

                         PCx - x86 Emulation Module



                        MS-DOS Drivers and Utilities
                                Release 1.0

                      Release Notes and Change History



                  Copyright(C) 1996 by Microcode Solutions
                     Written By Jim Drew & Joe Fenton
                             All Rights Reserved

Changes


   * None - first release


Files


     
      PCXANSI.SYS 
     

     This PCXANSI.SYS is a replacement driver for the one that is shipped
     with each copy of MS-DOS.  ANSI escape sequences are used when you
     wish to affect the output to the screen device, giving programs
     control of the screen's cursor, colors, and display modes (an escape
     sequence is one or more characters preceded by the escape character
     ASCII 1Bh.)  When a program writes and escape sequence to the screen,
     the screen device translated the sequence into its corresponding
     action, such as positioning the cursor or changing colors.

     Refer to the documentation that came with your copy of MS-DOS or type
     HELP the C:> prompt for a complete list of valid ANSI escape
     sequences.

          
          Note:  Using the PCXANSI.SYS replacement instead of the one
                 supplied with MS-DOS is strongly encouraged, as this
                 will speed up your text display by as much as 1600%
          

     Usage
     
          Enter the following line somewhere (preferable toward the top) in
          your system's CONFIG.SYS line:

          DEVICE=C:\PCX\PCXANSI.SYS

          Reboot your system (The PCx emulation, not the Amiga!)

     Syntax
     

          DEVICE=[drive:][path]PCXANSI.SYS [/C] [/I] [/Q]


          
          Note:  Parameters and/or Switches between left and right
                 brackets '[..]' are optional, and not required as they
                 have default values.  If you wish to enable a particular
                 Parameter and/or Switch, DO NOT include the brackets as
                 part of the command line.
          

     Parameters
     

          [drive:][path]
               Disk drive and directory of where PCXANSI.SYS is located

     Switches
     

          /C   Enables Key-Clicking (Must have Sound Support enabled)

          /I   Disables Int29h redirection (Enabled by default)

          /Q   Quiet.  Disables device driver installation messages

     Examples
     

          DEVICE=PCXANSI.SYS

          DEVICE=C:\PCX\PCXANSI.SYS /C

          DEVICE=C:\PCX\PCXANSI.SYS /C /Q

     
        PCXCD.SYS  
     

     MSCDEX.EXE is a device driver that ships with each copy of MS-DOS.
     The purpose of this driver is to extend the operation system, so that
     CD-ROM drives can be assigned a drive letter name.  MSCDEX.EXE is
     intended to work in conjunction with a CD-ROM drive manufacturers'
     device driver that is custom for that particular device.

     PCXCD.SYS is the device driver needed by MSCDEX.EXE in order to allow
     MS-DOS access to CD-ROM drives physically connected to the Amiga.

     An additional Amiga Device Driver called 'mscd.device' has been
     created to allow Amiga's to interpret the contents of ISO 9660 and
     Macintosh HFS formatted CD-ROMs.  The power of this driver allows you
     to specify the Amiga Device that will handle the low-level system
     calls.  This drivers was automatically installed during the
     installation phase into your Amiga's DEVS: directory.


     Usage
     
          Enter the following line somewhere (preferable toward the top) in
          your system's CONFIG.SYS line:

          DEVICE=C:\PCX\PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /U:~ [/I:~~~~~~~~~~] [/Q]


          Then somewhere in your system's AUTOEXEC.BAT file add:

          MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD

          Reboot your system (The PCx emulation, not the Amiga!)

          
          Note: Refer to the documentation that came with your copy of
                MS-DOS or type HELP the C:> prompt for a complete list of
                valid parameters/switches for MSCDEX.EXE
          

     Syntax
     

          DEVICE=[drive:][path]PCXCD.SYS /U:unit [/I:iodriver] [/N:number]
                                            [F:flags] [D:name] [/Q]

          
          Note:  Parameters and/or Switches between left and right
                 brackets '[..]' are optional, and not required as they
                 have default values.  If you wish to enable a particular
                 Parameter and/or Switch, DO NOT include the brackets as
                 part of the command line.
          

     Parameters
     

          [drive:][path]
               Disk drive and directory of where PCXCD.SYS is located

          /U:unit
               The UNIT number that corresponds to the device driver
               specified above with /I:

     Switches
     
          /I:iodriver
               This switch is required!

               Name of the Amiga device driver to handle attached CD-ROMs
               example:  scsi.device, gvpscsi.device.  Note - the device
               MUST be the controlling device driver for the CD-ROM drive
               and not just a higher level driver (like asimcdfs.device
               is).

          /D:name
               This switch is required!
               
               Name of the installed device driver (should conform to
               MSCDEX naming conventions.)  We recommend that you use
               the name 'PCXCD'.

          /N:number
               Number of drives attached with this driver.  Default is
               one.

          /F:flags
               Amiga device driver flags (if required).  Consult the
               documentation that came with the device driver for its
               intended values.
          /Q
               Quiet.  Disables device driver installation messages

     Examples
     

            CONFIG.SYS  DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /I:scsi.device /U:2
          AUTOEXEC.BAT  MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD

            CONFIG.SYS  DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:MSCD001 /I:gvpscsi.device /U:4
          AUTOEXEC.BAT  MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001

            CONFIG.SYS  DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /I:cd.device /U:1 /Q
          AUTOEXEC.BAT  MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD

     
      PCXASPI.SYS 
     

     On a real PC, when SCSI support is desired, a SCSI card is added to
     the system, and device drivers for that card are installed.  Having
     many different brands of SCSI cards to choose from, made a SCSI device
     manufacturer's task very complicated.  The reason for the complication
     is that manufacturers of SCSI devices then, were burdened with
     supporting different drivers, one for each SCSI card out in the
     market.  Out of this hassle, a specification was created by a leading
     SCSI card manufacturer that allowed SCSI device manufacturers to
     supply only one driver ... that complied with the ONE specification!

     This standard called ASPI (Advanced SCSI Programming Interface) is an
     Adaptec developed interface specification for sending commands to SCSI
     host adapters.  The interface provides an abstraction layer that
     insulates the programmer from considerations of the particular host
     adapter used.

     With ASPI, software drivers can be broken into two components: the
     LOW-LEVEL ASPI MANAGER, which is OS and hardware dependent, and the
     ASPI MODULE.  The ASPI Manager accepts ASPI commands and performs the
     steps necessary to send the SCSI command to the target.  For example,
     although different SCSI cards have different hardware, the ASPI
     interface to these boards is the same.

     THE ASPI Module is tailored to the command set of a particular
     peripheral, such as a CD-ROM.  Although an ASPI based CD-ROM driver
     would have to handle the differences between different CD-ROM drive
     features, it would not have to handle the host adapter differences.

     PCXASPI.SYS then, is the low-level ASPI MANAGER device driver that
     provides the ASPI services needed by ASPI compliant SCSI devices and
     their prospective ASPI MODULES.

     Usage
     
          Enter the following line somewhere (preferable toward the top) in
          your system's CONFIG.SYS line:

          DEVICE=C:\PCX\PCXASPI.SYS /I:~~~~~~~~[~~~]

          Install any ASPI Modules' device driver AFTER this line in the
          CONFIG.SYS file that you wish to use.

          Reboot your system (The PCx emulation, not the Amiga!)

     Syntax
     

          DEVICE=[drive:][path]PCXASPI.SYS /I:iodriver[idnums] [...] [/Q]

          
          Note:  Parameters and/or Switches between left and right
                 brackets '[..]' are optional, and not required as they
                 have default values.  If you wish to enable a particular
                 Parameter and/or Switch, DO NOT include the brackets as
                 part of the command line.
          

     Parameters
     

          [drive:][path]
               Disk drive and directory of where PCXASPI.SYS is located

          /I:iodriver[idnums]
               Name of the Amiga device driver to handle the SCSI direct
               commands (eg. scsi.device).  The idnums is optionally used
               to only allow certain SCSI ID numbers from even being seen
               on the SCSI bus by the ASPI manager.  This is useful if you
               would like to ensure that a SCSI hard disk doesn't
               accidently get formatted!  The idnums should be specified
               as digits between the left and right brackets.

               *** THE BRACKETS IN THIS CASE ARE REQUIRED ***

          [...]
               Indicates that a Second Host adapter can be emulated, and
               simply replicate the /I: entry as above, except with a
               different Amiga device driver (since it must be a separate
               SCSI bus)

     Switches
     

          /Q   Quiet.  Disables device driver installation messages

     Examples
     

            DEVICE=PCXASPI.SYS /I:scsi.device

            DEVICE=PCXASPI.SYS /I:scsi.device[0246]

            DEVICE=PCXASPI.SYS /I:scsi.device[0246] /I:gvpscsi.device[1357]


     
      PCXSCAN.EXE 
     

     PCXSCAN.EXE is an MS-DOS application that makes some ASPI calls to
     scan the SCSI bus(es) on your system.  Running this program is a way
     to check that the devices connected to your SCSI bus are properly
     recognized.

     When this program first starts running, the screen will display the
     first host adapter configured on your system.  Then, the program will
     automatically begin scanning the first SCSI bus, and report on the
     various devices connected to it.

     If you have a second adapter configured, you can press the 'N' key to
     scan the next SCSI bus.

     The display is fairly self explanatory, however, the one indicator
     that is not so easily understood, is the ID and LUN numbers.  Based on
     the SCSI ID MASK that was specified during PCXASPI.SYS's
     initialization, those SCSI ID's that ARE recognized, show up in blue.
     Those that are NOT RECOGNIZED show up in gray.

     Pressing the 'ESC' key will exit the program.

     Usage
     

          Type  the following at the C:> prompt:

          C:>PCXSCAN <Enter>

     
      PCXBENCH.EXE 
     

     PCXBENCH.EXE is an MS-DOS application that tests system performance
     by running a series of tests, and timing them on two different timers.
     The timers used are the Real Time Clock, and the BIOS Ticks (18.2/Sec)
     that exist on all PC's.

     When this program first starts running, the screen will display a menu
     that presents the tests you wish to run.  Valid tests are displayed in
     black, while the disabled (not implemented) tests are done in light
     grey.

     Upon the conclusion of the particular test, a bar-graph is displayed,
     along with some numbers reflecting the results of the timings.  For
     more information on the numbers meaning, press the F1 key when the
     graph is being displayed.

     To exit the program, press the ESC key from the main menu.

     Usage
     

          Type  the following at the C:> prompt:

          C:>PCXBENCH <Enter>


Release History


     File          Version     Comments
         
     PCXANSI.SYS   1.0          Initial Release


     PCXCD.SYS     1.0          Initial Release


     PCXASPI.SYS   1.0          Initial Release


     PCXSCAN.EXE   1.0          Initial Release.


     PCXBENCH.EXE  1.0          Initial Release. Only has the text video
                                 tests implemented.



