Classic Computer Magazine Archive START VOL. 5 NO. 6 / FEBRUARY/MARCH 1991

I/O BOARD

MYDOS RAMdisk
I have an 800XL upgraded to 256K of memory and usually use MYDOS to configure a RAMdisk to simulate a physical disk drive. Is there a way, preferably through software, to copy boot programs like your June/July 1990 Miniature Golf Plus to a RAM-disk and make the system think the RAMdisk is the bootable disk drive 1? This would save a lot of wear and tear on my physical disk drives.
Jim Thompson
San Diego, CA

I'm not that familiar with MYDOS, but I do know that you can get around the boot requirement, at least with a lot of the .EXE or .OBJ programs. With Atari DOS 2 or 2. 5, you can do a binary load (DOS option L) to load and run most of these programs from any drive, even though the magazine instructions say the file needs to be an AUTORUN.SYS. MYDOS has an equivalent command L you can use to Load Memory.

Once you get the program running, though, it wont work with the RAMdisk if the program tells it to look specifically at Drive 1 for special files. Some versions of MY DOS have the command S, Set RAMdisk #. If yon can get the Atari to recognize the RAMdisk as D1:, you might be able to get around this problem. - ANTIC ED.

Linkline to ST
I'm trying to port the LINKLINE.PRG file off the Antic monthly disk, from my Atari 800 to my 520 ST, but so far I haven't had any luck. Is there any way to get a copy of LINKLINE.PRG for my ST?
James DeVerso
Solvay, NY 13209

The August 1986 issue of ANTIC introduced Linkline, a program designed to transfer files between the 8-bit and ST (Linkline only transfers files: it is not an emulator; and cannot run 8-bit programs on the ST:) The article discusses how to build the null-modem cable you need to link up an ST to the 8-bit modem port on the Atari 850 interface. You need to have the Linkline program running on both machines to get files to transfer -otherwise, you really need two telecommunications programs to transfer the files (see the August 1985 issue for suggestions).

Fortunately, you can get the ST version of Linkline on the ST Compendium Disk III from Antic Software (order number SBO 103). This 3 1/2 inch ST-format disk contains several ST programs that originally appeared in the ST Resource section of ANTIC magazine. Other ST programs from ANTIC are available on Compendium disks I-VII. Call (800) 234- 7001 for prices and ordering information. - ANTIC ED.