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.po5
.FO FRONT.DOC v. 5.1 (C) 1984, 1986 BY CLAUDE OSTYN PAGE #
FRONT.DOC
Documentation for FRONT.COM version 5.1
Copyright (c) 1984, 1986 by Claude Ostyn
This document and the programs it describes may be copied, used
and distributed freely at no cost for the benefit and enjoyment
of all CP/M users. They may not be sold or included in a package
for sale, under any name, in whole or in part, without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner, but copies may be sold
by non-profit users groups as long as the price does not exceed
the cost of the blank media and duplication. Commercial use is
subject to payment of a fee or of royalties. The programs may
only be distributed as a package including FRONT51.COM,
FRNSTL51.COM, FRNT51PT.ASM, FRONTSUB.DOC and FRONT51.DOC (this
document). The copyright notices may not be altered.
I specifically disclaim any warranties, implied or otherwise,
as to the performance and suitability of this software for any
purpose. If it works, great. If it doesn't, don't blame me,
but feel free to blame whoever concocted your version of CP/M.
Since I spent considerable time and effort to
develop and debug this software, I would like a
reasonable payment if it turns out to be useful to
you. A modest contribution ($15 or more) will be
welcome as a tangible sign of appreciation.
I also trust that you will be totally honest and
will mention this when you pass FRONT around.
Comments, reviews, picture postcards, gourmet
chocolate, suggestions and bug reports are also
welcome, of course.
Claude Ostyn
P.O. Box 2035
Sitka, Alaska 99835
CONTENTS
1. Changes since last versions
2. Introduction
3. Description of FRONT
A. Short description
B. Hardware/software requirements
C. Using FRONT
4. Installation
5. Installation procedures using FRNSTL51.COM
A. Terminal installation
B. File types installation
C. Special features
D. Saving the installed FRONT file
6. Custom installation using FRNT51PT.ASM
7. Technical notes
8. Troubleshooting
9. Using FRONT with a hard disk.
1. CHANGES SINCE LAST VERSION
The last circulated version FRONT was FRONT50.
The following have been added or corrected in v.5.1:
- Added support for newer versions of ZCPR and ZCMD.
- Fixed a bug in execution of certain commands.
Other improvements over the original FRONT.COM
which had been added in previous versions include:
- fixed bug in Osborne 1 installation
- supports more non-standard CP/M implementations
- CP/M Plus compatibility;
- ability to change the user area as well as the
logged drive;
- optional alphabetic sorting of the command on
the menu;
- compatibility with some Trantor hard disk CCP
modifications;
- improved compatibility with CP/M Plus;
- compatibility with JG Communications clock
software version 3.2 for the Osborne 1;
- automatic repetition of FRONT after execution of
the called program by using a standard CP/M
feature available on most systems (the feature
can be cancelled by ESCaping);
- improved installation program with display of
all settings at main menu;
- support for ANSI terminal video addressing and
support for arrow keys on more terminals;
- optional and adjustable delay before execution
of the called program (for those "oops!"
situations);
- optional display of disk label below drive name;
- for Osborne 1 owners, more reliable screen size
recognition with or without Screen-Pac.
- additional terminal support
- options submenu
- improved compatibility with old Kaypro II;
- conflict with SUBMIT in the standard Osborne 1
installation has been eliminated;
-----
2. INTRODUCTION
A while back I got frustrated with the otherwise
excellent public-domain program MENU.COM because
it did not allow me to enter arguments after
selecting a command, or to run BASIC and DBASE
programs without creating an extra alias .COM
program. I also needed to set up turn-key systems
for people who were utterly confused by CP/M.
Out of this came FRONT.COM.
3. DESCRIPTION
A. SHORT FRONT.COM is a front-end utility for CP/M. It
DESCRIPTION replaces the A> prompt with a menu of available
programs and lets you select the command to run by
just moving a highlight to the command name with
the arrow keys and pressing one other key. Its
size is only 6K.
The menu shows the names of programs (.COM)
files present on the disk. Optionally, the menu
will also show the names of .SUB, .BAS and other
program files which require an interpreter to run.
The menu is automatically updated as files are
added to the disk or erased, or if you log in
another disk or user area. The menu is normally
arranged in alphabetic order. At your option, the
order of file names in the menu can also be the
same as in the disk directory.
There are two ways to execute a command from the
menu. One way is to use the arrow keys to move
the cursor to the name of the program to run and
press either RETURN or the space bar. If you
press the space bar, you will be prompted for
additional arguments. The second way is to start
typing in the command. As you type, the names
which do not match the command you are typing
disappear from the menu, so you only have to type
in enough characters to uniquely identify the
command. As soon as FRONT recognizes what you
want, it will show you the command and ask for
optional arguments.
To run a Basic program, for instance, you would
not have to type in MBASIC MYPROGRM, but you would
just move the cursor over the name MYPROGRM and
press RETURN and it will be executed. Or you
could start typing "M" and all the names which
don't begin with "M" would disappear from the
menu. Then you would type "Y" and, if no other
command begins with "MY", FRONT would show you
"MYPROGRM" and ask for optional arguments. As
soon as you press RETURN, FRONT will execute the
command MBASIC MYPROGRAM.
FRONT.COM is designed to be reloaded every time
a program ends with a "warm boot", so it is very
possible that you will never see the A> prompt.
However, it will also let you exit to CP/M and
cancel that feature by just pressing the ESC key.
B. HARDWARE FRONT.COM can run on just about any computer
& SOFTWARE which has an addressable cursor video display and
REQUIREMENTS runs CP/M 2.2 or CP/M Plus. The minimum allowable
screen width is 52 columns.
Video control FRNSTL51.COM, which should be distributed along
with FRONT.COM, will automatically patch FRONT.COM
for a number of different terminals and computers.
Note that the version number for FRNSTL51 has to
match the version number for FRONT.
When installed for an Osborne 1, FRONT will
automatically adjust the width of the menu
according to the current screen size if it detects
the Osborne 80-column upgrade.
Operating FRONT has no special requirements and will run
system with any standard CP/M 2.2 or CP/M Plus system
configuration, and with reasonably standard ZCPR
implementations. It has been tested successfully
on several models of Kaypro, Osborne and other
brands. FRONT will automatically recognize and
adjust itself to work with different CP/M sizes
and versions. It does not leave a "sleeper" or
loader in memory and therefore has no effect on
the size of the TPA and does not interfere with
programs which make direct calls or integrity
checks on the BDOS or BIOS.
Auto-repeat With most CP/M machines, FRONT can reload itself
feature automatically after executing the selected
program. Since different machines can handle this
differently, FRNSTL51 will allow you to select a
method to do this.
Auto-start With the Osborne 1, FRONT should normally be
feature renamed AUTOST and will then be loaded
automatically. With other machines, you may have
to patch your system to take advantage of the
undocumented CP/M autoload feature. More details
in the technical section.
C. USING FRONT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Drive A FRONT - (c) 1986 by Claude Ostyn - Version 5.1 +
+ Label: -WSASM.001 +
+ +
+ [WORDSTAR] SUPERDIR FILTER XERA UNERA +
+ PROOF NSWEEP PIP COPYDISK IMP +
+ ASM LOAD ASM&LOAD RESOURCE +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ Arrow keys to select command, [RETURN] to execute, +
+ [SPACE] to enter optional execution parameters, +
+ [+] to change logged drive/user or [ESC] for options +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fig. 1: FRONT.COM menu display. Yours will probably look
different, depending on the files on your disk and your
screen size. The "sorted menu" option has been turned
off in this example. Higlighting or inverse video will
be used instead of [brackets] if your screen supports it.
HOW IT WORKS FRONT looks up all the files of certain types
(such as .COM, .SUB, .BAS, etc.--as determined
during installation ) present on the disk in the
default user area and displays them as a menu.
The type can be shown after the name or not (this
can be toggled by calling the options menu).
What's on Files with the SYS attribute set, which would
the menu not be show with the CP/M DIR command, are not
included in the menu. Files are listed in the
same order as in the directory, with the first
name in the top left corner, then second one to
its right, etc. (see Figure 1), unless the sorted
menu option has been selected with FRNSTL51, in
which case they are listed in alphabetic order.
Selecting The first name on the list is underlined or
a command highlighted (depending on the terminal), or set
with the between brackets on terminals which do not have
cursor highlighting or underlining capabilities.
By using the arrow keys (or either the standard
CP/M ^H^J^K^L or the WordStar ^S^X^D^E diamond if
the arrow keys don't work), the highlight is moved
from name to name. It can be moved freely in any
direction and will wrap around at the end of each
line and back to the first name if moved beyond
the last one on the list.
Logging to If the desired command is not on the disk,
another disk pressing the "+" or "=" key will let you log in
another disk, drive or user area.
Executing Once the desired command is highlighted,
a command pressing RETURN will automatically load and
execute it. If additional arguments are
required, pressing SPACE instead will allow you to
enter the arguments.
Another way You can also start typing the name of the
to select a command. The names that do not match are erased
command from the menu until only one name is left, and
then you are prompted for parameters. If the
name you want is shorter than other names which
begin with the same letter, just press RETURN to
indicate the end of the name.
Special types In addition to the .COM files, the following
on the menu file types can be listed in the menu: .SUB, .BAS,
INT, .CMD, or other types of your choice. Up to
eight different file types, in addition to COM,
may be selected by using FRNSTL51.COM.
Files with the type .SUB require that SUBMIT.COM
or an improved version of it such as EX14.COM be
available--usually on drive A. If the .COM file
is not present, you will be warned with an error
message when you try to execute that command, and
returned to the menu. Similarly, .BAS files will
require MBASIC, etc. You may have to use
FRNSTL51.COM to change the name and default drive
of the .COM file used to run the files of each type.
Running FRONT Some programs do not end with a warm boot, and
again you will just see the dreaded old A> prompt. If
your system is set to re-run FRONT at every warm
boot (as on the Osborne 1 with FRONT renamed
AUTOST), just force the warm boot by typing ^C.
On some machines, you may have to log back to the
A: drive, user 0 before typing ^C. If FRONT still
does not run, type A:FRONT (or whatever name under
which FRONT was installed).
The last line of any submit file must be the
command A:FRONT (or the name under which FRONT was
installed).
Adding hidden To see and execute commands which have been
files to the "hidden" by setting the SYS attribute, press ESC
menu for the options menu, then H to toggle the hidden
file display. These files will now be added to
the menu.
The "?" If you read this far, you deserve a goodie. By
peek trick pressing '?' when the highlight is over a command
name, whatever is printable in the first 128 bytes
of the corresponding file will be displayed. If
the command is a .SUB file, you will be able to
read at least the first few lines and figure out
what it does. Most .COM files do or should have
some kind of ASCII tag at the beginning to
identify the program and version number.
Painless You can exit to CP/M without executing a menu
exit with ESC command by pressing ESC then selecting X for eXit.
This turns off the auto-repeat feature, so you
will have to restart FRONT yourself at the A>
prompt if you want to see the menu again.
4. INSTALLATION
Setting up On most disks, the most often used program
the menu should be listed first on the menu. Since FRONT
will find and list the executable files on any
disk, this section deals with how to set up the
disks from which you will be reading a menu.
Using the To be listed first on the menu, a name must be
directory first in the disk directory and the sorted menu.
order option option must be off.
There are two ways to achieve this:
a. Use PIP or NSWEEP to copy the programs onto an
empty formatted disk in the order in which you
want them to appear.
b. Use a utility such a SAP.COM or SORTDIR.COM to
rearrange the directory. Temporarily rename
the files, giving them names in the alphabetic
order of the final directory. Run SAP, and
rename the files to their old name.
c. If you are using a hard disk, use NSWEEP to
copy all the files to another user area, delete
them in the current area, log to the other user
area and copy the files back one by one in the
desired order to the original area.
Using the The file starting with the smallest valid ASCII
sorted menu character will be listed first on a sorted menu.
option Therefore, the command ABC will be listed before
(default) the command BCD if the sorted menu option is
installed (see FRNSTL51 below). The advantage is
that you don't have to do any copying of files or
manipulation of your directory, and it makes
commands easier to find in a crowded menu. The
disadvantage is that your favorite commands will
usually not be listed first.
Selecting Use the "STAT filename $SYS" command or the
what to show attribute setting facility of NSWEEP to hide
the .COM files and other files which you want to
have on the disk but which should not be listed.
(If you have CP/M Plus, use the SET command). I
usually hide FRONT.COM itself also.
It is a good idea to have a directory program such
as SUPERDIR.COM, SD.COM or NSWEEP.COM which can
list files hidden with the SYS attribute.
Obviously this directory program is one you will
want to be able to call from the menu. Do not set
it to SYS.
Note that since it is no longer necessary to
type the command names, they can be as long as
CP/M will allow. "WORDSTAR" is a lot friendlier
than WS.
Easy FRNSTL51.COM will patch FRONT.COM (or its
installation renamed version AUTOST.COM on an Osborne 1).
with It will prompt you and you can run through the
FRNSTL51 whole procedure in less than three minutes.
FRNSTL51.COM installs the video screen control
codes for your terminal or computer, and certain
functional characteristics, such as whether to
show the type after the command name, which types
of files will be listed on the menu, and which
.COM files are used to run the commands listed.
5. INSTALLATION PROCEDURES USING FRNSTL51.COM
(FRONT INSTALLATION PROGRAM, version 5.1)
To use FRNSTL51, put the disk with FRNSTL51.COM
(normally distributed under the name FRNSTL51.COM)
and FRONT.COM (normally distributed under the name
FRONT51.COM) in drive A. If FRONT51.COM is not on
the same disk as FRNSTL51, put the disk that
contains it in drive B.
STARTING At the A> prompt, type FRNSTL51 <cr>
FRNSTL51 (<cr> stands for "press the RETURN key").
If the file name offered by FRNSTL51 is not
correct, type in the file name under which we
should look for FRONT51, then <cr>. If the file
is found and is indeed a compatible version, you
will be presented with the main menu, otherwise
try another name, or press CTRL-C to exit.
All the changes you make with FRNSTL51 are
reversible at any time.
FRNSTL51 will only work with version 5.1 of
FRONT. In fact, FRNSTL51 will check and refuse to
install an incorrect version.
Installation The main menu presents you with a screenful of
main menu information. It will show:
- The current file name for the copy of FRONT
you are installing;
- the computer or terminal for which FRONT is
currently installed;
- which file types will be listed and executed by
FRONT;
- current settings of some special features;
- a menu from which you may select an item by
pressing just one key. The choices are
"A", "B", "C", "S" ,"?" or "ESC".
You press "?" for more information or "ESC"
to quit and return to CP/M. The other choices
are explained below.
A. TERMINAL All you have to do here is press one key for the
INSTALLATION terminal or computer of your choice. Then look at
the top of the screen to confirm your selection
and press "X" to return to the main menu. If your
terminal is not listed, another selection might
work, or special installation will be required.
(See section 6).
B. FILE TYPES The file types which FRONT will list and execute
can be modified here. There are 8 "slots" for
file types in addition to .COM (only the
"occupied" slots are shown on the main menu). If
you change, add or remove any of the types, you
will also be asked to define the name and drive
for the .COM file used to execute the command.
An empty type (you must type in 3 spaces) is
legal. You might use that type to call text
files to be used with a word processing program.
C. SPECIAL Here you are prompted for certain operational
FEATURES settings. If you like the current setting, just
press RETURN to leave it as it is.
The first question you must answer here is
whether you want the type to be shown after the
file name on the FRONT menu. This has no effect
on whether the file names themselves will be
listed. Answering "N" for no makes for a less
cluttered menu on which more names can fit.
You will then be asked if you want the menu
sorted alphabetically.
The next question is whether to display the disk
label. The disk label is an empty file beginning
with a "-" which many CP/M users put on their
disks for use with the public-domain CAT.COM
cataloguing program. If you are using CPM Plus
and there is a label in the directory that label
will be shown instead.
Next is the auto-repeat method.
Auto-repeat If you have an Osborne 1, you may select the
method auto-repeat option 1, "Osborne 1 AUTOST", and then
save FRONT under the name A:AUTOST.COM.
On most other systems, you may select option 2,
"Standard CP/M autorepeat", unless your version of
CP/M has a better way to do it, in which case you
would select option 0.
Option 3 is for users of newer versions of ZCPR.
If you select option 2 or 3, you will have to
follow certain simple rules when using FRONT (see
FRONTSUB.DOC for details). In case of doubt,
try option 2 first.
D. SAVING You can save as many copies of your installed
AFTER FRONT under as many names as you want. Just enter
INSTAL- the new name after selecting "S" for save, or <cr>
LATION to save under the current name. Since FRNSTL51
does a disk reset, do NOT press CTRL-C if you
put in a new disk. You will be returned to the
main menu after each save operation. If you are
using option 2 or 3 to auto-repeat FRONT, rename
it ONLY by reading it then saving it under another
name with FRNSTL51.
6. CUSTOM INSTALLATION USING FRNT51PT.ASM
The file FRNT51PT.ASM contains a listing of the
user-patchable areas of FRONT.COM. If you are
knowledgeable in 8080 assembly language and
FRNSTL51.COM is not enough for you, you can use
this listing to create a patch overlay for FRONT,
or you can use DDT or EDFILE to make the changes.
There are 3 major patch areas: terminal
installation, the additional patch area MORPAT
which could be used to set up FRONT to auto-repeat,
and functional installation. Every label shown in
the listing corresponds to an address called by
FRONT, so be careful not to change the memory
location of any label or the copyright notice. In
case of doubt, it is safer to use
ORG address
before any label in your ASM file. FRNSTL51 may
affect the INISUB, UNISUB, EXESUB, ESCSUB and
MORPAT areas. The Osborne 1 and Radio-Shack
installations, for instance, modify these areas.
Do not try to patch your original version of
FRONT; always work on a copy. Note that FRONT
will not work if the copyright notice is altered.
7. TECHNICAL AND SPECIAL SYSTEM INFORMATION
Setting up to start FRONT automatically
OSBORNE 1: If your computer is an Osborne 1, rename
FRONT.COM to AUTOST.COM. Make sure your system
has not been modified to look for a file other
than AUTOST. You should run the FRNSTL51 program
to confirm that FRONT or AUTOST is set correctly
and to see what other functional choices are
available. If you use the newer JG Communications
clock software, use auto-repeat option 2 only
since it does its own thing with warm boots and
defeats the normal Osborne way of doing things.
MORROW The default setting for the arrow keys on the
MD5 & MD11 Morrow is bizarre and non-standard. You can
insert the command KEY CPM into PROFILE.SUB, and
create a CPM.KEY file with standard definitions.
FRONT will not run properly if COPILOT has been
run, so it should be listed before COPILOT GO in
PROFILE.SUB.
ALL Insert the command FRONT as the last line of
CP/M Plus the file PROFILE.SUB on your boot disk (except on
SYSTEMS Morrow, see above). FRONT will execute
automatically every time you start or reset your
computer. It will be executed again at the end
of a called program if the autorepeat option 2 has
been selected. FRONT.COM must be in user area 0
on drive A and set to SYS with the SET command.
OTHER If your computer is not an Osborne and you want
CP/M 2.2 FRONT to start automatically, it is a little more
SYSTEMS complicated.
First check if your particular CP/M is set up
to run a program automatically (a menu program,
for instance). If it does, you're in luck: just
install FRONT.COM with FRNSTL51 and rename it to
whatever name your CP/M looks for. If you're
really lucky (as with Pickles & Trout CP/M), there
may be a way to make it run the program at every
warm boot (in which case you'd use the autorepeat
option 0 in the special features menu).
If your CP/M implementation does not have a
convenient way to set up a program to run
automatically, when you boot, you will have to
patch it. Follow the instructions below very
carefully, and it should work. You will need the
public domain program DU.COM or equivalent. It is
available on most CP/M bulletin boards and in the
FOG library on the disk FOG/UTL.019 disk under the
name DU-V77.COM.
In the instructions that follow, (cr) means
"press the RETURN or ENTER key".
First make a working copy of your system disk
and put DU.COM and FRONT.COM on the working disk.
Use SYSGEN to copy the system tracks onto the
working disk. Put your originals away. Do no
write-protect the new disk.
Boot the new disk and at the A> prompt, type
DU(cr)
The DU prompt is a ':'
Type in the following lines in UPPERCASE. Do
not type the ':' which is just the prompt. The
"0" in "T0" is a zero.
:T0;S1;=COPYRIGHT(cr)
(Do not type this: DU will show track
and sector number, then "AT 21".
If you do not see "AT 21", quit now,
you have a nonstandard version of CP/M)
:CH7,5(cr)
:CA8,FRONT (cr)
:W(cr)
:X(cr)
A> (you are back at CP/M prompt)
This will patch your system to run FRONT
automatically. Reboot, and FRONT.COM should come
on. If it does not, use SYSGEN to copy the CP/M
system again on your working disk and try again,
watching your typing carefully. If it still does
not work, seek help from someone familiar with
your version of CP/M. Some versions, like the
Pickles & Trout CP/M for the TRS-80 computers,
have a special utility to set up a program to run
automatically, and this patch may not work with
them. This is why you did this experiment using a
copy, not an irreplaceable master disk... Right?
If this patch does work, you can use SYSGEN to
copy the modified CP/M to any disk on which you
might put FRONT. Remember: Never modify or copy
anything on your original disks!
Automatic re-execution of FRONT
With most CP/M machines, FRONT can reload itself
automatically at a warm boot. Since different
machines can handle this differently, FRNSTL51
will allow you to select a method. The easiest
is if your version of CP/M can be set to execute
the program at every warm boot. In that case, you
would select autorepeat option 0.
The "standard CP/M" method (autorepeat option 2)
uses the facility built into the CCP to handle
SUBMIT files. See FRONTSUB.DOC for more details.
Autorepeat option 3 is for ZCPR systems such as
the WestWind ZCPR modification which look for a
$$$.SUB file on the current drive, rather than on
drive A as the standard CCP and older ZCPRs do.
With the Osborne 1, if FRONT has been renamed
AUTOST and the autorepeat option 1 selected, then
it can be reloaded automatically if you end up
on drive A. It does this by setting a "legal"
flag in the Osborne 1 BIOS (versions 1.3 and 1.4x)
to make this happen again at every warm boot.
This method cannot be used when a .SUB file is
executed, and thus your .SUB files must end with a
command to run FRONT again.
8. TROUBLESHOOTING
Garbage on screen
- Run FRNSTL51 and check terminal installation.
If it is correct according to FRNSTL51 and it
does not work, drop me a note.
Arrow keys don't work properly
- Check terminal installation
or use CTRL-H, CTRL-J, CTRL-K, CTRL-L.
- If you are using a Morrow machine, see your
documentation on how to set the arrow keys.
- If you know how to use DDT or SID, use the
information in FRNT51PT.ASM to modify the arrow
key definitions.
System crashes when trying to execute a command
- Probably non-standard CCP or system
configuration. Use FRNSTL51 and set "Standard
CP/M" to "No". This will also happen if you use
a CPR with modified command buffer size. Setting
Standard CP/M to "no" should cure it.
- Some programs which alter high memory may
interfere with the normal functioning of CP/M
(UNIFORM, or CO-PILOT on the Morrow, for
example). Try without these programs.
FRONT won't run again automatically after executing a command
- FRONT.COM must be on drive A, user 0.
- FRONT.COM should only be renamed by reading it
with FRNSTL51 and saving it under the new name.
- Check that the self-repeat option has been
installed correctly (by reading FRONT.COM with
FRNSTL51).
- If using option 2 or 3, read FRONTSUB.DOC.
- If using the Osborne 1 AUTOST repeat method, you
must log back to drive A and do a ^C if your
program did not return you to drive A.
- If you use the Osborne 1 AUTOST method, a copy
of AUTOST.COM must be present in each user area.
- You can use options 2 or 3 with the Osborne 1 if
you don't like the AUTOST method.
- The last line of a .SUB file executed by FRONT
must be the command to run FRONT again.
"A$" or " A>" followed by a number and other cryptic messages
appear on the screen after executing a command. Are those error
messages?
- No, it is only CP/M executing a command that
FRONT put in $$$.SUB to make sure you would be
returned to the user area you started from (this
is mostly for the benefit of hard disk users).
Do not press any key (except Control-S, see
below) while these messages are being written,
as CP/M will take that as a sign that you want
to take over and you will be left hanging there.
When executing a command, there is no time to read the screen
before FRONT runs again and overwrites it
- Try to freeze the screen with Control-S.
Hit Control-S again to continue.
Not enough space on screen for all the names to list
- See Section 9 below.
System crashes when exiting the called program
- See installation notes about the auto-
repeat feature
- Make sure the disk in drive A has valid system
tracks.
Front crashes or freezes up when using a hard disk
- There may be too many files to list and
the internal name buffer was not large enough.
See section 9.
- Your hard disk BIOS or CCP location in memory
may be non-standard. Answer 'no' to the
Standard CP/M question.
Other bizarre behavior
- Drop me a note. Describe what happened as
precisely and completely as possible. Also
describe your machine and disk setup. Be sure
to indicate which FRONT version number you are
using. Be patient.
9. FRONT WITH A HARD DISK
The menu space in FRONT is limited (it depends
on your screen size) and hard disk users may find
that there is not enough room for all the commands
to be listed, so the names will start overwriting
each other as the cursor moves around. FRONT
itself will in theory still be functional, so if
you select a command or press ESC it will respond,
though it may display garbage instead of the name
of the executed command. There are two ways
around this problem:
- Use the 16 user areas which are available under
CP/M. Put your word processing stuff in one
user area, your spreadsheet stuff in another
one, etc.
- Hide all non-menu executable files of the types
listed by FRONT by setting them to "SYS" status;
this way they won't be crowding the menu, but
they will still be available by ESCaping to
CP/M or for use by SUBMIT or other programs.