Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!cernvax!hslrswi!francis From: francis@hslrswi.UUCP ( Francis Demierre) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: RE: Sidecar questions. Summary: Question-reply summary and my comments. Keywords: Sidecar 1060 BridgeBoard Message-ID: <871@hslrswi.UUCP> Date: 20 Dec 88 10:48:56 GMT Organization: Hasler AG, CH-3000 Berne 14, Switzerland Lines: 150 I would like to thank all the people who answered my questions about my problems with the Sidecar. This is a summary of the questions and my comments to the received answers: ( This is rather long (149 lines), so, if you are not interested, press 'n' key now ! ) In article <863@hslrswi.UUCP> I wrote: [ some text deleted ] > 1. In the WorkBench for Amiga 1060, there is an utility to allocate the > parallel port to the sidecar [...] > Does anybody know if there is an equivalent for the serial port ? > 2. I still use the WorkBench 1.2 (33.47) + the sidecar software that is > labelled 'Test version'. > The sidecar documentation claims that, after having activated the janus > expansion [...] it is possible to read and write to Sidecar drives. [...] > using a syntax like (for example): > Amiga->Sidecar: copy df0:file JF:x:file > Sidecar->Amiga: copy JF:x:file df0:file > Sidecar->Sidecar: copy JF:x:file JF:y:file [...] > I never got this working ! [...] > (Handler = JF-Handler) does not exist on the > Does anybody know where I could get this 'JF-Handler' ? > Or do you know any other way to read/write 'Sidcar drives/IBM format > files' from the AmigaDos ? > (new WorkBench with new utilities ? ) [...] > 3. Do you know where I can find a description/specification of the dual > port RAM interface used to communicated with the Sidecar ? > 4. Lock-up ! > Sometime, when I try to access the AMIGA JH0: drive [...] everything > is locked up, mouse pointer Zzz...Zzz.., system freezed. [...] > Does anybody know what is happening ? [ some deleted text ] Now the answer and my comments: Answer to question 1: ===================== I do not quote the answers here, but the conclusion is that I have to buy a serial card. Sigh..... Answer to question 2: ===================== In article <6867@xanth.cs.odu.edu> Mark D. Manes says: > I think you need to read the documentation on AREAD and AWRITE. > I was less than pleased with AREAD and AWRITE they work, but... I bought > Dos-2-Dos from Central Coast Software and I am pleased like a bug in the > rug. a) To read the documentation, I should have it, and believe me, here in Switzerland at my local dealer place, it's very difficult to get either the doccuments or the software updates. b) As far as I know, the Dos2Dos is only writing to 5.25" floppy disks and I do not have the 5.25" Amiga floppy drive, only the one on the Sidecar. ( And only accessible [read: 'not accessible' ] thru the dual port ram. ) If it is able to write to 3.5" floppy, it is then still required to copy the floppy to the DOS partition of my hard disk. A lot of unnecessary work ! and in article <5044.AA5044@heimat> Dan Schein says: > Your best bet is to throw your software out and pop on down to your local > dealer for a copy of the BridgeBoard software. Either study the manual or > buy a copy from CBM and install the new stuff. You will gain the ability > to read/write files between OS's (Aread & Awrite) plus alot more. > Warning: > Im not sure if its legal for your dealer to give you a copy of the software. > So maybe an official CBM type (John Campbell ?!?) could tell us the official > CBM method of obtaining this software. When I went to my dealer and asked about the JF-Handler, he did not understand what I wanted. I think he believed that I was talking about a new game, he probably understood 'JF Lander' :-) After a long explanation, he promissed to call Commodore rep. in Switzerland. When I went back to him, he said: "CBM told me that 'JF-handler' is not part of the sidecar workbench, you have to buy it separately." What !!! 8-() I buy the Sidecar ( 1790.- Sfr !!! ) because it gives me I*M compatibility and allow me to exchange data on floppies { the doc says that ;-) } and now I have to pay more to get this thing which should be part of my worbench !?! My conclusion: The poor dealer did not understand what I wanted or I have been ripped off ! Anyway, I won't get it ! :-( [ Begin of flames to CBM Switzerland ] By the way, if you are reading this at CBM USA, I would just let you know how useless CBM Swizerland is ! My first computer was an C=64 and now the Amiga 1000. Every time I go to my dealer to ask something, I hear "Sorry Sir, I do not know. Try CBM perhaps ???" and when I call CBM Switzerland: "Soory Sir, we do not talk to you directly, go back to your dealer ! [click...tuuut...tuuut...tuuut]" Both the C=64 (at its time) and the Amiga are great machines, Ahh ! If CBM Switzerland could be as user friendly as these machines ! [ End of flames ] Answer to question 3: ===================== in article <5044.AA5044@heimat> Dan Schein says: > Was there some discussion of this at the 88 Developers Conference (and in > the notes)? Thats the only place I know any info. might be..... Here, there is another point I cannot understand: Why is it so difficult to get the docs. I.e.: Why cant we get the Workbench source code ? Why cant we get the 'Hydra bios' source code (Sidecar) ? Why cant we get the Kickstart source code ? Do you think this question is silly ? Other manufacturesr do provide this kind of info (IBM BIOS listings) even CBM released it for the C=64 (BASIC interpreter ROM listing, C=1541 floppy drive controller source code, etc...) To be fair I also have to say that the released books are very nice (ROM Kernel manual, Intution Manual, Hardware Manual, Library and Devices Manual, Developpers manual, etc....) Answer to question 4: ===================== In article <6867@xanth.cs.odu.edu> Mark D. Manes says: > Try to get the newer software. in article <5044.AA5044@heimat> Dan Schein says: > See #2 above. My comment is the flames written under point 3 above. More on this subject ? +- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + Francis Demierre, + + Bitnet: francis%hslrswi.UUCP@cernvax.BITNET + + UUcp: {uunet,ukc,mcvax...}!cernvax!hslrswi!francis + + M400: demierre@sba.kom.hasler + +- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +