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- -------------------- VOLUME 40 ABSTRACTS ----------------------
-
- TITLE: UTILITIES, MODEM FILE TRANSFER, ADAPTABLE PASCAL
-
- /.COM by Ward Christensen, is an 'on-line' submit command. It
- is used to build a command file without having to edit a .SUB
- file. For example, typing / ED FOO.ASM;ASM FOO.BBZ;LOAD
- B:FOO will cause CP/M to execute ED, ASM, and LOAD. This
- should be useful to anyone who regularly uses submit. Source
- code cannot be provided, but documentation is contained in
- /.DOC. Works only with CP/M 1.4. Reviewed by Robert A.
- Van Valzah.
-
- ALLOC.COM by Ward Christensen is a utility which prints the bit
- map used by CP/M to allocate free space on the disk. This is a
- revision of a previously released version which worked only
- with CP/M 1.3. The new ALLOC.COM works with CP/M 1.4. This
- utility would be useful to a hacker was curious how the disk
- space was allocated. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- BOOTER.ASM, PBOOT.ASM, and PGEN.ASM are source files used to
- adapt UCSD Pascal for use with disks other than standard
- single density IBM format. Using a disk formatted for 512
- byte sectors can speed up Pascal disk I/O significantly.
- This code is still under development and may contain some
- bugs. It is provided for use by tinkerers. What documentation
- there is is in SPASCAL.DOC. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- CLEANUP.COM helps clean up a full disk by typing each
- selected name, and allowing you to erase the file, skip
- the file, type the file, or quit out of CLEANUP.COM.
- Allows ambiguous file names, such as *.ASM. A generally
- useful utility. Reviewed by its author, Ward Christensen.
-
- FMAP.COM, UCAT.COM, CAT.COM, and CAT2.COM by Ward Christensen,
- comprise a master disk cataloging system. This system is
- useful if you have a large number of disks and have a hard time
- keeping track of what file you left where. Earlier versions
- the components of this system have appeared in earlier
- releases. The complete system is collected here in its current
- version for convienence. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- CV.ASM contains source for a split screen video file
- comparison utility. It requires a VDM or SOL like display
- for operation. One file is displayed on the top 8 lines of the
- screen and the other is displayed on the bottom 8 lines.
- Either half may be independently scrolled 1, 4, or 7 lines,
- or continuously. A compare mode compares the files byte-by-
- byte while scrolling. Once a miscomparison is found, each
- half screen can be scrolled independently until the files are
- 'in sync' again. This utility is most useful to those who
- have a tendency to have 5 copies of the same file sitting
- around wondering what is differnt about them. CV.COM contains
- the assembled object code. What little documentation there is
- can be found at the start of the .ASM file. CV requires MAC
- for assembly. The source code is weak on comments but is
- fairly well structured. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- DI.ASM contains source for a utility which displays the
- directory of a disk in a three column format with the size
- of each file indicated in K bytes. It is useful to those
- who keep a large number files on a disk or those who have
- a video terminal with a limited number of lines per screen.
- This program currently reads the directory by bypassing
- the BDOS and may not work with some double density
- or with mini floppy systems. The file name has been changed
- to DI.ASM from D.ASM so as not to conflict with D.ASM as
- written by Ward Christensen. DI.ASM requires MAC and the file
- MACRO.LIB for assembly. The code is well written and should
- be easy to modify. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- D.COM by Ward Christensen is a utility which prints the
- directory of a disk without printing files which are ever
- present (like PIP and STAT). The idea is that you put D.COM on
- to a disk and type D SET. It then re-writes itself and thus
- remembers the current directory. As files are added to and
- removed from the disk, these changes will be shown by executing
- D.COM. You may individually ADD or DEL names in D.COM, or
- re-set it with D SET. This is just the thing if you use the
- 'system disk' concept and are forever trying to keep it
- 'clean'. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah. Mod. by WLC
-
- DU.ASM contains the source for a Disk Utility. It has commands
- to read a disk a sector at a time by track, sector, and group
- number. It can also search for ASCII strings, map the disk
- (what file occupies what group) etc. Data may be patched
- in ASCII or hex. It might almost be said to suffer from
- "rampant-feature-itis". This is most useful if you have to re-
- create blown directories very often. DU probably won't work
- correctly if you have anything other than a standard CP/M
- system because it has to do hard I/O calls to the CBIOS. In
- order to use the utility correctly you would have to be a
- 'hacker' and have a fairly good understanding of the directory
- structure used by CP/M. Documentation is provided at the start
- of the .ASM file (definitly not a tutorial) and there is a good
- 'help' function built into the .COM file if you forget any of
- it. The source code is weak on on-line comments but is well
- structured. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah. Mod. by WLC
-
- HEXDUMP.ASM contatins source for a transient which takes an
- object file (say .COM) and produces an Intel hex format file
- (.HEX). Perhaps a more appropriate name would be UNLOAD, as it
- performs the inverse operation of LOAD.COM. No documentation
- has been provided, but it appears that it can send the hex to
- disk or to the list device. The source is in TDL macro
- assembler format and does use some Z-80 opcodes. Comments are
- a bit sparse. This program is most useful to those who wish
- to send 8-bit object code over the phone lines (say to a
- timesharing service) or other 7-bit medium. Reviewed by
- Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- MODEM.ASM (version 4) contains the source for a modem com-
- munications utility. It has the ability to transfer any CP/M
- file to or from another machine also using MODEM.COM. The file
- is transfered in a blocked format with checksums and automatic
- retry on block failure. It is very useful for software
- exchange and also for conversion from CP/M on one media to
- CP/M on another. Modes are provided for terminal like
- communication with another computer. This is an extension
- and rewrite of the earlier CP/M U.G. MODEM program. It
- supports the S-100 modem boards made by PMMI and D. C. Hays
- with variable baud rate and disconnect control. It can be
- used with modems interfaced with just a serial port too.
- Assembly switches provide for use with Heathkit CP/M.
- Documentation is provided in MODEM.DOC. The source is well
- written and easy to modify. Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- PMMIBYE3.ASM contains source for a utility which allows remote
- access to your CP/M system. It requires the PMMI modem for
- operation, although it could be adapted for other modems.
- The source is fairly well commented. BYE requires a small
- amount of memory above the normal CP/M system in which to
- locate itself. BYE effectively connects the modem as the
- CP/M console device and monitors for loss of carrier etc.
- Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- NSCBIOS.ASM contains a CBIOS to put CP/M up on the National
- Semiconductor BLC 8221 disk controller. NSBOOT.ASM contains
- a companion cold boot loader. Both are based on the equivalent
- software distributed with CP/M and published in the CP/M System
- Alteration Guide. These files would be useful to anyone with
- the aformentioned disk controller or with a Starplex system
- which, I believe, uses the same controller. Both files may
- be assembled with ASM.COM. The code is fairly well written
- and commented and should be fairly easy to adapt as needed.
- Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.
-
- PTSRCNVT is used to convert files that were used
- with Processor Technology Software Package 1 and ALS8
- assemblers to a format that is CP/M assembler compatible.
- Input is read from disk so you must have a way to load the
- PT format source into memory at 0100H and save it.
- Documentation is provided in PTSRCNVT.DOC. The source code
- is a little light on comments but shouldn't have to be
- modified. In order to assemble PTSRCNVT.ASM, you will need
- MAC and MACRO.LIB from volume 24. Reviewed by
- Robert A. Van Valzah.
-