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From: tuceryan@mohawk.cps.msu.EDU (Mihran Tuceryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.comm,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.wanted
Subject: Apple File Exchange problem.
Keywords: file exchange, MS-DOS
Message-ID: <1990Sep17.144832.2256@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Date: 17 Sep 90 14:48:32 GMT
Sender: news@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu
Reply-To: tuceryan@mohawk.cps.msu.EDU (Mihran Tuceryan)
Organization: PRIP Lab, Comp. Sci. Dept., MSU
Lines: 43


I need some help with using Apple File Exchange application.

My first problem is the following:
I tried to use Apple File Exchange (AFE) program on my Mac/SE to
initialize 3.5 inch floppies as MS-DOS disks and convert and copy some
Mac text files to the MS-DOS disk (more about why I want to do this
later). The problem is that on my Mac, the AFE does not let me
initialize MS-DOS disks and does not recognize MS-DOS initialized
disks. I copied the same program (thinking that the version may be
wrong) on a more recently purchased Mac/SE and it works fine. I had
bought my Mac/SE in 1988. When I start the AFE and insert an
uninitialized floppy, I get the 400K and 800K buttons in the dialog
box, but not the 720K which apparently lets one to initialize the
MS-DOS disks. I get the 720K button on the newer Mac/SE.

My first question is this: What can be the difference in the two Macs
that will cause this different behaviour? Could there be a different
disk drive in the two and if so could this hardware difference cause
the problem? Otherwise, do I have something set up incorrectly? I
tried to see if there were any set up files for AFE, but I did not see
any.

Now for the reason why I want to do this: I have a Sparcstation 1 in
my office, and I have the Mac at home. I would like to be able to put
some text files on a floppy, bring it home and work on it on the Mac
at night. So far, the only way I could see making use of the floppy
drive on the Sparcstation 1 is to use the mtools that allow you to
read MS-DOS disks. This way, MS-DOS would be an intermediate format
which I could use to carry text files back and forth between the SParc
and the Mac without dependent on modem transfers.

Now, my second question is: Is there software comparable to mtools
that will let me read Mac formatted disks from the Sparcstation floppy
drive? If such a software exists, I would not have to mess with MS-DOS
disks.

Any help with any of these two questions be appreciated.

Mihran Tuceryan
Michigan State University

email: tuceryan@cps.msu.edu