Software
--------------
It is no longer necessary to use MOUSE.COM. The equivalent code is
executed whenever RightAmiga-Help is pressed. This makes it easier to
use the mouse if you haven't put MOUSE.COM onto an MS-DOS disk.
MOUSE.COM is still useful if you want the mouse to be enabled
automatically from the AUTOEXEC.BAT.
You can disable the mouse driver by pressing RightAmiga-Shift-Help.
We recommend that you do not enable or disable the mouse within an
application. This insures for proper recognition of the mouse by
applications.
*******************************************
Configuring a Hard Drive
CrossDOS and CrossPC now support MS-DOS formatted hard drives. There
are certain hard drive formats that are not 'true' MS-DOS. In this
case, we do our best to decipher the disk but 'all bets are off'.
We do require that you install both products using our "Install"
program. Also, select the "Configure Hard Disk for CrossDOS and
CrossPC" to have us try to create a proper mount file to match.
You will be asked in the "Install" program whether you want to
configure one of two types of hard disks.
One: A 'true' MS-DOS hard disk configured as the entire disk. This
type is useful if you wish to transfer data between the Amiga and a
stand-alone PC. We do HIGHLY recommend that this type of hard disk be
formatted on the PC first then brought to the Amiga for configuring.
Two: An 'image' of an MS-DOS hard disk within an Amiga hard disk
partition. This type is particularly useful with CrossPC.
For further information refer to Appendix C in the manual ("Hard Drive
Considerations") that discusses the different hard drive types and
special considerations.
*******************************************
Changes From Previous Versions of CrossDOS
This section is important for users who have an earlier version of
CrossDOS.
There have been changes to CrossDOS for a multitude of reasons. These
reasons range from efficiency, speed, robustness and more. We hope
you like the changes. Most of the code is more efficient in both
speed and code size. Those code pieces that are larger are due to
feature additions.
The CrossDOS product has two versions of code for most of its
programs. One version is Amiga 1.3 and 2.0 compatible. The other is
2.0 ONLY compatible (identified by a ".2" on the end of the name).
The 1.3/2.0 code is fatter, as you would guess, and generally has a
few less features. We recommend that you install CrossDOS on the
operating system version you wish to run on. If you wish to use it
under both operating systems, you should install it under 1.3.
New File System Name
--------------------
The file system code (the cornerstone of the CrossDOS product) has
changed name from MSDOSFileSystem to CrossDOSFileSystem. If you
install CrossDOS onto your system we will copy this new file system to
your L: directory. We also copy this same code to L:MSDOSFileSystem
so that your old configuration may still work.
We've Renamed the Default Floppy Devices
----------------------------------------
The old MS-DOS devices defaulted to the names DI0: through DI3:. We
now use PC0: through PC3:. If you like the old names better, all you
have to do is rename the mount file from PC0 to DI0. This rule
applies to the other devices too. You can name the floppy mount files
to any name that does not conflict with any other device name.
New CrossDOS Utilities
----------------------
We include new utilities to support CrossDOS better as well as benefit
the entire Amiga system. We have utilities such as Mount, Format and
DiskCopy that are designed to replace the system utilities of the same
name. They will operate on MS-DOS disks as well as Amiga disks. They
operate just as the commands they are replacing but they have some
additional features to make life easier.
Although they are designed to replace the standard Amiga utilities,
you can elect to rename these utilities to CDMount, CDFormat and
CDDiskCopy. We recommend that you replace your system commands to
utilize these commands to the fullest.
MountMF is Gone!
----------------
We have replaced this command with an advanced Mount command that uses
mount files. It can be used by either double-clicking on the mount
file (such as PC0) or executing a mount of all the devices in a drawer
at boot time (we can do this in the Install program).
We do not encourage using MountMF but we do have a new replacement for
it. Our install program will try to find your old MountMF and replace
it. This allows you to use it particularly if it is already used in a
boot script.
MFormat, MDiskCopy and Kill are History!
----------------------------------------
MFormat and MDiskCopy have been replaced with the full-featured Format
and DiskCopy respectively. Alternate floppy formats used with MFormat
have been replaced by special project icons located in the
":system/Alt_Formats" drawer. We do not encourge using these
alternate formats unless you have to. The Format utility will
automatically sense the optimum disk format unless you override it by
using one of these alternate formats. We also recommend it be used
from the product disk. Refer to the "READ.ME" file in that drawer for
more information.
The Kill utility has been somewhat dangerous to use in the past and it
is now somewhat useless. CrossDOS is now more efficient. If there is
no MS-DOS disk in the drives, we try to deallocate all the memory we
can. In fact, CrossDOS uses no CHIP memory unless it senses an MS-DOS
floppy disk in the drive.
Our Install program will delete these files as well as the project
icons that are associated with them (such as Kill.DI0).
TxFilter and IntlTrans have been Combined!
------------------------------------------
We have combined the functions for setting the text filters and
international translation tables. In fact, they should be even easier
to use with more features. Refer to the manual in Chapter 4 for more
details.
Our Install program will delete TxFilter and IntlTrans as well as the
project icons that are associated with them.
*******************************************
Floptical Users
CrossDOS and CrossPC now support floptical drives. If you do not know
if you have a floptical drive you probably don't have one. A
floptical drive can support the MS-DOS 720K, 1.44M and its own 20M
floptical disk format. It can also support an Amiga 20M hard drive
format.
We do recommend that you install both products using our "Install"
program. Also, select the "Configure Hard Disk for CrossDOS and
CrossPC" to allow us to attempt to create a proper mount file. When
you are configuring the floptical, make sure you have a preformatted
MS-DOS disk in the drive at the time. Any MS-DOS disk should do (such
as an 720K disk). This is needed to sense the proper information from
the drive.
Formatting with the floptical drive is slightly different too. This
is because the floptical cannot properly sense the size of the
unformatted disk in the drive. There are two ways to format in the
floptical drive.
One: Insert a preformatted MS-DOS disk in the drive with the same
formatted size as you want to format. If you want to format a 1.44M
disk, for example, insert a preformatted MS-DOS 1.44M disk in the
drive first. Then, execute the "Format" program. Proceed with the
program until you come the requester that says "Ok to format volume
... " then insert the actual disk to be formatted and proceed.
Two: Double-click on the format project icon in the
":system/Alt_Formats" drawer that corresponds to the desired format.
For example, double-click on the "MSDOS_720K.Format" icon to 'force'
the format of the disk to 720K. Proceed through the format.
Choose the method that makes you comfortable. Experimentation is your
best teacher.
*******************************************
Electronic Registration
We would like you to help us in reducing the errors. Errors are
caused by manually entering product registration information into our
database. This occurs primarily because hand printing may be somewhat
hard to decipher.
Our electronic registration is available through the install program
or by double-clicking on the Register icon. Fill in the correct
information requested and print it off by selecting the "Print and
Save" button. Send the printed registration sheet and the
"Proof-of-Purchase" card to the address listed on the sheet.
*******************************************
Technical Support
Should you have any difficulties, double-click on the program
"Dr_CrossDOS". It will try to diagnose the problem. If you are still
having difficulties you can contact us at:
CONSULTRON
8959 Ridge Rd
Plymouth, MI 48170-3213
(313) 459-7271 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST Weekdays
NOTE: Make sure you send in your product registration with
"Proof-of-Purchase" card. We will send you a "Product Certificate"
with a unique "Customer Identification Number". You must use this
number when calling or corresponding for technical support. No
technical support will be given without this number.
*******************************************
Electronic Bulletin Board Service
We have provided an electronic bulletin board service to better serve
you. It may contain update patches should there be any. Other public
domain or shareware files are available that may be useful to you. We
also have demo versions of most of our programs that allow you to "try
before you buy".
The telephone number of our BBS is:
(313) 459-7271 6:00 PM - 10:00 AM EST Weekdays
and all day on weekends and U.S. holidays
Thank you.