archive.worldofdragon.org

Attached is the ChatPlus FLEX disk.... Not sure if it will BOOT or if you need to BOOT a FLEX system disk first. Just found a folder of disk images that I do not think are on the archive

And attached is XCom9 for OS-9 from the same folder on my server. I have uploaded the folder content under Disks\Dragon\UNSORTED as there may be other treasures in there.

Thank you!
FLEX_CHATPLUS looks good. At first glance, the program seem to have all the features, that one would expect. A FLEX-System-Disk has to be booted first. I took FLEX_1.3.2.dsk (loaded in drive 1).
For non-FLEXers, like me:
- after booting from FLEX-ystem disk, you have to enter the system date.
- then load disk 2 in XROAR with FLEX_CHATPLUS.dsk-file
- launch the program from disk 2: 1.chatplus <enter>

And here you go with a screen menu on a 52 column-screen (which is enough for many things).
I have to test it with the real thing later and solder a cable...

And for non-OS9ers (this seems to be a rather slow system???):
- load OS9-SYSTEM.VDK into drive1
- boot Dragon/XROAR
- load UNK_0013_OS9_UGROUP_0x.dsk into drive2
- go51 <enter> for 51 columns
- dir /d1/cmds <enter> for directory of disk 2
- /d1/cmds/xcom9.li <enter> for launching program
- shows a menu of options and quits program???
something is running, but reading of manual seems to be required

Simon, thanks for finding that software! And thanks Rolo, for posting instructions for Flex - that would have had me stumped for quite some time. I've got it all running under Xroar here, and the next challenge is to get it running on the real Dragon with either the CocoSDC or the HxC floppy. I wonder what level of 'emulation' there is here - can I at least clear the screen for example? or position a character at a specific place on the screen? That would lovely ...

Let me know if there's any gotchas with the cable - I guess there's no reason why I couldn't hook this up to a Raspberry Pi?

Cheers all!

Let me know if there's any gotchas with the cable - I guess there's no reason why I couldn't hook this up to a Raspberry Pi?

I really hope that'll work. I'm going to attach it to a PIC-microcontroller via a MAXIM232 driver/receiver. I see no reason, why that should not work. I can always reduce the baud rate until timing is absolutely non-critical.

I'm really having trouble with this Flex-thing on real hardware.
I converted a Flex-system disk to hfe-format for my floppy emulator. My D32(64) boots. Nice. But Flex wit only one drive is "problematic". All OS-commands, even CAT, need the system disk to be in the drive. The user-disk is supposed to be in the 2nd floppy-drive ("dsk"-file). But I just have one . I tried to clone a system disk and copy CHATPLUS on it. Not enough disk space! Next thing I try: double sided, double density disk. Hasn't worked, yet.
All for a simple terminal-program. I'll play around a little bit longer with that, then maybe come back to the pure Dragon - that should be enough for a terminal.
FLEX with one drive is not funny

Ah, I was just coming to the same conclusion - I was starting to plan out some Frankenstein's monster of a machine using a Multi-Pak, my CocoSDC, and a Dragon DOS cartridge with an HxC floppy emulator. I also just backed out of an eBay auction for a Dragon with a double disk drive. You're right, Rolo, this is far too much effort for a simple terminal emulator.

Maybe I'll wait until I get my Pi (big hints have been made for Christmas), dust off my 6809 assembly manuals and see if there's another way!

Rolo wrote:I'm really having trouble with this Flex-thing on real hardware.
I converted a Flex-system disk to hfe-format for my floppy emulator. My D32(64) boots. Nice. But Flex wit only one drive is "problematic". All OS-commands, even CAT, need the system disk to be in the drive. The user-disk is supposed to be in the 2nd floppy-drive ("dsk"-file). But I just have one . I tried to clone a system disk and copy CHATPLUS on it. Not enough disk space! Next thing I try: double sided, double density disk. Hasn't worked, yet.
All for a simple terminal-program. I'll play around a little bit longer with that, then maybe come back to the pure Dragon - that should be enough for a terminal.
FLEX with one drive is not funny

Just a thought - but can the HxC emulate Drive 0 and 1 - I thought there was a way of getting it to emulate two floppy drives.

Ah, Simon, you might be on to something! Looking at page 7 of the manual found here:

http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... al_ENG.pdf

"Since the emulator is able to emulate 2 disk drives ..."

Unfortunately, my machine isn't set up at the moment - there's an ill NeXT Cube all over my desk currently - but definitely worth looking into. I'd never spotted it could do that - if it does with the Dragon, that's useful in quite a few ways!