ZX-News #38 13 августа 1997

IS-DOS

Interview - News of the World IS-DOS: The development of hard disk controller IDE. PC-MODEM - Connection to the ZX internal HAYES-modem from IBM

                INTERVIEWS



                         (C) Eliseev VA

                   IskraSoft, Department of IS-DOS


          News of the World IS-DOS.



  Hello, dear readers! In today's issue of the paper, we 
introduce you with some new software written for the system 
IS-DOS, as well as tell a little bit about the future prospects 
of its development. 


  For a start we wish to announce that the newest version of 
IS-DOS today day are branded version of IS-DOS 4.5

Classic and IS-DOS 4.5 Chic, manufactured in
Software division of a company IskraSoft
(St. Petersburg). In this version of the system
introduced a number of refinements have enhanced the 
functionality of Compared with earlier versions, upgraded some 
programs and added new ones. Today we will tell you about these 
innovations. 


  In addition, we will tell you about the following
updates to the world IS-DOS:

1. DIZASM - disassembler program

2. ART STUDIO IS-DOS - Advanced

   and fully adapted to the IS-DOS

   version of the popular graphic editing
   torus

3. ALPHA PRINT - software for printing

   custom fonts, downloadable
   extend the printer

4. GO - A new version of the popular eastern

   Games

5. SCORPION GAMES 1-3 - three discs of special
   socially adaptable games for the PC

   SCORPION

6. COLOR LINES - a new game "Color Shari
   ki "written in the medium IS-DOS
7. PCUNZIP - unpacking archives created

   on an IBM PC archiver PKZIP.


  Also, a few words we say, and some
software and hardware development, implementation, together 
with other firms: 

1. PC MODEM - terminal program and

   wiring diagram for ZX Spectrum interior
   ternal HAYES modem from the IBM PC
2. IDE HDD - IDE hard drive controller for

   ZX Spectrum
3. PC KEYBOARD - driver for the controller

   IBM PC XT keyboard firms Nemo (owls
   place with Profi) with the correct arrangement
   Niemi large and small Russian letters b, g,

   x, y, x, z.

And in the conclusion of the article is to describe the new
projects proposed by Nemo, problems of implementation which is 
currently being actively discussed by interested parties. 


   Now - the news in more detail.



  Development of the hard drive controller IDE,
carried out in cooperation with the firm Nemo
(St. Petersburg), has revealed some disadvantages associated 
with operating systems disk devices is large. In

Specifically, some problems in older
versions of the system caused a large catalog of
(Size 16 blocks), so the new version had been amended 
accordingly in the core of the system, resulting in work with

such catalogs has become possible. This allows you to store in 
the same directory to 128 files or subdirectories.



  Working with large directories caused another serious, albeit 
imperceptible at first glance, the problem, namely: after the 
removal of a large number of files from catalog directory 
itself remains the same size as was causing undue consumption 
of disk space. For example, in the catalog stored 120 files 
(directory size 120 / 8 = 15 blocks), 90 of them have been 
removed, thus Storage the remaining 30 files were enough to 
catalog the size of 4 blocks, but not in 15. New tool 
kit-kat.com (not to be confused with Kitekat) allows you to 
"cut" unnecessary over part of the catalog, releasing this 
"lost" disk space. 


  In addition, the arsenal of system utilities
IS-DOS 4.5 was supplemented by two more useful
programs - netto.com and eradicat.com.


  The program analyzes the current netto.com
(Currently open on the current panel) directory and prints out 
the number of subdirectories in it, the total number of files 
and total size of all of this in the blocks. 


  The program allows eradicat.com correctly (as opposed to 
utilities remote.com) delete the directory along with all its 
contents - both files and subdirectories. 


  The big changes were made and the program will print texts. 
The most important innovation - the ability to work with the 
prn-files, including those trained on other computers. 


  What is a prn-file? This is a file resulting from redirection 
codes moving to the printer, the disk device that contains all 
the codes that must be sent to the printer - symbols, control 
codes, graphics, etc. 


  This improvement of the system opens
new, truly inexhaustible opportunities
to work together ZX Spectrum and professional computers. Now it 
is possible on any computer (including those on

IBM) to prepare material for printing (image, text with graphics
fonts, typography mock-up and
etc.), pour it into the prn-file, use
driver for your printer, and print
it later on ZX Spectrum without losing quality!


  True, this system required some changes to the standard print 
drivers IS-DOS, so the 4.5 version comes with

new drivers and drivers from the old
versions of the new system will not work.


  In addition, the new system significantly
extended built-USER-menu. Thanks
serious work done by Alexander
Wolf, it is almost completely repeats the menu shell Norton 
Commander. In addition to those we have described the changes 
in the system there are a number of innovations, to tell that 
we here can not because of the limited size of paper, so we 
refer you to a text file whatsnew.txt, update.txt and news *. 
txt, located in directory \ ADVERTISING \ system drive new

version of the IS-DOS. In these files, which can be seen also 
by selecting the READ ME in boot menu IS_DOS 4.5, you'll see

more information about the changes in
system.


  We now turn to the description of new programs for the IS-DOS:



  1. DIZASM - disassembler programs
system IS-DOS. Lets get out of
Conventional com-file, its source code to
Assembly in a text format that is compatible with IS-DOS 
Assembler'om, watch the text and mark pieces of data that can 
not be disassembling (DEFB).



  2. ART STUDIO IS-DOS - an advanced and fully adapted to the 
IS-DOS version of the popular graphics editor.

Program is refined compared with the prototype - added support 
for graphics font format LOTUS PRINT, the process itself

imprint text in the picture is made more wisely - choose the 
font, text entered in the dialog box, then on the screen there 
is a dotted box corresponding to the shape and size of the text 
that depicted the selected font, it precisely positioned on the 
screen and only then imprinted in the picture. Of course, this 
program can read and write images to discs IS-DOS. This program 
uses some of the pages of extended memory, so it works only PC 
128/256/512/1024K and when placing ramdisk in memory above 128K.



  3. ALPHA PRINT - software for printing
custom fonts, downloadable at
printer. In contrast to the popular program
LOTUS PRINT same author (Vlad Osipov)
This program is not in the graphic prints, and
in text mode, so the speed of printing it is the same as using
standard fonts. Custom
Fonts created in a special editor
which is part of the package, and can be used on any 
EPSON-compatible printer, supporting font, user-defined 
(MC6313, CM6337, EPSON LX800, etc.). Can provide an invaluable 
service to this program and the owners nerusifitsirovannyh 
hardware import printers. The kit also includes a few 
ready-made fonts, including Russian. 


  4. GO - A new version of the popular eastern games. It now 
supports two new format of the playing field - 13 and 18 cells, 
there are 2 versions of design - with a visual menu (you can 
control Kempston-mouse) and size reduction

cells of the playing field and to the management of hot keys, 
but with larger cells. The kit also includes a description of

program, a textbook on game GO, objectives and
Examples of parties.


  5. SCORPION GAMES 1-3 - three discs from
specially adapted games for the PC
SCORPION. The three CDs contain approximately
10 games, adapted to the system IS-DOS on
special technology is only possible
on a computer monitor with a shadow
SCORPION. During the game, the system IS-DOS is stored in the 
pages of memory 256K. By pressing the monitor shadow play is 
suspended and there is a special menu allows you to defer the 
current game written to disk, continue pending before the game, 
get another game, view game picture, etc. When you exit menu, 
the game continues from the same place. 


  6. COLOR LINES - a new game "Coloured Balls" written in the 
medium IS-DOS programmer Vitaliy Litovchenko. This game widely 
known and loved by many generations of users of different 
computers, is now in IS-DOS! Beautiful graphics, easy 
management, the ability to save your results to disk table of 
records, all this makes the game Color Lines for IS-DOS is very 
attractive. This is not an adaptation, is a game written 
specifically for the IS-DOS! 


  7. PC UNZIP - unpacking archives created on an IBM PC 
archiver PKZIP. His author - Mikhail Kondratiev - a good sign

all lovers of ZX Spectrum as the author of many wonderful 
programs (ZX ZIP, Format Utility) and hardware development 
(Kempston mouse, ZX Hayes modem). Program PC UNZIP

lets you work with files archived on the IBM PC. This can be 
useful when working with PC modem (BBS, E

mail) or by transferring files from PC to ZX.


  Now a little about hardware and software
development, implementation, together with other firms:


  1. PC MODEM - terminal program and
wiring diagram for ZX Spectrum HAYES internal modem from the 
IBM PC, this development was well done M. Kondratyev. The scope 
of supply includes a file with the concept and description of 
the connection, and as a simple terminal program,

runs on IS-DOS. It allows you to
terminal window to enter commands
modem, dial-organize, adapt, and
submit a file.


  2. IDE HDD - IDE hard drive controller
for the ZX Spectrum, developed in our department
(Software) together with the firm
Nemo (hardware). It allows you to connect to the ZX Spectrum 
and use the medium IS-DOS IDE hard drive of any volume is 
divided into logical devices up to 16MB each. System is 
operable on virtually any computer.



  3. PC KEYBOARD - driver for the controller
IBM PC XT keyboard firms Nemo (compatible
with Profi) with the proper positioning of large and small 
Russian letters b, x, x, y, x, z. This was possible thanks to a 
new driver tt_x +. Key, allowing use shortcut CS + SS as the 
third SHIFT. Controller Keyboard PC Profi / Nemo recode 
scan-key codes to PC codes ZX Keyboard and combinations 
thereof. Thus, small letters from the above list are defined as 
the combination of SS +?, and large - as CS + SS +?, with SS 
insert automatic controller. Thus,

can accommodate virtually all "unusual" letters on the keys on 
which they are portrayed, and to provide additional comfort 
while typing. The new driver with a code table for x + kay.tab 
name included in the base package IS-DOS 4.5. 


  And finally - on the one idea proposed by our department by 
Nemo. This idea issue some kind of "electronic books" in

IS-DOS environment has already occurred once in our
practice - about two years ago, a group
PENCRAFT released two "books" in the environment
IS-DOS. They were abbreviated
version of the system drive, which was
written text of the book, divided into chapters,
as well as system files, and bat-USER-MENU,
provides a view of these chapters using standard IS-DOS. In 
those days, in the heyday of post-Soviet publishing, this idea 
did not use great success and the publication of books was 
gradually discontinued. Today, when the edition printed 
versions of books, magazines, newspapers, etc., became 
virtually unavailable ordinary people (mainly for financial 
reasons), the idea of ​​publishing the most interesting books 
in electronic form has become more urgent. Therefore, in the 
near future IskraSoft with Nemo firm plans to start 
manufacturing "Electronic books" on various subjects.



  There are currently negotiating with the publishing house 
"Piter" about the possibility of publication electronic 
versions of books on the ZX Spectrum, issued by these 
publishers in different years, is the selection of materials of 
different content on the system IS-DOS archives IskraSoft'a, 
even discussed the possibility of creating an electronic 
version of one of the St. Petersburg newspaper. 


  Dear readers! From you depends, or may not be this project, 
and how it be. We'll be glad

your views, comments and suggestions are
need for this project, possible topics of publications, etc., 
please write the newspaper ZX NEWS or contact

proposals directly to our department.


          Remind us:


for letters, 190000, St. Petersburg,
Post Office and purchase orders, demand

           Chapurin LV

Office St. Petersburg, Forest pr.65

           Bldg. 11, br. 106, (entrance from

           yard) Department of IS-DOS.

phone (812) 260-70-43 (evening)

                 asked Vadim

           (812) 245-00-91, from 11 to 16

                 Ask the IS-DOS