The Star Commander,  Beta Version #3

                          written by Joe Forster/STA

          The ultimate PC-1541 copy utility with optional turbo mode


This is only a beta release of Star Commander!!! Look out for further (beta)
releases!!! Read the online help carefully for features, differences from the
other Commanders, the description of the X1541 interface and other details!!!
Please report bugs and ideas to me as I want to release the final Version 1.0
as soon as possible!!! Sorry for all kinds of bugs that appear in the Commander
but I'm in a hurry - as always!!!



INTRODUCTION:

This is a Norton Commander-like program being designed to copy binary files
between the PC and the 1541 drive and handle the .T64 and .D64 image files for
the superb C64S emulator (by Miha Peternel). I started writing it because I saw
the many shit converters/copiers all around that are hard to use, full of major
bugs and are slow. Forget them and use the Commander instead.



CHANGES FROM BETA VERSION #2:

- fixed the 'multi file copy to image file' bug when the directory was messed
        up sometimes

- the redundant configuration option "Real 1541 drive connected" is discarded

- a new configuration option named "BAM disk copy" appeared

- the image file name of the last session is not saved in the setup so the
        "<image file> not found" won't drive you crazy

- the online help window does not flicker when changing topic.

- the PC-1541 connection is now more or less complete and turbo mode is also
        implemented - that's what you've been waiting for for a long time!!!



KNOWN BUGS:

- you must NOT let the Commander search for a drive that is switched off.

- pressing ESC while loading a file from the connected 1541 drive will freeze
        the Commander most of the time.



COMING SOON:

- bug fixes - of course...

- automatic timing calibration of the 1541 read/write routines.

- changing the labels of PC disks as well



CONNECTING A REAL 1541 DRIVE TO YOUR PC:

The PC-1541 connection is now done with the X1541 printer port-serial port
interface (I was lucky and I could write the routines to handle the strict
timing requirements of the 1541 drive drive, turbo mode with 2-3 times the
original speed is also done!!!).

WARNING: as the 1541 read/write routines are roughly calibrated to my 386DX40
they might NOT work on your PC (if it is much slower or much faster than
mine)!!! I am now working on a routine which calibrates reading and writing
depending on the system clock. Until then you will have to calibrate the
routines manually by entering a command line parameter: the default is 10, for
fast machines it should be higher and for slow ones lower. If you managed to
use the connected 1541 drive without error then save the setup and the
Commander will remember the calibration. Sorry for this, but help is coming!!!

The Commander uses smart techniques to speed up reading and writing even when
you are not using the turbo mode (e.g. speeding up IRQ's means faster head
stepping and saves about 2% of read/write time; reading a disk unlinearly saves
about 15% of time - on my 1541 drive it reads a whole disk to a disk image file
in 7 minutes and 50 seconds instead of slightly more than 9 minutes!!!). You
can use the BAM copy disk option to speed up the disk copy even more BUT if the
disk or disk image file contains used data in free sectors they will NOT be
copied!!!



BETA TESTING:

As I do not have the possibility to test the program on many kinds of PC's I
ask you to be my beta tester and write to me if you

- found a bug in the program (you will possibly find some, as it is still under
        development)

- have an idea what improvements I should make in the future

- saw a grammatical error, misspelling, wrong punctuation, wrong justification
        or something misunderstandable in the online help

- know good FTP sites with C64 areas to which I should upload this program

- are just interested in this program or you simply like it and want to see it
        ready as soon as possible



HELP:

As I got a PC only less than a year ago I am still a rookie in programming on
the PC and making release packages. As The Star Commander is freeware instead
of sending money and registering I ask you to send me programming infos (mainly
on DOS and assembler language) and help me in making the packages containing
the future releases of the Commander. Please help me in the following topics:

- changing the volume labels of PC disks in TP7

- processor independent timing (so that the Commander could handle the 1541
        drive on all (fast!) PC's independently from the processor speed)



ADDRESSES:

Please do NOT hesitate and

- write an E-Mail to this Internet address:

        "sta@ludens.elte.hu"

- or write a Hungarian/English P-Mail (I mean paper) to this address:

        Kov cs Bal zs
        Budapest, Orsolya u. 5. IV/12.
        1204, Hungary


        16th September, 1994                    Joe Forster/STA