Chapter Internal Disk Commands
Expert programmers can give commands that directly alter the workings of the 1581, much as skilled programmers can alter the workings of BASIC inside the computer with Peeks, Pokes and Sys calls. It is also possible to write machine language programs that load and run entirely within the 1581, either by writing them into disk memory from the computer, or by loading them directly from diskette into the desired disk memory buffer. This is similar to loading and running machine language programs...
Blockread
The purpose of a BLOCK-READ is to load the contents of a specified sector into a file buffer. Although the BLOCK-READ command B-R is still part of the DOS command set, it is nearly always replaced by the U1 command See Chapter 6 . PRINT 15, Ul channel drive track sector where channel is the channel number specified when the file into which the block will be read was opened, drive is the drive number, and track and sector are respectively the track and sector numbers containing the desired block...
Troubleshooting Guide
Check both ends of power cable to be sure they are fully inserted Replace fuse or reset circuit breaker in house Turn the system off for a moment then try again. If the light still flashes, turn the drive off and on again with the interface cable disconnected. If the problem persists, contact your dealer. If unplugging the interface cable made a difference, make sure the cable is properly connected. If that doesn't work, the problem is probably in the cable itself or somewhere else in the...
Auto Boot Loader
During some operations power-up reset, burst INQURE, burst QUERY, an initialize command the 1581 will automatically look for a file or the disk named 'COPYRIGHT CBM 86' that is a USR type-file. The format of the file is the same as that described previously for the utility loader. If it is present, the file is automatically loaded and executed. The automatic loading of this file can be disabled by either renaming it, setting the appropriate flag in the BAM sectors see Appendix C , or by setting...
Power Outlet
5. Connect the interface cable. Make sure your computer and any other peripherals are OFF. Plug either end of the interface cable into either serial port on the back of the drive see Figure 2 . Plug the other end of the cable into the back of the computer. If you have another peripheral printer or extra drive , plug its interface cable into the remaining serial port on the drive. With everything hooked up and the drive empty, you can turn on the power to the peripherals in any order, but turn...
How This Guide Is Organized
This guide is divided into two main parts and seven appendices, as described below PART ONE BASIC OPERATING INFORMATION includes all the information needed by novices and advanced users to set up and begin using the 1581 disk drive. PART ONE is subdivided into three chapters Chapter 1, Unpacking, Setting Up and Using the 1581, tells you how to use disk software programs that you buy. These prewritten programs help you perform a variety of activities in fields such as business, education,...
Stepbystep Instructions
1. Inspect the shipping carton for damage. If you find any damage to the shipping carton and suspect that the disk drive may have been affected, contact your dealer. 2. Check the contents of the shipping carton. Packed with the 1581 and this book, you should find the following electrical power supply, interface cable, Test Demo diskette, and a warranty card to be filled out and returned to Commodore. 3. Remove the shipping spacer from the disk drive. The spacer is there to protect the inside of...