Re: Help me read a SuperText disk!

[Michel Trudel <trudel@UQTR.UQuebec.ca>]

To: c.nebel@apple.com (Chris Nebel)
Subject: Re: Help me read a SuperText disk!
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2,comp.emulators.apple2
Subject: Re: Help me read a SuperText disk!
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2,comp.emulators.apple2
Followup-To: comp.sys.apple2,comp.emulators.apple2
References: <c.nebel-1103981401080001@nebelch.apple.com>
Distribution: 

Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2,comp.emulators.apple2

In article <c.nebel-1103981401080001@nebelch.apple.com> you wrote:
: This is a weird one, here.  I've got a SuperText data disk with an old
: project on it that I need to retrieve, but I lack SuperText itself.  At
: first I thought that I could dig through with a sector editor and
: reassemble it -- slow and painful, but possible.  However, it turns out
: that the disk is formatted in a truly twisted way.

: Get this: Apple II disks are soft-sectored, so what sectors are where is
: actually described in the track data.  This disk has 16 sectors per track,
: all right, but they're numbered not 0 to 15, but 0,2,4,6,8...30! 
: Naturally, my editor (Zap, from Beagle Brothers' "Bag of Tricks") won't
: let me ask for a sector numbered higher than 15, so I can only see half
: the disk.  This is bad.

: So, my request to all you other Apple II diehards out there:  Can someone
: send me either of the following:

: 1. A copy of SuperText.  This would obviously be the easiest for me. 
: (Yes, I know it's of questionable legality, but I really only need it to
: read this disk, and then I can throw it away.  It seems a reasonable
: thing.)

: 2. A sector editor that can read the wacko sector structure on this thing.

: If it makes a difference for how you send it, I'm using a Mac II LC with
: an Apple II card and (naturally) a 5.25" drive.  SuperText is/was by Muse,
: the fine folks that gave us the original Castle Wolfenstein.

: Oh, and could someone explain why in God's name the Muse programmers
: decided to (in essence) copy protect the data disks for A STINKING WORD
: PROCESSOR!

: Thanks,

: -Chris

: (P.S.: If you respond via mail, delete the obvious bit from my return
: address.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but I get spammed enough as it is.)
Hi Chris
    with DOS 3.3  if you make the following change you can see your data.
with DOS 3.3 in memory
type CALL -151 to go in monitor

type BDC4: 20 F0 B6
type B6F0: 20 44 B9 08 46 2D 28 60

now the DOS is modify

BDC4 JSR $B6F0


this just call a subroutine at $B6F0

B6F0 JSR $B944     read a address field
B6F3 PHP           preserve carry
B6F4 LSR $2D       divide sector by 2
B6F5 PLP           restore carry
B6F6 RTS

this routine shift right $2D, this address hold the sector read on disk,
the shift right divide its value by 2.

Normally, I use DOUBLE DOS to convert one disk format to another. In this
case the two DOS are the normal DOS and the modified DOS.

This modify the read but not the write to disk.

Be carefull.

Good Luck
Sorry, have some problem to transmit.

Michel Trudel

trudel@uqtr.uquebec.ca