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Apple II Csa2 FAQs: DOS & ProDOS, Part 6/25 (2/2)
[continued from previous message]
Problems are especially likely when a program modifies and CALLs
machine
code routines such as Read/Write Track-Sector (RWTS) and/or makes
assumptions
about the physical locations on disk of important DOS 3.3 areas such as
the
Volume Table of
Contents, CATALOG track, and DOS itself. Using a special routine to
save "High
Scores" to a specific Track/Sector is just one of many ways a DOS 3.3
program
might create havoc on a hard disk.
On the other hand, you have programs which stick to using standard
DOS
commands from BASIC such as, probably, most of your own DOS 3.3
programs and
most 'type-in' software from publications like SoftSide. Programs like
these
should run fine using
one of the techniques for accessing DOS 3.3 software from 3.5" diskette
or hard
disk.
There are two fairly popular approaches to running DOS 3.3
software from
3.5" diskette on an Apple II. One is to copy it to a specially
formatted 3.5"
diskette which boots a modified "DOS 3.3" such as AmDOS or OzDOS.
Typically,
you get two "400k
disks" on each 3.5" diskette.
A very different approach is used by DOS 3.3 Launcher. It offers
two
options:
1- You can save some DOS 3.3 programs to ProDOS disk (including 3.5"
disk or
hard disk). These must be single-file programs that do not access the
disk
once they are loaded into memory. DOS 3.3 Launcher's Copier is used to
set
launch options.
2- Using the DOS 3.3 Launcher Copier, you can save an entire DOS 3.3
disk as a
disk image to a ProDOS 3.5" diskette, hard disk, etc.. According to
'Launcher's
docs:
>> Any disk that uses a standard RWTS (Read/Write Track/Sector) routine
> can be
copied in this manner. This includes not only DOS 3.3 disks, but also
many old
games which use a standard RWTS, but are not actually DOS 3.3. They can
then be
launched by DOS
3.3 Launcher, which "boots" the large file directly from your hard
disk. <<
To run a program from ProDOS-8, you start DOS 3.3 Launcher from a
program
selector such as ProSel-8 which supports the ProDOS 8 startup protocol-
- i.e.
it can make applications automatically open a data file. (The DOS 3.3
Launcher
docs tell how to
setup a ProSel entry for a program.)
Running a program from the IIgs System Finder is much easier.
>> If you have properly installed DOS 3.3 Launcher, your DOS 3.3
> programs
should appear with DOS 3.3 icons when viewed through the Finder. To
launch
them, you simply double click on them, which launches them via ProDOS
8. <<
Of the two basic approaches (a special 3.5" DOS 3.3 or DOS 3.3
Launcher),
DOS 3.3 Launcher seems to be the better way to go:
First, it is easy to set up the contents of a DOS 3.3 disk prior to
converting
it to disk image form-- you can use any of the popular disk management
utilities such as Copy II Plus. Moving DOS 3.3 files onto an AmDOS or
OzDOS
disk with the crude FID-type
copiers available is a hassle.
Second, DOS 3.3 Launcher turns out to create and use standard
143,360-byte
ProDOS order (.po) disk images, except, at least on the IIgs, the
'Launcher
requires a special filetype-- e.g. $F1 to run at 1MHz, $F2 to run at
"Fast"
speed. These filetypes make
it possible for the DOS 3.3 Launcher icons (included) to link images to
the
program for easy launching under the Finder-- you just double-click on
the
image's icon.
So, you should be able to download any .dsk disk image on your PC,
use an
emulator to transfer the contents to a .po disk image, and transfer the
.po
file via NULL modem to your Apple II. Here you just need to adjust the
filetype
for use under DOS 3.
3 Launcher. Or you can convert 5.25" .sdk (shrinked disk) files to .po
disk
image form and transfer these via NULL modem.
To download AmDOS, OzDOS, DOS3.3.Launcher, and ProSel, see
Csa21MAIN4: Get
It- Links to popular software packages.
-------------------------
023- How can I get DOS 3.3 from the net without an Apple II
telecom utility?
DOS 3.3 Dump is DOS 3.3 in an Apple II Text file. The purpose of
the the
dump file (dos33.dmp)is to make it possible for users without DOS 3.3
and
without any Apple II telecom program to obtain DOS 3.3 from the net.
Once you have DOS 3.3, you can obtain ADT and have a way to
transfer 5.25"
.dsk disk image files from your net computer to your Apple II. (And
once you
can transfer disk images, you can get a good Apple II telecom utility
and have
a way to transfer
all kinds of files!)
You can find DOS 3.3 Dump along with directions on several net
sites. See
Csa21MAIN4: Get It- Links to popular software packages.
=============================
024- What is ProDOS?
ProDOS
ProDOS is the official Apple ][ DOS which came after DOS 3.3. Do
not
confuse "ProDOS" and "Prontodos". Prontodos is a slightly modified DOS
3.3
which provides much faster disk I/O than standard DOS 3.3. ProDOS is a
whole
new disk operating system.
To get ProDOS from the net, see Csa21MAIN4: Get It- Links to popular
software
packages.
----------------------------
025- What are ProDOS's major features?
ProDOS has lots of nice features-- mainly, you can create sub-
directories, diskettes ("volumes") can be named, and ProDOS works well
on hard
disks. The GS System 6 Finder can handle ProDOS files and launch
programs from
ProDOS diskettes. ProDOS's
BASIC command interpreter shares many commands with DOS 3.3, too; so,
it is not
difficult for DOS 3.3 users to get started with the newer operating
system.
____________________________
From: David Empson
026- Which Apple II's can run which versions of ProDOS?
Apple II's from an Apple II+ with 64k RAM through the IIgs can run
versions of ProDOS up through version 1.9 and run Applesoft BASIC
programs
under these versions.
An older Apple II (with Integer BASIC in ROM) or any Apple II with
less
than 64k RAM can run ProDOS 1.0 or 1.0.1 but can not use the ProDOS
BASIC
interpreter (BASIC.SYSTEM). This is not a very useful setup as there
are few
applications that will
work in this environment.
Versions 2.x.x of ProDOS require an Apple II equipped with a
65C02,
65C802, or 65C816 such as an Apple IIe-enhanced, //c, IIc+, or IIgs.
The
current ProDOS is version 2.0.3.
____________________________
From: Rubywand
027- How can I create bootable ProDOS diskettes?
Creating bootable ProDOS diskettes is more bother than creating
bootable
DOS 3.3 diskettes because ProDOS does not have any way to duplicate
itself from
memory-- i.e., it has no INIT command.
One way to make a new bootable ProDOS diskette is to first use
Apple's
ProDOS FILER utility or a ProDOS version of Copy II+ to FORMAT a
diskette for
ProDOS. This creates tracks filled with blank blocks so that the
diskette can
be used to hold ProDOS
files. It also writes boot startup code in Blocks 0 and 1 on Track 0.
ProDOS is in a file on a bootable ProDOS disk and so, usually, is
the
ProDOS 'connection' to BASIC, named "BASIC.SYSTEM". To finish the job
you copy
BASIC.SYSTEM and PRODOS from some bootable ProDOS disk to the new
diskette.
Another way is to use Disk Muncher or some other whole-disk copier
to copy
some bootable ProDOS diskette which includes BASIC.SYSTEM. You can
delete any
files you don't want from the copy.
Things are a bit easier on a IIgs running GS System. In the Finder
(the
usual GS main 'desktop'), you can insert a blank diskette and let
Finder
"Initialize" it for ProDOS. Then you can mouse 'drag and drop' PRODOS
and
BASIC.SYSTEM from a bootable
ProDOS disk to your new disk. (Or, even easier, if you have a 'stock'
blank
bootable ProDOS diskette the same size as your new disk, you can just
drag and
drop the bootable disk onto your new disk.)
Note: If you want to copy the ProDOS used by GS/OS, copy the file P8
from the
SYSTEM/ folder and rename it to "PRODOS" on your diskette.
------------------------
028- How do I make a ProDOS disk that will boot and start a BASIC
program?
If you want ProDOS to boot and start a BASIC program, then both
PRODOS and
BASIC.SYSTEM must be present. (BASIC.SYSTEM should be the first .SYSTEM
file on
the diskette.) The "hello" program on a ProDOS diskette is named
"STARTUP".
This is the
program which will be run upon booting the diskette. (If there is no
"STARTUP"
program, you will end up at the usual BASIC prompt after booting.)
A simple STARTUP program you can type in and save to your new
ProDOS
diskette is ...
10 TEXT: HOME
20 PRINT CHR$(4)"CAT"
30 END
After typing in the program, just enter SAVE STARTUP. Next time
you boot
the diskette, the above program will run and the diskette's CATALOG
will be
displayed.
A good ready-made STARTUP program and program selector for
launching
ProDOS 8 programs on a IIgs is available as speedgs.shk. The file
unShrinks to
the Startup program and a Readme directions file. To get speedgs.shk
from the
net, see Csa21MAIN4:
Get It- Links to popular software packages.
________________________
From: David Empson
029- What is the maximum size of a ProDOS volume?
When a diskette is formatted for ProDOS it is given a name by the
user. A
ProDOS diskette is also called a "volume". A ProDOS hard disk will,
usually, be
partitioned into two or more named volumes. The maximum size of a
ProDOS volume
is 32767.5
kilobytes (65535 blocks).
________________________
From: Rubywand
030- How do I LOAD, SAVE, etc. files under ProDOS?
LOAD (SAVE, RENAME, etc.) work very much as in DOS 3.3.; so, you
can use
Slot and Drive parms to specify the target volume. However, to get the
most
from ProDOS you will usually be working with volume names and folders.
(or,
"directories").
If GAME3.PIC is a binary file in a directory named "PICS" on a
volume
named "NARF", you could load it into memory starting at address $2000
via
BLOAD /NARF/PICS/GAME3.PIC,A$2000
or, in BASIC
100 PRINT CHR$(4)"BLOAD /NARF/PICS/GAME3.PIC,A$2000"
So, in ProDOS, you can access a disk (or volume) by name ...
RUN /GAMES/CHINA.SEA
will find the disk (volume) named "GAMES", then, find, load, and run
CHINA.SEA.
You can, also, refer to a disk by its location ...
CAT,S6,D1
will do a short-form catalog of the main directory of the diskette in
DRIVE 1
connected to SLOT 6.
-----------------------
031- What is a "pathname"?
Suppose the file BARDS2.PIC is in the folder PICS on the diskette
(volume) named "NARF". Then ...
/NARF/PICS/BARDS2.PIC is BARDS2.PIC's complete "pathname".
/NARF/PICS/ is a "pathname prefix" for all files in the PICS
directory on
the volume named "NARF".
A leading "/" indicates a volume name (/NARF).
The "main directory" or "root directory" is the one in which the
files
PRODOS and BASIC.SYSTEM (along with any other files the user wants
there) are
usually located on a ProDOS diskette. NARF's main directory pathname
prefix is
just /NARF/.
______________________
From: Rubywand and David Empson
032- What is the default volume and folder when ProDOS boots?
When ProDOS boots, it will assume that LOADs, SAVEs, etc. refer to
the
main directory of whatever volume is in the boot Slot and Drive. It
does not
automatically establish a default volume or folder by name.
So long as no default volume name is set, references to disks by
Slot
and/or Drive (e.g. CAT, S6) will set the default device (by Slot and
Drive)
much as happens under DOS 3.3.
-----------------------
033- How can I set default volume and folder (directory) under ProDOS?
The ProDOS PREFIX command lets you set the default volume and
folder (or
directory). For example,
PREFIX /NARF
or, in a BASIC program
100 PRINT CHR$(4)"PREFIX /NARF"
tells your computer to find the ProDOS volume (e.g. disk, hard disk
partition,
etc.) named "NARF" and, once it is found, set the current default
directory to
the main directory of the volume named "NARF".
Setting the Prefix eliminates the capability of references by Slot
and/or
Drive to set the default device. You can still CAT S6,D2 and execute
similar
commands specifying Slot and Drive; but, the "default device" will be
the one
which happens to '
contain' the volume named "NARF". (That is, when a default volume
exists,
ProDOS focuses upon the volume by name and is not very interested in
any
particular disk drive.)
Note: References by Slot and/or Drive will, however, still set
'default' Slot
and Drive values. Setting a Prefix just causes these to be ignored as
specifiers for the default volume. (Also, setting a Prefix does not
change
Slot/Drive defaults.)
Naturally, references to folders on the default volume do not need
to
specify the volume name:
CAT GAMES
and
CAT /NARF/GAMES
will both CAT the contents of the folder GAMES located in the main
directory of
the default volume NARF.
Note: CAT GAMES/ is also correct. Adding the trailing "/" is generally
optional
in commands dealing with folders. To SAVE the game ROBOTS in the above
folder,
you would need the "/": SAVE GAMES/ROBOTS . In manuals, etc., folder
names are
often shown with
the trailing "/" to make it clear that, say, /NARF/GAMES/ refers to a
folder
and not to a program named "GAMES" in the main directory of the volume
named
"NARF".
If there is currently no default volume-- for example, you did not
execute
the PREFIX /NARF command from keyboard or a BASIC program-- ProDOS will
try to
CAT the GAMES folder on the volume in the default Slot and Drive. As
you might
expect, some
mixing of Slot and folder name specifiers is allowed. For example:
CAT GAMES,S6,D2
will try to CAT the GAMES folder on the volume in Slot 6, Drive 2.
References such as the above and references to other volumes (e.g.
CAT
/PICDISK/HIRESPICS ) do not usually change the Prefix. An exception is
the
'plain' PREFIX command. When used with a Slot parm:
PREFIX,S6,D2
The above command sets default volume to the name of the volume found
in Slot
6, Drive 2.
So, running a ProDOS program located in a folder does not
automatically
'switch' all references to files in that folder. If the program expects
to use
files located in whatever folder the program resides, either you must
set the
Prefix to point to
the folder before doing the RUN or the program must set the Prefix. To
change
the Prefix to zero-in on a particular folder, you might enter ...
PREFIX GAMES/ACTION
Given that there is a default volume and that it is named "NARF", the
above
would make the default place for ProDOS actions the /NARF/GAMES/ACTION
folder.
If there is currently no established default volume, ProDOS will look
for
GAMES/ACTION/ on the
volume in the default Slot and Drive. If it finds the folder, ProDOS
will set
the Prefix to the volume name + GAMES/ACTION/ .
To clear (eliminate) recognition of a default Prefix, you can
enter ...
PREFIX /
After this command, the default place ProDOS looks for files, etc..
will be the
default Slot and Drive (usually as set by the most recent Slot/Drive
reference).
______________________
From: Rubywand
034- How can I discover the volume name of a just booted disk?
You can discover the name of a ProDOS volume in a drive by doing a
CAT.
The volume name will be shown at the top of the screen listing (e.g.
"/NARF/").
Another way-- one which works in programs as well as from the
keyboard--
is to use the PREFIX command:
PREFIX
This command, when used alone, will normally return one of two results:
o- If there is an established default Prefix (e.g. a default volume has
been
specified), then, the result will be the current default Prefix.
o- If there is no established default Prefix, then, the result will be
the
volume name of the volume in the default Slot and Drive.
Booting clears any default Prefix and sets default Slot/Drive to the
boot
drive. For, say, your STARTUP program to discover the name of the
volume on
which it resides, it could execute the following:
100 PRINT CHR$(4)"PREFIX": INPUT"";P$
The volume name of the just booted disk will be saved in P$.
______________________
From: David Wilson
035- How do I create a folder?
Creating folders (or directories) is the one time you do not ---
Fruity Dog 6.2