Subject: Re: .DSK Files and IIGS From: Rubywand Date: Mon, Jun 01, 1998 032,ΠEDT Message-id: <35722EEB.3BA52952@swbell.net> Gary Black writes ... .... > > I have learned how to grab .shk files with Fetch on my MAC and copy them to > A2 disks for use on my IIGS. However, I still don't quite understand how to > get and move the .dsk files to my IIGS. > > Would someone be so kind as to e-mail me instructions on just how to do this. > Okay. An email copy will be sent. > Here are the utilities I have: binscii, gs-shk, fetch, Protype, I have > disk2file, but that didn't seem to work.. > DSK2FILE is a very reliable utility. If it does not appear to work the reason is likely to be that the ".dsk" file has not been unZipped and/or the target diskette has not been properly formatted. Below is a snip from our FAQs ( ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Faqs ) which should help get you oriented ... _____________ 016- What are DSK "disk image" files and how do I use them? A "disk image" is a file containing everything on the diskette-- i.e. Catalog tracks, files, DOS (if present) etc.. Usually, they are images of Apple 5.25" game, utility, etc. diskettes. A standard 5.25" disk image file is 143,360 bytes in length. DSK files are disk image files used by emulators like AppleWin to run A2 wares on the PC or Mac. Emulators treat DSK files like diskettes. DSK files are also a handy way to archive DOS 3.3 disks on hard disk and to maintain old DOS 3.3 wares on Apple II ftp sites. On Ftp sites, DSK files are usually in a ZIPped form to conserve space. For example, on the Asimov site, narfgames.dsk.gz is a DSK file of the narfgames disk which has been g-zip compressed. On a PC, WinZIP will unZIP g-zipped DSK files into uncompressed form. On an Apple II, a DSK file can be converted to actual 5.25" diskette form using DSK2file or (GS-only) ASIMOV. Most 5.25" DSK (.DSK and .DO) files are of a DOS 3.3 or some related DOS disk. The target diskette should be formatted for DOS 3.3. and you should use the default DSK2FILE or ASIMOV "DOS 3.3 Order" setting. Copy II Plus can do the DOS 3.3 format. (If a disk image file has a .PO suffix, use a diskette formatted for ProDOS and the DSK2FILE or ASIMOV "ProDOS Order" setting.) An alternative way to do a DOS 3.3 format is to boot a DOS 3.3 diskette, get to the usual BASIC prompt, swap your target diskette into the drive, and do an INIT HELLO. (Prontodos or EsDOS-II are speeded versions of DOS and can also be used to do the INIT.) INIT, of course, does a bit more than a Copy II Plus format; but, the stuff added gets over-written. Both ways to do the format have been tested and work fine for preparing a target diskette. If you want to also use the back of the diskette as a target, then, it will need to be formatted, as well. You can, also, use DSK2FILE or ASIMOV to create DSK files from unprotected 5.25" diskettes. .... ---------------------------- 017- Where can I get ShrinkIt, GS-ShrinkIt, binscii, BISCIT, TCHANGE, DSK2FILE, ASIMOV, PMPunZip, FileManager, GScii, 2qwk!, and GZPK? You can download ShrinkIt, GS-ShrinkIt (GSHK), binscii & BISCIT, TCHANGE at ... ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/useful.stuff DSK2FILE at ... http://keaggy.intmed.mcw.edu/dsk2file.html ASIMOV at ... ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/images/utility/disk_utils PMPunZip at ... ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple16/Com/Utils FileManager NDA, GScii NDA at ... ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple16/System/Ndas 2qwk!, GZPK at ... ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/apple8/Com . ---------------------------- 018- I have downloaded a bunch of files for the Apple II lately that are in a format called GZ. I understand it is some variation of Zip but I don't have a translator for it on my GS. Does anyone know where I can find one? Files downloaded from Asimov, mod files, and some others are, often, in GZ "g-zipped" format and usually have the .gz file name extension (like narfgame.dsk.gz). If you download the files to a PC, you can use the Windows version of PKZip (WinZIP) to unzip the file. Usually, once unzipped, an Asimov GZ image file will end up as a 143k DSK file. The file may be moved to your Apple via NULL modem and converted to Apple-readable diskette form using DSK2file or (GS-only) ASIMOV. If you download a GZ file directly to your Apple you can use a program named "GZPK" v2 to convert it from gzip form to a zip format which can be unzipped via PMPUnzip 2.0 or Angel. A GZ file from the Asimov site should end up as a DSK file. ______________ Here is a quickie step-by-step guide for getting a typical DSK file into useable form: 1. Download the file in binary mode from an ftp archive site via ftp:// ... 2. If file length is not 143,360, use WinZIP or equivalent to unZip it. 3. Transfer the DSK file to your GS via Mac diskette or a NULL modem transfer. One way or another, the file needs to end up on a ProDOS diskette or ProDOS hard disk volume on the GS. 4. The vast majority of DSK files are images of DOS 3.3 diskettes. Unless you have good reason to believe the DSK is an image of a ProDOS diskette, format or INIT a 5.25" diskette for DOS 3.3. (If the DSK file has a .PO suffix or if you have good reason to believe the DSK is an image of a ProDOS diskette, format the target diskette for ProDOS.) If you are using DSK2FILE, now is a good time to jot down the complete path name of the DSK file (e.g. /RAM5/NARFGAME.DSK ) because DSK2FILE will ask you to type it in. 5. Insert the formatted target diskette into 5.25" Drive 1 (Slot 6). 6. Start DSK2FILE or ASIMOV. Normally, you will accept the defaults. (If the DSK is a ProDOS image, select "ProDOS Order".) 7. Select the "Image file ---> Diskette" option, follow prompts, and you should end up with a good diskette. Rubywand