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Merged FAT section into Transferring Files

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@@ -1848,6 +1848,12 @@ At this point, it is best to restart your system to make sure that
the operating system is aware of the partition table updates. Start
CP/M 2.2 or Z-System from ROM again.
#### FAT Partition
At this point you may want to consider creating a FAT partition
Please see the section [FAT Filesystem Preparation] for detils on how
to setup the FAT partition.
### Slice Initialization
You need to initialize each slice for CP/M to use it.
@@ -2998,195 +3004,6 @@ floppy disk and hard disk images.
| TUNE | Play .PT2, .PT3, .MYM audio files. |
| INTTEST | Test interrupt vector hooking. |
# FAT Filesystem
The FAT filesystem format that originated with MS-DOS is almost
ubiquitous across modern computers. Virtually all operating systems
now support reading and writing files to a FAT filesystem. For this
reason, RomWBW now has the ability to read and write files on FAT
filesystems.
This is accomplished by running a RomWBW custom application called `FAT`.
This application understands both FAT filesystems as well as CP/M filesystems.
* Files can be copied between a FAT filesystem and a CP/M filesystem,
but you cannot execute files directly from a FAT filesystem.
* FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 formats are supported.
* Long filenames are not supported. Files with long filenames will
show up with their names truncated into the older 8.3 convention.
* A FAT filesystem can be located on floppy or hard disk media. For
hard disk media, a valid FAT Filesystem partition must exist.
* Note that CP/M (and compatible) OSes do not support all of the
filename characters that a modern computer does. The following
characters are **not permitted** in a CP/M filename:
`< > . , ; : = ? * [ ] _ % | ( ) / \`
The FAT application does not auto-rename files when it encounters
invalid filenames. It will just issue an error and quit.
Additionally, the error message is not very clear about the problem.
## FAT Filesystem Preparation
In general, you can create media formatted with a FAT filesystem on
your RomWBW computer or on your modern computer. We will only be
discussing the RomWBW-based approach here.
In the case of a floppy disk, you can use the `FAT` application to
format the floppy disk. The floppy disk must already be physically
formatted using RomWBW FDU or equivalent. If your floppy disk is on
RomWBW disk unit 2, you could use `FAT FORMAT 2:`. This will overwrite
the floppy with a FAT filesystem and all previous contents will be lost.
Once formatted this way, the floppy disk can be used in a floppy drive
attached to a modern computer or it can be used on RomWBW using the
other `FAT` tool commands.
In the case of hard disk media, it is necessary to have a FAT
partition. If you prepared your RomWBW hard disk media using the
disk image process, then this partition will already be defined and
you do not need to recreate it. This default FAT partition is located
at approximately 512MB from the start of your disk and it is 384MB in
size. So, your hard disk media must be 1GB or greater to use this
default FAT partition.
You can confirm the existence of the FAT partition with `FDISK80` by
using the 'P' command to show the current partition table. Here is an
example of a partition table listing from `FDISK80` that includes the
FAT partition (labelled "FAT16"):
```
Capacity of disk 4: ( 4G) 7813120 Geom 77381010
Nr ---Type- A -- Start End LBA start LBA count Size
1 RomWBW 2e 8:0:1 1023:15:16 2048 1048576 512M
2 FAT16 06 1023:0:1 1023:15:16 1050624 786432 384M
3 00 *** empty ***
4 00 *** empty ***
```
If your hard disk media does not have a FAT partition already defined,
you will need to define one using FDISK80 by using the 'N' command.
Ensure that the location and size of the FAT partition does not
overlap any of the CP/M slice area and that it fits within the size
of your media.
Once the partition is defined, you will still need to format it. Just
as with a floppy disk, you use the `FAT` tool to do this. If your
hard disk media is on RomWBW disk unit 4, you would use `FAT FORMAT 4:`.
This will look something like this:
```
E>fat format 4:
About to format FAT Filesystem on Disk Unit #4.
All existing FAT partition data will be destroyed!!!
Continue (y/n)?
Formatting... Done
```
Your FAT filesystem is now ready to use.
If your RomWBW system has multiple disk drives/slots, you can also just
create a disk with your modern computer that is a dedicated FAT
filesystem disk. You can use your modern computer to format the disk
(floppy, CF Card, SD Card, etc.), then insert the disk in your RomWBW
computer and access it using `FAT` based on its RomWBW unit number.
**WARNING**: Microsoft Windows will sometimes suggest reformatting
partitions that it does not recognize. If you are prompted to format a
partition of your SD/CF/USB Media when inserting the card into a Windows
computer, you probably want to select Cancel.
## FAT Application Usage
Complete instructions for the `FAT` application are found in $doc_apps$.
Here, we will just provide a couple of simple examples. Note that the
FAT application is not on the ROM disk because it is too large to
include there.
The most important thing to understand about the `FAT` application is
how it refers to FAT filesystems vs. CP/M filesystems. It infers this
based on the file specification provided. If you use a specification
like `C:SAMPLE.TXT`, it will use the C: drive of your CP/M operating
system. If you use a specification like `4:SAMPLE.TXT`, it will use
the FAT filesystem on the disk in RomWBW disk unit 4. Basically, if
you start your file or directory specification with a number followed
by a colon, it means FAT filesystem. Anything else will mean CP/M
filesystem.
Here are a few examples. This first example shows how to get a FAT
directory listing from RomWBW disk unit 4:
```
E>fat dir 4:
Directory of 4:
E>
```
As you can see, there are currently no files there. Now let's copy
a file from CP/M to the FAT directory:
```
E>fat copy sample.txt 4:
Copying...
SAMPLE.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE.TXT ... [OK]
1 File(s) Copied
```
If we list the FAT directory again, you will see the file:
```
E>fat dir 4:
Directory of 4:
01/30/2023 17:50:14 29952 ---A SAMPLE.TXT
```
Now let's copy the file from the FAT filesystem back to CP/M. This
time we will get a warning about overwriting the file. For this
example, we don't want to do that, so we abort and reissue the
command specifying a new filename to use:
```
E>fat copy 4:sample.txt e:
Copying...
4:/SAMPLE.TXT ==> E:SAMPLE.TXT Overwrite? (Y/N) [Skipped]
0 File(s) Copied
E>fat copy 4:sample.txt e:sample2.txt
Copying...
4:/SAMPLE.TXT ==> E:SAMPLE2.TXT ... [OK]
1 File(s) Copied
```
Finally, let's try using wildcards:
```
E>fat copy sample*.* 4:
Copying...
SAMPLE.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE.TXT Overwrite? (Y/N) ... [OK]
SAMPLE2.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE2.TXT ... [OK]
2 File(s) Copied
```
# Real Time Clock
RomWBW supports a variety of real time clock hardware. If your
@@ -3963,35 +3780,222 @@ detail in the Source/Images directory of the distribution.
## FAT Filesystem Transfers
The ability to interact with FAT filesystems was covered in
[FAT Filesystem]. This capability means that you can generally use your
modern computer to make an SD Card, CF Card, or USB Drive with a
standard FAT32 filesystem on it, then place that media in your RomWBW
computer and access the files.
The FAT filesystem format that originated with MS-DOS is almost
ubiquitous across modern computers. Virtually all operating systems
now support reading and writing files to a FAT filesystem. For this
reason, RomWBW now has the ability to read and write files on FAT
filesystems.
When formatting the media on your modern computer, be sure to pick the
FAT filesystem. NTFS and other filesystems will not work. As previously
mentioned, the `FAT` application does not understand long filenames,
only the traditional 8.3 filenames. If you have files on your modern
computer with long filenames, it is usually easiest to rename them on
the modern computer.
This capability means that you can generally use your modern computer
to make an SD Card, CF Card, or USB Drive with a standard FAT filesystem
on it, then place that media in your RomWBW computer and access the files.
* Files can be copied between a FAT filesystem and a CP/M filesystem,
but you cannot execute files directly from a FAT filesystem.
* FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 formats are supported.
* Long filenames are not supported. Files with long filenames will
show up with their names truncated into the older 8.3 convention.
If you have files on your modern computer with long filenames,
it is usually easiest to rename them on the modern computer.
* A FAT filesystem can be located on floppy or hard disk media. For
hard disk media, a valid FAT Filesystem partition must exist.
Some additional **Notes** and **WARNINGS** Things to be careful about
* CP/M (and compatible) OSes do not support all of the
filename characters that a modern computer does. The following
characters are **not permitted** in a CP/M filename:
`< > . , ; : = ? * [ ] _ % | ( ) / \`
The FAT application does not auto-rename files when it encounters
invalid filenames. It will just issue an error and quit.
Additionally, the error message is not very clear about the problem.
* Microsoft Windows will sometimes suggest **reformatting**
partitions that it does not recognize (e.g. RomWBW).
If you are using media that contains both a FAT partition
and a RomWBW partition you may prompted to format a partition of your
SD/CF/USB Media when inserting the card into a Windows computer,
you probably want to select Cancel.
### FAT Filesystem Preparation
In general, you can create media formatted with a FAT filesystem on
your RomWBW computer or on your modern computer. We will only be
discussing the RomWBW-based approach here.
#### Floppy Disk
In the case of a floppy disk, you can use the `FAT` application to
format the floppy disk. The floppy disk must already be physically
formatted using RomWBW FDU or equivalent. If your floppy disk is on
RomWBW disk unit 2, you could use `FAT FORMAT 2:`. This will overwrite
the floppy with a FAT filesystem and all previous contents will be lost.
Once formatted this way, the floppy disk can be used in a floppy drive
attached to a modern computer or it can be used on RomWBW using the
other `FAT` tool commands.
#### Hard Disk
In the case of hard disk media, it is necessary to have a FAT
partition. If you prepared your RomWBW hard disk media using the
disk image process, then this partition will already be defined and
you do not need to recreate it. This default FAT partition is located
at approximately 512MB from the start of your disk and it is 384MB in
size. So, your hard disk media must be 1GB or greater to use this
default FAT partition.
You can confirm the existence of the FAT partition with `FDISK80` by
using the 'P' command to show the current partition table. Here is an
example of a partition table listing from `FDISK80` that includes the
FAT partition (labelled "FAT16"):
```
Capacity of disk 4: ( 4G) 7813120 Geom 77381010
Nr ---Type- A -- Start End LBA start LBA count Size
1 RomWBW 2e 8:0:1 1023:15:16 2048 1048576 512M
2 FAT16 06 1023:0:1 1023:15:16 1050624 786432 384M
3 00 *** empty ***
4 00 *** empty ***
```
If your hard disk media does not have a FAT partition already defined,
you will need to define one using FDISK80 by using the 'N' command.
Ensure that the location and size of the FAT partition does not
overlap any of the CP/M slice area and that it fits within the size
of your media.
Once the partition is defined, you will still need to format it. Just
as with a floppy disk, you use the `FAT` tool to do this. If your
hard disk media is on RomWBW disk unit 4, you would use `FAT FORMAT 4:`.
This will look something like this:
```
E>fat format 4:
About to format FAT Filesystem on Disk Unit #4.
All existing FAT partition data will be destroyed!!!
Continue (y/n)?
Formatting... Done
```
Your FAT filesystem is now ready to use.
If your RomWBW system has multiple disk drives/slots, you can also just
create a disk with your modern computer that is a dedicated FAT
filesystem disk. You can use your modern computer to format the disk
(floppy, CF Card, SD Card, etc.), then insert the disk in your RomWBW
computer and access it using `FAT` based on its RomWBW unit number.
### FAT Application Usage
Transferring files is accomplished by running a RomWBW custom application
called `FAT`. This application understands both FAT filesystems as well
as CP/M filesystems.
To copy files from your modern computer to your RomWBW computer, start
by putting the disk media with the FAT filesystem in your modern
computer. The modern computer should recognize it. Then copy the files
you want to get to your RomWBW computer onto this media. Once done,
remove the media from your modern computer and insert it in the RomWBW
computer. Finally, use the `FAT` tool to copy the files onto a CP/M
drive.
computer.
This process works just fine in reverse if you want to copy files from a
Finally, use the `FAT` tool to copy the files onto a CP/M
drive. This process works just fine in reverse if you want to copy files from a
CP/M filesystem to your modern computer.
**WARNING**: If you are using media that contains both a FAT partition
and a RomWBW partition, your modern computer may be confused by the
RomWBW partition. In some cases, it will prompt you to format the
RomWBW partition because it doesn't know what it is. You will be
prompted before it does this -- just be careful not to allow it.
Complete instructions for the `FAT` application are found in $doc_apps$.
Here, we will just provide a couple of simple examples. Note that the
FAT application is not on the ROM disk because it is too large to
include there.
The most important thing to understand about the `FAT` application is
how it refers to FAT filesystems vs. CP/M filesystems. It infers this
based on the file specification provided. If you use a specification
like `C:SAMPLE.TXT`, it will use the C: drive of your CP/M operating
system. If you use a specification like `4:SAMPLE.TXT`, it will use
the FAT filesystem on the disk in RomWBW disk unit 4. Basically, if
you start your file or directory specification with a number followed
by a colon, it means FAT filesystem. Anything else will mean CP/M
filesystem.
Here are a few examples. This first example shows how to get a FAT
directory listing from RomWBW disk unit 4:
```
E>fat dir 4:
Directory of 4:
E>
```
As you can see, there are currently no files there. Now let's copy
a file from CP/M to the FAT directory:
```
E>fat copy sample.txt 4:
Copying...
SAMPLE.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE.TXT ... [OK]
1 File(s) Copied
```
If we list the FAT directory again, you will see the file:
```
E>fat dir 4:
Directory of 4:
01/30/2023 17:50:14 29952 ---A SAMPLE.TXT
```
Now let's copy the file from the FAT filesystem back to CP/M. This
time we will get a warning about overwriting the file. For this
example, we don't want to do that, so we abort and reissue the
command specifying a new filename to use:
```
E>fat copy 4:sample.txt e:
Copying...
4:/SAMPLE.TXT ==> E:SAMPLE.TXT Overwrite? (Y/N) [Skipped]
0 File(s) Copied
E>fat copy 4:sample.txt e:sample2.txt
Copying...
4:/SAMPLE.TXT ==> E:SAMPLE2.TXT ... [OK]
1 File(s) Copied
```
Finally, let's try using wildcards:
```
E>fat copy sample*.* 4:
Copying...
SAMPLE.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE.TXT Overwrite? (Y/N) ... [OK]
SAMPLE2.TXT ==> 4:/SAMPLE2.TXT ... [OK]
2 File(s) Copied
```
# Customizing RomWBW