[Coco] Dumb way to write 3.5" floppy in Coco RSBASIC?

[Bob Emery]

> From: KnudsenMJ at aol.com
> Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2003 18:08:55 EST
> Subject: [Coco] Dumb way to write 3.5" floppy in Coco RSBASIC?
> 
> My Coco3 has 3 disk drives -- two 5.25" and one 720K 3.5".
> I use the 3" drive only under OS-9, with the /C0 descriptor.
> 
> Now, my dumb question is this:
> If I stick a blank 3" floppy in it, and while still in RSBASIC,
> simply type FORMAT #2 (which is what BASIC would call this drive),
> will BASIC go ahead and do a SS 35T format of this disk?

As noted, the command is DSKINI# (where # is 0-3, or 0-255 in RGBDOS)
Also, try this poke (DECB1.1, not 1.0)... POKE55456,68. You just
doubled your storage on the 3.5" floppy. Try DSKINI3.
You can POKE55456 with 65,66 or 68 to access the second side of
drive 0, 1 and 2 respectively, as drive 3.
 
> Now, second question:  Suppose I copy some BASIC files to this disk,
> again without telling BASIC what I'm doing and hoping it can't tell.
> 
> I then stick this 3.5" floppy in my PC, run Jeff V's Import.exe or
> whatever,  and try to read this disk the way I used to read 5.25"
> floppies on my old PC. Will this work?
> Will I have to "lie" to DOS by temporarily hacking the BIOS settings
> about my  PC drive?  It's a high-density model, and I've heard you
> have to tell the  BIOS CMOS settings that it's something else (like
> 8", I forget).

Bottom line: Only if you are using a 5-1/4" drive on the PC *and*
Jeff V's DSKINI.EXE, RETRIEVE.EXE and PORT.EXE . . . *then*
you should tell your PC's bios that the 5-1/4" drive is 3.5" 720K.
This is *not* needed if you use John Collyer's fixed versions, which
might be better for you since you use OS9. His also support DS images.
 
> Any predictions what will happen?  I'd like to find a way to get some
> BASIC code of mine onto the PC for sharing with others.

I've been using Jeff V's PORT.EXE to transfer BASIC (saved with the ,A
option) to my PC to edit. My CoCo has a 3.5" drive and that's all that
is needed. Here's the workflow:

Initial setup: 
The emulator and tools should be unzipped to your desired folder. 
In Windows, add that folder to the PATH variable. This makes for a lot
less typing at the command prompt.

  To get a BASIC (or any other) program to the PC:
1. SAVE"filename.bas",A (you only have to use ,A if you want to edit)
2. Move the 3.5" floppy to the PC
3. Start a command prompt and CD to the folder you want to work in.
   (This is easier than navigating within PORT)
4. Type PORT[Enter] and select the PC 3.5" drive as the CoCo disk.
   (Just type A:[Enter] ) You should see the floppy's directory.
   You can also select .DSK files here**
5. You can double click any file to transfer it to the PC. The CoCo's
   File attributes will be used... when going PC->CoCo, you have to
know
   what settings to use.

I fail to see how a serial transfer could be as easy, once you get used
to PORT. 

To go back (PC->CoCo):
1. Insert the CoCo floppy in the PC drive.
2. Start an MSDOS window and CD to the folder containing your file(s).
3. Type PORT[Enter] and type A:[Enter]. Again, floppy DIR is listed.
4. Browse down the file list on the right side (PC side) and click the
   files you want to send to the floppy. Remember to double check the
   settings (ASC/BIN, BAS/EXE/DAT/SRC).

Again, I use this method *constantly* for editing BASIC and it works
well. One thing: If you copy files to a DSK image to use with an
emulator, MAKE SURE YOU CLOSE PORT.EXE before mounting the dsk in the
emulator, lest ye smite thine data! (Funny how obvious that seems in
hindsight!)

One last thing Mike, with your drive setup and the possibility of
needing to copy around groups of files at a time, check out Color FOG.
http://www.geocities.com/theother_bob (Free CoCo3 GUI software!)
You get a GUI directory listing with the ability to select multiple
files to Copy, etc. It will let you change the RSDOS drive map (as with
the above POKE) on the fly and (hopefully) make it more convenient to
browse around your CoCo disk collection and pick out the things you
want... copy files to your 3.5" drive, then move it to the PC to
archive, emulate or whatever. 

peace,
Bob Emery

=====
theother_bob at yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/theother_bob

"As a pessimist I'm either always right
 or pleasantly surprised" -unknown