Re: Pascal - CP/M - and Microdrive

[mdj <mdj.mdj@gmail.com>]

On Aug 17, 1:21 pm, David Schmenk <dschm...@YUCH.gmail.com> wrote:
> wood.miles_@_verizon.net wrote:
> > I just started back in 8 bit Apples after being away for 25+ years.
> > (Something about job and family as I remember.)
>
> > I picked up an Apple //e Platinum from eBay and a Microdrive from
> > ReactiveMicro. I've had a blast over the past month. Disk images from
> > the web are not a problem to convert to 5.25" floppies or their own
> > subdirectories on the Microdrive. CidarPress has been a treasure. I
> > also found a working Z-80 Softcard at a garage sale. (I was told that
> > it didn't fit an IBM.)
>
> > Now the questions. I can get CP/M working (v2.2 and v2.3.) Can either
> > of these use the Microdrive or any hard disk on the Apple? Likewise,
> > can the UCSD Pascal system use the drive or am I better off looking
> > for another Pascal that will run under ProDOS?
>
> > I am having a bit (OK, a whole lot) of trouble running DOS MASTER.
> > Other than the included documentation are there any additional tip
> > sheets,, idiots guides to, or any thing like that available?
>
> > Wood
>
> I have Apple Pascal installed on a CFFA, so it should also work on a
> Microdrive.  I believe you will need version 1.2 or 1.3 that supports
> SmartPort devices.  I had to put my CFFA in slot 5, and dedicate the
> full device (partition) to it.  So, I use a small 8 MB card.  You are
> still limited to the number of files and no subdirectories.  But it sure
> is a lot faster than floppies.

You need 1.3 to support SmartPort for 3.5" drive access, which is
about the only 'feature' that 1.3 adds

Another solution is to use the Pascal Profile Manager with Pascal 1.2.
This allows you to create a "Pascal Area" file on any ProDOS formatted
volume. The file can have many Pascal Volumes within it - just like
DOS.MASTER.

Originally this was intended to only work with the ProFILE hard disk,
but I did some investigation on this with Willi a couple of years
back, and with a simple hack so it scanned for the device ID of any
block device and not just the ProFILE controller card, it works fine.

The only caveat: since it was written for ProFILEs it uses the "block
device" interface (of which SmartPort is a superset). As such, it will
only find the first ProDOS partition on (for example) an Apple SCSI
card or CFFA.

Matt