SerialDisk (Re: LINCtape images)

[Vincent Slyngstad]

On 11/2/2021 2:42 AM, Christian Corti via cctalk wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Oct 2021, Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
>> There seem to be a couple of formats that were frequently used, and a 
>> third lesser used format.  One of the issues is that you have to go 
>> into maintenance mode, as far as I can tell, to determine the size of 
>> the block you just read into memory.
> 
> It seems so.
> But I would need just a restore version of the program, capable of 
> formatting the tape first.
> I'm wondering if I am the first who wants to create LINCtapes from an 
> image. There is a mention of using SerialDisk with the PDP-12 (a 
> modified version by cjl), but I can't locate it :-(

Another option would be to spin the data onto LINCtape with a TD8E, then 
mount the result on the PDP-12.  I think Dave is creating the images in 
the first place with either a TD8E, or possibly a custom controller.

I folded in the SerialDisk changes from Bob and from CJL back in 
January, as well as the new boot loader from Doug and various other 
fixes in February, including support for systems without the KIE 
instruction.  Kyle approved and merged my pull requests, so that should 
all be there for you at Kyle's github:

https://github.com/drovak/os8diskserver

The current version should have no problems with the 8/I or with the 
PDP-12.  (Maybe even the straight-8, but I can't remember checking if it 
is "increment and rotate" clean.  Doug might know.)

	Vince