Ti-99/4A DOS tutorials? Any for a Noob?

[Keatah]

Like it says on the box, are there any good tutorials for using DOS and disk drives on the TI-99/4A? Something a total noob to the platform would be able use, because, like right now, all I could do is insert a cartridge and that's it.

 

 

[+arcadeshopper]

There is no dos. The disk system controller manual is a good starter.

 

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[+arcadeshopper]

http://ftp.whtech.com/datasheets%20and%20manuals/Hardware/Texas%20Instruments/PHP1240%20Disk%20Controller%20Card/ti%20floppy%20controller%20card%20manual.pdf

 

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[Keatah]

Quite interesting and way different than what I'm used to.

 

But I will call what's in the command cartridge and on the controller card a form of DOS.

[+arcadeshopper]

It's a DSR.. Device Service Rom/routine/reindeer whatever

 

Basically it is the first "plug and play" auto config integrate your anything into anything that follows the rules system. Like usb is supposed to be.. and plug and pray..

 

Anyway, with any card you get a set of devices that you can open, old, run etc.. and they all work with any program that doesn't use a custom disk access routine..

 

So for instance there's a cool DSR for the rs232 card that adds a new device called HDX1. that gives you direct access to a PC's hard disk via a serial cable just like it was a disk drive in your TI.

 

SO in a language you load DSK1.BLABLA to load a file.. in basic it's OLD DSK1.BLABLA in the tunnels of doom cart it's load from disk 1 or DSK1.PENNIES etc..

 

If you want to format a disk, you'll need a program for that. Disk manager cartridge or equivelent. If you want to catalog a disk, there's a short basic program in that manual I sent earlier. Or disk manager.. The latest and greatest disk manager is called DM2000 written by Fred Kaal and available on his website, or in cartridge form on the utilities cart or XB2.7 suite I sell at arcadeshopper.com. If you are running emulation then the disk image is on ftp.whtech.com under fred's dir.

 

Let us know if you have any questions by entering them in a reply Sorry for short reply earlier was on the cell phone and typing there is a pain the butt.

Greg

[Keatah]

Cool. For now it is emulation. Whether I bring another classic rig into my loft remains to be seen. It might be interesting to have an Atari 800, C64, and Ti99/4A. Just basic setups.

[justacruzr2]

Thought I'd add this for what it's worth. If you like the feel of DOS there was a DOS system released for the 4A called Command DOS. It was written by Monty Schmitt and released by Ryte Data. I have this and it works well and is a fun way to interact with the 4A

Edited September 8, 2016 by justacruzr2

[Omega-TI]

Like it says on the box, are there any good tutorials for using DOS and disk drives on the TI-99/4A? Something a total noob to the platform would be able use, because, like right now, all I could do is insert a cartridge and that's it.

 

 

 

To answer your question... YES!

If the cartridge you speak of is the FlashROM 99, then you are in business.

There is a 'modernized' version of 4/A DOS that works with the FlashROM 99. I took the liberty of updating & uploading the manual for your use. It's attached at the bottom of this post.

 

Have Fun!

 

P.S. - You'll also need the CHARA1 file attached... put it on your DSK1.

4A DOS - Instruction Manual Rev-02.pdf

CHARA1.zip

[gferluga]

Is there any 4A DOS disk image, with CHARA1, utilities etc, ready to use with NanoPEB or CF7+

What's about F18A 80 col support?

Thx

[Omega-TI]

If someone else doesn't step up to the plate to help you out, I'll try to find the stuff and hook you up tomorrow evening. Right now I don't have enough time. Just checking a few messages then bugging out.

[etownandy]

4ADOS, MX-DOS, and OS99 are all operating environments that give you either a command line or a graphical shell for basic disk management and program loading operations. I'm not aware of much if any software that "requires" these environments. T-Shell is a program that loads from Extended BASIC and gives you several "command line" options for things like copying and formatting disks and viewing directories.

 

As others have said, you'll typically need a "disk manager" program (on cartridge or disk) to do those functions one normally associates with a "dos," including formatting and copying disks. The Disk Manager 1 and 2 cartridges came with the TI Disk Controller. The exception to this requirement is the catalog/directory program (previously mentioned), which can be run out of console BASIC.

 

You'll likely encounter a variety of file types as you view disk directories. For example, a "DISPLAY/VARIABLE 80" file is typically used for text files and program documentation. You'd need a program to load and view these, and a variety of these are available (

One of the most confusing aspects of the TI disk system for newcomers is the wide variety of files all classified as the "program" type. These may be BASIC programs (loaded via OLD DSKx.filename at the BASIC "Ready" prompt, where x is the drive number, as in OLD DSK1.GAME), Extended BASIC programs (for which the XB cartridge is required, but the loading/running process is very much the same as with console BASIC, except you can RUN "DSKx.filename" to load and run in one step). Also, when you first start Extended BASIC on a system equipped with most disk controllers, XB will try to load and automatically run a program named "LOAD" if it exists on a disk in the first drive.

 

Other "program" types may be Editor/Assembler (EA) programs, for which you need the E/A cartridge and use its fifth option "Run program file" from the E/A cartridge's main menu. "Program" is also used for game databases for the Tunnels of Doom and Adventure cartridges. But MOST "program" type files are loaded with either XB or EA cartridges.

 

Display/Fixed 80 is yet another form of E/A software, loaded with the third option in the E/A main menu ("Load and run").

 

I'm not sure if there's a handy-dandy list of common file types, but the long and short of it is that for most of the best 4A disk software, you almost always need an additional cartridge (XB and/or EA) to run it.

 

"Funnelweb" is an operating environment that merges the ability to load and run a variety of software (both XB and EA) with disk management software, word processing/text editing, and assembly source code editing and assembling.

 

If you're doing this with emulation, you'll find plenty of good help here. If you get stuck trying to run a particular disk image, odds are good that if you post the specifics, someone will be able to walk you through what's needed.

[Omega-TI]

Is there any 4A DOS disk image, with CHARA1, utilities etc, ready to use with NanoPEB or CF7+

What's about F18A 80 col support?

Thx

 

Sorry it took so long...

 

I had to update the .ZIP file. It now has the new updated documentation, the cover, and copies of the full disk (with additional utilities) in FIAD Format, HFE Format, NanoPEB Format, DSK format and the new FR99 format.

 

ENJOY!

4A DOS (2016).zip

[WhataKowinkydink]

The Nano-4ADOS.dsk seems to be corrupted (doesn't open with TIimagetool). 

 

Never mind - I got it working after extracting the files with TIDir.  :)

Edited March 28, 2020 by WhataKowinkydink
Update

[Omega-TI]

2 minutes ago, WhataKowinkydink said:

The Nano-4ADOS.dsk seems to be corrupted (doesn't open with TIimagetool). 

Interesting.  IIRC the NANO-PEB disk images are 400K, not the normal 360K.  It's been a long time ago, but I think they were made with TI99Dir.  How about using the standard SSSD.dsk image?

[WhataKowinkydink]

SSSD.dsk opened up without issue.

[mizapf]

The Nano-4ADOS.dsk does open in TIImageTool, it just reports an inconsistency. This is normal, since all of the 400K images have inconsistencies (if you strictly check the geometry and density values).

[WhataKowinkydink]

5 minutes ago, mizapf said:

The Nano-4ADOS.dsk does open in TIImageTool, it just reports an inconsistency.

It may be the (older - 2.0.1) version I'm using (reports a corrupted image).   At any rate, I got a disk image that now loads in TIimagetool after extracting the files from TI99Dir. 

 

It would appear that I'm still not out of the woods however, since it appears that 4A DOS - at least this disk version - requires some sort of RAM disk. 

[mizapf]

Oh, then I'd really suggest to use a recent version: https://www.mizapf.de/en/ti99/timt

 

(you can simply unpack it over your last installations, it is just a new JAR file)

[Omega-TI]

1 hour ago, WhataKowinkydink said:

It may be the (older - 2.0.1) version I'm using (reports a corrupted image).   At any rate, I got a disk image that now loads in TIimagetool after extracting the files from TI99Dir. 

 

It would appear that I'm still not out of the woods however, since it appears that 4A DOS - at least this disk version - requires some sort of RAM disk. 

Do you have a FlashROM or FinalGROM?  There are 'cartridge versions' for those as well.

[WhataKowinkydink]

26 minutes ago, INVISIBLE said:

Do you have a FlashROM or FinalGROM? 

Don't have either - yet.  I've been eyeing the FinalGROM the past couple days - gotta save some money - perhaps I can get it in the next month or so :)

 

Thank you @INVISIBLE and @mizapf B)

[Omega-TI]

1 hour ago, WhataKowinkydink said:

Don't have either - yet.  I've been eyeing the FinalGROM the past couple days - gotta save some money - perhaps I can get it in the next month or so

 

Thank you @INVISIBLE and @mizapf B)

 

Well, if you get the FinalGROM, there is one specifically for the FinalGROM that 'takes over' so whenever you exit a program, you are back into DOS it saves a lot of time without having to repeatedly click past title and menu screens.  

[WhataKowinkydink]

7 minutes ago, INVISIBLE said:

Well, if you get the FinalGROM, there is one specifically for the FinalGROM that 'takes over' so whenever you exit a program, you are back into DOS it saves a lot of time without having to repeatedly click past title and menu screens.  

Sounds efficient.  Now that I've been getting back on the retro thing after a 5 year hiatus, and specifically the TI, I'm ready to get something more like a "traditional" command line OS going.

[Omega-TI]

Well 4A/DOS shines using BATCH files to load and execute programs, but if you ever get a TIPI, you'll probably want to seriously investigate FORCE COMMAND.

 

Below is a video I made a couple of years ago showing me using 4A/DOS in a batch environment to load programs.  The program has since be modified for FinalGROM use and no longer requires the UberGROM shown in the video.