





              COS compatible RX01 floppy handlers for OS/8


    These files allow an OS/8 user more efficient  usage  of  the  space
available on an RX01 floppy disk. The two files, RXBNS.PA  and  RXBSY.PA
are the non-system and system handlers,  respectively.  They  are  fully
compatible with the OS/8 operating system. The  system  handler  is  two
pages long and follows the conventions for two page handlers that allows
BASIC and FORTRAN to work properly. They allow the OS/8 diskette to hold
658 blocks as opposed to only 494 with the OS/8 handler.

    The system handler can not be  booted  with  the  conventional  RX01
bootstrap program. To correct this, a program called RXFIX is  included.
This program is run after BUILD to modify the system head (block  0)  to
allow bootstrap with the conventional program. It is very important that
this program be run again to restore block 0 before BUILD  is  run  from
the system.

Examples on how to install the handlers:

.SET SYS NO INIT        !In case there is an initial command set up.
.RUN SYS BUILD
$LOAD RXBNS             !Load the handlers.
$INSERT RX8:RXB0-1      !Install the non-system handlers
$BOOT
SYS BUILT
.SAVE SYS BUILD         !Now the non-system handlers are on your OS/8
                        !system.

    To build a system floppy, first boot your conventional  OS/8  system
in drive 1. Then:

.RUN SYS BUILD
$LOAD RXBSY1            !Load the system handler (RX01 Version)
$REPLACE SYS=BYTE,SYS   !Change the system handler
$INSERT BYTE,RXB0-1     !Install the co-resident drive 0 and 1 handlers.
$BOOT                   !Boot the new OS/8 system.
WRITE ZERO DIRECT?YES
SYS BUILT
.SAVE SYS BUILD         !Save the new build.
.RUN RXA1 FOTP          !Copy files to the new drive
*SYS:<RXA1:BUILD.SV/V   !Except BUILD.
*^C
.R RXFIX                !Fix the boot.
Setting up bootstrap

    Before running BUILD on the new system device, run RXFIX  to  repair
block zero:

.R RXFIX
Restoring OS/8 or OS/78 monitor
.RUN SYS BUILD
    .
    .                   !BUILD Commands
    .
$BOOT
SYS BUILT
.SAVE SYS BUILD
.R RXFIX                !Make it bootable.
Setting up bootstrap







    A patch must be installed to OS/8 PIP to allow the ZERO  and  SQUISH
commands to work with the new handlers.

.GET SYS PIP
.ODT
13650/0000 6556
^C
.SAVE SYS PIP

    Since these handlers are COS compatible, they can be  used  to  copy
files to and from COS-310 diskettes. Also, COS310 FILEX  can  convert  a
COS file to an OS/8 file on these diskettes that is readable by OS/8.
Two system handler files are supplied (RXBSY1.BN and RXBSY2.BN). One  is
used to build a floppy on a RX01 drive (RXBSY1), the other  on  an  RX02
drive (RXBSY2). Once the system handler is build and the boot fixed with
RXFIX, the single floppy will boot on either a RX01 or an  RX02  without
modification.







              OS/78 Floppy Handler Installation Information


    This document explains how to use the byte mode floppy handlers with
the OS/78 and operating system. It also explains how  the  handlers  are
used to transfer files from OS/8 or OS/78 to COS/310.


    The handlers supplied do not perform well on the VT78  hardware  due
to the fact that they are not fast  enough  to  efficiently  access  the
floppy. They are, however, entirely adequate for COS to OS/78  or  WPS/8
to OS/78 conversions. They do perform well on the DECstation 88 (PDP8/A)
hardware.

OS/78 INSTALLATION__________________

    To install the handlers  into  OS/78,  one  must  only  type  a  few
commands. First, list the handlers in the system:

.SET HANDLER/L

    This will list the handlers in the current system. One of these must
be deleted in order to make room. For instance, the RL1 handler  can  be
deleted if you do not have a RL01.

    Copy the file "RXB.HN" to the OS/78 system  device.  Then,  assuming
that you are replacing the RL1 handler, install it with the command

.SET HANDLER RL1<RXB

    This completes the installation. The handler can be  used  with  the
names "RXB0" for drive 0, and "RXB1" for drive 1.

COS to OS/8 Conversion______________________

    The handlers can be used, along with the COS-310 FILEX  program,  to
convert COS-310 files to OS/8 or OS/78 files. Also, OS/8 -  OS/78  files
can be converted to COS-310 files.

    To convert a COS file to an OS/8 file,  use  FILEX,  specifing  OS/8
ASCII output (option A). Output the file to RX drive 0. Then,  boot  the
OS/8 or OS/78 system, place the COS disk in  drive  one,  and  copy  the
file. For example, if the output was specified (to FILEX) as  "FILE.TX",
type the command:

.PUNCH SYS:FILE.TX<RXB1:FILE.TX

    This copies the file to drive zero, and compresses it.

    To convert from an OS/8 file to a COS-310 file, first copy it  to  a
COS system diskette, in drive one.

.COPY RXB1:<SYS:name

    Then, run the COS FILEX program, specifying OS/8  ASCII  input,  and
reading the file from drive zero.

    Further information on FILEX is given in  the  COS-310  System  Ref-                                                            ______  ___
erence Manual.______ _______







    A patch must be installed to OS/78 PIP to allow the ZERO and  SQUISH
commands to work with the new handlers.

.SET SYS OS8
.GET SYS PIP
.ODT
13650/0000 6556
^C
.SAVE SYS PIP
.SET SYS OS78

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