Greetings APE user! APE_F32G.ATR contains: * APE's REMOTE.COM remote control software (new in 1.16) * APE's APETIME.COM time downloader (new in 1.16) * The Shareware version of Spartados 3.2g. APE_WARP.ATR contains: * APE's REMOTE.COM remote control software (new in 1.16) * APE's APE_WARP OS Patch for 3x SIO w/o a Warp+ OS * 'MyCopier' high speed sector copier * The public distribution of MyDos 4.53 APExxx.EXE contains: * The main APE executable PROxxx.EXE contains: * The ProSystem executable APExxx.DOC contains: * The APE users manual PROxxx.DOC contains: * The ProSystem users manual ORDER.DOC contains: * The APE order form (shown below) For a complete list of archive contents, see the Ape Users Manual. ________________________________________________________________ NEW FEATURES/PROGRAM HISTORY _This version of APE has many new features not available in the previous beta test and public releases._ 7/30/98 1.17. Added or improved since 1.16 * o ProSystem emulation mode added for special Mindscape games o Programs updated to run on fast machines (RTE 200 Bug) o Incorrectly formed ATR's could cause program abort. Fixed. o Colors restored correctly upon program exit. 1/30/98 1.16. Added or improved since 1.15. * _Summary of main program changes._ + _APETIME.COM_ now included free with APE. o Included on image APE_F32G.ATR o Source code available. o Downloads the PC time to the Atari and updates the Spartados clock. o Compatible w/ both Spartados and Spartados X. o Atari 800 and XL/XE compatible. + _REMOTE.COM_ now included free with APE. o Included on both APE_F32G.ATR and APE_WARP.ATR o Allows user to perform all APE functions from the Atari keyboard. o Atari 800 and XL/XE compatible. o Compatible w/ all DOS systems. o See users manual for a complete description. + _Feature [F]ind Image_ implemented. Can recursively search an entire set of drives for any image(s) + Path configuration now supports 10 'spider' paths. + Configuration Option [_5_]. Cables using the CTS line now supported. + Configuration Option [_P_]. Registered users can now use persistent sessions. + Configuration Option [_Q_]. Registered users can now bypass the startup screen permanently. + Configuration Option [_T_]. Attempts to use Windows95 long filenames can be manually disabled. + Configuration Option [_U_]. Force use of old smaller PC-MIRROR. (Spartados X) + Configuration Option [_B/F_]. R: Atari Modem emulation can be manually disabled. + Configuration Option [_C/1-0_]. Spider path settings. + Configuration Option [_C/D_]. Default search drive list for find and REMOTE.COM + Configuration Option [_C/F_]. Default filespec for find function. + Configuration Option [_C/R_]. Persistent PC-MIRROR path switch. * _Summary of PC-Mirror changes._ + Maximum file write size is now 7,864,320 bytes. Old limit was 93,000 bytes. + Maximum read size is now unlimited. + Configuration Setting allows switch back to old small image method. + Special SpartadosX 4.20 rom patch available on request. + Mirror can now be swapped like any other image, using keys 1-8. + Mirror path and filespec are now separate items. * _Summary of APELOADER changes._ + Now moves up a directory when _backspace_ is pressed. + Now executes APE macros on PC when Shift 1-0 pressed. + Complete loader rewrite, now totally relocatable anywhere in memory. * _Bugs Fixed in APE_ + Screen color corruption in menu Z/C fixed. + DCM Decompression code fixed. Thanks to Ernest Schreurs (see IMAGIC.DOC). + Faster, more consistent, serial I/O routines written. + Keyboard buffer expansion code rewritten. Problem with an international keyboard driver. + Work around for faults in Microsoft's Win95 serial interrupt processing. Could cause APE to stop responding when Win95 drops an interrupt. 5/13/97 1.15. Added or improved since 1.11b/1.12b * When a DOS shell is launched (Key _!_), APE will now try and swap itself out to EMS or disk. * Free's up about 300k of memory for shell usage. * New Config Opt: Default swap method. + EMS + DISK + NEVER * Various Screen Update Bugs Fixed * Fixed READ-ONLY File Problem w/ PC-MIRROR * New Printer Options + Print to file now supported + Print to any printer port supported + Turn off printer (allows real Atari printer to talk) + Print to file supports APPEND or OVERWRITE + (Next version will support multiple emulated printers e.g. P2,etc) * New Config Opt: Disable Happy/Syncromesh Detect * Patch available for Spartados X 4.20 for Ape Warp+ (request) * Added HARD Write protect, acts like a real drive (error returned). * New Config Opt: Hard/Soft Write Protect (Soft allows old method) * _APELOADER Software Created_ * APELOADER Added via direct boot from PC-MIRROR drive. * (see Ape User's Manual for all the features!) * APELOADER updated to run even broken EXE files * APELOADER menu updated, allow base address switch from Atari keyboard * New Config Opt: Default APELOADER base address * Full support for .CAS digital cassette images added (key _Y_) * (see Ape User's Manual for all the features!) * New PC modem configuration interface * New configuration manager interface 2/7/97 1.12. Added or improved since APE 1.10 * APE now works 100% will all monochrome cards. * Lockup bug fixed. * Indus GT Syncromesh is now supported * Many internal changes * Crashes caused by file access violations are fixed. * Printer emulation reworked. APE now supports many new printer options. * PC Mirror could be crashed by unexpected file permissions, fixed. 11/11/96 1.10. Added or improved since APE 1.09: * Added initial ATR-FAST code. * Buffers are allocated earlier in the initialization for computer with low memory. * ATR FAST system now supports multiple call methods and keystroke activation * Setting the framing threshold sometimes caused an infinite loop, fixed. * The TILDE character used in Windows95 long filenames caused filenames in the PC MIRROR to be garbled. Files now use the underscore character for long filename translation * While writes to the PC mirror under spartados are not supported, trying to do it caused a crash instead of a warning. Fixed. * SpartaDOS X cartridge support for floppy formatting added * SpartaDOS X cartridge support for PC Mirror added * SpartaDOS X cartridge now sees the PC mirror and can read it. * SDX COPY command now compatible with PC Mirror. * Problem with last path used in ATR file selection fixed * Ultraspeed and Ape Warp+ 3x SIO now compatible with more software, Top Mag, Superdos, etc * ATR FAST now displays ATASCII comments properly * ATR FAST system now responds to shift driven option * Extra SIO commands added for more support of the 1050 Speedy upgrade. Bibocopy 1.5 now works at 56k * Some functions optimized to allow faster performance with the APE Warp+ OS * Configuration menu totally revamped * New configuration options: Safety Margin, Sio Control Method, file selector choice. * Cursor was sometimes left visible after a pick box was displayed. Fixed. * More robust configuration file checking installed * Many new features added to the Win95 file selector * APE sometimes left stray characters at the right margin. Fixed. * Write protect no longer clobbers byte 15 of ATR header * APE fully supports CRC32 ATR Authentication. ATR Authentication standard and documentation available at the APE Home Page. * Warp_453 from 1.09 now obsolete due to new driver in APE_WARP.ATR. 3x SIO patch for MyDOS/Atari DOS now much more reliable. * New versions of MyCopier included on the APE_WARP.ATR. Old version was also corrupted. 5/22/96 1.09. Added or improved since APE 1.07: * Distribution Change: FTED32F.ATR contains the Shareware version of Spartados 3.2f. Spartados is an advanced _high speed_ DOS system from Fine Tooned Engineering. * Distribution Change: 453_WARP.ATR contains MyDos 4.53, as well as 2x Happy High Speed I/O Patch, 3x APE+ Warp Speed Patch (modified Happy patch), and MyCopier ultra high speed sector copier that is compatible with APE+ 3x SIO. * Ape 1.09 and ProSystem 1.50 now support images of enhanced density and a extension of the .PRO format was changed to help this along. You _must_ convert your old v2 .PRO images to v3 .PRO images or they cannot be used with Ape 1.09. A fast and automated program, PRO2TO3.EXE is included to convert all your old images. You can give it a wildcard filespec so you should be able to convert all your .PRO images in one pass :) * Executable file now smaller because of internal changes in allocation of dynamic memory vs. the old static method. * Executable now uses overlays for routines that are not time critical, freeing page space for more features in the main program. * 850 Emulation Fixed - A problem in 1.07 caused a 6502 vector in the stage 3 handler to point to a BRK instruction (OOPS!). * 850 Emulation Fixed - Problem with concurrent I/O dropping out the instant it starts cured. * Fixed DCM code to allow decompression of double density images, bug has been in the DCM code since its was written. * PC Mirror: Files written to the PC mirror would fail with a DISK FULL message after about 400 sectors, fixed. Mirror now supports capture of files up to 8 Megs. * PC Mirror: Writing to a file that already existed in the PC Mirror drive would cause the program to fail with a device timeout. Mirror now supports writes to any file, even if it exists. * PC Mirror: Files written to the PC Mirror would on rare occasions be truncated to 125 byte intervals, or have an extra 125 bytes appended. Fixed. * Pc Mirror: Files written to the PC Mirror would appear in the default DOS path instead of the current PC Mirror path. Fixed. * Ape and ProSystem now be more monochrome friendly. If MDA adapters are detected all screens are displayed in white on black _only_. * Ape 1.07 could be crashed about 10 ways with runtime error 203. This sloppy memory problem has been fixed and wont happen anymore. * Spartados 3.2x (XF551 version) is now fully supported. Thanks to the user who sent 3.2x for testing. Problems included failure to format any disk floppy or HD). Unknown if this will effect the X cart situation. * When ATR images were created, they could then be mounted on the same drive as the PC Mirror, caused some interesting effects but is fixed. * When creating ATR images they would appear in the default DOS path if no path was specified, they now appear in the default ATR/PRO path. * APE ProSystem emulation code rewritten and streamlined, added 5 extra emulation modes (more coming). ProSystem now _requires_ version 3 format images. See the above instructions for converting your existing .PRO images. * Many improvements to file selector including better path handling, type highlighting, drive change entries, visible marker (mono friendly) and internal changes. * Ape now includes an XFD conversion utility in addition to an improved and hopefully now complete DCM conversion utility. Image conversion is available to all users and is invoked with the 'A' keystroke. * Many users asked for APE to handle commands sent by Nick Kennedy's program REMOTE.OBJ. Ape now handles these requests, but obviously you must use APE keystrokes. Keystrokes accepted for registered users only. * REMOTE.OBJ was created by and is the property of another software author and is therefore not included in this software package. I'm not aware of any restrictions on its use, but if it requires some type of payment for use of course please register it. * You can now select a new ProSystem emulation mode for any image directly from within APE as of 1.09. This _greatly_ speeds up the PRO image testing process. Registered users only. * Sometimes the screen was left 'dirty' from previous menus, little dots at the right edge, etc. Fixed. * The shareware version of APE could crash in the Atascii/Ascii viewer. Fixed. * The file selector has again changed and you should note a significant change to the usage of the 'Additional Extension' option of configuration menu 3. This option used to specify the extension of the files to be displayed in the file browser. This setting _no longer_ performs this function. It now specified an _extra_ extension to be displayed in the file browser. ATR and PRO extensions are now automatically displayed at the proper times. If you have this option set to '*' I suggest you clear it so you do not have to wade through tons of useless files to get to your disk images. 11/20/95 1.07. Added or improved since APE 1.06: * Most of the changes I had noted were lost when I had a file corruption problem. So anything new thats not listed here... :) * Screen blanker was causing many systems to crash after loading APE. It has been removed. Other more stable freeware screen blankers are available anyway. * Old .PRO format totally scrapped. Old .PRO riders are no longer compatible with APE and will not be supported in the future. * New .PRO v2 image format created. * Coded or re-coded about 1000 lines of code to install full dual ATR/PRO compatibility. First public release in 1.07. * Bug causing ignored writes to disk images for many users has hopefully been eliminated. * Beta .PRO image creator coded and made available to registered users. * APE now 100% functional in dual ATR/PRO mode. * Added multiple compatibility modes for PRO images, now allows all my copy protected software to run!!! :) * Added compatibility timing to PRO v2 format. Disks which require reads at normal 1050 speed (300 rpm) can now be emulated. * Added sector overrides for all .PRO functions. Each sector can now be modified individually (if desired) to bypass any of the global .PRO settings. * Minor improvments/bugfixes for the file selector * Minor improvments/bugfixes for the text browser * Misc improvements to the core routines * Pro System 1.02b now available to the public. * Plans for the PRO CABLE added to APE.DOC 9/2/95 Added or improved since APE 1.04: * Titles added to file selector * TAB can now be used to edit file selector path/filespec * Misc HELP screen fixes * Found memory leak in load disk image routine, fixed. * Added first Diskcomm3 -> ATR conversion code * DCM -> ATR converter now part of APE program, option [A] * DCM -> ATR converter can now handle batch processing using wildcards * DCM -> ATR converter now asks if you want to mount the image you just converted (if you convert only 1 image). * Integrated new COMM routines, speed and reliability improved * Verified HAPPY HS I/O w/ Diskcomm3, ok. * Verified Ultraspeed I/O w/ Bitter Reality Demo, ok. * APE now rejects corrupt/invalid ATR files * HAPPY SECTOR COPY from the Happy System Disk verified to work ok. * Bug in Happy write routine found and fixed. * Bug in computation of high sector numbers found and squashed. Nobody complained about this, anyone out there? :) * Added UART/COMM configuration screen and code, now available in [Z] Configuration, [4] Option 4. * UART/COM settings now saved in APE.CFG * Eliminated '.' from file selector, useless entry and its now easier to navigate using the browser. * Added '>' and ' PC Mirror updated to work a 2x speed w/ Happy HS I/O * * PC Mirror now compatible with Spartados. Can now copy files of any size from the PC mirror into spartados using COPY, XCOPY, etc. Spartados still has a bug in its i/o routine but i found a way around it. * Happy HS I/O writes were still causing jumps to ultraspeed on occasion. Found a problem in the timing code and its now a very solid routine. * XF551 high speed I/O didn't work most of the time, again nobody reported this monster bug. Fixed and verified with XFTOOLS.ZIP. * Much of APE recoded and optimized. Many sections were in the original beta 'just make it work' form and were real electronic elephants. A few sections of non time-critical repetitive code centralized. Code and data segment sizes reduced significantly and program speed increased. * Started recoding I/O routines for 3x SIO. * Recoding of 3x SIO routines finished. * Patched WARP.COM to allow 3x SIO speed, now renamed to APE_WARP.COM to avoid confusion. Verified reads and writes with MyDOS 4.53. * * Added support for 3x SIO speed using Spartados 3.2g with NO DRIVER REQUIRED. Spartados now boots in APE+ (3x SIO) mode automatically. * 'Force' in the help screed was spelled 'Forse', duh. * Added Spartados Configuration Menu (Cfg [Z] Option [5]) to allow selection of default Spartados speed for very slow PC machines that cannot handle 3x SIO. * 3x SIO verified NOT to work with Spartados versions 3.2d and earlier. Spartados SIO routines in these versions cannot keep up with APE+ SIO and get choppy. * Cursor turned off, guess it annoyed some folks just sitting there and blinking. * Added 'APE+' display to indicate 3x sio running. * APE+ SIO (3x) verified to work w/ 3.2g in single and double density. * APE+ SIO (3x) verified to work at 3x speed w/ bitter reality demo. Any program that follows the Spartados model should work w/ APE+ IO. * APE+ SIO (3x) verified to work with MyCOPIER at 3x SIO speed. * APE+ SIO (3x) verified to work w/ Diskcomm3 * * Added support for 'simple' PROTECTED DISK images. Protection information is stored in a 1k file of the same name with the extension '.PRO'. Sample Images APPLE.ATR/PRO - Apple Bandits protected version SPY.ATR/PRO - Spy vs Spy protected version * Fixed a bug in the DCM->ATR conversion code, leftover junk from the standalone version eliminated. * Unregistered users restricted to only 2 command line switches. * Fixed PC MIRROR to allow APE+ (3x) sio access. * [The following code is complete, but is not included in APE 1.06 because without the ability to use the READ/WRITE TRACK commands properly, they are not really useful except for show. When I get a Happy/Archiver drive to test with, these may be included] * Happy Controller Ram emulated. * HAPPY System Disk now recognizes APE as HAPPY w/ Controller Option installed. * Happy Tracer Buffer emulated. HAPPY system disk now recognizes its presence and displays it contents. * Happy code buffer emulated and high speed transfers working. Able to completely load 'BACKUP ANY DISK' and accept drive programming. * Happy move head command recognized * Archiver READ TRACK command recognized, only response figured out so far indicates a totally empty track. * Archiver FORMAT TRACK command accepted. * Screen blanker added, now blanks screen after 2 minutes of keyboard and SIO inactivity. * Ultraspeed timing tightened, better performance. Added or improved since public beta 8: * Bugfix for 1050 formatting and status routines * Happy high speed reads now supported * New syncro code added, great improvement! * Better swapping method, you no longer have to press the existing image first, either is fine. * Happy high speed write support added * Some extended Happy commands now supported * Write protection of images now effective * Command line options added * User now asked to mount image after creation * 850 Interface serial emulation now working at 9600 baud * Scrapped 850 interface code and starting rewriting some public domain R: code. * Automatic switching between command and concurrent i/o mode now working * PC MIRROR directories are now built on the fly * Support for 43/50 line screens installed * 850 Interface R: emulation now working at 19.2k bps * Added General/Serial configuration screen * Added command filters * Added slow machine display options * Added user definable framing value * New streamlined core serial i/o routines. Much faster now. * Now recognizes many more extended happy commands * Added hardware flow control for PC modem, now works automatically. * Added user definable flow control threshold * Added the ability to load and save block configurations * Added enhanced command line help and registered CL features * Added Path/Macro configuration screen * Added support for default paths and file extensions * Added support for quick macros, and editing code * New consolidated configuration menu, 'I' function for printer configuration now in this menu. * Improved and incorporated my multi-type text browser into APE. Can also be called from the command line. (reg) * Improved file selector, now has title and user can enter own path/filespec using the TAB key. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- REGISTRATION AND ORDER FORM Send orders to: Steven Tucker 9731 Sunrise M-33 North Royalton, Ohio 44133 USA Program information: Telephone: 440-237-5308 E-Mail: classics@nacs.net (primary address) ai123@freenet.carleton.ca dh395@cleveland.freenet.edu ----------------- Single Computer Licenses Includes ---------------- 1. Enhanced & Registered versions! 2. Priority Tech Support (E-Mail, Phone, Mail) 3. Notice of Major Upgrades ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Item Description Price Quantity _Atari Peripheral Emulator_ Registered & Enhanced Version of APE $39.99 [ ] _Ape WARP+ OS Upgrade Option for XL/XE Computers APE Warp+ XL/XE OS_ w/ Installation Kit $49.99 [ ] APE Warp+ XL/XE OS_ Installed (see shipping note) $79.99 [ ] _Preassembled Interface Cables_ APE 1489 Serial Interface Cable $59.99 [ ] ProSystem .PRO Imaging Cable $59.99 [ ] _Imagic_ Imagic-95 Registered and Enhanced $10.00 [ ] Imagic-DOS Registered and Enhanced $10.00 [ ] (GET BOTH IMAGIC-DOS and IMAGIC-95 for only $15) [ ] _Shipping_ Shipping ($5 USA, $6 Canada, $9 Abroad) [ ] Subtract Discount [ ] ($5 discount _per interface cable_ purchased) _Total + Shipping (less any discount)_ [ ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- _Shipping_: flat-rate, regardless of the size of your order. If you choose to get the APE Warp+ OS upgrade with installation, return shipping of your computer is FREE within the contential USA. Please contact me for return shipping rates outside the USA. For more shipping details see the Ape WARP+ OS Info Page. Note on payment: Canadian and overseas users must pay by check or money order _PAID IN US DOLLARS AND DRAWN DIRECTLY ON A US BANK._ In Canada, a postal money order in US DOLLARS is acceptable. Contact: ________________________________________________________ Company ________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Phone _________________________ FAX _________________________ How did you get your copy of APE/IMAGIC? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Suggestions or Comments: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to everyone who sent images, bugs, raves, etc. Of course a teriffic thanks to all that have registered since 1.07. Most all the above enhancments are only for you, and I hope they make APE a better and easier to use product for _you_. Steven Tucker Author of APE: The Atari Peripheral Emulator, APE ProSystem, and Imagic 95/NT/DOS: The Universal disk image converter. http://www.nacs.net/~classics mailto:classics@nacs.net mailto:dh395@cleveland.freenet.edu