[Coco] CoCoNet status

[Roger Taylor]

Ok, major progress.  I'm reading web files from BASIC quite 
easily.  The CoCo powers up, the OK prompt and cursor flashes, and 
the first thing I might type just for fun is:

DRIVE 0,"D:\MYDISK.DSK"   (if it doesn't exist, it is created)
SAVEW "http://www.coco3.com/coconet.php","INDEX.HTM:0"

(For compatibility reasons and to avoid messing with the dreaded 
DLOAD command, I decided to add the W option to the SAVE command for 
saving internet files to a virtual disk)

Btw, the URL has to be case-sensitive due to the server variations 
out there.  Some servers can store files of the same name but with 
different letter cases. The web file can be as large as the virtual 
disk it is saved to.

To simplify things so that if no target filename is specified or the 
disk #, the web file (if in the 8.3 format) would be saved in all 
caps to the default virtual drive.

SAVEW "http://www.coco3.com/coconet.php",A
DIR
COCONET.PHP

,A saves as ASCII type
.bas extension automatically saves as a BASIC program
otherwise binary program is the default (you can still OPEN "I" these files)

CoCoNet is currently limited to the standard 4 drives and 35 tracks, 
so further patching would be needed to boost up your storage 
capabilities.  I know how to patch DECB to give 80 tracks, quicker 
stepping, etc. but there are too many preferences out there and disk 
mod'ed systems for me to get more into that.

If the LOADM'able version of the client (DOS overlay patch) doesn't 
conflict with your existing Disk mods, I see no reason why more 
drives and tracks could be used.  The PC server app will handle up to 
256 virtual disks.  The ROM'ed copy is a patch to standard Disk BASIC 1.1.

Btw, I've left plenty of space in the 55504-57343 area 
($d8d0-$dfff).  The most amazing part of CoCoNet is that the code 
takes up only 754 bytes, leaving 1084 bytes to go.  If I flush my 
code to the bottom of the ROM ($DFFF), this could allow other mods to 
be put in easier.

The CoCoNet version ID will be stored near $DFFF so authors can write 
programs that won't break if something small changes in one of the 
BASIC commands.

ideas:  How about a software real-time clock?

SAVEW "www.coco3.com/utc.php","TIME.TXT"
OPEN "I",1,"TIME.TXT"
LINE INPUT #1,T$ ' GET TIME STRING
CLOSE #1

-- 
Roger Taylor

http://www.wordofthedayonline.com