SpartaDOS Reference http://www.abbuc.de http://www.atari-portal.de Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC Title page 1 Introduction by enter value here 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. Contents I Contents Part I Introduction 4 Part II An overview of SpartaDos 7 Part III The syntax of SpartaDos 11 Part IV Getting started 17 Part V Disk Initialization 21 Part VI Subdirectories 27 Part VII Duplication 31 Part VIII Maintenance 36 Part IX Protection 39 Part X Logomenu Step by Step 42 Part XI Menu Operation 45 Part XII Time and date support 50 Part XIII Communications support 55 Part XIV Input and Output redirection 59 Part XV Keyboard buffers 64 Part XVI Information commands 66 Part XVII Machine language support 70 Part XVIII Disk drive I/O 76 Part XIX The technical structure of SpartaDos 79 Part XX Differences between SpartaDos 1.x and 2.x 90 Part XXI Appendix A: Errors 94 Part XXII Appendix B: Command summary 96 Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC I II SpartaDOS Reference Part XXIII Appendix C: Table of all SpartaDOS Command Processor Commands 103 Part XXIV Appendix D: How to Access the Real Time Clock 106 Part XXV Appendix E: Atari DOS 2 VS SpartaDOS 108 Part XXVI Appendix F: US DOUBLER Installation 110 Part XXVII Appendix G: US DOUBLER INTERFACE 115 Part XXVIII Appendix H: Disks 119 Part XXIX Appendix I: Glossary 121 Part XXX SpartaDos Tool Kit 125 Part XXXI R-Time 8 Supplement 137 1 Introduction.............. .to... ..the..... .R-Time............ .8.. .......................................................................................... 137 2 Overview......... .of... ..SpartaDOS................... .3.2..... ........................................................................................... 140 3 Commands............. .Added........... .to... .SpartaDOS................... .3.2..... ............................................................................ 141 4 Update..... .on..... .the..... .Technical................. .Structure................ ............................................................................... 146 5 The Time......... .and...... .Date........ .'Z:'..... .Handler.............. .Functions................. ................................................................... 149 6 Using... .the..... .Supra........... .Hard........ .Disk........ .Interface............... .With....... .SpartaDOS................... ................................................ 151 Index 153 Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC Chapter Introduction I Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC 4 SpartaDOS Reference 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 flow of data in a system. Where is the DOS? When your Atari computer is first turned on (booted), the computer's Operating System (OS) checks to see what devices are present. If a functioning Atari compatible disk drive is attached and set as D1: (drive one), the computer will recognize the drive and try to read in a special program which should take control after it loads. This program is usually the DOS and becomes a part of the computers lower memory until the power is turned off. The DOS protects itself from being written over by other programs with a marker (MEMLO) which is placed just above its top of memory. Hopefully programs which then operate (run) with the DOS will obey this MEMLO marker and stay above it. So, where is the DOS? It was never in the drive. It is on a disk and then read into the computers memory. This is where a resident DOS remains, usually until the system is rebooted. Power up Sequence and Why It is important to power up your Atari computer system in the correct sequence or the drives will not be recognized by the system. Always turn drive 1 on before the computer, insert your DOS disk into the drive and then power up the computer. The computers Operating System then recognizes the drive and starts loading the DOS. The other components in your system don't have any special requirements in the power up sequence, but generally the computer is powered up last. The power down sequence doesn't really matter as long as you take the disks out of the drive before turning the power off. Failure to do this may write bad information on the disks when using 810 drives, 1050 drives are OK for this. Different uses of a DOS STORAGE One common use for a DOS is to act as the storage device for another program. The Atariwriter and Atariartist cartridges are good examples of this kind of DOS use. The system is booted up as usual but after the cartridge takes control, the DOS type commands are actually executed through the cartridge menu. The DOS is almost invisible to the user but still acts as the manager for disk storage. FILE MANAGEMENT File management becomes more important as system size increases. Things like subdirectories and time and date stamping have become invaluable in a well organized filing system. SpartaDOS is the only DOS that allows time and date file stamping on the 8 bit Atari computer. Subdirectories, like file folders, allow you to save different files under different categories. Time and date stamping (when the file is created or rewritten) helps in maintaining constantly changing files and allows you to determine when it is time to discard others. BINARY FILE LOADER Binary files are machine language programs in file form. These normally can be executed (run) as command files under SpartaDOS or they can be run under Atari DOS 2 with the L menu command. LOGOMENU, our special menu program, makes binary file loading almost foolproof and provides a beautiful display (impress your friends) as well. This is a common use for a DOS and it is a good way to prevent the inexperienced user from damaging your valuable files by accidentally entering Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC Introduction 5 the wrong command. INSTALL HANDLERS Handlers are special programs written to handle a device. An example of this would be a printer handler written for a specific printer or a communications handler that provides a link to the communications line. The DOS is the most complex handler in the computer, but it will in turn, install other handlers as needed. GENERAL UTILITIES Utilities are included for housekeeping and programming functions. Commands like ERASE or RENAME will delete or rename a file. CHKDSK, RPM and MEM are informational utilities which give important information about the condition of the system. MDUMP and OFF_LOAD are examples of information utilities specifically for programmers. SpartaDOS was written in a way so that utilities can later be added without rewriting the DOS. MISCELLANEOUS Functions SpartaDOS allows the rerouting of normal input and output of the system (called redirection or diversion). It also provides a standard for transferring information from one system to another. What all this means to you We are providing all this information in the hope that some of you will read ahead to gain a better understanding of computer systems and someday, if not already, become the new computer literates. Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC Chapter An overview of SpartaDos II Converted 2006 by Andreas Bertelmann for ABBUC An overview of SpartaDos 7 2 An overview of SpartaDos The following is a list of term standards used throughout the manual. · The ESC key exits most of the external commands in SpartaDOS. Commands such as DUMP require that you use the BREAK key. · A <return> means to press the RETURN key in our early examples. You may assume that a RETURN will terminate your input except in special cases (such as in INIT when single letter or number responses are required). · The apostrophe or single quote mark is often shown at the beginning (') and end (') of a command or filename when written into general text.