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Re: ProDOS ?

No, unfortunately the basic Apple II system is not able to read or write
disks without loading a DOS. The ROM on the disk controller card is able to
load the boot sector of a disk into memory and start running it. This is how
most DOSes are loaded on the Apple II.

ProDOS provides two interfaces to the system for manipulating disks and
files. The Machine Language Interface (MLI) is used by programmers and
provides a range of file services including loading, saving, renaming,
deleting, etc. The MLI can only be used when programming in assembly or
machine code.

The interface you're more likely to use is in the program BASIC.SYSTEM, and
it lets you type commands in at the AppleSoft Basic prompt, that is a right
bracket "]". Some commands are
LOAD file
SAVE file
CAT [path]
CATALOG [path]
DELETE file
RENAME oldname,newname

You would use ProDOS for saving your files to disks and getting them back
again.

Simon.

> Hello,
>
>    I'm just wondering what exactly ProDOS is for?  I know it's a Disk
Operating
> System... but isn't the basic Apple II system able to read to and from a
disk
> without loading a DOS first?  What services does it provide and what would
I
> use it for?
>
> Thanks,
> bret