Re: Superdrive Controller Problem

["Peter Watson" <paw77@N_O_hotmail_S_P_A_M.com>]

I'd love to take *all* the credit, but I can't.  :-)

I think the major difference is the controller card and the drivers for it.
They do the hard work of actually *formatting* a disk. I just take the
formatted disk and put an appropriately sized root directory and FAT on it.
It's oversimplifying slightly, but all I do to get the low-level format done
is call the GS/OS "format" call (which displays the initial dialogue, etc).

This is why my software can handle most hardware environments, because I'm
not responsible for the lowest level details. On the other hand, it explains
why sometimes people get frustrated when I tell them I can't do something
"obvious".  :-)

Sorry to rain on your parade!
--
Peter Watson
-- Write to MSDOS disks on the Apple IIgs?
-- Impossible!  ;-)

"JP1" <jp1@aol.com> wrote in message
20030220142242.14104.00000034@mb-fo.aol.com">news:20030220142242.14104.00000034@mb-fo.aol.com...
> Peter, I (and likely, other readers here) would appreciate a comment from
you
> as to why your "DOS-like" format utility is fully able to format 720KB and
> 1.44MB floppy disks in a Superdrive (connected to controller card), while
the
> DOS format command used via the PCT insists on formatting both media types
to
> (only) 360KB in the same drive.  I didn't expect the PCT's BIOS to react
> properly to a 1.44MB drive and media, but the reaction to 720KB medai
surprised
> me.
>
> By all means, take another well-deserved bow for the excellence of your
utility
> package!
>
> I used my PCT extensively in the late 80s and early 90s (virtually all the
> Vitesse IIgs software user guides were written in WP V5.1 on my personal
IIgs
> and PCT), exploiting a 720KB FDD connected to the PCT.  Never had a
problem
> formatting 720KB disks that way and just recently got the Superdrive and
> controller because the 720KB drive is kaput...and couldn't find a
replacemert.
> Using one is new territory for me, in addition to being quite rusty using
the
> venerable IIgs after a 10+ year hiatus.
>
> Evidently your software is smart enough to exploit the Superdrive, whereas
the
> PCT's is not.  We are the richer for your expertise, and any education you
care
> to provide at the appropriate level of understanding (for me,
"appropriate" is
> _very_ basic!) would be great.
>
> John P.
>