Inter-Office MemorandumToDorado UsersDateSeptember 19, 1979FromGene McDanielLocationPalo AltoSubjectHow to Operate DoradosOrganizationCSLXEROXFiled on: [Ivy]DoradoUserOps.memo, .pressThis document describes the procedures naive programmers may follow to operate the Dorado.There are four sections:Power On/Off and Bootingp.2turning the power onturning the power offbootingSimulated Alto Diskp.3how it workswhen your files aren't therechanging disk packsinitializing a new Alto diskLoading Your Emulatorp.4invoking midasaborting the Dorado's executionloading and running your emulatorElementary checkout.p.5midas is still executingmidas is not executingLogging Errorsp.6Once you get started, the Dorado behaves like a big, fast Alto. Getting started requires booting theemulator (Mesa, Lisp, or Smalltalk) of your choice. The section, Loading Your Emulator, discusseswhat you need to know to force the Dorado to run the language of your choice. The section,Simulated Alto Disk, discusses the way the Trident disk is formatted to look like a collection of"double Model 44" disks.Here are some terms you need to know:Emulator refers to the microcode that implements some language. The Dorado has Alto, Mesa,Lisp, and Smalltalk emulators. Due to current software limitations, users may have to manuallychange the microcode in the Dorado. The Mesa, Lisp, and Smalltalk emulators include support forAlto emulation as well their "target" language. For example, the Smalltalk emulator will run theAlto executive.Midas is an Alto program that can control Dorados when it executes on an Alto with the right"umbilical" connections to a Dorado. We use Midas for hardware and microcode debugging. Forthe present time, users who want to use Mesa, Lisp or Smalltalk may have to use Midas to load theDorado with the appropriate emulator.Baseboard refers to part of the Dorado hardware that actually contains a microcomputer of its own.This microcomputer can boot the Dorado and even reload the microcode, using an emulator storedin the microcomputer's memory. That memory is small and there is room for an Alto emulator only.Н]Оg║pТ÷НІОc8qН]rТ└Н-єqН7BrНІО]ЭqН]rН-єqН7BrНІОYqН]rН-єqН7BrНЭОSЛsНЇОMЪrП5НЇОKТЇПOТ╦НЇОI∙ТНґОF╟Т─Н' НёОEOqТНёОDНёОBуНґОAtrТ─Н' НёО@qТНёО>жНёО=≥НёО<\НґО:ШrТ─trН' НёО9 qТ НёО8]НёО7 П!НґО5©rТ─Н' НёО4^qТНёО3!НґО1юrТ─ Н' НЇО.шТ├Т┤ПYНЇО-VТ▌П#Т▐trtr НЇО+яТ╨Т╩П=НЇО*LtТЄrПNНЇО(гТНЇО%БП%НЇО"ЩurТІП(ТЇП+НЇО!xТЁП.ТЄП1НЇОСТ┼ПLТ▀НЇОnТё ТєПSНЇОИТНЇОurТІПCТЇНЇОТ▓П?Т⌠НЇОЗТ┤ПUТ┬НЇОuТП%НЇО░urТ┴ Т┼ПOНЇОТ▐ПEТ░НЇО├Т┌П$Т┐tП'rTЭZ>Г\╗,Dorado User Operations2Power On/Off and BootingTurning the POWER ON. If the power is off, turn on the power switch in the lower left handcorner in the front of the Dorado. After about 45 seconds, the Dorado will boot the Alto executive.If power switch is on and the display is dark, the baseboard has "turned off" the Dorado. Push theboot button on the back of the keyboard to cause the baseboard to turn on the rest of the Dorado'spower, spin up the disk, if there is one loaded, and boot the executive.Turning the POWER OFF. Push the boot button four times. This causes the baseboard to beginthe power down sequence. When the Dorado display goes blank, all the power execpt for thebaseboard's power is off. Only then should the user turn off all power supplies by turning OFF thepower switch at the lower left corner in the front of the Dorado.BOOTING. The boot button on the back of the Dorado keyboard performs a superset of Alto-styleboot activities for the user. Single pushes of the boot button work as you expect, more pushes dosomething extra! There are three things to remember about this:If you push the button too fast, the baseboard may loose count and do the wrong thing.However you can escape from this situation by keeping the button pushed "in" for morethan 2.5 seconds, orYou can escape from this situation by pushing the boot button more than 4 times.The Dorado's baseboard sees the boot button and boots the machine if the boot button is pushedenough times. NOTE: Baseboard booting does not work if Midas is active in the controlling Alto.If the machine has crashed, a single push on the boot button may restart your world (hot boot). Ifthat doesn't work, escalate! Two button pushes will cause the baseboard to force the currentmicrocode through its boot sequence (warm boot). The hot and warm boot sequences leave theDorado microcode intact.Three button pushes will cause the baseboard to reload the current microcode with the default,Alto-only microcode (tepid boot). Four button pushes will cause the microcomputer to power downthe Dorado. After you see the display go blank, hit the boot button again, and the baseboard willperform a warm boot. This power-down then power up sequence is a cool boot.BootButtonTypeClicksWhat it doesHot boot1Display microcode boots the emulatorWarm boot2Baseboard boots current emulatorTepid boot3Baseboard loads Alto emulator and boots4Baseboard turns off most power suppliesCool boot1Only after ; baseboard powers up Dorado, then loads andboots.НЇОfПrТНGОНЇОaвpТ÷НЇО^РvТїrТ╗П>НЇО]mТ│Т┌ПQНЇО[ХТ└Т┘ПQНЇОZcТ├ПbНЇОXчТПHНЇОUЫvТ▓rП/Т⌠НЇОTtТҐП=ТЎНЇОRОТ└trТ┘П*НЇОQjТПAНЇОN┘vТ┘ rПFТ├ НЇОMТ∙П8Т√П*НЇОK{ТП@НґОH√Т╘ПEТ╙НґОE╠ТіП-ТїП(НґОD,ТНґОAGТОТПП8НЇО>bТ²П^НЇО<щТ┼П'Т▀П:НЇО9ЬТ▄ПcНЇО8sТоТпПKНЇО6НТюТаtП)НЇО5iТrНЇО2└Т╪ТҐПRНЇО0ЪТ│ПDТ┌НЇО/zТ▓ Т⌠ПWНЇО-УТПLНЇО+wНюНЇО)▀НюН≥НЇО&іrТ─Н─Н═ТНЇО%!Т─Н─Н═ТНЇО#°Т─ Н─Н═ТНЇО"Т─Н─Н═ТНЇО ▓Т─Н─Н═Т⌠Т■П2НЇО РЇА>ГL)Dorado User Operations3Simulated Alto DiskHOW IT WORKS. To make it easier for a diverse community to use the Alto and to avoidchanging disk packs, special arrangements regarding the disk have been made for the Lisp andSmalltalk emulators. The Trident is so large that it can hold the contents of many Model 31 diskpacks. Thus, the Lisp and Smalltalk emulators each use a separate region of the Trident. Theconsequence is that once your emulator is running, it accesses a separate disk, all its own.WHEN YOUR FILES AREN'T THERE. If, for example, you boot a machine that has Lispmicrocode and want to run Smalltalk, you'll be disturbed to find that none of your files appear tobe on the disk. (Smalltalk won't work, either, since the proper emulator isn't loaded in theDorado.) Take heart. Follow the procedure below (Loading Your Microcode, p.4) for loading yourown microcode. After you boot the machine you will find that your files reappear, given that thecorrect Trident disk pack is loaded in the Dorado.CHANGING DISK PACKS. If that doesn't work, you must replace the current Trident pack withthe one with your "Alto disk" on it. If you've never switched packs on the Dorado, you may wishto get help, otherwise this reminder may be sufficient. Release the catch on the top front of theDorado and lift the Dorado's hood up and over to the back. Now you can access the Trident diskdrive and change packs.1.Flip the right hand toggle switch to STOP.2.When the green light stops blinking, your must replace the current pack:a.Remove the current pack.1.Release the catch on the top front of the Trident and lift the Trident'shood up. It will not travel up and over to the back.2.Place an empty cover onto the pack currently in the Trident.3.Turn the handle counter-clockwise until it makes loud clicks.4.Remove the pack and place it on the base of its container. Rememberfasten the top to the base by clenching and then releasing the handles onthe bottom of the base.b.Add your pack.1.Gently place your pack in the Trident. Twist the handle clockwise untilit does not twist any more.2.Remove the pack's top, close the Trident, flip the toggle switch back toSTART, then close the Dorado.c.Boot the machine.INITIALIZING A NEW ALTO DISK. Occasionally you may wish to initialize a new simulated Altodisk on a Trident pack. The process is similar to what you would do on an Alto: Ether bootcopydisk or a new operating system. You can use copydisk to copy any other disk on the ethernet,even a single disk, model 31 pack. If you boot a new operating system, you will perform a fullinitialization on the disk.Remember that the Lisp and Smalltalk emulators use different regions on the Trident pack, so youmust be running the proper emulator when you follow this procedure.For lots of disk space use "both disks as a single file system" when performing the initialization --the simulated Alto disk will look like a "double 44" rather than a "double 31". However, currentsoftware limitations require that you immediately delete "diskdescriptor" when the machine entersthe executive. That will cause the executive to crash. Boot from the ethernet again and run thescavenger. When the scavenger is done you will have a new, improved "diskdescriptor" (rememberthe scavenger should treat both disks as a single file system).ЪНЇОfПrТНGОНЇОaвpНЇО^РvТлr ТмП<НЇО]mТбПAТцНЇО[ХТ≥П$Т П=НЇОZcТІПLТЇНЇОXчТСТТПIНЇОUЫvТАrТБНЇОTtТ≈П$Т≤П>НЇОRОТзП@ТшНЇОQjТ┐П`НЇОOЕТёПAТєНЇОN`ТП2НЇОK{vТ²rТ·П&НЇОIЖТ▌П$vrП1Т▐НЇОHqТєП[Т╔НЇОFЛТ▐П_НЇОEgТНґОB┌НШП*НґО@ЩНШПHНёО>НН≥О;3НТ▓Т⌠П0Н≥О9ўТП5Н≥О8)НП<Н≥О6єНП=Н≥О5НТ▄ПDН≥О3 Т║Т╒П4Н≥О2ТНёО/0Н Н≥О,KНТ├П&Т┤П!Н≥О*фТН≥О)AНТ┬ПHН≥О'╪ТНёО$вННЇО!РvТ▓rТ⌠П=НЇО mТЄПPТ╣НЇОХТ┼П9Т▀П(НЇОcТ╘Т╙ПYНЇОчТНЇОЫТ░Т▒ПJНЇОtТПCНЇО▐Т█П2Т▌П4НЇО Т≤П@Т≥П!НЇО┘Т╒П8ТёП)НЇОТ╔П=ТіП$НЇО{Т┴ Т┼ПTНЇОЖТП?Ъ Ї*=Г\ЮUDorado User Operations4Loading Your EmulatorUntil the software gets enhanced, users often may be forced to load an emulator from Midas. Thismay require invoking Midas from the emulator and aborting the Dorado, if it is still executing,before you can load and execute your emulator.INVOKING MIDAS. If Midas is not already running on the controlling Alto, invoke Midas fromthe Alto executive:>MidascrABORTING THE DORADO'S EXECUTION. When Midas runs there is a display with informationin columns at the top and up to three lines of menu commands at the middle. Exactly what yousee will depend upon what your Dorado is doing. If the Dorado is still executing, the bottom ofthe screen will appear something like:Midas D1Midas Serial# ZVer=, runningAbort DtachIf the Dorado halted for some reason, you'll see something like:Midas D1MidasSerial# ZVer= halt at :If the Dorado is still running, button "Abort" with the left button of the mouse. Now the Doradois halted. Midas may print two lines as follows:Continue Abort-CFileSome Error occured. Log the particulars and begin again.This happens because Midas doesn't notice the difference between the user Aborting the executionof the Dorado and an actual error. If this happens, "left-bug" either the Continue or the Abort-CFile menu item. Then you may proceed as below.LOADING AND RUNNING YOUR EMULATOR. Type the name of your emulator. You willsee it appear in the lower left corner of the screen. Backspace and control-A will "edit" the nameyou type. Then use the mouse to "left button" RunProg in the first line of the command menu.Emulator names are Alto, Mesa, Lisp, and Smalltalk.After the Midas display reappears and the Dorado is in its boot sequence, you can shift-swat out ofMidas and begin working on the Dorado.ЪНЇОfПrТНGОНЇОaвpНЇО^РrТ▀П;Т▄П&НЇО]mТ╧ПTТ╨ НЇО[ХТП.НЇОYvТіrП8ТїНЇОW~ТНЇОT.tОT╩xНЇОQ$vТ┼Т▀rП3НЇОO÷Т²ПKТ·НЇОNТ÷Т═ПBНЇОL∙ТП&НґОI╟qrqНґОH+rqrqrНґОFі НЇОCаП@НґО@эqrqНґО?WrqrqrqНґО=рНЇО:МrТ▐ПaНЇО9hТП1НґО6іqНґО4П9НЇО1#rТ≥ПJtrТ НЇО/·ТЁПJtrtТЄНЇО.rТП+НЇО+4wТіП!vrТї НЇО)╞Т■Т∙ПSНЇО(*Т║ПOТ╒ НЇО%EТП3НЇО"`Т┼П`Т▀НЇО шТП&ЪLЇ╞=ГJ[БDorado User Operations5Elementary CheckoutWhen things don't seem to be working well, there are three microcoded, Dorado specific diagnosticsyou may wish to run. Microcoders may find this a useful technique to help distinguish betweenhardware and microcode problems. The proper order to execute the diagnostics is "Kernel","MemA", then "Ifu". The procedure for loading and beginning them requires Midas and isidentical:1.Get Midas to execute on the controlling Alto. If it is already there, that is fine.2.Halt the Dorado if it is running.3.Type the diagnostic name, then "left button" Run-Prog in the Midas menu.4.When all the activity on the screen halts, type "BEGIN;G". Now the diagnostic isrunning. If the Dorado halts with a breakpoint at ERR, the microcode believes it hasfound a problem. If this happens, report it to Charlie Sosinski or Herb Yeary.Each diagnostic has a breakpoint assembled at "DONE" so that the user can tell easily that at leastone pass of the diagnostic has successfully executed on the machine. For Kernel and Ifu, a passexecutes fairly quickly. The amount of available memory causes MemA to take a long time beforeone iteration is complete. Consequently there is an extra breakpoint assembled at SDPATL, and itindicates that a considerable amount of the memory system has been tested.In all cases, if you wish to remove a breakpoint and proceed (the diagnostics are infinite loops),type ";K" to Midas after the machine halts at a breakpoint. That kills the breakpoint. Then type";P" to proceed executing the diagnostic. WARNING: The diagnostics will NOT proceed after anerror.НЇОfПrТНGОНЇОaвpНЇО^РrТ┐П*Т└П8НЇО]mТ╘П*Т╙П4НЇО[ХТэП=ТщНЇОZcТзПTТшНЇОXч НґОUЫН(ТрТсП9НґОTtН(ТП!НґОRОН(ПHНґОQjН(Т╨Т╩П9НґОOЕТдП3urНґОN`ТПOНЇОK{Т█Т▌urП0НЇОIЖТ╔ ТіПUНЇОHqТ▐ПDТ░НЇОFЛТ█ПEТ▌ urНЇОEgТПJНЇОB┌Т╞Т╟ПFНЇО@ЩТ■Т∙ПJНЇО?xТ┬П^НЇО=СЪTЇ:г=Г-C╗Dorado User Operations6Logging ErrorsThe Dorado will halt when it detects a machine failure. While Dorados are still fairly new it willbe helpful for users to log information regarding what error has occured. There are two situationsthat users must deal with to log error information. There is the case when Midas is still executingin the Alto and when it is not.MIDAS IS STILL EXECUTING. When Midas is still executing in the controlling Alto, Midas willdetect that an error has occured and print relevant information. Recall from a previous section thatafter the Dorado has halted, the middle of the screen will have information like the following:Midas D1MidasSerial# ZVer= halt at :Please record the information beginning with Serial#.Midas may print a comment something like:Continue Abort-CFileSome Error occured. Log the particulars and begin again.This happens because Midas doesn't notice the difference between the user Aborting the executionof the Dorado and an actual error. If this happens, "left-bug" either the Continue or the Abort-CFile menu item. After recording information about the crash, proceed by running the emulator ofyour choice (see the section above, Loading Your Microcode).MIDAS IS NOT EXECUTING. If Midas is not executing in the controlling Alto after a machinefailure, the Dorado's state is preserved. Invoke Midas from the Alto executive, and record theinformation as requested above.c: mcdanielЪНЇОfПrТНGОНЇОaвp НЇО^РrТ Т⌡ПOНЇО]mТ■ Т∙ПUНЇО[ХТ■ПKТ∙НЇОZcТНЇОW~vТ⌡rТ°П$НЇОUЫТ┤ПXТ┬НЇОTtТюП5ТаП*НґОQ▐ТqrqНґОP rqrqrqНґОN┘НЇОK═rП5НЇОH╩П)НґОEЫqНґОC[П9НЇО@vrТ≥ПJtrТ НЇО>ЯТЁПJtrtТЄНЇО=lrТ├П(Т┤П4НЇО;ГТП$trНЇО9vТ╗rТ╘ПBНЇО7}Т©П_НЇО5ЬТНЇО1iТ└ ЪьЇ/²=Г8mў TIMESROMAN TIMESROMAN TIMESROMAN LOGO TIMESROMAN TIMESROMAN HELVETICA HELVETICA TIMESROMANтБ ╚X!R%ЪЪj/(&■─╦ЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪЪDoradoUserOps.memoMcDanielSeptember 19, 1979 11:24 PM