Description: ProDOS 8: How To Find Disk, Controller, and Block Information
Header: ProDOS 8: How To Find Disk, Controller, and Block Information


 This article last reviewed: 29 March 1989

 This article describes how to find disk information, by making calls to
 significant memory locations.

 Is the Card a Disk Controller?
 ------------------------------
 Check memory locations $Cs01, $Cs03, $Cs05 (s = slot number) for $20, $00,
 and $03, respectively.  If these values are found, then the card in the
 slot is a disk controller.

 Apple Disk II Disk Controller and Disk Capacity?
 ------------------------------------------------
 Check memory location $CsFF.  If the value is $00 or $FF, assume that an
 Apple Disk II disk controller card is installed ($00 is 16-sector, $FF is
 13-sector).

 SmartPort Device and Number of Blocks?
 --------------------------------------
 If the device is not an Apple Disk II disk controller card, check memory
 location $Cs07.  If the value does not equal $00, the device is not a
 SmartPort device, and the total number of blocks for the drive are stored
 at memory locations $CsFC and $CsFD in low-byte/high-byte order.

 If the total number of blocks is 0, contact the card manufacturer for
 details on how to determine the number of blocks.  (Note: We do not know of
 any disk controller that does not store the total number of blocks at
 memory locations $CsFC and $CsFD.)

 If the value at memory location $Cs07 is $00, the drive is a SmartPort
 device.  To find the number of blocks on the drive, you must make SmartPort
 status call $03 (get DIB).  This call is documented in the "Apple IIGS
 Firmware Reference Manual" on pages 114 through 125 with the most specific
 information starting on page 121.
 Copyright 1989 Apple Computer, Inc.
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