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- Archive-name: CPM-faq
- Posting-Frequency: monthly
- Last-Modified: 22 February 1995
-
- =========================================================================
- Changes from the previous FAQ are marked with a "|" in the first
- column, additions marked with a "+". Corrections or additions to:
-
- <Donald.C.Kirkpatrick@tek.com>.
-
- I wish to thank the following people their contributions to this FAQ:
-
- John D. Baker <jdb8042@blkbox.com>
- Ralph Becker-Szendy <RALPH@SLAC.STANFORD.EDU>
- Mike Finn <mfinn@pacs.pha.pa.us>
- Mike Gordillo <GQ23V55D@umiami.ir.miami.edu>
- Stephen R. Griswold <stephen.griswold@CIRCELLAR.COM>
- Roger Hanscom <hanscom@atlantis.ees.anl.gov>
- Ulrich Hebecker <Ulrich.Hebecker@studbox.uni-stuttgart.de>
- Herb Johnson <hjohnson@pluto.njcc.COM>
- Tom Karlsson <tomk@Student.DoCS.UU.SE>
- William P. Maloney <aq743@cleveland.Freenet.Edu>
- Paul Martin <pm@nowster.demon.co.uk>
- Don Maslin <donm@crash.cts.com>
- Udo Munk <udo@umunk.GUN.de>
- Alan Ogden <arog@BIX.com>
- Keith Petersen <w8sdz@Vela.ACS.Oakland.Edu>
- Jay Sage <sage@LL.MIT.EDU>
- Curt Schroeder <cschroed@hercii.lasc.lockheed.com>
- Peter A. Schuman <schu0204@gold.tc.umn.edu>
- Kevin Spears <kspear@ss0.eng.wayne.edu>
- Tilmann Reh <tilmann.reh@hrz.uni-siegen.d400.de>
- Geir Tjoerhom <geirt@nvg.unit.no>
- Jack Velte <velte@cdrom.com>
- Juergen Weber <weberj@dia.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de>
- Jeffrey J. Wieland <wieland@ea.ecn.purdue.edu>
- Frank Zsitvay <frank.zsitvay@bytewarrior.altcit.eskimo.com>
-
- While this FAQ is not intended to be an advertisement for any product,
- please note that some of the contributor have a financial interest in
- some of the items mentioned. Your editor has NO financial interest in
- anything mentioned in this FAQ.
- =====================================================================
-
- Table Of Contents
-
- Q1: Does CP/M stand for anything?
- Q2: Is CP/M in the Public Domain?
- Q3: Where are the CP/M archives?
- Q4: Can I subscribe to com.os.cpm via E-Mail?
- Q5: What languages/compilers/databases/editors are still available?
- Q6: What new CP/M computers are available?
- Q7: What is this I hear about a CP/M CD ROM?
- Q8: How can I transfer my CP/M files to DOS?
- Q9: How can I convert an (insert name) disk to (insert name) format?
- Q10: Can I run CP/M on my MSDOS machine?
- Q11: Where can I get a boot disk for (insert system name)?
- Q12: What terminal emulation programs are available?
- Q13: How do you unpack a .ARK or .ARC file?
- Q14: How do you unpack a .lbr file?
- Q15: What are all these .xQx, .xYx, and .xZx file types?
- Q16: Are any of these .ARK, .LBR, or CRUNCH utilities on MSDOS?
- Q17: Why does my Kaypro drop characters above (insert baud rate)?
- Q18: What is an Advent TurboROM?
- Q19: How can I add a hard drive to my Kaypro?
- Q20: What belongs in the unpopulated board area on a Kaypro?
- Q21: What is The Computer Journal?
- Q22: Are there other magazines supporting CP/M?
- Q23: What is ZCPR and the Z System?
- Q24: What ever happened to the Z800?
- Q25: What is the status of the Z380?
- Q26: What is the KC80?
- Q27: What is the S-100 bus?
- Q28: Anyone know a good source for cross assemblers?
-
- =====================================================================
-
- Q1: Does CP/M stand for anything?
-
- A: (Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- There are at least three popular answers - Control Program for
- Microcomputers, Control Program for Microprocessors, and Control
- Program/Monitor. The issue is clouded by authors of popular CP/M
- books giving different answers. According to Gary Kildall (the
- author of CP/M), in response to a direct question on the PBS show
- "The Computer Chronicles" following Computer Bowl I, the answer is:
- Control Program for Microcomputers. This is also consistent with
- DRI documentation. See, for example, p. 4 of the DRI TEX manual.
-
-
- Q2: Is CP/M in the Public Domain?
-
- A: (Jay Sage, Don Maslin, Tilmann Reh)
-
- CP/M is not in the public domain, and there is at least one source
- for the purchase of new, legal copies:
-
- David McGlone
- 149 W. Hilliard Lane
- Eugene, OR 97404-3057,
- (503)688-3563.
-
- On the other hand, there have been lots of greatly improved clones,
- including ZCPR3 for the command processor and several replacements
- for the BDOS. Some of these are commercial (e.g., ZSDOS/ZDDOS), but
- many have been released to the public. Most of the latter can be
- obtained from oak.oakland.edu and many BBSs.
-
- There is also a CP/M-Plus replacement named ZPM3, written by Simeon
- Cran. It offers much more performance and some additional features
- compared to CP/M-Plus. An extended CCP, the ZCCP, is also available.
- Unfortunately, it still seems to have some bugs. ZPM3 and ZCCP are
- free! However no sources as Simeon won't give them away.
-
- And CP/M-68K is available from:
-
- James Knox
- TriSoft
- 1825 East 38 1/2
- Austin, TX 78722
- (512)472-0744
- (800)531-5170
- (512)473-2122 (FAX)
-
-
- Q3: Where are the CP/M archives?
-
- A: (Don Maslin, Ralph Becker-Szendy, Paul Martin, Ulrich Hebecker)
-
- Simtel20 is no more. Six sites that stock CP/M files are:
-
- oak.oakland.edu
- wuarchive.wustl.edu
- ftp.update.uu.se
- ftp.demon.co.uk
- reze-2.rz.rwth-aachen.de
- soltrans.cr.usgs.gov
-
- The main archive is oak.oakland.edu. Assuming the availability of
- anonymous ftp, look into the subdirectories of /pub/cpm. There is a
- *lot* there! One of the first directories to check is starter-kit.
- It contains everything you need to get up and running.
-
- If you wish to submit material to oak.oakland.edu, contact:
-
- Jeff Marraccini
- Senior Computing Resource Administrator
- Oakland University
- Rochester, MI USA 48309-4401
- (810)370-4542
- jeff@vela.acs.oakland.edu <- Work
- jdm@msen.com
-
- He will send you instructions and passwords necessary to perform
- an ftp upload.
-
- Ftp.update.uu.se specializes on CP/M programs for the DEC Rainbow,
- but has also some generic CP/M software such as a Micro Emacs, the
- HI-TECH Z80 C compiler and a few games. Questions about this site
- can be directed to Tom Karlsson, <tomk@Student.DoCS.UU.SE>, the site
- administrator.
-
- There is a European file server group, named TRICKLE. This group
- mirrors oak.oakland and other archives. For more information, get
- in touch with your local TRICKLE operator.
-
-
- Q4: Can I subscribe to com.os.cpm via E-Mail?
-
- A: (Keith Petersen)
-
- To join the CPM-L mailing list, which is gatewayed to and from
- comp.os.cpm, you must send email to the list server. If you are on
- BITNET, send the following command:
-
- SUBSCRIBE CPM-L your full name
-
- to LISTSERV@RPITSVM. You can send that in an interactive if your
- system supports them (e.g. the CMS TELL command), or in the body of
- a mail message (*not* the subject line).
-
- If you are not on BITNET, the Internet subscription address is
- LISTSERV@VM.ITS.RPI.EDU. Send mail to that address with this text
- in the body of the message:
-
- SUBSCRIBE CPM-L your full name
-
-
- Q5: What languages/compilers/databases/editors are still available?
-
- A: (Ralph Becker-Szendy, Ulrich Hebecker, Jay Sage)
-
- Unfortunately, SLR sold out to Symantec and that all products except
- for one DOS (or Windows) tool has been withdrawn from the market
- (what a shame). However, Sage Microsystems East (contact Jay Sage)
- does carry the excellent ZMAC package including a macro relocatable
- assembler, linker, and librarian. Except for the speed, ZMAC is
- better and cheaper than the standard SLR tools.
-
- MIX C and other MIX products are available from:
-
- Ed Grey
- P.O. Box #2186
- Inglewood, CA 90305
- (213)759-7406
- <ac959@cleveland.Freenet.Edu>.
-
- Hi-Tech C V3.09 for CP/M is now freeware. The authors are still
- maintaining their copyright, but are allowing free use for both
- private and commercial users without royalty. The original is on
- their bbs in Australia, at (61)(7)300-5235. Copies can be obtained
- from:
-
- ftp.update.uu.se: /pub/rainbow/cpm/c
- ftp.mcc.ac.uk: /pub/8051c/htc.zip
- oak.oakland.edu: /pub/cpm/hitech-c
-
- Sage Microsystems East still offers BDS C, in both the original,
- straight CP/M version and in a version that includes Z-System
- support. The package, with both versions of the compiler and a very
- large manual, is only $30.
-
- Micro Emacs is available from:
-
- ftp.update.uu.se: /pub/rainbow/cpm/emacs
-
- Public domain CP/M programs are available via:
-
- Elliam Associates
- Box 2664
- Atascadero, CA 93423
- (805)466-8440
-
- In the past, Elliam has sold Turbo Pascal, Uniform, Nevada COBOL,
- SuperCalc, and much more. Call for availability and price.
-
- WordStar 4.0 is available from:
-
- Trio Company of Cheektowaga Limited
- 3290 Genesee Street
- P. O. Box 594
- Cheektowaga, NY 14225-0594
- 716-892-9630
-
- Dynacomp stills sell CP/M software (or to be accurate, they still
- had several dozen CP/M programs in the 1992 catalog.) It is the
- kind of programs which ought to be written in BASIC: Typing tutors,
- little engineering programs like calculation of the stiffness of
- beams, education math programs. Their address is:
-
- Dynacomp
- 178 Phillips Road
- Webster, NY 14580
- (800)828-6772 orders
- (716)265-4040 support
-
- There is no known U.S. source to purchase the following programs:
-
- muMath/muSimp
- Any Microsoft product (M80, L80, F80, Pascal, BASIC)
- VEdit
-
- but Jay Sage has copies of a number of programs that were donated to
- his Boston Computer Society Zitel User Group. As of this writing,
- there are some copies of Turbo Pascal, F80/M80/L80, Perfect Writer
- and other programs in the Perfect line, WordStar and other programs
- in the 'Star' line, and quite a number of others. They may be
- obtained in exchange for a donation to the user group. Contact Jay
- Sage.
-
- Most have been "abandoned" by their makers, but not placed in the
- public domain.
-
- For our European readers, much is available in Germany. dBASE,
- dBASSI, WordStar 3.0, Multiplan, SuperCalc PCW, and Microsoft Basic
- (Interpreter and Compiler), M80, L80, CREF80 , and LIB80 can be
- ordered from:
-
- Fa. Wiedmann
- Unternehmensberatung
- Korbinianplatz 2
- D 85737 Ismaning
- Tel.: 089/969374 (from 9:00 to 18:00 )
-
- Z3PLUS (for CP/M, DM 70.--), NZCOM (for CP/M 2.2, DM 70.--), BDSC-Z,
- TURBO Tools Turbolader, and Juggler (DM 50.--) from:
-
- Helmut Jungkunz Zacherlstr.14 D 85737 Ismaning
- Tel.: 089/969374 (18:30 to 21:30)
- 100024.1545@compuserve.com
-
- C 128 CP/M Plus (DM 80.-) from:
-
- Schaltungsdienst Lange Berlin Tel.: 030/7036060
-
-
- Q6: What new CP/M computers are available?
-
- A: (Ralph Becker-Szendy, John D. Baker, Tilmann Reh)
-
- The YASBEC (uses a 64180, has SCSI interface), written up in TCJ,
- issues #51 and #52. It is important that the YASBEC uses a
- proprietary bus system.
-
- The CPU280 (uses a Z280, an IDE interface is available), also
- written up in TCJ, issues #52 and #53. Circuit boards are available
- from Jay Sage and Ralph Becker-Szendy. CPU280 uses the ECB-bus
- which allows many other I/O cards to be connected.
-
- Ampro Little Board products were available from Dean Davidge of
- Davidge Corporation, Buellton, CA, but he may have moved and the
- address and phone number are unknown.
-
- The Micromint SB180/SB180FX is also still available from:
-
- Micromint, Inc.
- 4 Park Street
- Vernon, CT 06066
- 203-871-6170 (technical assistance)
- 800-635-3355 (for order placement)
-
-
- Q7: What is this I hear about a CP/M CD ROM?
-
- A: (Jack Velte)
-
- The disk is now being shipped. It contains over 19,000 files with
- executable programs, source code, documentation, and other
- materials. Included are the the entire Simtel20 pub/cpm archives,
- the contents of some major bulletin boards, and the personal
- collections of several leaders in the CP/M community. You'll find:
-
- Assmeblers, compilers, code libraries, and programming tools
- Editors, word processors, spreadsheets, calculators
- Disk, printer, modem and other system utilities
- Archive and compression tools
- Telecommunication software for users and BBS operators
- Articles from user's group journals and other publications
- Games and educational software
- Help files
-
- You'll also find CP/M emulators and other tools for working with
- CP/M files under DOS, OS/2, and Unix. Most programs include not
- only documentation but also complete source code. Programs for all
- different computers are on the disc: Kaypro, Osborne, Commodore,
- Amstrad, Starlet, and others. This disc comes with a MSDOS view
- program which allows you to view, decompress, or copy files to your
- disk. It's fully BBS'd with description files compatible with
- popular MSDOS BBS programs.
-
- The cost is $39.95 plus $5 shipping and handling (per order, not per
- disk) for US/Canada, and $10 for airmail overseas. If you live in
- California, please add sales tax. For further information:
-
- info@cdrom.com
- Walnut Creek CDROM
- 1547 Palos Verdes, Suite 260
- Walnut Creek, CA 94596 USA
- (510)674-0783 voice
- (510)674-0821 fax
- (800)786-9907
-
-
- Q8: How can I transfer my CP/M files to DOS?
-
- A: (Don Maslin, Will Rose, Alan Ogden, Tilmann Reh, Herb Johnson)
-
- One solution is Sydex' excellent shareware program 22DISK which
- permits reading, writing, and formatting many CP/M format disks on a
- PC. It is available on:
-
- oak.oakland.edu: /pub/msdos/diskutil/22dsk142.zip
-
- 22DISK is shareware and should be registered. It supports 8-inch
- drives on PC's, provided either a adaptor is wired to the PC's
- floppy controller or that a CompatiCard is installed. Sydex or Herb
- Johnson can provide assistance with using standard PC controllers.
- Sydex can be reached at:
-
- Sydex
- P.O. Box 5700
- Eugene, OR 97405
- Voice: (503) 683-6033
- FAX: (503) 683-1622
- Data: (503) 683-1385
-
- There is also UniForm by Micro Solutions that should still be
- available from them. There are versions for both the IBM-pc's and a
- lot of different cp/m machines. Micro Solutions can be reached at:
-
- Micro Solutions
- 123 W Lincoln Hwy.
- DeKalb, IL 60115
- (815)756-3411 Voice
- (815)756-2928 Fax
- (800)890-7227
-
- If it's for an IBM type system, talk to them about what kind of
- hardware/software you have. Some flavors of PC have a problem with
- both UniForm and 22disk and UniForm will not operate properly under
- DRDOS v6.0. UniForm also fails if the machine clock exceeds
- ~20MHz. This has been confirmed with Micro Solutions, and no fix is
- available.
-
- You need not use the DOS machine - there are also at least three
- transfer programs running under CP/M: TRANSFER (for CP/M-2.2), of
- which a quick-hack CP/M-3 adaptation also exists; DOSDISK, and MSDOS
- for CP/M-Plus written by Tilmann Reh, latest version 2.1 of Oct 93.
- TRANSFER and MSDOS are freely available, DOSDISK is commercial.
- MSDOS has two related utilities: MSFORM will create the DOS Boot
- Record, FAT and directory structure on a freshly formatted disk, and
- MSDIR will give you a quick look at the main directory of a DOS
- disk.
-
- DosDisk is a standard CP/M product. As supplied, it runs only on
- the following specific hardware:
-
- all Kaypros equipped with a TurboROM
- all Kaypros equipped with a KayPLUS ROM and QP/M or CP/M
- Xerox 820-I equipped with a Puls-2 ROM and QP/M
- Ampro Little Board
- SB180 and SB180FX equipped with XBIOS
- Morrow MD3 and MD11
- Oneac On!
- Commodore C128 with CP/M-3 and 1571 drive
-
- There is also a kit version for which the user can write his own
- driver, provided the BIOS implements a table-driven disk interface.
- Contact Jay Sage for details. DosDisk and MSDOS both handle DOS
- subdirectories.
-
- Remember, these conversion programs only move the data, as is, in
- its current binary form, from one disk format to another. They do
- not reinterpret the data so that a different program can use the
- information. However, there are some tools under DOS that will
- convert word processing file data among different word processors,
- such as WordStar, Word Perfect, and Microsoft Word. If the CP/M
- computer that made the original disk is still running, you might
- want to try to generate a pure text (ASCII) version of your
- information (e.g., by "printing to disk") before moving it over to a
- DOS disk. If the computer is not working but you still have the
- program, you might try copying it over to a DOS disk and running it
- under a CP/M emulator on the DOS machine to produce a text file.
-
-
- Q9: How can I convert an (insert name) disk to (insert name) format?
-
- A: (Jay Sage, Curt Schroeder, Mike Gordillo, Helmut Jungkunz, Tilmann Reh)
-
- David McGlone and Elliam Associates (see above) offer disk
- conversion services at modest prices that can convert from just
- about any format to just about any other format.
-
- If you have a Kaypro equipped with an Advent TurboROM, Plu*Perfect
- Systems offers a program called MULTICPY that can read/write about
- one hundred different 5 1/4 formats.
-
- It is not possible to directly read/write Apple II CP/M disks on any
- other host machine because an Apple disk is recorded in GCR which is
- incompatible with FM/MFM disk controllers. The only way to get CP/M
- files in or out of Apple II CP/M disks is via a serial link with a
- non-Apple II host or with special hardware. For example,
- MicroSolutions had a device called the MatchPoint PC. When used in
- conjunction with a MicroSolutions CompatiCard, files can be read
- from an Apple CP/M disk and transfer to another disk format with a
- special configuration of UniForm.
-
- There exists a program called "Juggler" for the C128's CP/M that
- will read/write 140 different CP/M formats both 3.5 and 5.25 MFM
- (and some GCR) formats. Juggler is available from Herne Data
- Systems in Canada. A demo version with 22 formats, and other C128
- specific CP/M software, can be found at:
-
- ftp://ccnga.waterloo.ca/pub/cbm/os/cpm
-
- and the complete program may be purchased from:
-
- Herne Data Systems Ltd.
- PO Box 714, Station C
- Toronto, Ontario
- CANADA M6J 3S1
-
- The CPU280 CP/M-3 implementation offers the AutoFormat feature which
- allows to format, read and write almost every disk format.
-
- Another way of converting formats is to use a PC with 22DISK - just
- copy the files from one CP/M disk to DOS, and then back to the other
- CP/M disk.
-
-
- Q10: Can I run CP/M on my MSDOS machine?
-
- A: (Juergen Weber, Udo Munk, Paul Martin, John D. Baker, Tilmann Reh)
-
- Available by anonymous ftp from the primary mirror site
- OAK.Oakland.Edu and its mirrors:
-
- pub/msdos/emulator/zsim24.zip
-
- ZSIM is an (extremely accurate) Z80 emulator (80386/40 -8 MHz Z80)
- in conjunction with a CP/M 80 BIOS, i.e. it simulates a Z80 machine,
- that can run CP/M. Together with the original CP/M operating system
- you have a full Z80-CP/M machine.
-
- If you don't have a CP/M system disk at hand, you can use the
- included public domain CP/M compatible operating system P2DOS.
-
- ZSIM uses CP/M format disks, a ram disk and a hard disk. Supported
- disk formats are CP/M 86 single sided and double sided, but you can
- install any singled sided CP/M format PC drives can physically
- read. So you can use ZSIM to transfer data to MS-Dos. The ram disk
- can be saved to the PC hard disk. The hard disk is in an MS-Dos
- file. A sample hard disk containing the SMALL-C compiler is
- included.
-
- As ZSIM uses an original operating system and CP/M disks it should
- run every CP/M program that does not use special hardware. ZSIM is
- free for personal use. Sources of the CP/M BIOS are included.
-
- On silver.cstpl.com.au (formerly: raven.alaska.edu) you'll find:
-
- /pub/coherent/sources32/z80pack.tar.Z.
-
- This is a Z80 CPU emulation completely written in C, an I/O
- emulation for a typical CP/M system also is included. The package
- also comes with the BIOS source for the I/O emulation and a Z80
- cross-assembler. It was developed it under COHERENT but it's known
- that it does work under Linux and SunOS too. You still need a CP/M
- license to get CP/M running or you might try to get one of the free
- available CP/M clones running on it. On a 486/66 DX2 running
- COHERENT it's like a 11Mhz Z80 CPU, so the emulation speed is
- acceptable.
-
- On oak.oakland.edu you'll find:
-
- /pub/msdos/emulator/myz80111.zip
-
- MYZ80 is a Z80/64180 emulator package. The new 80486, 80386 & 80286
- machines with the fast hard drives and the snazzy OS/2 operating
- systems are such a delight... but for many, the Z80 machines still
- have to be fired up from to time in order to develop code for CP/M
- and the Z80 chip. Well, not any more, thanks to MYZ80.
-
- Other emulators on the market are less than satisfactory solutions.
- Of the small number which can actually run without causing system
- errors under the later versions of DOS, apparently none is capable
- of running real CP/M. Instead they use an emulated version of CP/M
- which is only as accurate as the developers have bothered to make
- it.
-
- MYZ80 can run CP/M 3.0 and ZCPR (which is such a useful Z80
- developer's environment). So if you suffer from less than perfect
- Z80 emulation and slow overall performance, give MYZ80 a try, and
- save the 'real' Z80 machines for those cold winter mornings when
- you really need the heat. The author of MYZ80, Simon Cran, can be
- reached at:
-
- Simeon Cran P/L
- PO Box 5706
- West End, Queensland, AUstralia 4101
- Simeon.Cran@f236.n640.z3.fidonet.org
-
- 22NICE is (like 22DISK) from Sydex. It emulates the application
- program while translating all BDOS and BIOS calls into the
- appropriate DOS calls. This way, it's comparably fast and allows
- for free use of the DOS file system (including paths). You are able
- to map drive/user combinations to particular paths in the DOS file
- system. The emulator can be configured for different emulation modes
- (8080, Z80, and automatic detection) and different terminal
- emulations. There are two run-time options: First, you can create a
- small COM file which will then load both the emulator and the CP/M
- program (contained in a .CPM file to avoid confusions); Second, you
- can build the emulator and the application together to a single COM
- file (which is larger then but needs no run-time module).
-
-
-
-
- Q11: Where can I get a boot disk for (insert system name)?
-
- A: (Don Maslin, Herb johnson)
-
- Getting a system disk is pretty easy - if Dina-SIG CP/M System Disk
- Archives has it. However, some dialogue with the requester has
- usually been necessary to assure that we are talking about the same
- Jurassic inhabitant! There are just too many variants in the CP/M
- world. A request with specifics on the computer, an address to mail
- to, and some recompense is all it takes. Since this is an unfunded
- effort on the part of the SIG, the costs of media, mailer, and
- postage must be recouped. In general, and there are variations,
- this runs $3 for the first disk and $2 or less for each additional.
- Eight inch disks are a bit more! However, a swap can be arranged if
- the other party has disks that are not duplicative of ones already
- in the archive. If you can help augment the archive, yours is
- free.
-
- The keeper of the archives can be reached at:
-
- Don Maslin
- 7742 Via Capri
- La Jolla CA 92037
- 619-454-7392
-
- or use the email address given above.
-
- David McGlone of Lambda Software Publishing has a variety of boot
- disks, and he sells CP/M with them. He can be reached at:
-
- Lambda Software Publishing
- 149 West Hilliard Lane
- Eugene OR 97404-3057
- (503) 688-3563
-
-
-
- Q12: What terminal emulation programs are available?
-
- A: (Peter A. Schuman)
-
- The leading CP/M public domain or freeware (author kept copyright
- but distributed it for free) modem programs are:
-
- MODEM740 - The last of the "MODEMxxx" programs.
-
- IMP245 - This is nice, and works smoothly within what it does.
- What it does, it does very well. IF you have slow floppy
- drives, there is a patch to cut down the receive buffer size.
-
- MEX114 - different from the above two, but minimally functional
- with just an IMP overlay. To use it all, you need MEX overlay
- for your machine.
-
- ZMP15 - This program includes ZMODEM file transfers.
-
- KERMIT - This program may have the widest implementation base
- because it uses only printable characters for its file
- transfers. This is a plus because the MODEM7 family of
- protocols send binary characters that sometimes conflict with
- the underlying system use. It is a minus because many more
- characters must be sent and thus is slower. KERMIT may be
- found on watsun.cc.columbia.edu.
-
- QTERM43F - This is somewhat like using QMODEM on an MSDOS
- machine. Qterm has VT100 emulation mode as well as XMODEM and
- KERMIT protocol. If you can get (or write) a good overlay,
- this is a nice program. (Bug fixes to 43E were released in a
- separate library to bring it up to 43F. The FIX library did
- not include a new binary; users had to do their own patching.)
-
- For high speed transfers, you will probably need interrupt-driven
- routines, which are available for some these. The exact baud rate
- where it becomes necessary varies by system and program.
-
-
- Q13: How do you unpack a .ARK or .ARC file?
-
- A: (Gier Tjoerhom, Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- Archive files are a collection of related files packed together so
- they stay together. They have somewhat been replaced by librarys,
- but are still encountered often. The C or K at the end only
- differentiate the original packing program, they are otherwise
- identical. Some archives are self extracting, just rename them
- with a .com ending and execute them. Others must be unpacked with
- a program, unarc16.ark containing one of the most popular (in a
- self extracting archive). This archive can be found at:
-
- oak.oakland.edu: /pub2/cpm/arc-lbr/unarc16.ark
-
-
- Q14: How do you unpack a .lbr file?
-
- A: (William P. Maloney, Peter A. Schuman)
-
- A .lbr is a single file that contains a number of compressed files
- inside. The files must be extracted from the .lbr before the can be
- used.
-
- One very good library extract program is called lbrext.com. It's
- simple to use and uncrunches the files at the same time. EXAMPLE:
-
- A>lbrext b:myfile.lbr c:*.* uo
-
- This takes the lbrext.com file on 'A' to extract all the files in
- myfile.lbr on 'B' and put them on 'C' uncrunched. A simple 'lbrext'
- first will show you how to use the .com file.
-
- Other popular library maintenance programs are LUE, DELBR, and NULU,
- the latter being one of the best CP/M programs for handling LBRs.
- However, don't use NULU to extract and unsqueeze simultaneously. It
- occasionally screws up doing this, and it can trash an entire disk
- when it does so.
-
- LT31 is also able to unpack libraries and also supports all
- current compression standards (including LZH 2.0!). It is a very
- useful utility and can replace several single programs.
-
-
-
- Q15: What are all these .xQx, .xYx, and .xZx file types?
-
- A: (Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- These are compressed files, a.k.a. squeezed or crunched files. They
- must be uncompressed before they can be used. They differ in the
- compression algorithm; .?Q? was the first generation and .?Y? the
- newest. There are many fine programs that uncompress files, but
- most handle only one or two compression types (e.g. SQ111.ARC and
- CRUNCH24.LBR). One program that will uncompress all three types can
- be found in CRLZH20.LBR.
-
-
- Q16: Are any of these .ARK, .LBR, or CRUNCH utilities on MSDOS?
-
- A: (Geir Tjoerhom)
-
- Yes, MSDOS versions do exist and can be located as follows:
-
- oak.oakland.edu: /pub/msdos/arcutil/lue220.zip (.LBR)
- nic.switch.ch: /mirror/msdos/archiver/arce41a.zip (.ARK)
- nic.funet.fi: /pub/msdos/packing/compress/alusq.com (.xQx)
- nic.funet.fi: /pub/msdos/packing/compress/uncr233.zip (.xZx)
-
- + Also check out the files in oak.oakland.edu: /pub/unix-c/cpm.
-
-
- Q17: Why does my Kaypro drop characters above (insert baud rate)?
-
- A: (Jeff Wieland, Stephen Griswold, Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- The basic problem is that updating the screen takes too long and some
- incoming characters are missed. The exact baud rate where
- characters begin to disappear depends on the configuration of the
- Kaypro and the terminal program. Generally, the older non-graphic
- Kaypros will run at a much higher baud rate before characters start
- to disappear. Stock Kaypros are not interrupt driven and the BIOS
- ROM has several built-in delays, which demanded too much of a
- 2x/4x/10's time.
-
- Several things can be done to help the situation. If your Kaypro
- came with the MITE software package, you can use it for high speed
- terminal emulation. A Kaypro 2X using MITE can go as fast as 19200
- bps. MITE uses interrupts to achieve this.
-
- Sometimes the problem can be ignored. A 2X will drop characters at
- 300 baud using Kermit-80. File transfers work fine at 19200 bps.
- It is always a good ides to run file transfers in the quiet mode if
- terminal mode is dropping characters as then the display update time
- is minimized.
-
- The graphic-equipped Kaypros can be significantly improved in
- terminal mode just by turning off the status line at the bottom of
- the screen. As most terminal programs have an initialize sequence
- available, just send the no status line command to the Kaypro -
- <ESC>, C, 7 [1BH, 43H, 37H in hex].
-
- There are several hardware changes that can lessen or eliminate the
- problem. There is a speed modification for the 1983 Kaypro-II's &
- IV's requiring changing some chips to faster versions and outfitting
- the back with a toggle switch. Upgrading to a MicroCornucopia MAX-8
- or Advent TurboROM also helps.
-
- If your machine is equipped with the Advent TurboROM and you choose
- to run QTERM, Don Kirkpatrick can send you an interrupt driver that
- allows the graphic-enhanced Kaypros to work just fine to at least
- 2400 baud.
-
-
- Q18: What is an Advent TurboROM?
-
- A: (Don Maslin)
-
- The Advent TurboROM is a firmware upgrade to the Kaypro. It
- replaces the original Kaypro system ROM and provides flexible
- configurations, additional disk formats, greater speed, and bug
- fixes. Contact point for this is:
-
- Chuck Stafford
- 4000 Norris Avenue
- Sacramento CA 95812
- 916/483-0312
-
-
- Q19: How can I add a hard drive to my Kaypro?
-
- A: (Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- Chuck Stafford (see above) sells hard drive conversion kits.
- Emerald Microware used to offer hard drive kits for the Kaypro, but
- has run out of hard disk controllers. If you already have your own
- WD-1002-05 or WD-1002-HDO or can find one, then Emerald can provide
- you with controller software. They can be contacted at:
-
- EMERALD MICROWARE
- P.O. Box 1726
- Beaverton OR 97075
- 503/641-8088 Brian/Patricia
-
-
- Q20: What belongs in the unpopulated board area on a Kaypro?
-
- A: (Don Maslin, Don Kirkpatrick, Peter A. Schuman)
-
- A clock and modem go there. The modem is rather useless as it is
- only 300 baud. The clock/calendar is useful. The Computer Journal,
- issue 64, Nov./Dec. 1993, describes the installation procedure.
- There is also an area on a 2X for a hard drive interface.
-
-
-
- Q21: What is The Computer Journal?
-
- A: (Kevin Spears, Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- The Computer Journal is a magazine specializing in CP/M, small
- systems, and related topics. The Editor is Bill Kibler. Chuck
- Stafford writes a regular column on Kaypros and Herb Johnson writes
- one on S-100. In their own words:
-
- "The Computer Journal has been supporting CP/M and Z80s for TEN
- years. TCJ has recently increased our support by providing
- more beginner CP/M articles, as well as our regular advanced
- ZCPR column. The ZCPR column is written by one of the ZCPR
- authors and guides people in replacing CP/M with this
- do-it-yourself operating system.
-
- Tired of PC/MSDOS files getting bigger and bigger? Like to do
- things in a simple way? How about learning about new devices
- without having the latest "C" compiler? Have you been
- wondering about using the new IDE drives on your CP/M system?
- We do all that and more at The Computer Journal."
-
- There are six issues per year, and the subscription rate is $24 for
- 1 year, or $44 for 2. Subscriptions may be sent to:
-
- The Computer Journal
- P.O. Box 535
- Lincoln, CA 95648
- (916) 645-1670
-
-
- Q22: Are there other magazines supporting CP/M?
-
- Other magazines of interest include the Z-Letter from McGlone,
- "exclusively for CP/M and the Z-System. Eagle computers and
- Spellbinder support":
-
- The Z-Letter
- $18/year, 6 issues
- Lambda Software Publishing
- 149 West Hilliard Lane
- Eugene OR 97404-3057
- (503) 688-3563
-
- and Historically Brewed, edited by David Greelish: "computer history".
-
- Historically Brewed
- $18/year, 6 issues
- 2962 Park Street #1
- Jacksonville FL 32205
-
- These magazines list other publications, support groups and CP/M
- supporting companies.
-
-
- Q23: What is ZCPR and the Z System?
-
- A: (Jay Sage, Mike Finn, Don Kirkpatrick)
-
- The original ZCPR was written in Z80 code and was called the "Z80
- Command Processor Replacement". It was a drop-in replacement for
- the Digital Research CCP (Console Command Processor) and adhered to
- the 800H space restriction. ZCPR2 (February 14, 1983) was the first
- experiment in greatly extending the power of the command processor.
- It added additional memory modules for supporting such things as
- multiple commands on a line, a dynamically reconfigurable command
- search path, and directory names associated with drive/user areas.
- The ideas and implementation in ZCPR2 were only half-baked, and they
- came to logical fruition in ZCPR3 (Richard Conn's 3.0 and Jay Sage's
- 3.3 and 3.4).
-
- ZCPR3 gives you UNIX-like flexibility. Features implemented include
- shells, aliases, I/O redirection, flow control, named directories,
- search paths, custom menus, passwords, on line help, and greater
- command flexibility. ZCPR3 can be found on many BBS and SIMTEL
- mirrors. The Z System commercial version is available for a nominal
- fee from Jay Sage. Further details can be found in the text "ZCPR3,
- The Manual", by Richard Conn, ISBN 0-918432-59-6.
-
- You can find a detailed history of the development of ZCPR and the Z
- System in Jay Sage's column in issue #54 of The Computer Journal.
- This article celebrated the 10th anniversary of ZCPR, which was
- first released on February 2, 1982. His "ZCPR33 User's Guide" also
- has a section on the history (it can be ordered from Jay for $10,
- domestic shipping included).
-
- There still are active Z-nodes supporting Z-system and many RCP/M's
- supporting CP/M as well as some special interests. The files
- RCPM0594.BRF and RCPM0594.LST give the brief and full list of
- international RCP/M's. The file ZNODE67.LST which gives the list of
- active Z-nodes. Ian Cotrell has been keeping the RCPM list as
- updated as he can.
-
-
-
- Q24: What ever happened to the Z800?
-
- A: (Ralph Becker-Szendy, Frank Zsitvay)
-
- The Z800 was planned to be NMOS, and was finally implemented as the
- Z280 in CMOS, five years late. And it does have a 4kB/8kB paged
- MMU, and separate I/D space, and cache. There are small differences
- between the Z800 preliminary spec and the final Z280 specification.
-
- The Z180 was not an outgrowth of the Z800. It was a joint effort
- between Zilog and Hitachi. The first two versions of the HD64180
- were slightly different from the current Z180. The current HD64180
- and Z180 are identical, and both have flags in one of the control
- registers to emulate the earlier versions. The changes are mostly
- bus timing, as the HD64180 was designed to interface with Motorola
- 6800 style peripherals as well as Intel and Zilog, which wasn't too
- strange since Hitachi second sources some Motorola 6800 series
- products.
-
-
- Q25: What is the status of the Z380?
-
- A: (Ralph Becker-Szendy)
-
- The Z380 is a 32-bit version binary-compatible upgrade of the
- HD180. The 18MHz part in the 100-pin QFP package is shipping. The
- plan for a PGA-package for the Z380 has been scrapped. Zilog is
- working on a 25MHz part, but it isn't quite ready yet. The
- "Preliminary Product Specfication", Zilog part number DC6003-02,
- documents the part. According to the manual, the plans include a
- 40MHz part, but the time frame is uncertain.
-
-
- Q26: What is the KC80?
-
- A: (Ralph Becker-Szendy)
-
- There was an announcement in the trade press about a deal between
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Zilog. Kawasaki has developed
- something called the KC80, which is a Z80 (no MMU, extended address
- space, or 32-bit enhancements), but speeded up to execute most
- instructions in one or two cycles, and running at 20MHz. Zilog has
- the rights to the design. The catch is that Zilog is currently not
- planning to sell it as a chip.
-
-
- Q27: What is the S-100 bus?
-
- A: (Herb Johnson)
-
- The S-100 bus, also known as the IEEE-696 bus, is a bus standard of
- 100 pin cards, 50 pins per side, which plug into 100-pin edge
- connectors on a passive (i.e. no computer logic) backplane once
- called a "motherboard". Dozens of computer companies produced cards
- and systems to this standard in the 1970's and 1980's.
-
- One of the first popular microcomputers was the Altair 8800 by MITS,
- which was offered as a kit in the January 1974 issue of Popular
- Electronics. Each functional block of the computer, which at that
- time required many logic or memory chips each, was designed to fit a
- single card which plugged into a bus or "motherboard". The function
- and timing of signals on the 100-pin connectors of that bus became
- known as the "S-100 bus".
-
- An industry was started in producing cards compatible to the Altair,
- followed by the production of whole systems. The bus evolved as
- other manufacturers, such as Cromemco and Compupro, used slight
- variations of the bus design for their product line. These
- differences were finally addressed with the IEEE-696 standard,
- published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in
- 1983. The standard was already in use by then but only influenced
- designs for the next few years. Most new CP/M personal systems went
- to single-board designs with no bus at all, and competition from IBM
- and Apple systems caused S-100 system production to decline.
-
- IEEE-696 systems were subsequently developed primarily for
- industrial and development applications, particularly where
- multiprocessing or speed were important, through the rest of the
- 1980's. Compupro and Cromemco still support these systems at
- commercial prices, but apparently do not support their prior CP/M
- systems except as cards for sale. Heath (later Zenith) produced the
- Z-100 system (labeled Z-120, Z-121) which was IEEE-696 compatible.
- While they no longer support it, there are many active Heath user
- groups with some Z-100 interests.
-
- A further distinction can be made in S-100 standards: boards
- designed for the Altair, IMSAI and early Cromemco systems with front
- panel switches and LED displays can be called "MITS/Altair" cards.
- Subsequent cards (after about 1979) grounded certain pins and reused
- other pins that affected the use of front panels.
-
- One person who provides S-100 cards, documention, and some support
- (1994) is Herb Johnson. As "Dr. S-100" he writes a regular column in
- The Computer Journal and corresponds with S-100 and IEEE-696 owners.
- As of 1995 he can be reached at The Computer Journal or:
-
- Herbert R. Johnson
- Dr. S-100
- CN 5256 #105
- Princeton NJ 08543
- (609) 771-1503
- internet: hjohnson@pluto.njcc.com
-
-
- Q28: Anyone know a good source for cross assemblers?
-
- A: (Roger Hanscom)
-
- There are a variety of sources for cross platform development tools.
-
- The C Users' Group (1601 W. 23rd St., Suite 200, Lawrence, KS
- 66046-2700) has a library of software that includes all kinds of
- development tools. Source code is distributed with many of them.
- They charge $4/disk and $3.50 s&h per order, and can supply 3.5" or
- 5.25" DOS formats. Those of you seeking assemblers or disassemblers
- will be particularly interested in volumes number 398, 363 (2
- disks), 348, 346 (2 disks), 338 (2 disks), 335 (4 disks), 316, 303,
- and 292(4 disks). They also market a CD-ROM of volumes 100 through
- 364 for $49.95 list (it can usually be found at computer shows for
- $25 to $35). They can be reached at 913/841-1631 FAX: 913/841-2624.
-
- The Circuit Cellar BBS is on-line 24 hours per day with some cross
- development tools, particularly for CPU's that are commonly used as
- controllers. They have a Courier HST running 2400/9600 bps at
- 203/871-0549, and another line that will do up to 14.4k bps (8N1) at
- 203/871-1988. Both of these numbers are in Connecticut.
-
- The Motorola BBS is in Austin, Texas, on 512/440-3733. They have
- downloadable cross development products mostly for the 68xx and
- 68xxx architectures. Like the Circuit Cellar BBS, this BBS seems to
- specialize in micro-controller development. Many of these files can
- also be accessed over the network on bode.ee.ualberta.ca
- (129.128.16.96).
-
- Don't forget to look in the old familiar places, such as
- oak.oakland.edu and wuarchive.wustl.edu.
-
- The Walnut Creek CDROM has some tools from some of the sources
- listed above on the CP/M CDROM.
-
-
- =====================================================================
- End of FAQ
-