Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!sun-barr!apple!dlyons
From: dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: //gs question
Message-ID: <32173@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 1 Jun 89 18:23:49 GMT
References: <2708@ndsuvax.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 46

In article <2708@ndsuvax.UUCP> nuwilken@ndsuvax.UUCP (Scott Wilken) writes:
[...]
>If I were to put a directory named SYSTEM on a disk which boots under
>ProDOS 8, instead of loading P16 and running the finder, then put in the
>directories like /desk.accs and /system.setup, would these things load, or
>not?  I am inclined to think not, but I would like to use SYSBEEP and some
>CDA's with a few 8-bit programs.
>nuwilken@ndsuvax.BITNET
>nuwilken@plains.nodak.edu  --  Internet

No, ProDOS 8 doesn't attempt to load CDAs or setup files.

Yes, it can be done.  In December 87 I wrote something called P8CDA, which
goes in your main directory (P8CDA.SYSTEM), loads CDAs, and then runs the
next .SYSTEM file automatically.

P8CDA was originally shareware, but it sold very poorly as shareware and
ended up as a Roger Wagner Publishing product.

The current version also loads setup files from your SYSTEM/SYSTEM.SETUP
directory (or instead from the SYSTEM/P8.SETUP directory, if it exists).
It also uses the P8.ACCS directory, if you have one, instead of the DESK.ACCS
directory.

But P8CDA doesn't work with *all* CDAs or all setup files.  It won't work if
the CDAs or setup files make ProDOS 16 or GS/OS calls (so the SYSBEEP setup
file won't work), and it won't work if the CDAs or setup files contain
initialization segments or dynamic segments (most don't anyway).

Note that with no 3rd-party products you can make a GS/OS (or ProDOS 16) system
disk boot *through* the 16 bit environment & run an 8-bit application
automatically.  Just get rid of START from your SYSTEM directory, and make sure
your .SYSTEM file comes before any other .SYSTEM or .SYS16 files in the main
directory.

Finally, note that I wrote P8CDA before I worked for Apple, and that I'm
babbling about it now because somebody asked.

 --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc.          |   DAL Systems
   AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS      |   P.O. Box 875
   AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons   |   Cupertino, CA 95015-0875
   GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS         CompuServe: 72177,3233
   Internet/BITNET:  dlyons@apple.com    UUCP:  ...!ames!apple!dlyons

   My opinions are my own, not Apple's.