[Coco] Software

[Steve Ostrom]

Thanks, guys.  I will give these ideas a try.  I appreciate all the detailed 
explanations.  Since my Coco set-up is at a family cabin, and since I'll be 
leaving the country for about two weeks on Friday, I'l try these ideas when 
I return.  Much appreciated!!

-Steve-


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Willard Goosey" <goosey at virgo.sdc.org>
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2011 3:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Coco] Software


> On Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 11:16:02PM -0500, Steve Ostrom wrote:
>> Willard, you are correct.  "DOS" did not start the game, and it is the
>> original disk, not a copy.
>
> Bummer for you, as it makes your life a little more complicated.
>
>>Since my OS-9 background is little to none, if
>> I boot OS-9, I should be able to find the disk directory, and from there,
>> the executable file.  Please tell me the procedure.  I'm sure my OS-9 
>> disk
>> will boot with "DOS".  What is the procedure to look for this executable?
>
> Well, L. Curtis went over this but he went pretty quick.
>
> You do have an OS-9LII boot disk?  It goes in drive 0 and you type DOS.
> Magic things happen.  You might be asked for a time & date.  Eventually
> you should get a shell prompt.
>
> 1 drive:  You can see if "dir" is in memory by running "mdir".  mdir
>          lists all the "modules"  -- binaries (mostly programs) already in
>          memory.  If "dir" isn't in the list, use "load dir" to load it 
> into
>          memory.  You'll need it later.  list is another good program
>          probably want to make sure is in memory by "load"-ing it.
>
> While you're probably familiar with the idea of a current directory from
> other operating systems, OS-9 is a little strange in that it has 2
> current directories:  the DATA directory, which is the default path for
> regular files, and the EXECUTABLE directory, which is where it looks for
> programs to run.   The OS can be fussy about which files are where.  CHD
> is like CD, it changes your current data directory.  CHX does the same
> sort of thing, but changes the executable directory.
>
> The floppy drives are usually /d0, /d1, /d2 on a CoCo.  These are drive
> 0, 1, 2 under Disk BASIC.
>
> So, put the Ironsides disk in a disk drive.  "chd /dX" where X is the
> drive number of the drive.
>
> "dir" should then give you the root directory of the floppy.  It's
> normal practice for subdirectory names to be in UPPER case.
>
> There might or might not be a Readme, README, READ.ME, read.me, or any
> other varient.  "list FILE" to dump a text file to the screen.
>
> It's normal for a disk like this to have a CMDS
> directory.  The games data files may be in the root directory or in
> their own subdirectory.  To look inside directories, use "dir
> DIRECTORYNAME"
>
> Assuming that there is a CMDS directory, "chx /dX/cmds" to change the
> executable directory to the game's CMDS directory.
>
> The game is probably ironsides or crimson or something like that.
>
> Willard
> -- 
> Willard Goosey  goosey at sdc.org
> Socorro, New Mexico, USA
> I search my heart and find Cimmeria, land of Darkness and the Night.
>  -- R.E. Howard
>
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>