Date : Sun, 19 May 1991 20:00:00 GMT
From : swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!austex!roadhog@ucsd.edu (Lindsay Haisley)
Subject: Re: CPM to DOS exchanger.
rrezaian@austral.UUCP (Russell Rezaian) writes:
>
> On the MS-DOS end there are also programs to read CP/M diskettes,
> but I can't think of the name of one, offhand. Even these programs will
> only read certian formats though, so without knowing what kind of computer
> you have I can't be of any futher help. Good luck! (You might end up
> finding it simpler to put a serial port on the MS-DOS computer just for
> this purpose, it may be cheaper, and simpler in the long run...)
> --
There are a couple of good programs set for MSDOS machines which allow
them to read a >wide< variety of CP/M disk formats. A pretty good
program is 22DISK from Sydex. Their address is P.O. Box 5700, Eugene, OR
97405. Their phones are (503) 683-6033 (voice), (503) 683-1622 (FAX) and
(503) 683-1385 (data). 22DISK consists of a set of programs which are
analogous to the copy, dir, format, type and erase functions in MSDOS except
that they see a floppy drive via a selected CP/M format. The registered
version contains support for over 270 different CP/M formats plus the
ability to add custom formats if you know the disk setup parameters. The
latter can be determined with another of Sydex's offerings called Anadisk
which analyzes the disk format on just about any disk except Apple and
Commodore disks, which do not use FM data encoding. I use 22DISK and have
had good results with it. It comes as shareware (the shareware version
doesn't support quite so many CP/M formats) and registration is reasonable
at $25.
The second option is UniForm -PC from Nicro Solutions - the same folks who
made the venerable UniForm for CP/M machines throughout the 80's. Their
advirtising states that UniForm-PC supports "hundreds of different diskette
formats", which is probably true. Micro Solutions is at 132 West Lincoln
Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115. Phones are (815) 756-3411 (voice) and
(815) 756-2928 (FAX). UniForm-PC works essentially the same as the old
UniForm for CP/M, installing a device driver or TSR so that standard
DOS functions can be used to work on the target floppy, which is managed
in a CP/M format. The price, I think, is somewhere between $60 and $80.
I have had good luck with 22DISK and found the the Sydex people to be
friendly and helpful. I do have a friend, though, who distributes CP/M
disks professionally and, having tried both, prefers UniForm-PC for
rock solid reliability (the cost of redoing and remailing an overseas
shipment of disks can exceed the cost of either program!). 22DISK allows
access to all CP/M user areas on a floppy, while UniForm-PC accesses only
user 0.
"Everything works if you let it!"
--- Travis J. Redfish
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
uucp: austex!roadhog@emx.utexas.edu
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