Re: Is any IIgs capable?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Jeff Blakeney <CUTblakeney@home.com> wrote:

> If you are only running ProDOS 8 right now, you should still be able
> to use AppleTalk but you need to add one or more files to your boot
> disk to allow your machine to see any shared drives.

Nope.  Apple never released any AppleTalk support software for the IIgs
(using the built-in AppleTalk hardware) that ran on a pure ProDOS-8
system and provided access to file servers.

There is a version of ATINIT which allows a IIgs booting into ProDOS-8
to access a networked printer (it loads the necessary parts of the
AppleTalk protocol stack to provide printer support), but it doesn't let
you access a file server.

The IIgs implementation of the AppleShare (AFP) client has always
required booting through ProDOS-16 or GS/OS.  It is then available if
you launch a ProDOS-8 application (without rebooting).

You _might_ be able to use an Apple II Workstation Card in the IIgs.  If
so, the software supplied with that would allow file server access when
booting via ProDOS-8.  (AFP support is implemented in the card's
firmware.)


There are at least four versions of the ATINIT file:

- The one used with the Workstation card.  It patches ProDOS to hook
calls through the card.

- The one used with the IIgs to provide network printing support when
booting ProDOS-8.  I've only seen this distributed with Publish-It!, and
I imagine it was licensed from Apple.

- The one used with ProDOS-16, which may include some code to set up the
AppleTalk stack (in conjunction with several other INITs).

- The one used with GS/OS, which contains no code at all (except an RTS
instruction at the beginning).  All the AppleTalk support setup is
handled by other INIT and FST files under GS/OS.  ATINIT is only used to
hold preferences (selected network printer, and the workstation name).

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P O Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand