17 November 1986 Z-NEWS 605 Of Significance. Steve Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar column, in January 1987 BYTE magazine, provides details of Turbo Modula-2 and Graphix Toolbox for GT180. Now SB180 owners have easy path to high-resolution graphics beyond color IBM EGA, Commodore Amiga, and Atari 520ST, and monochrome Apple Macintosh. Our cup fills, runs over! See November and December 1986 BYTE. Order your GT180 color graphics co-board, from Micromint Inc., 4 Park Street, Vernon, CT 06066, 800/635-3355, 203/871-6170, Telex: 643331. While at it, you may wish to upgrade to new SB180FX, single-board computer enhancement of original SB180. You owe it to yourself. Christmas is coming... M.A.N. Systems, 323 N. 3rd, Medford, OK 73759, telephone 405/395-3849 (Z- News 505-5, 507-4), the folks with TR-XL180, HD64180 add-on for TRS-80 Model 4 machines, now has add-on, with 256k-byte RAM disk, for Ampro Z80 computers. And the real good news: M.A.N./Ampro combination permits using Micromint GT180 color graphics board with Graphix Toolbox software. (M.A.N. has adopted, as we hope others will, the SB180 expansion bus.) Who said CP/M-compatible 8-bit computing is dead-end street? -------------------------------------------------------------------- From Our Mail Box. Many have asked us to recommend sources of CP/M software, i.e., where to buy. Three major companies come to mind: The Software Toolworks Spite Software Central Computer Products 9713 Santa Monica Blvd. #204 4875 S.W. 19th Drive 330 Central Avenue Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Portland, OR 97201 Fillmore, CA 93015 800/223-8665 800/237-9111 800/624-5628 Write or call for their catalogs. You may be surprised by quantity of software packages available for CP/M-compatible computers. Lloyd Hogan, South Hadley, MA, writes that "our concept of 'money' and 'life' is a little jaundiced," Z-News 305-5 and 508-5. Lloyd, please give us benefit of your thinking on where, how, and why we are off-base, wrong. Some of you write expressing opinion that we should give more ink to describing value of Z-Index. Well, we announced and discussed Z-Index in 506- 2 and clarified our offering in 507-5. Thirty-five pages reference over 1700 topics, contain cross-references, permit easy access to subjects covered in Issues 001 through 508 of Z-News. Planned periodic updates should keep Z- Index reasonably current. Buy it! Z-Index is $8.95, Item 89 on Echelon Price List; Z-News is $24.00 per year, Item 83. We need your subscription! Stan Bercovitch, North Fort Myers, FL, writes and wishes LX, LGET, NULU, and VFILER had uncrunch capability. He goes on to wonder if COM, i.e., binary, files are worth either squeezing or crunching. Well, we feel because of the nature of COM files not much is gained by compressing. But there is nothing wrong with compressing them, we just don't save much disk space by doing so. In fact, depending on program content, there are times we lose space. Thus LX does not have ability to run squeezed COM files from libraries. LGET can unsqueeze on extraction. Notice benchmarks in Z-News 508-4 showing results from compressing "binary" files--not much gained. Hopefully, as stated in Z-News 602-2, "We must get to putting UNCR into NULU, VTYPE, and VFILER." As a seeming afterthought, Stan declares himself to be a "chipper," which he defines as one who makes a program patch now-and-then, and not a "hacker." Z-News 006-3 has our definition of hacker: "an intensely caring human being who loves to design, write and modify computer programs." "Echelon has helped make the business of business a lot more fun these days and we want you to know it." Thanks Virgil Cooper, Carpinteria, CA, for kind words. When we are learning we are having fun. Virgil is about to purchase "a 180 computer" but can't decide between SB180 and DT42. What a decision to have to make! (We could not be without both.) "I am happy to renew [my subscription to] the newsletter...keep up the good work! I learn much from your model menus displaying the use of various utilities. Can you feature your Archive Copy utility in some future issue [of Z-News]?" asks Larry Owens, Amherst, MA. Larry, your request is a command... Z-User's Corner. Archive Copy, AC.COM Version 4.4 on SUS #6, is mature, fast, versatile, general purpose file copy and archiving program. Written by ZRDOS author, Dennis Wright, AC has many useful features to automate our day- to-day computer operations, either from menu command lines or in aliases. Z-News 509-1 shows help screen available from within AC, command: ac //. Though shown for v4.3, it still applies since no changes have occurred going to v4.4. AC has eight trailing command line options (A, B, E, G, N, O, Q, and R) changing program's default copy characteristics. Several options may be used simultaneously. Also, AC permits declaring a new file name on copying. Dual syntax permits copying CP/M, DEC "to/from" style, and Microsoft MS-DOS "from/to" style. Using "E" option turns AC into a "move" utility. Copying a file from one directory to another leaves original or source file in place; moving erases original leaving only destination file, the copy, in place. Using "to/from" syntax, command: ac a0:=fn.ft /e copies file fn.ft to drive drive A, user 0 from current (default) directory, then erases fn.ft from current directory. Or, simultaneously changing file name while moving: ac a0:newf=fn.ft /e where "newf" is new name of fn.ft. A common command: ac a12:=*.* copies to, e.g., a12: directory all files from current directory. Control-C terminates process immediately, if multi-file copy, after file presently being copied has completed. Before going into archiving usage of AC, we review backup requirements of floppy and hard disks. First, for floppy-based systems. After years of experience, we conclude every disk should have a duplicate, i.e., an exact copy of itself. We call this copy a "backup." For extremely critical data two, or even three, backup copies are recommended. If data is lost from "working" disk, backup disk data can be used to recover to near-current, depending on status of copies versus working disk. Acknowledging as valid above computer backup philosophy, a simple alias, we call it BAK, ac backup:=*.* /b copies all changed and un-archived. i.e., new, files to disk drive called "backup" from current drive. An exact copy is made, using "B" option, source directory by source directory to destination directory by destination directory. Floppy backup drive user area 0 is named "backup." Or you could use your drive/user area designation instead of named directory. We assume two or more physical drives in your system. (See Z-News 301-2 for discussion of number of drives in system.) Every time a session is complete, with backup diskette in "backup" drive, enter bak and AC automatically copies all changed files to backup diskette. Our normal procedure is to have two diskettes in one storage, protective envelop. Both come out and are placed into their respective drives when we wish to work on one. Backing-up becomes second nature to our operations. You only have to lose, e.g., 8 hours of work and it too becomes second nature to your operations. Hard disk systems are not much different operationally from floppy-based systems, except there is less changing-out of diskettes. Only the "backup" diskette is changed-out to provide orderly duplication, as needed, to protect your current work. Pairing of diskettes do not apply. But a new strategy, using an intermediary backup disk separate from archive library diskettes, comes into play to minimize data lost if an electrical power-outage or drive read/write head crush should occur. We constantly backup working files to this scratch diskette, from any directory. At day's end, we backup to our archive diskettes which are arranged by hard-disk directory. DISCAT is used to catalog all files. Our diskette labeling system uses drive/user area as disk name followed by sequential numbering as disk type. Examples: A6.007 is archive diskette for drive A, user 6, seventh diskette of our physical library; D9.044, directory D9: on 44th diskette. Of course, many files in this library are not online (we have over 100 megabytes on floppies), thus we need DISCAT to determine quickly diskette number where file of interest is found. You can use directory names, up to 8 characters for disk name, instead of letter and number--it is up to you. You choose! We have 128 directories on our main Z-System computer in four partitions, only 28 of them have names. So we use letter/number to catalog them. By the way, scratch diskette, since it is in constant use, is of highest quality we can buy. It's our first line of defense against lost data, either from hard or RAM disk. Our archive diskettes are usually run-of-the-mill. Again, we keep in backup drive a scratch diskette to constantly backup newly created text, as we generate it. We save to this disk every 5 minutes or so, to be on safe side. (One reason Oneac Systems's ON! computer was created by Nick DeWolf was to protect lines deep absolutely against data loss under any condition, period--and that it does! See Z-News 408-1 or write to them for literature: ON! Systems, 27944 N. Bradley Road, Libertyville, IL 60048, telephone 312/680-4680.) More philosophy...each directory of a hard disk system requires one or more associated backup diskettes (we don't particularly like tape backup machines because of their serial nature, thus their slowness). Depending on storage capacity of your floppy drive (removable media storage), one, two, or three diskettes may be needed. On one of our Ampro Z-System 20-megabyte HD machines, we use 782k-byte 96tpi floppies. We use same on our 10-megabyte SB180 computer. We (try to) keep storage space used on each directory below floppy capacity, thus one diskette is needed per directory. Here, for hard disk systems, and for big RAM disks, our backup alias copies only changed and non-archived files in current directory; ac backup:=*.* /a does the job, for both hard and RAM disks. On our SemiDisk DT42 with 2.7-megabyte Kodak floppy, we use but three diskettes to archive backup entire 8 megabytes of RAM main storage. Remember, once first-time backup is completed, only newly created and changed files get copied during subsequent backup operations. Backup is fast and simple because AC, ZCPR3, and ZRDOS work together. When we upgrade RAM to 32 megabytes, takes 12 Kodak floppies for complete backup--not an unreasonably large number. A menu command line that loads your wordprocessor, Newword in our case here, with file pointed to under VMENU or VFILER is: 1 nw $pf;ac BACKUP:=*.* /a The leading "1" is key character you gently strike to activate command; its choice, letter or number from 36 available, A through Z, 0 through 9, in ASCII set, is part of your menu design. (Use appropriate parameter for file name, $pf for VMENU, %f for VFILER.) After finishing edit/print session, AC is loaded, then copies to backup disk drive all new and changed files from current-directory, automatically. You don't think about it, it just happens. Variations possible allow fine, custom control of your particular computing environment. Using "B" option, instead of "A" above, all directories of disk are copied. Adding "Q" option causes AC to prompt you if copy is desired or not, (y/n). If your disk system is stable, i.e., reliable, you may wish to add "N" option to cut copy-time in half, by eliminating "CRC" verification, popular and positive data-checking technique used to make sure one file is identical to another. Of course, different BAK scripts may be used in different directory areas. Use Dennis Wright's DFA, Display File Attributes, utility to display status of files in directory, archived or not. SFA, PROT, and PROTECT complement file attribute management. Also VFILER, v4.0 and later, contains group archive of files. Again, our cup runneth over! Study AC's built-in help menu and HLP file. Then optimize commands for your computing situations. Z-User's Corner, Continued. We have discussed protecting data by copying it to removable "backup" media. What about copying often-used utility programs to RAM for quickening execution? Richard Conn's MCOPY, upgraded by many (Terry Carroll, Michael Bate, Steven Cohen, Jay Sage, etc.) to Version 4.5A/B, on SUS #7, with its "N" opinion is ideal here. If file already exist on RAM disk, copy does not occur. (Many of us have battery protected RAM that retains storage even when power is off.) For example: you use one directory for system utilities and another for application programs that benefit from being in RAM, like your disk-based wordprocessor (WordStar, Newword, etc.), MCOPY can be used to load, from disk to RAM, these files at computer cold boot time. Into your startup alias, the one that loads system segments and puts your system in desired form, add, e.g., below line at place after initialization has occurred (you could make it an alias to use external from and nested in your startup): mcopy RAM:=ROOT:*.com,BASE:nw.* /n Use of "/" is optional here, though we always do (use it) to be consistent with Z-System utilities that require it before options. RAM is name given RAM drive, usually the M: directory (for memory) of less than 512k-byte RAM disks. ROOT is conventional name given directory where utilities are stored. BASE is used for application programs. Use Richard Conn's named-directory editor MKDIR to do this. For more on MKDIR, see Z-News 307-2, then read pages 3-12 through 3-16 of Z-System User's Guide. Use file list (see Z-News 601-2 for definition) to copy exactly files wanted. MCOPY has sufficient built-in help to use without further documentation. Entering mcopy // produces: MCOPY, Version 4.5 Syntax: MCOPY du/dir:=[du/dir:]filename.typ,... o... Options: E -- No Existence Test I -- Inspect Files M -- Multiple Copy N -- No Replace Q -- Toggle Quiet V -- No Verify "du/dir" indicates DU, drive/user area, or DIR, named directory mnemonic, form permitted. "[du/dir:]" indicates either form is optional, as needed to get to files of interest from current, default directory. "filename.typ,... " means file list permitted. Combination of AC and MCOPY permits automatically handling files in just about any file move or copy situation. Write us showing how you use these two programs. Thanks. Z-Node Activity. David Van Horn, erstwhile Z-Node Sysop, Honolulu, HI, moves to Costa Mesa, CA. David already has new Z-Node #66 up and running, 714/850- 6784. Has 40-megabytes storage shared between two (dual-processor) Ampro Z80 Little Boards, one for RAS and one for his local use. Welcome him stateside, call his board. He is a little lonely. Node in Hawaii will be back up soon with new sysop. Details to you as we get them. Notifications. We have completely vacated "101 First Street" facility. Please address all your written correspondence to our "885 N. San Antonio Road" consolidated facility. Thank you. Our European distributor is Wild West, Le Pavillon de Belle Etoile, 84760 St. Martin de la Brasque, France. Contact Robert Kuhmann, Sysop Z-Node #26, for more information in French and other European languages. Wild West has Z- Com, auto-install Z-System, configured for Amstrad's CPC 464, 664, and 6128 machines. (These 8-bit Z80 computers can run our Borland's Turbo Modula-2, as can Commodore 128s and Apple IIs running CP/M Z80 cards!) And those in United Kingdom wishing to trade directly with our British dealer and OEM may contact Bob Squirrell or Gary Maguire, Dean Microsystems (Z-News 503-2), 7 Horseshoe Park, Pangbourne, Berkshire, RG8 7JW, England, Telephone 073567 5155, Telex 846396. Lunch Break. Down the grapevines we hear of John Adams's HD64180 computer that runs Z80 and PC DOS software. Description appears in Vol.3/No.1, of Computer Smyth magazine. Our curiosity peaks! If for no other reason, risk a subscription just for this single article. Magazine is only $15.00 per year (four issues), $28.00 for two years. Order magazine by calling 603/924-9464. Or write P.O. Box 176, Peterborough, NH 03458. Ted Silveira, columnist and contributing editor for Profiles magazine and Computer Currents newspaper, locates CP/M-compatible desktop publishing package produced in England. Called TypeFit, we look into it. TypeFit handles Varityper typewriter and Compugraphics and Allied Linotype (formally Mergenthaler) phototypesetters. Ted, along with many of us, wishes for a PostScript driver to put CP/M into desktop publishing market. PostScript is the laser printer and typesetting language from Adobe Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, used by Aldus (PageMaker), Ventura (Publisher), Packard-Bell (Professional Publisher), and Apple (LaserWriter). You may wish to write for more information: Wordsmiths Typsetting, 19 West End, Somerset BA16 0LQ, England. You'll get more from us, as we get it. Analytical Products, the Heath/Zenith experts with the Z-System bootable disk, presently carries Newword wordprocessor, and soon new Newword under MicroPro International label. We hear MicroPro is increasing suggested retail price to $249.00, from $125.00 under Newstar Software (Z-News 402-3, 403-2, and 604-5). Perhaps higher price reflects enhancements presently not known to us. Anyway, Peter Shkabara, founder of AP, welcomes your business. And AP discounts from retail! Receive their catalog by calling or writing AP's new location: 213 Teri Sue Lane, Buellton, CA 93427 (near Santa Barbara); voice telephone number is 805/688-0826. In language capability, Turbo Modula-2 is midway between Ada and Pascal. It's best high-level language, in our opinion, yet devised for small computers (see Z-News 604 for details, or file MODULA2.RAS found on Z-Nodes and up- coming SUS #7). Turbo Modula-2 provides a far more efficient production-code development environment than does Turbo Pascal, or any other high-level language we know of, mainly because of Borland's two-way interactive editor and compiler, and because of "modular" character of Modula-2. Runs on Z80- and CP/M-compatible computers. Priced presently at only $69.95, comes with huge, 552-page, bound instruction book, published jointly by Micromint and Echelon. Item 30 on Echelon's latest Price List. Because of heft of instruction and reference book, we charge $6.00 shipping and handling for continental USA; elsewhere, actual postal charges plus $2.00 handling. Shipping date stands at 5 December 1986. Order now, upgrade from your Pascal v2.0 or v3.0. You will not be sorry...lunch is over. ==================================================================== Of Angels and Eagles. Turkeytime...we give thanks for blessings of physical, mental, and emotional health, for being able to sleep, for power of curiosity, of progressive levels of fulfillment and continuous periodic joy, for friendship, for loving and being loved... This is our STORY, this is our Song... Give pleasure just by BEING. Never let yesterday use up today. Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but LIVE today. "For everything there IS a time and a season." NOW is only a moment in Eternity's flow, but it's the ONLY one we ever own. This is our SONG! Now, off to tune our lute, serenade Magdalena, sip Zinfandel...see you down the lines... Echelon, Inc. 885 North San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022 USA Telephone: 415/948-3820 Telex: 4931646 Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005 Trademarks: Little Board, Bookshelf, Ampro Computers; SB180, SB180FX, GT180, Micromint; Systems; PRO-180, Magnum Digital; ON!, Oneac Systems; DT42, The SemiDisk, Deep Thought 42, SemiDisk Systems; TR-XL180, M.A.N. Systems; Macintosh, Apple Computer; 520ST, Atari; Amiga, Commodore; HD63484/64180, Hitachi; Z-System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Zas, Zlink, Z-Msg, Term3, Quick- Task, FINDS, PPAL, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon; Ms-DOS, Microsoft; CP/M, Digital Research; Turbo Pascal, Turbo Modula-2, Graphix Toolbox, Borland International; PostScript, Adobe; PageMaker, Aldus; WordStar, Newword, MicroPro International. * * Z sets you FREE! * * Z-News 605 is Copyright MCMLXXXVI Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is given to Echelon. ghts Reserved. Permission to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically gra