============================================================
The DataCOM Network consists of three remote CP/M databases
with 60 megabyte of files available to members 24 hours at
300, 1200, or 2400 baud. An annual fee of $30.00 is
required for access, an application may be downloaded by
calling System #1 at (813) 937-3608 at 300/1200/2400 baud
or send a SASE along with your request to:
NOTE: Articles and reviews of machines, hardware, software,
and other peripherals reflect currently advertised prices as
released by the distributors and are included here for YOUR
INFORMATION ONLY. The TBKUG/DataCOM Network is NOT being
paid to advertise these products and we cannot be held
responsible for the price and/or performance of said
products.
============================================================
<<< SYSTEM #1 & #2 NOW SUPPORT 300/1200/2400 BAUDRATES >>>
--={ TBKUG VIP Memberships }=--
Just a reminder that the TBKUG is still offerring a really
good deal - VIP members receive a disk full of new software
every month in the mail as well as unlimited use of the
RCP/M systems. Add it up for yourself, disks are $10/ea *
12 months, plus unlimited system useage. You get all this
for only $100 annually. I don't know about the rest of you
but I run up a bill of over $100 a month gathering new
programs and wish someone had this service for me!
VIP members also have a special area and private RBBS on the
#2 system. The monthly disks are a great way to stay current
with new software without owning a large share of the
telephone company. Kaypro dealers and others who are just
to busy to call the remote systems find this to be a real
blessing as well as a much-needed time saver.
Persons interested in becoming a VIP member need only
download a copy of the MEMBER.APP file, mark VIP across the
top, and return it with your check for $100. For those of
you who are not current system users all you need to do is
mail a check to the TBKUG and enclose a note telling me you
want to become a VIP member.
User Disk sales, TBKUG standard and VIP membership fees
allow us to continually upgrade the systems and offer the
very best in public domain programs. We can NOT do it
without you -- many thanks to all.
--={ System #2 Logon Info }=--
At least once a week someone tells me that the #2 system is
not working correctly and/or hung-up their modem program.
This system is currently run on a Morrow Decision I S-100
computer with a Wyse50 terminal -- not a Kaypro! I use
special screen codes to send the status line info to the TWO
different status lines of the Wyse50 terminal. These control
codes are sent right after the "Updating system files..."
message. These same control codes will make MEX 1.12 or
MexPlus go slightly crazy if you have the CIS option turned
ON. Best thing to do is STAT the CIS to OFF, and STAT the
FILTER to ON. The FILTER switch will stop any strange
control and escape codes from reaching your screen and/or
modem program and should not be OFF unless the host
computer is the same as your own.
I am working madly to get another logic control board for
the second 8-inch Fujitsu 20mb hard drive that is currently
offline on the #2 system. This still leaves around 20mb of
files available but unfortunately the offline drive has ALL
the PC/MS-DOS files on it. It shouldn't be to much longer
before it is fixed and online once again - so please be
patient.
--={ K-NET 84(tm) - New Lower Price! }=--
The price of a K-NET 84(tm) RBBS-RCP/M System package has
been lowered from $349 to $249 (complete). The package now
fully supports the new 2400 baud modems (USR, Hayes, Racal
Vadic). As always, the K-NET system comes complete with
ready-to-run modules, remote console, Xmodem, and all other
system utilities pre-configured. You need only have any
model Kaypro computer, almost any modem (check with us to be
sure if you have a non-standard modem), and within a few
hours you can be online.
The K-NET 84(tm) system is being used on quite a few public
RCP/M systems, just check the PDSE-064.LQT for the latest
listings. This system is also being used by businesses and
professionals to allow SECURE remote access to the office
computer. The uses for the system are limited only by your
imagination and any type of program may be run by the user
once he has dropped into the operating system level.
Complete purchase information may be had by calling (404)
632-2676, Visa and Master Card accepted (9a-5p Eastern) or
write to:
DATA COM, Inc.
P.O. Box 115
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
--={ 10mb HDD on a PC Plug-in Board }=--
If you thought $4 memory chips were something just wait till
you see the new Hardcard(tm) from Plus Development Corp.
Imagine a 10 mega-byte hard disk drive and controller all on
one plug-in PC-compatible board. Now imagine the estimated
retail price tag is only $1095 and you have a real winner.
The 10mb drive mechanism takes up about 1/2 the board and is
smaller then a one-third height floppy disk drive and is
only 1-inch thick! The other half of the card contains
custom-made chips that form the controller circuitry
necessary to run the drive. It takes up the same room as an
ordinary memory board or floppy controller card. Another
real plus (no pun intended) is the power consumption of the
drive is only 10.9 watts which means the standard (and
under-rated) PC power supply will handle it with no problem.
Data transfer rate is typical of hard disk units and the
average disk head access is around 65 milliseconds compared
to the 85 milliseconds required by a PC XT hard disk unit.
Also very attractive is the proposed service policy of
"swapping" out the drive for a new one if your drive dies or
gets very sick. This could mean the end to downtime if
dealers can maintain sufficient numbers of these drive-cards
in their inventories.
Installation is accomplished without wires, leads, jumpers,
or switches. You simply run a batch file for performing the
software installation. The disk comes pre-formatted and the
user need not know anything about hard disk set-up,
partitioning, or formatting commands. The first public
showing will be at the National Computer Conferrence in
Chicago in July and the drives should be available at the
dealers in October.
-={ Hardware Review: SWP Co-Processor }=-
by John C. Smith
This note reviews the SWP Co-Power Plus 8088 co-processor
board. I have installed it in my Kaypro 10. While the
installation is somewhat snug, it DOES fit, even with the
different mother board I have in my 10. The SWP board
has sockets for up to 1 MB of RAM; it uses 256K RAM chips.
My board is presently populated to 512K. I have parti-
tioned a portion of my B drive for MSDOS to a capacity of 2
MB.
The main reason I purchased this board was to run Lotus and
this it does quite well. Calculations run somewhat faster
than the standard IBM/Compaq but screen output and
cursor movement is considerably slower, probably due to
the translation from CP/M to MSDOS land. This screen scroll
problem apparently has some other side effects - some
scroll operations leave extra characters on the right side
of my display. I have seen this problem referred to in
Microcornucopia, but have not been able to find out the
details or a fix. It appears to be device sensitive, so
you may not have this problem with yours.
All conventional MS-DOS 2.1 features and utilities are
supported including CONFIG.SYS options. The software has
built-in ANSI.SYS drivers, so keyboard redefinition of
the numeric keypad and cursor keys permits nearly all of
the IBM keys to be emulated.
The board runs many of the public domain programs that
use "clean" MSDOS calls. Programs such as SQ.EXE,
USQ.EXE, LU.EXE, SWP.EXE and RAMDISK.EXE, as well as the
Norton utilities (version 3) run fine.
One of the neatest side benefits of this board is the
ability to use it as a 500K ramdisk under CP/M. Together
with BIOSMMR, ZCPR3 and the FASTBOOT routines, it makes the
10 FLY under CP/M!
With the price of 256K RAM chips coming down almost daily
($3.75 each, as of this writing), this is a cheap way to
get a 1MB RAM disk and/or a 1 MB MSDOS system. (The Co-
Power Plus is able to address all 1 MB of the memory,
unlike the PC-DOS limit of 640 KB. Using the above
mentioned RAMDISK.EXE file, one can have a full size MSDOS
system and still have a 360K RAM disk.)
For me, this has been a very cost-effective way to get into
MS-DOS land without a major investment and the subsequent
loss on my Kaypro 10. The side benefit of a CP/M ram disk
has been great. SWP urges anyone consideraing buying the
Co-Power Plus board to run specific software to verify
compatibility before purchasing the board. This is
sound advice. While I have seen much software that does
run, I have also seen some that doesn't. SWP keeps a
continuously updated list so call them if you have any
questions. Good pricing is available on the Co-Power Plus
from PeopleTalk Assc. (1-800-PTBOOKS). Contact SWP at:
SWP Microcomputer Products Inc.
1000 W. Fuller
Forth Worth, TX 76115
817-924-7759
--={ Long-Life Printer Ribbons }=--
I have just purchased a real nice (and cheap) addition for
my beloved OKI92 printer. I have had only 1 gripe with the
printer since I bought it, the ribbons never last very long
and your fingers get black everytime you change one. The
OKI92 (and 82) and GEMINI printers use a typewriter-style
dual spool Underwood ribbon. I have been buying mine at the
office supply house and got the top quality "made for
computer printer" dye black intense ribbons (25-ft long).
These were OK for about 80-90 pages before they begin to
print unevenly on a page.
I found a company that makes a long-life self-inking double
spool ribbon that is guaranteed to last 15 times longer then
a standard ribbon. It comes in different styles depending
on how much use you give your printer daily. The standard
system has a re-inking resavior assembly on only one of the
ribbon spools. The heavy-duty use ribbon has a resovoir on
both sides thus permitting many more pages to be printed in
successive runs. Either style will cost you only $15 plus
$2 mailing and handling. Contact Filmon Process, P.O. Box
869, Arden, N.C. 28704, (704) 684-9044.
** These are available for twin-spool ribbon machines only,
no cartridge units as of this writing.
--={ NEWSWEEP can MAKE IT }=--
One of my fellow programmers called me on the remote system
and uploaded a new version of MAKE. MAKE is the CP/M
utility that allows you to change the user byte of the
filename in the directory without having to copy the file
physically. After he was done XMODEM'ing we chatted and I
asked him why he was such a MAKE addict as I had never seen
the use for it. He told me how simple it was to move a file
from one user area to another on the same disk without
having to PIP or SWEEP it. It was then that I asked him how
much he used (and/or loved) his NEWSWEEP and he told me he
couldn't live without it on the hard drive. I then asked
him if he'd ever used SWEEP's "R"ename function and he
said, "all the time."
So I told him all he had to do was use SWEEP's rename
function and include a du: spec before the filename and it
would do the same thing. For those of you out there who
have a Kaypro 10 or other hard disk-based computer, just
look at the following:
NSWEEP v2.07 for Kaypro
Drive A14:????????.??? 104K in 8 files. 292K free.
1. A14:-MAG .A14 0K :
2. A14:AUG85 .BAK 32K :
3. A14:AUG85 .MAG 32K : r New name, or *? a13:aug85.mag
The file AUG85.MAG has been RENamed by SWEEP to user area 13
and no physical copy took place so it was very quick. This
is an un-documented feature of SWEEP and is highly useful on
the hard drive or any system using multiple user areas.
I'll tell you one thing, the longer I use SWEEP and a few
others like NULU, the more I learn about them. Fanscinating
programs with brilliant authors, my hats off to them all!!
-={ Function Keys & Status Line for Wordstar }=-
by John C. Smith
Pepperell, MA
Never being one to leave well enough alone, I did some
more tinkering with the way Wordstar runs on my Kaypro 10.
I liked the way the IBM PC version of Wordstar shows the
function key definition on the status line. That is a
handy place to store the key definitions so I wondered
if there wasn't some way I could do it under CP/M. I
like the idea of redefining keys the way the Kaypro
CONFIG.COM allows, but couldn't always remember that "7"
on the function key was Begin Block (^KB).
I wrote a little routine called WS25.COM to define the 25th
line for my definitions. This can be modified by PATCH to
suit your own definitions. I use SETKEY, a BIOSMMR
utility, to define my keys as Wordstar is begun and to
redefine the keys on the way out. This is done under an
ALIAS, called EDIT, under ZCPR3.
You would use it like so:
B1:WORK>edit myfile.txt
The alias EDIT.COM is set-up as follows:
A15: ;Log A15: as this where the files are kept
WS25 ;Write the status line labels
SETKEY WS ;Load the Wordstar key definitions
$D$U: ;log back B1: where we started from
W/S $1 ;Run Wordstar and edit specified file
A15:SETKEY STD ;Redefine the keys to original values
$D$U: ;return to the area EDIT was called from
{notes by Steve}
With the above alias you have two options; (1) enter a
command like EDIT THISFILE.TXT and it will load Wordstar in
it's default mode (this depends on how you WINSTALLed it)
and then load and edit the specified file. I have Wordstar
set to non-document mode default because most of my editing
is done on assembly language programs so when I want to
write a letter I use (2) the command EDIT by itself. This
loads the key defs, Wordstar, and then returns to the drive
user area where I called it from and then I just enter a "D"
for document mode and a filename and away I go.
Just remember that EDIT.COM must be in the currently
configured ZCPR3 command path. The following is how the
WS.KEY file is configured for loading by SETKEY.
u ^R ; set UP ARROW key as CTRL-R \
d ^X ; set DOWN ARROW key as CTRL-X \ this is WS'
l ^S ; set LEFT ARROW key as CTRL-S / std diamond
r ^D ; set RIGHT ARROW key
as CTRL-D /
1 ^J ; HELP - display on-screen help menu (^J)
2 ^O"I" ; INDENT - set tab stops (^OI)
3 ^O"L" ; SET LM - set left margin (^OL)
4 ^O"R" ; SET RM - set right margin (^OR)
5 ^P"S" ; UNDLIN - begin/end underlining (^PS)
6 ^P"B" ; BLDFCE - begin/end boldface (^PB)
7 ^K"B" ; BEGBLK - begin block (^KB)
8 ^K"K" ; ENDBLK - end block (^KK)
9 ^K"W" ; WRTBLK - write marked block to a file (^KW)
0 ^K"X" ; ENDFIL - save file being edited & exit (^KX)
John's status line display may be used on any video-able
Kaypro model, not just the Kaypro 10 models. Note also,
this status line may be used with other programs like
VDO or Calcstar or any programs needing function keys. Just
change the label statements create a new *.KEY definition
file, and appropriate ZCPR3 alias.
The files that John mentions are available on the remote
systems as WS-KP25+.LBR and include WS25.COM and it's source
in two forms, SETKEY.COM/C/DOC, WS.KEY, and STD.KEY keypad
re-def files.
Now you know how to shut-up that loud-mouthed so & so who
owns the IBM PC-XT that always comes over when you're
running your Kaypro. Next time he starts to brag about his
xx-DOS operating system just fire up SUPER WORDSTAR and show
him what an enhanced Kaypro can do!
--={ WHATSNEW in Public Domain }=--
WS-KP25+.LBR See the preceding article
VDO-KPSL.LBR is the same thing as WS-KP25+ for those of you
who are using James Whorton's VDO25A text editor. This will
allow you to define the same kind of special function keys
and status line display as WS-KP25+ for any video-able
Kaypro model.
KCHRSET1.LBR is a simple display utility that I wrote so I
could see all the characters the Kaypro was capable of
generating to the screen. It will ask you if you want to
display the ASCII or graphic character set and then displays
one screenful of info and waits for a keypress to continue.
ZTYPE11.LBR is a fancy TYPE program written by Michael
Rubenstein which allows for display of boldface and
underlined words in an ASCII file. It uses dim video for
most of the display and boldfaced words are displayed with
full (standard) intensity video. It accepts the ZCPR3 style
du: specification as well as the named dir form on the
commandline. It also handles squeezed files with no special
syntax required.
VPATCH10.LBR was written by VDO's author James Whorton to
facilitate installing patches into the VDO object file. Jim
is planning a series of updates/fixes for VDO25A and they
will be available in a file called VPATFILE.LBR. If you're
lost and don't know what VDO is - check out VDO25A.LBR, this
is a great (small, fast) non-document text editor.
MACPRINT.LBR is NOT a file for Apple MacIntosh's but rather
a real fancy printing program for owners of Epson and
compatible printers. It prints using a specially defined
character set in 'mac write' style hires characters. More
printers will be added later by the author.
KFAMTREE.LBR is a program for you Geneologists out there to
keep track of your family (tree) history. This set is
written in Mbasic and modified for Kaypro screen control
codes.
TIMESTMP.LBR should not be confused with DATESTMP (as
reviewed in last month's $R/O). TIMESTMP is for assembly
language programmers and allows you to keep track of program
versions by stamping the version #, date, and time at the
top of your source code listings. This is definitely a
"hackers-only" type program that most users will have no
application for. But if you do - it's real nice.
QC10-V12.LBR is a great high-speed floppy diskette copier
for Kaypro 10s only. It was written in Turbo Pascal by
TBKUG member Mark Frank of Birmingham Alabama. This is his
latest version and now allows for making copies with
formatted or un-formatted diskettes and is much faster then
previous versions. It will automatically copy/format either
single-sided or double-sided Kaypro format disks.
SODU82.LBR is yet another full-screen editing utility. This
is DU-V82 (Disk Utility) enhanced to take advantage of your
machines special video control codes. There are currently 2
object files in the library, one for Kaypros and one for the
Morrow MD3. I have included info to allow other computer
users to patch it for their screen codes. The big advantage
of SODU82 over PATCH is that it can copy sectors from one
file to another. Real handy if you've blown your disk
directory or have a sector go bad in the middle of a file
and want to save what you can.
SD98K10L.LBR is the Kaypro video version of SD98 the Super
Directory program plus support internally for the Kaypro 10
with a Legacy clock board installed. It will update the
status (25th) line with the current time/date each time it
is run and also includes a "$?" option that displays built-
in help for it's other options. It will show $SYS, $R/O, or
any other attributed file with an inverse video block when
it prints the filename so you never lose track of any files.
SD99.LBR contains the latest in a long line of Super
Directory programs for Kaypro or any CP/M-80 computer. It
now features built-in help for the available options by
entering a "$?" option. I have added two new equates to
allow Kaypro and owners of other machines needing 3-byte
video sequences for inverse video. The library contains a
ready-to-use SD99.COM for generic machines and a SD99-KP.COM
for video-able Kaypro users.
{The following programs were updated and modified to allow
the use of the new 1k packet protocol for file transfers}
MEX114 is Ron Fowler's fantastic modem program, now enhanced
to allow the standard CHECKSUM or CRC protocols plus the new
1k packet protocol. All features and options remain the
same as the MEX v1.12 program and the new protocol will
operate automatically in receive mode or can be toggled
manually for send mode. MexPlus is also due to be updated
for the new 1k protocol as well. (see following article.)
XMDM110.LBR is the latest XMODEM for RCP/M systems and now
fully supports the new 1k protocol as well as CRC and
CHECKSUM.
LUX50.LBR contains the newest version of LUX, the remote
library utility and also now fully supports the 1k packet
protocol. LUX is another RCPM-only utility and is of
importance only to fellow Sysops.
--={ New MEX & XMODEM 1k Protocol }=--
{The following was taken from the -READ114.ME file by Ron
Fowler of NightOwl Software, Inc. from the MEX114.LBR file.}
This is release 1.14 of the MEX Modem EXecutive communica-
tions program. This release repairs several bugs reported
in version 1.12, and adds support for 1k XMODEM file
transfer packets (this modification has also been made to
all of the commercial versions of MEX-PC and MexPlus, with
release numbers of 1.40 and higher).
Why 1k packets? With the current proliferation of 2400 baud
modems, it has become obvious that throughput (i.e.,
efficiency) of file transfers could be higher if more data
could be added to the fundamental unit of exchange (i.e.,
the "packet"). The reason for this is essentially the "stop
and wait" nature of the Christensen protocol: send a packet,
wait for an acknowledgement, send a packet, wait, etc. When
the packet size is relatively small, as it has always been
with Christensen protocol, this "turn-around" time becomes a
significant portion of the total time necessary to transfer
a file. If the medium through which the transfer is taking
place exhibits its own delay, the problem is compounded (all
transfer media -- even hardwired RS232 connections -- have
some media delay; this delay is much more pronounced in
satellite telephone connections and packet-switched
networks, such as Arpanet and Compuserve).
Conversely, using a large packet size with an inherently
noisy medium can not only destroy any gains realized by
using a the larger packet, but can actually increase file
transfer time, because retransmission of a large packet
takes longer than retransmission of a small packet.
So it seems logical that any large-packet protocol must also
have the ability to "fall back", in the face of line noise,
to the small packets that are so much more efficient in the
noisy environment.
MEX 1.14 implements this fallback feature; it uses nearly
the same algorthm employed by Paul Homchick in his 1k-packet
modifications to the public domain XMODEM program (version
10.8 at the time of this writing). Further, the 1K packet
option is entirely user-selectable; if you don't want to use
large packets, simply continue using MEX as you've always
used it; there's no penalty for not using large packets.
If you prefer the higher efficiency (and noisy lines are not
a problem for you), simply append a "K" to the the "T"
command when you're SENDING a file with MEX 1.14. In fact,
you can make this change permanent by entering the command
"GLOBAL K", then using the CLONE command to save your
modified MEX 1.14 to disk (be advised, however, that if you
do this, you run the risk of not being able to exchange
files with versions of XMODEM or MEX that do not have the 1k
packet capability, without expressly turning off the GLOBAL
K).
MEX 1.14, when receiving, is always prepared to receive 1k
packets, in any mixture with 128-byte packets. Thus, when
you're preparing MEX 1.14 to receive a file, you need take
no special action (in fact, the 'K' option, while accepted,
is ignored in a file receive).
MEX, when transmitting, will adjust for line noise; after
the third (not necessarily consecutive) error has occurred,
MEX will calculate the ratio of errors to "virtual" 128-byte
packets. If this ratio exceeds 1 error per each six 128-
byte "virtual" packets, MEX will switch to 128-byte mode.
Note that MEX will NOT switch to 128-byte mode until the
next successive packet, however. Thus, once a packet has
started as a 1k packet, it must finish as a 1k packet
(otherwise, certain combinations of noise could cause the
transfer to appear correct, but be received incorrectly).
If you're using the batch option, MEX will always switch
back to 1k packets at the beginning of the next file.
Note that MEX 1.14 is fully compatible with the emerging
YMODEM specification authored by Chuck Forsberg of Omen
Technology, insofar as 1K blocks are conerned (MEX does not
"round up" an outgoing file to 1K, however -- it switches to
128-byte mode when the remaining outstanding byte count is
less than 1024. This is permitted by the YMODEM
specification).
Progress reporting
You'll notice that while transferring files in 1k mode, MEX
will print "logical" record numbers on the screen (actually
the starting and ending record numbers of the 1k packet
being sent or received). Note that this is the 128-byte
record number, and bears to relation to the packet number,
which is part of the packet "envelope", t increments by 1
for each 1k packet, and is of no consequence to the user.
Bug fixes for MEX version 1.14:
1) Previously, after opening a terminal file with TERM or
TERMA, then issuing a CALL command, the caller would be left
at command level rather than in terminal mode when the
remote station was reached. This now works as expected.
2) Transferring a file using either Christensen or CIS
protocols, with a term file open, would usually garbage the
term file. Not any more.
3) Printer-buffering didn't work correctly when the buffer
filled. This has been corrected.
4) Long ASCII captures would not be written to disk
correctly if the capture buffer was greater than 32K
(generally, this only happens in TurboDOS or CPM+ systems,
that have large banked TPA's). This has been fixed.
{Editor's note: The #1 & #2 DataCOM systems now support
300/1200/2400 baud and have the new XMODEM installed and
running with 1k packet protocol. Also the new LUX v5.0
which is also online now supports the new 1k protocol.}
--={ Columbia Data Products - Chapter 11 }=--
Well another one bytes the dust as they say! Columbia Data
Products, a Maryland-based IBM clone maker has filed for
Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection in May. It seems
the same day they filed for Chapter 11, most all the
officers tendered their resignations and formed a competing
company with former employees. The new company known as
Chesapeake Data Systems was hit by a suit filed by one of
Columbia's trustees to restrain them from proceeding until
the other legalities were first settled.
In January 1984, Columbia went public on the stock market
and had an opening value of $11 per share and since then the
stock has plummetted all the way down to less than 50 cents
a share. In April 1985, founder and chairman of the board
William Diaz resigned. It will take some time to sort out
all the charges and counter charges involved in this case.
Look for more companies to join the ranks of the dead before
1985 comes to a close. This year promises to be one of the
worst for IBM compatible clone companies - some will make it
but a lot of them won't! This means really big savings for
"smart" buyers out there - right now the Columbia PC-clone
complete with bundled software is going for $1100-$1200.
--={ Installing ZCPR3 }=--
By Michael Broschat
[ NORTHWEST COMPUTING, May 1985 ]
Last month I wrote of my discovery of the ZCPR3 system under
the title of "New Life for CP/M." Actually, I had known of
the existence of various ZCPR versions for quite some time.
I never tried to use one for a couple reasons. First, I
thought they were just for hard disk use. Second, I doubted
that my knowledge of CP/M and assembly language level
programming would be adequate to install one. I had read
Rick Conn's article in an early MICROSYSTEMS about ZCPR2 and
was convinced that it was over my head, and wasn't even sure
that it would give me anything worthwhile.
Things have changed. In the first place I have now had a
lot of experience assembling programs. Those of other
people, to be sure. I am not yet an assembly language
programmer in my own right. Secondly, since Echelon has
taken up the ZCPR cause and is trying to stay in business
supporting it there has been a great deal more publicity
about it. Not only that, but Echelon has served as a kind
of focus for people who themselves have taken up the cause.
The fact is that there are lots of good 8080/Z80 assembly
language programmers out there who have not gone on to the
MS/PCDOS world. These programmers are writing programs that
make use of the ZCPR environment. They have been so active
that less than a year after its beginning, Echelon either
sells or distributes many of these programs, including a
replacement for the BDOS section of CP/M. There is great
excitement within the company about the forthcoming Z800
chip, which will run all current Z80 software. Of course,
their excitement was shared by many others years ago when
the Z800 should have appeared, and I am not certain that
Zilog has actually made the commitment to produce the chip.
But the Japanese have, and apparently Hitachi is actually
shipping their version. But that's another story.
[Author's note: Sol Libes reports in the July-Aug issue of
MICRO/SYSTEMS JOURNAL that Zilog has put back the release
date for the Z800 to 1986.]
The ZCPR3 system is ava
ilable in its basic form, at least,
from the SIG/M library of public domain software. Check
with your user group (especially the CP/M User Group here in
Seattle). It is simply too large for most RCPM operators to
want to transfer by phone, although there are implementa-
tions of ZCPR3 for various machines that I have seen on some
RCPM boards. ZCPR3 is a replacement for the CCP section of
CP/M (it handles processing of the commands you give at the
CP/M level). As such, anyone can put it into his or her
system. Just edit ZCPR3.ASM (and the couple other files it
uses), assemble it, and then add the .HEX code result to
your operating system as instructed in the installation
manual that comes with the ZCPR3 code. You gain several
things from this replacement: your operating works more
efficiently (see below). You can call programs from one
user area to another since when you set it up that way ZCPR
will go looking for .COM files along a particular path. If
you keep all your .COM files in A0, for example, and set up
ZCPR that way, then you can do things in other user areas
without needing to transfer the programs to those areas.
There are problems if your .COM files require overlays, but
there are solutions as well. You can eliminate resident
commands (like DIR, REN, etc.) for which you use other non-
resident programs (like SD, NEWSWEEP, etc.) and make room
for more sophisticated features I haven't room to go into
here. The only thing you have to watch is that your
assembled program does not exceed the 2k space of the
original CCP. Oh, you either need MAC (from Digital
Research) to assemble this stuff or manually expand the
various macros yourself.
What is much tougher, and what was a complete obstacle for
me, is installing the full version of ZCPR3. That is, after
all, the basis for all the new stuff I was talking about
above. You must push your operating system down far enough
so that you can have some free space for some of the new
features to be resident in memory. One space is allocated
to a description of your particular terminal(s) and
printer(s), so that certain programs can automatically know
how they work and then use their features. One space is
allocated for use by shells, which allows programs to work
within each other (and by the way which can create some very
sophisticated operating environments-- see the examples with
the ZCPR3 code). Another is given to resident programs that
are more sophisticated than the DIR, ERA, REN, etc. that we
are used to. And there are other areas. All of these are
entirely optional. You can choose to make room for one or
for two or for all of them.
I wanted to make these changes but could not understand how
to do it. I made memory maps, just like the instructions
said. I would say, well, if the CCP (ZCPR3) starts at this
point then I would have room for this and that up above it.
I would assign the correct addresses to the correct areas
and everything would crash. What I finally realized is that
the address of the CCP depends upon the size of your system.
If you have a 58k system to begin with (as I did) then the
CCP starts at a certain address. If you have a 54k system
(as I do now) then the CCP starts at another address. Don't
try to assign the CCP to a particular address. Choose your
memory size and then let your assembler figure out where the
CCP will start. Once you know that you can then plan how
the rest of the memory space will be used. Use the
following formula:
MSIZE EQU nn ;the size of your intended system in k
BIOS EQU (MSIZE-20)*1024
CCP EQU 3400h+BIAS ;the base of your CCP
I understand that there are systems for which this is not
correct, but for "standard" CP/M this will provide the CCP
address that you need to figure out where everything else is
going. The rest of the steps require you to move your CP/M
system to the necessary size. That is explained both in the
ZCPR3 manual and in your CP/M documentation under use of
MOVCPM.COM.
You must also put code into your BIOS that initializes
certain areas to prepare them for the new features. If you
do not have the source for your BIOS (most small systems,
like Kaypro and Morrow, do not provide that code) you could
either figure out a way to add the initialization (like
jumping to a different area on cold boot then jumping back
to the proper cold boot address) or buy the automatic
install package from Echelon: $50 if you get the code
through sources other than Echelon, $150 if you get the
whole works from them. They are at 101 First St, Los Altos
CA 94022.
Hints from Echelon: Don't be confused by the complexity of
Rick Conn's own BIOS, which is the example used in his
installation manual. Forget about installing I/O packages
until you both need them and understand how to use them.
See their newsletter \#003 for a simpler look at the whole
process.
Like many people I was worried about losing TPA to the new
system. Since WordStar is my most frequently used program I
decided to use it for a test against my "old" operating
system. I have 8" single-sided, double-density disks that
use 1k byte sectors. I normally have 54k TPA and now have
50k. The following chart shows the results of the tests.
Time (in seconds)
"old system" "ZPCR3 system"
B>WS filename.typ 13:39 10:18
(loading a 20k file)
^QC 9:04 8:76
(end of the file)
^KS 10:69 8:94
(saving a file)
^QF 9:47 10:88
(find a word that I knew
was the last in the file)
As you can see, only in the last example did ZCPR3 not
outperform the regular system! That was quite a surprise.
There is so much to this new operating environment that it
will be months before I learn it very well, especially
considering the time that I have to work with it. I am
convinced that it is a significant replacement for my CP/M
system and look forward to exploring its almost limitless
possibilities.
{Editor's note: Remember that we currently have very-easy
to install versions of ZCPR3 for every model Kaypro made to
date. Thanks to John Smith and a few other Z-addicts (like
myself) it's as simple to install as typing "PUTSYS" from
the CP/M prompt. Echelon also has a self-installing version
of ZCPR3 called Z3-DOT which will install itself on any
machine running a Z80 CPU.}
--={ That's All Folks }=--
>>> Hard disk users -- back-up your machines, summertime is
here and so are the power brown-outs, drops, & spikes <<<
Well, that wraps up another month! Incredible amount of new
public domain software was generated in the last 30 days and
as always, it is available online on either system #1 or #2.
Take care, and remember the #1 law of computers, "Garbage
in, garbage out!"
