OS-9 Newslette~Volume V Issue 2 Bellingham 03-9 Users Forum . February 28, 1994

Add a Clock to your Burke &. Burke

CoCo=XT Hard Dri.ve Interface

A real "GEM"for Shell+ Users

Pg.8

Pg. 5Pg. 7

Pg.I0

Pg.3Pg.3Pg.4Pg.3

Pg. 1

Pg. 1

*tymeonerr goto +traptmode -pausedispJ.ay c OS 20*repeatdispJ.ay 2 3a 2bdate tsJ.eep 30

goto repeat*trapdispJ.ay c 05 21date techo Tyme end.

TYME - Digital ClockWe all seem fascinated with turning our expensive computersinto cheap clocks, myself included. I have used shell+(She1l2.1), along with DATE, DISPL4Y, and SLEEP to createan on-screen digital clock. It doesn't do anything but sit thereand display the date and time in the middle of an 80 colunmwindow. Use it when you are going to leave your computeridle for a few minutes. To stop it, enter [CTRL]-E.

C ProgrammingARGC & ARGV Command Line Variables

Club Activity ReportsPort Orchard and Seattle February Meetings

Add a Clock to your B&B CoCo-XT InterfaceInstall all necessary parts for $ 17

Shell Plus Script File ApplicationSeriptfile listing for TYME real time clock display

Telecommunications UpdatesCompuserv New Rate InformationInternet FTP Sites for OS-9 DownloadsCurrent listing of OS-910SK FidoNET BBS

08-9 Undcr2round MagazincUpdateCurrent status report of FAT Cat Publisher

Questions and AnswersAnother IRQ Hack for RS-232 Pak and CoCo

by Pete Lyall

our years ago, when it was time to add a hard drive to myolor Computer 3, I looked around at the current

dvertisements in The Rainbow Magazine. There wasardware setups available from Disto, Owl Ware, FHL andurke & Burke. Let me inteIject at this time that I claim to bef Scotch heritage (whether its true or not, I'm not sure). Inther words I'm cheap! Or at least "penny wise and poundoolish". I chose to go with the Burke & Burke Interface

ause I already had an .MFM Drive and the price was right:69 dollars for the CoCo XT package and $99 for the CoCoT-RTC package.

OK. ...Do I buy the $69 XT or pay an additional $30 just toet the Real Time Clock. Hey! I'm not that lazy. Typing inhe current date each time I boot OS-9 is no big deal.

YEAH, SURE! "No big deal". Brave words for 10 lazymgers. You can figure out the rest. Now I want the clock.

1 borrowed an RiC board from the Seattle 68xxxMUG andompared the differences between the clock version (RTC) andy non clock version. The circuit boards were identical. What

vas missing on the non clock version was a 3 volt battery,attery holder, clock chip, crystal and capacitor. The batteryolder was unusual and I had no idea of the frequency of therystal, so I called Terry Laraway.

Terry Laraway to the rescueyou don't know Terry Laraway, then pay attention. He PI!!diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

as every weird part that ever came out for the CoCo and· mil·!:···· ::i::::::: •.••.••.·•.!.!.·mm.·.;:.•.·.•.•..•....•.•.•.·.•.•.:::·818i811..III.·e is constantly researching new sources for parts that we :::.::.""••••••••••"""" .:.:.::::.::••))••).:.:••, :.:.:.:.:.:.::.:::::::::::::::::.:.:. : :.::.:.:.:«<.:<::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::.:::.:::::::::.;:::.:.:.:.,:.:.:.::::::::::.:.:.:.: .ay need to upgrade our little machine to a Super ,.liiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiii ••liiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiii ~

omputer. His efforts and stock are available under theme of Small Graft Etc. Check out his ad in this issue.

e even has those KEL AM 34 pin "male" IDe typeonnector for plugging ribbon cable into the CoCo'sOM port. They are a "must have" item when installingCoCo into a PC Case.

Anyway, I called Terry to see if he knew where Inight be able to pick up the specifie parts Burke & Burkesed for their CoCo A7 RTC Hard Drive Interface.erry not only new the specific part items but justappened to have them in stock. Best news of all washat the price was righLcheap!

I ordered the parts from Terry and found them in theext day's mail (talk about service)! I soldered in the 16in socket in the pre drilled holds on my CoCo XT circuitard. Then I soldered in the battery holder and the

(C'ontinued on page 2)

+2 OS-9 Newsletter February 1994 +(Continued from page 1)

.(Hufd capacitor. I plugged in the clock chip and the 3 volt battery, plugged in myhard drive controller card and plugged the complete unit into my multipak and turnedon the pOwer.

It didn't smoke. but then it didn't work either? As 08-9 was booting up, I noticedthat the hard drive access light was blinking in a random manner. What the heck?

I pulled out the interface and put on my glasses to do a pin by pin comparisonbetween the two boards. Pin I and 2 on the clock chip go to the crystal, pin 3 goes toAddress Line 2 (pin 21 on the CoCo's I/O bus), pin 4 goes to the battery, pin 5 goesto ground, pin 6 goes to Address Line 0 (pin 19 on the CoCo's I/O bus), pin 7 goes toData Line 0 (pin 10 on the CoCo's I/O bus), pin 8 goes to ground, pin 9 jumpers topin 15, pin 10 and II go to a jumper on the board located just below the chip and thento pin 9 on one of the two 7400 nand gate chips located next to the clock chip. Pin12 goes to pin 7 on the other 7400 chip, pin I3 goes to the 7404 inverter chip (theinverted signal goes to pin 5 on the CoCo's I/O bus), pin 14 goes to ground, pin 15jumpers to pin 9 and pin 16 goes to 5 volts.

Everything checked out but it still didn't work On my third examination Inoticed that there was a jumper etched on the top side of the board underneath the left7400 chip. The bottom of the jumper was hidden under the socket, but on the reverseside it appeared that the jumper connected to pin 8 of the 7400 chip, but the feedthrough hole looked to be damaged and there was no electrical connection betweenthe jumper and pin 8 on the chip. WARNING! Apparently the lack of electricalconnection was on purpose. It seems that the board had a design mistake and the feedthrough hole was intentionally drilled out to eliminate the conductor material. Ofcourse 1tned to repair the jumper resulting in a totaHy dead interface.

In the end it turned out that the only modification that needed to be done was toremove the jumper wire located below the clock chip. It is labeled clearly on thecircuitboardasJJl. That's'it!

\\

\

II 7404 ICL!I!verter

[{~oltB;tt 1I BR2325 IL ~_..J

PARTS LIST

132768KHz I[ Crystal I-/----- _JI .0Iufd Capacitor

j //1 _I-------~

_________ ~DSI215 Clock IC J

--------- ----1----------- l Jumper JJI TO SUBSCRIBE

For 12 monthly issues of the OS­9 Newsletter, please send a UScheck or money order for $12 or$7 for a 6 month subscription.Mail your subscription order to:

OS-9 Newsletter3404 llIinois LaneBellin~ham,WA 98226

16 pin Ie socket12.768KHz CrystalD81215 Clock Ie'Battery HolderBR2125 lv BatteryJll ufd Ceramic Cap.

Tolal

$ 0.15$1.00

$1250$\.00$1.50$0 .35

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==Rodger Alexander==

Include your name, address andtelephone number. You will re­ceive your OS-9 Newsletter nolater than the 10th of eachmonth. Canadian orders, $13.50for I )'r. or $7.60 for 6 mo.Foreign orders $18 for I yr. or$10 for 6 mo.

+ February 1994 OS-9 3+

TElECOMMUNiCATIONS UpdATES O~9 Underground UpdateCompuServe announees lower pricing I know... 1know... you're thinking... what happened to the

Underground?

For you Information Service hoppers out there ... CompuServerecently announced a reduction in connect charges for thosemembers on the Standard Pricing Plan. Rates are quoted in USdollars, effective 6 February, 1994:Standard Pricing Plan: Alternative Pricing Plan:300 baud $ 4.80/hour 300 baud $ 6.30/hour1200,2400 baud $ 4.801hour 1200,2400 baud $12.80Ihour9600,14400 baud. $ 9.60/hour 9600,14400baud $22.80/hour

Connect time is billed in one minute increments, with aminimum of one minute per session. Connect time rates do notinclude communications (network) charges or premiumsurcharges, which are billed in addition to hourly connect timecharges.

==Steve Wegert=CIS: 76703,4255

Internet: steve@wuarchive.wustl.eduDELPHI: SCWEGERT

It's late...Yup... it is... and what has been decided in order not to throwthe schedule off, is to makc this issue a Double issue(February/March). This issue will ship towards the end of thismonth and will be double the size of a regular issue (and willcount as 2 issues)

Due to many delays caused in part by last month's earthquake,part by a 2 week bout with the flu and some serious catch-up ofmy regular work (finally caught up with my backlog!) I havegotten way behind with production of the magazine.... this willput it back on track again.

Financially, Fat Cat is in the Black, which is good news for acha.nge, since the magazine has been in the RED for over ayear. .. (Whew!)

Thank you all for being patient... and for your support!

=Alan (ZOG)=

The three most used OS9 Internet sites

lucy.ifi.unibas.chchestnut.cs.wisc.eduwuarchive.wustl.edu

68K Productsfrom

Bob van der Poet Software

Add $3.00 for shippin in Canada and USA

P.O. Box 57Wynndcl, B.C.Canada VOB 2NOCIS 76510,2203

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P.O. Box 355Porthill, IDUSA 83853-0355(604) 866-5772

Ved/68xxx Text EditorUpdate to current version

Vprint/68xxx Text FonnatterUpdate to current version

Vmail/68xxx Mailing ListUpdate to current version

Cribbage for KwindowsMagazine Index SystemDisk Catalogue System

You can access all three via Internet FTP. Also you may be ableto access them tllTU mail servers. With a mail server, you sendmail to the server, requesting things like DIR or a program.You then get back a series of UUENCODED mail packets.Then you decode them using a decode utility, merge the packetstogether and you have a program. It's kinda slow since it allhas to be done as email. FTP on the other hand allows you toconnect with the host computer as a guest and downloaddirectly the program. FTP has a help mode, thus will help youexecute the right way to download a program. If my memoryserves me right. you can not upload via FTP only download. Toupload a program, you will need to use TELNET. TELNETallows you to connect with the host, but requires that you havea login and password. some sites have a guest login/passwordfor you to telnet. These are limited access, for uploadingprograms into a special directory only.

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc have books out explaining in greatdetail aboullntcmct,FTP,TEET,& EMAIL.

==John A. Donaldson--

·4 OS-9 Newsletter February 1994 •

Verified DDS Listing that support the Color Computer and OS-9/0SK

BBS Name SysopFido Exchange P.TaylorFido Exchange P.TaylorCoco Workshop B.StewardAccess Coco of LaD. SpicerArrakis Ribbs H. QC.WestCoco Plus BBS E.JonesData Stash K.KowalskiData Warehouse Dennis.MottDiscus BBS Y.SouliereFire House Pub SfA.StiebelHouse of Fire B.MclarenKzin BBS W.GaleMACCC D.StockMustang Software Bill NobelNorm's Place N.RheaumePacker City R.MargrafRoadhouse R.MiscavisTCCC BBS M.CurleyBasement TrixThe Benchboard J.EvansThe Coco Library J.WightDiamond Mine BaysingerThe Fun House B.CovertDeep Station K7 E.CarsonThe Golden Coco T.GoodeThe Keyboard BBS J.MThe Informat BBS D.LeonardThe Score Board E.KistnerTomcat's BBS T.BrewerTrial Run T.jonesM.T.A.C BBS K.PatienceAndromeda T.GuzmanEight Bit Heaven S.MarolfThe Edge 2 L.LabasOcean Beach BBS W.HrachZUUL'S Catacombs C.StokesThe Node III BBS G.CliftonMECCO B.BruffRainyday Ribbs S.RickettsCoco Exchange J.ReeceThe Right Place S.HerringFlipside BBS J.FettThe Astral Plane M.GuzziKansas KonnextionG.MccarlyCD ROM DEN BBS R.Flemming

Phone NO. City & st.703-573-5606 Vienna Va703-573-2246 Vienna Va413-593-3944 Chicopee MA205-598-2100 FT Rucker AL405-752-8955 Okaho City2053411616 Mobil AL114-681-4115 Whitelaw WI509-325-6787 Spokane WA819-T71-3792 Quebec CAN607-687-0944 Owego NY416-601-0085 Toronto ON604-589-1660 Surrey BC402-292-2417 Omaha NE306-978-1962 Sask CAN205-661-5298 Mobile AL414-496-1680 Green Bay WI204-774-0247 Winnipeg MB416-757-8903 Scarborough615-399-1801 Nashville TN517-394-2447 Lansing MI808-735-3776 Honolulu HI509-325~5160 Spokane WA716-372-7863 Buffalo NY916-899-1069 Chico CA713-941-1542 Houston Tx403-246-6943 Galgary AS916-646-1907 Calf417-887-6706 Springfld Mo405-282-8250 Okahoma Ok512-280-6578 Austin TX416-469-0611 Toronto ON714-545-5156 Santa Ana CA619-447-2111 EL CAJON CA613-547-4539 Kingston ON619-224-4878 Ocean B CA412-264-9787 Coraoplis PA504-347-4320 New Orleans613-723-6537 Nepean ON503-663-6795 Boring OR619-272-3643 San Diego Ca206-565-8853 Tacoma WA616-723-2370 Manistee MI717-586-2771 Waverly PA316-342-3967 KANSAS

011-61-7-265-3187 Australia

Baud FidoAddress960014.41:109/200.9600 1:321/3129600 1:18/759600 1:147/612400 1:3625/4612400 1:154/8882400 1:346/92400 1:163/5192400 1:260/45214.4 1:250/4362400 1:153/9122400 1:285/169600 1: 140/719600 1:3625/4642400 1: 139/5309600 1:348/1022400 1:250/4042400 1: 116/272400 1:159/2902400 1:345/2002400 1:346/232400 1:260/1759600 1: 119/132400 1:106/9419600 1: 134/679600 1:203/3482400 1:284/22400 1:147/539600 1:382/1072400 1:250/61024002400 1:202/15239600 1:249/1089600 1:202/3439600 1:129/1649600 1:396/272400 1:163/3062400 1:105/4202400 1:202/6172400 1:138/1319600 8pm-9am9600 1:268/3429600 1:284/3.129600

This Bulletin Board Listing has systems that supports RSDos or OS-9 for the TRS-80 Color Computer.The listing is posted in The OS9 and CoCo Fido National on the first day of each month. Please let usknow if you see errors. Contact Phillip Taylor at: Fido Exchange BBS at (703) 573-2246.

==Phillip Tarylor==

+ February 1994 OS-9 5+

Most of the Questions and Answeres published in the OS-9Newsletter are selected from postings on the FidoNET OS-9echo. If you do not have access to FidoNET. mail yourquestions to OS-9 Newsletter, 3404 Illinois Lane, Bellingham.WA. 98226. If 1 can't am;wer your question(s), your query(s)will be posted on the OS-9 echo.

Q: Why isn't 08-9 more standardized? Why isn't

Microware more responsive to it's customers?==EDELMAR,Delphi 08-9 8ig==

A: To answer your questions requires an understanding ofthe flexibility of 08-9 and the manner in which Microwaremarkets it.

With a couple of exceptions, Microware does not offer 08-9to the end user. OS-9 is sold to the hardware manufacturer(OEM). Depending on the licensing agreement, this willinclude the kernel, some or all of the file managers, theutilities, assembler, linker, C-Compiler, etc. It does not includedrivers or descriptors although MW does provide unsupportedsample drivers and descriptors for some of the more popularI/O chips. It is up to the OEM to write his own drivers anddescriptors. This approach was taken by Microware to permiteach OEM to optimize his hardware for his market.(Microware will write drivers for OEMs under a separatecontract.) Thus, the capabilities of a specific hardware packagefrom an OEM are determined primarily by and are theresponsibility of the OEM. (The exceptions I mentioned aboveare OS-9000 for the 386/486 and several Motorola VMEboards.)

I don't have any actual figures but I believe that the bulk ofOS-9 sales are for rommed, diskless applications. If theyinclude any I/O it will be for data collection, processing andcontrol; they will not include any human user interface. Thenext level might by something like CD-I. The OS is containedin a ROM and it reads and controls a optical disk. Output is toa TV set and other input limited to a few commands. Thesystems you and most people on the forum are farnilar with aredisk based. The bootrom contains only enough info to find thebootfile on the disk, load it and switch operation to OS-9. (TheCoCo version uses software instead of a bootrom.)

Up to a few years ago, OS-9 systems which required userinterface used text terminals. These were mostly developmentplatforms although some were used for business applications.Of course, there were always a few hobbyists. The onlyhardware available offering graphics was the COCO. WhileMicroware did write much of the code, this was done undercontract to Tandy and Tandy owns the rights.

More recently, we've seen customers who want graphicscapabilities. Several of the OEMs providing VME equipmentwrote drivers capable of driving graphics terminals. Othershave designed graphics boards for their equipment. Each OEMhas selected the graphics chip he felt best suited his market'sneeds. Since the graphics chips are different, each driver is

substantially different. And each OEM has written his ownequivalent of CGFXI libraries and calls.

The nearest thing to a GFX standard is Microware's RAVE.Currently, RAVE supports the Vigra MMI-lOO, MMI-250 andMatrox VIP-640 graphics processors. So far, RAVE seems tobe accepted only for a few dedicated apps. But, RAVE has beenselccted for Bell Atlantic's VOD system. Then, there are thevarious windowing packages; X-WINDOWS, G-WINDOWS,K-WINDOWS and MGR. X-WINDOWS is not practical forthe 'lesser' microprocessors. Microware recommends that a68040 be used. G-WINDOWS has probably received thegreatest acceptance by OEMs and users. K-WINDOWS, so far,is limited to one hardware platform (MM/I), and MGR's useseems to be limited to a few European companies.

For the SYSTEM's IV and V Computers, we've settled onvideo cards using the TSENG LABS ET4000/ET4000w32igraphics chips. (TSENG LABS is also designing the Vigrachip.) Our driver for these boards supports text modes from 40x 25 to 132 x 44 and graphics modes up to 1024 x 768 x 256.A graphics C library is available which is a sub-set ofMicrosoft's Quick C. While we sell and support G­WINDOWS, G-WINDOWS is not necessary for gfx on eithercomputer. Several people have written gfx programs. There isBob Hollman's port of TETRIS. Very nice gfx and action.Dave Proctor has written an excellent 'flic' viewer. Severalothers have written specific programs using the SYSTEMs IV& V gfx capabilities.

Q:... I know there is or will be GFX again for Basic, ...

A: MW has no plans for a GFX package for Basic. Theremay be plans for such a package from Blackhawk or third­parties but it will be hardware specific. (The CoCo GFXpackage is hardware specific.)

So, you can see the way things stand now, even ifyou get amachine that supports gfx, software you write probably won'tbe portable to other hardware. Of course, ifyou're doing thisfor your own amusement, who cares?

Gfx compatibility across hardware platforms is one of thereasons for the various windowing systems being offered. Gfxwritten under a given windowing system will (or should) runon any hardware supporting that windowing package.

==Ed Gresick - DELMAR CO=

(Continued on page 6)

+6 OS-9 Newsletter February 1994 +

PartsHardware

Hard to find itemsfor your CoCo

TerryLaraway's

SmallGrafx

Etcetera

Phone (206) 692-537441 N.W. Doncee Drive, Bremerton, WA 98310

All for only $17

Rick's Computer EnterprisesP.O. Box 276, Liberty Kentucky 42539

Level 11 ToolsPresto-PartnerData 1vJerger

Newspaper 09News FontsThe Zapper

$39.95$14.95

together: $15 + $2 SIH$34.95$ 9.95$14.95

together: $15 + $2 81HOS9 LevelJI BBS $19.95DiskA1anager Tree $18.95Tools 11 $24.95

together: $15 + $2 81H$19.95$1995$12.95

together: $15 + $2 81H

Data WindowsMulti-Menu

SUPER DEAL---ENTIRE PACKAGE $55 + $5 SIH

March SpecialddaCLOCKto your B&B CoCo-XT

BatteryBattery HolderCrystalClock ChipSocketCapacitor

CoCoPRO SoftwareSTILL AVAILABLE

Hitachi 6309 chip & socket $12Kel Am custom 'yo Cables (Call)5I2K Ram Chips/Kits (Call)2400 Baud hayes compatible ext.modems $40Serial to Parallel Interlace with 64K bulter (Cable inel.) $50

OS-9 PROGRAMMERS WANTED

OS-9 PROGRAMMERS NEEDED FOR 6MONTH CONTRACT POSITION IN ORANGECOUNTY, CALIFORNIA. PERSON WILLWRITE C CODE. PERSON WILL WRITEDRIVERS AND ETHERNET INTERFACEMODULES.

PLEASE CALL BRIAN COLETY AT MTNT­SYSTEMS, 619-675-7875, OR FAX YOURRESUME TO 619-675-7899

Editor's Note: OeN Libraries are FidoNET linked BulletinBoards located in regional areas around the world. As anexample, Columbia Hts. BBS, (206)425-5804, in Longview,r-VA.. is the DeN Libraryfor the Pacific Northwest.

Q: Does anyone know what utility or patch will allow OS-9to usc a number as the first character in a file name instead of

using a letter. Untill my HardDrive crashed I had it, but now I ~====================:can't remember what it was, or find it in my files....

=John Phillips;FidoNET 08-9 ccho==

A: I think that is the OS9P3.ar file availble from any OCNLibrary, also available on my BB8.

==Dennis Mott==Data Warehouse, Spokane, 509-325-6787 (1:346/9)

Q: I would like to use the wildcard functions of Shell+ onocassion, however I have several excellent utilities that havewildcard ability built into them. I've read that you cannothave Shell+ wildcard bit set on if you use these type ofapplications. Has a solution been found to this problem?

==Rodger Alexander==

A: Ifby chance that you do not have Shell+ wild card bit set

to ON. Then All you have to do is insert a colin ":" as the firstcharacter in the command line. Hope this helps out some.

==Paul Myles'-'-"-

(Continued from page 5)

Q: Where can I get the CoCo-2 Emmulator for IBM typePC's that I've read about?

-Tom Moon=

A: You can either FREQ it via Filla or Download itdirectly from Data Warehouse (509) 325-6787.Its filename is: COC02_12.zip. If you want to FREQ it, theFido Address is 1:346/9

=Dennis Mott==

• February 1994 OS-9

f-:ditor's Note: We have had several articlesregarding the IRQ Hack. Even though there are newclock drivers that eliminate IRQ Lockups, it is stillrecommended that these physical modifications bemade to your machine and RS-232 PAK for moreefficient operation when used forTelecommunications.

Maybe you've heard of the IRQ hack that you canperform to the Deluxe RS-232 pack, so that IRQinterrupts are not 'lost', but didn't know how to do it.Here's the information you need:

Basically, you are connecting the IRQ pin of the6551 to the IRQ pin of the 6809..

On the pak:Locate the little blue jumper wire near the edgeconnector. One of the solder pads it is connected tohas the label '1' near it. Desolder both ends of thisjumper, and solder one end of a long wire (1-2 feet ­enough to comfortably reach the back of the CoCo)to the solder pad near the 'I' label. Bum (with the tipof the soldering iron) or file a small hole in the side ofthe pak so that the wire can be passed through itwithout being pinched. Attach a miniature phone plug(male) to the end of the wire.

On the CoCo-3:Locate the resistor that does the pull-up of the IRQline (CPU pin 3) to the 5vdc. It is R2, and I believe itis the second from the left in a cluster of resistors tothe right-rear of the 6809 chip (as seen from thekeyboard). Solder a wire to the end of that resistorthat is closest to the keyboard (the side that also tiesto CPU pin 3). Carefully route this wire to the back ofthe machine, and mount a miniature female phonejack there.

Poof That's all there is to it. No software changesare required - the existing ACIAPAK driver will work(better!) as is. If you run multiple PAKs (or otherinterrupt devices that could benefit from the IRQhack), just tie them all together at the male plug thatwill plug into the CoCo-3.

If you wish to perform this procedure for theCoCo-2, the majority of the work is the same, exceptthat the resistor that you should connect to inside theCoCo is R14. As verification, ensure that one side ofthis resistor ties directly to pin 3 ofthe 6809, and tackthe wire onto this side.

=Pete Lyall=Compuserv;76703,4230

OCN NETNEWS08-9 COMMUNITY NETWORK

ON-LINE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

FIDONET 08-9 ECHOA SUBSIDIARY OF THE OS-9 NEWSLETTER

·8 OS-9 Newsletter February 1994 •

The run-time also makes an array of pointers which will pointto the start of each string. These pointers will be stored inmemory also. Let's call the array argv. In our samplecommand line we have three string arrays, so we will alsohave three pointers. The examples are using imaginarymemory locations for storage.

argvrO] = Ox0900 which points to "cc"

argvll] = 0:-.:0903 which points to "-0"

argvPl = Ox0906 which points to "test.c"

C Programming

ARGC&ARGVThe Command Line Variables

Recently there was a discussion concerning pointers in 'C' andthe question was asked:

Why do some programs use **argv andothers use *argv[J7This article will explain the meanings of these twodeclarations and shows why they can be consideredS)'IlOnanlous.

and will look like this in memory:

argvlOl argvp] argv[21

r- 09 I 00 I 09 03 09 I lrG 11

Wherever you see "*argy, you can substitute *argyl]. They areboth the sanle:

char **argv. In english, argv is a pointer to a pointer toa character.

char *argv[] In english, argv is an array of pointers tocharacters.

Initially we have what appears to be two different declarationsboth visually and when "'Titten in english. In the firstexample it is implying that there is only one pointer to acharacter. In the second example it is implying that thereare one or many pointers to characters; or an array of pointers

Let's go through an example and see how the commandline is operated on and stored in memory.

For instance let's say an operator typed:

cc -0 test.c

Which would look like this in memory:

L'LL,"L_I_-__ I ()__ I Itt e 1.. sit I . I c I I /

The memory pointer Ox0900 is a pointer to a character. Well,we have to store this pointer somewhere, Let's put it inmemory location Ox0950, as illustrated above, and put the nextpointer in location Ox0952 and finally the third in Ox0954.

Question: What does memory location Ox0950 have in it?Answer: It has Ox0900 - a pointer to a character.

So Ox0950 is a pointer to - a pointer to a character:

char "*argv;

You can see now how the declaration has mcaning, and youcan also see that it does not fully describe the true state ofthings. That is, there may be more pointers than just one.Many people like the array declaration which tends todescribe the true structure of most command lines:

char*argv[ ];

The operation of the run-time package finally finishes and isready to begin your program. It calls your program just likea function call:

main( 3,0950 )

Which says we have three pointers beginning at location 0950.Then along comes your program:

When you execute a 'C' compiled program the first thingthat executes is the run-time library which is attached toevery program. This will examine the command line andsearch for a space delimiter between options or a newlinecharacter to signify the end of the command. The run-timewill gather each option into character arrays (strings). Forinstance our example will produce the following strings:

"CC", "·0", "test.c"These strings are stored in memory and will appear like so:

main( argc, argv ) intargc

=S.R. Sampson==Compuserve 75136.626

argc is the number ofpointers(3) .

argv is a pointer (0950) toa pointer (0900) to a character 'c'.

char*"argv

argv is an array of pointers tocharacters beginning at (0950).

I hope this will assist you in visualizing the command lineprocess and answer an often asked question.

orchar*argvll

/ I /II c ! c I

OS-9 Newsletter:

• Februa 1994os- 9

Basic IN MultimIS Vue

12/yr.U9 ISSUE

08-9 Level Two

OS-9 Newsletter 9 •

Bellingham 08=9 Users Forum

A 12 page monthly Newslette

featuring Tutorials, Software and Sofware Reviews, Programming and HardwareProjects, Free Classified Ads, CoCo/OS9 Club Activity Reports, DevelopmenUpdates, OS9 Bulletin Boards and Club Listings. Information on OSK systemdevelopments as well as OS-9 (6809-03). Hints and Kinks, Questions and Answersand the latest update patches to make your system as fast and efficient as possible.

OS-9 Level Two andtheColOT ComputeT-3

$7

..doe

Color Complder J

R.odger AIl""""r & Scott HoNker

The first half of the manual guides you as a "first time user", and advances you in fiveasy chapters with helpful homework sessions to give you hands-on experience.The second half of the manual features "Hardware Hacking" units with completdiagrams and instructions to install a CoCo into a PC-Case, make a KeyboarExtension cable, upgrade the Tandy Speech Sound Pak, convert a Tandy Modem Pinto an RS-232 Pak, add a 4th disk drive, and build your own Hard Drive Interface.

OS-9 Software Disk included

Public Domain Library...-----------

How To VideoSEE how it's actually done!

How To install 5l2K Ram Kit intoa Color Computer 3.

How To add a second disk drive

103-1/2 inch 720K80 Track Diskettes

PatchesCC3DtSK.VI ICC3GO.SSYSCLOCK.SSYSl.JLTRAACIAGSHELL.24AGRFDRV2GRFPATCIISSPAKGFX2PATDEDPLUSKRNLWINDFIX

PARTGENCACHECC3DtSREPAKFIXDESK3.SCRr...ruLTIDSERMIDISIMON.PATFSTGRFTSEDITACIAPATBOOT80COL

UtilitiesARCHIVEMODUfILRSDOSSDtRAR1.3 & 1.4PCDOSQTIPCALLIPATCHWMODEZAPLSHSYSINFO

Disk-lSORTDIRPAKPROCPMAPCOPYDtRPURGEDASMDISKOPTCUTSDAMNEWCRCDUPEFILE

How To "hack" the IRQ Fix onyour Multi-Pak

How To install a Burke & Burkesystem Hard Drive to a ColorComputer

The Bellingham OS-9 Users Group maintains over 7 Megabytes of Public Domain Filesavailable on single or double sided 5-1/4 inch format or 3-1/2 inch 720K format. Thecost to subscribers is approximately $1Jdisk or send along your own disk and postageand we'll copy the files over for you absolutely FREE! Files arc updated with the mostcurrent version. Faulty or damaged files are replaced free of charge. And technicalhelp is always always available by calling us directly.....NO CHARGE!

How To install a 6309 processor"piggy-back" on your old 6809.

$10

PDS DatabaseComplete rolodex type databasefor OS-9 with full screen editingfeatures. Sort and search on anyfield with multiple print formatsfor listings and envelope labels.

$1

20 5-114 inch360KDoubie Telecommunication Utilities Disk-7

BASIC09BR8 ACIAMapIN CRON9 VlJBIG-T ACIAMapOUT CRONTOOL SDlJMPDTERM DNLO,-\D SCULP PAl TARKERMIT UPLOAD S8 MENU STREAMTELSTAR2.3 1lJBE.C EASYEDIT CDRXCOM9 USER FREE MDAUTOBAUD BITBANG WlUTH MERGEMOIJSUPERCOM MAXQWIK ITI'M SETnn'WIZPRO NEWXCOM9 MELT HEXDECOSTERM208 SCRIBE23 MORE COMPRESS

Club Activities ReportBellingham 089 Users Group - Longview/Kelso CoCo Club

Mt. Rainier CoLo Club - Port O'Co(o Club - Seattle 68xxx Mug

• 10

Bellingham08-9 Users Forum

February meeting cancelled due toscheduling conflicts. Next meeting,March 29. Call 734-5806 for moreinformation.

Port OrchardPort O'CoCo Club

February 21 was a holiday, so Scottmanaged to bribe me to drive all the waydown from Bellingham and attend thePort O'CoCo meeting. Since Cloud'sCumer BBS is no longer on line, DonaldZimmerman has no access to the PNWOS-9 echo on FidoNET where he usuallypost the Port O'CoCo meeting news. Iguess what this all boils down to is thatI'm left to write the Port O'CoCoFebruary meeting column. Grrrr.

It was Gene Elliot's birthday, and hebrought his own chocolate cake andpunch. I assume that he received thetraditional movie pass (Right Donald?).Mark Kulien showed me his latestproduction ofthe Hard Drive Interface asfeatured in the OS-9 Newsletter. Lookedreally cool Mark. Hope it works.

Terry Laraway was the featuredpresenter for the evening. Everyonereceived in the mail a post card alertingthem to the night's event. Terry wouldget your printer to work no matter what!The post card informed the reader to letTerry know what kind ofprinter you haveand what the problem was. Terry in turnwould call the manufacture and get thetechnical manual and come prepared atthe meeting to make you printer work.

Terry is famous for his graphics printouts at computer meetings and swap

OS-9 Newsletter

meets, and most of the printer broughtto the meeting were Tandv CGP-220color ink jet printers. Terry~s specialty!Terry worked with small groups ofindividuals on their printers. Severalsetups were plugged in and operatingaround the room.

Most interesting to me was DonaldZimmerman's CGP-220 printer thatwould not work on his computer. Hehad installed a 6309 processor andBurke & Burke's Booster softwareupgrade. This apparently made thingsrun a little faster then normal and hisprinter and computer were notsynchronizing. I had read about thisproblem before and knew that theTUNEPORT utility was required tocorrect the problem. T had never usedthe TUNEPORT utility and was curiousabout the process.

The TUNEPORT syntax is:tuneport x where x is a value from 0to 255. Donald's serial port finallysynchronized at a value of 118.

Terry also brought a pile of electroniccatalogs and tedmical manuals for thetaking. I grabbed a BG Micro catalogand information pamphlets on OS-9and CoCo publications.

Next meeting of the Port 0 'CoCo Clubwill be on Monday, March 21 at theStock Market Foods in Port Orchard.Call Donald Zimmerman forinformation about next month'smeeting at 87 J-03 19.

February 1994 •

Seattle68xxxMicro Users

Group

The February meeting began with a quick20 minute demonstration by RodgerAlexander on using the DysonAlignment Disk along with MemoryMinder by J&M Systems, Ltd. To alignthe head on a disk drive.

The J&M A/emory Minder diskallows Disk Extended Basic to read theDyson Alignment Disk. The J&M diskpresents a menu of several options andtest that are necessary for the completeservicing of a disk drive. The biggestneed however is for alignment purposes.

Rodger proceeded to loosen thestopper motor mounting screws and movethe motor so that the head alignment wascorrupted. Then using the J&M MemorvMinder disk, he slowly moved the step~rmotor back towards it's original positionuntil an indication showed on a rulerdisplayed on the CoCo screen. Wheneverything settled at dead center, the diskhead was aligned.

A second option on the menu was analignment sensitivity. This provided forvery fine tuning of the alignment, andsure enough, Rodger's originalalignment was still slightly off. A littleextra effort and not breathing betweenadjustments was all that it took. Thewhole process was very quick and quiteeasy.

It should be noted that J&M nolonger provides software or hardware forthe CoCo. The J&M Memory Minderdisk is copy protected but can beduplicated using Spit-n-Image copyutility. A 360K double density diskformatted on a 1.2Meg drive can be usedas an alignment disk with satisfactory

(Continued on page 11)

• February 1994 OS-9 Newsletter 11 •(Continuedfrom page 10)

results. However, only the alignmentoptions will work using this substitutionmethod.

One of the hand-outs included alisting of all of the "Usenet NewsgroupsAvailable via Internet". This list wasnine pages with over 250 groups perpage. And this was a listing of only the

The second portion of the meeting was groups that had asked Scott if he wanteddevoted to uncovering the mysteries of their services (No Thank you!). ScottINTERNET. This subject was also was already subscribing to over 50covered at the Port O'CoCo meeting in Newsgroups.January. Elsewhere in this issue is a listing

Scott Honaker brought a large pile of .'TP sites (File Transfer Sites) forof hand-outs for everyone. Hand-outs OS-9 files that may be freelyincluded messages posted on Usenet downloaded. The Chestnut has over 30Newsgroups including Color Computer Megs of software for the taking.For Sale items and articles Scott Rodger Alexander subscribes to thedownloaded on Amateur Radio including Princeton CoCo List where messagesschematic diagrams. Other items posted about OS-9 are automaticallyincluded in the hand-outs were samples echoed to his mail box. This canof Electronic Mail received by Scott from include anywhere from 15 to 60as far away as the Netherlands and as messages a day dealing with OS-9,important as from The President and aSK, OS9000, MM/l, KiX\30 and theVice President of the United States. Color Computer.--

Interenet is available on EskimoNorth BBS in Seattle for a annualsubscription of $90. Fortunately forScott, Microsoft is part of the Internet asare all Universitics and some SchoolDistricts. If you have access to Internet,take advantage of the "ElectronicHighway". In ten years, the three largestpopulation groups will be China, SouthAmerica and Internet!

TacomaColor Computer Club

No report available from the TacomaColor Computer Club. Contact JohnSchliep for meeting information.

Buy and Sell

A&MComputer

Shows & Sales

ComputerSwap Meet

March 12at Kent Commons

525 4th Ave. No (4th & James)Kent, Washington

SAVE $lOAM to 5PM

'<i COPYRIGHT NOTICEThe OS-9 Newsletter is a copyrightedpUblication by the Bellingham 08-9 UsersForum; Rodger Alexander, Editor. Duplica­tion and/or distribution is prohibited withoutwritten oermission of the editor.

IIIIIII

I Mail your order to: Bellingham OS-9 U..ers Forum I. 3404 Illinois Lane, Bellingham WA 98226L .I

108-9 and the Color Computer $7Tutorial and Hardware Hacker's Manual.I Includes 5-1/4 Disk of (360K) of upgrade software

IColor Computer Video Library $10Fixing the MultiPak IRQ * Installing Floppy DrivesI Installing Si2K Memory * Installing B&B Hard Drive

108-9 Newsletter $12/yr.

12 monthly issues packed with OS9 Update, Tutorials,Listings. Classifieds and PNW "Club Activity Reports"I Subscriber's Technical Support (206) 734-5&06

Washington State DDS ListCOLUMBIA HTS. BBS

-- Longview/Kelso -­RiBBS (FidoNET)

(206) 425-5804

DATA WAREHOUSE BBS-- Spokane --

RiBBS (FidoNET)(509) 325-6787

BARBEQUED RIBBS-- Bellingham --

PC-Board (PC-Net) - CoCo Conference #5(206) 676-5787

OS-9 TACOMA BBS-- Tacoma--

RillBS (FidoNET)(206) 566-8857

ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE BBS-- Anacortes -­

RiBBS (MaxNET)(206) 299-0491

~..-----------------..1... - - - - - - - -,I Bellingham OS-9 Users Forum

OS-9 Newsletter13404 Illinois LanelBellingham, WA 98226-4238