Paul Guyot wrote:
> >"Michael J. Hussmann" wrote:
> >
> >> Laurent Daudelin (laurent_daudelin@fanniemae.com) wrote:
> >>
> >> > I'm wondering if an ATA driver could be made to work. Anybody knows
> >>for sure?
> >>
> >> I don't know either, but there's also the question what to expect from an
> >> ATA driver. Should it support the standard file system of these cards,
> >> and if yes, how is the Newton expected to deal with files -- say,
> >> pictures from a digital camera? After all, there is no such thing as a
> >> file in the Newton OS. Or should ATA cards be used as a cheaper
> >> replacement for linear flash cards, i.e. to store soups on?
> >
> >I don't know specifically, but I think it would be less a problem to
> >"format" the
> >card for use by the Newton, using the standard soup structure. If that's not
> >possible, or undesirable, then maybe each file could be mapped to a soup?
>
> Technically, I think this is feasible, although they won't behave like
> linear cards exactly. At least on MP1xx, the cards are mapped directly to
> memory (contrary to what I wrote in the FAQ).
>
> However, doing this will require:
> (a) to know the lowest level system functions to access the card as a store
> (including recognizing it when it is entered)
> (b) to implement this (a system patch may be needed, although it is not sure)
>
> I suggest that if we interface with another file system, to have both soups
> as we know them, mapped to a file each (or a directory each, depending on
> what is easier) and to have all other files mapped to a single soup, a file
> per entry, so that we could write I/O functions to access them.
>
> I once thought about playing with stores, and I discovered that most of the
> time, access functions are called thru NS (i.e. the functions are called
> with NSCallGlobalFunction and NSSend native functions).
>
> >So the real question is who has the docs needed for this? i.e. docs on
> >how to write a Newton driver.
>
> Please note however, that this could require to have a lot of information
> concerning the ATA cards. I got some from the web a few time ago, but I am
> not sure it is sufficient. This means (I think) registering to a special
> corporative group, probably including industrial-size fees.
>
> The easiest thing and doable thing now is a driver that gets a sector from
> the ATA card. Then having it a Newton Store is the fun part of it.
>
> Lantern DDK, as Laurent suggested, is not, AFAIK, the only way to talk to
> the driver. And anyway, it is by no means to make a store driver, but a
> communication driver. Addresses to talk to the PCMCIA slot is defined in
> the PCMCIA DDK. (however, some headers I have been looking for for eons are
> needed to compile it as it is distributed by Apple: MemoryLanes.h and
> Storage.h)
>
> >Or should ATA cards be used as a cheaper
> >replacement for linear flash cards, i.e. to store soups on?
>
> And besides, ATA cards would be slower for sure.
>
> But, one could read somewhere in the PCMCIA DDK:
> #define kPagedStoreCard 'pgts'
> // ATA card
[...]
Salut Paul!
Où peut-on trouver ce "PCMCIA DDK"?
J'ai tellement de choses à faire présentement que je n'ai que vaguement considéré
l'évaluation de l'effort nécessaire à l'écriture d'un tel pilote pour cartes ATA.
J'imagine que tu es assez occupé toi-aussi...
Lorsque tu mentions "industrial-size fees", à quoi réfères-tu exactement?
Qu'est-ce qu'on peut faire sans payer les frais? Est-ce qu'on doit s'inscrire
dans une sorte de consortium pour pouvoir avoir accès à de l'information
privilégiée?
-Laurent.
=====================================================================
Laurent Daudelin
Developer, Object Factory, Substrate Fannie Mae
Phone: 703-833-4266 mailto:Laurent_Daudelin@fanniemae.com
Fax: 703-833-7555 Usual disclaimers apply
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