Z TIPS. Our description of PUBLIC usage leaves a little confusion in minds
of some of you. Z-News 303, 304, and 305 went into detail but disk (drive)
versus user area needs more discussion. Most problems occur because COM file
to be executed doesn't know of paths and can't find it trailing file
(argument) because it's in other than default directory. LDR.COM looking for
SYS.ENV is good case in point.
If disk A and B, user area 6, are declared public (PUBLIC
/ca,da,db,u6<cr>), and SYS.ENV is in B6: with LDR.COM in A15: (or anywhere
along the path), we can issue command LDR SYS.ENV<cr> from, say B0:, and have
correct execution. If LDR understood paths (for its file arguments) we could
place SYS.ENV in A6:, without disk B public, and still have the command work;
but, LDR doesn't, and thus it won't. Of course most Z-System utilities do
understand paths so PUBLIC works beautiful with them and but one public
directory declared. To guarantee only one copy of a program is required on
the disk system, a directory for each disk needs to be declared public.
Directories are fully public among areas of the same disk, and global
(from disk to disk) for COM files through path search capability created by Z3
environment.
We use area 6 here at Echelon as public (other areas from 1 thru 8 would
be just as valid) for all disks (drives). We seem to never get into any
trouble with files not finding each other. Frankly, our main computer (an
Ampro Model 1210 Bookshelf) uses only A6: as public. There we have V-SPELL,
WordStar, StarIndex, MailMerge, The Word Plus, along with SYSLIB, Z3LIB, VLIB,
GRXLIB, GRWLIB, and PDMLIB REL files. We do wordprocessing in B0:, B1:, B2:,
B4: and D0: areas; computer communications from B7:; and, our assembly
language program development from B10:. Term3 executable modules, ZAS and
ZLINK, and Newword and its overlays, are on A0:. A14: contains Term3
overlays, i.e., Comm Sets, telephone libraries, macro and character-
translation tables, etc. Squeezed HLP files are in A12:. We use Discat from
A8: and not in a public area simply because the modules were written, as were
Term3, to take advantage of Z3 environment. We use A1: thru A5: as scratch
areas (temporary work space) for formatting (organizing), transferring data to
and from floppies. By convention, A12: is reserved for HLP files. Floppy
drive C: is for backup.
Remember, if you declare two drives public, any user area that is public
for one will be public for the other. However, there is no reason we can
think of for having more than one area public per drive (disk partition).
Also remember, if files of same name are in both public and non-public areas
and you erase them in non-public area, they also will be erased in public
areas. Watch it!
Of Manuals and Binders. Our loose-leaf manuals are available for from $2.00
to $20.00, may be applied to price of later purchased matching program.
Manual for Term3 is example of what's on our mind. Many good modem programs
exist, some public domain, some commercial. Buy Term manual to determine if
program is one you want to own. (We know Term3 as most advanced
communications and modem package ever created.) Manual describes its many
features in 150 pages, in more detail than an ad or paragraph here. Comes in
standard 8.5 by 11 inch loose-leaf dimensions, and fits into big plastic 3-
ring binder supplied with ZCPR3: The Libraries, Item 27 on Price List. Binder
was made large enough--it's 1.5 inches thick--to hold several Echelon manuals
simultaneously, Discat, Zas, ZDM, Libraries, Term3, etc. Two of these binders
hold all our manuals and other literature, plus room to expand. Binders have
our name and logo (Z-News 303 explains essence of logo) on front cover and
spine, are colored tan with blue lettering. We offer them for $5.00 each, if
ordered along with software purchase. Shipping and handling remain at $4.00
per order, continental USA. Consider buying manual first to study, then get
program. WONDERful idea! Manual-alone prices:
Amateur Z User Corner. Here's three VFILER CMD lines found useful (Z-News
403 has more). CATSCAN is from Discat and permits finding any file on any
disk in MASTER.CAT just by entering numeral 5. All files associated with
Discat are in, by convention, directory A8:, named CAT:. T3.MNU is our Term3
menu used to completely control telephone dialing and communications. And 9
is used to quickly enter pointed-to-library. Transient (disk-resident COM
file) IF, Version 1.2 or later, is used for fcb conditional testing; show
error if not an LBR file, else run NULU on library. Notice we log-in to
particular directory at beginning and return to current when through. From
home-base directory you access other directories, always returning home after
commands are exhausted. Furthermore, as in command 9 below, current directory
becomes default automatically, reducing potential confusion, i.e., default is
known and not mistaken for current once inside, in this case, NULU library
manager program.
5 a8:;catscan 'Master Catalog Search (e.g., *.doc): ' *.*;%d%u:
7 b7:;menu t3.mnu;%d%u:
9 a15:if12 %t=lbr;%d%u:;a0:nulu -o %n -f;else;echo --> file is not a <<
library <--;fi
#
>>> VFILER CMD Fragment <<<
----------------------------------------------------------------
5 - Scan Master CATALOG from Console (CATSCAN) - 5
7 - Telecommunicate via Modem (Term3) - 7
9 - Enter Pointed-To-Library File (LBR) (NULU) - 9
----------------------------------------------------------------
Declaring location of IF12.COM avoids time computer takes searching along path
(especially if using 1024 or more directory entries on disk). It's a good
idea to always indicate in command lines where a file is, if location is known
and fixed. By convention, most utilities are placed in ROOT: directory, most
applications in BASE:.
Z-Node Activity. Five nodes sign-up during fortnight. First, Brian King,
Castle AFB, CA 95339, becomes Node #55 sysop. Will report his RAS telephone
number when he is operational.
Z-Node #56 is online, 817/283-9167, run by Sysop Terry Carroll, Bedford,
TX 76021. Terry covers Dallas and Fort Worth areas which have been unattended
for so long. "The system's handle is 'The Poor Man's Z-Node' because I choose
to have the best available to everyone, and because I stay broke keeping the
system free!" Thanks, Terry, for seeing our problem and solving it with your
online Kaypro 10.
Steve Kitahata, Gardena, CA 90247, 213/532-3336, becomes sysop for Z-Node
#57 with CompuPro (Viasyn) 20-megabyte hard-disk 6-mHz Z80 S-100 machine and
Prometheus ProModem 1200. Lots of storage and speed here!
Kent Mason, Oklahoma, OK 73107, becomes Z-Node #58 with a modified
Kaypro. His RAS number is 405/943-8638, but soon changes to another number
when he goes to 24-hour per day operation. Z-Node #59, running Micromint
TKBBS, is managed by Sysop Michael Hofer in Hicksville, IL 11802. Stay tuned!
Ed Unrein, Orlando, FL, has two telephone numbers for his two Z-Nodes:
1) 305/774-2591 for #29, exclusive Z-System software RAS, and 2) 305/295-0844
for #51, general software.
Menus, Menus, and More Menus. A dream come true: John T. Brown, Sterling
Heights, MI, produces a definitive set of menus, ready-to-run, for Kaypro 10
machines using Michael Rubinstein's MMR BIOS. Based on Echelon DEMO.LBR file
material, but adding significant, first-time-thought-of ideas and routines,
and combining many aliases with MENU and VMENU, he shows what can be done in a
real-world situation. Truly impressive! Even if you don't have a Kaypro 10,
much comes from studying and applying his techniques. These extended turn-key
menus attain new heights in software/hardware integration. Bravo! And keep
up the good work, John. If interested, download files MENUS-JB.LBR, ALIAS-
JB.LBR, HLP-JB.LBR, and ZSYS/MMR.LBR from your local Z-Node.
Potpourri. Martin Murray, Dallas, TX, author of NULU libraries file manager,
grants permission to bundle his program with our Z-System software. Thank
you, Martin, for your generosity and graciousness. You make a significant
contribution to 8-bit computing community. Martin officially joins our Z-Team
of software developers and tells us that he presently is using The Libraries
(SYSLIB36, Z3LIB13, VLIB11) to convert NULU to a full ZCPR3 utility (see Z-
News 009, page 4, for definition of Z3 utility). As an aside, last known bug
in NULU has been fixed. Get Version 1.51. Whoopee! Also, after Martin
finishes NULU as a Z3 utility, he may start work on long-delayed Document
Maintenance Manager (DMM) development, the program that keeps track of changes
in a source listing or in a text file. (Richard Conn will probably add a
string-search utility, something like SIFT or GREP, to next release of ZCPR3.)
Incidentally, Echelon actively seeks to market programs fostering our
philosophy, programs that take full advantage of ZCPR3 and ZRDOS environment,
that use modern ASCII terminals and business graphics. Send us your ideas; we
will let you know if we think your product could be commercially successful.
Second issue of S-100 Journal is on streets--very impressive!
Information about advances in S-100 technology and new S-100 International
Trade Association (SITA) lets us know there are alternates to blue plague.
"...a symbol of quality, performance, modularity, wide support, infinite
upgrading possibilities, and non-obsolescence." That's S-100. Please, if you
own or are planning to buy an S-100 system, subscribe to this magazine. You
won't be sorry. Call or write, S-100 Journal, P.O. Box 12881, Raleigh, NC
27065, 919/839-0115. Jay Vilhena is Editor.
Fortnight's next-to-best news: ZCPR3: The Libraries shipped. All back-
orders have been mailed, USPS Priority (1st Class). So if you have been
waiting to make sure this book came out when we said it would, wait is over,
and it did--order now! It's Item 82 on Price List, ended up containing 310
pages, comes in plastic 3-ring binder, and sells for $29.95 plus $4.00
shipping and handling.
Fortnight's best news: David McCord has joined Echelon as corporation
Vice President. He adds his significant technical experience and managerial
talent to our growing staff. You know Dave as sysop of Z-Node Central (in
Fremont, CA, 20 miles east of Los Altos) and coordinator of other Z-Node
Sysops. These have been, are labors of love, performed without pay, part-
time. He continues with these tasks, but now as full-time employee, his
efforts are expected to enhance other Echelon operations. Welcome aboard,
Dave. Good fortune in your new, exciting, full-of-potential, full-of-
challenge position.
Of Cabbages and Kings. While PC and MS-DOS machines, along with Apple,
Atari, and Commodore dominate reported microcomputer news, we push into
uncharted and un-reported frontiers, diminish docility, and increase
understanding. There can be diversity, you don't have to troop or be a clone.
You have access to data and information; you have a mind to tell of your
needs. You can make a difference. You are the difference!
We promote something not along main stream, something more rewarding than
illusion of instant gratification, something that thrills, that comes from
reward of efforts expended, from learning. Realize that if you are always
seeking something for nothing, you eventually end up with nothing--that's
ethical state of majority USA presently. Oh! We miss the mark! Filled with
material plenty, we are very unhappy with ourselves and our lives, continuing
to expect El Dorado without working for it. And without knowing work is of
and on ourselves, individually and collectively.
You hundreds of thousands of Kaypro, Ampro, Morrow, S-100, SB180,
Osborne, Heath-Zenith 89/90 users, don't despair. We continue to support your
machines and its software. See you down the lines...
Echelon, Inc.
885 N. San Antonio Road
Los Altos, CA 94022 USA
Telephone: 415/948-3820
Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005
Z-News 405 is Copyright 1985 Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission
to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is
given to Echelon.
