From: peet@locus.com (J. David Peet)
Subject: Re: How to get Merge to see DOS partition?
Organization: Locus Computing Corp, Los Angeles
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 07:08:33 GMT

In article <BzHzMI.H6n@chinet.chi.il.us> ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us (Dave Ihnat) writes:
>In article <1992Dec16.041341.0601110@locus.com> peet@locus.com (J. David Peet) writes:
>>In article <Bz9ptE.I7H@chinet.chi.il.us> ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us
>>  (Dave Ihnat) writes:
>> <<my explanation of starting MERGE on my box>>
>
>>This is not quite correct.  The default is "+amouse +ae:=/dev/dsk/dos".
>>(Which is held in the /etc/dosenv.def file, and you use the "dosopt"
>>utility to view and change the settings in this file.)
>>The "+amouse" causes the mouse to be used via the UNIX console driver,
>>thus it automatically follows the current VT.  Using "+adcom1" is not
>>recommended for using the mouse.
>
>Ok, but I'm not running a bus mouse--I rarely use it, and it's hanging off
>a COM port.  A bit of clarification would be welcome--or, as I asked before,
>where can I get the current manuals for MERGE?
>
As for manuals, as far as I know DELL is supposed to supply then along with
Merge.  As for the mouse, if it is installed for UNIX, Merge uses it
automatically regardless of wether it is a bus or com mouse, and if you
use multiple VT's on the console, the mouse is usable on which ever VT you
are currently using.  If for some reason you do not want to have the
mouse installed for UNIX, then you have to remove the automatic "+amouse",
and attach the device the mouse is on (either directly to a com or bus
mouse port, or indirectly via a unix serial driver.)   Then you have to
install a mouse driver just as you would need to with real DOS.
So, in most cases, it is a lot easier just to install it for UNIX and
have it just work with Merge.

>>>More, although /dev/dsk/dos and /dev/dsk/0s5 have the same major,minor
>>>numbers, I can't access the partition from /dev/dsk/dos; it has to be the
>>>0s5 special device.  This latter may well be a configuration problem,
>>>however, as none of the MERGE manuals are available from Dell, and the
>>>online manuals are one rev out of date.
>>> (Any ideas how to get the latest version of the manuals?)

For Dell's DOS Merge, Dell is the source.

>>It sounds like the permissions are wrong on /dev/dsk/dos.  If they
>>have the same major and minor numbers, then they connect to the same
>>device.  The actual name does not matter, but the permissions do.
>
>I agree, conceptually.  They're linked together, in fact.  Empirically,
>however, I can't get to e: if I just run 'dos'; or, if I
>run 'dos +ae:=/dev/dsk/dos'.  Works fine with 'dos +ae:=/dev/dsk/0s5'.
>In the former case, dos comes up, hesitates, rapidly flashes the 'Bad
>command or filename' message, and aborts.

It sounds like there is some other problem.  The only difference between
using /dev/dsk/dos and /dev/dsk/0s5 is that the open system call is done
on on the name "/dev/dsk/dos" instead of "/dev/dsk/0s5" when drive E
is first accessed.  Since these are linked to the same device, then
there should be no difference.  Merge does not do anything special
depending on the actual file name.  I have not heard a report of a problem
like you are describing.  Perhaps we could debug this via e-mail.

>As another item, I find some programs can't use ems.  Are there any known
>problems with this under MERGE?

Older Merge supported EMS 3.2. Merge 2.2 supports EMS 4.0.
Some DOS programs are sensitive to the version of EMS.

>Cheers,
>		Dave Ihnat
>		ignatz@homebru.chi.il.us (preferred return address)
>		ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us

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David Peet     Internet: peet@locus.com   UUCP:...!uunet!lcc!peet  
Locus Computing Corporation, 9800 La Cienega Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90301
Fax:(310)670-2980  Voice:(310)670-6500
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Disclaimer: Normally my statements are my own, and not do not
necessarily reflect those of Locus, but maybe this time they do,
but then again, maybe not.
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