DD-CAS.DOC (C)1989, Randy Hess Documents DD-CAS.200 (DL-10) ---------------------------- DD-CAS.200 links two powerful T200 programs: POWR-DISK, and CASUTL.200. POWR-DISK is the DOS of choice for T200/TDD1 users, and CASUTL.200 is James Yi's remarkable cassette file management tool. Disk users often forget that disks are vulnerable to a variety of errors that don't faze tape; hence the extensive use of tape backup systems in complex data systems. But OUR cassettes aren't as perfect as we'd like: they're relatively "slow" and can be "finicky" if the tape or drive is misadjusted. More than once, though, I've discovered the hard way that speed is relative: 25 minutes to reload a set of cassette files can be very "fast" compared to re-writing or re-downloading all the info on a trashed disk! DD-CAS was written to improve both the "speed" and "predictability" of TAPE/DISK storage. - By automating the disk-tape-disk transfer process it permits "hands-off" backup and recovery of an entire disk-full of information. (Start it and take a nap.) - BA and CO files are automatically copied twice to the tape. This is not necessary for DO files because CASUTL's Verify routine lets you recover text info that might otherwise be unreadable. DD-CAS is "friendly" but depends on both POWR-DISK and a properly relocated version of CASUTL to work: PLEASE read all of this file BEFORE running any code. It will save you time, temper and FILES! SET-UP ------ Download DD-CAS.200 and CASUTL.200 (July, 1989 version) from this Data Library. Checksum both files. DD-CAS.200 contains TWO programs: DD2CAS.BA and CAS2DD.BA. Separate them and convert to BASIC programs. Load and run a copy of CASUTL.BA. When prompted for "End address?", answer with 58959. This will create a version of CASUTL.CO that will run with POWR-DISK installed. RE-NAME this file as CAS-LO.CO and save it somewhere. CAS-LO.CO must be on the menu when you run DD2CAS or CAS2DD. (I suggest you also create a copy of CASUTL.CO using 61104 as the "End" address for future use by itself: it's THE tape transfer utility!) If you don't already have POWR-DISK in your machine, you should read PDSK01.200 in DL-9 for the required files. POWR-DISK is the DOS of choice for many T200 users for a variety of reasons. Even people who have a DOS in ROM will probably find POWR-DISK useful. DD-CAS is a good example of what it can do! You need POWR-DISK, loaded at its "standard" location of 58960, for DD2CAS and CAS2DD operations. Summary To use DD2CAS.BA or CAS2DD.BA you must have POWR-DISK loaded, and CAS-LO.CO on the menu. You'll also need at least enough free RAM to hold the largest BA and CO file you want to transfer: the programs will handle any size DO files. Be sure your cassette recorder is properly connected and adjusted. OPERATION --------- The two operating programs are named to indicate their functions: DD2CAS moves files from disk to tape, and CAS2DD moves files from tape to disk. Each is independent of the other and will run unattended once started; so the somewhat time consuming 1500 baud tape transfer speed need not keep you from your favorite book. When running DD2CAS or CAS2DD, keep the following in mind: -- UPPER or lower case letters work at all the prompts. -- will take you to the program's next operation. -- returns you to the previous operaton or menu; it is your "normal" route back to the computer's main menu. -- you should NOT use CTRL/C or SHIFT/BREAK to bail out of either running program except as discussed in the instructions for CAS2DD below: instead use where indicated. ----- DD2CAS.BA ----- When the program begins, it checks the drive (see "Drive" below) then displays a menu of files for the loaded disk. You can move the menu's widebar cursor just as you do on your computer's main menu. As you move over each file, its size displays near the bottom of the screen and, if you select a BA or CO file that is larger than available RAM, you'll be warned that the file "is TOO BIG!" These files will not transfer with your available RAM: you must either clear more space and re-run DD2CAS or individually move them to tape from RAM using only CASUTL. Press the bracketed letter to invoke one of the following functions: ag - Selects the file for backup by printing a reference symbol next to it or removes an existing tag. You cannot tag a file with no ext. or one that is "TOO BIG". lobal - Tags ALL files except any that are "TOO BIG" or extensionless. ntag - Clears all tags. og - Clears the screen and prints the currently loaded disk's files. ec - Takes you to the recording process. - Exits DD2CAS. After you've tagged your files for backup, go to the recording process with . DD2CAS will calculate and display the approximate minutes of tape you'll need for the chosen files. You can then press to continue with the program, or to return to the program's first menu. If you continue, you'll be prompted for the names of 1) the disk you're backing up, and 2) the cassette you'll be recording. Then you'll be reminded to press "RECORD" on your cassette deck before pressing to begin the backup. Before transferring any files, DD2CAS lays down a 15-sec. period of silence on the cassette to clear any "leader" at the beginning of a tape. It also prints the disk name, tape name, time and date to a RAM file: CSAV.DO. As each file is backed up, several things happen: - the file's tag changes from a ">" symbol to a "*" on the menu and then remains high-lighted: the screen displays the running routine. - if a BA or CO file then the bottom of your screen displays a line of time/date information that will become part of the file's "header" when it's written to tape. (This info is a unique feature of CASUTL: read that program's instructions for more on the topic.) - if the file is a BA or CO program, it is saved to tape TWICE under the same name. - each DO file is copied to tape on a line by line basis and is preceded by a 6 byte dummy file titled "[TXT!].CO" that alerts CAS2DD to DO files and, as the file is saved, the number of written bytes displays next to the filename. - the name and file-size for each successful transfer is added to CSAV.DO for your future use. The names of any "problem" files that DD2CAS could not transfer are added to a RAM file called NOCSAV.DO. Problem files are usually 1) files that are "TOO BIG" for current RAM. OR 2) disk files that carry the same name as a file currently in RAM. You should be able to transfer some of these files later using only CASUTL after you manually move the file from disk to RAM. When DD2CAS is finished saving all the tagged files it will sound a tone and pause with all the saved files highlighted. It then gives you the option of recording a special marker file, called [SET!].CO, to the tape. This file, if you decide to create it, is used later by CAS2DD to "know" when a full "set" of files has been transferred back to the TDD. When would you answer 'N' to the "Mark... [SET!].CO" prompt? If you notice that one or more of your disk files has NOT been highlighted on the screen, either because of one of the problems noted above or you forgot to tag it: you may decide to og the disk and try again. It's a good idea to remove the "write-protect" tab on the back of each cassette as you finish with it. *Drive note* In order not to interrupt program operations if the disk or drive are not ready, DD2CAS will continue to test them at 2 second intervals and print "CHECK DRIVE!". DON'T stop the program: just fix the problem and DD2CAS will restart. ---- CAS2DD.BA ---- This program can be used either to restore a disk that you've backed up with DD2CAS or just to transfer a series of cassette files to the TDD for easier access and review. In other words, the tape you run need NOT have been created using DD2CAS. You can pop in a fresh disk and a "known" or "unknown" cassette and take a break. When you come back you'll have the usable files moved to disk. When you run CAS2DD, it checks your disk drive to make sure it's working, and that there is at least one file slot available on the current disk. If the disk is full, that condition will be displayed. Other errors such as drive off, write protect etc. will simply display "CHECK DISK!". In this case, you should press any key to return to the computer's main menu, fix the disk problem, and run CAS2DD again. Assuming your disk and drive are OK, the first menu of CAS2DD asks you for a transfer method: ll files - will automatically transfer tape files to the TDD until 1) the disk is full 2) [SET!].CO is found 3) you manually interrupt the program

rompt - will simply pause at the beginning of each tape file to ask whether you want it transferred or not: otherwise operation is the same as ll *NOTE* Once the file transfers begin you CAN break out of the program with SHIFT/BREAK but ONLY when you see the message "S/B OK thenRUN18". At ANY other time, pressing SHIFT/BREAK or to abort the program can cause unpredictable problems and potential COLD STARTS! If the tape was not created using DD2CAS then DO files which exceed RAM will only be partially saved to disk. You'll have to recover the file later by returning to the BEGINNING of the cassette DO file and moving the file individually. See " Moving BIG..." below. Files which cannot be transfered to disk because they are Dupes, too big, corrupted or a non-standard name will be listed in NODSAV.DO. These files are probably safe on the tape but must be recovered manually with CASUTL. Remember too that the duplicate copies of BA and CO programs that DD2CAS saves to tape will also show as "Dupes" in NODSAV. As files are transferred to disk the display at the bottom of the screen will indicate what part of the process is running. While CAS2DD is searching for the next file the "S/B OK thenRUN18" message displays. If you are recovering tape files from a cassette that does not have "[SET!.CO]" recorded as a marker, YOU have to press SHIFT/BREAK when the tape is done: then type RUN18 and press . DO files that have been saved to tape using DD2CAS will be preceded by "[TXT!].CO" which will be "found" before each DO file transfer: it only alerts CAS2DD to a following DO file and is not saved to disk. After the save to disk, the file name is printed on your screen. If you have marked the tape with [SET!].CO or the disk is full then CAS2DD will stop and audibly remind you it's finished: press any key for the main menu. ERRORS ------ Here is a list of ERRORS you may see during DD-CAS operations and some quick hints on how to fix the problems. MOST errors relating to drive status, DOS, filesize, filename, & filetype are trapped and don't interrupt program operations. - "NO POWR-DISK" displays if MAXRAM does not equal 58960 which is the correct value with POWR-DISK installed at its "normal" location. Load POWR-DISK and re-run program. - "NO CAS-LO.CO" means CAS-LO.CO isn't in the bank. >>> -"CAS-LO address err:" means you MUST recheck CAS-LO.CO's END address *** BEFORE *** continuing with ANY disk or tape operation. If END is HIGHER than 58959 then you have corrupted your DOS and MUST re-load POWR-DISK!! If END is LOWER than 58959 then you have a corrupted or improperly created CAS-LO.CO. RE-RUN CASUTL.BA and be certain that you enter 58959 at "address" prompt: TOP must be 57426 and END must be 58959! In addition to the above, note that CAS2DD actually changes its own name while the program is running to avoid problems that would occur if your file transfers happen to include the file CAS2DD.BA. If you ever wind up back at the computer's main menu with a file named ?AS2DD.BA, it means program operation was somehow interrupted prematurely. Don't panic! You can restore the file name by running ?AS2DD.BA and using the key to exit the program normally. Usage Hints ----------- DD2CAS.BA and CAS2DD.BA are a "bridge" between the disk-drive and your cassette recorder. Once you have used them to backup your disks on tape, you may find one of the following catalog methods helpful: - The file CSAV.DO, created when you run DD2CAS, is a usable directory of tape files. I would suggest printing it, then saving it and/or KILLing it after each disk because it uses memory that may be needed for file transfers. - CASCAT.200 by Wilson Van Alst is a VERY useful cassette utility. It reads a tape and makes a catalog-style list of all the files, along with the approximate "run time" where each file was found. - LIBRIS.200 is my full featured disk and cassette library catalog program that will keep track of up to 2500 annotated disk and tape file records. === Moving BIG text files from tape to disk === This program will transfer to disk any tape DO files which are too big to fit in your computer: 5 CLS:MAXFILES=2:LINEINPUT"Cass file? ";CF$ 10 LINEINPUT"Disk file? ";DF$ 15 OPEN"CAS:"+CF$FORINPUTAS1:OPEN"0:"+DF$FOROUTPUTAS2 20 A$="":IFEOF(1)THENCLOSE:MAXFILES=1:MENU 30 LINEINPUT#1,A$ 35 IFLEN(A$)=255THENPRINT#2,A$;ELSEPRINT#2,A$ 40 PRINT".";:GOTO20 -------------- Credits ---------------- James Yi's CASUTL.200 is the heart of DD-CAS and his help, patience, flexibility, and advice in helping DD-CAS and CASUTL "hold hands" made DD-CAS a reality. Wilson Van Alst generously granted me permission to use sections of code from FYLDOS.200, a "DOS-less" disk cataloging program in DL10. Van contributed LONG hours of Beta testing and document editing combined with much needed and appreciated advice and code for many of the sub-routines that make DD-CAS so compact, quick and easy to use. --------------------------------------- Problems or unique operational difficulties should be sent to ME via EMail or the M100SIG. Randy Hess September, 1989 Omaha, Ne 73267,552