=============================================================================== MM MM DDDDD OOOOOO SSSSS 66666 0000 0000 M M M M D D O O S 6 6 0 00 0 00 M M M M D D O O S 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 M M M M D D O O SSSSS 666666 0 0 0 0 0 0 M M M M D D O O S 6 6 00 0 00 0 M M M D D O O S 6 6 0 0 0 0 M M M DDDDD OOOOOO SSSSS 66666 . 0000 0000 Myarc Disk Operating System Copyright (C)1998 9640*News and Contributors Version 6.00 released May 16, 1998 ============================================================================== Contact Information: Tim Tesch 1856 Dixie Road Port Washington, WI 53074 ttesch@juno.com <--> ttesch@execpc.com =============================================================================== THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS: --------------------- MDOS 6.00 does not contain a lot of thrills and frills, but does contain some features some may find interesting. Most of my time has been spent on the road, visiting places throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Perhaps this summer I'll get a reprieve to work on my favorite, though yet unfinshed program, PORT. Enough editorializing :) ... on with the show! One major undertaking was the removal of the "TI ON/OFF" command, implemented by Beery Miller some time ago. Beery implemented this command so that people could use the HFDC or SCSI at CRU >1200, and access it as "WDSx". Unfortunately, these routines were one source of the trouble most folks have with the HFDC, and as such, were removed. I was very careful not to disrupt any existing HFDC/SCSI code, and learned a few things along the way. Anyone using the "WDSx" feature will need to continue using the older versions of MDOS or change the manner in which they access their devices. If all goes well, the remaining issues within the DSR will be resolved with the next release. GPL was not modified for MDOS 6.00 as there was really nothing to add or fix. However, I have modified the version and included it with MDOS 6.00 to keep things straight. Finally, anyone wanting to use MDOS 6.00 _MUST_ have the extra 32K RAM on their Geneve. I started modifying MDOS to remove this restriction, but since Mike hard-coded multiple locations, the task was not one I wanted to deal with. Therefore, if anyone would like me to modify their Geneve, or send them a stack of 64K memory, the cost is $10.00 plus shipping/handling. Turn-around is one business day. NEW/UPDATED COMMANDS/ROUTINES: ------------------------------ o SCSI REMAP COMMAND ------------------ Some SCSI devices won't respond to SCSI ID 0, 1, or 2. To fix this problem, I've added a new command (CYA compatible) which remaps a specific ID to SCS1, SCS2, or SCS3. Command: SCSMAP Examples: SCSMAP 13 Maps SCSI ID 3 to SCS1. SCSMAP 26 Maps SCSI ID 6 to SCS2. Note that remapping a SCSx drive to the SCSI controller ID could cause a lockup! o VIDEO Command again available ----------------------------- After being removed some time ago, I've placed the VIDEO command back into MDOS. This command turns the video wait states on/off. While it reports the current state of the command, please note that it _may_ report the status incorrectly. This command was added as a convenience. VIDEO FAST - turns off wait states VIDEO SLOW - turns on wait states o MDOS Character set expanded --------------------------- The MDOS internal character set has been expanded to 255 characters. This means that characters 128-255 are now defined and available using the following command: IBMGRF IBMGRF OFF - "Normal" characters 0-127 (default) defined. Characters 128-255 are not redefined. IBMGRF ON - ALL characters 0-255 defined. This causes at least one program, Clint Pulley's Directory Manager, to look "wrong". Clint defines his characters before asking MDOS to define the remaining chars, hence the screwup. I suggest creating a batch file for DM which turns IBMGRF off/on before/ after using DM. Using this command eliminates the need for "IBMGRAPHICS", a program I released a few years ago, and give you the added benefit of retaining those characters at all times. Additionally, CYA will imbed your favorite character set within MDOS! Thanks goes out to TONY KNERR for his idea and his original program, CHARAPATCH! o RAVE RAMDISK ------------ CYA will now modify MDOS 5.00 and 6.00 with respect to the Rave RAMdisk. No more sector editing required. o SETDSK / REMAP / HARD ------------------------------ Modified text output shown during an error. Changed display in HARD command; now shows current status. o PFM512 Device Support --------------------- Support for the 512K PFM FLASH chip was added. o MIRROR COMMAND -------------- MDOS MIRROR command has been REMOVED. Instead, please use the accompanying file SAVEIMAGE. This program will let you save sectors 0-33 (CFORM compatible) from any HFDC or SCSI device to any other device. LOADIMAGE, used to restore the sectors, is not released here, as I do not feel comfortable giving that out with MDOS. If you want a copy, feel free to ask. Docs are included with SAVEIMAGE. FIXED COMMANDS / ROUTINES: -------------------------- o YEAR 2000 --------- (a) The DIRectory routine now displays the full year. (b) The clock code was modified to fix a Year 2000 bug. Dates through 2050 were checked, including dates falling on a leap year, and were found accurate. I am happy to say MDOS 6.00 is Year 2000 "compliant," though there may be programs used on the Geneve which are not. (c) Researched possibility of changing clock code to give user the full year. Decided not to make change, as it would likely break multiple applications which rely upon the 8-character output string. o RAVE RAMDISK ------------ Modified low-level sector code. Stabilized the access routine, which at times caused corruption in the first 32K. o HFDC / Winchester Code: ----------------------- As discussed above, removed some offending code (Winchester) from MDOS. Also removed TI ON/OFF capability, which previously used to access the HFDC/SCSI at CRU >1200 as "WDSx". This has cleared up some conflicts between the SCSI and the HFDC. That's all this time, folks! If you have any requests or suggestions, please send them my way! Use the addresses listed at the top of this document. Requests for Source code to MDOS may also be sent to this address. 'Tis time to document CYA 6.00 :)- * * EOF, 16 May 1998 Tim Tesch *