The archives svnt484?.sfx contain "The Servant" for the C128. Thanks to Mark Spacek for submitting them to this site. crc32 = 963122059 for "svnt484a.sfx". crc32 = 2362161600 for "svnt484b.sfx". crc32 = 3622206924 for "svnt484c.sfx". crc32 = 903412072 for "svnt484d.sfx". The following are the Introduction and Overview files from part a... ************************** *Here is the Introduction* ************************** THE SERVANT A ROM-based utility package designed exclusively for the Commodore 128 Hi! And welcome to THE SERVANT. The guys who designed the Commodore 128 did a great job. Both you and I have enjoyed the fruits of their efforts. In the design of the C128 they included a feature which has only rarely been put to use. If you open your trusty computer there seem to be something missing. Among all the black, rectangular chips there's a vacant socket. What kind of chip might fit. An extra processor? Nah. Extra memory? Well kind of, the socket is meant to contain a ROM chip of up to 32 kilobytes. A creative programmer is free to use this space in whatever way he or she (I would like to see female C128 programmers!) sees fit. A lot of goodies can be put into that space. This is where THE SERVANT comes in. THE SERVANT offers a plethora of nifty utilities and convenience features designed to make your computing life easier and more fun. This goes even if you never use the 128 mode at all. THE SERVANT is designed with maximum convenience, compatibility and security in mind, making it unusual or even unique in many ways. But they all say that don't they? Well see for yourself and enjoy! The author welcome all kinds of reactions from the users. Complaints, suggestions, technical or other questions, comments, corrections, reports on errors and bugs, nitpicks, boast or whatever. Everyone, please write! THE SERVANT and this manual has been produced using the following: C128, Master 41, 1570, 1571, 1581 disk drives, 1750 Ram Expansion Unit, Promenade C1 EPROM programmer, Brother HR15 printer with Super G interface, Midnight Assembly System machine language assembler, The Write Stuff word processor. The author wishes to thank all people using and supporting the 128 (and then some) who, mostly without knowing, have made this possible. One person deserves a special mention though. I wish to thank Matthew Montchalin for his wonderful Midnight Assembly System, the assembler used to create THE SERVANT. Without it, THE SERVANT would never have seen the light of day. This work is dedicated to all the good people around the world who are working for peace, understanding, non-violence and the saviour of our wonderful blue planet. And last but not least; please bear with me as you read this manual. I am not native to the English language. I was born, raised and still live in Norway, the land of the midnight sun. Norway is known for its mountains and fiords and for being a peaceful corner of the world. Thank you. IMPORTANT NOTE: You'll probably spend your first hours using THE SERVANT in computer RAM. THE SERVANT is somewhat hampered when working in that configuration. There will be less buffer space available for the Disk Copier and File Copier. Furthermore, some programs won't launch properly when using THE SERVANT in RAM. Especially, using RAMDOS will produce severe problems in some cases. Also, you can't load programs of more than 100 blocks in size, as bigger programs will overwrite THE SERVANT and crash it. You may also discover other quirks when using THE SERVANT from computer RAM. However, all these problems will disappear when THE SERVANT is allowed to live on a chip. THE SERVANT working as a RAM-resident program is only for your review, customizing and then for making a copy that can be programmed into an EPROM. THE SERVANT is NOT intended to be run from computer RAM on a regular basis! I should also mention that the copyright message you see when reviewing THE SERVANT in RAM will disappear when it is working from an EPROM. ********************** *Here is the Overview* ********************** OVERVIEW OF THE SERVANT's FEATURES SERVANT features, main menu: 100% compatibility with all software and hardware you might throw at it. RAMDOS is fully supported where appropriate. Does not use any memory. Supports 40 or 80 column mode, fast (2Mhz) operation in 80 columns. Simple device number selection. Device numbers other than 8 (9 through 12) can be accessed by holding down SHIFT, C=, CONTROL or ALT along with the command key. -Your computer won't try to boot a disk when powered up or reset. If you DO want to boot a disk, just smack the "0" key which is big and easily accessible on the numeric keypad. -Run the first program on a disk as a BASIC program. -Load the first program, switch to 64 mode, and run it. Can handle files of up to 249 blocks. -Run C64 programs as if you entered 'LOAD "*",x,1' in 64 mode where 'x' is the device number. -Directory. RUN, DLOAD, BLOAD or BOOT a 128 mode program, or run a 64 mode program by pointing at the desired file. View the contents of SEQ, PRG, USR, REL and even DEL files. Display as ASCII or screen codes. Quick and convenient 1581 partition selection. Scratch selected file. -Recover a NEW-ed BASIC program. Even works after a reset when a graphics screen was involved. -Go to 64 mode. You can go back to 128 mode, and then re-enter 64 mode with ML programs, BASIC programs and variables as you left them. Even utilities will still be working! -Enhanced DOS commands. Validate will now protect the boot area (if boot sector exists), even if it consists of several sectors. Device number change/swap command. Recall last command. -Swap 40/80 column screens. -Convert memory to BASIC DATA statements. Create stand-alone program or merge DATA statements into any BASIC program. Select initial line number, increment, line length and data type (2 types of decimal and 3 types of hexadecimal). Can read all banks and memory ranges. -Integrated file manager for the QUICK BROWN BOX. Unlike the QBB's own file manager it won't interfere with JiffyDos, programs, utilities or anything else. Fast (2Mhz) and convenient one-key loading from the box. Download files from disk by using the directory. You can freely mix 64 & 128 mode programs within the same box. SERVANT features, disk tools: Can use all device numbers 4 through 30. Automatically detects the hardware you are using, and adjusts accordingly. Uses burst mode whenever possible. Recognizes RAMDOS as any other drive. Full 1581 partition support. The copiers automatically detect and take advantage of 64K VDC memory. 1700, 1764 and 1750 memory expansion units supported as an option. Will automatically detect the size of the REU (up to 1Mb supported) when selected. -Directory. View normal directory on source or target disk, or view an extended directory* which displays deleted files as well. -Disk report. Statistical overview of the number of files of each type, the blocks they use, boot blocks and blocks free on disk. -Disk copier*. Copy whole disk or only the tracks which are used (marked as used in the BAM). Single or dual drive copy. Automatically detects if the disk is single or double sided. With 64K VDC memory (but without a REU), it will copy a whole single sided disk in one pass. -File copier. Single or dual drive copy. Adjustable sector interleave on target disk for maximum reload speeds. No limits on the use of 1581 subdirectories. It can copy files freely between subdirectories, even from one subdirectory to another on the same disk. Automatically detects the space remaining on the target disk, and reports if the space is inadequate. Options to make multiple copies of files, scratch copied files from the source disk, and automatically replace of duplicate files on the target disk. -Scratch files. Bulk scratch the files you select. -Unscratch files*. Recover scratched files. Will report, as far as possible, which files are recoverable or not. Can recover all file types, even CBM files. -Header/format disk. On the 1571 you can select single or double sided format, and you can convert a single sided disk to double sided. Change disk name & ID. Create partitions and subdirectories on the 1581. Graphic representation of the disk which displays the free space usable as subdirectory areas. -Edit directory*. Re-arrange, sort, rename, lock/unlock files. Change program load address, change file type & compress directory. -Print directory*. Output directory to printer including all normally hidden information. This includes start track/sector, REL file side sector and record length. Optionally, print start and end addresses for PRG files and SEQ/USR file lengths. -Autoboot tool. Create boot sector on a disk for a variety of purposes. Write a BASIC command line to be executed upon booting. Limited only by BASIC and size of the boot sector; all direct mode commands can be used. Make boot sector to run 64 mode programs, even programs requiring a SYS command or LOAD "*",8,1 to execute. Analyze boot sector. Kill boot sector, transfer boot sector from one disk to another. Convert boot sector to an executable program or vice versa. Boot sectors will support all device numbers. * The marked features won't work with RAMDOS, the old CBM high capacity drives such as the 8250, 4040 and 8250 or hard drives. Whether it will work with hard drives using "emulation partitions" have not been tested. 1581, 1571 and all drives using 1541 compatible disks will work perfectly if they can be hooked up to the 128. If you prefer, the Servant ROM can be put into a cartridge for the expansion port, or even inside the 17xx series REU's.