3-Dec-80 04:05:00,653;000000000000 Date: Wednesday, 3 December 1980 04:05-MST From: GZ at MIT-MC (Gail Zacharias) To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC cc: GZ at MIT-MC Subject: up/down loading programs At FJW's request I have placed 3 files in the CPM directory: CPM;DOWN LOAD - a lisp program for simple down-loading CPM;UP LOAD - a lisp program for simple up-loading CPM;UPDOWN DOC - documentation on using the programs These have not been tested at non-ITS sites - if you can get them to work somewhere else, you should probably let people know (they are meant to be run as LISP init files). Please send any comments directly to me as I am not on this list. 4-Dec-80 18:23:00,774;000000000000 Date: Thursday, 4 December 1980 18:23-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: [W8SDZ: New SDZ hex file] Date: 12/04/80 19:43:01 From: W8SDZ Re: New SDZ hex file This [MC:CPM;SD HEX] is SD.HEX as of 12/2/80. This file replaces earlier versions, which had a problem in the print routine which caused it to print garbage from memory after the last file name was printed. When loaded, the COM file CRC = 87 6C. See SD.ASM [MC:CPM;SD ASM] as of 12/2/80 for details on assembly options, including a narrower display for those with 64 character screens. SD is compatible with CP/M 1.4, 2.x and MP/M. Under CP/M 2.x or MP/M, it will show SYS files if the following command is used SD *.* S . Keith Petersen, W8SDZ 5-Dec-80 05:36:00,1696;000000000000 Date: Friday, 5 December 1980 05:36-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC, NORTH-STAR-USERS at MIT-MC Subject: [W8SDZ: New developments at Northstar] Date: 12/05/80 01:59:22 From: W8SDZ Re: New developments at Northstar Northstar is going to offer CP/M directly. Apparently they are expanding their support for CP/M to the point where it makes more sense to offer it direct instead of referring sales to Lifeboat. Northstar will soon be offering a new memory board that has some sort of memory-mangement built into it so that the Z80 processor can address over 300k of ram WITHOUT BANK SWITCHING! The process is said to be transparent to the user, making the system look as if it had over 300k of RAM! -------------------- The N* CP/M will retail for $230 and include support for their hard disk. The hard disk version from Lifeboat is $250. My dealer has placed an order for it and I will be receiving that copy to evaluate. I'll have a report for you soon after I get it. If we can combine that memory management board and, say, Godbout's recently announced 128K RAM board, maybe we can seriously consider offloading some of our medium sized FORTRAN programs into dedicated single-user micros... --Frank P.S. In a slightly related topic for N* hardware hackers who have the older series processor board made prior to about April this year: I have the phantom line modification instructions available for anyone who wants to try it. N* claims it shouldn't, but several local users have tried it here and claim it works. If there is enough interest, I will key it in and pass it along to try at your own risk... 5-Dec-80 23:19:00,641;000000000000 Date: Friday, 5 December 1980 23:19-MST From: GYRO at MIT-MC (Scott W. Layson) To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: Disk controller Reading MC:CPM;DSKCMP DOC, I see that someone [all the names were deleted] has a CP/M 2.2 CBIOS for the Versafloppy II, as well as a bootloader. I would kill to obtain these [well, almost]. I.e., I have a Versafloppy II and rather dislike SDOS; not only is it inherently slow, but I can't run SPEED under it. To whoever has this 2.2: hello, are you out there? Can anyone give me any hints as to who it might be? The message seemed to imply that the software lived on a CBBS. -- Scott Layson 6-Dec-80 01:29:00,2152;000000000000 Date: Saturday, 6 December 1980 01:29-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: CRCK.ASM and MLIST.HEX Available [ Administrivia: Do you prefer receiving these more detailed descriptions of the files added to CPM; or the short one-liners? Replies to INFO-CPM-REQUEST@MIT-MC, please. --Frank] From Keith Petersen (W8SDZ@MC): MC:CPM;CRCK ASM CRCK.ASM version 4.2 by Keith Petersen, W8SDZ (revised 10/6/80) ----> NOTE: MUST BE ASSEMBLED BY MAC <---- CRCK is a program to read any CP/M file and print a CYCLIC-REDUNDANCY-CHECK number based on the CCITT standard polynominal: X^16 + X^15 + X^13 + X^7 + X^4 + X^2 + X + 1 Useful for checking accuracy of file transfers. More accurate than a simple checksum. Optionally will write an output file to the default drive, listing the CRC's of all files checked in a single session. COMMANDS: CRCK [drive:] [F] -------------------- MC:CPM;MLIST HEX MLIST.COM - V3.4 by Keith Petersen, W8SDZ (revised 9/21/80) This program lists any size ASCII file by name, reading up to 16k of the file into memory at one time, in order to minimize disk activity during printout. Allows listing of multiple files by using normal CP/M ambiguous file names (i.e., MLIST *.ASM). Before each file is printed, the FILENAME.TYPE is displayed. Use CTL-S to pause, CTL-C to abort. Other characters are ignored. This program allows CP/M 1.4 users to have protected ASCII files on a remote system, provided that the CCP 'REN' (rename) and 'TYPE' functions have been changed to some other characters and MLIST.COM has been renamed to TYPE.COM. To protect a file, rename it so the last character of the file type is #. Example - MYFILE.AS# CP/M 2.x users may use 'TAG.COM' to set the f1' attribute of a file, which will prevent this program from listing it. ==================== 7-Dec-80 13:34:00,839;000000000000 Date: Sunday, 7 December 1980 13:34-MST From: BHUBER at USC-ECL To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC cc: BHuber at USC-ECL Subject: Apple and CP/M I am [slowly] learning what CP/M can and cannot do as I become more familiar with the Microsoft card. I have looked around for additional reading matter on this subject, but don't really find a lot of information. Rather than ask a whole bunch of questions, I plan to learn via the "hack" approach. But there is one application that I am most anxious to transition over from the regular Apple software: a mailing list program that can handle multiple disk drive data. Much to my dismay, Lifeboat wasn't much help; apparently not too much software has been (or is capable of being?) converted to the Apple CP/M -- problem centers around the unique disk format. Comments? Bud 8-Dec-80 02:14:00,861;000000000000 Date: Monday, 8 December 1980 02:14-MST From: POURNE at MIT-MC (Jerry E. Pournelle) To: INFO-MICRO at MIT-MC, INFO-CPM at MIT-MC, ENERGY at MIT-MC Subject: terminal inquiry I am revamping my system and its possible a terminal (rather than the memory-mapped system I am using) would be better. If money is not really critical (I wouldn't care to spend enormous sums on just a terminal because it would be cheaper to get another micro and make it simulate a terminal) what are good terminals? Good = Typewriter key layout; cursor control keys; gold key (ie if possible able to set all bits); prefer programmable keys to aid in text editing; essential that it have ALL ASCII characters including ~ and | and such like. For that matter, I know little of terminals and would be interested in knowing what DOES make one better than another... 17-Dec-80 04:44:00,146;000000000000 Date: Wednesday, 17 December 1980 04:44-MST From: WLG at MIT-MC (Wayne Gordon) To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC please add me to this list. wlg 19-Dec-80 20:00:00,1145;000000000000 Date: Friday, 19 December 1980 20:00-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: More files Of those who bothered to express an opinion, it was 5:1 in favor of the long form announcements of new files available in MC:CPM;. New are: TY2741 ASM - a modification of an old version of PLINK to emulate an EBCDIC or Correspondence Code terminal. Can be modified to work in reverse by exchanging the CALLs. Does not support shifted codes, but can be extended to do that. Should anyone do that, please submit the changed version. The rest below are from W8SDZ (Keith Petersen): SD ASM and SD HEX - upgraded version of SD (Sorted Directory). DIRF ASM and DIRF MAC - This file contains routines which can be included in any CP/M program to allow listing the directory. No sorting is done because that would require use of more memory above the program. These routines use the 80h default buffer for all operations so if you have data there be sure to move it before running this directory function. Assume all registers destroyed when calling 'DIRF'. 19-Dec-80 20:03:00,4745;000000000000 Date: Friday, 19 December 1980 20:03-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: SIG/M December Newsletter The SIG/M Report (December 1980) by Bruce Ratoff The SIG/M software library seems to have drawn great interest from CP/M users both in and out of our geographical area. The November SIG/M meeting at UCTI saw long lines of ACGNJ members waiting to copy the available diskettes. Many thanks to Jeff Kashinsky, whose system got a real workout doing the copying. A number of individuals have volunteered their assistance in distributing the library. Their names and phone numbers (some BBS, some voice) appear below. It is hoped that this interest will continue, for a group such as SIG/M needs broad support in order to succeed. One regrettable mishap has occurred in compiling the library disks. Diskette number 4, a collection of CP/M utilities, was defective at the time of the users' group meeting. Henry Kee, who compiled this diskette, seems to have discovered (the hard way) an incompatibility between Digital Research PIP and Cromemco CDOS. The end result was several bad files. The diskette has been re-created and verified, and will be available for copying at the next users' group meeting. Those of you who received the defective copies will of course receive a new one at no charge. SIG/M LOCAL COORDINATORS The following people and organizations have offered their assistance in distributing the library: Kevin O'Connell 609-461-4351 Distribution for southern New Jersey Ray Glueck 201-227-5361 Conversion/distribution on Micropolis format. Dave Hardy - Technical CBBS 313-846-6127 Distribution via modem in Dearborn, MI Howard Moulton - SJBBS (R)617-388-5125 Distribution via modem in Amesbury, MA Keith Petersen - Remote CP/M (R)313-588-7054 Distribution via modem in Royal Oak, MI Kelley Smith - MP/M-Net 805-527-9321 Distribution via modem in Simi Valley, CA Bruce Ratoff - Remote CP/M (R)201-283-2724 Distribution via modem in Iselin, NJ Note that the (R) symbol indicates a modem system that requires "ring back". These systems are accessed by dialing the listed number, letting the phone ring exactly once, hanging up and dialing again within a time limit (usually 40 seconds). If you had previously offered your help and your name does not appear above, let me know and it will be listed next month. We are of course always looking for more help. If you operate a dial-up system with software exchange capability, or you can assist in distributing the library to some group of users not yet represented, please contact us by phone or via letter to our post office box: SIG/M, P.O. Box 97, Iselin, NJ 08830 SIG/M CHAIRPERSONS Bruce Ratoff, Iselin, NJ 201-283-2724 Bill Chin, Clifton, NJ 201-778-5140 Marty Nichols, Dover, NJ 201-361-7180 Henry Kee, Flushing, NY 212-539-3202 CURRENT SIG/M VOLUMES SIG/M001 Standard ADVENTURE object code. SIG/M002 Standard ADVENTURE source code. SIG/M003 Super ADVENTURE object code. SIG/M004 Assembler-language utilities. SIG/M005 8080/8085 diagnostics package. SIG/M006 6502 monitor and simulator. SIG/M007 modem and BBS utilities. These diskettes are available for a donation of $4 each, at the users' group meetings or by writing to SIG/M at the address given above. When ordering the diskettes by mail, please include an additional $2 for postage. The catalog listings of each volume may be found on all participating BBS's, or may be obtained by sending a self- addressed stamped envelope to SIG/M. TIP-OF-THE-MONTH Changing the CP/M 2.2 backspace: As many of you know, CP/M version 2 allows hardcopy-style line editing, via the rubout and control-U keys, as well as CRT-style line editing, via the backspace (control-H) and control-X keys. As supplied, the CRT editing keys use a "backspace, forward space, backspace" sequence to erase characters from the screen. If your terminal requires a character code other than control-H (08H) to move the cursor left one character, you may patch the correct character into locations 1373H and 13ADH of MOVCPM. If you then use the modified MOVCPM to create a new system, it will use the new backspace character that you have designated. If you have a CP/M question or know a "trick" that you would like to see as a "tip-of-the-month", please contact me via either the mailing address or telephone number listed above. 21-Dec-80 20:40:00,485;000000000000 Date: Sunday, 21 December 1980 20:40-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: INDEX available (This mailing is also a test a new format of this mailing list.) MC:CPM;-CPM- INDEX contains a brief abstract of each file in the CPM directory on MIT-MC. This file will be updated with an abstract of each new file as it is added to this directory. As usual, this, and all files in CPM may be FTP'd from MC without logging in. --Frank 22-Dec-80 20:45:00,375;000000000000 Date: 22 Dec 1980 at 1945-PST From: Walt at Rand-Unix To: Info-CPM at Mc Subject: Console Status My CP/M 2.2 Interface Guide says function 11 returns FF when a character is ready. Two different machines say it returns a 1. Is the manual wrong? Does CP/M generally consider nonzero "close enough" when the manual says FF? Someone please unconfuse a CP/M novice. 22-Dec-80 23:10:00,284;000000000000 Date: Monday, 22 December 1980 23:10-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: Walt at RAND-UNIX cc: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: Console Status Depends on your CBIOS. I'd check for non-zero/zero rather than specifically for FFH/0 to be on the safe side. --Frank 24-Dec-80 17:18:00,410;000000000000 Date: 24 Dec 1980 (Wednesday) 2018-EDT From: PLATTS at WHARTON-10 (Steve Platt) To: info-cpm at MIT-MC Subject: copyrights of mc:cpm; software What are the copying rights of the SW stored under this account? I'd like to include the mass in the PACS (Phila. Area Computer Society) CP/MUG library. If some is copy restricted and some isn't, please say so in CPM; -CPM- INDEX. Thanx. -Steve 24-Dec-80 19:12:00,1102;000000000000 Date: Wednesday, 24 December 1980 19:12-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: PLATTS at WHARTON-10 cc: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: copyrights of mc:cpm; software All of the software in this directory is in the public domain. As far as I know, only MicroTELNET (MTNxx) is copyrighted (by me) and is not for sale. I would prefer that you hold off distributing that version (1.3) off net until the next version becomes available. This query brings up a point that I would like to take the opportunity to reinforce: software submitted for inclusion in the CPM directory MUST be in the public domain. How to submit a file: I normally receive each file as a message from which I trim off the mailer header and trailer, and copy to the CPM directory. I then download the file and either assemble or LOAD it to verify that it is a good copy, and then announce its existence to this list. There is nothing to stop you from submitting a file directly and making your own announcement, provided that you also download the copy and make the same verification. --Frank 28-Dec-80 16:17:00,347;000000000000 Date: Sunday, 28 December 1980 16:17-MST From: HGBaker.Symbolics at MIT-Multics To: info-apple at MIT-MC, info-cpm at MIT-MC Subject: Microsoft CPM Does anyone have any experience with this? Do the standard down-loading things work with the Com card? Does anyone have programs to convert to/from DOS and Pascal disks to CPM? Thanks. 29-Dec-80 18:18:00,1261;000000000000 Date: Monday, 29 December 1980 18:18-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: [CLJ: forwarded]: Keybits' Wordsearch [Note: This is NOT from me, FJW. Thus, private replies to CLJ@MC, please; public replies to INFO-CPM@MC, of course. --Frank] Date: 12/29/80 18:49:23 From: CLJ To: INFO-CPM-REQUEST Two things: A review: I just bought wordsearch from Keybits Po box 592293, Miami Florida (305) 238-3820. It is a spelling system program (which i am not using in composing this message) which runs on CPM machines. It seems to work fairly well. It will prepare a list of all words not in a dictionary, but in a documetn-- etc. it allows you to update dictionaris easily. (You can see now why I bought it.) It set me back $195--but its worth it in our application. I use it with Magic Wand. The author appears to be a wordstar user--and itws control structure is modelled after wordstar. A question: Is anyone out there familiar with Pascal/M from a supplier called Sorcim? If so, is it any good? Is there a better Pascal to use on CPM machines. I want it for two uses. education and general scientific programming. Does this afeect your recommendation? Regards Chuck 30-Dec-80 06:26:00,312;000000000000 Date: Tuesday, 30 December 1980 06:26-MST From: ELIOT at MIT-MC (Eliot Scott Ramey) To: INFO-CPM at MIT-MC What is MTN, on the CPM directory. I once saw it refered to as, Micro TELNET. But that doesnt really explain what it does, or is. please, can someone give me a description of it? -Eliot. 30-Dec-80 13:55:00,1334;000000000000 Date: Tuesday, 30 December 1980 13:55-MST From: Frank J. Wancho To: ELIOT at MIT-MC cc: FJW at MIT-MC, INFO-CPM at MIT-MC Subject: What is MTN MTN 1.3 is a modem program written for the Z80 and designed to run under CP/M with up and download capabilities and auto-dial modem control. It has many dynamically changeable options, such as Modem (internal DCHayes or PMMI, or external), Dial/Redial/Hangup, Record ON/OFF, Write to disk, Xmit from disk using wait-for-LF-echo, Flow control for input (XON/XOFF or none), Binary or Text mode record or transmittion of files, half or fullduplex, 10 soft keys with up to 31 characters per key, status report of settings and buffer state, interactive mode to set each mode, and "built-in" help documentation. There is also a startup customization sequence which will let you predefine these modes and keys and save that version to run later. Since I wrote that version and released it for free, Lifeboat came out with BSTMS for $200, which is very similar, but will run on an 8080/Z80 machine. Meanwhile, bug reports and feature requests have been coming in, and a new version of MTN is currently being written and debugged with old bugs fixed and several new features implemented. For the rest of the details, read MC:CPM;MTN DOC. --Frank 12-Dec-80 15:32:00,1190;000000000000 Date: Saturday, 12 December 1980, 17:32-EST From: David Vinayak Wallace Subject: Floppy Disk Warning!!! To: Jerry E Pournelle Cc: info-cpm at BRL Via: Mit-Mc; 12 Dec 82 17:28-EST Via: Brl; 12 Dec 82 17:49-EST Via: Brl-Bmd; 12 Dec 82 17:52-EST Date: 12 December 1982 02:53-EST From: Jerry E Pournelle Query: does anyone have a program that will cause the heads to load although nothing is being read? This to allow use of head cleaning disks. I suppose this might be specific to the controller used? I have a CompuPro Disk One in two separate machines (8085/8088 and z-80). It's nt simple to get them to clean the heads, or is it? It's surprisingly simple. You can write a simple basic program or just do it interactively. Look up the controller IO addressses in your manual and then look up which numbers cause the heads to seek to track 77. You can then just do OUT xx,yy for the appropriate values of xx and yy. be careful about hax and decimal! your manual will probably give you the numbers in HEX or OCTAL! Either convert them yourself or have basic do it for you.