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1997-04-16
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TOS is dead! Long Live TOS!
===========================
TOS 1.4 is now readily available in the U.K. and is well worth those
with pre STE machines upgrading to. The next few paragraphs of text
describe the enhancements that have been made and are a copy (saves me a
lot of typing) from the Atari text file 'RAINBOW.TXT' found in the
RAINBOW.TOS folder included on this disk (if Dave can find the room).
The new Rainbow TOS provides many improvements to your computer's GEM
Desktop operating speed and makes your computer easier to use.
File Selector (formerly Item Selector)
--------------------------------------
Two important changes affect this dialog box. One is the the
addition of the Drive Selector. The other is improved use of
wildcard characters.
The Drive Selector displays drive identifier letters A through P.
Click on a letter to select that drive. Drive identifiers
representing uninstalled drives appear in a light typeface and
cannot be selected.
Use of wildcard characters allows you to more easily control the
Directory window display. Use wildcard characters to replace
portions of the last section of a pathname on the Directory Line.
For example, if D:\SALES\*.DOC appears on the Directory Line, only
files with the .DOC extension will display in the Directory window.
To display the entire contents of the subdirectory SALES delete .DOC
and replace it with the asterisk wildcard character. Refer to your
computer owner's manual for further instructions on using wildcard
characters.
To display the new directory, press [Return].
Move Files
----------
With Rainbow TOS you can move a file from one folder or drive to
another in addition to copying the file.
First, select the file(s) you wish to move. Then hold down
[Control] as you click on and drag the selected file(s) to a new
location. During the move process, a Move File(s) dialog box
displays the number of files being moved. As each file is moved,
the Move File(s) dialog box displays the file's name and complete
destination (disk or logical drive letter and folder name).
When you copy or move files, Rainbow TOS does not change the date
and time stamp of those files. File date and time information will
only be updated when the file is changed.
Skip a Single File During Group Copying
---------------------------------------
The option to skip a single file during a group copy procedure
becomes available when a file name conflict occurs. A file name
conflict occurs when a file is copied from one location to another
and a copy of the file already exists at the new location. The
following three options are presented when a name conflict occurs:
Copy Rainbow TOS overwrites the existing file and
the copy operation continues.
Skip Rainbow TOS does not overwrite the file.
Continues with the copy operation.
Quit Rainbow TOS does not overwrite the file. Ends
the copy operation.
Abort Group Copy, Move, and Delete Operations
---------------------------------------------
You can abort the copy, move, and delete operations performed by
Rainbow TOS. Press and hold down [Undo]. A dialog box displays,
giving you the choice of continuing or ending the operation.
MS-DOS Compatible Floppy Disk Formatting
----------------------------------------
Disks formatted with Rainbow TOS are fully MS-DOS compatible.
Auto-Boot Applications
----------------------
The Install Application option of the Options menu allows you to
assign an auto-boot feature to any GEM based application programs.
An installed application automatically opens when you boot the
system. You can select applications with .PRG, .APP, or .TOS
extensions.
Follow these instructions to start an application from a data file
or autoboot an application.
1. Select a program file (.TOS, .APP, .PRG) from a directory
window.
Select Install Application from the Options menu. The
Install Application dialog box appears, listing the
application program file you selected from the desktop.
2. To install the application to run from a data file, type
the correct data file extension in the Document Type field.
This is the common extension of the files that use that
application. (Consult the manual supplied with the
application for the most common file extension.) If you
install an application to autoboot, you may leave the
Document Type field blank.
Note: Some applications can open from a desktop data file
only if the data file resides in the same folder as the
application program files. Check the documentation
supplied with the application for more information.
3. Select boot status: Auto to autoboot an application, or
Normal to start an application from the desktop.
4. Select an application type. Your choices are GEM, TOS, and
TOS-takes-parameters.
Most programs that run from the desktop have the extension
.PRG or .APP. Both of these extensions indicate a GEM
application. However, some applications have the extension
.TOS or .TTP. The extension .TOS indicates a TOS
application. The extension .TTP indicates a TOS-takes-
parameters application.
Note: To use a .TTP application, first select the
application, then enter the required parameters when the
dialog box appears.
5. Select OK to finish.
6. To save the application's installation, select Save Desktop
from the Options menu.
Disk Copy/Format Dialog Box
---------------------------
Rainbow TOS uses a combined dialog box for copy and format
operations. This box displays when you select either the Format
option from the File menu, or drag a disk drive icon on top of
another disk drive icon.
Select Copy or Format from the Copy and Format dialog box. Select
from the available options and click on OK. The bar graphs in the
lower half of the screen graphically detail the copying or
formatting that occurs.
Changing a Folder's Name
------------------------
With Rainbow TOS you can change the name of a folder. Click on a
folder and select the Show Info option from the File menu. The
Folder Information dialog box displays. You can now type in a new
name for that folder.
Keyboard Reset
--------------
You can now reset your computer from the keyboard. Hold down
[Control] and [Alternate], then press [Delete]. This key
combination is exactly the same as pressing the Reset button.
Pressing [Control] [Alternate] [Right Shift] [Delete] causes a VERY
cold boot. It clears all of RAM (except about 64 bytes at the
bottom) and then jumps to the ROMs. This cold boot clears all
reset-proof RAMdisks and other data and variables that are cleared
by a cold boot but not a warm boot.
--------------------------------------------
Atari, the Atari logo, Rainbow TOS and TOS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. GEM and GEM Desktop
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digital Research, Inc.
MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Copyright 1989, Atari Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA.
Hi! it's me (D.P.) back again....
As you can see TOS 1.4 is a lot better than the old version. However,
be warned a few bugs have reared their ugly heads and can be corrected by
using the patches supplied in the afore mentioned RAINBOW.TOS folder. The
main problem appears to be with the RTS/CTS not functioning correctly on
the RS232 port. This and the other bugs are well explained in the Rainbow
folder. If Dave Mooney can't fit the folder on this issue of STEN then I
am more than happy to send anyone a copy. Please send a blank disk and
return postage.
Rainbow TOS is available in either 6 ROM chips or 2 ROM chips to suit
the different mother boards fitted in pre STE machines. (I shall deal
mainly with the 6 chip set as this is the type I have and would not wish
to give those with the 2 chip type the wrong information)
To find out which set you need you will have to dismantle the ST and
observe the precautions against static electricity (ESD-Electrostatic
discharge- to give it its posh name) as described in my RAM upgrade
article in STEN#3. What! You don't have STEN#3!! get a blank disk off to
Dave Mooney with return postage ASAP.
Dismantle your machine as far as removing the large metal shield.
The TOS ROMs on my STFM revision D board are located under the PSU in
two rows of three chips. I believe other boards may have the ROMs fitted in
one row of six under the PSU or in the bottom left hand corner of the
mother board. I would imagine the 2 chip type would be in similar
positions. In any case what you are looking for is a group of (2 or 6) 28
pin dil chips located in IC sockets.
Assuming you have obtained the new TOS 1.4 chips (leave them in their
protective packaging until they are required), carefully remove the old
TOS chips from the IC sockets not forgetting the ESD precautions. Fit the
new TOS chips into the IC sockets making sure that they are the correct way
around and each ROM is in the right socket.
The chips will be marked and the mother board may be printed to allow
identification. However, my board wasn't but the instructions that came
with the TOS ROMs showed how they should be installed. The chips marked H0,
H1, H2 fit in the top row of three sockets with H0, fitted in the right
socket, H1 in the middle and H2 in the left socket. The remaining three
chips, L0, L1, L2 fit in the lower three sockets and in the same order as
the upper row i.e.
H2 H1 H0
L2 L1 L0
NOTE all the chips are fitted with the number one pin marker indent
pointing to top of the mother board.
Rebuild the ST and switch on. Click on 'Desktop info...' and you
should have the following dialogue box with the ATARI logo colour cycling
(on colour screens) hence 'RAINBOW TOS'
---------------------------------------
| GEM, Graphic Environment Manager |
| TOS |
| ------------------------------ |
| /|\ |
| ATARI |
| |
| Copyright 1985,86,87,88,89 |
| Atari Corporation |
| Digital Research, Inc. |
| All Rights Reserved |
| |
| ---------- |
| | OK | |
| ---------- |
-------------------------------------
It is possible for machines fitted with TOS in 2 ROMs to have the 6
ROM type fitted.
This involves the soldering of 4 extra 28pin dil IC sockets onto the
mother board plus changing 3 solder bridges marked 256K/1M from the 1M
position to the 256K position but if you are not happy about carrying out
this sort of work then stick to the 2 chip type.
******************** **********************
* 6 Chip set @ £25 * * 2 Chip set @ £39 *
* from * * from *
* C&P Rossiter * * Ladbroke Computing *
* 48 Park Drive * * 33 Ormskirk Road *
* Hucknall * * Preston *
* Notts * * Lancashire *
* NG15 7LU * * PR1 2QP *
******************** **********************
Next time I shall be Describing how to upgrade your 0.5meg internal drive.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Price 42 Foxglove Green Willesborough Ashford Kent TN24 ORJ
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