M100 CP/M: Difference between revisions

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<big>'''What is M100 CP/M?'''</big>
<big>'''What is M100 CP/M?'''</big>


M100 CP/M is an implementation of CP/M 2.2 that is tailored to the TRS-80 Model 100 & Tandy 102. Now able to run the predominant operating system of the 1970s & early 1980s means a huge library of programming languages, text adventures, utilities, etc, can now run on these computers. Here is a quick [https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/introduction-to-cpm look] into CP/M.  M100 CP/M is free to download from [[Installation and Set Up]].
M100 CP/M is an implementation of CP/M 2.2 that is tailored to the TRS-80 Model 100 & Tandy 102. Now able to run the predominant operating system of the 1970s & early 1980s means a huge library of programming languages, text adventures, utilities, etc, can now run on these computers. Here is a quick [https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/introduction-to-cpm look] into CP/M.  M100 CP/M is free to download from [[#Installation and Set Up|Installation and Set Up]].


In order to run CP/M, these computers need two changes to hardware:
In order to run CP/M, these computers need two changes to hardware:
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* F3 - toggles between M100 (M100 LCD 40x8), RS23 (RS-232 port) and CASS (Cassette/BCR port). LABEL has to be active to make a change. The change occurs when LABEL is extinguished.
* F3 - toggles between M100 (M100 LCD 40x8), RS23 (RS-232 port) and CASS (Cassette/BCR port). LABEL has to be active to make a change. The change occurs when LABEL is extinguished.


= The right CP/M software =
 
= The right & wrong CP/M software =


The CP/M-era spanned several processors, so only 8080 CP/M software will run on M100 CP/M, not that for Z80 or 8086. Most early CP/M software was 8080 and is retrospectively referred to as CPM-80, as opposed to CPM-86. However Z80 software can also be classed as CPM-80.
The CP/M-era spanned several processors, so only 8080 CP/M software will run on M100 CP/M, not that for Z80 or 8086. Most early CP/M software was 8080 and is retrospectively referred to as CPM-80, as opposed to CPM-86. However Z80 software can also be classed as CPM-80.
Here is a good [http://www.retroarchive.org/cpm/lang/lang.htm library] of software. (NB some maybe Z80 or 8086)


Programs known not to run on M100 CP/M
Programs known not to run on M100 CP/M

Revision as of 01:34, 18 May 2020

M100CPM.PNG



============= PAGE UNDER DEVELOPMENT!!!================


What is M100 CP/M?

M100 CP/M is an implementation of CP/M 2.2 that is tailored to the TRS-80 Model 100 & Tandy 102. Now able to run the predominant operating system of the 1970s & early 1980s means a huge library of programming languages, text adventures, utilities, etc, can now run on these computers. Here is a quick look into CP/M. M100 CP/M is free to download from Installation and Set Up.

In order to run CP/M, these computers need two changes to hardware:

  * RAM needs to be present in lower 32KB region
  * Some form of memory to act as disk storage

REXCPM is the device that achieves this. Developed by long-standing M100 hardware specialist Steve Adolph, REXCPM is a plug 'n play Option ROM board that provides the lower 32KB, plus either 2MB or 4MB of RAM-disk.

This package of M100 CP/M & REXCPM makes these computers a venerable CP/M machine with their small footprint, enviable keyboard, super-fast RAM-disk, long battery life, etc, etc.

Status

  * M100 CP/M is currently in beta testing
  

Installation and Set Up

Once your REXCPM board is installed & verified by running RXCMGR (REX manager) successfully, download these files:

ModelDescriptionFileRevision
M100/T102Installer/updaterCPMUPD.CO1
M100/T102CPM.COCPM.CO1
M100/T102CPM for 2MB REXCPMCPM210.BK1
or
M100/T102CPM for 4MB REXCPMCPM410.BK1


Move CPMUPD.CO & CPM.CO to your M100. Leave CPM210.BK (or CPM410.BK) on the emulated-TPDD.

Issue CLEAR 60000 from Basic. In Main Menu, execute CPMUPD.CO.

Enter the 'Install filename', either CPM210.BK or CPM410.BK. As you have no existing CP/M disk, press 'y' to confirm.

M100 CP/M will install, taking 5-lines of progress dots... (about 2min 35sec). On completion, you'll be returned to Main Menu. If there was a TPDD-error, the program will stop & display error message.

Re-activate RXCMGR by selecting it & F8. CP/M can be entered by two ways: selecting CPM.CO or by REXCPM hot-key 'ctrl-c'. In fact if you're only going to use the hot-key, CPM.CO can be deleted from Menu.


Using CP/M

To exit CP/M to M100 Main Menu, press F8.

There is only one 'disk drive' in M100 CP/M, the "A" drive. It is however nearly 2MB (or 4MB) in size.

CP/M commands can be in lower case, here's two common examples:

  • dir - produces a Directory
  • stat - shows free space on disk

Here is a summary of commands. Here is the full manual for CP/M 2.2.

Special M100 CP/M features

SCREEN CONTROL

CP/M is designed for 80 x 24 screen size, thus the 40 x 8 of the M100 presents challenges. Some software wont recognise ctrl-s (or PAUSE key on M100) to stop scrolling. Zork adventure series is an example of this. So M100 CP/M can turn off scrolling until a key is pressed.

  • F1 - toggles between Scroll Locked (Sc L) and 'Scroll Standard' (Sc S). Press LABEL to see this. In Locked mode, when the display is ready to scroll, the cursor will be at the right-hand bottom awaiting any key press. F1 can be pressed at anytime, however best to select it before starting the offending program.


Some software doesn't use the standard CP/M key-entry routines resulting in a cursor not displaying. Zork is also an example of this.

  • F2 - toggles between 'Cursor Full-time (Cu F) and 'Cursor Standard' (Cu S). Press LABEL to see this. If a program doesn't show a cursor when at keyboard input, select 'Cursor Full-time'. F2 can be pressed anytime. The reason Cursor Standard is an option is so a flashing cursor isn't a distraction when the CPU is processing or doing graphics on the M100 LCD.


M100 CP/M can redirect video output to an external monitor giving full 80x24 display. Using this VT100 device, an old CRT or LCD VGA monitor can be put to good use. There is also the option to redirect video through the Cassette or BCR ports (BCR TTL SERIAL HACK), thereby keeping the RS-232 port free for connecting to an emulated-TPDD or other serial device.

  • F3 - toggles between M100 (M100 LCD 40x8), RS23 (RS-232 port) and CASS (Cassette/BCR port). LABEL has to be active to make a change. The change occurs when LABEL is extinguished.


The right & wrong CP/M software

The CP/M-era spanned several processors, so only 8080 CP/M software will run on M100 CP/M, not that for Z80 or 8086. Most early CP/M software was 8080 and is retrospectively referred to as CPM-80, as opposed to CPM-86. However Z80 software can also be classed as CPM-80.

Here is a good library of software. (NB some maybe Z80 or 8086)

Programs known not to run on M100 CP/M

- Turbo Pascal (requires Z80)
- VDE full-screen editor (requires Z80)


Acknowledgements

I would like to thank those who have contributed to the project:

Steve Adolph - for producing REXCPM hardware (which is a delight to program). For CASS/BCR video output, hi-speed Backup and technical support.

Kenneth Pettit - for VirtualT as this project would have remained a dream if not for VT.

Mike Stein - for alerting me to Geoff Graham's VT-100 Terminal project and for beta-testing.