31 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
31 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
# SETUP.SYSTEM
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The November 1987 edition of Call-A.P.P.L.E features an article by Sean Nolan, ["SYSTEM.SETUP - A Proposed Startup File Standard"](https://www.callapple.org/magazines-4/call-a-p-p-l-e/setup-system-a-proposed-startup-file-standard/). The article was reprinted in [Beneath Apple DOS ProDOS 2020](https://archive.org/details/beneath-apple-dos-prodos-2020). The proposal combines the ProDOS-8 notion of running the first .SYSTEM file found on disk and the convention of chaining to the next .SYSTEM file, with the ProDOS-16 notion of enumerating a directory of startup files. A main `SETUP.SYSTEM` file is provided which enumerates all files in a `SETUPS/` directory. These "setup files" are BIN or SYS files which work like standard ProDOS-8 drivers. The advantages of this approach are:
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* The top level directory only needs one SYSTEM file plus `SETUPS/`, which reduces clutter.
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* Each individual setup file is simpler than stand-alone SYSTEM files, as they don't need to implement chaining.
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Which approach you use is a matter of taste.
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## How do you use these?
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If you choose this approach, use a tool like Copy II Plus or [Apple II DeskTop](https://github.com/a2stuff/a2d) to copy and arrange `SETUP.SYSTEM` as the first `.SYSTEM` file in your root directory. Create a `SETUPS/` directory, and copy the appropriate `.SETUPS` files there. A boot disk image catalog that is used on multiple different hardware configurations might include:
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* `PRODOS` - the operating system, e.g. [ProDOS 2.4](https://prodos8.com/)
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* `SETUP.SYSTEM` - install No-Slot clock driver, if present
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* `QUIT.SYSTEM` - invoke the Quit handler immediately, as a program selector
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* `BASIC.SYSTEM` - which will not be automatically invoked, but is available to manually invoke
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* `SETUPS/NS.CLOCK.SYSTEM` - install No-Slot clock driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/ROMXRTC.SYSTEM` - install ROMX clock driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/FN.CLOCK.SYSTEM` - install FujiNet clock driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/DCLOCK.SYSTEM` - install DClock clock driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/CRICKET.SYSTEM` - install Cricket! clock driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/ZIPCHIP.SYSTEM` - slow the ZIP CHIP on speaker access, if present
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* `SETUPS/RAM.DRV.SYSTEM` - install RamWorks RAM disk driver, if present
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* `SETUPS/BUHBYE.SYSTEM` - install a customized Quit handler to replace the built-in one
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* `SETUPS/PAUSE.SYSTEM` - pause for a moment, so that you can inspect the output of the above
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## Notes
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The `SETUP.SYSTEM` program is not modified from the published version except that it no longer clears the screen between running each file in `SETUPS/`, so that any logged output remains visible.
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