[sebhc] Software Exchanging (was HUG disk 885-1095 - SY: driver)

[Eric J. Rothfus]

> Since I've asked about a memory test, what would be a good
> way to exchange software over the net?  I'd like to stick
> to just using a serial port and uploading/downloading via
> a utility (e.g. INTELHEX AT:=SY0:file.ext or INTELHEX
> SY1:file.nam=AT: or something like that).  I've written
> stuff like that before, it would be pretty easy to do.

(warning, long post follows :-)

Hey Walt,

This question has been the center of my "hobby" these days:
"how to archive and exchange software for the old machines."
The discussion really centers around these points IMHO
(not in priority order, the numbers are just for reference):

   1 - creating the images from original floppy media

   2 - archiving/storing images of floppies, and their formats

   3 - using the images on emulators

   4 - using the images on real machines

There are many issues here, but overall I feel that it is a
noble :-) endeavor to try to preserve the original programs
and operating systems.  It is a ball, too, to be able to
boot up the old software and to get your old equipment
running, while not having to worry about "where do I get the
software?"

So I thought I'd put some thoughts/links in a post to share:

1 - Creating Images - there are a number of ways that you
    can make a "virtual copy" of an existing floppy.  The
    one I have been using is David Shaw and David Wallace's
    program "diskdump".  This is a little assembly program
    that dumps a floppy on the H8/89 onto a serial port.
    This program is what I use, and what Jack Rubin is using
    now.  I have a virtual floppy with diskdump up on my
    web site...or you can find it on Dave Wallace's site, or
    contact me and I can send you the source.  It is in
    assembly and is a 4-file distribution.

2 - Image Formats - the simplest format for an image is a
    sector by sector binary dump.  This, however, is a bad
    practice IMHO.  Floppy images should be, in some
    fashion, distinct so that you can tell the difference
    (or a program can tell the difference) between a floppy
    image for the TRS-80 and one for the H8.

    The "H17" format is the one that is output by the
    "diskdump" program.  It is an ascii format that includes
    not only the floppy data, but also the volume number and
    a nice human readable label for the floppy image.  It is
    completely distinquishable from all of image formats
    that I have seen.

    There are numerous image formats out there, and most of
    them were designed when someone was building an emulator
    to run the software.  The H17 format was done when the
    Daves were building emulators.  The TRS-80 formats
    (DMK, JV1, JV2, JVC) were all built when different
    people were building different emulators.

    It is impractical to think that we can cause a universal
    standard for floppy images.  However, when new formats
    are created, the least we can do is make them distinct
    so that they can be recognized...this is why I like the
    Daves' format.

3 - Emulators - One great way to preserve the old machines
    is through emulation.  There are dozens of emulators out
    there, and they all have some format in which they can
    use floppy images.  Dave Wallace's is pretty cool,
    though it's not yet finished...
          http://home.comcast.net/~davidwallace2000 
    Click on the "HEATHKIT" logo bar.

4 - Running Images on Real machines (my personal favorite) -
    As I work with the old machines (ok, PLAY with the old
    machines) I never have the software when I need it.  And
    many of the old disks that I DO have are either dead or
    dying.  So I created the Semi-Virtual Diskette (SVD)
    which is really just a floppy drive emulator.  The idea
    is to be able to download an image and boot it directly
    from it as though you had the original floppy.  See
    www.theSVD.com for more info.  But that is hardware...

    But there are other approaches besides the hardware
    approach.  Dwight Elvey has created a mechanism for
    getting images up and running (dwight.elvey at amd.com).
    This mechanism allows you to key in a small init program
    and then get image transfer from a PC to a real floppy.

Anyway, hopefully these links will help others.

Note to Dwight, if you have read this far, it would be nice
to combine the SVD software and your download mechanism.
The SVD has a pretty GUI (the SVD Control Program or SVD-CP)
that runs on the PC side that helps you download images.  I
would love to find a way to teach the SVD-CP to download to
a listener running on a target H8/H89.

The idea is that the listener would identify itself in
response to a simple SVD-CP query, and the SVD-CP would then
know how to transfer files to it.  The listener would need
to provide ongoing feedback to the SVD-CP and hopefully
allow upload and download.

Just a thought, let me know if you'd be interested in
working on this with me.

Eric

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