To Some People a DOS Is Just for Loading Games

THE COMPLETE SPARTADOS CONSTRUCTION SET MANUAL PREFACE The SpartaDOS Construction Set What is a DOS? To some people a DOS is just for loading games. For others it is the framework for programming. Some even believe it is a silent manager that should never be seen. All of these are probably true. Different people want different things from a DOS just as they have different reasons for owning a computer. If you own an Atari 8 bit computer you are in luck! ICD has created the SpartaDOS Construction Set. This one system, complete with useful utilities, choice of menu or command operation, even special memory efficient XL/XE versions with provisions for Ramdisk on the 130XE. SpartaDOS is the DOS for the future with support for any Atari compatible disk drive including future add on hard disks. It is the only DOS for 8 bit Atari computers that, as of this writing, supports single, dual (enhanced) AND double density. SpartaDOS won't become obsolete just because a new drive comes out. Learn to use SpartaDOS NOW because it will last a long, long time. What this Set will do for you. The SpartaDOS construction set is the culmination of two major versions and several SpartaDOS types with many powerful utilities. This provides you, the user, with the building blocks for creating your own DOS disks. By working through this manual, you will learn the uses and requirements for: each DOS type, the commands and the utility files. This should leave you with the fundamental knowledge needed to decide which DOS, if any, to use and which utilities are needed on which disks. After mastering the easy sections, you are invited to move on to the more technical chapters. There is enough meaty information in these sections to satisfy even the most voracious appetite. To the more experienced, we invite you to attempt writing some of your own SpartaDOS commands or utilities. This manual contains an abundance of new, useful, information for everyone, from the beginner, to the most experienced programmer. l 1-INTRODUCTION...................1 BOOT command....................20 What is a DOS?..................1 Ramdisk commands................20 Where is the DOS?...............1 6-SUBDIRECTORIES.................22 Power up sequence and why.......1 ?DIR command....................22 Different Uses of a DOS.........1 CREDIR command..................22 Storage.........................1 DELDIR command..................23 File Management.................2 CWD command.....................23 Binary File Loader..............2 TREE command....................24 Install handlers................2 7-DUPLICATION....................25 General Utilities...............2 COPY command....................25 Miscellaneous functions.........2 SPCOPY command..................27 What this means to you..........2 XCOPY command...................28 2-AN OVERVIEW of SpartaDOS.......2 DUPDSK command..................28 General terms used..............3 8-MAINTENANCE....................29 SpartaDOS terms.................4 ERASE command...................29 Volume names....................4 UNERASE command.................30 Directories.....................4 RENAME command..................30 The Current Directory...........4 CHVOL command...................31 The MAIN Directory..............4 9-PROTECTION.....................31 Subdirectories..................5 File protection.................31 Command Processor...............5 PROTECT command.................31 Menus...........................5 UNPROTECT command...............32 Handlers and drivers............5 Disk Protection.................32 On Formatting Options...........5 LOCK command....................32 3-THE SYNTAX OF SpartaDOS........6 UNLOCK command..................33 Files...........................6 10-LOGOMENU-STEP BY STEP.........33 Filenames (fname.ext)...........6 Creating a binary loader........33 Wild Carding....................7 Construction for non XL/XEs.....34 Directory Names.................8 Construction for XL/XEs ONLY....35 Path(s).........................8 11-MENU OPERATION................36 Command Types...................10 MENU command....................36 Default drive...................10 Other notes.....................39 Major Version Differences.......10 12-TIME AND DATE SUPPORT.........40 Directory Display Formats.......11 Activate Time/Date clock........40 4-GETTING STARTED................12 Set Time/Date clock.............40 The Master Disks................12 TIME command....................40 Disk Initialization/Duplication.12 SET command.....................41 Overview of common commands.....13 TD command......................42 Primary commands................14 XTD command.....................42 DIR and DIRS commands...........14 TSET command....................43 CAR command.....................15 CHTD command....................43 BASIC command...................15 13-COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT........44 5-DISK INITIALIZATION............15 MODEM or Terminal program.......44 INIT/XINIT commands.............16 Communicating through phones....44 SpartaDOS 1.x versions..........17 2 Modes-RS232 handler operation.45 NOCP.DOS........................17 RS232 commands..................45 NOWRITE.DOS.....................17 PORT command....................46 STANDARD.DOS....................17 14-INPUT/OUTPUT REDIRECTION......47 SPEED.DOS.......................18 Input Redirection...............47 SpartaDOS 2.x versions..........18 Batch files.....................47 XD23B.DOS.......................18 PAUSE command...................48 XC23B.DOS.......................18 TYPE command....................49 AINIT command...................18 Output Redirection..............49 FORMAT Command..................19 PRINT command...................50 How I/O Redirection works.......50 Get current directory path......74 Disabling I/O redirection.......51 20-DIFFERENCES w/Sparta 1.x-2.x..75 DIS_BAT command.................51 APPENDICES XDIV command....................51 A-ERRORS........................78 15-KEYBOARD BUFFERS..............52 *B-Command summary...............79** Why a buffer....................52 C-TABLE of Processor Commands...86 KEY and XKEY commands...........52 D-Accessing the real time clock.87 16-INFORMATION COMMANDS..........52 E-Atari DOS vs SpartaDOS........88 Memory related commands.........52 F-US DOUBLER Installation.......89 MEMLO and MEM commands..........53 G-US DOUBLER Interface..........94 BUFS command....................53 H-Disks.........................97 Drive related commands..........54 I-Glossary......................98 CHKDSK command..................54 RPM command.....................55 17-MACHINE LANGUAGE SUPPORT......55 SPARTADOS TOOL KIT...............101 Loading/Saving/Running..........55 Table of contents...............101 Command files...................55 CLEANUP command.................112 LOAD command....................56 DISKRX command..................107 RUN command.....................57 DOSMENU command.................103 SAVE command....................57 MIOCFG command..................102 APPEND command..................58 PROKEY command..................104 Informational commands..........58 RENDIR command..................101 DUMP command....................58 SORTDIR command.................103 MDUMP command...................59 VDEL command....................102 OFF_LOAD command................60 WHEREIS command.................102 PUTRUN command..................60 18-DISK DRIVE I/O................61 Basic operation WITHIN drive....61 R-TIME 8 SUPPLEMENT.............114 Sparta Buffer Management........62 1-INTRODUCTION TO THE R-TIME 8...115 Drive access Vector.............62 2-OVERVIEW OF SPARTADOS 3.2......119 US DOUBLER-High speed I/O.......62 3-COMMANDS ADDED TO 3.2..........121 Write with verify...............62 AUTOBAT command.................127 VERIFY command..................63 BYPASS command..................126 19-THE TECHNICAL STRUCTURE.......63 DATE command....................121 SpartaDOS functions in BASIC....63 KEY command.....................123 Open a file.....................63 RAMDISK commands................123 Rename/Erase files..............64 RTIME8 command..................122 Lock,Protect,Unprotect..........65 SCOPY command...................124 Set file position...............65 TD command......................122 Get file position...............66 TDLINE command..................122 Get file length.................67 TIME command....................121 Load/Save Binary file...........67 ZHAND command...................123 Create, Delete Change Directory.67 4-UPDATE ON TECHNICAL STRUCTURE..127 Set boot file...................68 5-THE TIME/DATE 'Z:' HANDLER.....130 Unlock/Format disk..............68 6-USING THE SUPRA WITH SPARTADOS.133 Directory listing...............69 COMTAB EQUATES..................69 Format of SpartaDOS Disks.......71 Boot sectors....................71 Bit maps........................72 Sector maps.....................73 Directory Data Structure........73 More functions through CIO......74 Check disk status...............74 __________________________ Chapter 1___INTRODUCTION What is a DOS? The Disk Operating System (DOS) is a special program which directs the internal operation of your Atari computer and disk drive. A DOS . o manages the allocation and de-allocation of files o provides a set of commands to interact with it o provides a means of parameter passing to the user programs o provides a set of useful tools to aid in software development o oversees the allocation of memory o controls the

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