Zenith Z-100 User Manual

Regulatory and Registration Information

WARNING - This equipment has been certified to comply within the limits established for a Class B computing device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of the rules established by the FCC. Only peripherals (computer input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) certified to comply within these Class B limits may be attached to this computer. Operation with non-certified peripherals is likely to result in interference to radio and TV reception.

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy for its operation; and if not properly installed and used, that is, in strict accordance with the instructions in this manual, may cause interference to radio a nd tele vision re cepti on. It has b een type-t este d and found to be within the RF emission limits for a Class B computing device which is intended to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential environment. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in any particular environment or location. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning this equipment on and off, t ry to correct the interference by one of more of the following measures.

• Move the computing device away from the equipment receiving the interference.

• Relocate the computing device with respect to the receiver.

• Reorient (turn) the antenna of the receiving equipment.

• Plug the computing device into a different AC outlet so that the computing device and

receiver are on separate circuits from the fuse or circuit breaker box.

• Disconnect an d remove any input/output cables that are not being used since unterminated input/output cables are a potential source of high RF emission levels.

• Unplug and remove any serial input/output circuit board cards that are not being used since unterminated cards can be a potential source of interference.

• Make sure that the computing devices are plugged into grounded outlet receptacles. Avoid using AC two- to three-wire cheater plugs. Lifting or removing the power cord ground may increase RF emission levels. Removing the ground circuit also may cause a lethal shock hazard to the user.

If you need additional help, consult your dealer or ask for assistance from the manufacturer. Yo u may also find the following booklet helpful: How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, stock number 004-000-00345-4.

Registration To receive the full benefits of your warranty, complete and mail the accompanying registration card. Also, record the series and serial numbers of your equipment below. Refer to these numbers in any correspondence you have with Zenith Data Systems regarding this equipment.

Model

Serial Number ___________________________ Series Place purchased ____________________________________________________________

Any attempt to alter or modify the design, or to use this device in a manner other than described in this manual, will void the warranty and release the manufacturer from any responsibility for it s operation.

Date purchased _________________________

Z-100 Series Computers

User's Manual

Contractor is Zenith Data Systems Corporation of St. Joseph, Michigan 49085. The

LIMITED RIGHTS LEGEND

entire document is subject to Limited Rights data provisions.

RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND This computer software and documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RI GH T S . Use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions is set forth in the Governing Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause – subdivision (b)(3)(B) of DAR 7-104.9(a) (May 1981) or subdivision (b)(3)(i i ) of DOD FA R Supp 252.227-7013 (May 1981). Contractor/Manufacturer is Zenith Data Systems Corporation, or Hilltop Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085.

Zenith Data Systems Corporation St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Welcome

Congratulations on you r purchase of the Zenith Data Systems Z-100 Series Computer. The Z-100 microcomput er represents a truly state-of the-art design, capable of satisfying both your business and personal needs.

With the Z-1 00 Computer - the All-in-One model or the Low-Profile model - the future is here today. The Z-100 Computer can act as a simple tool or function as the heart of a powerful and expandable business automation package. Combined with Zenith Data Systems software, your new Z -1 00 Co mp ut er can easily provide the practical and affordable solutions to your business problems. It can easily satisfy a variety of business applicat ions, such at data processing, telecommunications, networking, and financial analysis to aid you in making those all-important business decisions.

This User's Manual has been prepared for you, the new computer owner and user. Welcome to computing at its best and accept Zenith's assurance and commitment that the quality goes in before the name goes on.

iii

Preface

This User's Manual is divided into four sections for easy use:

• Operat ion - Th e beginning section t ells you how to set up your new Z -100 Computer. Then you will turn it on and be introduced to the keyboard and controls. You will learn about disks and how to use a special demonstration disk. And finally, there is a section on what to do if you have a problem with your computer.

• Disk Operating System - This chapter will help you understand and use your computer. In addition, it will show you how to make extra copies (called "backups") of the information stored by your computer.

• Computer Programming and BASIC - Here you will be briefly introduced to the world of programming and learn how to give instructions to your computer in BASIC, one of the most popular computer "languages."

• Appendices - This last section contains reference material that you may find informative. It also contains step-by-step disassembly and assembly information that replaces the equivalent instructions in the installation manual included with any accessories you may purchase for your computer.

You will want to become familiar with your computer's many features. This manual will help you get the most out of your new Zenith Data Systems Z-1 00 Computer.

Contents

Welcome iii Preface

Chapter 1 Operation

Your Computer System 1-1 Setting Up 1-3 Back Panel 1-3 Power Connection 1-7 Keyboard 1-8 Alphabetic Keys 1 Nonalphabetic Keys 1-9 Other Keys 1-10 Disk Drives 1-13 Disks 1-15 Disk Care 1-18 Power Up 1-19 Z-100 Demonstration Disk 1-20 Introduction 1-20 Master Menu 1-22 Artwork 1-22 Interactive Business Graphics 1-23 In Case of Difficulty 1-26 Service Information 1-29 When You Call for Help 1-29

Chapter 2 Disk Operating System

Introduction 2-1 The Monitor Program 2-2 Autoboot 2-2 The Commands 2-3 B – Boot 2-4 C – Color Bar 2-5 H – Help 2-6 S – System 2-7 V – Version 2-7 Loading MS-DOS 2-8 The MS-DOS Prompt 2-11 Making A Backup 2-11 Backups 2-11 Backing Up Your Disks the First Ti me 2-12 Labeling Disks 2-14

vii

MS-DOS Co n tr o l K e y Fu nc t i o n s ...........................................................................2-16

MS-DO S Commands ............................................................................................2-19

Changin g MS-DOS Prom p t s ............................................................................2-19

Error M e ss a g es ................................................................................................2-20

Files, Programs, and File Names .....................................................................2-21

Internal Commands ..........................................................................................2-22

COPY ........................................................................................................2-23

DATE ........................................................................................................ 2-24

DIR ............................................................................................................ 2-24

Wild C ards .................................................................................................2-26

Multipl e Di r e c to r ies ....................................................................................2-27

ERASE (DEL) ............................................................................................ 2-32

RENAM E (R E N ) ........................................................................................2-33

TIME ......................................................................................................... 2-33

TYPE ........................................................................................................2-34

VER ........................................................................................................... 2-34

VERIFY ..................................................................................................... 2-35

VOL ........................................................................................................... 2-35

Other In t e rn al C o m ma n d s .........................................................................2-36

Externa l C o mm a n ds .........................................................................................2-36

C H K D S K ....................................................................................................2-38

FORMAT ...................................................................................................2-39

SYS ........................................................................................................... 2-43

DISKC O PY ................................................................................................2-43

DISKCOMP ............................................................................................... 2-45

Other External M S-DOS Com mands .........................................................2-47

Chapte r 3 Com puter Programming and BASIC

Programs .................................................................................................................. 3-1

Progr a m Ty p e s ......................................................................................................... 3-1

Programmers ............................................................................................................ 3-2

Programming Languages .........................................................................................3-2

Syntax ................................................................................................................ 3-2

Languag e Ty pes ................................................................................................3-3

Underst a nd i n g BA SIC ............................................................................................... 3-6

Getting Started with BAS I C ................................................................................ 3-6

Loading BASIC ...................................................................................................3-7

BASIC Modes of Operation ..........................................................................3-8

Statements .................................................................................................. 3-9

Direc t M o de O p e ra t i o n .................................................................................3-9

Variables ................................................................................................... 3-11

Varia ble Ty p e s ..........................................................................................3-11

viii

Programming in BASIC ........................................................................................... 3-12

Using th e In d i re c t M o d e of B ASIC ........................................................................... 3-12

Saving and Loadi ng Programs ................................................................................3-14

Designi ng a Prog ram ..............................................................................................3-15

Program Purpose ....................................................................................................3-16

Breakdown ..............................................................................................................3-17

Detaile d Steps .........................................................................................................3-17

Conversion .............................................................................................................3-19

Summary ................................................................................................................3-26

Appendi x A A Glossary of Commonly-Used Computer Terms

Appendix B Symbols and Codes

Appendix C Monitor Program Command Summary

The Monito r Progr a m Commands ............................................................................. C-2

Boot ......................................................................................................................... C-2

Colo r B a r .................................................................................................................. C-4

Dump .......................................................................................................................C-4

Examine ................................................................................................................... C-5

Fill .............................................................................................................................C-5

Help ......................................................................................................................... C-6

Input ......................................................................................................................... C-6

Output ......................................................................................................................C-6

System .................................................................................................................... C-7

Test ..........................................................................................................................C-7

Version ......................................................................................................................C-8

Execute .....................................................................................................................C-8

Appendix D MS-DOS Command Summary

Command Summary .................................................................................................D-1

Commands............................................................................................................... D-2

MS-DOS With Single Drive C omputers .....................................................................D-8

Appendix E BASIC Command Summary

BASIC Commands, Functions , and Statements ........................................................E-5

Appen di x F System Configuration

The CO NFIGUR Util i t y ..............................................................................................F-2

Displ a y 1 ............................................................................................................F-3

Disp l a y 2 ............................................................................................................F-4

Display 3 ............................................................................................................F-5

Displ a y 4 ............................................................................................................F-6

Display 5 ............................................................................................................F-7

Displ a y 6 ............................................................................................................F-8

Display 7 ............................................................................................................F-9

Display 8 ..........................................................................................................F-10

Display 9 ..........................................................................................................F-11

Display 10 ........................................................................................................F-12

Display 11 ........................................................................................................F-13

Display 12 ........................................................................................................F-14

Display 13 ........................................................................................................F-14

Display 14 ........................................................................................................F-15

Display 15 ........................................................................................................F-15

Display 16 ........................................................................................................F-16

Display 17 ........................................................................................................F-16

Display 18 ........................................................................................................F-16

Displ a y 19 ........................................................................................................F-17

Displ a y 20 ........................................................................................................F-17

Printer Configu r ation ...............................................................................................F-17

Appen di x G Changing Hardware Configuration

Disassembly .............................................................................................................G-1

All-in- O n e M o d e l ............................................................................................... G-2

Low-Profile Model ............................................................................................. G-6

Final D i sassembly ........................................................................................... G-10

Reassembly ........................................................................................................... G-12

All-in-One Reassembly ................................................................................... G-14

Low-Profile Model ........................................................................................... G-18

Swit ch S1 0 1............................................................................................................G-22

Floppy D isk Cont roller DS1 Switch S ettings ........................................................... G-24

Video Board Jumpers ............................................................................................ G-26

Appendix H System Specifications

Appendix I CP/M-85 Disk Operating System

Appendix J Using Z-89 Software on the Z-100

Tran s f e r Pro c e d u r e One ............................................................................................ J-2

Equipme nt Needed ................................................................................................... J-2

Transfer Procedure .........................................................................................................

5.25-in ch Source Disks .............................................................................................J-4

8-inch S o u rc e D i s ks .................................................................................................. J-5

Trans fer Pr o c e dure Two ............................................................................................ J-6

Equipme nt Needed ...................................................................................................J-6

Transfer Procedure ...................................................................................................J-6

Transfer Procedure Three .........................................................................................J-8

Equipme nt Needed ................................................................................................... J-8

Transfer Procedure ...................................................................................................J-9

Convert ible Soft ware ............................................................................................... J-11

Magic W a nd Functi o n Key Gui d e ............................................................................ J-14

Appendix K Interactive Business Graphics

Introduction ...............................................................................................................K-1

The Inte r a ct i v e B u s i n e s s G r ap h i c s Pr o g r a m .............................................................K-1

The Data Management Routines ..............................................................................K-3

Create Ne w D a t a Fi l e ................................................................................................K-3

Modify Ex i sting Dat a Fi l e ...........................................................................................K-6

Print Existing Da t a File .............................................................................................K-8

Graphic Design R outine ............................................................................................K-8

Displaying the Graph ..............................................................................................K-12

J-3

Appendix L Backups

Using t h e DISKCOPY Utility to Make Backups .......................................................... L-1

Using the FO R MAT and COPY P ro c e d u re t o Ma ke B ac k u p s ................................... L-4

FORMAT ...................................................................................................................L-4

COPY ........................................................................................................................L-7

Creatin g Bootabl e MS-DOS Di sks for Y o ur Applic ations ...........................................L-8

Index

Figures

1-1: Typical System Components ................................................................1-1

1-2 All-in-One Model ...................................................................................1-4

1-3: Low-Profile Model .................................................................................1-4

1-4: Peripheral Connectors ..........................................................................1-5

1-5 . Power Connectors and Controls ...........................................................1-6

1-6: Power Connections ............................................................................... 1-7

1-7: Alphabetic Keys ....................................................................................1-8

1-8: Nonalphabetic Keys ..............................................................................1-9

1-9: Other Keys...........................................................................................1-10

1-10: Special Purpose Keys ......................................................................... 1-11

1-11: Control Keys and Numeric Keypad .....................................................1-12

1-12: All-in-One Model .................................................................................1-13

1-13: Low-Profile Model ...............................................................................1-13

1-14: Disk Drive Controls .............................................................................1-14

1-15: Disks ....................................................................................................1-15

1-16: Disk Surface ........................................................................................ 1-17

1-17: Business Graphics Menu ....................................................................1-24

3-1: A Comparison of Language Types .......................................................3-5

G-1: All-in-One Cabinet Removal ................................................................G-2

G-2: Unfastening the Drive/Video Subassembly ..........................................G-3

G-3: Disconnecting the Floppy Disk Drives ................................................. G-4

G-4: Disconnecting the Winchester Disk System ........................................G-5

G-5: Removing the Top Case ......................................................................G-6

G-6: Unfastening the Drive Subassembly ....................................................G-7

G-7: Disconnecting the Floppy Disk Drives ................................................. G-8

C-3: Disconnecting the Winchester Disk Drive ............................................G-9

G-9: Removing the Keyboard/Base Cover .................................................G-10

G-10: Removing the Video Board ................................................................ G-11

G-11: Installing the Video Board .................................................................. G-12

G-12: Installing the Keyboard/Base Cover ...................................................G-13

G-13: Connecting the Signal/Power and Floppy Disk Drive Cables.............G-14

G-14: Connecting the Winchester Disk Drive ..............................................G-15

G-15: Fastening the Drive/Video Subassembly to the Base ........................G-16

G-16: Replacing the Cabinet Top ................................................................G-17

G-17: Connecting the Floppy Disk Drive Cables .........................................G-18

G-18: Connecting the Winchester Disk Drive ..............................................G-19

G-19: Fastening the Drive Subassembly and Base ..................................... G-20

G-20: Switch S101 (Main Board) ................................................................. G-21

G-21: RGB Connector (J9)............................................................................G-22

G-22: Switch DS1 (Floppy Disk Card) .........................................................G.24

G-23: RGB Connector J9..............................................................................G-26

G-24: Video Board Jumpers..........................................................................G-27

xii

Tables

2-1: Monitor Command Summary ................................................................. 2-3

2-2: Internal MS-DOS Comm and s ..............................................................2-22

2-3: External MS-DO S Co mm an d s ( Ut i lit i es ) .............................................. 2-37

2-4: FORMAT Switches ..............................................................................2-40

3-1: Sources of Some High-Level Language Names ..................................... 3-4

3-2: Sample Out p u t from B AS I C .................................................................3-24

B-1: T h e A S C I I C h a r a c t e r S e t .......................................................................B-2

B-2: Hexadecimal Key Codes .......................................................................B-5

B-3: ASCII Key pad Codes - Key Expansi on Mode E nabled ..........................B-9

B-4: ASCII Function Key Codes - Key Expansion Mode Enabled................. B -1 0

B-5: Escape Codes - Cursor Functions .......................................................B-10

B-6: Escape Codes - Erasing and Editi ng ...................................................B-11

B-7: Escape Codes - Mo des of Op erat ion ...................................................B-11

B-8: Escape Codes - Configuration .............................................................B-12

B-9: Escape Codes - Addi tional Functi ons ..................................................B-14

C-1: Monitor Prog ram Co m m and S um ma ry ..................................................C-1

C-2: Monitor Prog ram Sy nt a x No ta ti o n ......................................................... C-2

D-1: Control Key Functions ...........................................................................D-1

D-2: File Name Conv en ti on s .........................................................................D-1

E-1: Control Characters .................................................................................E-1

E-2: Variable Specifications ..........................................................................E-2

E-3: Arithmetic Operators ..............................................................................E-3

E-4: Relational Operators ..............................................................................E-3

E-5: Logical Operators ..................................................................................E-3

E-6: Truth Table for Logical Operators ..........................................................E-4

E-7: BASIC Color Attributes ...........................................................................E-4

E-8: String Operators ....................................................................................E-4

E-9: Arrays ....................................................................................................E-4

E-10: Directions Recognized by the DRAW Statement ....................................E-9

E-11: USING Field Specifiers ........................................................................E-17

E-12: Image T r a n sf e r A c t i o n V e r b s ................................................................E-18

F-1: Devices Directly Supported by CONFIGUR ............................................F-1

G-1: S1 0 1 S w i t c h Settin gs .......................................................................... G-23

G-2: DS1 Fl o pp y D is k C on t r ol l er S wi t ch Se tt i ngs ....................................... G-25

G-3: RGB Connector (J9) Pinouts ............................................................... G-26

G-4: Video Board Jumpers .........................................................................G-27

xiii

1-1: MS-DOS and C P/M-85 Control Functions ...................................................1-1

1-2: MS-DOS and CP/M-85 Comman d s .............................................................1-2

J-1: Convertible CP/M-80 Software .................................................................. J-11

J-2: Magic Wand Z-89 to Z - 1 0 0 Fu n c t i on K e y Gu i de ........................................J-14

K-1: Graph Display Types ..................................................................................K-9

K-2: Chart Specifications.......................................................................................K-10

xiv

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-1

Your Computer System

Your new Z-100 Computer is a tool, much like a typewriter or calculator. You can use it in a wide number of applications, such as general accounting, inventory management, payroll, communications, maintaining mailing lists, filing and retrieval of information, and word processing. It is also an excellent educational aide that can make the learning process fun and challenging for the student while providing management support for the teacher and school.

Your computer is an extremely reliable machine. When it is pro perly installed and receives proper care, it will last for years with little need for service.

A typical computer system will consist of at least two units: the computer and a peripheral (any piece of equipment that is attached to and controlled by the computer). It may be a video display, printer, telephone communications device (called a modem), or additiona l di sk drive s.

The heart of the system is the computer with its keyboard and st or age devices. The All-in-One model, shown in Figure 1-1, also contains a built-in video display.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-2

The video display (sometimes called the CRT, monitor, or screen) is like a television set. This is where you will see and work with the programs you use in your computer system. The Low-Profile model does not have a builtin video display; it uses a separate video monitor that is connected to the computer with a cable.

You will use the keyboard to enter information into your computer. It has all the keys contained on a standard typewriter keyboard plus additional special function keys. There is also a calculator-style "keypad" to the right of the main keyboard that will allow you to make faster numeric entries. (information can also be placed in the computer from disks, signals over telephones lines, and other special devices.)

The floppy disk capability that is built into your computer allows you to store large amounts of information on 5.25-inch plastic disks (see Disks later in this chapter). Each disk that your c omputer uses is capable of holding up to 180 pages of typewritten text. You can get even more storage by adding 8inch floppy disk drives or a high-capacity Winchester disk drive.

You can greatly enhance the operation of your computer by adding a printer to your system. This makes it possible to produce copies of letters, accounting records, or any other material.

Finally, you may add computer-to-computer communications via telephone. This capability makes it possible for your computer to exchange information with other computers over the telephone, which makes available electronic mail service, news, shopping services, electronic banking and bill paying, stock market services, and so on.

You should select an area to set up your computer that:

• accommodates the computer and all of its peripherals.

• has a level work surface that is near a power source and a telephone.

• has an environmental range of 60 to 90 degrees Fahren heit (15.6 to

32.2 degrees Celsius) and 10 to 80 percent relative humidity.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-3

Setting Up

The following paragraphs will describe setting up each connector and control on your computer. While examining the back panel and the connectors, be sure that the computer is turned off and unplugged. Rotat e the computer so you are looking at its back.

Back Panel

Refer to Figure 1-2 for the All-in-O ne model and to Figure 1-3 for the LowProfile model.

• Fan – Used to provide ventilation to the power supply. Never block the fan openings or restrict air movement wh ile you hav e your co mputer turned on.

The following control and connector(s) are located next to the fa n openings on the upper back panel.

• J15 -- The brightness control. Used to adjust the bri ghtness of the video display. Adjust the brightness to obtain the most suitable display. (All-inOne model only.)

• J15 – The composite video output connector. Provides the proper video signal for a separate black and white (monochrome) video monitor. The Low-Profile model requires a separate video monitor; you cannot use a standard television receiver for this pur pose as it is not designed to displa y all of the information needed for word processing or accounting applications.

• J9 – The RGB video output connector. Provides the nec essary signals f or a high-resolution color monitor that uses RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color signals. Appendix G contains the necessary info rmation that you need to configure this connector.

In addition to the above control and connectors, on the upper back panel there are a number of unfilled positions (J5-J8, J1-J13, J15, and J17). Any necessary controls and/or connectors needed for future expansion will be provided with the optional accessories.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-4

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-5

Refer to Figure 1-4. These connectors are on the lower-left portions of the back of your computer.

• J1 – A serial connector. Provides the necessary EIA-standard RS-232 DCE signals for connection to a serial printer.

• J2 – A serial connector. Provides the necessar y EIA-standard RS-232 DTE signals for use with a telephone mo dem.

• J3 – The parallel printer connector. Provides the necessary Centronicstype parallel signals for connection to a pa ralle l pr inter .

• J4 - The light pen connector. Provides the necessary signals for connection to a light pen for on-screen graphics work.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-6

Refer to Figure 1-5. These features are located on the lower-right portion of the back panel.

• Power cord connector – Used with the AC p ower cord to supply power to the computer.

• Line select switch – Used to select between 115 volts AC and 230 volt s

AC. Normally, you will never use this switch unless (during initial setup) you are in an area serviced by a 230 volts AC power source. (Changing the setting on this switch should be done only be qualified i ndivi duals . When changing line voltage, i.e., 115 to 230, the line cord plug must be changed to the proper type and voltage rating. Check local electrical codes.)

• On/off power switch – The main power switch to your computer.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-7

Power Connection

Locate the power connector, power switch, and openings for the fan in

Figure 1-6 and on your computer. Ne ver block the fan openings or rest rict air flow.

Make sure the power switch is in the OFF position.

Plug the power cord into your computer.

Be sure that the line select switch shows the proper voltage le vel for your

power source. You may read the voltage setting through the plastic window located between the power cord rec eptacle and the power switch. If it is set incorrectly for your needs, contact your local Zenith Data Systems dealer for instructions.

Rotate the computer so the keyboard fa ces yo u.

Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC power outlet (common

wall or floor plug).

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-8

Keyboard

The keyboard of your computer consists of 95 keys, which are discussed on the following pages in groups.

Whenever you hold any key except t he SHIFT or CTRL keys down for more than a moment, it will automatically start repeating. The rate of repeated entry is equal to pressing the same key about eleven times a second.

Alphabetic Keys

Refer to Figure 1-7 for the following discussion.

• The computer has the standard 26 letters of the alphabet arranged as they are on a typewriter. These keys allow you to enter either loweror uppercase letters. You can hold either SHIFT key down or push the CAPS LOCK key to obtain uppercase letters.

• The CAPS LOCK key is a push-to-latch, push-to-release key, and affects only the alphabetic keys.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-9

Nonalphabetic Keys

• The nonalphabetic keys are those with double markings, as shown in Figure 1-8. These include the numbers 0 through 9, punctuation marks, and special characters. The lower marking is generated when both of the SHIFT keys are released, while the upper marking is generated w hen either SHIFT key is held down. The CAPS LOCK key will not shift these keys.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-10

Other Keys

The following discussions describe the normal function for each key. However, software (a program) may direct any key to cause some other action to take place. Any key that performs a special function is usually described in the documentation that accompanies the program.

Refer to Figure 1-9 for the following discussion.

• SPACE BAR - Enters a blank character (space), just as it does on a typewriter.

• BACK SPACE - Moves the cursor' one space to the left, just as it does on a typewriter.

• TAB - Moves the cursor to the next tab column (set to every eighth column).

RETURN - Returns the cursor to the left side of the display (software will usually add a line feed as well). It also tells the computer that data or instructions have been entered and may be processed or executed.

A "cursor" is an indicator on the display that lets you know where the next

key entry will appear. The indicator may be an underline or a solid block.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-11

See Figure 1-10 for the next discussion. The following keys are used for special purposes. Instructions that tell you

how to use them will appear with the prog rams.

• Special function keys (FO through F12) - Used for special purposes by some programs.

• HO M E, L I N E F E E D, a n d a r r ow k e y s - Used to control cursor movement and screen presentation by some programs.

• D CHR/I CHR and DEL LINE/INS LINE keys - Used in applications that require special insertion and deletion operations.

• DELETE - Often duplicates the BACK SPACE key, but is sometimes used for other purposes.

• BREAK - Used to interrupt program execution (not always active).

• RESET - Used w i t h the C T R L k e y ( d e s cribed later) to reset the computer

to a power-on state. This key also has a power-on indicator in it which will be illuminated whenever the computer is turned on.

• HELP - Used by some programs to provide operator aid in the form of special "prompts," or "helps."

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-12

The following keys are used in combination with other keys to perform a function. See Figure 1-11.

• ESC - The escape key. Performs special functions when you press Et and another key in sequence. For instance, if you want to enter ESC E, you would press the ESC key, release it, and then press the E key. If you want to enter ESC <, you would press the ESC key, release it, press and hold the SHIFT key, and then press the < key.

• CTRL - The control key. You can use it to perform special functio ns by pressing it and an alphabetic key at the same time. For instance, if you want to enter the CTRL-C combination, you would press and hold the CTRL key and then press the C key, or you m ay press both keys a t the same time. If you want to enter the CTRL-S combination, you would press and hold the CTRL key and then press the S key, or you may press both keys at the same time.

The following keys are used to speed up the entry of data.

• Calculator-style keypad - This group of keys, located to the right of the main keyboard, is organized somewhat like a calculator and include: the numbers 0 through 9; a period for entry of decimal points; a dash for entry of negative numbers; and an ENTER key fo r signaling the computer that the entry has been completed.

• FAST REPEAT - This key, when held down at the same time as another key, triples the rate of normal repeat entry and takes effect immediately. It is especially convenient when you want to enter the same key a large number of times. The CTRL and SHIFT keys are not affected by the use of this key.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-13

Disk Drives

The disk drives are storage devices designed to transfer information into and out of your computer's me mory. Refer to Figure 1-12 for the All-in -One model and Figure 1-13 for the Low-Profile model.

NOTE: The disk drives shown in this manual are typical of the type sup-

plied in Zenith Data Systems computers. The drives in your unit may appear to be different; however, they function the same.

• Disk drive positions - One or two disk drives are included with your computer. For dual-drive systems on the All-in-One model, the top disk drive is referred to as drive A and the bottom as drive B. One the Low-Profile model, the left disk drive is drive A and the right one is drive B.

If your computer has only one disk drive, it will be known as drive A, regardless of its position in either the Low-Profile or All-in-One mod el.

The drive names, A and B, are arbitrary with the disk operating system (DOS). The systems supplied with your computer use these names. Other operating systems may refer to the drives by other means. Consult the documentation supplied with those systems for the names of the drives (drive A will be the lowest-named drive; drive B, the next).

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-14

Refer to Figure 1-14 for the following discussion.

• Disk load slot - Inse rt 5.2 5-inch disks in this slot with the label up and toward you. If the disk is not oriented as shown in the figure, the computer will not operate properly and you may damage the disk and/or disk drive. If the disk meets resistance while you are inserting it into the drive, check to make sure that there is not a disk already in the drive. It should slide smoothly into the drive.

• Disk drive latch - Your floppy disk drive may have a latch, door, or handle as illustrated in the insets. It is used to secure the floppy disk in the proper position in the disk drive. Closing the latch engages the drive hub into the disk and brings the read/write heads into contact with the disk surface. If the latch closes with difficulty, remove the disk, inspect the edge of the center hole for damag e, check for proper floppy disk orientation (see the previous discussion), and try again.

NOTE: Several different disk drive types are equipped with a

locking mechanism that prevents the latch from being closed if there is no disk inserted in the drive. This pr e v e n t s p o s s i b l e d a m a g e t o t h e r e a d /w r i t e heads. Be sure there is a disk inserted in the disk drive before attempting to close the latch.

• LED Disk Access Indicator - This light, which may be in one of several different locations on the front of your disk drive, indicates that the computer is attempting to read from or write to the disk. The read/write operation will be successful only if the disk is inserted pr operly and the disk drive latch is closed.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-15

NOTE: Winchester disk drives do not have removable disks. Instead, all

you will see is the LED disk access indicator.

Disks

The floppy disk, or disk, sometimes called a diskette, is a precision storage medium which requires care and attention to insure a long, trouble-free life.

A disk is made up of three parts (see Figure 1-15): the plastic disk, the disk liner, and the disk jacket. A disk envelope is pr ovided for additional protection when the disk is not being used in your computer.

The disk is made out of a very thin plastic material (usually Mylar®) that is flexible and coated with a magnetic oxide similar to that used in magnetic recording tape. It can be bent or marked easily, leaving distortions in its surface that will destroy its usefulness.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-16

The disk is well protected against accidental damage. The protective liner, a sleeve of cloth-like material that cleans the disk and traps dust particles, is placed around the disk. The outer jacket (with a label on the upper left-hand corner) adds additional protection and makes the disk somewhat protective envelope covers the exposed areas of the disk when it is not in use or is being stored.

The outer jacket has three openings and a notch along one side. The disk drive grips the disk through the large center opening. The small circu-lar hole to one side is used for timing purposes. The read/write head accesses the disk through the long slot.

The notch, on 5.25-inch disks, is called a "write-protect notch" and is located near the label. Whenever you have important information on a disk that you do not want to "write over," place an opaque tab over this notch. The computer will sense its presence and will not record on this disk. I .B disks (used in 8-inch disk drives), the notch is located near the read/write head access slot and is a "write-enable" notch that must covered in order to record information on the disk.

rigid. The

1 8-inch

The read/write head functions like the recording and playback head in a tape recorder. The disk comes in contact with the read/write head, which will either record (write to) or read magnetic impulses from the disk. If the d isk i s i n any way deformed, this process is interrupted and valuable data can be lost. For instance, the oily residue left from a fingerprint will cause the disk to loose good contact with the head, interrupting the read/ write process.

You can compare a disk to a file cabinet that is f all of files. When the disk is new, it is like new, empty file drawers. You have to organize ("format") the disk so it can hold your "files" of information. This information may take the form of data, programs, or the disk operating system (DOS). The "Disk Operating System" chapter of this manual will tell you

how to organize, or format, your

disks.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-17

Refer to Figure 1-16. A disk's surface is divided into tracks and sectors. A track is that portion of the disk that passes under the read/write head. It is divided into sectors by either timing holes placed in the disk itself, or by software. When timing holes determine the sectoring of a track, the disk is said to be a "hard-sector" disk. When software determines the sectoring, the disk is a "softsector" disk.

The amount of information each sector can hold determines the disk's d ensity. (Disks are sold as single- or double-density types.) If a disk is capable of "double-density" usage, it can hold twice as much information as the standard "sing le-den sity" d isk. A d ouble- densit y disk c an be fo rmatted for single-density use, but a single-density disk should not be formatted for double-density use.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-18

The number of tracks that a disk can hold is measured in tracks per inch (tpi). Two common specifications are 48 tpi and 96 tpi, although you may find these disks labeled 40 tracks and 80 tracks, respectively. Occasionally, you will find disks labeled for 35-track systems. Your computer uses 48 tpi, 40 track disks in its built-in drives. If 48 tpi disks are not available, you may safely use 96 tpi disks.

The other difference between disks is the number of sides. All disks are coated on both sides; however, double-sided disks have been tested for use with double-sided disk drives. Single-sided disks are for disk drives that only write on one side of the disk. Your computer has double-sided disk d rives to provide full business applications usage.

When you purchase disks for use in the built-in drives of your computer, ask for 5.25-inch disks that are soft-sectored, double-sided, and doubledensity. You may use either 40 track, 48 tpi, or 80 track, 96 tpi disks.

For 8-inch disks, ask for double-sided, double-density 77 track, 48 tpi disks. You may also use single-sided, single-density disks, but will have to make special provisions when you format them.

Disk Care

Because the disks can be damaged when you handle them, keep the following precautions in mind.

When you prepare a label for a disk, write on it before yo u place it on the disk; or, if you must write on a label that is already on the disk, use a felttip pen. Ball point pens and pencils may exert enough force on the disk to crease the Mylar (thus destroying its usefulness) and should not be used to mark labels once they are on a disk.

Handle the disk much the same as you would an audio record. It should be stored in its protective envelope in an upright position and away from heat or direct sunlight when not in use. Don't bend it or use paper clips on it and do not touch the exposed areas of the disk.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-19

Magnets and magnetized objects can erase some of the information stored on your disks. Also, X-rays may destroy the data on a disk. By keeping your disks away from these sources of trouble, you can help reduce problems with your computer.

Power Up

You are now ready to see your new computer in operation. The following directions will help you power up your computer and prepare it for the demonstration disk.

Turn on the power switch. You should see the power-on indicator (in the

RESET key) light and disk drive A's disk access indicator glow.

NOTE: The disk access indicator may not glow if certain features are not

enabled on your computer. However, if you do not see the poweron indicator light up, turn the power off and refer to In Case of Difficulty in this chapter.

After about 30 seconds, the following message should appear on the

screen.

Device Error

A small hand (called the "hand prompt"), pointing to a cursor, will appear in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. If the prompt does not appear, press both the hand, and cursor still do not appear after another 30 seconds, refer to In Ca se of Difficulty at the end of this chapter.

CTRL and RESET keys at the same time. If the message, small

NOTE: If the disk access light does not glow when you turn on your com-

puter, the hand prompt should appear very shortly. If it does not, press both the hand prompt does not immediately appear, refer to the In Case of Difficulty section.

Also, you may override the 30-second wait by pressing the while the disk access light is glowing. The screen will then display the following message and the hand prompt.

Boot Abort

CTRL and RESET keys at the same time. If the

DELETE key

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-20

Z-100 Demonstration Disk

Introduction

The Z-100 Demonstration Disk will show you some of the power and versatility of your new computer. The demonstration disk contains three sections; the first two are automatic and will provide you with a good demonstration of the graphic capabilities of your computer. The third section is a useful program that will allow you to specify, design, and display your information using the graphic capabilities of either Z-BASIC or (3WBASIC. The instructions for using the interactive portion of the disk are found in Appendix K.

If this is the first time that you are going to use your demonstration disk, be sure you have read the section on disks, found earlier in this chapter, before you start. You may also want to make a back up copy of it for safe keeping. You will need MS-DOS to do this. Refer to Appendix L of this manual for information about making backups.

To; use your demonstration disk, follow these procedures:

If you have not done so, turn on your computer. Otherwise, if the hand

prompt is showing, press the B key. The word Boot will appear on t he screen. Press the F1 key. The letters f1 will appear on the screen in reverse video (dark letters on a light background). Press the RETURN key.

NOTE: Look at your demonstration disk. If a tab is covering the writeprotech

notch, remove it.

Refer to the Disk Drive section earlier in this chapter and insert your

demonstration disk into drive A (left drive on the Low-Profile model, top drive on the All-in-One model).

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-21

After a moment, a message similar to the following will appear on the screen . These are the sign-on messages of Z-DOS, an operating system used on your computer.

Z-DOS/MS-DOS BIOS release 1.00, version 1.00

Z-DOS/MS-DOS Command release 1.00, version 1.19

The demonstration program will then automatically start and you will see the following:

A: zbasic choice

There will be a brief pause while the next part of the program loads into your computer's memory. The screen will clear and then display the BASIC copyright notice (similar to the following):

Z-BASIC Rev. 1.0 [Z-DOS/MSDOS Version]

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-22

Master Menu

The master menu will now load into memory, the screen will clear, and the followi ng choices will be disp layed:

Z-100 / Z-BASIC Demonstration System

Version 1.0

<:F1> Artwork.

<F2> Interactive Business Graphics.

Enter your choice :

If you press the F1 function key, you will select an automatic display of several interesting graphic designs. If you press the F2 function key, you will select a program which will allow you to design and di s pla y di ffe rent charts on your computer.

If you do not want either program, you may safely end the program. To do so, open the disk drive door and remove your disk. Then either pre ss both the CTRL and RESET keys at the same time or turn off your computer.

Artwork

Press the F1 function key to select the artwork display. The

screen will clear and the following will be displayed.

A:autoexe1

A:zbasic f

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-23

After a moment, the screen will clear and the BASIC copyright notice will appear. Then the screen will again clear and the first display will be drawn. After it is completed, the screen will once again clear and a new display will be drawn. This process will continue through the entire se ri es of displays.

If you want to "freeze" any picture, press both the CTRL and S keys at

the same time and then release them. This action will stop the display and allow you more time to study the drawing.

To continue the display, press any other key.

After all the displays have been completed, the computer will return to the master menu where you may either reselect the artwork series or go on to the business graphics section.

Interactive Business Graphics

The interactive business graphics portion of your demonstration disk is actually a set of very powerful programs which you may use by themselves or incorporate into your own software. The interactive portion of the program is described in Appendix K at the back of this manual.

Press the F2 function key at the master menu. The screen will clear and

the following will appear on your screen:

A:autoexe1

A:zbasic menu

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-24

Then the BASIC copyright notice will appear, the screen will clear, and the f o l l owing m enu illustrated in Figure 1-17 will be displayed.

In addition, the business graphics menu runs a continuing display of various types of charts in three "windows." The following types of charts are illustrated:

• Line charts

• Side bar charts (horizontal bars)

• Bar charts (vertical bars)

• 3-D charts (three-dimensional bars)

• Trend-line charts (data with least square fit analysis)

• Pie charts (single, full-screen pie)

• Multiple-pie charts (up to eight pies on one screen)

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-25

For now, select the continuous demonstrations to look at full-screen representations of the different types of charts. Later on, after you have become familiar with your new computer, you may turn to Appendix J and use the other three functions of this program to create your own charts with your own information.

Press the F4 function key to select a demonstration of screen-

sized charts. Like the artwork demonstration, this program does not require any keyboard entries on your part.

The display is a series of designs created by Zenith Data Systems as examples of each of the seven types of charts. In some cases, you will see different examples that illustrate the versatility offered in the design phase of these routines. Two types of charts will not be illustrated on machines that do not contain the color option: multip l e pie charts and three-dimensional bar graphs. A test is performed and an appropriate message will be displayed for the monochrome display machines.

Each chart will be displayed for about a minute (or 40 seconds on 8 MHz machines) before going on to the next.

If you wish to exit the continuous demonstration portion, press

the HOME key when the following appears at the bottom-left of your screen:

PRESS <HOME>

Otherwise, when the entire series has been displayed, the program will return to the business graphics menu.

To return to the master menu from the business graphics menu,

press the HOME key. The screen will clear and the master menu will be displayed. At that point, you may remove your disk and reset your computer or turn it off.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-26

In Case of Difficulty

ZDS computer hardware and software products are designed to work together as a complete system. Proper operation can be assumed only when your computer is used with ZDS-designed or approved accessories. ZDS does not assume the responsibility for improper operation resulting from custom interfacing, custom software, or the use of accessories not approved by Zenith Data Systems.

All the computer components have been wired and tested by ZDS. If you encounter any malfunction during the warranty period, call your Zenith Data Systems dealer or authorized Zenith Data Systems repair facility to arrange for service. Do not attempt to service this computer yourself during the warranty period; to do so may void the warranty.

You may have out-of-warranty products repaired by your Zenith Data Systems dealer of authorized Zenith Data Systems repair facility. You may wish to obtain a maintenance contract for your computer system, or you can purchase individual replacement parts to do your own service.

If you cannot locate a Zenith Data Systems dealer or repair facility, call 1-800-447-4700 (in Illinois, 1-800-322-4400) for the name and location of one nearest you.

The following information will provide you with information concerning possible solutions to common problems.

Condition: Nothing happens at power on, and the red light in

the RESET key is not lit.

Possible causes: 1. The AC power cord may not be plugged in

(check both ends). If you are using a multiple outlet box, check its plug.

2. The power may not be on at the AC power source (wall outlet). Check the power source with a different electric device.

3. The computer's (or the multiple outlet box's) power switch may not be on.

4. The line select switch may be set incorrectly for your power source.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-27

Condition: No video (blank screen). Possible causes: 1. The brightness control may be turned

down (either in the All-in-One model or external monitor).

2. The external monitor (Low-Profile model) may not be plugged in and/or turned on.

3. The external monitor (Low-Profile model) may not be property connected to the computer.

4. The computer may not be transmitting a signal (screen may have been blanked or cleared by a program). Note that this will not be the case when you first turn your computer system on or if the computer is waiting for you to do something.

5. The computer may have failed during the initial self-tests.

Condition: Insufficient brightness on the screen.

Possible cau se : 1. The brightness control is probably turned

down (either in the All-in-One model or external monitor).

Condition: With the autoboot feature off, the disk won't boot from

the hand prompt.

Possible causes: 1. You may not have pressed the B, F1,

and RETURN keys. Press the CTRL and the RESET keys at the same time and try again. Don't forg et to press the RETURN key after pressing the B and F1 keys.

2. You may have the wrong disk in the d isk drive (you may be trying to boot from an unformatted disk or a data disk).

3. The disk may be inserted in the drive wrong or may be in the wrong disk drive.

4. The disk drive latch may not be closed.

5. You may have pressed the wrong key.

6. The disk may be damaged. Try another bootable disk.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-28

Condition: With the autoboot feature on, the system won't

boot automatically.

Possible causes: 1. You may have the wrong disk (you must use

a system disk in the boot drive).

2. The disk may be inserted in the drive incorrectly or may be in the wrong disk drive.

3. The disk drive latch may not be closed.

4. The disk may be damaged. Try another bootable disk.

Condition: The system resets to the power-up point or the

disk keeps rebooting.

Possible causes: 1. You may have a bad or loose power cord.

2. You may have a bad disk (part of the information on it may not be read correctly). This is not a common cause for this condition - it is more likely that the system would not boot properly from a damaged disk.

Chapter 1 Operation Page 1-29

Service Information

In the extreme case where you are unable to resolve a problem with your computer system, you may want to contact your local Zenith Data Systems dealer or authorized Zenith Data Systems service center.

If you can isolate the problem to a particular symptom or hardware unit, such as the printer, you will save time and possible service expenses.

When You Call for Help

When you call for service, list the following information about your computer and its peripherals. It will help your ZDS representative diagnose and repair your unit.

1. The problem you are having. Supply any error messages that may have been displayed on the screen at the time your equipment failed.

2. The name, model number, and series or serial number of your computer and affected peripherals.

3. The way your system is configured; that is, the name and model numbers of the peripherals that are connected to your computer and how (or where) they are connected.

4. Any additional information that will help describe your system and the difficulty you are experiencing.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-1

Introduction

A disk operating system, or DOS, is a program that lets you do certain tasks, such as organize the disk (with the FORMAT command), copy information from one disk to another (with the COPY command), enter the date and time (DATE and TIME commands), and load other programs.

NOTE: Two disk operating systems that work with your computer are MS-DOS and CP/M. There is also at least one version of BASIC for each operating system: BASIC-80 for use with CP/M85 and existing 8-bit software, and Z-BASIC for use with MS-DOS and 16-bit software. GW-BASIC is also available for use with MSDOS.

MS-DOS was prepared for Zenith Data Systems Z-100 Computers by Microsoft. It is compat ible with the same MS-DOS that runs on the IBM Personal Computer. MS-DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System. It is supplied on disk and must be loaded into your computer.

To load MS-DOS, you will use a program called a "monitor," which is built into your computer. The monitor program is always there, ready to h elp yo u g et st art ed , t o c he ck o ut ce rt ai n fe at ur es , a nd to serve as a system supervisor. You will learn how to load MSDOS into your computer and how to use some of the features of MS-DOS to organize disks and duplicate them.

CP/M-85 is briefly compared to MS-DOS in Appendix I. Complete information concerning this operating system is contained in the CP/M-85 documentation.

If you are using your Z-100 computer for the first time, be sure you have read the "Operation" chapter of this manual; it contains important information for new users. Even if you have used other computers, you should read the discussion on controls before you attempt to use your computer.

NOTE: The following information assumes you have two floppy disk drives built into your computer. If your system has only one floppy disk dr ive, refer to Appendix D for proper use of one-drive commands.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-2

The Monitor Program

Your computer contains a special program, called a monitor, that is designed to help you get started. One of its functions is to load (or "boot") the disk operating system from disk into memory. The Z100 computer is set at the factory to automatically boot the DOS when it is turned on. By setting a switch (see Appendix G) you can di sable this f eat ure (call ed "autoboot").

Autoboot

If autoboot is disabled, after power up you will see a small hand point ing to a flashing underline in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. This "prompt" is the computer's way of telling you that it is ready and waiting for your command. To execute any monitor program command, the hand prompt must be present. It occurs automatically after the system is turned on and may be restored at any time. To do so, simultaneously press both the CTRL and RESET keys if you ev er find that you need to start over. However, do not reset your computer unless you are sure that no important programs are being executed.

If autoboot is enabled (set as the computer comes from the factor y), then there will be no display until a certain amount of time passes, or you press the DELETE key, or you insert a disk with the DOS on it into drive A:

If you press the DELETE key, the autoboot process will be interrupted and the screen will show:

Boot Abort

and the hand prompt. The system is now in a manual mode and you can use the commands described later in this chapter.

If you wait for the system and do not put a disk into drive A, the screen wiIl show:

Device Error

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-3

and the hand prompt. This message will also appear if you put the disk into the disk drive incorrectly.

The system is now in a manual mode and you can use the commands described later in this chapter.

If you want to restart the computer at any time, press both the CTRL and RESET keys at the same time. The computer will attempt to boot in a DOS, as it did when you first turned it on. If you have a disk properly inserted in drive A, the DOS will be booted.

The Commands

The monitor program will execute twelve different commands, a summary of which is shown in Table 2-1. Only a few are explained here. The remainder are briefly described in Appendix C.

Tabl e 2- 1 : Monitor Command Summary COMMAND NAME DESCRIPTION

B Boot Loads the operating system from a disk. C Color Bar Displays a color bar pattern on the screen. If the

comp uter does not have color capabilit y, a single white bar, will be displayed on the right half of the screen. Monochrome displays will display a pattern of gray-scale bars.

D Dump Displays the contents of a block or portion of memory in

hexadecimal and ASCII.

E Examin e Examines and/or changes the contents of a memory loca-

tion.

F Fill Fills the specified range of memory locations with the

data entered. H Help Displays the list of monitor program commands. HELP k e y Help See the H command. I Input Returns the contents of the specified port. O Output Sends a value to the specified port. S System Displays the parameters (memory size, video RAM

devices, video type: color or monochrome) of the

computer. T Test Displays the diagnostic test menu. V Version Displays the version number of the ROM program. X Execute Initiates machine language program execution at the

specified memory address. Allows breakpoints.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-4

Some of these commands are used by programmers for machine language Programming and debugging (see later discussion on programs in Chapter 3).

B – Boot

This is the monitor command you will use if your system is not set up to boot automatically, if a disk is not autobooted after power up , or if you want to manually boot the system. The boot process reads the operating system from the disk and loads it into the computer. To use this command

Make sure the computer is on and the hand prompt is showing.

Insert the MS-DOS disk (or any disk that contains a Z-100 disk

operating system) into drive A (see the discussion on disk drives in Chapter 1).

Close the disk drive door or latch. Press the B key and then the F1 function key. The computer

will display:

Boot f1

Press the RETURN key.

The computer will now execute the boot routine and load the operating system from the disk in drive A into the computer's memory.

There are several variations of the boot command available to you. Three of the function keys, F1, F2, and F3, tell the computer what kind of disk drive to use: F1 is for the built-in floppy disk drives, F2 is for the optional 8-inch floppy disk drives, and F3 is for the optional Winchester disk system.

In addition to being able to specify which disk drive type, you may also specify which disk drive by using the number keys: 0 for the first drive (drive A, if you are booting from the built-in floppy disk drives) and 1 for the second disk drive.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-5

Therefore, if you want to boot from the second 8-inch floppy disk drive, you would (1) turn on your computer and the 8-inch disk system, (2) insert an 8-inch floppy disk into the bottom 8-inch disk drive (it must contain a Z-100 operating system), (3) close the drive, and (4) press the B key, the F2 key, the 1 key, and the RETURN key, in that order. The computer will display:

Boot f21

and load the operating system from the second 8-inch disk drive. NOTE: For a complete discussion on the optional 8-inch disk

drives or Winchester disk system, refer to the documentation that accompanies these product s and also your operating system documentation.

C - Color Bar

If your computer is equipped with color video memory, it has the capability to display a color bar pattern on the screen so you may adjust your color monitor for the most pleasing display. To use this command:

Make sure your computer is properly attached to your color

monitor. Make sure the monitor is on.

Make sure the computer is on and the hand prompt is showing. Press the C key. You will see one of two possible patterns,

depending upon the capabilities of your system.

• If your computer is equipped with color video memory, you will see a pattern of color bars across the top half of the screen. Each color bar will be identified with the name of the color that is being represented. On a monochrome monitor, the pattern will be shaded from the most dark to the mos t light, left-to-right.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-6

• If your computer is not equipped with color video memory, you will see a single block of light in the upper right-hand quarter of your display.

Use this pattern to adjust the controls for your monitor to provide

the most pleasing display.

H -- Help

This command will display the commands available for the monitor program. The HELP key, located on the left side of the keyboard will also provide the sam e display when it is pressed. To use this command:

Make sure the computer is on and the hand prompt is showing. Press either the H key or the HELP key. The computer will

display:

Boot Color Bar Dump Examine Fill Help <HELP Key> Input Output System Test Version Xecute

A complete description of each command is found in Appendix C.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-7

S - System

This command will provide you will a brief summary of the features of your computer. If provides you with the amount of system memory installed in your computer, the amount of video memory installed in your computer, and the type of video (color or monochrome) supported by your system. To use this command:

Make sure the computer is on and the hand prompt is showing.

Press the S key. The computer will show you a display similar to:

256Kb of contiguous RAM 64Kb Video memory Color

This particular display tells you that your system has 256 kilobytes of random access memory (RAM) and 64 kilobytes of color video memory. Other variations that will commonly be seen are 128 or 192 kilobytes of random access memory and 32 or 64 kilobytes of color or monochrome video memory.

V - Version

NOTE: Professional software is released in version s. Updates and enhancements to these programs are made as they are developed. Each time a revision of this type occurs, it is called a new "version" and given a number (Version 1.0, Version 1.1, Version 2.0, etc.).

You can use the Version command whenever you want to find out what version of the monitor program you have in your computer. To use this command:

Make sure the computer is on and the hand prompt is showing.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-8

Press the V key. The computer will display:

Version 2.5

and return to the hand prompt.

The display tells you that the monitor version (in this example) is

2.5. There is no relationship between the monitor version number and the operating system version number shown later in this chapter.

Loading MS-DOS

With the MS-DOS manual, you will receive two MS-DOS disks: disk #1 and disk #2. The following steps will show you how to "load" the disk operating system the first time and then create "backups," or "working copies," of the distribution disks.

To load MS-DOS:

Turn on the computer or press the CTRL and RESET

keys at the same time if the computer is already on.

Insert the MS-DOS distribution disk #1 into drive A. Close the disk drive door or latch.

If you are booting the computer manually, press the B key and

then the F1 key. The computer will display the following.

Boot f1

Press the RETURN key.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-9

The floppy disk drive's disk access indicator will come on, indicating that the disk is being "read" by the computer. You ma y h ear a fa int wh irr ing noise, which is the normal sound of the disk drive motors.

As MS-DOS is read into the computer, your display will show a message similar to:

MS-DOS Version 2.20

A>date Current date is Mon 11-12-1984

Enter new date:

The date actually shown on your computer will probably differ from this sample. The format for entering the date is M/D/Y or M-D-Y where M is the month (1 to 12), D is the day (1 to

31), and Y is the year (80 to 99). Four digits may be used for year if you are enterin g a year from 2000 from 2099. Any other response will cause the computer to display:

Invalid date Enter new date:

Some examples of how valid dates are entered and stored are:

Your entry: Will be stored as: 6-9-82 Wed 6-09-1982 12-31-2084 Sun 12-31-2084 8/12/91 Mon 8-12-1991 2-5-85 Tue 2-05-1985

Enter the current date and press the RETURN key. The

computer will display:

A>time Current time is 12:02:17.16 Enter new time:

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-10

The time actually shown on your computer will probably differ from this sample. You will use the format H:M:S.C to enter the time, where H is hours (0 to 23), M is minutes (0 to 59), S is second (0 to

59), and C is tenths of a second (0 to 9). Minutes, seconds, and tenths of a second are optional and may be omitted. The separators, colon and period, must be used exactly as shown or else the

Some examples of valid entries and how they are stored in your computer follow:

following error message will be displayed.

Invalid time

Ente r new time:

Your entry: Will be stored as: 9:15 9:15:00.00 9:15:30 9: 15: 30.00 9:15:30.5 9:15:30.50 14:2:3 14:02:03.00

Enter the current time and press the RETURN key. The

display will now show:

'Path- \bin

You have now successfully loaded MS-DOS into your computer. The computer has performed one other function: to allow you to access all the programs on the default disk without having to worry about "directory paths." Directory paths will be explained later in this chapter.

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The MS-DOS Prompt

Normally, after you load MS-DOS, you will see:

You can see by this example that the small hand has been replaced by the A>, which is MS-DOS's prompt. The A> also tells you whi ch dr ive is currently being used by the system. This is called the "default drive." Later on, you'll find out how to change the drive being used. But first, you need to create a copy, or backup, of MS-DOS and store the original in a safe place.

Making A Backup

Backups

A backup might easily be considered to be an "insurance copy." It is a duplicate of important data. During the course of normal operation, accidents do happen and a disk can be accidentally ruined. By having a backup, you have "insured" yourself against t he loss of information that may be vital to the successful operation of your business or computer.

By making backups at regular intervals, you can minimize the amount of work that would be necessary to bring your computer records up to date if information is lost through mishandling of a disk or by some other cause.

Backups also provide a convenient method of rotating your disks so t h a t one is not in constant use. The backup procedure gives you a way of verifying that the disk you are using is a good one, an d not one which may cause a problem.

Since you computer has now loaded MS-DOS and is waiting for your instructions, the following will take your through the step-bystep process. Appendix L illustrates another method you can use to make a backup of important disks while using MS-DOS.

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Backing Up Your Disks the First Time

The DISKCOPY utility has been designed to allow you to create an exact duplicate, or backup, of a disk. You will use it now to duplicate the two 5.25-inch MS-DOS distribution disks.

The working master disks are those that you will create during this backup procedure. Because there is more than one disk, y ou will be asked to repeat the process twice. The disk that is now in drive A should be labeled disk #1. You will be given an opportunity to make sure that it is the correct disk in a moment.

You will be copying the information from the distribution, or "source," disks onto "destination" disks.

To start the backup procedure, make sure that the A> MS-DOS prompt is showing on the screen. If it is not, reboot your system (see the procedure earlier in this chapter).

Enter the following into your keyboard. The characters you

type will be shown on t he scre en.

BACKUP/V

Press the RETURN key. The light in drive A will come on and

your screen will show a display similar to the following.

DISKCOPY version 2.20

Source drive name? (A-H) _:

You will notice that the cursor is to the left of the colon. It is

prompting you to enter the name of the disk drive in which the source disk is located. Now y ou can check to make sure that you have the distribution disk, disk #1, in drive A. To do so, open the drive door or latc h and remove the disk. After you have checked the label on the disk and made sure it is disk #1, put it back in drive A and close the door or latch.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-13

Press the A key. The computer will now show:

Destination drive name (A-H) _:

NOTE: This backup procedure does not check to see if your

destination disk has data on it. Any information previously recorded on the disk will be erased and blank (empty) tracks will be placed on the disk, making it ready to receive new data. Be sure you are using a blank disk (or one that you wish to erase).

Insert a blank disk in drive B and close the door or latch.

Press the B key. The computer will display:

Place the source disk in A and the destination disk in B. Press RETURN when ready.

You now have one last chance to check that you have the correct disks in the proper drives. The source disk, MS-DOS distribution disk #1, should be in drive A. The destination disk, a blank disk, should be in drive B. If you are not sure that they are correct, check them now.

You also may stop the duplication process now if you wish. To stop (or abort) the backup procedure, you would press both the CTRL and C keys at the same time. The computer would end the program and display ↑C on the screen, followed by the MS-DOS prompt. However, you need to make working copies of your distribution disks, so continue with the following procedure.

With MS-DOS distr ibution disk #1 in drive A and a blank disk in

drive B, press the RETURN key. The light in drive A will come on momentarily and then the light in drive B will come on. You will see the follow ing on t he scre en.

When the light came on for drive A, the computer was checking the type of disk in drive A and the way the tr acks were organized on the source disk. Next, it checked the type of disk in drive B. When it was satisfied that the disks were of an id entical

Formatting destination...

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type (both soft-sectored, in this case), it displayed the message and began formatting, or organizing, the tracks and sectors so they matched those of the disk in drive A. After the destination has been formatted, the display will show:

Copying...

Now you will see the disk access indicators in drive A and dr ive B alternately come on. While the indicator in drive A is on, the computer is reading infor mation fr om the disk into memory. Then while the indicator in drive B is on, the computer is writing that same information onto the tracks and sectors in drive B. When this process has been completed, the computer will show:

Verifying...

Again, the disk access indicators in drive A and drive B will alternately come on. This time, the computer reads the information from each respective disk and then compares the data to make sure it matches. This process verifies that the destination disk is an exact copy of the source disk. When this process has been completed, the computer will show:

Do you wish to copy another disk (Y/N)? <N>

Remove MS-DOS distribution disk #1 from drive A and place it

in its protective envelope.

Remove the disk in drive B and prepare a label for it. Whenever

a new disk has been used for a backup, you will want to prepare a label for it.

Labeling Disks

There are many different methods of labeling and keeping track of disks. One method is to keep a log containing the date the di sk w as f ir st f or ma tted and the material that you expect to place on the disk (a summary or title only). An example would be:

Formatted 7-15-85 PAY ROLL DATA

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-15

Most people assign each disk a unique number or code. This allows them to track the location of the disk easily and use a permanent storage area or container for the disk.

For your new copy of the MS-DOS distributi on disk #1, assign it

number 1, label it with the format date (the current date), and call it "MS-DOS disk 1 - working copy 1." It is called a working c opy because it is one you will use on a continuing basis. Place the label in the upper right-hand corner of the disk, making sure you do not cover the write-protect notch.

The message on the computer is asking you if you want to

duplicate, or back up, another disk. You need to make a backup of the second distribution disk, so press the Y key and then the RETURN key. The computer will show:

Source drive name? (A-H) _:

Press the A key. The computer will show:

Destination drive name? (A-H) _:

Press the B key. The computer will show:

Place the source disk in A and the destination disk in B. Press RETURN when ready.

Insert the second distribution disk, disk #2, into drive A and

close the door or latch.

Insert a blank disk into drive B and close the door or latch.

Press the RETURN key. The computer will repeat the backup

process as described earlier in this chapter. When the destination disk has been formatted and the information copied from the disk in drive A and verified, the computer will display:

Do you wish to copy another disk (Y/N)? <N>

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The letter N inside the angle brackets is the default answer that will be accepted by the computer if you press only the RETURN key.

Since you have no more disks to copy at this time, press the

RETURN key. The computer will display the MS-DOS prompt.

Remove the distribution disk from drive A and place it in its

protective envelope.

Remove the disk from drive B and place it in its protective

envelope.

Prepare a label for the destination disk which includes the

number (number 2), the format (current) date, and "MS-DOS disk #2 - working copy 1." Place the label in the upper right-hand corner of the disk, making sure you do not cover the writeprotect notch with the label.

You have now completed the first backup of the distribution disks. When convenient, you will want to make at least one more working copy of these disks. The easiest way to do it is to follow these same instructions. However, label your disks as copy 2 (or 3) instead of copy 1.

It is possible that, after reading the remainder of this chapter, you will want to make a custom working copy of MS-DOS. The procedure in Appendix L explains how to do this.

MS-DOS Control Key Functions

The following keys and key combinations are those that function while you are operating under MS-DOS. (If you have trouble locating any of these keys, you will find them highlighted in the Keyboard section of Chapter 1.)

These are the only keys, other than commands and special function keys, tha t MS-D OS w i l l

are explained in the MS-DOS documentation.

recognize. The special function keys

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-17

Three single keystrokes are recognized by MS-DOS:

• RETURN - When you press this key, the computer will accept what you have entered through the keyboard. If you typed the information correctly, the computer will follow your instructions.

• BACK SPACE - I f yo u acci dent ally pres s the w rong key o r key s, y ou can use the BACK SPACE key to back over and erase those characters. Then you can enter the correct information.

• LINE FEED - You will not need to use this key unless you have a large amount of information to enter on one line. MSDOS won't automatically go t o the next line when you come to the end of the physical line on the screen and have more information to enter. To go to the next line, press the LINE FEED key. It will put the cursor (underline) at the b eg in ni ng of the next physical line and then, when the command is executed, the computer will use information from both lines.

NOTE: There is a danger in using the BACK SPACE key after using the LINE FEED key. The BACK SPACE key will function normally, "backing out" each character and erasing it from the screen until it reaches the beginning of the line. Then, if you continue to press the BACK SPACE key, it wi ll co nt i nue to back out each character typed in the previous line, but it will not affect the display. Without seeing the action of the BACK SPACE key, it is difficult to know what has been backed out unless you are very careful. The CTRL-X combination, described later, provides the easiest solution: it cancels the current command and gives you the opportunity to start over.

MS-DOS will also recognize the following five combinations of keys. One key is always the control key (labeled CTRL). In this manual, whenever you see the word "control" or "CTRL" followed by a das h and some lette r, you are to press and hold the CTRL key and then press the other key.

• CTRL-X - If you have entered a line of instructions and want to start over, you have two choices. You may either use the BACK SPACE key and back out all of the instructions, or you may use the CTRL-X combination. This will put a back slash (\) on the screen and start a new line. The information you had previously entered will be ignored by the computer.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-18

• CTRL-S - Some of the commands you will give the computer will cause more information to be displayed than the screen vertically can hold at one time. In order to stop the information from moving off the display, you can press the CTRL-S combination, which will tell the computer to stop what it is doing. Then, when you press any key, the computer will continue. By alternately pressing the CTRL-S and another key, you can control the way information is displayed on the screen.

• CTRL-C - There will be times when you wish to interrupt an operation and you don't want it to finish. You can cancel most operations by pressing the CTRL-C combination. This tells the computer to stop what it is doing, return to the MS-DOS prompt, and wait for your next instruction. Remember, you have canceled the operation, so you cannot start where you have left off - the CTRL-S allows for that. A ^ C will be displayed on the screen where you entered the command.

• CTRL-P - There will be times when you want to send information normally shown on the display to a printer (if you have one connected to your computer). By pressing the CTRL-P combination, you tell the computer to send information to both the computer screen and the printer. Whenever the computer does this, most operations are slowed, because a printer is slower than the screen.

NOTE: If you do not have a print er connected, or if it is not turned

on, or if it is off line, out of paper, or something is not right, then the computer can "hang up" until the problem is corrected. If there is no printer, or if there is some other problem that cannot be easily corrected (for instance, MSDOS may not be configured for your printer), the computer will have to be reset.

Since all printers are not alike, MS-DOS must be configur ed to the needs of your printer. The MS-DOS command, CONFIGUR, and how to configure MS-DOS for the needs of your printer are explained in Appendix F.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-19

• CTRL-N - This combination will cancel the CTRL-P operation and return the computer to normal operation.

NOTE: If the printer should hang up your computer for some

reason, CTRL-N will not operate. The computer must be reset or the fault corrected.

Try the functions described in this section. The more you use them, the easier they will be to remember.

MS-DOS Commands

An M S- DO S command is an instruction to your comput er that you type on the keyboard. Some of the commands, called "internal commands," are an integral part of the operating system. Other commands, referred to as "external commands," are actually separate programs on the disk, and must be loaded into the computer before the fu nctions are performed.

The DISKCOPY command, for example, is external; that is, it is a separate prog r am . T h e C OP Y co mm a nd is i nt er n al an d , a s s u ch , is alw a ys a p ar t of MS-DOS. In order to use an ext ernal command, the command "file" must exist on the disk. If it is not present, the command will not work.

Changing MS-DOS Prompts

The prompt is a signal to you that your computer is ready to accept a command. While using MS-DOS, you will see the prompt displayed as the letter representing the drive being used by MSDOS (the default drive). It is followed by some symbol, usually the great er-th an s ign ( > ) , and the cursor.

If you selected drive A (and this is the normal default drive on power up), the MS-DOS prompt would look like this:

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-20

If you selected drive B, then the MS-DOS prompt would appear as:

The greater-than sign may be replaced by another symbol, if desired. For more information on changing the prompt symbol, consult your MS-DOS documentation.

You can change the prompt (and the default drive) by typing the new drive name, a colon, and pressing the RETURN key. (You will be instructed to use the RETURN key only in the next two examp l es. However, y o u should always use it whenever you finish entering an MS-DOS command.)

If drive A is currently the default drive and you want to change the default dr ive to d riv e B, typ e:

and press the RETURN key. If drive B is the current default drive and you want to change

th e defaul t drive to drive A, type:

and press the RETURN key. You will notice that the current default drive (in the form of the

prompt) is displayed each time you finish an MS-D OS comma nd .

Error Messages

Your computer will display an error message when something is wrong. The message itself often will tell you what is wrong so you wil l be abl e to correct the problem . An example of this would be:

Invalid drive specification

This message implies that, in your command, you specified a drive that is not connected to your computer. You would then re-enter t he command, specifying the correct drive.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-21

For a complete list of MS-DOS error messages and their m e a n ings , ref er to the M S-DOS documentation.

Files, Programs, and File Names

A file may contain either data or a program. Some "programs" may actually consist of several different files. MS-DOS is a good example; there are three programs (files) critical to the operation of MS-DOS: IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and COMMAND.COM (the first two are "hidden" files - files that are physically present on the disk, but do not display as part of the disk directory). On the disk, these are separate files.

Each file is identified by a file "specification." It has three parts: an optional drive name, a file name, and an extension.

• Drive name - The drive name is a letter from A to H and must be followed by a colon. The use of these letters is limited to the configuration of your computer system. For instance, if your computer system does not have more than two drives and you try to use any drive name beyond B, an error message may be displayed.

• File name - The file name is from one to eight characters in length. These characters can be any letter from A to Z, any number from 0 to 9, or certain punctuation characters. Examples of legal file names are MYFILE, Al PROG, and 333-1.

• The extension is from one to three characters in length. The allowed characters are the same as those that you can use for the file name. A period (.) must be used to separate the extension from the file name. E xa mpl es ar e: B AS, S YS, a nd COM. Some extensions, like SYS, are reserved for certain file types. Consult your MS-DOS documentation for more information.

Examples of valid and invalid file names are as follows.

Valid file names: Invalid file names: MYPROG.BAS WE,3.BAS (comma) COMMAND.COM B:MYP:2.BAS (second colon) MS-DOS.SYS MS.OS.SYS (first period)

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Internal Commands

The commands that are internal to MS-DOS are listed in Table 2-2.

Tab l e 2-2: Inte rnal MS-DOS Commands

THE COMMAND: TELLS THE COMPUTER TO: filenam e.BAT Execute a file with a.BAT extension.

BR EAK [ ON|OF F] Enable or disable detection of CTRL-C. CD Display or change the current directory (same as CHDIR). CHDIR Display or change the current directory (same as CD). CLS Clear the display. COPY Copy files. CTTY Change the device from which commands are received. DATE Display the current system date and prompt for a new entry. DEL Delete a file or files from the disk (same as ERASE). DIR List directory entries. ECHO [ON|OFF] Enable or disable the echo feature or display a message. ERASE Delete a file or files from the disk (same as DEL). EXIT Exit current com mand a nd ret urn t o lower comm and level . F OR Extend batch (or interactive) command. GOTO Branch to another command. IF Allow conditional execution. MD Create a new directory (same as MKDIR). MKDIR Create a new directory (same as MD). PA TH Search directories specified for commands/files. PAUSE Temporarily halt batch execution. PROMPT Use a new system prompt. RD Remove a directory (same as RMDIR). REM . Insert a comment in a batch file. RE N Rename a file (same a s RENA ME ). RENAME Rename a file (same as REN). RMDIR Remove a directory (same as RD). SET Set one string value to be equivalent to anothe r value. SHIFT Make it possible to use over 10 batch param eters. TIME Display the current system time and prompt for a new entry. TYPE Display the contents of a file. VER Display the current version of MSDOS .SYS and IO .SYS . VERIFY Enable or disable verification of data after it is written to the

disk.

VOL Display the label of the disk in the default drive.

The batch processing commands, (.BAT), ECHO, FOR, GOTO, IF, PAUSE, REM, SET, and SHIFT, will not be discussed in this manual. Likewise, BREAK, CTTY, EXIT, PATH, and PROMPT will not be discussed. For more information on batch files and these commands, refer to the MS-DOS documentation.

COPY

The COPY command allows you to produce a "copy" of any file or program . T he general form of the command is:

COPY (from) file specification (to) file specification

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-23

Remember that the file specificat ion is made up of the drive name, the file name, and the extension. If the default drive is being us ed, you may omit the drive name.

Here are some examples of the COPY command:

(1) COPY OLDFILE.EXT=NEWFILE.EXT (2) COPY A: OLDFILE.EXT=NEWFILE.EXT (3) COPY B: OLDFILE.EXT=A: NEWFILE.EXT (4) COPY A: OLDFILE.EXT=B: NEWFILE.EXT

In each case, the file OLDFILE.EXT was duplicated under the name of NEWFILE.EXT. The drive names allow you to: (1) use the default drive for both files; (2) use drive A as the s ource drive and the default drive for the destination; (3) use drive B as the source drive and drive A as the destination; and (4) use drive A as the source drive and drive B as the destination. You will note that, in examples (3) and (4), the default drive was not important.

Wild cards (see the discussion under the DIR command) give you flexibility and allow you to back up a disk without having to know the names of each fi le. The backup copy procedure in Appendix L uses asterisks in :his manner.

There are several options and limitations in the format of the COPY command. These are fully explained in the MS-DOS documentation. However, me very important restriction (for your protection against accidental file destruction) is that you may not copy a file onto it s el f . If y o u t r y it, th e following error message will be displayed.

File cannot be copied onto itself

0 File(s) copied

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DATE

The DATE command allows you to change the date that is currently stored in your computer. The command will be executed when you enter DATE and press the RETURN key. The computer will display the current date and prompt you for a new entry. If you press the RETURN k ey without enter ing a new date, the computer will not make any change to the current dat e.

The format for entering the date is M/D/Y or M-D-Y where M is th e month (1 to 12), D is the day (1 to 31), and Y is the year (80 to

99). Four digits may be used for year if you are entering a year from 2000 from 2099. Any other response will cause the computer to display:

Invalid date Enter new date:

Some examples of how valid dates are entered and stored are:

Your entry: Will be stored as:

6-9-82 Wed 6-09-1982 12-31-2084 Sun 12-31-2084 8/12/91 Mon 8-12-1991 2-5-85 Tue 2-05-1985

Each disk, when it has been formatted, is organized to accept files. The names of these files are stored on the disk in areas called directories. The DIR command allows you to look at the directories that are on the disk in t he default drive. For the following examples, place one of your copies of MS-DOS disk #1 in drive A.

To display, or "get" the directory, type:

DIR

(Don’t forget to press the RETURN key.) You will see a listing similar to the following on your display.

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Volume in drive A is 890-434-09 Directory of A:\

COMMAND COM 16421 11-12-84 11:03a ALTCHAR SYS 432 4-04-84 3:18p AUTOEXEC BAT 23 4-04-84 2:36p CONFIG SYS 12 9-06-84 2:36p BIN <DIR> 11-12-84 12:02p

5 File(s) 34816 byte s free

The five columns of information represent, in order, the name of each file, the extension name, the number of bytes used to store the file (a byte is a measure of memory which can be equated to one keystroke of a printable character on the keyboard), and the date and time that file was created, last edited, or changed.

The last entry in the listing tells you that there is another directory, indicated by <DIR>, on this disk. You will be told how to change directories later in this chapter.

The last line on the screen shows you the number of files displayed and the number o f unus e d byte s on the d isk.

You can list the directory of a drive other than the default drive by adding the drive name. Place one of your copies of MS-DOS disk #2 in drive B and then enter:

DIR B:

The computer will display on following on the screen.

Volume in drive B is 890-435-02 Directory of B:\

DEVEL <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a PSC <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a DEV <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a CHR <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a

4 File(s) 214016 bytes free

In this case, there are four additional directories on the disk in drive B.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-26

If you want to look for a specific file, you may use the name of the file, as in the following examples:

DIR ALTCHAR.SYS

DIR B: FORMAT.COM

Note that you must use the entire file name, although the extension is optional. The inclusion of the drive name tells the computer to look on the disk in that disk drive.

If you attempted to use these examples, you will note that the seco nd example, DIR B: the following.

Volume in drive B is 890-435-02 Directory of B:\

FORMAT.COM resulted in a display similar to

File not found

This display tells you that the directory is either empty or does not contain the file(s) for which you are searching.

Wild Cards

There are two additional characters that you may use with a file's name. They are called "wild cards," which mean "anything," and are represented by the question mark (?) and the asterisk (*). Wild cards a llow you to have the computer look for a number of files that have similar names.

You can use the question mark as a wild card to take the plac e of any fetter in a file name. For instance, if you enter the following command, the computer will display any files (which appear in the directory of the disk in the default drive) with five letter names that begin with AB, end with DE, and have the extension of EXT.

DIR AB?DE.EXT

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-27

The other wild card is the asterisk (*). This character is used in place of multiple question marks, and it can take the place of more than one character in a file name. For instance, if you entered the following command, the computer will display any files with names that begin with AB and have the extension of EXT.

DIR AB*.EXT

Likewise, the following command will cause the computer to list all files starting with the letter F, regardless of the r est of the filename or extension.

F*.*

With MS-DOS disk #1 in drive A, ente r the following comm and .

DIR C*.*

The computer will display a directory similar to the following:

Volume in drive A is 890-434-09 Directory of A:\

COMMAND COM 16421 11-12-84 11:03a CONFIG SYS 12 9-16-84 2:36p

2 File(s) 34816 bytes free

Multiple Directories

MS-DOS version 2 can support directory roots and branches. Whil e th is feature is not overly important on 5.25-inch floppy disks, it is a benefit to the operation and organization of higher-capacity mass storage devices, such as 8-inch floppy disks and Winchester disk systems. The following discussion briefly describes this capability. For complete information on all of the directory commands (CD, CHDIR, DIR, MD, MKDIR, PATH, RD, and RMDIR), refer to the MS-DOS do cumen tation.

The concept of directories in MS-DOS version 2 is based on the concept of a tree, where the root of the tree is the foundation that supports the trunk and branches of that

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-28

tree. Likewise, the basic directory is referred to as the root directory that supports branch directories. These branch directories are treated as files which in turn support other branch directories and/or the actual data and program files on the disk. In other words, an y directory, whether it is a root or branch directory, can support branch directories, data files, and programs.

In the case of your two distribution disks, disk #1 contains one additional directory file, identified in the directory as BIN, while dis k #2 supports four additional directory files, identified as DEVEL, PSC, DEV, and CHR. In addition, the root directory of disk #1 supports four files, COMMAND.COM, ALTCHAR.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and CONFIG.SYS.

At this point in the discussion, you should have your computer turned on. P lace y our w orking copi es of t he two MS-DO S disk s in driv e A (disk #1) and B (disk #2). The default disk drive should be drive A.

Get the directory of drive A by entering the following.

DIR

Note that because the default drive is drive A, you did not have to specify the drive name in the command line you just entered. The computer should display something similar to the following.

Volume in drive A is 890-434-09 Directory of A:\

COMMAND COM 16421 11-12-84 11:03a ALTCHAR SYS 432 4-04-84 3:18p AUTOEXEC BAT 23 4-04-84 2:36p CONFIG SYS 12 9-06-84 2:36p BIN <DIR> 11-12-84 12:02p

5 File(s) 34816 bytes free

The command to change directories is CD or CHDIR, followed by the directory name (in this case, BIN). Enter the following command, which will change the directory in drive A.

CD BIN

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-29

Now get the directory of drive A by entering the following.

DIR

Note that you did not use any special commands in the directory command line. You had changed directories with the CD command. The computer will display a directory similar to the following.

Volume in drive A is 890-434-09 Directory o f A: \bin

<DIR> 11-12-84 12:02p

<DIR> 11-12-84 12:02p EDLIN COM 8080 4-04-84 1:48p CHKDSK COM 6468 4-04-84 1:47p SYS COM 922 4-04-84 1:49p FORMAT COM 13674 11-12-84 11:42a CONFIGUR COM 12031 11-12-84 11:47a DISKCOPY COM 15738 11-12-84 11:35a DISKCOMP COM 1917 11-12-84 11:39a PRINT COM 6288 10-31-84 12:52p ASSIGN COM 5214 11-12-84 11:37a RECOVER COM 2295 4-04-84 1:49p SEARCH COM 4338 11-12-84 11:43a APPLY COM 1945 10-31-84 1:17p MORE COM 4364 4-04-84 1:49p CIPHER COM 153 4-04-84 1:22p FC EXE 2585 4-04-84 1:50p SORT EXE 1632 4-04-84 1:46p FIND EXE 10624 11-03-83 1:47p FONT EXE 31396 11-12-84 11:31a BACKUP EXE 55354 11-12-84 11:22a RESTORE EXE 24840 11-12-84 11:27a RDCPM COM 3818 11-12-84 11:33a ZDIR COM 3372 6-01-84 2:58p MAP COM 3743 10-26-84 1:23p

25 File(s) 34816 bytes free

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-30

As you look over this directory listing, you will notice two additional directories. However, these are represented by periods and are called "dot" and "dot-dot." These are not actually files or directories, but are names that are held in this directory's first two locations. The dot-dot entry is a synonym for the parent of this directory (the root directory, in this case), while the dot entry refers to the directory itself, the current working directory.

Returning to the analogy of the tree, dot-dot refers to the branch or root of the tree from which the current directory grows. If you were clim bing in an actual tree, moving to the branch named dot-dot would mean moving closer to the root of the tree.

You may change the directory to move closer to the root directory by entering the following command. In this case, since the BIN director y is the first branch away from the root, you will move back to the root directory.

CD …

Now if you get the directory of drive A, you will see the original root directory.

In order to work with the files in any particular directory, you must move to that directory. However, certain commands, such as copy, allow you to work wit h one d irectory from anot her directory. Whenever you do this, you must know the directory path name to use . A com plete des crip tio n of how to use directory path names is provided in the MS-DOS documentation.

In the following paragraphs, you will be instructed to enter commands that affect the disk in drive B. However, you will be working from the disk in drive A (the default drive). Occasionally, you may forget to add the disk name to the command line and end up with results that are not represented in this discussion. If that happens to you, attempt to correct the problem by issuing the correct command sequence again. If you still encounter difficulties, reset your computer and reboot your system with your working copies of MS-DOS disk #1 in drive A and MS-DOS disk 2 in drive B. Then return to this point in the discussion. (Don't forget to press the RETURN key at the end of each command line.)

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-31

Get the directory of drive B by entering the following command.

DIR B:

The computer will display something similar to the following:

Volume in drive B is 890-435-02 Directory of B:\

DEVEL <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a PSC <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a DEV <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a CHR <DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a

4 File(s) 214016 bytes free

To change the directory on drive B to the DEVEL directory, enter the following command line.

CD B:DEVEL

Now you may get the directory of drive B by entering the followi ng co mmand line.

DIR B:

The computer will display the following.

Volume in drive B is 890-435-02 Direct or y of B : \ de ve l

<DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a

<DIR> 8-20-84 10:14a LINK EXE 39952 4-13-84 9:07a LIB EXE 23168 5-23-84 9:08a DEBUG COM 12484 4-04-84 9:20a EXE2BIN EXE 1649 4-04-84 9:19a

6 File(s) 214016 bytes free

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-32

Likewise, to return to the root directory, you would enter the following command line.

CD B:..

As you can see, to change to any directory, you must be at the root directory of the disk. Then enter the change directory command, followed by the name of the target directory (the directory you wish to access). If you are working with a disk in a drive other than the default disk drive, then you must precede the name of the directory with the disk drive name.

To get a feel of how to use the CD and DIR commands, place one or more of your disks in the computer and experiment with these commands. Refer to the MS-DOS docume ntation for a complete discussion on directory features.

ERASE (DEL)

There will be times when you have a file that you want to delete from a disk. If your MS-DOS disk had a file by the name of BADFILE.EXT, you would enter the following command line to delete it.

ERASE BADFILE.EXT

or:

ERASE B: BADFILE.EXT

You must use the drive name if the file you want to remove is not on the default drive. Likewise, if the file you want to remove is not on the root directory, you must change the directory to the proper one.

The command DEL may be used in place of the ERASE command. You would enter the following command line to delete BADFILE.EXT.

DEL BADFILE.EXT

or:

DEL B:BADFILE.EXT

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-33

RENAME (REN)

Occasionally, you will want to rename a file for one reason or another. To do this, you would enter a command line similar to the following.

RENAME NAMEOLD.EXT NAMENEW.EXT

or:

RENAME B: NAMEOLD.EXT=NAMENEW.EXT

These files do not exist on your MS-DOS disks, but if they did, the computer would take the file named NAMEOLD.EXT and rename it to NAMENEW.EXT. Note the use of the drive name. If the file you want to rename is on a drive other than the default drive, then the drive nam e must be used. Likewise, you must use the correct directory (see the discussion on multiple directories).

You may use either a space or the equals sign (=) between the two names.

An alternative command to RENAME is REN. It does the same thing and ma y be use d in ter cha ngeably with the longer command.

TIME

The TIME command allows you to display and/or change the time that is currently stored in your computer. The command will be executed when you enter TIME and press the RETURN key. The computer will display the current time and prompt you for a new entry. If you press the RETURN key without making any entry, the computer will not make any change to the cu r re n t ti m e .

You will use the format H:M:S.C to enter the time, where H is hours (0 to 23), M is minutes (0 to 59), S is second (0 to 59), and C is te nths of a second (0 to 9). Minutes, seconds, and tenths of a second are optional and may be omitted. The separators, colon and period, must be us ed exactly as shown or else the following error message will be displayed.

Invalid time Enter new time:

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-34

Some examples of valid entries and how they are stored in your computer follow:

Your entry: Will be stored as: 9:15 9:15:00.00 9:15:30 9:15:30.00 9:15:30.5 9:15:30.50 14-2-3 14:02:03.00

TYPE

You can use the T Y PE command to display the contents of a file on the screen. By using the CT RL-P function, described earlier, you may also make a permanent hard copy on your printer.

If you want to look at the file TEXTFILE.TXT, you would enter the following c omm and line.

TYPE TEXTFILE.TXT

The computer would then display the contents of the file on the screen. if you would want to temporarily stop the display, you could use the CTRLS function, described earlier.

VER

The VER command allows you to see the version numbers of the two hidden MS-DOS system files. Occasionally, some versions of application software will require that you know what versio n of MS-DOS is being used. To use this command, enter the following command line.

VER

The computer will display a message similar to the following.

IO.SYS Version 2.20 MS-DOS Version 2.11

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-35

VERIFY

The VERIFY command will force your computer to automatically verify that any information that it has written to the disk is cor r e ct . Th i s pr o ce s s , often called "read after write," will cause the computer to read the information it has just written to the disk and compare it against the material it had written. That way, if a defective or damaged disk is being used in the disk drive, you will know it because the computer will generate and display an error message, describing the problem.

To enable this feature, you would enter the following command line.

VERIFY ON

To disable this feature, you would enter the following command line.

VERIFY OFF

VOL

Under MS-DOS version 2, you may uniquely identify each disk when you format it. This procedure is explained later, when the FORMAT command is discussed in this chapter. A disk is identified as a "volume" and when you give it a name during the format procedure, explained later when the FORMAT command is discussed in this chapter, that name becomes the volume name.

The VOL command will cause the computer to display the volume na me )f the disk in the specified or default disk drive. For instance, if you wanted to identify the disk in the default drive (drive A), you would enter the follow-ing command line.

VOL

The computer would then display the following.

Volume in drive A is 890-434-09

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-36

Likewise, if you wanted to identify the disk in a drive other than the default drive, you would enter a command similar to the following. In this example, the command line is requesting the volume name from the disk in drive B:

VOL B:

The computer will respond with the following.

Volume in drive B is 890-435-02

Remember that these examples are representative of MS-DOS disk #1 (in drive A) and MS-DOS disk #2 (in drive B). The actual volume name may not exactly match that which is on your disks.

Other Internal Commands

You will find more complete instructions and how to use the options of the internal MS-DOS commands in the MS-DOS documentation.

External Commands

External MS-DOS commands are actually separate programs. They are c alled commands because you execute them from MSDOS i n the sa me manner as an internal command. Because they are separate programs, you can (selectively) remove them from your disk with the ERASE command. Or, if you prefer, you can sele cti vel y cop y th em ( wit h th e CO PY command) to a new bootable disk as described in Appendix L.

All external commands will appear on the directory listings of a disk. These programs are known as "utilities;" they are used for some common task, such as the FORMAT command, which is explain ed l ater i n this cha pte r and illustrated in Appendix L.

The external commands included with MS-DOS are summarized in Table 2-3.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-37

Table 2- 3: External MS-DOS Commands (Utilities)

THE COMMAND: TELLS THE COMPUTER TO:

AP PLY Execute another command with a substitution. ASSIGN Assign a logical drive name to a Winchester partition. BACKUP Back up, or archive, one or more files. CHKDSK Check the directories of a disk and report the status. CIPH E R Encrypt or decrypt a file using a keyword. COMMAND Make executive calls on resident commands. CONFIGU R Configure the system according to specific parameters. DEBU G Load and execute the system debugger. DISKCOMP Compare the contents of two disks to see if they are identical. DISKCOPY Duplicate the contents of one disk onto another. EDLIN Load and execute a line editor. EXE2BIN Convert an executable file (EXE) to a binary file (COM). FC Compare the contents of two files and list the differences. FIND Search for a specific string of text. FONT Load and execute the fon t editor or load an alternate chara cter

set. FORMAT Format a disk. LIB Load and execute the library utility. LINK Combine several object modules into one relocatable load

module or run file. MAP Temporarily reassign disk drive names to oth er disk dri ves. MORE Display output one screen at a time. PRINT Print the contents of one o r more fi les o n the printe r. PS C Print the contents of the screen on a printer. RDCPM Copy the contents of a CP/M disk or file to an MS-DOS disk. RECOVER Recovers specified file(s) that had previously been erased or

deleted from a directory. RESTORE Restore one or more files from the files created with the

BACKUP command. SEARC H Locate file(s) with the directory structure. SORT Sort a data file. SYS Transfer the current system files (IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS)

to the specified drive.

Only the most commonly-used commands are discussed in this manual. Those commands discussed here and the other external commands not discussed in this manual are explained in the MSDOS documentation.

For the following discussions, place your MS-DOS disk #1 in drive A and boot the system (if it is not already booted) from this disk.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-38

CHKDSK

This command lets you check your disks to make sure they are still usable and do not contain any bad areas. Also areas of the disk that have been "garbaged" (made unusable) by software can be recovered with this command.

You should use the command occasionally on all of your disks to verify that they have not been damaged. A number of error messages may be displayed, depending upon the condition of the disk. These are discussed in the MS-DOS documentation.

After the error messages are displayed (if any), the CHKDSK command will display a status report on the disk. To execute the CHKDSK com mand , you would enter the following command line.

CHKDSK

This will result in a display similar to the following.

Volume 890-434-09 created Nov 12, 1984 12:02p

322560 bytes total disk space 32768 bytes in 3 hidden files 1024 bytes in 1 directories 253952 bytes in 27 user files 34816 by tes av ai l ab l e o n d is k

262144 b yt e s t o ta l m e mo ry

220768 bytes free

In this report, you will see the volume name and creation date and time. Following that is an analysis of disk usage, which includes total disk space, disk space occupied by hidden files, disk space occupied by branch directories, disk space occupied by bad sectors (none are illustrated in this example since this disk contains no bad areas), disk space occupied by visible files (called user files), and the amount of remaining disk space. The system characteristics contain the total amount of memory in the system (this example is equivalent to a system with 256 kilobytes of memory) and the amount of free memory that is not used by MS-DOS.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-39

The system reports three hidden files. Earlier in this chapter, you were told there were two hidden files on the disk: IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS. The third file is a directory entry that is occupied by the name of the volume. Since this directory entry is not displayed as a visibl e file, it is considered by CHKDSK to be a hidden file.

If run CHKDSK on a formatted, but unnamed system disk, you would see the following report:

. 322560 bytes total disk space . 32768 by t e s i n 2 hi d den files . 17408 by t es in 1 u s er files . 272384 bytes available on disk

. 262144 bytes total m em o ry . 220768 bytes free

As you can see from this report, there are only two hidden files. Also missing is the volume name and creation date and time. Next, when y ou read about the FORMAT command, you will want to make a practice of naming each disk you create.

FORMAT

The FORMAT command is used in the backup procedure explained in Appendix L. As is explained in that text, FORMAT organizes your disks so they can receive files of data and programs. No check is made to see if the disk to be formatted contains data, so be sure that you know that the disk does not contain vital information.

This command also puts information in the area of the disk which normally holds the operation system. If you try to boot your computer with a disk that has only been formatted and does not contain an operating system, the following message will appear.

No system

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-40

If you get this message, you will have to press both the CTRL and RESET keys at the same time to reset your computer. Then you can place a system disk in drive A and properly boot the system. Incidentally, the term "system disk" refers to any disk with the operating system on it.

When you use the FORMAT command to prepare system disks, you place the operating system on the new disk with a /S. The slash and letter are identified as a "switch," a term which is used to identify any combination of symbols and letters that modify a command. The swi tches for the FORMAT command are summarized in T able 2-4.

Table 2-4: FORMAT Switches

USE: TO CAUSE FORMAT TO: /A Format 8-inch disks as single-sided, single-density /C Clear the directory only. Do not reformat the disk.

/M Format only one side of the disk.

/N Suppress all prompts. If you use this switch, you must place the disk in

the disk drive before you execute the command.

/S Record the operating system on the disk. /V Verify that each track and sector is usable and lock out any tracks

and/or sectors that are not usable.

/9 Format the disk with nine sectors per track, increasing the disk capacity

to approximately 360 kilobytes. The normal density is 8 sectors per track which results in disk capacities of about 320 kilobytes.

The switches which you will be using the most often are: /S to record the system files on the disk, /V to verify that the disk is good and to lock out any bad tracks or sectors, and /9 to increase the density of the disk to 9 sectors pe r track.

In this section, you will be shown two examples of how to use the FORMAT command. In the first example, the command line will cause the computer to format a data disk, one which contains no operation system. In the second example, you will format and produce a bootable system disk.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-41

To format a data disk in drive B, enter the following command line.

FORMAT B:/V

To format a bootable system disk in drive B, enter the following command line.

FORMAT B:/V/S

In both cases, the computer will display a message similar to the following.

FORMAT version 2.20

Insert new disk in drive B and press RETURN when ready.

When a disk has been formatted that will have the operating system on it, you will see the following message on the screen.

System transferred

After the system has been recorded on the disk or, for a data di s k , af ter it has been formatted, you will see the following prompt on your screen.

Enter desired volume label (11 characters, RETURN for none)?

This is the only place that you can assign a volume name to your disk. Remember that the volume name is displayed by the CHKDSK and VOL commands.

You may enter up to 11 characters, consisting of letters, numbers, spaces, underlines, and/or hyphens. All other characters are illegal and if you try to use one of them in your label, the computer will display the following error message.

Invalid characters in volume id Enter desired volume label (11 characters, RETURN for none)?

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-42

It is a good idea to enter a volume name (label) that is similar to the label you prepare for the disk. However, be aware that 11 characters are a very limited number of characters that you can use for the name, so carefully plan what you want to enter.

Once a disk has had a name entered onto it, the only way the name can be changed is to reformat the disk.

After you have entered the volume name, the computer will then display a report on the amount of disk space used and available. For a system disk formatted with 8 sectors per track, the computer will display the following.

322560 bytes total disk space 50176 bytes used by system 272384 bytes available on disk

For a data disk formatted with 9 sectors per track, the computer will display the following.

362496 bytes total disk space 362496 bytes available on disk

Finally, the computer will prompt you with the following message. It is asking you if you want to format additional disks, using the same parameters (specifications) that you specified in the original command line.

Do you wish to format another disk (Y/N)?

Press the Y key if you wish to format another disk using the same disk drive and parameters that you specified in the command line. Otherwise, press the N key if you do not want to format another disk using the same drive or parameters. The computer will either prompt you to insert a new di sk in th e spe cif ie d d ri ve or r e tu rn y ou to th e MS -D OS p ro m pt . N o te that you do not have to press the RETURN key for this prompt.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-43

SYS

From time to time, improvements and/or enhancements are made to t he operating system. When this happens, you can use the SYS command to copy the new system onto your existing disks. Refe r to you r MS -DOS documentation when you need to use the SYS command.

DISKCOPY

The DISKCOPY utility is a program that, once loaded into your computer, will allow you to easily duplicate disks. It contains its own form attin g routines, so the destination disks to not have to be previously formatted. However, no check is made to see if the destination disk contains data, so be sure th at you k now tha t the destination disk does not contain vital information.

The DISKCOPY program may be used with one switch, the /V. Thi s switch adds a verification cycle to the disk duplication process, making sure that the destination disk matches the source disk.

To use the DISKCOPY program, enter the following command line.

DISKCOPY/V

The computer will display a message similar to the following.

DISKCOPY version 2.20

Source drive name? (A-H) _.

Press the key that corresponds to the drive which will contain your source disk. The next prompt will be similar to the following.

Destination drive name? (A-H) _.

Press the key that corresponds to the drive which will contain your destination disk. The computer will then display a message similar to the following,

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-44

indicating the source drive name and the destination drive name. For i nstance, if you pressed the A key for the source drive and t he B key for the destination, the display would be similar to the following.

Place the source disk in A and the destination disk in B. Press RETURN when ready.

NOTE: The DISKCOPY utility will not copy one disk size and type to another. It will only copy disks with identical specifications. In other words, you cannot use DISKCOPY to copy a 5.25-inch disk to an 8-inch disk or v ice versa. The same is true of the Winchester; you cannot copy to or from a Winchester partition using D ISKC OPY.

Place your source and destination disks in their respective

drives and press the RETURN key. The display will show the following messages as the destination disk is formatted, the source disk information copied to the destination disk, and the two verified.

Formatting Destination... Copying... Verifying...

When this procedure is complete, you will be prompted with a message similar to the following.

Do you wish to copy another disk (Y/N) ? <N>

If "you have another disk to duplicate, press the Y key and

then the RETURN key. You will again be prompted to enter the names of the drives that you want to use.

If you do not have any other disks to duplicate, press the

RETURN key. The computer will return to the MS-DOS prompt.

You may use the following command line as an alternative way to use DISKCOPY.

DlSKCOPY/V A: B:

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-45

In this command line, you are supplying the responses to the prompts as parameters. The source disk will be in drive A and the destination disk will be in drive B. The /V switch tells the computer to include the verify cycle in the procedure. You will see a message similar to the following in response to the command line.

DISKCOPY version 2.20

Place the source disk in A and the destination disk in B. Press RETURN when ready.

When you have placed the appropriate disks in their respective driv es, pres s the RETURN key to start the process. The computer will format, duplicate, and verify the disk as before. After the duplication process is completed, the computer will return to the MS-DOS prompt. The following represent the messages you will see during the process and at the end.

Formatting destination... Copying... Verifying... A>

DISKCOMP

Should you forget to use the /v switch in the DISKCOPY co mm a nd l in e , DISKCOMP can be used to verify that the two disks are identical. Likewise, if yo u h a v e t w o di s k s t h a t y ou s u s p e c t m i g ht be identical, DISKCOMP provides a quick method to check them out.

To use DISKCOMP, enter the following command line.

DISKCOMP

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-46

The computer will display a message similar to the following.

DISKCOMP version 2.20

Copyri g ht (C ) 1984 Z e ni t h D at a S ys t e m s C o r po ra t i on

Source1 drive name? (A-H) _.

Press the letter that corresponds to the drive that you will use for

one of the disks. The computer will display the following.

Source2 drive name? (A-H) _ .

Press the letter that corresponds to the drive that you will use

for the other disk. If you used drive A for the Source1 drive and drive B for the other, the computer will display a message similar to the following.

Place source1 disk in A and source2 disk in B Press RETURN when ready.

After you insert the disks into their respective drives and press the RETURN key, the computer will start comparing the two disks and display:

Verifying...

If the two disks are not identical, the computer will display a message similar to the following.

Disk verify failure

Compare another? (Y/N) <N>

If the two disks are identical, the computer will prompt:

Compare another? (Y/N) <N>

If you have more disks to compare, press the Y key. If you do not, press the RETURN key.

Z100 Manual Disk Operating System Page 2-47

Other External MS-DOS Commands

You will use the CONFIGUR utility to set up your system for a printer, modem, or other input/output devices. The complete instructions are provided in Appendix F of this manual. They are also provided in the MS-DOS documentation.

MAP is used to route disk input/output according to drive name from one drive to another. Certain application packages require the use of the MAP command on Winchester systems.

CREF, DEBUG, EXE2BIN, EDLIN, LIB, and LINK are related to program development procedures. ASSIGN, BACKUP, and RESTORE are used with the Winchester disk system. APPLY, CIPHER, FC, FIND, FONT, MORE, PRINT, PSC, RDCPM, RECOVER, SEARCH, and SORT are used for the various purposes described in Table 2-3. Since these commands are usually not use d on a day -to -da y ba sis or f or s ett in g up a com put er system, they are not discussed in this manual. You will find a complete discussion on these commands and the non-command files on your MSDOS disks in the MS-DOS documentation.

Chapter 3 Computer Programming Page 3-1

Computer Programming

and BASIC

This chapter of the manual introduces you to program languages, programming, and BASIC. If you are familiar with these concepts, you may want to skip this chapter.

Programs

In everything we do, whether it is building a kit or driving a car, we use instructions. Computers also need instructions to operate. A program is a set of instructions that the computer can follow. Without instructions, a computer will only consume electricity, and will not calculate, display, or print information.

The following pages will introduce you to the concepts of writing computer programs. You will learn what a computer program is, what the different types of programs are, how to conceptualize and define a computer programming task, and how to translate that task into computer instructions in the BASIC programming language.

Program Types

There are many different types of programs. You have already used several: when you turned on the computer, when you loade d M S- DO S , a nd when you used the demonstration disk.

The first type of program you used is called a monitor, an element ary program used to get the computer started when it is first turned on. The computer's monitor program loaded the disk operating system from a disk. Then the monitor program turned control of the computer over to the operating system that was just loaded.

In the Z-100 computer, the operating system is oriented toward disk operation and manages the tasks of loading and storing application programs, utilities, and data files and provides for file maintenance. It has numerous built-in COPY, RENAME, DIR, and TYPE. These were explained in the "Disk Operating System" chapter of this manual.

commands, such as

Chapter 3 Computer Programming Page 3-2

Some of the external commands you gave to MS-DOS (such as FORMAT) were actually separate programs, called utilities, that perform practical, often-needed jobs. Many utilities exist in computing; most are associated with operating systems, such as those used and supplied with MS-DOS.

Programmers

A programmer conceives, plans, designs, writes, tests, and corrects programs. A basic programming skill is the ability to logically "think through" a problem in order to accomplish a given task. If you enjoy problem solving and have a natural ability for it, then you may enjoy programming. You can effectively use the tools of programming if you have the desire to learn .

Programming Languages

Just as individuals are capable of speaking different languages (such as English, Spanish, French, and so on), your computer is capable of using different programming languages. Some of these may be built around a particular computer and are referred to as being machine dependent. Other languages, such as BASIC, are more general and can be used on a large number of different computers.

Syntax

All languages, whether they are used by humans or computers, have rules of usage, called syntax. In order to use a language to communicate effectively. you must understand and use these rules. Therefore, the syntax of a computer language must be followed very carefully; otherwise, the computer will not understand what you are trying to tell it. These rules sometimes vary slightly from one type of computer to another. While the basic elements of the language will remain the same, you will find slight variations in the way some parts are used.

Chapter 3 Computer Programming Page 3-3

Language Types

Refer to Figure 3-1 for the following discussion.

There are five different types of computer languages: machine

languages, assembly languages, compilers, interpreters, and pseudo-compilers. The last three are usually referred to as highlevel languages.

• Machine language - The only language a computer understands is called machine language. Machine language instructions are very detailed and are written in a numeric form so the computer can act upon them directly. All other language types must be translated (by special programs) into the machine language code in order for the computer to carry out your instructions.

• Assembly language - Assembly language is similar to machine language, except it is written using symbols, called mnemonics, that look like abbreviations of common English words. For example, you could use LD for load, AD for add, and so on. Since mnemonics cannot be used directly by a computer, they must be translated (or assembled) into machine language code by a program called an assembler.

• High-level languages - High-level languages are people-oriented.

For example, you can direct your computer to do many things with very few instructions. Instead of detailing every step in machine language or assembly language, you may simply tell the computer to (for example) make D equal to 2 plus 3. The language you use will tell the computer how to do it and where to store the results.

While machine language and assembly languages are generally not known by a unique name, most high-level languages are. The names of the most common languages are BASIC, COBOL, and FORTRAN. These names (and those of most high-level languages ) are formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words that describe the language. Examples of how the names of these common high-level languages are formed are shown in Table 3-1.

Chapter 3 Computer Programming Page 3-4

Table 3 - 1 : So urces of Some H igh-Level La nguage Names

LANGUA GE NA M E SOURCE OF NAME (MEANING) BASIC Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code

COBOL COmmon Business Oriented Language FORTRAN FORmula TRANslator

Other languages, such as Pascal, are named after people associated with the computer industry. Still others, such as Forth, have no such roots, but come from a term applied during the creatio n of the langua ge.

High-level languages must also be converted into machine language code. This can be done by using one of the three processes shown in Figure 31: compile, interpret, or both compile and interpret (pseudo-compile).

• Compiler - A compiler will take your instructions and compile them into machine language instructions. This may produce a certain amount of duplication in the machine language code to handle common functi ons . The result is a machine language program that will usually be executed more slowly than a machine language or assembly language program that does the same thing. FORTRAN and COBOL are two examples of languages that are usually compiled.

• Interpreter - An interpreter works somewhat differently. Unlike the compiler, no translation takes place. Instead, the interpreter (which is a program itself) analyzes your instructions one by one and then it (the interpreter) completes the operation. Interpreters are usually much slower than compilers for two main reasons: the interpreter analyzes each instruction each time it is executed and the analysis itself usua lly takes longer than the e xecution. However, because t here is no compilation step (as in the case of compilers), programs may be written and tested much easier. Several versions of BASIC for the Z100 are interpreters. (A version of BASIC is also available as a compiler.)

• Pseudo-compiler - A pseudo-compiler does not compile your instructions into machine code, but into a compact intermediate object code. This code is then interpreted by a run-time program that will provide the necessary machine instructions to complete the operation. The run time program executes the intermediate code in a manner similar to that of an interpreter and, as a result , runs slower than a true compiler.

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