[Coco] [Color Computer] How to Convert to MESS readable DSK files?

[Robert Gault]

First you have to get the files onto your PC hard drive. This can be done 
with any program that reads your CDROM or one of several programs that read 
Coco formatted floppies. Now that the files are on your hard drive, you can 
use wimgtool which is part of the MESS package to create a .dsk image and 
stock it with the files from the CDROM. If you don't want to use wimgtool, 
you can use PORT from the JVC emulator or some other utility to create your 
.dsk image.

By the way, the most recent version of MESS .105 is buggy. I suggest using 
the .104 version or wait for the next update.

One other point for which I'm occasionally guilty myself. Don't make 
reading instructions the last thing you do; only when forced to it. :) 
There is a good set of instructions that comes with MESS. The main program 
has a .chm help file, instructions for imgtool are built into the program, 
and wimgtool has a menu bar.

cocolar2 wrote:
> Hi everyone. Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted here... 
> some of you may remember me from bit.listserv.coco days.
> 
> Anyway, I finally went ahead and downloaded the MESS emulator, which 
> seems to do a pretty good job with the CoCo.
> 
> ONE BIG QUESTION THOUGH: How do I make MESS-readable ".DSK" files 
> (NOT CoCo DSK files, but MESS DSK files) out of the various softwares 
> that I have?
> 
> For instance, years ago I transferred tons of BAS, BIN, and CoCo DSK 
> files to a CD-ROM... (not to mention many are available for download 
> thanks to their authors authorizing their release).
> 
> But I can't figure out any way to "convert" them to MESS-DSK files, 
> so that MESS will be able to read them.
> 
> There were a few ready-made MESS-DSK files I downloaded off the net, 
> and I was able to run some old programs just fine this way.. but I 
> want to be able to take my OWN software and convert it to a MESS DSK 
> file so I can run all my old softwares on the emulator.
> 
> I'm sure this has been discussed before, please forgive me if this is 
> a repeat. If you like, you can email me as well:
> COCOLAR2 "at" YAHOO "dot" COM.
> 
> ANY help would be appriciated.
> Thanks!
> 
> And for anyone interested, I still have a webpage up with (among 
> other things) a big section on the CoCo, the FM-7 (Japanese 
> CoCo "clone"), and other machines:
> http://www.tcp.com/~lgreenf (click on the CoCo/Classic 8-bit box).
>