[Coco] Re: [Color Computer] Problem with .dsk file transfer

[Robert Gault]

david_g21120 wrote:
> Here is some more info about the problem:
> 1. I don't have access to a working pre winXP mechine.
> 2. I don't have the room to set up a 3rd computer.
> 
> Is there a way to read a DSK file with the CoCo directly if I can get 
> the file transferred to it? I'm running the CoCo3 with a Zip100 and a 
> Seagate Baracuda drive, so I have plenty of disk space on the CoCo3

Yes with caveats. Since a .dsk file is at least as large as a 35 track 
disk, it is not possible to store it on such a disk. If the .dsk file is 
an 80 track double sided disk image, there aren't any floppies that can 
hold it.

So, you need to be able to transfer the .dsk file from your PC to your 
Coco hard drive. Once the image is on the hard drive, you need to read 
it sector by sector and transfer it to a floppy one sector at a time. 
This is easy but can be complex depending on the structure of the image.

The simplest version of the above would be the transfer of a 35-40 track 
single sided image. This image is just consecutive sectors of data which 
can be directly transfered to one side of a floppy. Double sided images 
alternate tracks between the front and back side of the floppy. More 
complex images such as the .dmk contain non sector data and would be 
much harder to transfer; probably not worth the effort.

The main issue here is the ability to transfer the image from the PC to 
the hard drive. If you can read a zip drive on the Coco, and that drive 
also works on your PC, you should have an easy time. The alternative is 
some type of null-modem transfer where the Coco software may not be up 
to the task.