Disk Managers

Feb 24 2012

Code to Disk Tool for the Apple ][ Now Available

Egan Ford, the curator of the Apple ][ Game Server and the Apple ][ Disk Server, has come up with a new application which writes games directly to a disk allowing them to be played, without DOS or ProDOS on the Apple ][.  According to his posting on Comp.sys.apple2 usenet group, "I just posted c2d (code to disk) to http://asciiexpress.net/files.  I included the source with OS/X and Windows binaries.  c2d will take a single binary (with or without 4-byte DOS header) or a text monitor listing and create a bootable diskette (dsk) image."

This tool makes the Apple ][ game server files even more useful allowing users to create a fast booting disk or disk image for emulators.

usage:  c2d [-vh?] c2d [-m]   input[.mon],[load_address] output.dsk

-h|? this help
-m jump to monitor after booting
-v print version number and exit

input without a .mon extension is assumed to be a binary with a 4 byte header. If the header is missing then you must append ,load_address to the binary input filename, e.g. filename,800.  The load address will be read as hex. input with a .mon extension expected input format:

0800: A2 FF 9A 20 8C 02 20 4F
0808: 03 4C 00 FF 20 9E 02 A9

Examples:

c2d hello hello.dsk
c2d hello.mon hello.dsk
c2d hello,800 hello.dsk
c2d -m test,300 test.dsk

A sample session using the c2d tool:

$ c2d air_cars,6000 air.dsk

Reading air_cars, type BINARY, start: $6000, length: 8192

Number of sectors:    32
Sector page range:    $60 – $7F
After boot, jump to:  $6000

Writing air_cars to T:01/S:00 – T:02/S:15 on air.dsk

$ c2d moon.patrol,801 moon.dsk

Reading moon.patrol, type BINARY, start: $0801, length: 18460

Number of sectors:    73
Sector page range:    $08 – $50
After boot, jump to:  $0801

Writing moon.patrol to T:01/S:00 – T:05/S:08 on moon.dsk

To download the c2d tool and the source code, go to the AsciiExpress website at:

http://asciiexpress.net/files/

or download it directly at:

http://asciiexpress.net/files/c2d-0.1.zip

By admin • Apple ][, Assembly Language, Disk Images, Disk Managers, Disk ][, Software • 0 • Tags: , , , ,

Feb 12 2012

AppleCommander 1.3.5.10 Released

AppleCommander, the Java based disk image tool by Dr. John B. Matthews has been updated.  Version 1.3.5.10 was released this morning on Dr. Matthews’ webpage.  AppleCommander allows you to open Apple ][ disk images and view their content down to the individual files.  You can also use AppleCommander to import and export files from the disk images, as well as to convert disk images from one type to another.

The current release features changes made by David Schmidt.  They include the ability to place Pascal Text files onto DOS ordered (.do) disks.  AppleCommander comes in several flavors including a Mac based Universal Application and is a free download:

  • AppleCommander-version-ac.jar: a command-line Apple II disk image tool.
  • AppleCommander-version-mac.zip: a universal Mac application.
  • AppleCommander-version-src.zip: the AppleCommander source code.
  • AppleCommander-version-web.zip: the AppleCommander web pages and javadoc.
  • AppleCommander-version.jar: The AppleCommander jar (requires SWT).

You can download the programs as well as the AppleCommander command line guide from:

http://sites.google.com/site/drjohnbmatthews/applecommander

 

By admin • Apple ][, Apps, Disk Images, Disk Imaging, Disk Managers, Emulation, Software, Vintage • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Feb 3 2012

An A.P.P.L.E. Review — Shink-Fit X For Mac OS X

  • Program: Shink-Fit X
  • Category: Archiver Utility
  • Released: Feb 02, 2012
  • Version: 1.0
  • Size: 1.4 MB
  • Language: English
  • Seller: Kelvin Sherlock
  • Price: Free

For many of us, the SHK or Shrinkit files have been a thorn in our sides, especially if we were on a Mac.  Now, our time in purgatory has been relieved by a nifty utility from the computer of Kelvin Sherlock, the author of GShisen.  Shrink-Fit X is a Mac OS X Application which allows users to open .SHK and .BXY files.

The program is based largely on the NufxLib program by Andy McFadden, much of which was also included in his CiderPress application.  While Windows users have long enjoyed the ability to manipulate disk images with CiderPress, until now, nothing existed for the Mac.  Shrink-Fit X opens the NuFX Shrinkit files with no fuss and displays their contents.

Text files on the disks are extracted in crystal clear readble format with no residuals.  BASIC programs on the other hand were not so lucky.

Obviously, with this program being a version 1.0, there is still a long ways to go until the program does everything that CiderPress does under Windows or that AppleCommander does under Java.  However, this is a great first step and certainly makes a big impression on this old programmer.  As you can see from the last graphic, we opened the GShisen disk and can clearly see all of the files on the disk.

Shrink-Fit X requires Mac OS 10.6 or later.  The program is a free download and can be downloaded from the Apple Mac App Store at:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shrink-fit-x/id498905285?mt=12

While we would have liked to see a few other items included, along the likes of an AppleCommander or CiderPress, we were extremely pleased with the results this first implementation of the Shrink-Fit X program gives.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Apples

By admin • Apple Computing, Apple IIgs, Apps, Disk Images, Disk Managers, Macintosh, OS X, Software, Vintage • 0 • Tags: , , , , ,

Feb 21 2011

AppleCommander Release Candidates Online

AppleCommander

Dr. John Matthews posted a note this evening about AppleCommander release candidates being available online.  AppleCommander allows users to manipulate disk images on the Mac in a Java based environment.  For more information, you can check out the AppleCommander website at:

http://sites.google.com/site/drjohnbmatthews/applecommander

By billm • Apple ][, Disk Managers, Emulation • 0