1 REM Ins{nd av Bo Kullmar SYSOP <1789> 1986-01-26 09.59.26 BYT:READ.ME 1985-12-04 Revised: 1985-12-15/JP/OJ QZ Stockholm University Computing Center Box 27322 S-102 54 Stockholm, Sweden Phone until 16 February 1986: +46-8-67 92 80 Phone from 17 February 1986: +46-8-65 45 00 The Byte Magazine program library ================================= The Byte Magazine program library consists of program files for computer programs which have been published in Byte Magazine. The programs in the library can be copied freely by anyone, but may not be marketed commercially without permission. New programs are added regularly to the library. Neither QZ nor Byte Magazine take any responsibility for bugs that may occur in the library. Finding files in the library ---------------------------- The library is stored on the BYT: area on the Oden computer at QZ. You can find files in the library by reading the master catalog in the file BYT:FILES.BBS. A suitable program on Oden for interactive searching and reading of this file is the READ program. After starting READ, write a question mark if you need a list of the commands to the READ program. You may of course also prefer to download the file BYT:FILES.BBS to your personal computer and read it locally. In the file BYT:FILES.BBS, some files have names with more than six characters before the extension. On Oden, however, no file names have more than six characters before the extension. The file names have then been abbreviated on Oden, usually by using only the first six characters of the file name before the extension. In some cases, you may have to rename the file to the original longer name after downloading it to your personal computer before using it. After finding the file name(s) in BYT:FILES.BBS, you can look for the file on the BYT: area with the command "DIRECT". For example, "DIRECT BYT:BENCH*" will list all files on the BYT: area whose names begin with "BENCH". Types of files in the library ----------------------------- Files in the library may be in one of the following formats: 7-bit ASCII - Used for most text and source program files in the library. 8-bit text files - Not common on the BYT: area, but common for text files and source program on other program library areas on ODEN, like the PC: or CBM: area. Binary - Usually executable binary programs for a particular type of computer. Looking at files in the library ------------------------------- If you want to look at a text or source program file in the library before downloading it, you can for 7-bit ASCII files use the program READ. For 8-bit text files, you can use the program PUB:EIGHTBIT (you start this program with the command "RUN PUB:EIGHTBIT"). (To exit from any of these programs, give the command CONTROL-C.) Downloading files from the library to your personal computer ------------------------------------------------------------ This downloading can be done either using XON/XOFF or KERMIT. XON/XOFF is simpler, but KERMIT gives a more reliable transfer. XON/XOFF can only be used on text files and source program files, while KERMIT can be used also on binary files. Eight-bit text files and source program files can be downloaded with XON/XOFF if the file actually only uses seven of the eight bits in the characters, which is usual for source program files in most programming languages. Binary files can be converted to HEX format using the program HEXIFY on Oden, assuming you have a program on your personal computer to convert back from HEX to Binary format after downloading. (You can run this program with the command "R PUB:HEXIFY".) Downloading files using XON/XOFF ------------------------------- Ensure that your personal computer is set to use the XON/XOFF protocol when receiving files. Give the command to your personal computer to log the characters received from the host computer on a file (in some cases, a file on RAM-disk gives more reliable transfer) and then use the TYPE command to get ODEN to send the file to your personal computer. For a 7-bit text or source program file, just give the command: TYPE BYT:FILE.EXT to Oden, if the file to be typed resides on the BYT: area and is named FILE.EXT. An alternative is to give the commands: RUN PUB:TTYCOPY SEND FILE.EXT You can normally exit from this program by typing a CONTROL-C character. For an 8-bit text or source program file, give the command TYPE BYT:FILE.EXT/INBYTESIZE:8. Downloading files using KERMIT ------------------------------ To do this, you must have a Kermit program on your personal computer. For IBM PC, Apple Macintosh, ABC-800, Compis and Commodore-64, you can buy Kermit diskettes from QZ. You can also buy a Kermit manual from QZ. When running Kermit, you must usually give the command "SET FILE BYTE-SIZE 8" for binary and 8-bit character files, and "SET FILE BYTE-SIZE 7" for 7-bit character files to Kermit at Oden. For more information, see the Kermit manual. For a particular type of personal computer, more information about Kermit may also be found in files with the name READ.ME and KERXMP.TXT on the program library area for that personal computer. The program library areas are: BYT: for the Byte Magazine library PC: for IBM PC programs CBM: for Commodore-64 programs CPM: for CP/M programs BBC: for BBC Computer programs CPS: for Compis programs KER: for Kermit For more information, see the file HLP:PCLIB.HLP. Packed files ------------ In some cases, several related files are packed into a packet file on the BYT: area. This is shown by the extension ".LBR" on the file on the BYT: area. Usually, the files in the packed files are also available in unpacked format on the BYT: area, but downloading may sometimes be simpler by downloading one packed files rather than many unpacked files. You must then also download the unpacking program LU.EXE (for MSDOS computer).